Inland Northwest News-11/09

& & Imagine Spokane & & & &





SPOKANE -- In the wake of the election, how about setting your mind to something positive, something creative, something that'll benefit the common good? Here's a workshop that'll get you going in the right direction.


"The goal of this workshop is to bring together people of all different aspects of the community and focus on their successes," says Elinor W. Magnuson, the volunteer coordinator for Imagine Spokane.


An example of a community success for the common good could be the Symphony Chorale concert one woman organized in a north Spokane neighborhood. "That was a remarkable event. Once people pull something like that off, they believe they can do anything and they do it. They are inspired."


To help the positive juices flow, James Gregory Lord, who is widely recognized as being the first person to bring marketing to the nonprofit sector, will lead the workshop.


"He has this one program he does at Cambridge University in England, and people come from as far as Hong Kong to participate in that," says Magnuson. "He'll help us look at the success we've already had, and use that as a launching point for the future."





& & & lt;i & The Imagine Spokane all-day workshop is Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 8 am-4 pm at the WestCoast Grand Hotel. Cost: $100. Must preregister by Nov. 10. Call: 624-0036. & lt;/i & & lt;/center &





& & Regional business & & & &





COEUR D'ALENE -- Both sides of the Washington-Idaho state line agree on one thing: This area needs more higher paying jobs.


But instead of competing against one another, some are suggesting the local municipalities take a regional approach.


"The government has talked about redesignating the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene corridor as a metropolitan area," says Maggie Burton, who owns Admar Advertising in Coeur d'Alene. "People in Spokane seem to think we are all potato farmers, but there are many companies over here that they may want to do business with."


Burton is a member of the National Association of Business Women (NAWBO), which is hosting the forum on how to open the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene corridor for business. Economist Doug McQueen of the University of Idaho Research Park and Bob Potter from Jobs Plus, both in Post Falls, will be exploring the theme.


Burton emphasizes that NAWBO is working to better the business environment for everyone, not just women.


Cities located as close as Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene and Spokane often end up competing to get new businesses to settle within their own city and county limits.


"What we are trying to say is, that that element of competition need not be there," says Burton. "We should cooperate and get more businesses to the area. It doesn't matter where they locate because it's all blending into one big business area."





& & & lt;i & The dinner and panel discussion is Thursday, Nov. 9, at 6 pm at the Greenbriar Inn, 315 E. Wallace, Coeur d'Alene. Cost: $20. Call: (509) 892-6300 for reservations. & lt;/i & & lt;/center &