Hitting the Road with Hometown Pride

This month, Andy and Lorin hit the road to visit several of our amazing Hometown Pride communities. Stops included Hills, Shellsburg, Delmar, Maquoketa, Rickardsville, Holy Cross, and Delaware—with scenic drive-throughs of Center Point, Springville, Luxemburg, and New Vienna along the way.

Photo #1: Tour de Casey’s!

KIB staff made a few pit stops on their travels, including a visit to Casey’s in Delmar! Here’s Executive Director Andy Frantz giving a wave outside one of Iowa’s favorite roadside staples. Casey's is a Keep Iowa Beautiful sponsor.

Photo #2: Shellsburg Shows Its Pride

In downtown Shellsburg, the historic Gold Medal Flour mural stands tall thanks to the efforts of the Shellsburg Hometown Pride Committee.

Photo #3: Momentum in Maquoketa

During a downtown tour, the team got a look at the progress happening at Glovik Community Park. The Maquoketa Greenspace Redevelopment Project is led by the Maquoketa Betterment Corp. and Hometown Pride.



Photo #4: Hello, Holy Cross

The team also stopped in Holy Cross, where the Holy Cross Hometown Pride Committee is celebrating a big win: a $12,000 AARP Livability Grant. Congratulations, Holy Cross Hometown Pride Committee!

#HometownPride Highlights

The Heart of Delaware County:

Delaware Hometown Pride Committee

Keep Iowa Beautiful staff made a stop in Delaware to present The City of Delaware Hometown Pride Committee with the Donald F. Lamberti Hometown Pride Vision Award for 2025 in person. They received the award for their long-standing dedication to improving the quality of life in their community and making rural Iowa a better place to live and raise a family. The Delaware Hometown Pride Committee is a small but mighty group with a high level of community involvement, a sense of pride, and a can-do spirit in making an impact on their community.

Hills Hometown Pride

KIB Staff were in attendance for the ribbon cutting for the city's first public mural in Songbird Sanctuary Park! Both the park renovation and the mural project were led by the Hills Hometown Pride committee. Designed by Bree Neyland and painted by Drew Etienne, the mural celebrates the town’s identity, history, and spirit. If you're near Hills, stop by and see it!

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#PaintIowaBeautiful Progress

First Paint Iowa Beautiful project of 2025: Thank you, Keota!

Thank you to the City of Keota for submitting the first completed Paint Iowa Beautiful project of the 2025 season. Keota is in both Keokuk and Washington County. Their completed project included repainted traffic lines, parking spots, and crossing areas around town to ensure safety on their streets. 

Butler County is Painting Iowa Beautiful!

Butler County Conservation was able to preserve two shelters at the Butler County Campgrounds with their Paint Iowa Beautiful Grant. When sharing finished photos, Laura Sauls of the Butler County Conservation Board said, "Shelter houses provide numerous benefits to our Butler County parks, serving as essential spaces for gatherings, recreation, and community events. They offer protection from the elements, making our parks more accessible and enjoyable year-round for families, friends, and visitors. The shelter houses enhance the overall park experience, supporting everything from picnics to educational programs and celebrations."  

PICK-UP IOWA

Thank you to all of the groups who held a Pick-Up Iowa cleanup between April 1st and June 30th, 2025. We're collecting final numbers and will provide an update on socials and in the next newsletter. Make sure your group is in the count by completing a post-event report.