I’ve sadly had a front row seat to the pandemic’s impact on our hotels, restaurants and many other local businesses that are vital to our community and quality of life. It’s been personal for me, having worked closely with a lot of these businesses over the last 11 years, including many who have become friends.
The good news is there is a way all of us can support these businesses with a new program we rolled out here at Visit Hendricks County. You may not know this, but Visit Hendricks County serves as a resource not only for visitors but for our residents and local businesses, too. I focus on bringing meeting, conference and event business into our county to boost our local economy.
Our new Host It Local program truly is a win, win for everyone! You can host a successful meeting or event in your hometown, participate in a give-back program and get a cool memento to show off your community pride.
So, how can we help you accomplish your meeting or event goals in your own backyard to support our close neighbors and friends who have been hit hard this year? I’m glad you asked.
How You Can Help
- If you or your business begin to plan a meeting or event in the coming weeks, months or even years in Hendricks County, let us know about it.
- If you have traveled to another city for a conference in the past, you can help Visit Hendricks County prepare a hosting bid by sending us the name of the conference you attended and the contact information.
- Do you belong to a social group that plans meetings or banquets, or do you attend tradeshows every year that take place outside the county? Will your high school class or family be planning a reunion in the future?
With each referral you send us, you can play a part in bringing new business to our community and giving a boost to our local economy. Plus, you will be eligible to receive ‘All In’ Hendricks County merchandise (T-shirt, phone case, mug, facemask or tote).
As added incentive, for the first five qualified meetings or conferences that are reserved, we will make a $100 cash donation in your organization’s name to the Deedee Daniel Opportunity Fund. That fund supports non-profit organizations that serve communities most directly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
How We Can Help
After you let us know what you’re planning, we’ll get to work for you.
- Visit Hendricks County offers free services for all kinds of group gatherings, including meetings, social and corporate events, tradeshows, reunions, weddings and more.
- Depending on the event, it can be as simple as us suggesting a list of venues or vendors that fit your needs and budget or putting together a formal proposal to bring a state or national conference to Hendricks County.
- We can also help your group secure hotel room blocks for any occasion, plan after-hour activities and provide welcome bags and meeting supplies at no cost.
Addressing Safety Concerns
As we move forward with plans to meet and gather again, we know the experience will be different. There are new safety procedures that have now become our normal way of life, and if you are anything like me, you’re still very cautious about getting out there again.
Just know that in addition to our regular planning services, we can provide a list of outdoor venues and/or indoor venues that can accommodate social distancing. We also can let you know what our local businesses are doing to address everyone’s safety and wellbeing and be a resource for updated information on local and state health guidelines.
In other words, we will do our best to help you in planning a fun, memorable and socially responsible event whenever the time is right to start meeting again.
More Information
To learn more about our Host it Local program and eligibility guidelines, please visit our website or contact our sales team. If you wish to purchase All In Hendricks County merchandise, you can shop at our store by clicking here.
We will show you how easy it can be to plan a meeting or event in Hendricks County, and in turn, you will make a difference in your community by supporting local businesses and non-profit organizations.