events
Jackson County, Kentucky Creatives
“Great to see a vibrant downtown on a Saturday night in Jackson County. Monthly cruise in with circle on the square music, and the Jackson County Creative Community signing folks up for the new web page. Paintings were donated for a free drawing. Thanks to Corner Cafe for staying open for the event. Always the…
Read MoreSunflower Festival is Idea Friendly
Beth didn’t like sunflowers. Until she moved to central South Dakota. They were everywhere! And her husband, the farmer, grew them. Beth attended the Energize Conference in 2018 and heard the Red Ants Pants Presentation. Sarah Calhoun has her store (they make workwear for women) in White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and that is a very…
Read MoreWhat has rural expert Deb Brown been doing for the last ten years?
I got asked the other day what I have been doing for the last ten years. I took some time and wrote it all down. It surprised even me! Take a look, and if you’d like to have a free call with me, just book 30 minutes here. Here’s a comprehensive list (I may have…
Read MoreI love a good tour – Indie Bookshops, Paper Trail, empty buildings and more
Stacy Moore, Tourism Director, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, told me about three of her Iowa friends and the tour they took. They participated in the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour! Three Iowa Friends out on a magnificent road trip! Becky, Kayla, and Tammie visited all 45 shops. Becky said, “(We) completed the 45 stops on the Iowa Indie Bookshop Tour!!…
Read MoreSuccessfully Attend a Conference
Do you really want to go? Do your research. Answer these questions: Is the speaker talking about topics relevant to your work? Are there connections you can make that will advance your work? Are there attendees you want to speak to who are attending? Can you schedule time with them while you’re there? Can you…
Read MoreBikes on Bell
The owners of Bell Street Tattoo in Shawnee, OK, had this idea for an event – Bikes on Bell. They wanted to close the street in front of their shop downtown and invite bikers and anyone else to come and meet each other, eat from the food trucks, listen to live music, and have some…
Read MoreEmerging Trend Webinar: Connecting Community Partners March 27, 2024
Building Bridges Instead of Silos On March 27, 2024, at 11 am (Central time) join Dell Gines, the Chief Innovation Officer at the International Economic Development Council, and Becky McCray and Deb Brown from SaveYour.Town for a no-charge webinar about connecting community partners. They will help you understand the power of collaboration when you build…
Read MoreAdvice to those working in small towns
The International Economic Development Council published my article that includes advice too: Survey of Rural Challenges: Results Show Optimism and Big Disconnects, and what economic developers can do about it. The article was about the results from the Survey of Rural Challenges, and some advice to economic developers and others working in rural communities. You…
Read MoreNonprofit events don’t have to be boring
I’ve been to many small town events and cringe when someone at a booth or table hands me a piece of literature about their non-profit. It doesn’t work to engage me. I probably won’t read it. They’ve given me no real reason to. It will end up in the trash. Some folks throw them on…
Read MoreThe STP – holding up the world
Judy Larson is from Lemmon, South Dakota. She shared this story about the STP. I spend a lot of time with community development folks. The grumble factor often comes around to STP—Same Ten People—meaning these folks feel like they and 9 other people are Atlas, holding up the world. Or at least holding their community…
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