Sunday, July 11, 2010

SAVOUR Muskoka Engages World Media during the G20 Summit

SAVOUR Muskoka took advantage of a limited opportunity to engage world media during the G20 Summit. During the four day period not only did the organization successfully execute four local food and beverage tastings, a committed group of SAVOUR Muskoka volunteers went out into the media area and engaged reporters and writers one on one. With a total of 850 bags distributed personally to media, our organization not only put a smile on the face of exhausted media but also showed partner organizations that our small rural community knows hospitality.

The bags that were distributed included a map, literature on our organization and one type of local member food item that reflects the region of Muskoka. Not only did SAVOUR Muskoka give out free gifts, we also provided media with a chance to win four gift baskets from Seven Main Cafe that included several member products. The four gift baskets were awarded to journalists from the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN and Channel 9 Australia. With bags and free gifts in hand, media then flocked to our tastings to indulge in local seasonal fare and view the HD Video that was made from member pictures taken during the weeks leading up to the G20 Summit. We were told that (estimated numbers from front line workers gauging attendance to the media corridor) attendance peaked 1800 visitors during one of our one hour tasting.
The impact that SAVOUR Muskoka made on colleagues, media and journalists is priceless. Our commitment to fresh, local and hospitality from our volunteers shone through during our time at the media corridor and while SAVOUR Muskoka did not have a traditional tradeshow booth our organization made the best of our short tasting sessions.

SAVOUR Muskoka continues to build on its member’s passion to community growth and volunteerism while we continue to engage the consumer. We strive to bring added value and market investment to the community of Muskoka / Parry Sound. SAVOUR Muskoka, a FedNor initiative, and its members are united in their efforts to celebrate and share in Muskoka’s agricultural and culinary heritage as these activities support healthy environments and economic growth.

SAVOUR Muskoka - 2010 Limited Edition Associate Membership Passport

SAVOUR Muskoka - 2010 Limited Edition Associate Membership Passport
July 11, 2010

SAVOUR Muskoka is excited to introduce its 2010 Limited Edition Associate Membership Passport. Highlighting local farmers, culinary artisans, restaurants, chefs and food retail outlets, the passport gives the consumer an opportunity to discover the great food grown and harvested in Muskoka / Parry Sound. The passport fee of $40 entitles the SAVOUR Muskoka Associate Member to benefits such as newsletters profiling restaurants and chefs in the area, a regional food guide as well as a passport valued at over $1000 in savings from SAVOUR Muskoka Members. The consumer can purchase a passport from our website www.savourmuskoka.com or by contacting one of our 100 members.

SAVOUR Muskoka has been incorporated as a not-for-profit organization since 2008 and as a working organization since 2005. With its mission to facilitate the successful development of the Muskoka region as a dynamic culinary tourism destination, SAVOUR Muskoka has developed an extensive network of local farmers and restaurants who offer regional culinary products, experiences and packages that are unique to Muskoka. To ensure a sustainable future, SAVOUR Muskoka is now looking to the consumer to get involved.

With the sale of the passport to the consumer, SAVOUR Muskoka will have the sustainable framework which will provide the organization with the opportunity to continue its community promotions, workshops, networking opportunities, and research projects with provincial Colleges and Universities. Inevitably the consumer will provide SAVOUR Muskoka with the financial support it needs in order to become a self sustaining organization.

SAVOUR Muskoka continues to engage the consumer and with the consumer membership our incorporated not-for profit organization will move forward with its mandate of self sustainability. We strive to bring added value and market investment to the community of Muskoka / Parry Sound. SAVOUR Muskoka, with funded programs through FedNor, Industry Canada and The Ontario Trillium Foundation, its members are united in their efforts to celebrate and share in Muskoka’s agricultural and culinary heritage as these activities support healthy environments and economic growth.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Hands, The Family Help Network & SAVOUR Muskoka help parents and their children experience Farming and Preserving

During the final days of the local strawberry season SAVOUR Muskoka assisted The Family Help Network by helping sponsor an event which took parents and their children to a local farm to pick strawberries. The farm experience was complimented by a freezer jam workshop in which each participant walked away with a jar of freezer jam and fresh berries. The event started at 9.00am at the Bracebridge Community gardens located at the Your Independent Grocer (YIG) in Bracebridge, followed by a trip to Brooklands Farm and concluded back at YIG’s for a freezer jam workshop on the morning of Friday July 2nd, 2010.

SAVOUR Muskoka members, Brooklands Farm and Yummies in a Jar donated time and product in order to make this event happen. The event was in association with the Great Beginnings Growing Up Program, they provides families with a place for parents to share in the play experience with your child, weekly workshops on interesting topics relating to parenting and child development, information and referral for community resources, parents with an opportunity to meet and share with other parents, a free $10.00 food coupon each week, free transportation to the program if needed, and a free healthy snack each week.

The SAVOUR Muskoka vision is to provide the consumer with a wide selection of regional culinary products, experiences and packages that are unique to Muskoka and that can be marketed successfully to the visitor market. As the organization matures in the community, the role of our organization also changes from one that also has the social responsibility to make sure that everyone in the community has access to agricultural resources and experiences no matter what their social or demographic position is in the community. Sharing tools, culinary and agricultural resources with everyone is important in our mission to facilitate the successful development of the Muskoka region as a dynamic culinary tourism destination, by promoting all sectors of the economy with an interest in local food and drink

SAVOUR Muskoka continues to work with its stakeholders in order to stay connected with all the opportunities that culinary tourism and agriculture have to offer. SAVOUR Muskoka, a FedNor initiative, and its members are united in their efforts to celebrate and share in Muskoka’s agricultural and culinary heritage.