The Promotion Committee has been working with businesses, both service and retail, to produce short videos inviting RAGBRAI riders to check out what they have to offer. These have been posted on the Jefferson RAGBRAI Facebook page and Jefferson Matters: Main Street Facebook page. They are also available here on our website under the Discover Tab – RAGBRAI Minute. Be sure to share these with others to help get the word around on what is available here in Jefferson!
Jefferson Matters: Main Street volunteers had many activities for festival goers to enjoy at their Bell Tower Festival booth. The public voted for the Ring Out for Art sculptures, took Family Feud surveys, got information about HomeTown Teams exhibit, and experienced a portable foundry for metal casting for Arch Alley. A photo op for the Arch Alley drew many people of all ages. There are many upcoming opportunities for people to volunteer with Main Street and RAGBRAI activities – so don’t be shy! Contact the office at director@jeffersonmatters.org if interested.
Even with the heat, over 100 people attended the annual Party in the Alley hosted by Jefferson Matters: Main Street. This year the alley was the north alley with the Tower View Team and Promotion committees teaming up to help those attending visualize how another alley project could look. Artist David Williamson is the lead on this project working with community members and students to create three arches in this space along with other aspects to make it a beautiful and inviting space in the downtown. Part of the evening was sharing the poem, “Arc” that participants have worked on throughout the winter to set the tone of this space.
Buttons proclaiming, “I’m a Part of the Arch” were sold for $20 each as a fundraiser for this project. Only 100 buttons will be available so get yours at the Main Street Bell Tower booth or at the Main Street office after that weekend. Home State Bank has also made a commitment for funding in the alley along with the Grow Greene County grant awarded in the spring.
David shared the conceptual and poem at this point with those attending and is willing to talk with anyone about the project. He will bring his portable foundry to the Festival on Saturday afternoon from 12:30 – 4:30 in the north alley to show how the castings for the arches would be made by the community.
A photo op of an Arch was built and painted by Tower View Team members and will also be at the Main Street festival booth on the north side of the courthouse.
Thanks to the committee who organized this event and to all those attending. Here are a few pictures:
Thanks to a group of 11 Main Street volunteers led by Karen Lawton, Bonnie Silbaugh and Kathy Milligan, the petunia and sweet potato vines were planted in 32 baskets for the downtown. Design chair Karen Lawton credits the great working relationship with the City of Jefferson for purchasing the plants and supplies through our local businesses and having the City Street Dept. crew water the baskets throughout the season. The Design committee plans for the plants each season and provides the volunteers to plant.
The pillar planters will be changed out to petunias before the Bell Tower Festival. If anyone would like to be put on the email list of “Flower Power” to know when these projects are being completed, please email Peg Raney at director@jeffersonmatters.org or call 515-386-3585. We welcome you to be involved in making our downtown beautiful!
A fourth rooftop art piece is in progress with Sheryl & Lee Sloan working with local artist Curt Nelson to paint a mural depicting Sheri’s love of music. The Sloans own the building where John’s Appliance is located on Wilson in Jefferson. The treble cleff with keyboard will be called “Music Straight From the Heart”. Curt is assisted by a former student artist Aaron Wendell.
Nelson is painting directly on the roof with the artwork of Nichole Schilling beside it. Her piece is called, “Wild Woman on the Roof”. These projects have been initiated by the Tower View Team, a committee of Jefferson Matters: Main Street. This group of volunteers has a passion for the arts and wants to draw people to the Mahanay Bell Tower with art is surprising places – like a rooftop. The only way a person can view this art is by riding the elevator to the Paul Nally Observation Deck and look out the windows.
The Mahanay Bell Tower is open daily from Memorial Day weekend through the end of September from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Adults over 18 are $3 and kids 18 & under are free courtesy of HyVee of Jefferson.
