Clay County Fair in Spenser, largest in the Midwest (taken from the WITR web site)

The Western Iowa Tourism Region (WITR) is a non-profit organization funded by the Iowa Department of Economic Development and created to help communities plan marketing strategies related to tourism. Among other things, WITR staff provides event planning assistance and assessments regarding what attractions exist or can be introduced to an area.

Water skiing on Lake Okoboji in the Iowa Great Lakes region (taken from the WITR web site)

WITR staff wanted to communicate with members and visitors as quickly and cost-effetively as possible. One way to do that was through the use of technology. As part of their goal to use technology to better communication, the WITR wanted to educate the organization's membership about technology and how to use it.

Reaching these goals had been a challenge for the organization due to a lack of funding and equipment. MIRA funding enabled WITR to make progress towards their communication, technology and training goals, including:

• Hosting 10 hands on workshops that trained 150 volunteers to use the Internet and E-mail
  
  
• Using the Iowa Communications Network to increase the number of people willing to participate in WITR
  
  
• Offering public seminars in several locations on "Designing and updating your own web site" and "Marketing on the Internet"
  
  
• Using GIS to design mapping for kiosks and for brochures
  
  
• Installed digital message repeaters to communicate with the public
  
  
• Developing a web site
  
  
• Purchasing equipment
  
  
• Holding 6 days of in-house training on various skills