"I've used the Training Kit as a resource for a variety of projects: developing lists of questions for Kansas byways groups to use to answer visitor questions, teaching hospitality workshops, doing presentations at state and national conferences on hospitality and visitor readiness, etc. It is a great resource and can be used in many, many ways."
"The Grassroots Training Kit is a great tool that is relevant to Byways across the country. I used it in Colorado training front-line staff at visitors centers, restaurants and attractions as part of our hospitality trianing program, and now look forward to using it in my new position as a member of Hawai'i's Scenic Byways Advisory Committee."
"We love the concept of The 100 Most Frequently Asked Questions. We were able to take the basic structure and adapt it to our area specifically. From that we had a fantastic tool for use by the entire community. The questions(and answers) were published in notebook form and distributed to all motels, restaurants, and service stations. Everyone loved being able to reach for the notebook to answer questions instead of having to utter those horrible words . . .' I don't know.' We've also incorporated this into our local hospitality and interpretive host training for (1) fun trivia ice breakers (2) pairing exercises (3) resource material. Once we got started using it . . . the possibilities became endless."
"I have had the opportunity to use the board goals portion of the kit twice, it is a great way to get the board members on track and focused on the task at hand. Having a visual display at the end of the exercise really gave a great perceptive on what was needed and were the organization needed to go. Look forward to using some of the other activities to keep us on track"Once upon a time there was an adventurous family that set out to drive across the American West. This chance to let their teenagers experience the countryside was a lifetime dream of the parents, so excitement was high. Bicycles for the whole family were lashed on the top carrier, the trunk was full of camping gear, and a plastic box was stuffed with maps and brochures sorted by state. The Colorado section beckoned with such magical names as Glenwood Springs, Top of the Rockies, and Lariat Loop.
Travel was good, and at each convenience store, each motel, each hamburger stand, the kids asked, “What can we do around here?” Sadly, more often than not the reply was, “I dunno,” or “Nuthin.” On the third day, Calvin cried out in frustration, “Somebody ought to educate these dudes about their own turf…we can find more from our maps than from the people who live here!” And his frustration rippled throughout the land, eventually landing at the feet of the leaders of the scenic byways.
These leaders, being wise men and women, knew that the only way to reach their tuned-out, turned-off inward -looking members was to meet them on their own terms. Whatever they did had to be entertaining, had to be done in 15 minutes or less, and hand to be hands-on. This intervention had to be nothing short of magical.
And it came to pass that some sort of magic actually DID happen. Under a full moon, on the 3rd day of the seventh month, a blue box appeared on the doorstep of each tribal leader. This box was brimming with magnets, maps, playing cards, board games, human bridges and donkey tails. And in due time, these boxes became the holders of secrets for each local tribe. Both youngsters and oldsters shared the secrets with outsiders who traveled through, and the grateful travelers thanked them by booking a night, by eating a meal, by hiking the trails they pointed out.
After years of watching the box of magic tricks, one tribal elder sighed, “IF only our work could be so much fun.” What was this work that seemed so hard? It turns out that of the many governance chores, two occurred again and again. First, there was always a need to recruit elders (as the work was unrelenting ) and second, there was a never ending need to renegotiate treaties with neighboring tribes.
“I know,” said the youngest member, “Let’s play card games—that’s what we’ve always done with the magical box.” And so it came to pass that the decks of cards were used again and again, that the sustainability of the tribe was insured, and that they all lived happily ever after in the many corners of the American Landscape.