What’s Happening in Golden Today?
2AM Daylight Saving Time Begins
10AM-1PM Beat & Brunch – 60s Motown with DJ Eva @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
10AM-noon Breakfast Burritos @ The Golden Mill
11AM CSM Softball – Orediggers vs. Colorado Christian @ Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field
12-2:30PM The Stylish Knot Macrame Plant Holder @ Morris & Mae
12-2PM Full Walking Tour @ Dinosaur Ridge
1PM CSM Softball – Orediggers vs. Colorado Christian @ Joe Coors, Jr. Softball Field
2PM Sunday at the Museum: Elevated Threads @ Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
The Art Quilters with Altitude present a group exhibit entitled Elevated Threads as a way to ponder how their art helped them redirect their focus and elevate their sense of joy during the pandemic. Members Free | Non-Members $12 More information
Live Music
4-7PM Derek Hall @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
4-7PM Facebagel @ Over Yonder
4PM Sunday Swing with the Flatirons Jazz Orchestra @ Buffalo Rose
8PM Karaoke @ Ace Hi Tavern
Coming Up
The City’s Communications Manager asked me to share a couple of items with my readers:
Clear Creek Corridor Meeting on March 30th
On March 30th, there will be a meeting from 6 – 7:30 PM in City Council chambers (911 10th Street) to talk about visitation and management of the Clear Creek corridor. Staff is going to review strategies deployed in the last few years and how they worked. They will also share some updates for the 2023 summer season and get feedback on potential strategies to ensure safety and comfort for the community. After gathering feedback in this community meeting, findings and feedback will be shared with City Council at its April 11th meeting. Meeting info here on the City’s Community Calendar: https://www.cityofgolden.net/event/clear-creek-strategies-public-meeting/?instance_id=4049
Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force Applications Open through March 29th
The Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Task Force will be tasked with creating an implementation plan for year one of the City’s REDI plan, researching REDI Task Force best practices in other cities, and a training plan for the task force, the community, and City staff. The Task Force provides updates to the REDI subcommittee and City Council and will report recommendations, including ways in which success will be measured towards becoming a more inclusive and responsible community. Members will be expected to serve for at least one year.
The Task Force is seeking up to 10 new members, which may include both community members and City of Golden employees. To qualify as a member of the REDI Task Force you must be a Golden resident, work for the City of Golden, or have a connection to the City of Golden. Members should be able to participate in meetings which will be available in a hybrid manner (both in-person and virtual).
The application and information is available online in English and Spanish at https://www.guidinggolden.com/striving-for-racial-equity. The City can provide translation services, childcare support, technological assistance, or other support for community members as needed to support participation. Applications are open until March 29th.
Golden History Moment
87 Years Ago
The March 12, 1936 Colorado Transcript announced a new “Buy-at-Home” program being developed by the Chamber. They were concerned that 30-50% of Golden’s “purchasing power” was being spent out of town. They were planning to place signs on the roads leading out of town saying, “Have You Tried to Buy It In Golden?“
In that same issue, local merchants announced a “Miss Golden” contest, which was intended to encourage local spending. Golden ladies were invited to become business ambassadors (to tell friends and family to spend their money in Golden).
The plan was that each time someone made a purchase in Golden, they would tell the merchant which local woman could be credited with the purchase decision. For every dollar spent, the woman would get 1,000 points. The winner would be sent on a fabulous trip to visit several eastern cities.
The April 9th Transcript included an ad reminding readers of the contest. In pursuit of the Buy-At-Home goal, the ad included a list of items that people could purchase in Golden (watches, hardware, cars, drugs, seeds, clothing, etc.). The contest ended in mid-May. The winner was Miss Virginia Van Winkle, who amassed 22,561,000 points, which meant that $2,561 in purchases were credited to her name.
Were the purchases inspired by Miss Van Winkle and the contest, or would people have spent that money anyway? The Transcript doesn’t say. The contest wasn’t repeated in future years, so perhaps that’s the answer.
I’m not sure they ever posted the signs saying, “Have You Tried to Buy It in Golden?” In any case, I never found a Transcript article saying they had done so.
Echoes of the Past – In 2007, Dave Shuey observed a buy local campaign on a trip to Nebraska. He brought back some of their literature and proposed that Golden launch a similar campaign. The Chamber helped organize it and the Golden Urban Renewal Authority, funded it. The group hired me to remind people of local spending opportunities, so for several years I wrote a daily “Buy Golden” email about sales and services, interesting merchandise, prime rib nights, classes in the stores, anniversaries, openings, etc. The merchants loved the free promotion and the locals liked knowing more about the local merchants.
“Buy Golden” was eventually replaced by the “Good to be Golden” campaign, but the green “Buy Golden” decals are still affixed to many store windows around town. Now you know their origins!
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
