By Brian Buethe, President | CEO, Grimes Chamber & Economic Development
December 2021 Newsletter Article
In December of 1963 a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love peaked on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at #6. The song was entitled “Be True to Your School”. The band, one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands of all time, was none other that The Beach Boys. It was one of a string of hits that resonated with teenage boys and girls, with subjects ranging from relationships, fast cars, surfing, and more.
Be True to Your School, other than being a hit record, had a simple but important message. The song encouraged student to take pride in their school. Wear that letter jacket proudly, whether in your hometown or somewhere else. At Grimes Chamber & Economic Development, we take a simple message like this and extrapolate it to a larger meaning. The people and businesses of this community can and should take pride in themselves, because our community is remarkable!
We often speak about the new growth in the community as a measure of success. Indeed, that is true. Grimes is the type of community that people and businesses are moving to at an unprecedented rate. This can be frustrating for some who came to a community that not so long ago was smaller, but it is a great indicator that Grimes is evolving in such a way that people want to be here. It is a testament to the many community leaders and citizens who have been a part of this community in the past. As it has been said, the success we are experiencing today is due to the hard work of those who came before us.
We, as a community and as an organization have had the opportunity to celebrate some great new and rather large projects in recent years. But we should not…and will not…lose sight of the fact that we come from humble roots. Those businesses and families who have called Grimes home for decades are our foundations. We are a community of small, mostly locally owned, businesses who have contributed to Grimes in ways large and small for generations. This is something of which we can all be proud!
So, we encourage you to take stock in what a great community we have here in Grimes. This holiday season we encourage you to be TRUE to your neighbors, local businesses, and even our local school districts. Patronize your local institutions, learn and take pride in your community’s history, and don’t hesitate to tell others about all the good things happing in Grimes. We can be proud without be arrogant. The Beach Boys would go on to sell over 100 million records. Like them, I suspect Grimes is just getting started. Our great history will be followed by an even greater future.
(Learn more about Grimes Chamber & Economic Development and its many local members at www.GrimesIowa.com.)