Beep Beep!

Growing up in the middle of two boys, I found my play time to be equally distributed between dolls and cars. When we would play with toy cars, there was often a bus route involved that the little metal cars had to follow. What I didn’t know then was that I would be doing the same thing when I was a “grown up”.
During RCMA, we had shuttles taking attendees to and from the airport, to three different locations for a 3 hour event, to companies spread throughout GR, and to some of our biggest attractions.



Here’s what helped make this process work:

• Clear communication with the drivers. We told them about the group, why it was important to us, and what they were doing at the places they were going.
  
• A greeter. We had volunteers on each bus who acted as a host, answering any questions that the attendees might have and assisting when neededed
  
• The right amount of busses. Just because you can afford more busses, it doesn’t mean the process will necessarily go faster. Set the transportation schedule to rotate so that the shuttles are not overlapping each other and holding everything up


• Going the wrong way. Work with the city if you feel that a shuttle bus would be better off making a turn in a no left turn lane or parking in a metered zone. They can be flexible and make things easier!


• Communicate the shuttle schedule to riders effectively. They will thank you!

'Tis The Season

One thing I love about the Midwest is that we get to experience every season in full force. With that, optimism becomes a key part of any Mid-Westerners life – and GR is no exception. With the change in weather, you always want to look back and appreciate what is leaving (“But I just got comfortable!”). So, we find things to look forward to! Yes, my flip flops have been stored away, but walking past Rosa Parks Circle today, I realized the ice skates can come out for our city-center outdoor skating rink. The days may get dark faster, but that is great for GR, because the lights are up on the trees that line the streets for a beautiful scene. My favorite moment in the transition of fall to winter is the first snow. It’s a beautiful sight falling from the air, and then it disappears the moment it hits our heated sidewalks – a perfect combination for this outdoors-challenged girl. In GR, it seems like every season “Tis The Season” to look forward to something new!





Photo by: Balthazar Korab

R-O-Y-G-B-I-V

I had a very fun event last week – and after looking back on it, I realized it was pretty colorful too.

We started with the good ole’ Red, White and Blue – also known as the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. There, our group got a tour of the new exhibit, Extraordinary Circumstances, which displays photographs of the Ford Presidency by the official Whitehouse Photographer, David Kennerly. Here’s the catch – David Kennerly came in to give the tour personally!

Then we boarded a restored GR Trolley to take us to our next location. Since restoration is seen as Environmentally Friendly, I am giving this activity the color Green.

Our group then walked up the steps and into a taste of Spain at San Chez Tapas Bistro – where the Orange, Indigo, and Violet hues warmed our conversations while the aroma whetted our appetites. We enjoyed a delicious display of dishes while a local Jazz Trio helped set the tone. One of my favorite desserts served was the rich, Yellow, Crème Brule!

What better way to welcome summer than with a splash of color?