Advertising Ritzville

One major purpose of a chamber of commerce is to promote the businesses and other assets of a community to the rest of the world.

Its core membership is business owners who pay an annual fee to the chamber leadership with a promise to receive the most effective marketing and promotional campaign possible – one that will bring customers to their business.

This city has suffered many years, perhaps decades, of apathy and stagnation from its chamber.

The continuing decline in population and closing of storefronts are obvious indications of this.

No, the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce (RACC) is not totally to blame. There are many factors in this equation that have created a downward spiral of our community.

But I ask, when does the RACC intend to take steps to at least attempt to change our perilous course by launching a marketing blitz about our city?

Where is that dynamic website you’ve talked about for nearly 10 years? Now that we no longer have the Blues Fest, an event that brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to our community every year, what are you planning as its replacement?

May I offer some suggestions. You could put some concerted support and money behind the Western Art Show, the new Ritzville Art Gallery, that website which, by its years of absence has been informing potential visitors that we do not exist.

How about organizing some bus tours to our city next year? How about a fly-in to Pru Field? I know that at least a dozen (and likely more) of our finest civic minds, museum volunteers, RDDA and RPDA folks, the community theatre and others can come up with numerous quality programs to keep visitors entertained, if they can find us. But, you are our primary mouthpiece. At least that is my opinion. So how about it? Can we begin to count on you… finally?

Miles Athey, Ritzville