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This Week’s Program: Greenfield Landscaping:  Get your yard ready for summer.
Goshen Rotary:  March 16,2018
Notes from last Friday’s meeting:
Kathy Brewton filled in for Mark Lindemood and Sharon Risser.
Phil Waite provided our opening prayer, and Carl Rutt led our singing of “The Star Spangled Banner,” “Roll Rotary,” and “Smile.”
Andy Myers introduce visiting Rotarians and guests.  There were no visiting Rotarians.  Our only guest was Wes Culver. 
Our GC students invited the club to the annual International Coffee House.  The dinner is sold out, but tickets are still available for the show on March 24th.  Ticket information can be found at www.goshen.edu/tickets or by calling 574-535-7566
Steve Fidler led our “Happy Dollars”:  Bob Morris shared his successes with low vision rehab in Chicago; Brian Bloom celebrated the Goshen News receiving 6 Associated Press Awards; Cathie Cripe shared she is getting married on September 15th; Carl Rutt is happy his taxes are finished; Everett Thomas has a new grand-nephew; Phil Waite is happy about the new solar panels being installed on the College Chapel; Daryl Riegsecker is excited about golf season; Wes Culver is officially done at the State House; Ken Hochstetler enjoyed having in-laws visit and leave; Andy Meyer only has to provide two more weeks of bad jokes; Jeff Showalter celebrated his 5th grandchild; Arlin Hunsberger celebrated a birthday last week; Bruce McDonald’s daughter is expecting another grandchild; and Bob Shreiner was happy is granddaughter played Jane in the GHS play Tarzan. 
 
Andy Meyers introduced our program provided by Mark Newman – Indiana Office of Tourism Development. Mr. Newman has held various different positions at the State level involving tourism.  He was instrumental in organizing the recent Bicentennial Torch Relay. 
Mark started the presentation with a few facts highlighting the positive effect tourism has had for Indiana.  A few highlights include:  79 million visitors to the State of Indiana; $12.2 billion spent, of which $122 million in Elkhart county; the hospitality industry generated 186,000 jobs directly and 250,000 jobs indirectly because of tourism; and every household in Indiana saves $635 from tourism that would have to be funded by other forms of taxes. 
The rest of the presentation highlighted some of the tourist destinations found in Indiana:
  1. The West Badin Spring Hotel and the French Lick Springs Resort
  2. Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood farmstead in Spencer County
  3. New Harmony’s 1814 replica labyrinth
  4. The Levi Coffin House in Fountain City highlighting the underground railroad
  5. Morocco and the newly introduced bison herds.
  6. The 27 location Pie Trail
  7. The 36 location Tenderloin Trail
  8. Fair Oaks Farm, the largest dairy farm in the US
  9. Joseph Decuis Restaurant located in Roanoke, the Finest Dining experience in Indiana serving locally raised Wagyu Beef
  10. Indiana’s Napa Valley located in Switzerland County where you can find many of Indiana’s 74 wineries. 
  11. 109 Craft Breweries (including Goshen Brewing Company) and 14 Craft Distilleries. 
  12. Albanese Confectionery in Hobart Indiana where over 40% of the world’s Gummy Bears are made.
  13. Marengo Caves where you can find the longest underground navigable river
  14. Indiana Dunes which is becoming a scuba diving destination
  15. Brown County and the multiple mountain biking trails
  16. The Madison Regatta
  17.  Holiday World Theme Park
  18. Park County’s Covered Bridge Festival featuring 31 covered bridges
  19. 750 + (more likely over 1000) local festivals.
  20. Columbus Indiana and the architecturally significant structures.
 
This is obviously just a sampling of the many things Indiana has to offer.  To find more details, visit www.visitindiana.com
 
Have a great week.  B.Weddell
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
ClubRunner