Advertising Ritzville

 

Last updated 9/15/2011 at Noon



I’d like to respond to Miles Athey’s assessment and comments about the chamber of commerce.

I’ve been a business member for 14 years and have volunteered before and during that time in the various needs to try to promote the “whole” town – not just the dues paying members. It doesn’t matter what the cause, we’ve tried to make a little money stretch a long way to provide a business directory, tour books, maps and other promotional items that are carried away by the tourists that visit here.

Umm, wonder where they might be found when the dust settles – could be anywhere, and folks can see they came from Ritzville. That’s promotion. That also costs a lot of money.

Websites have been in place and grew weary as the tech world kept improving, but we have a new one in the works right now. It costs a lot of money, but we think it will help introduce our city to the world. It will be our best effort to bring those customers to local businesses as the world moves via Internet.

As for the bus tours, fly ins, etc., we’re way ahead of you there – it’s been tried (on a trial scale due to limited funds and volunteers) and we found there isn’t enough to DO in Ritzville to keep a bus load of folks busy, even for one day.

Sure, they can go to Palouse Falls, go golfing or bowling and eat a meal here, but that doesn’t fit into the normal tourist packages that are offered by the industry. They “pass through” Ritzville, and we’re lucky if they stop at Perkins or Jake’s!

I’m a board member and like several other community members, I have put in many hours of work to bring people to Ritzville – always on a limited budget. We can’t afford to spend money on things that won’t fit at this time, maybe they will in the future.

The Blues Festival was a good thing until some got greedy and blew the budget to total destruction – and these will be the most to miss the “guaranteed” income that came every July. So now, we have the Western Art Show, the parade and rodeo, the Toddler Trick or Treat and the Christmas events to bring fun to the downtown streets for all to enjoy.

My advice is to enjoy what we have and what we might be able to afford in the future. Most of all, get involved and volunteer – see if you can make a difference. Volunteers are needed everywhere.

Miles, I’m hoping you’re all fired up and ready to roll up your sleeves and lead Ritzville to greater things, so I’m offering you my seat on the chamber of commerce board to get you started.

Can you make all your suggestions into a reality and get loads of people to come to Ritzville? Can you make it happen on the limited budget we have had for a quarter century? If so, I’m sure city hall would be happy to talk to you about funding for a new well. (oops – the devil made me do that)

Anyway, I’ll look forward to retirement here as it would be great to drive into a bustling town with all the store fronts filled with new businesses to meet my needs, and know this all happened because my chamber is not filled with apathy and stagnation as was the case in the past.

I’m so looking forward to seeing all those volunteers you mentioned as they bring all those quality programs to keep us entertained, because right now, I’m not laughing. The chamber has a serious commitment to the City of Ritzville and should be helped – not scorned.

Audrey Schaible, Ritzville

 

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