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Build Your Brand - Delivering Your Town's Message
From "Boom Town USA - 7½ Keys to Big Success in Small Towns" by Jack Schultz
Article written by Vicki Knuckles
Much has been written and taught about the process of "branding" in recent years. Basically, the "brand" draw for consumers is consistency; identification with the familiar and knowing what to expect. The effective brand helps make distinctions and sets apart from the rest of the crowd. Experientially, past positive experiences are likely to lead to future investment of time and resources.
Although almost everything has a brand, whether good or bad, strong or ineffectual, branding should not be the initial effort. Successfully branded towns did not work at achieving their brand; they worked at achieving their vision. With a well defined vision and a concerted effort to move in that direction, a brand begins to emerge. Then cultivation and refining the brand, while evaluating the effectiveness of the message to others, is needed.
To effectively deliver our town's message, we don't need to form a branding committee that works long into the night to come up with a catchy slogan or slick marketing campaign. People are needed who see the town's strengths and capabilities and what it offers. The best way to build the town brand and to effectively deliver it is establishment of a vision and shaped goals from that vision.
If the goals are consistently achieved, the brand is created along the way. You become known for what type of town you are. The strengths and advantages become evident to those who enter the town, hear about it or read about it. Branding is not a tool that is produced separately from everything else the town does; it evolves from the process of achieving your goals, being consistent and knowing and using your strengths to your advantage.
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| Remembering a dream for the Community
The Griswold Auditorium
Once again, we find our busy selves rushing around trying to fulfill all of the goals, deadlines and projects we may have set for ourselves for 2007. Add to that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and you find yourself having no time to really think about what you are doing and why you are doing them.
For many, the holiday season is predominately about fellowship with family and friends at a variety of parties and gatherings as well as giving and receiving of gifts. People give gifts for a variety of reasons, but for most, the giving of gifts tends to be better than the receiving of gifts. It is the time spent thinking of the perfect gift to give to that parent, sibling, child, co-worker, friend or important individual that really brings the cheer to this season.
With this in mind, I want to bring all of you back to the early 1900's when on individual gave a gift to the Allegan community that to this day is still serving the community. This gift was one woman's vision and dream for her community and future generations. This gift was generous funding and the insight into the creation of a community gathering place for arts, entertainment and civic events. This gift for all of us to enjoy was The Griswold Auditorium finished in 1929, 10 years after Mrs. Griswold's death.
As the name tells, Mrs. Marilla Griswold was the insightful philanthropist with the dream of phenomenal facility. To this day and the almost 30,000 days since, Mrs. Griswold's gift to the community has continued giving to all of us and should continue for future generations.
In this time of giving, I hope that all of you are encouraged to add another recipient to the bottom of your gift list. I encourage all of you to add the Marilla Griswold Endowment Fund or your other favorite non-profit organization to your list and to remember to contribute to the organization this season.
Several years ago, the Marilla Griswold Endowment Fund was established to sustain The Griswold into the future. I feel it only seems right to help celebrate The Griswold's 80th anniversary by raising $80,000 by 2009.
Donations to endowment funds are invested and the capital earned from the investment is used to help sustain the facility in the future. Your gift to The Griswold is never spent and like Mrs. Griswold your gift will continue to give to future generations. Donations to endowment funds qualify for Federal and Michigan State Tax Credits.
It is time for us to show Mrs. Griswold the appreciation we have for her gift to Allegan.
To make your donation to The Marilla Griswold Endowment Fund, please contact Trisha Henderson at The Griswold, 269.673.3456 or www.cityofallegan.org/marillagriswold_endowment.php
Donations can be directly made to Allegan County Community Foundation, 269.673.8344 or www.alleganfoundation.org. |
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Regent Theatre to host premiere of LITTLE FISH
Allegan Native and film director, Stosh Mintek, and The Regent Theatre in Downtown Allegan are presenting the premiere of Mintek's short film, LITTLE FISH. The premiere event is December 27th at 7:00 pm at The Regent Theatre, 221 Trowbridge Street. The cost of attending the event is free to the public.
The premiere event will include a slideshow of production stills, a screening of LITTLE FISH and a question and answer session with Mintek and other members of the production team.
Conceived and written by Mintek in an intensive screenwriting workshop at Yale University in 2002, LITTLE FISH follows Leonard, a freshman in a Midwest high school, from the day of his first practice on the school's wrestling team to the night of his first match.
Inexperienced and uncertain, Leonard endures hardships that come with the sport, as well as an overworked mother and the rigors of schoolwork. Ultimately, he must choose whether to persevere or back away when faced with an unlikely opponent.
LITTLE FISH was shot during the week of December 26-30, 2006 in Allegan, MI. Editing took place at Ghetto Film School in New York, where Mintek teaches film. Award-winning composer Cory Kasprzyk, an Allegan native, composed an original score for the film. The film was produced by Ciara Lacy.
It is the intention of the filmmakers to create LITTLE FISH for three reasons. First, the story is a personal one, but it also confronts universal conflicts to which any audience will relate and respond. There has never, to the filmmaker's knowledge, been a good film that effectively explored the world of high school wrestling. The belief is this story will do exactly that--and in so doing, shed light on a remarkable, fascinating subculture of adolescent American society.
Secondly, the story's strength is its simplicity. This will translate to the film's strength, as well. A small cast and crew, a few basic locations, and a few days of focused production on-location in West Michigan are all that it requires.
Thirdly with the success of this short at festival competitions around the country, the production team anticipates receiving the funding and attention needed to create a feature-length film, one that tells the complete story of a young man's path from rookie to team captain of a state-championship wrestling team.
The public is welcomed to see the film for the first time in public release at The Regent on December 27th at 7:00 pm. For more information regarding the premiere event, please call 269.673.2737. |
Snow Day. . .Come Out and Play in Downtown Allegan
Baby, it's cold outside and yet the City of Allegan's Arts & Entertainment Action Committee wants you to come out and play!
A & E is hosting a Snow Day in Allegan on Saturday, January 26, from 10:00am - 3:00 pm behind the Griswold Auditorium, Hubbard Street. Come out and play with us at the Snow Day.
Red Lantern Kennels will be on site with a dog team and sled, Outdoor Discovery Center, Holland, is presenting a Birds of Prey show at 10:30 and 11:30 am and are providing snow shoes for children and adults who would like to enter short-course snow shoe races. Tim Morris will be using his legendary chain saw skills to carve ice and wood while the Allegan Snowmobile Club shows their equipment and talks to folks about snowmobile trails in this area. Outdoor activities will conclude at noon.
Enjoy prizes and give-aways outdoors and then warm up in front of the big screen inside the Griswold Auditorium at 12:30 pm to view the 2007 Warren Miller's Playground film sponsored by the Huntington Bank and Regent Theatre. Tickets for this exciting extreme outdoor sports movie are just $5 each at the Griswold door. Watch the movie trailer here.
Food and refreshments will be available throughout the event including chili, popcorn, and hot chocolate.
Great fun for all ages, so come outside and play on January 26th at this first-ever Allegan Snow Day event. Contact Linda Clark for further details at 673-7080 or call the Griswold Auditorium at 673-3456.
Thank you to Huntington Bank, The Regent Theatre and The City of Allegan for sponsoring this event.
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Downtown Allegan Snow Removal Reminder
Just as a friendly reminder per the City of Allegan Code of Ordinances, Section 25 - 66 through 25 - 71, all business owners and operators are required to remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk adjacent to your building. If snow and ice are not removed from your sidewalk in a timely manner the City Manager may have it removed at the business owner's expense. If you have further questions or concerns regarding this matter, please feel free to contact City Manager Robert Hillard anytime at 269.686.1113.
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Allegan Public Library CONNECTS BOOK LOVERS WITH BOOKS THEY'LL LOVE
Library users can sign up for free electronic newsletters based on their areas of interest
The Allegan Public Library knows it is hard for book lovers to keep track of titles they might enjoy - whether newly published or older classics. That's why the library has added a service that delivers news about books and library events directly to subscribers' email boxes. Newsletters range from bestseller lists to new fiction and nonfiction to genre fiction (e.g., mystery, romance and science fiction) and more. Newsletters devoted to children's books and authors are also available. Community members can sign up for as many newsletters as they would like at no charge. Most newsletters are sent monthly. To see the full list of e-newsletters available from the Allegan Public Library and to subscribe, visit http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/addnluser.html?sid=6740
The Book Letters newsletters are also available on the library's Web site www.alleganlibrary.org for viewing at any time. Using Web and email technology to reach out to book lovers is a logical extension of library service. We need to make it easy for people to take advantage of the library's resources. Emailing patrons with news about books in their areas of interest is free, easy and meets the needs of today's busy information consumers. We encourage everyone to visit our Web site and sign up for their BookLetters today.
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Upcoming Events and Happenings
December 21 :: Festive Friday Shopping Nights
Free Horse Drawn Wagon Rides from 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Visits with Santa inside Woodland Trading Company from 6:00 - 8:00 pm
December 22 :: Lunch with Santa
Pizza Hut
Please call, 269.673.5555, for reservations
December 27 :: "Little Fish" Movie Premiere Event
Premiere screening of a short independent film written and directed by Stosh Mintek
7:00 pm
Regent Theatre
December 31 - January 4 :: Christmas Break Free Matinee
Free showings of "Surf's Up"
2:00 pm
Regent Theatre
January 26 :: Allegan Snow Day. . .Come out and Play
Snow Shoe Races - Ice Sculptures - Birds of Prey demonstrations - Snowmobiles - Dog Sled team & much more winter fun
Hanson Park and Griswold Auditorium
10:00 am - noon
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Wishing you and your families a great holiday season and continued success in 2008!
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