When the wicked witch said those words, “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all”, she expected a confirming response like “Why you are pretty lady.”
The witch was neither pretty, as the mirror confirmed to most who may have been standing behind her peeking at the reflection. Nor was she fairest from her personality side. She was a self-centered grouch with an agenda to do damage to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
What in the world does this have to do with the Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association as we wrap up 2018? Today, your ROCIA is going to look into that same mirror and ask that same question: Who is the fairest of them all?
The mirror speaks: “The fairest of all is the success of the ROCIA programs”. Buy Local Expo had record numbers of people talking to countless businesses at the Red Oak High School in April.
The mirror is looking back at Red Oak Junction Days where lots of jubilant people came from all over the country to just have fun and greet friendly faces. Yes, they were from “all over the country”, when joyous ROHS grads are counted as they reappeared on the square and on floats in the parade showing off their home town to spouses and wide eyed clean faced children.
You see, you may not live here anymore, but Red Oak is still HOME. It is that place where fond memories abound. Where the orange round water tower tells the traveler that they are where they want to be. Where the Chautauqua Pavilion signals the welcome mat is out.
The mirror is looking back at the Leadership Red Oak graduation ceremony when 18 people all confirmed that they had no idea Red Oak has so much going on.
The mirror is looking back at a rainy day on the golf course and laughing at the fun loving, and wet, golfers who just didn’t care as long as there was a welcoming bar with good food at the 19th hole.
The mirror is looking back at a great weekend in September when over 350 people came to town to tour our pride and joy heritage homes and purchase the beautiful and wondrous works of local artists during the SW Iowa Arts Expo.
The mirror is looking at 17 new ROCIA members, at four new businesses on, or near, the square.
The mirror now looks forward to another two businesses ready to open in 2019 and a new second screen coming to the Grand Theatre and a new High/Middle School ready to open in the fall and new rooms greeting smiling faces at Inman and new apartments under construction off the square at the location where the Middle School/Junior High/High School welcomed students who climbed three flights of stairs for over 100 years. There will also be a grand opening of a new $3,000,000 addition to Arlington Place.
This was the year your Board of Directors looked in that mirror and made major changes to the way we operate. Elaine Carlson and Beau Boeye are now at the helm, working with many great volunteers, to make sure our membership remains involved and growing, that 2019 programs remain successful, and that the marketing of Red Oak to those in SW Iowa and beyond makes us look like Show White and not the wicked witch. The Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association works daily to make the town, your community, and our HOME, the “fairest of them all”.
Thanks to a great staff and a dedicated board of directors, we will continue to shine. The mirror is now answering its own question “Who’s the fairest of them all”. The Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association works daily to make our HOME TOWN, the “fairest of them all”.
(OK that may have been just a bit over the top, but I get tired of seeing some looking in the mirror and seeing a craggy faced witch looking back at them when a large majority of us work every day to craft a community where Snow White and a bunch of fun loving characters make us a community we are all proud to call home)
