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Thank you to all for successful Goose Day
To the Editor:
The Goose Day spirit was alive and well in the Juniata River Valley last week! The Visitors Bureau thanks everyone that participated, attended, and hosted Goose Day festivities. Some of the fun started as early as Sept. 1 when "The List" was published on our website. That day, we had a jump of 1,700 views.
These numbers represent more than our residents looking for something new to do. As the month passed, we talked with people from a variety of Pennsylvania towns and cities as well as other states. From Huntingdon to Philadelphia to Idaho and Virginia, people are interested in our unique and authentic holiday. By the end of September, our website had a total of 39,000 views. In addition, our social media efforts reached 145,176 people during the month. That's a lot of interest!
We're in the process of collecting metrics from the variety of events that took place in honor of our local holiday. Note that I said holiday - Goose Day is not represented by a single event or image or organization. Our local holiday is for everyone to celebrate in any way they want to. Don't like goose meat? Then don't eat it but how about a blackberry milkshake or a glass of blackberry sangria? Thinking about creating a design for a piece of Goose Day swag? Do it! And be sure to tell us so we can help you promote it next year. No one owns Goose Day and everyone should catch the spirit.
Each year, we bring something new to the Goose Day celebration. This year, it was the drone light show. Nothing has excited our board of directors more than this show. Thanks go to the board members for voting to go forward with only a month's notice. They don't get enough recognition for the time and support they give our office of three people. The current board of directors is comprised of tourism related business representatives and they are: MC Commissioner Kevin Kodish, JC Commissioner Alice Gray, Katy Flood- Hungry Run Winery & Bistro, John Pannizzo- Downtown OIP, Vicki Hamilton -- VisitBigValley.com, Jim Treaster -- Yoder's Tees & More, Rhonda Kelly- Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce, Cathy Collins- retired hotelier, Jane Mort -- retired media, and non-voting courtesy member Lori Comp- Senator Judy Ward's office. The show was such a success that we know it will return in 2024.
The Visitors Bureau's job is to promote the wonderful and intriguing things there are to do in Mifflin and Juniata Counties. The goal is to bring "fresh money" into our counties via tourism. We believe that Goose Day has the positive power to become something that the world can recognize us for. There are a lot of ways to share the Goose Day spirit in September and all year long. Wearing a Goose Day t-shirt in April may not get you any more prosperity but it will show the world that the Goose Day spirit is alive 365 days a year. Or that you haven't done laundry in a while.
May you enjoy the prosperity that your goose meal brings this year and we'll see you at the Festival of Ice in Downtown Lewistown, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
Jenny Barron Landis,
Executive Director
Juniata River Valley
Visitors Bureau
(717) 248-6713
1 W Monument Square, Lewistown PA 17044