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3| Impact <br />Response 2.1: Why would tourists travel to Kittitas County to attend your event/activity/facility?* <br />Cultural tourism plays a vital role in preserving and promoting the distinctive character of a community. It ensures that traditions, <br />stories, and places are not forgotten, while also highlighting what makes a destination unique and different from others. This is <br />one of the reasons visitors are drawn to our area—its authentic history and distinctive “funkiness.” <br />Our community has rich cultural assets that already attract visitors. The Roslyn Cemetery and Coal Miners’ Memorial offer <br />powerful opportunities to reflect on the achievements and hardships of our ancestors, creating a meaningful connection between <br />past and present. In addition, our cultural events provide engaging and enjoyable ways for residents and visitors alike to <br />celebrate local history, building both admiration and community pride. <br />We already possess these cultural treasures; our challenge is to share them more broadly and effectively. With enhanced <br />marketing and outreach, we can capture the attention of the thousands of visitors who already come to our area and invite them <br />to experience our unique heritage. <br />Funding from LTAC will allow us to expand communication of our Mission, Vision, and Values, ensuring that our heritage is not <br />only preserved but also celebrated as a cornerstone of local tourism and community identity. <br />2500 character limit <br />Response 2.2: Describe the prior success of your event/activity/facility to attract tourists.* <br />The Roslyn Ronald Cle Elum Heritage Club has a proven history of preserving, promoting, and sharing the cultural and historic <br />assets of our community. Our accomplishments demonstrate both our capacity to complete significant projects and our <br />commitment to stewarding local heritage. <br />• Coal Miners’ Memorial (1996–present): <br />Our organization designed, funded, and erected the Coal Miners’ Memorial in downtown Roslyn to honor the men and families <br />who built this community. For nearly 30 years, we have maintained and enhanced the site, ensuring it remains a meaningful and <br />dignified place of remembrance for residents and visitors alike. In 2026, we will celebrate its 30th anniversary with planned <br />improvements to the surrounding area, making it more welcoming and accessible to the growing number of visitors. <br />• Historic Cemetery Preservation: <br />We serve as caretakers of Roslyn’s nationally significant cemeteries, which reflect the stories of diverse immigrant groups who <br />settled here in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Through ongoing volunteer efforts, we protect and maintain these historic <br />landscapes, safeguarding an irreplaceable cultural resource for future generations while offering visitors a unique lens into our <br />community’s past. <br />• Coal Mines Trail Collaboration: <br />As an active partner on the Coal Mines Trail Commission—a multi-agency body including Roslyn, Cle Elum, and Kittitas County <br />—we have played a key role in advancing the preservation and interpretation of this historic trail. Together, we are implementing <br />new kiosks and interpretive signage to replace deteriorated markers. This work will provide visitors with deeper context and a <br />more engaging experience as they explore the historic corridor that links Roslyn, Ronald, and Cle Elum. <br />• Cultural Events & Storytelling: <br />Our club hosts events year-round, including speaker series, tours, and community gatherings that celebrate the area’s coal- <br />mining and immigrant heritage. These events consistently draw strong local participation while also appealing to visitors. In <br />2025, we reprinted From Old Country to Coal Country, a beloved compilation of family stories first published two decades ago, <br />ensuring that these personal histories remain accessible to new generations of readers and heritage travelers. <br />Together, these achievements demonstrate our ability to bring projects from concept to completion, engage volunteers and <br />partners, and deliver lasting cultural assets that enrich both our community and its visitors. <br />2500 character limit <br />Application Questions: Part 2