Chamber, paper publish tips for living here

A committee focused on local economic development realized a goal last week with the publication of a new booklet that addresses the particulars of living in the Grand Coulee Dam Area.

“Tips and Tricks to Life in the Grand Coulee Dam Area” presents practical tips for the “little quirks” of the area, including things that might not be obvious to newcomers or even longtime residents.

For instance, a page headed “Slightly odd places to find things you need locally” includes tips on renting a boat, making copies, finding a laundromat, and office supplies.

Another outlines “Conveniences of nearby cities” and lists those, along with a map, time to drive, and what to look for along the way.

There are notes about public transportation, licensing and permits, and what utility provides electricity in what town, or where to go to send a package via UPS.

The Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce’s economic development committee came up with the idea for the booklet as a promotional piece to give to employers as a recruitment tool after conversations with Bureau of Reclamation personnel about their needs for bringing hundreds of new employees to Grand Coulee Dam.

“I can’t tell you how many calls I get at the chamber about, ‘I need to turn my power on,’” or other such questions, chamber Executive Director Peggy Nevsimal told members at a luncheon at The Moose Thursday. “We have unique sort of quirks to us.”

The piece was distributed last week in The Star and The Star Buyers’ Guide and is available from the chamber office at no cost for employers wanting to use it to help potential and actual new hires find their way in the community.

It’s also available online; there is a link in this story found at grandcoulee.com.