The 3 chambers of Warsaw, Lincoln and Cole Camp met for a luncheon/work session on Wednesday, January 15 at Estes Drive-in in Lincoln at Noon.
Benton County Tourism Director Lynette Stokes, called the meeting to order. Stokes announced she has been busy working on the budget for the upcoming season to present to the board for approval.
Stokes said the decision of an option between billboard ads and digital marketing will have to be made for the bigger bang for the bucks being spent. Also, the board needs to consider if small local businesses have the ability to promote themselves. Tourism can assist with Goggle listings, Trip adviser or possibly a QR code.
Stokes hopes to approach each chamber about possible showcasing local businesses in a “Lunch and Learn” project about branding and social media strategies.
Amie Breshears of the Benton County Extension announced 4-H enrollment is still open for 2025 and the Extension is seeking a Youth Program Associate for the county.
JoAnn Lane, Economic Development, announced a new business, “The Locker Room” is opening in March in what previously housed Warsaw Adventures. The Locker Room will offer a family friendly atmosphere, drinks and bar food, and televised local sports.
Lane shared the Benton County Bucks program was well received in 2024 and she hopes to find funding for a re-do in 2025.
Tourism had a study done in 2024 and is currently utilizing the info from the studies done with tourists to the area. Tourism has hosted two Focus Group meetings with residents from around the county to hear their input on what they feel needs to be available to visitors to the area and things that might make them want to return regularly. The January meeting had approximately twenty in attendance, but disappointingly, there were no realtors and no school personnel at the study group. The next Focus Group meeting will be held in Foster Hall in Lincoln at 5:00 PM on February 11. Light snacks are offered due to the meeting time.
Checking and re-checking event dates was top of the agenda during the meeting to ensure everything is correct before the information is sent to the printer for the event cards that are available to visitors in our area. Events such as Eagle Days in February or the Lincoln Chamber’s Easter Egg Hunt in March and the first county-wide happening on April 14-15 being the Spring Benton County Boutique Crawl.
Stokes announced there will be a Webinar on January 28 at 2:00 PM. The program will center on the Butterfield Trail Bicycle ride and promises to be very informational about bicycling in Benton County.
In closing, Stokes reminded everyone of the next Focus Group meeting to be held Tuesday, February 11 in Foster Hall at 5:00 PM. The next 3 chamber's meeting will be on Wednesday, February 19 at Handel Haus in Cole Camp at Noon.
