Loose Leaf Notes

~The following was published in The Floyd Press on January 22, 2009.

 
The idea for The Floyd Compass visitor’s guide was born when out-of-town guests asked owners of The Hotel Floyd what there was to do in Floyd, said Kamala Bauers, one of the hotel owners.

 
In an effort to address visitors’ questions Bauers contacted Elaine Martinez of Design Omnea, after being impressed with the graphic design work that Martinez did for the FloydFest music festival program. Bauers also enlisted the help of artist Rio Semione, who has produced calendars in the past.

 
Working together in 2008, the group put out the first two issues of the bi-annual guide, which includes feature articles on local artists and musicians, stories about visitor related businesses, live music and events listings, a lodging and restaurant directory, and more. The 2009 spring/summer issue is currently in the works.

 
Like the FloydFest program, the Floyd Compass is printed on recycled paper, using color and black and white photography and graphics. It is produced “in an artistic, ethical, and eco-friendly manner representing the best of our community’s goals and ideals,” the ad rate sheet sent out to businesses states.

 
“It provides a cost effective way to support local businesses,” Bauers said about the grassroots publication at a recent Compass meeting held at the Hotel Floyd Conference Room in The Village Green.

 
With a focus on sharing local culture and natural resources, the Compass also includes mountain lore, seasonal recipes, gardening tips, and information about local hikes and the best area outdoor activities.
“I love the idea of sharing what’s special about Floyd with the world,” said Semione who did the cover art for the premiere issue and created the centerfold map of Floyd, complete with Fun Facts about Floyd.

 
The publication is also committed to publishing stories related to agritourism and green living, Bauers explained. She is co-owner of Wall Residences, a business that provides foster care placement for individuals with disabilities. The Wall Residences office building is the first LEED certified green building in the area. The Hotel Floyd, which Bauers co-owns with her husband Jack Wall, was also built using green technology.

 
Circulation of the Compass has doubled from the first issue to the second. Fifteen-thousand copies are distributed to six regional Visitors Centers, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and local businesses and lodging establishments in the area. Issues are also mailed to people across the country who request information about visiting Floyd. “And we are expanding the spring/summer issue from thirty-two pages to forty,” Martinez said. An online version of the guide with archives of past issues is soon to be launched.

 
Martinez and Semione both write for the publication. Semione provides artwork and Martinez contributes photography. The Compass also draws on the creative talents of other local writers and contributors. “All contributors to the magazine are paid a stipend for their work, in appreciation of the value we place on the creative spirit that is so important to Floyd,” the Compass rate sheet reads.

 
There is still time to list your event or place an ad, Martinez said about the new issue, due out in mid March. “If your ad is in the Compass you are in every room in The Hotel Floyd, Oak Haven Lodge, The Lawson House and other establishments,” Bauers added, pointing out that the Compass will increase its distribution as requests come forth by local visitor related businesses.

 
Bauers, Martinez, and Semione believe that Floyd’s strength lies in its culture, natural beauty, live music and art and that a weekend or weeklong visit to Floyd is a destination choice that can provide an affordable and fulfilling get-away in today’s down-turned economy.

 
“If people can come visit us and take home a little gift, whether it’s a clay bowl they bought, an experience in nature, some music that touched them, or a feeling; that’s meaningful,” Semione said.