(Arnolds Park)– Final preparations are being made for next week’s visit to the Iowa Great Lakes by a group of international trade ambassadors.
The biennial ambassadors tour is organized by U-S Senator Chuck Grassley. The first one was held in 1986. This will be the first time the tour has gone through the Iowa Great Lakes area.
Niki Anderson of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce had just gotten off the phone with Grassley’s office when KUOO news spoke with her on Friday. She says the number of countries that will be represented had grown to 65 as of then.
Anderson says their tour of the Iowa Great Lakes will give local businesses a chance to market their products internationally. She says the chamber will be putting together gift packages for each ambassador featuring locally made and sold merchandise. Any local business wishing to have their product included should donate enough for 65 bags. The item(s) should be dropped off at the chamber office no later than this Wednesday, August 6th.
Area businesses and industries are also invited to set up exhibits that will be on display during the ambassador’s dinner at the Pavilion in Arnolds Park. Any business wishing to have a display should contact the chamber yet this week.
The ambassador’s tour will be held next Monday, August 11th through Friday, August 15th. They’ll be spending Tuesday evening, August 12th in the Iowa Great Lakes Area. Their itinerary includes a tour of Polaris Industries at 5:00 p.m. that day followed by a dinner hosted by the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the lakes area, the delegation will also be making stops in Algona, Lakota, Hull, Sioux Center, Orange City, LeMars, Aurelia and Storm Lake.
