I Had So Much Fun in Gary, Indiana!

[Nicki Laycoax]

Yes, I said Gary, Indiana! :)

You may have read my requests for recommendations of things to do in the Gary and Chicago area on Memorial Day weekend. I was scheduled to be in Gary from Friday evening to Sunday evening for wedding activities. I wasn't particularly looking forward to spending my entire holiday weekend in the city that I hear so many negative things about, but I went... I had so much fun that I ended up staying until Monday evening!

Friday was the wedding rehearsal and dinner at the Marquette Pavilion.

Saturday were the Bachelor and Bachelorette parties-both of which were held at the Four Winds Casino & Resort in New Buffalo, MI

Sunday was the wedding. The wedding was held at the beautiful Marquette Pavilion which is just off the shores of Lake Michigan.

Monday, we stopped briefly by the beach/Indiana Dunes for a short nap in the sun and a swim? Wha??? :) Yes, boys will be boys... The groom and George jumped in Lake Michigan WITH their clothes on.. I could barely make it 5 feet out with the water temp as cool as it was... Crazy, crazy...

But, we had loads of fun, and I plan to head back this weekend to do a video documentary on Gary, Indiana to try and catch some folks attention on the NEED for the city to be revitalized. It is amazing to me how much Gary has to offer, and it is in the shape that it's in-HORRIBLE!!! (businesses closed, boarded up, chained and gated, nearly every lawn unkept, schools so unbelievably run down) It's near the beach, has railroads, the Gary/Chicago International Airport, I-65 runs right through it, it's 30 minutes from Chicago, and it even has a new professional league baseball stadium for the Gary South Shore Railcats built by Powers & Sons, who is one of the builders for new Indianapolis Convention Center.

I'll let you see for yourself what I am talking about when I post the video and pictures after my next trip there, and hopefully, I'll have some Smoosiers who are dedicated to making the entire State of Indiana something to be proud of that will join me on my quest to improve Gary!

Until next time...

[Nicki Laycoax]

Thanks Steve. Do you know of a resource that tells how many residents have computers and the internet in their homes?

[Steve Dalton]

Gary leaders would do well to engage the social media in Indiana. There are great stories to tell, but they will need to feature a lot more people than just the prevailing media. Let's be frank, Gary is a total mess, and the residents keep electing the leaders that are ruining the community. On the political end, they may need to kick out everyone. On the marketing end though, residents and businesses would be smart to engage and use social media to start telling positive stories like yours.