Good Morning!
I’ve been thinking about Thanksgiving this week. It may be a strange thing to be thinking about as temperatures push 90, but bear with me!
Have you ever hosted Thanksgiving dinner? Have you ever been to a big family holiday dinner? It’s chaotic and crowded and loud and generally nuts! People disagree, argue, laugh, joke and create havoc. But it’s also the best, and we continue to do it every year!
Now let’s imagine you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner and invited friends and family. It will be the first big party you’ve hosted since you got your beautiful new house – it’s not the biggest house but it’s ample enough and you’re very proud of how hard you’ve worked to buy it. You’ve planned the menu, picked out really lovely decor, cleaned the bathrooms, put on some music and lit a fire and everything is perfect! And then your guests arrive, but instead of greeting them, you start to complain to your spouse that they’re there. You criticize the food they brought, you loudly and obnoxiously sigh that they’re messing up your bathrooms and creating havoc on the floors and sooo many dirty dishes! Suddenly your guests, picking up on your eye rolling, lack of enthusiasm and warmth, aren’t as excited to be celebrating with you. The whole event is pretty terrible and soon they leave thinking you’re the consummate fun vampire!
We get to stay in this beautiful house called the Black Hills, and generally we get pretty used to living here with only our immediate family. But part of our arrangement with living in this house is welcoming everyone in the summer. It’s much like Thanksgiving dinner, in that it’s chaotic and hectic and all around crazy. People drive slowly because they’re not used to the mountain roads and it’s all so beautiful they want to soak it in. They jam up “our” restaurants and clog up “our” trails. It’s very overwhelming when we’ve been left in so much silence for the winter. But… next time you get frustrated, remember how much these guests provide for our economy, for our well being. We have a symbiotic relationship – without them it would be a lot harder for us to get to live here all the time.
Next time you see tourists, pretend that they’re your guests (because they are) and you’re welcoming them into your home (because you are). “But I didn’t invite these yahoos! They’re not MY friends!” You might say…. Perhaps, but you agreed to this lease when you agreed to live here. Just like with winter, it’s part of the deal. You might not love it, but it isn’t a surprise.
And after all… sometimes all we need is to change our outlook to be happier, and I promise that changing your outlook on guests to our home will make this chaotic and hectic summer so much more fun!
_____ Here’s what’s going on in town this weekend
Thursday, 6/10 – 5-7pm Deb Elliot of Life Light Creative is having her Lead ribbon cutting at her grand opening party tomorrow! She’s opening her new location at 501 Grant St in Belle Fourche. Everyone is invited to come support one of our awesome web designing members!
Friday, 6/11
5:30 – Zumba @ Explore Fitness & Adventures with Debbie! Note: There will be no classes next week.
7pm – Danny’s Plumbings Service is hosting a FREE movie at the Homestake Opera House: “Short Circuit” Come on down! Concessions will be available for purchase.
Saturday, 6/12
It’s a busy Saturday in Lead!
All day – Treasures, Trash & Cash community garage sale will happen all over town! And don’t miss the Fire Department’s vendor spaces if you don’t have your own.
All day – Second Saturdays on Main Street. Lead has many great retail shops and artists! Come check out all that we have to offer with a special event hosted by the downtown businesses with special sales, treats and items for Father’s Day!
Monday, 6/14 – Deadwood History has a variety of summer day camps for kids. They have different themes and different age specifics. I sometimes wish I was a kid so I could take advantage of all the fun ways to spend a summer! Check out all the details at deadwoodhistory.com Also, if you haven’t been to the Adams Museum or the other amazing museums and offerings that Deadwood History provides it might be time to do a little stay cationing in your backyard! Always fantastic!
Tuesday, 6/15
12pm – SD CEO will have their first live and in person Women in Networking event since Covid started at the Holiday Inn in Spearfish. We’re super excited to see each other again and hope you’ll come out to enjoy! Also, a certain love of Lead will be the main speaker so if you too love Lead come support!
5-8pm LEAD LIVE! This is the first event of the summer and after two years we’re excited to celebrate with Lead’s monthly summer block parties hosted by the Handley Recreation Center! Come down for vendors, food, beer, and music by Camp Comfort! Manuel Brothers Park. Come hang out!!
Wednesday, 6/16
5-7:30pm – The Handley Recreation Center will be hosting Skate Nite! Entrance $3 and skate rentals $2!
____ Save the Date
Friday, 6/18 –
12pm, History on the Lawn: Horse Thieves and Cattle Rustlers: Vigilante “Justice” in the Black Hills
Saturday, 6/19 –
9:30am – Makers Market @ Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center
10am – Pride Month Hike with Explore Fitness & Adventures
11am Lead Bike Rodeo
Tuesday, 6/22 –
6-7pm Public Clarifying Meeting – we want you to understand what we do here at the Chamber! We are here to support you and your business and Lead! Hope to see you there as we answer some of your FAQs.
6/24-6/26 – Ann Charles Fan Weekend! Signings, parties, paranormal investigations and more! See all details here: http://anncharles.com/
Thursday, 6/24 – 5pm – SCIENCE ROCKS: Fire Department! At the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center
Friday, 6/25 – Saturday, 6/26 – ALL SCHOOL REUNION!
Friday, 6/25 – 5pm, Book Reading & Signing by Susan Enderby at the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center
______ News & Notes
Thanks to everyone who came out to support Lead Beautification for the flower planting last week! Lead is looking so beautiful and lush!
We were excited to welcome Jennipher Creed and her team from Creed Bookkeeping as they opened a brand new Lead branch office! If you’re looking for bookkeeping support for your booming business check her out! She always makes her clients feel like they’re the only ones and she always has time to answer dumb questions or help you through bookkeeping fumbles.
We were also excited to welcome the SURF Foundation officially to membership with their ribbon cutting this week! We learned a bit more about what they do and will continue to look for ways to support each other in the years to come.
Say hello to two of our newest members!
Chelsea of the Peachy Nomad sells fun items from her home in Lead and has her shop set up here: https://thepeachynomad.com/ she’ll also be vending at the 4th of July so keep a look out for her booth!
Check out the breakfast items and EARLY hours, 5am-2pm, iof Early Bird Cafe & Watering Hole! Breakfast items, espresso and real smoothies! The watering hole offers dinner, bar food and beer and wine as well as pool, darts and fun from 5-10pm. If you haven’t stopped in yet don’t miss! Donica and her husband have lots of space, great food (including a whole line up of vegetarian options) and really accommodating hours! Stop by 32 Baltimore and enjoy a meal!
We’re starting to publicize our 4th of July celebration! Be sure to check out the schedule here: www.leadmethere.org/
I hope you’re enjoying these first week of summer – and I hope that maybe you can see our guests in a new light! I’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts, reply right here! 🙂
With Love from Lead,
Sierra Ward
ED