Heritage Park Creation Fund

I'm still buzzing over the inspirational Lansing Next event.  A fantastic pep rally for regionalisim put on by LEAP,Inc., I had a chance to meet and greet many movers and shakers in the Lansing Area.  If the 300+ people there didn't already know the future doesn't just happen, leaders make it happen, now they know!

The call was sent out by keynote speaker Michael Langley that in order for success, we must work together like never before.  We must foster a culture of Inclusiveness, Diversity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.  We can't keep jockeying for power and prestige; that's a waste of time and energy.  Cooperation and innovation will keep us together.  In a nutshell, we must work together or we'll fall apart!

Heritage Park is one piece of the puzzle that helps Michigan retain her place of strength and pride in America.  With everyone's help, we can keep this state great!

Don't forget to visit the links page to learn more about Michigan and what's great in it.

Last week I attended the IgniteLansing 2.0 event and it was refreshing to see so much enthusiasim for the future.  I enjoyed Cravings Gormet Popcorn and met Rifino Valentine.  He has returned to Michigan from Wall St. to create yet another proudly unique Michigan product: Valentine Vodka.  All Michigan from the grain to the glass! Here' a quote from the founders philosophy,

"I’ve always appreciated the care and quality of ingredients that a small, local producer uses in their products. So when I found myself craving a premium martini, with imported vodka being my only option, I made it my mission to create the world’s best vodka, right here in the USA!  We make our ultra premium Valentine Vodka one batch at a time, in limited quantities, using only the best ingredients."

WE BELIEVE IN DETROIT

We are proud to be a part of the Detroit resurgence. We not only want to be a part of the rejuvenation, we want to be a catalyst for it. For the first time since Prohibition, Detroit can be renowned for supplying some of America’s finest spirits!

Cheers!

Rifino Valentine

Today's news that Disney World is planning a major expansion is exciting because it shows that now is the time to get new things going in Leasure Time Entertainment.  We can still be on the cutting edge of this next wave of outdoor entertainment if we don't drag our feet.  Let's get together and make Heritage Park happen!

On July 23rd, The Economist ran an article on Michigan Tourism that highlights the optimisim of the MEDC's Pure Michigan ad campagin. (http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14090306) The following two comments were posted in response to the article.  Our many fantastic tourist attractions need the cross promoting anchor of Heritage Park now more than ever.

I have just moved here from the UK and its a gorgeous place. You Michiganders do not know how good you have it. My kids have just had the best summer they have ever spent and it didn't cost an arm and a leg going to Portugal for bad food and sitting on a beach all day.

I have holidayed in the South of France, Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal and believe me they have mosquitoes too. What they do not have is air conditioning.

Been to Marseille? How safe is that. Been mugged in Barcelona. Yep they all have problems. Stop talking yourself down Michigan people. You have a gorgeous state. The west side is family friendly, you have hot summers, cold, snowy winters, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, the UP, Grand Haven, 10,000 lakes. All you need is tax breaks for businesses to set up here. There is festival after festival. You can swim in the lakes, walk in the woods, camp on the many gorgeous camp sites.

It is also cheap to do these things here.

Try taking a summer vacation in the UK. For one thing it is very expensive and the weather is bad.

Tourism won't save Michigan but it will not harm its image in the world and could entice more business here.

For families you can't beat it.

Mosquitoes and spotty skiing aside (I mean, where can you go for an outdoors vacation without bugs and a guarantee of great snow always?), Michigan is a great place to vacation - so much so, that my spouse and I are returning, from California, for second year to vacation for a week in the Petoskey area. I like that it isn't overrun with tourists and I especially like all the water to play on. We will go skiing, jet skiing, hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, sailing - you name it. Trying to do that in California means finding out the park is closed, taking 5+ hours to drive to Tahoe, dealing with crowds, and yes, the same bugs

The Heritage Park Creation Fund has entered a contest to recieve a revamped website that is choosen by popular vote. Please help out by following the link and voting 5 stars for us.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!

http://www.greenliteweb.com/contest

Last week a friend of mine from New York City came to visit and I did my best to show her the wonder and splendor that is Michigan.  We visited a casino (and drove past 3 others), rode past Ft. Custer, toured the restored capitol building, looked over Little Traverse Bay from Petosky, ate at Big Boy's, lived at the Alpenfest, visited Ft. Michilimackinac, photographed the Mighty Mac from theLake Huron side, saw Grand Rapids twinkle in the night, went to the Michigan Historical museum, saw deer run across the road, and worshipped at a great church.

Touring the Great Lake State in ths way renewed my zealous love for all that Michigan is.  As you roll through the hills of northern I-75, it is reminicent of North Carolina.  Viewing the marshy inland lakes you can see a little Florida Everglades there.  Atop just the right hill on M-32 you feel like you're in Tennessee.  I'm pretty sure the idea for California's PCH came from the vistas of the UP's Hwy 2.  And the Brooklyn Bridge has nothing on the majesty of the Mackinac Bridge.  We're not as corny as Kansas, but we've got plenty of sugar. (Sugar beeets, that is.)  A little bit country, a little bit Kid Rock & roll, a little Memphis and a whole lotta Motown; we got 4H and soul. 

If you're thinking about vacationing somewhere in America, make it Pure Michigan.  Its a package deal of many places rolled into one.

THIS IS SERIOUS Y'ALL!  GM has changed its position and will offer up our primary site location for sale. Although a sale and alternate develpoment may not be pending, this is certainly a call to arms for our project. Now is the time to strike while the iron is hot.  Tell all your friends to call all thier friends and let's get this park started!

Lansing's biggest festival of the year, Common Ground starts today and I'll be out with our info.  It's hard to be prepared for the nearly 100,000 that are expected over the 7 day musicfest, but I'm hoping to get to people from out of town with postcards and flyers.  If they would come in for one day to see a concert, how long would they stay if Heritage Park was up and running?

Its been a while, sorry for that.  I've been busy creating a new handout/postcard by 21st century means. (young people out there, I could use your creativity.)  After many hours of hard work, I'm ready to hit the streets with the latest effort.  This weekend, I've been diseminating information in Flint, Jackson and in Old Town Lansing.  I'm being ablily assisted by Kevin Sprigs and Cosetta Taylor.  John Hall, I'm coming at you next!  I've signed up with the Springboard Program at LEAP, Inc. and I hope this will give us the momentum we need to finally get off the ground. 

I'll try not to make it so long til the next installment.  DREAM BIG!!

This afternoon I hit the Chili Cook-off down at the riverfront and was woefully underprepared with only a couple of hundred flyers about HPCF and the fundraiser.  Moving the Cook-off to Riverfront Park brang out about a thousand people.  This was by far the best attended Cook-off in 14 years and I hope the momentum streches over to Monday night and brings people out to support our efforts to bring Heritage Park to life.

Tomorrow I'll be at the Eastern High graduation in the morning and the Larry M. Trice, Sr. Memorial Dinner in the evening.  A full day of networking to make it happen.  I'll get by with a little help from my friends.