Laramie Main Street Alliance announced as Great American Main Street Semifinalist

Laramie Main Street Alliance (LMSA) has been announced as a semifinalist for Main Street America’s Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA), a national recognition of strong downtowns exemplifying innovative programing, commitment to preservation, engagement, diversity, and cross-sector partnerships.
“I am thrilled that downtown is being celebrated at a national level for the amazing work our community does in supporting its mom and pop businesses on Main Street,” LMSA Executive Director Trey Sherwood said. 

LMSA was founded in 2005 by local volunteers interested in utilizing Main Street America’s Four Point Approach to downtown development. In their application, they identified a desire to “create a formal organizational structure” to provide leadership and manpower necessary to implement plans and maintain a strong foundation for downtown revitalization.” Since 2005, LMSA has been a steward of downtown projects including the Laramie Mural Project, Downtown Farmer’s Market, Laramie Brewfest, downtown bike racks, as well as the more recent payroll grants, Cowboy Cash, and safe shopping initiatives.

“The City of Laramie has worked closely with LMSA since their start in 2005. This national recognition is an honor for the whole community and shows what we can accomplish when we work together. ”

— Janine Jordan, Laramie City Manager

"The City of Laramie has worked closely with LMSA since their start in 2005. This national recognition is an honor for the whole community and shows what we can accomplish when we work together" Laramie City Manager, Janine Jordan said.

“The University of Wyoming and LMSA have developed a rich and positive town-gown collaboration which brings UW students downtown.” Said Jean A. Garrison, Ph.D., Professor,  Co-Director of Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program. 

GAMSA semifinalists were selected from a nationwide pool of accredited Main Street America applicants based on their successful and innovative uses of the Main Street Approach™. Criteria for winning include: strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. More than 100 communities have been recognized as winners since the award’s inception in 1995.

“This honor is in large part because of our collaboration with downtown business owners, the City of Laramie, University of Wyoming and the generous spirit of volunteerism inherent in our community.  And, we share this recognition with past and present donors and volunteers who have invested in downtown’s beautification, preservation, economic and social vitality.”

— Trey Sherwood, LMSA Executive Director

“This honor is in large part because of our collaboration with downtown business owners, the City of Laramie, University of Wyoming and the generous spirit of volunteerism inherent in our community.  And, we share this recognition with past and present donors and volunteers who have invested in downtown's beautification, preservation, economic and social vitality,” Sherwood said.

Winners for 2022’s GAMSA will be announced on May 16, 2022 at the Main Street Now Conference in Richmond, Virginia.

If you are interested in getting involved with Laramie Main Street Alliance to continue supporting downtown revitalization, fill out the volunteer interest form at: https://laramiemainstreet.org/getinvolved

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Laramie Main Street Alliance strives to preserve historic Downtown Laramie while enhancing its economic and social vitality.
Laramie Main Street Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) Nonprofit Organization, operating as part of the State of Wyoming's “Wyoming Main Street” program under the Wyoming Business Council, guided by the principles of the National Main Street Program. More information can be found at laramiemainstreet.org. 

Call to Shop Local in 2022

New Year, new habits. Whether you’ve heard it before or this is your first time considering it, shopping local in 2022 will go a long way in helping our economy recover to pre pandemic levels. 

When you keep your hard earned money in Albany County, you are investing in the unique place you call home. Local businesses provide customized service and recommendations based on your lifestyle and geographic location. They donate generously to support social services and youth activities. In addition, they create jobs that provide opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

“According to the Wyoming Department of Revenue, in 2021 Albany County residents spent $70,474,316 online. This is a 1,340.78% increase from the $4,891,383 spent online by residents in 2017! ”

According to the Wyoming Department of Revenue, in 2021 Albany County residents spent $70,474,316 online. This is a 1,340.78% increase from the $4,891,383 spent online by residents in 2017! (Wyoming started collecting sales tax from online purchases based on consumer zip code in 2017). 

Imagine if we shifted just 10% of the value of our online and out-of-town purchases back into the community. Even a small percentage of your spending has the potential to make a big difference in the recovery of local businesses, many of which are owned by our friends and neighbors. 

A 2018 trade market profile conducted by the City of Laramie and the Retail Coach documented $115,920,507 spent outside of Albany County on retail, food and drinking establishments. Consider what $11.6 million would mean for our entrepreneurial ecosystem and government services including funding for police and fire, education and health, libraries, road maintenance and programs that benefit the community at large. 

Yes, there is something to be said about the convenience of online shopping or the lure of getting out of town. However, over 30 of Laramie’s local brick and mortar retailers have expanded to better serve you and now offer e-commerce; which means they are open 24/7. 

In the market for new hiking boots? Visit Dodds Shoe Company virtually. Need to upgrade your outdoor gear? Click through to Laramie Basecamp and Atmosphere Mountain Works. Looking for a unique birthday present? Browse Works of Wyoming, 4th Street Studios, The Knothole, Range Leather, Evie and Kay Boutique, The Herb House or The Curiosity Shoppe online. Redecorating? Shop without leaving the comfort of home with The Bent and Rusty and Chalked and Polished. 

While this is not an exhaustive list, it illustrates that local businesses are here to accommodate you. Whether it is a daily necessity, hard to find item or a custom creation, Albany County’s businesses are striving to serve you and appreciate your patronage. 

Want to see the place you call home thrive? Join me in looking local first in 2022!

- Trey Sherwood

P.S. You can access website links to downtown businesses, options to buy local e-gift cards, and more, at Laramie Main Street’s “Shopping Guides” https://laramiemainstreet.org/shoppingguides 

Favorite Accomplishments from 2021

As 2021 comes to a close, it’s tradition for us to reflect on some of our favorite accomplishments from the past year and plan for even bigger and better projects in 2022! Check out some of our favorites from this year:

Students line up to get their free Cowboy Cash and Farmers Market Tokens!

1 | Cowboy Cash - One unique and fun program we were able to do this year was handing out free cowboy cash gift certificates and farmers market tokens to the University of Wyoming community! Students, Faculty, and Staff made their way down to the farmers market this summer to pick up their free spending money.  By the end of September $13,700 was spent at downtown businesses!

2 | Revive the WYO - we kicked off fundraising for the WYO Theater - the historic venue located at 309 S 5th St.  Gifted to Laramie Main Street in 2019. Since then, we’ve been exploring the feasibility of what it would take to rehabilitate the building, including a new roof, upgrading the electrical, installing a fire suppression system, and making the building ADA accessible. LMSA Director Trey Sherwood says, “We want to revive this landmark for the benefit of the greater Laramie community. There are so many happy memories associated with this space, from first dates to showings of iconic movies and quality time with friends. This building deserves to be preserved for future generations”. You can learn more and donate here: https://laramiemainstreet.org/thewyo

Flowers for Downtown Laramie!

3 | Design Standards for Downtown - Earlier this spring our Design Committee worked with the City of Laramie to pass some design standards for downtown!  These are a big step to ensuring our downtown gets used to its fullest. New design standards included the following amendments -  new construction must fill 80% of the lot, new buildings have a 30 foot minimum height, and removing parking requirements for new construction.

Making changes to your downtown building? Access property improvement tools here:  https://laramiemainstreet.org/improvements

4 | Flowers for Downtown - Thanks to an endowment from Paul Etchepare, we were able to purchase 45+ flower pots to brighten our sidewalks this summer!  Wind Mill Hill Greenhouse curated the flowers and helped us deliver a bit more color and joy to downtown. Join our Design Team to help with projects like these flowers! Reach out to Ray at design@laramiemainstreet.org for the next meeting information.

We love our Farmers Market!

5 | Farmers Market fun - our annual summer farmers market was back this summer bigger and better than ever! It even made Eat This, Not That’s best farmers market in Wyoming - and we couldn’t agree more. Each market saw at least 50 vendors present from local businesses, non-profits, and regional growers and makers! Music was also back this year to entertain the community. Thank you all for showing up each week to support our amazing vendors! 

Want to help us plan the 2022 Farmers Market? Join our Farmers Market Committee by emailing Bailey at coordinator@laramiemainstreet.org

Laramie’s First Parklet

6 | Laramie’s First Parklet! - this year brought about laramie’s first parklet - a creative use of a parking spot to make a multi use park for people! Designed and crafted by Kayla Clark - the parklet was located at Ivinson and second street and provided comfy hammock seating along with table seating and shade from the summer sun. The parklet is modular and can be moved - it will come back downtown in the summer of 2022. To learn more about public art projects in Laramie, visit: www.laramiepublicart.org

7 | Internship program - Laramie Main Street loves working with the next generation of community leaders. So, in 2021 we expanded our internship program to provide paid positions for the farmers market communications, brewfest marketing, business outreach, and sustainability. We have more interns lined up for 2022!  Email your resume or questions to downtownlaramie@gmail.com

Trick or Trot 2021

8 | New & expanded events - 2021 brought along many new events including Pedalpalooza (a fun bike parade and costume contest), Trick or Trot fun run (a halloween themed  5k or 1k walk) and Crazy Days (summer closeout sales at businesses). Plus some of our classic events were back including the 15th annual Brewfest (which sold out tickets before the event and had an expanded VIP hour) , the Train Lighting (which saw more lights go up on the trains, a record turn out, and a special visit from Santa), and the Holiday Parade had more entires than ever before - making our longest parade yet!

Want to join in the fun? Help our Marketing and  Promotions committee plan events downtown by reaching out to Deb at promotions@laramiemainstreet.org

9 | New Businesses - Although it’s been another trying year with new twists and turns, we are excited that downtown saw even more new businesses open - 12 to be exact! From party supplies to boutiques, law firms and game rooms, each business is a welcome addition to our downtown community. If you haven’t said hello yet, stop by these new businesses: Paddle House, The Accelerated Dragon & Phoenix Rising, Archie’s Parties, Sears Hometown Store, Devine Eats, Rustic Cowgirl Edge, Range Leather, Laramie Orthodontics, Evie & Kay boutique, Concordant, The Advocates, and Legacy Planning, LLC.

Are you interested in opening a business downtown? Reach out! Email downtownlaramie@gmail.com or check out our free business resources here: https://laramiemainstreet.org/resources

Downtown Laramie at Grand Ave. and Second St.

10 | Expanded Businesses -  Not only were there new businesses but many of the existing businesses we know and love expanded or officially became a part of our downtown district. Sugar Mouse moved into a larger space. Hits 106 moved into the district. Alibi continued their renovations. Hot Power Yoga petitioned for the expansion of the district boundaries. Night Heron added boozie coffee cocktails while Range Leather and Rooted in Laramie added jobs. Let’s keep supporting our local businesses so they can all grow and expand!

Working on growing your business? Take advantage of the many FREE local and statewide businesses resources summarized here: https://laramiemainstreet.org/resources

2021 Caretaker of the Year

If you’ve walked the downtown streets on an afternoon before a busy weekend of Wyoming Cowboys football, Jubilee Days celebrations, or move-in day for the university’s incoming freshman, you’ve likely seen Kathleen Bertoncelj cleaning the sidewalks of debris. “It’s like cleaning your home before welcoming awaited guests,” she’d say if you asked her why she volunteers her time to clean our public spaces armed in garden gloves and a sun hat. Her attention to detail and heart for presenting Downtown Laramie as its best don’t stop there.

Much like her quick note of tucked-away trash in a storefront flower pot, Kathleen scans Main Street’s documents for typos like a grammatical hawk. If you’ve received a year-end message or letter for support from Main Street, it’s likely passed by Kathleen’s desk. In addition, you’ll find her greeting community members with a big smile at a Main Street table at markets, events, and gatherings in and beyond downtown, ready to invite you to join in however you can.

Kathleen retired from the University of Wyoming after 38 years of service and has offered her keen eye and attention to detail to Laramie Main Street in fundraising efforts, event support, business outreach, and much more over the years.

In honor of 2021’s Downtown Caretaker of the Year, we invite you to bring a recycled grocery sack and help collect litter in downtown’s public spaces this month. Tag your photos on Instagram with #cleanforkathleen or email to downtownlaramie@gmail.com for a chance to win a Downtown Laramie gift certificate to spend at your favorite downtown business. (Keep the Kathleen love going by spending your loot on quilt supplies!)

Sustainability Spotlight: Jodi Atherton

It’s here! Small Business Saturday is two days away and plaid Friday is tomorrow! This week’s sustainability spotlight, Jodie Atherton, is being highlighted three days away from Artists Sunday. Laramie-born contemporary western environmental artist, Jodie Atherton, has been creating art since she was a child. Now, her work centers on the re-utilization of materials while also promoting recycling and other important environmental discussion. Her website dedicates an entire page to the do’s and don’ts of Laramie recycling. In regard to her art, Jodie creates sculptures utilizing ceramic skills, strong glue, and careful, strategic placements. She begins the process of starting a new piece by walking around Laramie—specifically the prairies—to find forgotten objects such as prairie glass. Ideas for art usually strike after she has attained enough materials to sustain a theme. Many of her themes coincide with water and can be connected to the drought and dryness brought upon by the western water shortage. As mentioned before, Jodie’s art is a physical representation of re-use methodology and zero-waste values transformed in a creative nature. She symbolically references recycling in each of these pieces which is an important aspect of sustainability from the local to global scale.

“The recycling rate has increased from less than 7 percent in 1960 to the current rate of 32 percent”

— Bureau

Recycling is a solution to the problem utilization causes. With greater utilization of resources and manufacturing products, there is a more substantial need for recycling processes. For example, some Nordic countries have very low utilization rates, therefore making their recycling rates appear statistically smaller than other European countries. When looking at solutions, one initiative the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken, “On November 17th, 2020 at the America Recycles Summit… [is] to increase the national recycling rate to 50% by 2030” (recyclecoach). This is an achievable rate, and it can be initiated with the help of greater public outreach and education. Hence, Jodie’s helpful recycling tips on her website and the environmental messages spoken through her art.

How can I support a local artist?

Exposure and initiation are two simple methods to help support local artists. For example, initiating a conversation with someone about Jodie’s art or using social media to share her pieces are two approaches of support. Viewing Jodie’s portfolio and reading her piece’s descriptions will not only inspire awe, but it may lead you to more sustainable habits. Whether you are shopping locally, supporting an environmentally focused artist, or being aware of recycling guidelines, there are multiple ways of integrating sustainability into one’s life. Through these multiple techniques one singular response is garnered, a healthier and livelier environment.

“I like the idea of using things that already exist in the world and giving them a new life ”

— Jodie Atherton

Citations:

21+ New Recycling Statistics for 2021 (and beyond). Recycle Coach. (2021, June 2). Retrieved November 25, 2021, from https://recyclecoach.com/resources/21-new-recycling-statistics-for-2021-and-beyond/.

Bureau, U. S. C. (2021, October 27). America recycles day: November 15, 2021. Census.gov. Retrieved November 25, 2021, from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/america-recycles-day.html.

Sustainability Spotlight: Big Hollow Food Co-op

Sustainability Spotlight: Big Hollow Coop

 Get your plaid ready! Small business Saturday is around the corner, a little over a week away. This week’s sustainability spotlight is focused on Big Hollow Food Co-op, the only Food Co-op in the state of Wyoming. Since opening its doors in 2007 Big Hollow has accumulated 2,200 active members. The Big Hollow Food Co-op is a one hundred percent organic Laramie grocery store on second street hosting fifty local vendors. These vendors stretch from across the entire state of Wyoming to Northern Colorado. The Co-op functions to benefit members rather than provide a company profit. Providing organic options, hosting local vendors, and buying in bulk are all methods in which Big Hollow is more sustainable than large commercial stores such as Walmart and Safeway. They also keep the selection fresh by switching up the produce options available twice a week whilst the rest of the products change on a less varied schedule. To reduce food waste, they compost any leftover produce in a compost bin that a local farm picks up to empty each week. Ultimately, Big Hollow promotes a healthy life-style while practicing a sustainable business model.

“2-5 percent of all food products are lost because buyers reject shipments due to cosmetic imperfections, surplus, or other issues like improper transportation or handling”

— Food Waste Statistics

Grocery stores are just one culprit of the mass food waste issue enveloping the globe. Whilst not being the leading producer of carbon emissions, food waste is still a major problem. There are solutions, such as compost and food donations, but not enough programs exist to keep food from rotting. Studies show that, ““about 1.6 billion tons of raw food products never turned to consumable food to feed the hungry” (Zuckerman). Thus, food waste and world hunger are two halves of one major problem. Big Hollow’s work with compost and donations to the University of Wyoming’s food pantry are excellent alternatives to both issues on a local level.

What can I do to stay sustainable?

Better yet, a commitment to being organic is an important element in eating and grocery shopping sustainably. When a product is organic that means the soil utilized to grow a product was returned to its original fertility. Thus, mitigating environmental damage and recycling carbon. As well, localization, the procuring of locally sourced products, mitigates transportation emissions typically involved with out-sourced products. Together, with localized and organic options, Big Hollow Food Co-op is the greenest grocer in Wyoming.  

“ 

We’re always striving to be more sustainable and it’s something that’s important for our members and our business model. Whether it’s sourcing through local vendors or offering paper bags and reused cardboard boxes when people checkout. We’re trying to encourage sustainable habits ”

— Jeff Hubbell

Citations:

Food Waste Statistics, the reality of Food Waste in America. Quest Resource Management Group. (2021, September 16). Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.questrmg.com/2019/08/08/food-waste-statistics-the-reality-of-food-waste/#:~:text=Retail%20Food%20Waste%20Statistics%2010%20percent%20or%2043,of%20a%20grocery%20store%E2%80%99s%20trash%20is%20food%20waste.

Zuckerman, written by A. (2021, February 12). 48 Food Waste Statistics 2020/2021: Causes, impact & solutions. CompareCamp.com. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://comparecamp.com/food-waste-statistics/.

Sustainability Spotlight: Atmosphere Mountainworks

With Small Business Saturday fast approaching, the time to be conscious of where you should spend your money is now. This week, the sustainability spotlight falls on Atmosphere Mountainworks. Owned and operated by Lindsay Olson and Jeff Hubell, Atmosphere Mountainworks is an outdoors store in Historic Downtown Laramie that primarily sells locally-sewn products. With five main seamstresses per week creating a total of fifty products, not one product appears the same. This is due to the variety of fabric colors Atmosphere sources from bigger companies’ end rolls. They make use of the leftover bolts of fabric that cannot be used in mass-clothing manufacturing methods. This leaves Atmosphere with around 12 packcloth and 12 cordura colors to mix and match when creating any of their bags, pants, or other custom-made outdoor pieces. Scrap fabric is turned into “Ditty Bags,” or simple, small one-zipper bags, and once the scrap fabric is smaller than a hand’s size measurement, it is used as stuffing for dog beds. This ultimately makes their production processes waste infinitesimally small. Not only is the method of zero-waste when it comes to production environmentally conscious, but it is economically smart, as co-owner Lindsay Olson points out.

“Sustainability is not just about saving the environment; it’s also about being a good business”

— Lindsay Olson

Why is Fast Fashion bad?

Fast fashion brands are focused on mass-production without sustainability in mind, ultimately limiting their financial gain and increasing their environmental damage to a significant degree. Cheapness of materials and retail prices are the main driving forces behind fast fashion business models. Often, little else is taken into consideration, ultimately limiting the quality of each garment whilst exponentially increasing the quantity of each piece.

A large part of the pollution and greenhouse gases emitted by the fashion industry deals with the excess inventory of production lines. For instance, “Apparel and footwear production currently accounts for 8.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions” (Chua). This is due to excess inventory becoming waste in many cases as well as the lack of fabric reuse both by the manufacturer and consumer. For instance, fast fashion brands will dispose of unsold items in bulk quantities whereas consumers will wear their low-quality clothes for a short period of time before purchasing a new wardrobe.

“The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world just after the oil industry”

— Charpall

How can you shop sustainably?

Shop locally! This one major difference can drastically lower your clothing shopping carbon emissions. Without shipping or mass-manufacturing there are less greenhouse gases emitted per product created in Laramie or other towns. Atmosphere Mountainworks boasts zero-waste production methods that classify them as eco-friendly. As well, buy for quality and not quantity. By continuously wearing high-quality clothes for years, you’ll be less inclined to purchase other clothing pieces thus saving both money and the planet. One local business at a time, we can shift to a greener economy and atmosphere.

Citations:

Charpail, M. (2017). Fashion & environment. SustainYourStyle. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/whats-wrong-with-the-fashion-industry#anchor-environmental-impact.

Chua, J. M. (2019, September 12). The environment and economy are paying the price for fast fashion - but there's hope. Vox. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.vox.com/2019/9/12/20860620/fast-fashion-zara-hm-forever-21-boohoo-environment-cost.

Meet Our Sustainability Intern: Abby

Hi! I’m Abby and I am Laramie Main Street Alliance’s Sustainability Intern! I am a current Sophomore at UW and a double major in Environmental Systems Science and Environmental Natural Resources. Growing up in New Jersey I found I had a passion for the environment and wanted to find ways to save the planet. As a part of that initiative, leading up to Small Business Saturday on November 27th, I am writing four different sustainability profiles on businesses downtown: NU2U, Atmosphere Mountainworks, Big Hollow Food Co-Op, and Jodie Atherton’s Art. I am super excited for this project and really want to accentuate how shopping locally is green. It’s simple, but so effective. Downtown is often more accessible than the larger businesses uptown and cycling money through local business owners promotes town-wide positivity! Join me in reducing carbon emissions and stimulating the local economy by taking a walk downtown for some early Christmas shopping.

Sustainability Spotlight: NU2U

The countdown has begun! Small business Week (November 26th - December 4th) is in approximately three weeks! We are showcasing  four downtown businesses who prioritize sustainability. First on the list, NU2U and NU2U Sports run by owners Rob and Chelsea and their 22 employees. With over 13,000 consignment contracts created since their 2004 opening both stores have certainly had an impact in the community. NU2U is a thrift store that allows the public to consign clothes, or give their clothes to the store for a determined price with the ability to earn half of the ticket price if the clothing is bought; clothes are also often donated to the store. NU2U sports follows the same model except with a strong focus on sporting goods. 

Why is shopping locally sustainable?

There are many benefits to shopping locally that not only involves supporting local owners, but the environment as well. In terms of economic sustainability, keeping money within the economy supports local tax bases as well as the surrounding businesses. Statistically, “for every $1,000,000 in sales, independent retail stores generate $450,000 in local economic activity, compared to just $170,000 for chains” (Mitchell). 

Not only do big corporations’ cycle less money per sale into the local economy, but they also produce greater amounts of carbon emissions. Comparing NU2U’s consignment model to big thrift companies demonstrates multiple aspects of environmental consciousness differences. Larger thrift companies such as Goodwill produce excess clothing that ends up in landfills which contributes to waste energy emissions such as carbon dioxide, a harmful greenhouse gas. Instead of being shipped to landfills, NU2U donates portions of their clothing to non-profits in town, the Clothing Cottage, and other youth organizations. These efforts ultimately mitigate the amount of carbon emissions associated with clothing excess, an example of atmospheric sustainability. With 13 million tons of clothing reaching the end of their life cycle per year, recycling clothing is an important method for environmental preservation (Environmental Protection Agency). 

“~9.1 million tons of clothing and footwear were landfilled in 2018”

— EPA

To avoid the landfill, recycling, consigning, or donating clothes is the way to go. NU2U specifically, incentivizes a greener system by allowing consigners to profit off recycling their own clothes. Due to NU2U’s methodology when handling clothing excess, their store reduces the carbon footprint of all 6 to 10 thousand pieces cycled into the store each week. Ultimately, economic, and atmospheric sustainability are just two of many environmentally focused benefits to shopping local and supporting downtown businesses. 

“We decided to do this business in part because of its sustainable business model. We enjoy being a part of that community that cares for our environment and planet”

— Rob Harder

 Shopping at a thrift store and consigning one’s clothes are two simple ways to incorporate more sustainable practices in life. So, don’t wait til small business Saturday to show your support for local businesses. Remember, every time you shop locally you are also shopping green!

Citations: 

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Nondurable Goods: Product-Specific Data. EPA. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/nondurable-goods-product-specific-data#ClothingandFootwear. 

Mitchell, S. (2020, November 17). Key studies: Why independent matters. Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://ilsr.org/key-studies-why-local-matters/. 

You Call the Shots Prepares for Grand Prize Giveaways

You Call the Shots is a local effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations in Albany County

You Call the Shots has given away $4,000 in weekly prizes and continues to offer $25 gift cards at select vaccine locations for individuals getting vaccinated.

The program aims to boost local vaccination rates and improve the health and wellbeing of Albany County. Supported by various community members and local businesses, this community wide celebration thanks those rolling up their sleeves to make Laramie a safer place to live and work.

Prize winners have included a college junior, an elementary school assistant, an animal lover and a family building their new home in Laramie. The winners have shared many of the same sentiments as to their decision to get vaccinated, to protect their family members, to return to large events, to protect the younger population that are unable to be vaccinated and to prevent overwhelming the healthcare system. Prize money has helped residents pay for school, pay off large purchases and give back to local organizations. 

Currently, in Albany County, 48 percent of residents eligible are fully vaccinated. Additionally, 52.7% of Albany County has received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Next Monday, October 11, 2021, winners of the grand prizes will be drawn to conclude the giveaways. Those who have registered at bit​.ly/​c​a​l​l​t​h​e​s​h​o​t​s​l​a​ramie and are fully vaccinated by October 11 are eligible for one of the four grand prizes.

Grand Prizes

$2,500 Cash Prize

Homecoming Package:

• 4 tickets to the UW Homecoming Football game on Oct. 23

• $100 in Downtown Laramie gift certificates. These are valid at the 290 businesses within the Downtown Laramie district including retail, restaurants, and service-based businesses.

• Gift Certificate to the Brown & Gold Outlet

• Gift Certificate to Coal Creek Uptown

STAY-cation Package: 

• Up to 3 nights at a local Airbnb Nov. 5 – 7 or as available

• 2 Family day passes to the Laramie Rec Center

• $125 in Downtown Laramie gift certificates. These are valid at the 290 businesses within the Downtown Laramie district including retail, restaurants, and service-based businesses.

Recreation Package:

• 2 Basecamp Ski Rental Packages (8 hr cross-country ski rental)

• 4 Snowy Range Ski Area lift tickets

• Annual Parking Permit fot Medicine Bow Routt National Forest

• Gift Cards to downtown outdoor outlets, Atmosphere and Basecamp

Visit https://​bit​.ly/​c​a​l​l​t​h​e​s​h​o​t​s​l​a​ramie to find vaccine locations participating in gift card giveaways to those getting vaccinated and to learn about resources available like childcare and transportation.