Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Dec. 6

Thursday, December 6 will officially kick off the Christmas holidays in Jefferson with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting held in the Thomas Jefferson Gardens. Several organizations have been coordinating this special event to enhance the evening even further.

Here’s the timeline for the Community Christmas Tree Lighting:

5:00-6:00             Holiday stories at the Jefferson Public Library and Greene County Courthouse read by Friends of the Library

5:15 – 5:30        Christmas “Tower Tunes Live” concert played on the Mahanay Carillon

5:30-6:00             Caroling around the square by the Greene County Singers

6:15                      Christmas Sing-A-Long at the Welcome Center with the Greene County Singers

5:45-6:15             Cider & cookies served in the Welcome Center. Wishes can be written on a tag to add to the tree with one chosen for a prize. Youngsters will pick up reindeer food for use on Christmas Eve. Everyone can enjoy the Christmas lights while walking around the Thomas Jefferson Gardens.

6:15                      Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at via a secret mode of transportation

6:30                      Christmas tree lighting in the Thomas Jefferson Gardens

6:45-7:15             Holiday stories at the Greene County Courthouse by Friends of the Library

6:45-7:30             Santa listens to children’s wishes in the Paul Nally Observation Deck of the Mahanay Bell Tower with free admission courtesy of the Bell Tower Community Foundation

The planning group has added a Light Up the Holiday weekend from Dec. 6 – 9 with residents and businesses encouraged to call the Chamber of Commerce to share their address to be added to a map for visitors to follow. Call 515-386-2155 by Nov. 16.

Chairperson for this event is Angie Reese-Hueser. The Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson Matters: Main Street, Thomas Jefferson Gardens, Friends of the Library and the Bell Tower Community Foundation are coordinating activities for this event.

Marketing for Small Businesses

A free event for small businesses on marketing ideas will be held on Monday, November 5 at the Elk’s Lodge in Jefferson. Robin Bostrom, Main Street Iowa business specialist, will share ideas she has collected from small rural businesses around the state. All interested in getting new options other than social media are invited to hear this creative and short presentation. Before the upcoming holidays is a great time to freshen up with new strategies to reach your customers. Ideas for businesses other than retail would benefit from attending.

Social time will begin at 5:15 p.m. with Jefferson Iowa Realty providing a free drink for those attending along with snacks. The presentation will begin at 5:45 and last 45 minutes.

Robin shared a presentation strictly on the use of social media marketing earlier in the year, so this event will focus on other ways to make your marketing dollars go further.

These two programs are projects of the Economic Vitality committee of Jefferson Matters: Main Street to support our local businesses. Businesses inside and outside of Jefferson’s Main Street District are welcome to attend. There is no need to RSVP.

Tower View Team Visits Artist’s Studio

The Tower View Team from Jefferson Matters: Main Street took a field trip on Monday, Sept. 17 to Ogden to see artist David Williamson’s studio.  Rancho Weirdo is the name of David’s workspace out on his acreage.  They sa where the arches will be created for Arch Alley. David showed them all the tools, pulley systems and all that will be used to create the three 16’ tall sculptural arches. Members of the group made some decisions regarding the alley project.  Moving forward, David will be working with the students in both Greene County Community Schools and Paton-Churdan Schools to design one of the arches.  Another arch will be designed by community members who want to be involved.  The Tower View Team began the process last winter and spring designing the first arch.  Arch Alley is projected to be completed in the fall of 2019.

Fall Pillar Planters Are Fabulous

A group of volunteers we fondly refer to as Flower Power planted the 12 pillar planters in the downtown.  This effort is led by Karen Lawton and Kathy Milligan of the Design Committee.  They work with Bonnie Silbaugh who owns Fudge’s Flowers in downtown Jefferson.  All plants and materials are purchased in downtown Jefferson.  Many compliments come from residents and visitors on these beautiful planters.  The Jefferson Streets Dept. continue to water the hanging baskets and the pillar planters.  Volunteers also water over the weekend.  Many thanks to all!

The call goes out to the volunteers and they show up to plant these for each season.  If anyone would like to be involved in this task force, please let Peg know at the Main Street Office.

Students enjoy HomeTown Teams exhibit

Students from grades 2-12 in Greene County Community Schools and grades 4-12 from Paton-Churdan enjoyed the HomeTown Teams exhibit.  Retired school staff Jean Van Gilder, Pat Richards, Roger Aegerter, Jan Durlam,  Dianne Piepel, Peg Raney, and Julie Karber served as volunteer hosts for these visits.  An awesome scavenger hunt was created by these teachers to keep the students engaged with the exhibit.  They hunted for answers in the Smithsonian exhibit and the local exhibits.  Many students returned with their parents and grandparents to take a closer look.  As the exhibit approaches the end of its run on Sept. 23, well over 2,000 people have come to the Greene County Historical Society to experience it.

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