President Nick, our fearless leader, brought the gavel down at precisely 12:30 PM, kicking off our meeting with the usual recitation of the Four-Way Test. Lolo Robison then graced us with a wonderful reflection which put us in the frame of reference to recognize our city and all that it offers.
We welcomed Denise Donahue, who just handed in her membership application. Let’s all give her a virtual high-five! She got several shoutouts from our speaker.
Jeanine Dowdell, representing Clearwater, Florida, brought a touch of sunshine to our Michigan gathering, probably wondering why we're so enamored with Lansing. You won’t be wondering after this meeting, Jeanine. Phyllis Riley from the U-Club is also close to a membership application (yay Phyllis!) and Ted Larkin may not be far behind.
I missed an opportunity last week to properly roast Chris Holman, which was promptly pointed out to me after the report graced all of your inboxes. How does he know what posters are up in the women’s locker room at the YMCA?
John Shaski took the mic to give us the lowdown on the upcoming holiday program, chaired by none other than him and Kim Garland. Fifty-one students from Gardner Elementary are about to receive gifts, which will be wrapped at the Michigan Chamber office. Bonus: it's also in support of the Capital Area Disability Network. Cathy will include the details on the gift wrapping for those who want to join.
Musical interlude alert! Steve Zebel from Dowagic Rotary brought the sounds of Zambia to us at LCC. Ten Rotarians from Zambia, touring the Midwest, proved that Rotary transcends borders. What a treat to hear them sing two songs for our club.I told you I would plug myself again. I’ll get it over. Come to the For Good Foundation Gala on 12/30 at the AC Hotel (https://www.forgoodgiving.com/2023gala). The evenings festivities will also be supporting Lansing SAVE.
Lolo, the introducer extraordinaire, brought forth Samantha Harkins, CEO/Founder of Hundred Place Consulting for "Strategic Awareness Campaign: Positioning Lansing to take advantage of the moment."
In a world where Michigan is growing at 1.74%, but Lansing is playing hard to get with a declining population, Samantha is on a mission. She highlighted Lansing's awesome traits – diverse, affordable, inclusive, collaborative, easy commute (especially if you can dodge potholes), stable weather (we love to complain about it), parks, trails, entrepreneurial spirit, strategic geography (we're in the middle of everything), transportation options, smart statewide policies, river trails, and FRIB.
Michigan is the #2 most recovered state post-COVID, and Lansing is the #10 best place to buy a house on a budget in the U.S. Can we get a mic drop for Lansing? 🎤
Samantha’s battle plan involves partnering with Redhead Design Studio and Lansing 5:01. Their mission: to attract talent to Lansing like moths to a porch light. Target audience? Prospective Lansing residents, ages 20-45, with college degrees or some postsecondary experience. Samantha’s battle cry? "We can’t let this moment pass us by." Amen!
The airport recently hopped on board as a partner, reminding us that a regional international airport is not just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have.
Let’s not just seize the moment; let’s ride it like a unicycle through a field of opportunities. Okay, she didn’t say that.
The goal: 10% growth in 20 years. Ambitious? Yes. Achievable? With all of us working together.
Campaign production involves web enhancements, social media content, videos, and ads. Estimated cost: $50,000-$100,000. It's like online shopping, but instead of shoes, we're buying Lansing’s future success.
Benefits of this campaign? Nimble, detailed audience targeting options, and the best part – everyone wins. All industries, all communities in the Lansing region. This is like the Oprah of talent attraction campaigns – "You get a win! You get a win! Everybody gets a win!"
Samantha’s presentation was insightful and left us all hopeful for Lansing. See everyone this week at the Holiday Party!
Ben Rathbun's email is: Ben@rathbunagency.com