The Ripple Effect~

Remember how your Mom always told you that everything you did influenced your little brother? Or the encouraging words about whenever you planted a seed, ….. Or dropping a small pebble in a pond leading to wider and wider circles of ripples in the water?

Well, it was true. Every time we work together on a project to benefit Knox County, good things happen. Sometimes, totally beyond what we were aiming or even would have hoped for.

Let’s look at some after affects of the Real Rural Tourism Symposium:

Our buddy, local mover and shaker over in Knox City, Steve Pepper finally took Marla Hawkins, Chamber President, seriously when she assured him going to Foard County first really was an ok plan and that he really didn’t have anything more important to do that Friday than drive a tour “bus” for us. Here are the ripples in chronological order, as best I can tell:

1. Steve ended up being the guide for April, a Texas Historical Commission representative, who was so taken with our friendliness, enthusiasm, respect for our heritage and awesome activities that she went back to Austin and suggested that we could be teaching them the course they were putting together for Texas cities on Civic Tourism…and she has been bragging about Knox County statewide ever since. Our friends in Abilene this week told me we were the example ad nauseum at last weeks conference/workshop for the board members of the states 10 Heritage Trails. Hmm… good advertising?


2. Steve got so excited, about the entertainment he found better than Branson, that he “converted” to the Visioning Committee’s way of thinking and went right to work to catch up. First, he renovated, remodeled, refined and re-defined an abandoned building on Main Street, downtown Knox City…now he’s making it available for all kinds of community and county-wide events. Go look at this fab place… rock front, red awning, rustic interior with real wood slab walls, generous public restrooms, glorious kitchen, comfy outdoor seating and all.


3. Then Steve and Marla, looked around and said…We gotta get more of our young adults involved in Knox County’s future and the Young Gun program was born. Two gatherings already, every one of the identified “mover and shaker” young families that were invited came, one group met in Munday at Judge and Brenda Floyd’s home and the next enjoyed a steak dinner at the Chamber building in Knox City. The message…y’all are not the future…y’all are the NOW of Knox County. So, what do you want to do and how do you want us to help you?


4. Their answer? Well actually they had lots of ‘em…but they got on the ball, too and October 25th these YOUNG GUNS are hosting the Great Pumpkin Shoot Out featuring one of the entertainment ideas they proposed over dinner…professional lawn mover and go-kart racing. That’s right! With the support of the City and Chamber they’ll offer all of us the excitement of gas fumes, crashes and blowouts on our own Knox County track, plus a Halloween Spook House, Concessions and a surprise…pumpkin shoot-out. Don’t miss it!


5. Not to be getting behind the youngsters, Steve and Kay looked around again and said “Hey, those tourist people were right.” They said, “Gotta have a place to put folks up overnight.” Now, Kay’s driving Steve, his words not mine, to have their new B&B, the old 2 story next door, ready by Christmas!


6. And, while Steve was looking for a way to get his rock on that Main Street building, a couple of strangers came in to shop @ Peppers. Of course, Kay struck up a friendly conversation, found out the gentleman was a stone mason…got that done…then that they might be interested in a new place to call home. So, spent the day this past weekend touring them around via…you guessed it, the Adventure Trail, developed for our Real Rural Tourism Symposium!

And speaking of our Adventure Trail, coming soon, very soon, you will be able to check out our cool new ad for TMCN, which will also morph into our Knox County is Adventure Country brochure and trail map…and serve as the logo for a partnership with the Knox County Historical Commission and their Adventure! Advertising!

These ripples just keep going around and around!