SLAA NEWSLETTER October/November 2015
President’s Corner
Fall is my favorite time of the year; the colors of changing leaves are gorgeous here in St. Louis. I hope that you were able to join us at the September luncheon at Six Flags. At this time I would like to thank our panelists Karen Meirink with the St. Louis CVC and Amy Fenster Brown with Where Magazine and our moderator, Ethan Woods with Where. The information and tips provided for volunteers was very insightful. I would also like to thank Six Flags for being a wonderful host and even having some of their spooky friends stop by. Thank you to Aries for providing the linen and I would also like to thank our two meeting sponsors, the Gateway Arch and the Hard Rock Cafe.
Mark Your Calendar for the 2015 Silent Auction on November 18th!
It’s that time of year again! The 2015 Saint Louis Attractions Association Silent Auction is quickly approaching! Invite your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors to join the fun. This is the one event of the year that is open to the general public, so please feel free to bring guests, and come prepared to shop!
A portion of the proceeds from the auction benefit the Carole Moody Scholarship Fund, which is awarded annually to a high school senior or undergraduate college student majoring in a field that contributes to the tourism/hospitality industry. Donations are being accepted now through Friday, November 6th. We strongly encourage all SLAA members to donate a product, service, or special VIP experience. Click here to download a donation form.
Click here for more information and to register to attend the auction.
Thank You to Our Host
Thank You!
Six Flags rolled out the red carpet and lit up the marquee to welcome SLAA members and guests at the September meeting. In addition to enjoying a delicious lunch, guests were able to experience unlimited access to the new, interactive 4-D ride Justice League: Battle for Metropolis and walk away with a jumbo take-home tub of cotton candy. The team at Six Flags pulled out all the tricks and treats, including a couple of scary zombies who had an affinity for stalking our guests.
Attendees were also able to experience an informative program on engaging and connecting with front line staff and volunteers and connect with our wonderful meeting sponsors – the Gateway Arch and Hard Rock Cafe. Special thank you to Six Flags for being such gracious and generous hosts, The Aries Company for donating table linens for the meeting and to our knowledgeable and informative panelists: Karen Meirink, St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission and Ethan Woods and Amy Fenster Brown, WHERE Magazine.
Thank You to Our Host
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Featured Attraction – Inside the Economy Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The St. Louis Fed is a leader in promoting financial literacy and economic education, and the Inside the Economy® Museum is part of that commitment. The purpose of the museum is to help demystify the economy so that people better understand how it works and their role in it.
The 4,700-square-foot museum immerses visitors in an interactive, educational experience designed to explain the economy through nearly 100 displays, games, sculptures and videos. Visitors learn about the economy through hands-on ways, such as by playing a trading pit game that lets them experience the high-adrenaline, quick-thinking life of a stock trader. Other exhibits explain how the decisions that people make with their money affect the economy, how education affects future earnings, how standards of living vary across nations, and much more.
Visitors to the Inside the Economy® Museum learn about an important topic in fun and engaging ways. In addition, admission is free, in the tradition of St. Louis’ renowned cultural institutions.
The museum welcomes both walk-in visitors and groups. It is an ideal class field trip location for students in middle school through college. The compelling content is presented in a dynamic fashion as the St. Louis Fed’s traditional architectural setting is transformed into a modern, stimulating learning environment. To enhance their students’ learning experience, teachers can use the museum’s multipurpose classroom to discuss what their students have learned or to teach one of the St. Louis Fed’s ready-to-go lesson plans.
Message From the Fundraising Committee
We had a great day for our last luncheon at Six Flags and some great items for our raffle! Thanks to our sponsors; The Hard Rock Cafe for donating Cardinal’s tickets, Six Flags for donating season passes for the 2016 season, and the Gateway Arch for donating 2 Octoberfest Cruise tickets! If raffle ticket sales were any indication, you thought these were great prizes! We hope to have great items for every luncheon, and always welcome donations. Even if you don’t feel it could be a stand-alone item, donate it anyway, get a shout out during the luncheon and we will add stuff to it to make it amazing! We also had a pretty good 50/50 with at $28 pay out to the winner. Thanks to everyone who bought raffle tickets and by doing so, continue to support the Association as well as the Carole Moody Scholarship Program.
Now, if you have not seen notice of it yet, we are gearing up for this year’s annual Silent Auction. It will be held at Anheuser-Busch and based on the donations that are coming in, promises to be full of new and different items as well as some of the tried and true items that you love to see each year. This is an excellent time to do some Christmas shopping, or to just get a great deal for yourself! We will have the Silver Ticket raffle again this year, the winner of which gets their pick of any basket being offered (some exceptions may apply and will be clearly marked.) We will also, once again, have the $5 Gift Certificate Grab Bag, guaranteed to get you a gift certificate of $10 or more! AB is also including a little treat with your luncheon! Maybe you can guess what it will be?
We will be accepting donations up to the bitter end (i.e. the day of the auction!) but would love to have them by November 11th so we can provide a list of what’s on offer this year, hopefully before you even show up to shop! All donations are welcome, no matter how big or small. You can send them to either of the co-chairs for the fund raising committee or send them to Q&A! If you need a donation form, just let us know and we will get it to you! Thank you so much to those who have donated in past years, and a thank you in advance to those donating this year! We could not do this without your support!
Thank you and we hope to see you at the brewery on November 18th
2015 Spirit of St. Louis Awards
The purpose of the Spirit of St. Louis Awards is to honor those members of the attractions and hospitality industry that go the extra mile and put forth exemplary effort in helping to further the goals and objectives of the industry and the Saint Louis Attractions Association. The Association recognizes these noteworthy achievements at the January meeting.
There are three award categories.
- Spirit of St. Louis Award, Individual: The nominated individual exemplifies the spirit of the tourism and hospitality industry in the St. Louis region.
- Spirit of St. Louis Award, Program: The nominated program, activity or event has contributed to the St. Louis region in that it raised public awareness, increased visitor ship, or in general had a positive impact on the tourism and hospitality industry.
- Hall of Fame Award: This is SLAA’s highest award, reserved for individuals who have made and sustained noteworthy contributions that have had a broad impact on the tourism and hospitality industry. Nominees must have served in the industry for more than 10 years.
Eligible nominees may have served in any of a variety of positions, ranging from front-line service to management, at an attraction, hotel, restaurant, or with any other associated or affiliated industry. Both members and non-members of the Saint Louis Attractions Association are eligible to receive awards; however, nominations must be submitted by a SLAA member. You are welcome to make unlimited nominations.
The 2015 awards cover the time period from November 1, 2014 to November 1, 2015. Nominations are accepted at any time throughout the year, but complete nomination packets must be submitted to the SLAA office by close of business on Friday, November 20, 2015.
Click here for more information and to submit your nomination.
SLAA Internship Program
The 2016 St. Louis Attractions Association internship participation form is now available at https://qabs.wufoo.com/forms/mhmrk530y74u9j/. This program has been a successful way to promote your company’s internship opportunities to qualified students. Please submit your company’s internship opportunities by October 30, 2015. The booklet is forwarded via e-mail in mid-November to high schools and colleges within a 200-mile radius. Paid and unpaid internships for Winter/Spring 2016, Summer 2016 and Fall 2016 may be promoted.
Please contact Jen Hollenkamp at 314-992-0642 or jhollenkamp@explorestlouis.com if you have any questions.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the National Geographic Sustainable Geotourism Program in Missouri and Illinois!
Like other National Geographic Geotourism programs, the Mississippi River project aims to capture the unique places, artisans, attractions and businesses connected to the Mighty Mississippi. These stories and places will be compiled into an interactive, National Geographic Society co-branded website of the region that will be a dynamic resource for promoting national and international travel.
Organizations along the Mississippi River are encouraged to nominate sites, attractions and businesses to be included in the interactive MapGuide. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase places in your area that are treasured by locals. Nominations are due by November 20, 2015. For more information and/or to nominate sites, attractions and businesses for free, please explore the project website at http://mississippiriver.natgeotourism.com.
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