5 ways to make Holyoke even better

    If you’ve been reading the newspaper, you know that I’ve already given you ideas for 50 fun things to do in Holyoke this summer and 50 fun things to do around Holyoke this summer.
    It’s made me realize just how blessed we are to live in such a wonderful community and corner of the state! We have an amazing amount of recreation and entertainment options that will not only keep us busy but also bring others into town.
    Here are 5 ways we can make an impact on an individual level:
    1. Take pride in Holyoke. Find positive things to say when you’re on social media or talking with someone face-to-face. Be a cheerleader not only for our school but also for our town in general.
    2. Attend local events. There are a lot of opportunities here, so take advantage of them! And then take it a step further — volunteer to help out with an established event or start one of your own. It’s always good to have fresh ideas that might appeal to a different demographic!
    3. Make Holyoke attractive. That means mowing your lawn, spraying your weeds and keeping junk cleared out. For businesses, that might mean updating your storefronts and signs, planting flowers or cleaning up the alley. Let’s brainstorm ways to fill the empty downtown buildings too.
    4. Support other small town activities in the region. Don’t immediately assume that you have to go to the Front Range to have fun.
    5. Find new ways to promote your business, activity or event. Write up a press release and email it to all of the area newspapers. Get rates for advertising and give a special invite to the newspaper to cover the event. Become a member of the chamber of commerce and attend meetings. Set up an email newsletter. Get the word out in regional publications, like the Explore magazine. Create social media pages on as many platforms as you can manage and then be sure to post content regularly, especially photos and videos. Put a free listing on Colorado.com. Make sure websites, Google listings and Wikipedia entries are all up to date. Use a consistent design on promotional products like posters, T-shirts, brochures and more to spread the word.