Alton, Mo. – The Great American Eclipse is less than two months away. The date for the last total eclipse in our area and in our lifetime is Monday, April 8, 2024. The closer it gets, the higher the estimated visitors Alton could see. While you may not appreciate unknown people living on your property, other ways exist to get involved and possibly make some money. You can put something together if you belong to a church, social group, or school group, or join with your friends and neighbors. It does not require all-day preparations, let alone all weekend.
Visitors will be arriving the week before the eclipse. This means that from the Monday before the eclipse, Alton can see an influx of visitors. Food is always a winner. Visitors eat and are pleased with the area.
Food
What will all of these people eat? By the eclipse weekend, many shelves in the grocery stores will be empty.
Breakfast
How about a pancake breakfast? Whether it be a school group, church group, or a fire department, this is only one meal. Offer pancakes, maybe eggs and bacon, and coffee. Then, set up a lot of tables. When staying in the Alton area, one doesn’t want to wake up and travel to West Plains for the first meal. The smell of coffee and bacon will lure hungry bodies in. Most people will pay more than $10 a plate if they go out to eat. And this money would go to a local group.
Lunch
How about a hot dog and chips lunch, complete with a cookie and a can of soda? Buying ahead in large quantities will lower your cost. Set up on the square or park, or at least a main area, and even local residents will take you up for lunch. They do not have to cook.
Dinner
How about a barbecue dinner? Or a fish fry? BB Road Volunteer Fire Department scheduled their fish fry for the eclipse on Saturday. Another party can have a barbecue on Friday or Sunday afternoon. Churches can offer potluck lunches for a donation to missions or the building fund, or the youth group, or, or,.
To-Go
How about meals to go? Set up a system for a meal where they pay for a brown bag lunch. That is one less meal the visitor has to think about or plan for.
All of these ideas are good for a single meal. One can give part of the weekend, a few hours. He can still benefit from the traffic. There are so many other good ideas out there. However, procrastination will get nothing done. Decide today how you can help.
