RAGBRAI Dollars Will Help Fund Community Projects

Glenwood had a successful RAGBRAI from both an execution and financial standpoint.

Mills County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jennie Davis recently announced that after payment of all outstanding bills, the Glenwood RAGBRAI account had surplus funds that will be distributed to several non-profit organizations that contributed to the success of the event.

“We came out in the positive,” Davis said. “I believe there are three reasons why this RAGBRAI was financially successful. No. 1, our generous local sponsors. No. 2, our local in-kind donors and lastly, a lot of committees came in under budget.

“Because of those reasons, we were able to donate money to many local non-profits, all of whom helped pull off RAGBRAI.”

Davis said she and members of Glenwood’s RAGBRAI organizing committee are extremely appreciative of the support the event received from the local business community.

Several businesses made financial contributions to help offset costs associated with hosting the event and several made in-kind contributions of services.

Beneficiaries of the RAGBRAI dollars are the Mills County Sheriff’s Office Canine Program, Glenwood Alumni Association, Glenwood Community School District (to assist with cost of Homecoming fireworks), Glenwood Baseball and Softball Club (for Field 165 project), Glenwood Fire Association, Glenwood Police Department (drone program), Police Chaplains, Glenwood Band Parents Association, Highway 34 Sign and Mills County Storehouse.

These businesses provided direct financial support for RAGBRAI: Barrett Auto Center, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate – Emily Swinford, Better Homes & Gardens - The Good Life Group, Casey’s, Eagle Engineering, El Porton, First National Bank Of Omaha, Glenwood State Bank, Google, Jim Hughes Real Estate, Konfrst Construction, Mills County Economic Development Foundation, Pinnacle Construction, Runza and Tri-Valley Bank

Businesses providing in-kind donations for the event included Corning Rental, Fast Signs, Glenwood Golf Course, I-29 Repair, Jen Wilson, Leick Construction, Methodist Physicians Clinic, Russ’s Market, SWITA, Waste Connections and Woods & Tucker Law.

In addition to the donations to local non-profits, RAGBRAI dollars will also be used to acquire a new public speaker and sound system for Town Square and expansion / completion of the downtown  holiday lights.

The speaker system is scheduled to to be installed in the next six weeks.

“I think it’s a bonus when we’re talking about trying to attract folks from Omaha to spend a day around the square,” Davis said. “We have a lot of new boutiques, we’ve got a lot of restaurants and bars, and things like that. It will help increase the mood of the square.

“Things like Cultivate Community, the Farmers Market, holiday festival, Shop Hop – the square again is gaining traction as well as events hosted on the courthouse lawn.”

Davis said the sound system will be more complex than the system that was installed with RAGBRAI dollars in 2011. The chamber and City Hall staff will both have the software to control the sound system, which is equipped to play music, announcements and advertisements.

As for the holiday lights, Davis said she has no doubt the community will be impressed when the switch is turned on for the first time.

“I know everyone loved the holiday lights last year and they thought it looked amazing. This is going to blow last year’s out of the water. Each tree will have approximately 10 of those spritzers we did last year,” she said. “Last year, only the south portion had them and there was about five on each tree.

“This is only possible because of Dylan Sathren, owner of Sharp Blades Lawn Care, is once again only charging us costs. It will be professionally done and I’m really thankful for Dylan. After this, these lights will be owned by the holiday lights committee. Going forward after this year, we’ll only have to pay for labor.”

Now, nearly two months removed from RAGBRAI, Davis noted that she continues to hear positive comments about the job Glenwood did hosting the more than 20,000 guests that came to town for the bicycle ride. She noted that RAGBRAI executives were in Glenwood in late August for a post-ride wrap-up and praised the community for its effort.

“They thought everything went really well and said everybody was happy with us,” she said.

Davis thanked the hundreds of volunteers who contributed to the success of the event and community residents for their understanding and patience.

“Obviously, the Glenwood RAGBRAI Committee and folks pulling it off are very thankful for the residents’ patience during the weekend, when roads were shut down and traffic was a lot heavier.”