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| Sailboat Bridge ~ Grand Lake |
There’s a lot of BIG
entertainment in our area! Last week, the Good to Go Gang loaded our shiny red
motorcoach and headed to Missouri for the Branson Big Stuff trip. This two-day trip was busy with four BIG shows that
we totally enjoyed. We were wowed at the new production of “Samson” at the Sight and Sound Theater.
The interpretation of the Biblical story was just as moving as the special
effects were amazing. A BIG show! Show number two was “Raiding the Country Vault”. The classic country music is presented
a bit different, with the focus on the song and its roots and less on the
performer. But we learn, before the finale, that these are not just run of the
mill performers, they are BIG.
Our third show is new, “Sinatra and Friends”. The BIG production
show featured dancers, beautiful costumes and sets. Of course, the tunes of Ol’
Blue Eyes, The Rat Pack and that glamorous time rolled out some really BIG hits
we all knew and loved. Our fourth show was a Branson favorite, The Hughes
Brothers Family Show. What do you get when you take four talented brothers,
that married four talented wives that birth the most talented children? You get
the world’s BIGGEST family show! Really, they are the world’s biggest
performing family. I think there were 35 children on stage. Doing stuff, good
stuff, like singing and dancing and playing instruments. I didn’t see a dudd in the bunch. I’m sorry you weren’t with us
to see all this BIG Stuff!
We have some BIG stuff
happening around Grand Lake, too! Make sure you read your paper of all the
things happening! There is live theater! Buy a ticket, support the arts! HarBer
Village is kicking off a year’s worth of celebration for their 50th
anniversary. There are many special events planned. Lendonwood Gardens are
loaded with color. When was the last time you visited some of the neat
attractions in Miami? There are many folks coming in for fishing
tournaments, let’s spiff up a bit and be ready to welcome our visitors!
Remember, they drop bucks at our local businesses and then go home. We need
them to feel welcome and we want them to tell others positive things about us!
It’s a good idea to remind
your employees that most of the time they are the first faces of our
communities. If the clerk at the gas station or the waiter at the cafe doesn’t
know what there is to do, or where something is located, that’s not good. The saddest
comment is “There is nothing to do here!” Yikes! Make sure you have some Grand
Lake Guide books, ask your employees to look over some tourist attraction
brochures. It would be wonderful if every front line face had a chance to “do”
all the attractions, but if they can’t, then please educate them about the
experience. It would be worth some time
in an employee meeting, or space on the bulletin board of the where’s, what’s
and happenings.
I spend my days looking
for special places to take travelers. I’m amazed at the number of times I visit
an area and a local person “doesn’t have any idea why I would want to be there”,
(spending money, paving their roads and paying their policemen). They guffaw
like I should go back to my own town, and let their restaurants stay vacant and
gifts in their shops gather dust. OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but we
should all try to be Good to Go with
our guests on Grand this summer!
