Get Into All Things Grinnell through this regular recap of community activities, events and opportunities!
If you have recently caught a savory whiff of garlic bread or heard someone rave about Italian meatballs, chances are it led you straight to Paparoni’s!
This morning, the family-owned business stopped into the Chamber to explain the evolution of their food business into their bright yellow food truck, featuring a whimsical Italian-inspired mural painted by local artist Jordan Brennan. When Paparoni’s opened last year, the business began as a small stand at the Farmers Market, which didn’t allow them to cater or sell food for long periods of time.
But their family, made up of founder Mike and Ashley Beasley and in-laws Jim and Amber Moreno, was committed to expanding their Italian food throughout Grinnell. Now, Paparoni’s holds five licenses and has completed all code and inspection requirements, which allows them to cook for all sorts of town events in Grinnell.
Mike, a contractor by trade, outfitted the entire truck himself, with his father-in-law Jim Moreno in mind. They moved to Grinnell from Las Vegas, where Jim was already building his reputation for being a great cook to his friends and family.
“My mom would bring [Jim’s] leftovers to her friends and they’d always say, ‘oh my gosh, you could totally run a food truck!” laughs Ashley.
Inside the yellow food truck, you won’t find a microwave or a freezer — everything is made fresh daily, from the pasta to the peach cobbler. “For every dish, we try to incorporate a piece of Italy or Sicily,” says Jim. “Whether it’s the spices, the herbs, or the tomatoes, we try to make sure it has been sunkissed or touched by Italy.”
Paparoni’s menus are tailored for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Saturday mornings at the Grinnell Farmers Market, they prepare delicious Italian-sausage pizza, creamy bread pudding, and Mike’s personal favorite: peach cobbler. Jim, whose family lineage traces back to Italy, can “cook anything Italian,” says Mike. The truck itself is a fully self-sustaining kitchen, meaning it can operate for up to 10 hours straight without needing outside energy sources.
Around town, they have catered for lunch business meetings, as well as town events, whether for Walmart’s Grand Re-Opening, Mom’s Wheels, Grinnell College’s Alumni Reunion, or Wes Finch’s Grand Opening.
“We’ve noticed that catering with our food truck at [business] events usually brings extra business for them,” shared Mike with the Chamber Ambassadors. Paparoni’s has seven upcoming events this week alone, with nearly 80 on the books for this summer already — but they’re still available to cater for weddings, park events, church gatherings, and even backyard celebrations. They’ll bring the truck — and the taste of Italy!
“Our loyalty is to Grinnell,” says Jim, “And we are trying to do as many Grinnell events as possible. We are staying in Grinnell.”
If you’re craving some deliciously fresh Italian meatballs, Paparonis’ will be open today at 7 PM at Central Park for Music at the Pavilion.
They will also be open during Music in the Park on Thursdays at 7 PM, beginning this week, but if you can’t attend those events, they are also open during Grinnell Farmers Market hours on Thursdays and Saturdays! To stay updated on where their truck will be, follow their Facebook page, Paparoni's - Grinnell, Iowa!
Chamber Ambassadors, from left to right:
Dear New Residents,
Ready to jump into the Grinnell lifestyle? Join us for our New Resident Welcome this Thursday, May 22 (register link here: https://lnkd.in/grXvfPBR)! But here are some quick places to start:
To spend time and meet new people:
*️Drake Community Library
*️McNallys Foods
*️Ahrens Park outdoor fields and sports courts
*️American Brawn to play some board games, do crafts, and more!
*️Solera Wine Bar
To enjoy nature:
*️Central Park
*️Ahrens Park
*️Arbor Lake
To Enjoy Art:
*️Grinnell College Museum of Art
*️Grinnell Area Arts Council
To enjoy free community meals:
*️Grinnell Community Meal at Grinnell United Methodist Church
*️The Iowa Kitchen
To enjoy a quick snack:
*️Grin City Bakery
*️Dari Barn LLC
*️Grinnell Farmers Market
Love, the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce & our sponsors, REMAX Partners Realty- Grinnell, GreenState Credit Union, UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center, MCG - Mahaska Communication Group, and Hy-Vee.
P.S. Current residents: add your favorite places below!
Lisa Griffith recently arranged an unforgettable trip for a 90-year-old to Alaska — another check off their bucket list! Griffith is a cruise, land, and tour specialist, helping people of all demographics book their next trip through her travel agency, Unravel Ur Travel.
Her travel agency began after she discovered her passion for travel. When Griffith was little, vacationing meant purely local trips to state and county fairs. At the time, the farthest she traveled was to South Dakota, but as she helped family members plan their more ambitious trips, she decided she wanted to travel, too.
So, Griffith began her own series of trips — so far, she has visited many places domestically, as well as places like Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Aruba, Ireland, Egypt, and many more. But amidst her trips, she realized she wanted other people to experience the art of travel, too. With the support of her husband, Unravel Ur Travel was born.
“I love helping people, and I want people to have grand experiences,” Griffith says. Her travel agency sends people everywhere in the world, whether for cruises, independent travel, escorted or guided trips, and even rail. She also sets people up with car rentals, hotels, and itineraries, and works to limit fees as best as possible recognizing how those can sometimes hinder travel.
At any given time, Griffith is planning several itineraries, and has been hiring folks to help support the growing business. Recently, she hired a team member to provide group tours around the world, including for cruises, rail, land, and more.
As you travel, Griffith is by your side every step of the way, from before your trip to during and after. Griffith herself is there for you, along with her team. But if you are uneasy about traveling by yourself, she can arrange for someone to accompany you during bus and airplane transfers, and lead the way as you move from one itinerary spot to another.
When you reach out to Griffith, she will ask you a few questions to get your dream trip started — she’ll ask about budget, specific places on your bucket list, and whether you are looking for a more solo or group-oriented kind of trip.
“I’ll send proposals for clients to look at, but usually I like to get a feel for what they want and the fun experiences they wish to have,” shares Griffith. So, if you’re looking to travel this year or next, book with Unravel Ur Travel! It is never too expensive or too late to travel, or as Griffith puts it, “it is the memories and experiences you will have that last a lifetime.” Griffith’s mascot, Maxx, for example, travels everywhere with her, too!
Chamber Ambassadors, listed from left to right:
Twenty-five years ago, Jie (Jack) Guan recruited wholesale dealers for his new business, Great Wall Stone.
“I gave them a call and said, ‘My name is Jack, and my business sells granite,’” he laughs. “They said yes!”
Fast forward to today, and Guan is celebrating his inauguration into the Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting! At Great Wall Stone, Guan supplies granite (not countertop granite!) to be used as monuments, carved monuments, columbarium, and statues to wholesalers throughout the Midwest — from Ohio to Nebraska and Missouri to Minnesota. As you drive down the I-80 interstate, you can spot his stacks of granite, to be organized and shipped in coordination with trucking agencies. Guan carries a wide selection, with at least nine different colors and finishes, and fulfills special color requests, too.
Guan, who came to Iowa to pursue a Ph.D. in plant pathology and statistics, brought the Great Wall Stone to Grinnell in 2021 after moving between a few Iowan towns. His move was influenced by his daughter, Brenda Guan, who played tennis and graduated from Grinnell College in 2020. Although she currently lives in Des Moines as a graduated lawyer from the University of Iowa, she encouraged her dad to join us here at the Chamber!
Now in the company’s fourth year in Grinnell, Guan continues to be a savvy businessman, having created an efficient system for sorting his high-quality granite products — whether by color, finish, cut, or size. As Guan continues to operate his business in Grinnell, he has changed a few things along the way, too. Guan shared with the Chamber Ambassadors that he recently shifted his supply chain away from China, in preparation for rising import taxes on the horizon. Now, he sources most of his granite from India instead.
To check out Guan’s granite options and designs — from carvings to monuments to statues — visit Guan’s website, greatwallstone.com.
Chamber Ambassadors, listed from L-R:
Chamber Ambassadors gathered this morning to learn more about a recent partnership between the Chamber and Grinnell College Professor Jonathan Larson. What began as a call from the Center for Careers, Life & Service office over 6 months ago, has transformed into a wonderful partnership and working relationship for students to better understand ‘Education and the Future of Work’.
Larson’s new class offered this semester took a deeper dive into existing workplaces and the forms of work we might like to create. Throughout the course, students have been able to interview alumni, write about public-facing issues at the intersection of education and work, and most recently, conducted focus group sessions with area employers.
Many of the students were not previously familiar with the businesses who participated - which included Bayer Crop Science, German Plumbing Heating and Cooling, Grinnell & Lynnville-Sully Veterinary Clinics, Jensen Heating & Air Conditioning, Key Cooperative, and UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center - but had the opportunity to present questions and engage directly with these employers in an effort to better understand their role and relationships to internships and apprenticeships within their companies.
Following the sessions, students created posters which were on display during today’s visit. The posters reflect not only the uniqueness of each business, but also the creativity and interest of the students as they learned about the various pathways to employment and skill development. Today’s group was tasked with providing feedback and asking questions of what they read on the posters, all of which will be shared with students as they consider their final report. Ambassadors also noted that this project helps to highlight the wide range of career opportunities that exist within any one organization, and positively reflects on small businesses’ willingness to provide flexibility, when possible, in employment.
Today’s visit is a direct initiative of the chamber’s strategic priorities: to further support our educational institutions in building and strengthening relationships with businesses. The chamber wishes to extend immense gratitude to the six area employers who agreed to participate in the process this spring, as well as Professor Larson for his willingness to work together in an effort to forge a partnership as we work collectively to better understand education and the future of work.
Pictured L-R: Cody Jensen - Jensen Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc, Fran Conn, Hannah Greene - Bayer Crop Science, Brandy Virchow - B. Nicole Salon, Jennifer McAlexander -JM Consulting & Hawkeye Lock & Security, Dedee Lehman - All In Real Estate Inc., Erin Bustin - Grinnell School of Music, Nikki Armstead - Grinnell Chamber, Donnette Ellis - Grinnell College Community Connections, Joni Schmidt - The Mayflower Community
This morning, the Chamber Ambassadors welcomed new members of the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach Poweshiek County team, who are excited to build local programming and extend resources to local counties like ours. So far, the Extension and Outreach office has planned a few events, including an upcoming Ag Safety Day for 3rd and 4th graders and a “Pre-Harvest Tour” for local farmers in August, both set to take place in Grinnell. In June, the ISU Extension and Outreach is also hosting a Farm and Food Celebration that features local farmers and ends in a community dinner.
Alathia Andera, Poweshiek County Program Coordinator for Extension, shared that her and her team often reflect about the needs of Poweshiek County and work to bring programming to support them. In her role, she works within areas of community and economic development, human and health services, and agriculture and natural resources. Within the agriculture field, her team is introducing farming specialists to local farmers. The August event is free for farmers and will have three specialists discuss this year’s crop conditions, current grain market, and more.
Andera is also hosting a panel discussion for local businesses and entrepreneurs, as they partner to introduce the possibility of a shared-use kitchen coming to Poweshiek County. With the help of Emelie Ahrendsen, office manager and program assistant, the ISU Extension and Outreach team are removing barriers to knowledge and providing important tools and resources to community members.
Valorie Larsson, youth coordinator for the county-wide extension program, helps to incorporate valuable learning experiences for children through 4-H, where the H’s signify “Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.” Larsson gets kids involved in leadership opportunities, community service projects, and creative experiences. “Anything that youth are interested in can become a project,” shares Larsson, “from horses to pianos to woodworking.” She loves to push the students to reflect on what they have learned, to think through their mistakes, and learn to communicate their findings and passions to adults in different settings.
“Ultimately, we are all passionate about being more present in the communities across our county,” says Andera. “So don’t be afraid to reach out, whether you’re looking for resources, information, questions about our programming, and more.” To learn more about Poweshiek County Extension & Outreach and their upcoming programming, call 800-262-3804 or visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/.
Chamber Ambassadors from left to right:
Yesenia Mozo — Grinnell Chamber
Fran Conn
Donna Donna Fischer — UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center Foundation
Sarah Smith — Grinnell College
Monica St. Angelo — Grinnell Area Arts Council
Jennifer McAlexander — JM Consulting and Hawkeye Lock & Security
Donnette Ellis — Grinnell College
Emelie Ahrendson — Iowa Extension
Clare Burch — Temp Associates
Valorie Larsson — Iowa Extension
Kody Bigelow — Walmart Grinnell
Alathia Andera — Iowa State University Extension & Outreach: Poweshiek County
Nikki Armstead — Grinnell Chamber
Stephanie Lair — Grinnell Regional Medical Center Foundation
Joni Schmidt — The Mayflower Community
WesFinch.com is adopting a new ownership and a new attitude mantra — a motto that owner Craig Ford has welcomed since he bought the car dealership in late January. Ford, who was born in Grinnell, follows the footsteps of his father, a former business owner of an auto parts store. Now, Ford owns four car dealerships in the area. Although he has 150 cars on site in Grinnell, his customers have access to over 600 cars — “we can have those available in less than a day,” Ford says. On Friday afternoon, we celebrated the new start of WesFinch.com with a ceremonial ribbon cutting — and they finished their celebration with a grand opening on Saturday morning!
When Ford stepped into his new role, he was excited to learn more about his staff and how they work. “There are many things that our staff are doing well,” Ford explains. “So I’ve been seeing how their program works and have been slowly making changes from there.”
Ford is especially excited to transform the experience of buying a car. He plans to build a “command center” in an effort to improve customer service. “This way, we can better take care of everyone,” Ford says. “And it would help our sales managers to talk with one another when they have to.” Ultimately, Ford believes that buying a car shouldn’t be a long and grinding process. Instead, it should be easy, fast, and transparent. “It simply makes for a better process,” he remarks.
He pridefully spoke about his technicians, who are extremely experienced in fixing cars. He already has plans on revamping their work conditions with one cool change — adding an air conditioning unit. “We believe in taking care of our employees — those guys work so hard,” Ford says. “And all of our technicians are very happy about it.”
If you’re looking to buy a car, give WesFinch.com a try — Ford says they are committed to providing good service while also selling cars quickly and seamlessly.
“People don’t get cars too often,” says Ford. “So we are very appreciative of the people who trust us with this experience.”
Chamber Ambassadors listed from left to right:
Have you ever experienced a wrist fracture and worked to regain your strength? Or perhaps you’ve changed your work space to reduce an excruciating neck strain? People who were curious to learn more attended Unity Point Health — Grinnell’s Occupational Therapy open house this past Friday — an event with hands-on activities, a raffle, and treats!
In the back of the open house, an occupational therapist explained a variety of upper extremity rehabilitation services. At first glance, it seemed like a fun play section: a bowl of putty, a Connect 4 game, and fun squishy balls. But those are all exercises for those who recently experienced hand and wrist fractures — these game-like exercises actually help patients regain range of motion and strength in their wrist and arm! In addition, the occupational therapist explained how their ultrasound machine can soothe a swollen area of a recently fractured area in the upper body. The ultrasound only takes 10 minutes, but it can help to increase blood flow and prevent tissue healing in that small amount of time.
In another section of the open house, an occupational therapist let attendees try the FlexiTouch machine, a blanket-like machine that treats lymphedema. Lymphedema is known as chronic swelling, caused after damage to the lymphatic system. Usually, patients who have undergone surgery or cancer treatments have experience with lymphedema and use tools like the FlexiTouch to massage their veins and muscles. Time with the FlexiTouch helps remove compression and fluids out of the swollen areas.
One of our chamber ambassadors, Phil Grout from Hy-Vee, volunteered to get adjusted to a mock work space at the “Office Ergonomics” section of the open house. There, an occupational therapist set up a prime work condition for Grout — adjusting his seat height, computer height, and even his elbow and forearm placement for when he types on his keyboard!
The last part of the open house was for demonstrating patient rehabilitation services — mainly to help those with injuries gain more independence. Some tools on display were shower stools and benches, as well as some red dining utensils to remind patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia to eat.
What an educational and fun event — thank you to Unity Point Health — Grinnell for hosting! For those wishing to pursue rehabilitation services, visit your primary care physician for a referral.
Chamber Ambassadors from left to right:
Earlier today was Walmart’s grand re-opening, which celebrated the finished remodel of the store. The store, which has not been updated since its opening in 2006, unveiled a stunning mural honoring the town of Grinnell, spotlighting the Louis Sullivan Jewel Box Bank and the community. In addition, the store now has new products, polished floors, updated restrooms, and a new pharmacy waiting area.
The grand opening was kicked off by an introduction from store manager Kody Bigelow, who spoke about the exciting new changes to the store. “The store looks fantastic,” he said, “and the leadership has just been amazing.” He thanked the store associates for helping with the event and the remodel, as well as the visiting associates, remodeling crew and lead Casey Hawkins from Ankeny, Iowa. Hawkins then presented a plaque honoring veterans on behalf of the Grinnell community.
Mayor Dan Agnew also congratulated Bigelow and the store for its remodeling. “The remodeling of Walmart is an economic opportunity for not just Grinnell, but all of the county,” Agnew remarked.
To wrap up the morning event, Bigelow and three store associates then performed a ribbon cutting to commemorate the occasion. After the opening remarks, the music was turned up and the community was invited to spend time with vendors in the Walmart parking lot to receive free goodies and drinks! Inside the store, attendees admired the mural and assembled Walmart swag bags with pens, water bottles, post-it notes, and more. The outdoor Weiner Mobile was also a huge draw, joined by a face painter and caricaturist doing drawings of attendees. Food trucks Paparoni's and Tacos Tarrascos from Marshalltown were also there to fill the stomachs of hungry attendees during this early event! Of course, mascots Sparky the Walmart logo and Chester the Cheetah were there to make people feel right at home at the new Walmart!
If you missed out on the event, don’t worry — the refreshed Walmart and its mural will be there to check out during normal store hours!
Chamber ambassadors listed from left to right:
Yesterday morning, Chamber Ambassadors visited Temp Associates, known by their tagline, “providing jobs since 1986.” At the heart of this local employment agency are Claire Burch and Brittany Hamilton, who are committed to secure Grinnell residents with opportunities to work again. Having recently experienced unemployment and starting over in their careers, they recognize the importance of bridging together applicants and potential employers.
Burch and Hamilton primarily help place local residents in the manufacturing field, particularly in light industrial and warehouse jobs. Temp Associates begin their process with an application and in-depth interview, making sure that an employee and potential company are a good fit for one another. In some cases, placement goes well enough that clients will convert their temporary employees to full time workers. Burch and Hamilton attribute their success to analyzing their applicants’ strengths and determining which job locations they would work best in. This way, they prevent turnover on behalf of their clients as well.
Temp Associates provides a quick hiring turnaround on behalf of employers, too — they promptly post job openings, run credit and background checks, and set service agreements in place. The result? Jobs are usually filled within a week, with some slight variation in between. It’s a win-win situation for both clients and employees, who are ready to hire and work.
“Most of our applicants are second chance employees, too,” shared Burch, meaning that applicants are applying with a lack of resources and work experience. Burch explained that applicants who have been laid off often only have that one particular work experience on their resume or lack other resources, like housing and transportation.
“One applicant, for example,” recounts Burch, “walks an hour to our agency because he doesn’t have a drivers license. When he called us to say he scheduled his drivers license exam, we were so excited.” As someone who had to pivot in her career, Burch says she loves to hear her applicants’ career goals and success stories — even outside of work. So far, she has celebrated applicants who have moved out of their parents’ house and have bought their first car.
Temp Associates also connects applicants with resources, such as housing, job fairs, and more. If you know someone who is looking for a new job or career, or is a business needing to hire employees, call Temp Associates at 641-236-9220 or visit their website, www.tempassociates.com.
Pictured left to right:
