See Your Town As A Tourist Would


During Ottumwa's Amazing Town, Amazing Events Week, I learned so much about events and activities going on in our community. We always go to the Rotary Chicken BBQ, but I've never been able to leave my office every few minutes and check on progress at the grill. I haven't had the opportunity to talk to the grill masters and find out they grilled more than 2,600 chickens for this three-hour event.


And I can honestly say I'd never been inside the Oktoberfest tent before this week. Those volunteers work amazingly hard to make this event happen, and they have so much planned to make it a fun week of activities. I can't wait for this morning's parade downtown!


I've probably walked past the Old School Pinball and Arcade in the mall dozens of times - usually on my way to the Christian bookstore and the bakery - but never stopped to even look in the window. We did some promotion this week for their Galaxies of Gaming event, and it was so neat to meet the people who make all of the possible. Now I know more about what each of these places and events has to offer, and I can share that information whenever Ottumwans or visitors stop in and ask.

Imagine what I would have missed out on if I hadn't looked at our town through the eyes of a tourist!

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