by Ben Butzke, 2020 GCED Board Chair, Grimes Chamber & Economic Development, bbutzke@butzkeburch.com
May 2021 Newsletter Article
Happy spring, Grimes! Warmer temperatures, green grass, outdoor events and vaccines are providing us hope and excitement for the rest of 2021. Grimes Chamber & Economic Development has been cautiously and thoughtfully implementing more in-person ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking ceremonies and networking events, to which I could not be more excited for. I have missed seeing everyone’s faces, and experiencing those positive interactions has been healthy for the soul. Now that we have cleared the hurdle of our first live events, we are setting our sights on larger gatherings this summer.
Governor’s Days is right around the corner and the effort to make it a memorable community gathering is underway. After taking a one-year hiatus, we’re excited for the carnival to be back in Grimes along with great bands, vendors and of course the parades. We’ll also host the MS Moments Bags Tournament, 5K Run/Fun Run, Pedal Pull and the regional Bill Riley Talent Competition. For more information about the schedule and events at Governor’s Days check out the event website (www.governorsdays.com).
Covid-19 forced our organization to adjust our event schedule for the year, including moving the Expo to the summer months. A fun twist for the Expo this year is that it will take place on Thursday, June 10th. This is the same evening as the Kiddie Parade, the Isiserettes performance and the kick off to Governors Days. Join us in the entertainment garden that night to meet some great local businesses. There will also be some free goodies so you won’t want to miss out!
Although there is good reason for optimism, I want to urge our community to continue supporting our local businesses. Many small businesses are hanging on by a thread and now others are having difficulty finding enough employees to support the resurgence of people that are now out and about. Please show grace with restaurant staff and other service industries as employees may be in the twelfth hour of a fourteen-hour shift.
Lastly, I want to thank the people of Grimes for their resilience and positivity shown this past year and I hope to see everyone at Governor’s Days and other upcoming community and GCED events. Cheers!