HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Visit Hutch Tourism Coalition announced Friday the initiative called Caught in the Act Hutch with its mission to encourage mask wearing in Reno County.
After announcing the statewide public health initiative “Kansas Beats the Virus” (#KSBeatsTheVirus) on Nov. 18, the Kansas Leadership Center put forth the goal to activate and connect local leadership to combat the spread of COVID-19. The Leadership Reno County organization was one of the many statewide network of partners who fulfilled the role of Facilitator, which resulted in more than 1,000 meetings across Kansas.
The 13-week project kicks off on Monday, Jan. 25, and will reward members of the public who are “caught” wearing a mask at one of the participating host businesses. If you are “caught,” you will be given a Caught in the Act sticker and can then enter online for a weekly gift card drawing from one of the host businesses. A $3,000 grant was awarded by the Kansas Leadership Center to fund this initiative.
The host businesses participating are: Airport Steakhouse, Apron Strings, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Cosmosphere, Heartland Credit Union, Hedrick Exotic Animal Farm, Holly’s Sweet Treats, Hutchinson Zoo, Metropolitan Coffee, Reno County Museum, Scuttlebutt’s at The Clayworks, Strataca and The Wool Market and DIY School.
An added benefit of this initiative is that all of the $3,000 grant monies will be spent in the local Reno County economy to help small businesses.