greenfield-chamber

September is hopping!

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:27:33 GMT

So many fun things to do in Greenfield this month!

As Farmers Markets come to a season end, we invite you to come shop the vendors, enjoy entertainment, and savor great food on the Square.

September 7 Live music by Kyle Jorgensen. Walking Taco meal by the Greenfield Business Women. Sponsored by FNB Bank.

September 14 Live music by Rattlesnake Country. Food by Soulshine Food Truck & Catering. Sponsored by Adair County Health System

September 21 Farm Safety activities by Adair County Farm Bureau and a meal by the Adair County Cattlemen.

September 28 the vendors will be on the square, but the meal will be in the former fire station as its the annual Pancake Supper to kick off Homecoming festivities.

There are so many more opportunities to catch good food and entertainment :

September 7 is the Annual Harvest Kick-Off lunch at Farm Bureau

September 9 the Nodaway Valley Dance Team will host a fundraising Breakfast in the Fareway Parking Lot

September 16 "J2B2" will fill the Warren Cultural Center auditorium with live bluegrass music.

September 17 The Emmanuel Lutheran Praise Team will hold a free will donation concert at The Gathering Place (former Presbyterian Church)

also, on September 17 there will be a Picnic Theater at the Wallace Farm

The weekend after Labor Day is always the time to shop great deals in Greenfield ! Check out the annual Adair County Swap Meet at the Adair County Fairgrounds, City Wide Garage Sales throughout town, and weekend specials at many of the merchants.

The annual Veteran's Resource Fair by the Adair County Veterans Affairs will be September 14. Adair County Veterans and their spouses are encouraged to attend this event to learn more about the resources available to them in Adair County, enjoy a free lunch and some giveaways. Thanks to all Veterans for their service to our country!

Vendor & Craft shows will help you celebrate the change in seasons with plenty of fall festivities, seasonal decor and gift ideas!

September 15-16 is the Annual Picket Fence Boutique and has a new location this year as it will be at The Gathering Place

September 17 is the Fall Fest at the Adair County Fairgrounds - we have a feeling this is going to be a blast! A huge variety of vendors, food trucks, activities for all ages, a car show and more!

September 23 comes the Adair County Sports Card Show - dealers from across Iowa convene at The Gathering Place to buy, sell, or trade sports cards, autographs, memorabilia, and collectibles.

Check out the event calendar to get more information about these events.

October Update

director@greenfieldiowa.com (Stacie Eshelman) — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 18:21:21 GMT

Chamber/Main Street & Devlopment Committees Updates

Economic Vitality

Work continues on the Downtown Revitalization Grant. RFQs were received and reviewed – the architect should begin work this week. Due to the large amount of interest and limited funds through the grant the area was assessed by SICOG and split into three different target areas based on participant interest and need. The west side of the square, including Iowa Street between 1st and west 2nd will be the target area for this grant round.

New welcome packs will be developed for new residents and new businesses. Businesses and community groups will have the opportunity to promote who they are and what they do in these packs.

We are working with Sunshine Day Care on a community survey, staff and building improvements, as well as grant funding sources. Please consider completing a survey online or pick up a paper copy. The link is available on our page on Facebook.

Design

We are doing our second capital campaign for the summer flower fund (this is done about every three to five years). Please consider making a contribution toward the flower fund to help pay for the summer flowers and seasonal decorations placed in the planters each year. Any contribution is greatly appreciated!

The Historic Preservation Commission is finalizing the second interstate sign promoting the Public Square Historic District.

Promotions

We are partnering with Tourism to create a brand for Greenfield. We received a Technical Assistance grant through Main Street Iowa to rebrand the community. Thanks to everyone participating the branding charrettes. We really appreciate your input!!

Spook the Loop and Trunk or Treat will be October 31 from 4:30-6:00 pm. Please let us know if you plan to set up so we can map out participants to ease the traffic flow.

The Friends of the Sidey Collection are doing a M*A*S*H themed Game Show for all ages and a Kid’s Korean War Tribute the weekend following Veteran’s Day. Ad sponsorship of historic photos will run through Chamber/Main Street as we have done in the past. Sponsorship is $10 per photo and will include your name on the photo as its projected during the events as well as your name printed on the program. You can pick the photo you want to sponsor, or we will pick it for you. Call Linda Sidey at 221-0397 or the office if you have questions.

The theme for the holiday season is going to be “A Glam and Glitzy Christmas”. This includes the Festival of Lights – parade theme and the Auxiliary’s Holiday Tree Tour and Luncheon.

Organization

The Pancake Supper went well, and we thank all that volunteered their time to help with the event!

Please remember that you can submit your events on our website and if approved it will post within a day or two. Business members and community groups are welcome to submit anything that is open to the general public or its members, including meetings, events, open houses, and public programs/speakers.

Retail

Holiday plans will be starting soon including Small Business Saturday and other promotions that encourage you to shop local!

Tourism

The Hotel Motel Tax fund was just over $8,000. These funds are used to promote Greenfield and its attractions while support-ing/promoting heads in beds since that is what generates the fund. This is still down from our average amount but up $2,000 from the year before. Most of this is related to COVID travel and gathering restrictions in place during the allocated funding cycle.

Chamber

Community Coffees are booked up for the year. They are the 3rd Thursday of each month at 10:00 am. The next coffee is October 20 at Adair County Health System.

City Park Markets have ended for the season. Attendance was low again this year so things might be changed next year, specific changes may be the location and going back the Public Square.

Community Development

An engineering firm has been selected to complete work on the housing development and how to utilize the land, we are current-ly waiting on cost estimates for the service before we proceed.

Southern Iowa Council of Governments will conduct two Adair County wide meetings to discuss strategies, trends, and community priorities. One meeting will be at 5x80 Golf & Country Club on October 27 at 5:30 PM and the other will be at the Warren Cultural Center on October 31 at 12:00 PM. A meal will be provided free of charge for attendees, but reservation is required by October 21. COGs were created in order to develop consensus regarding community or regional needs and actions to be taken in solving area problems. COGs can assist with planning, coordinating, and overseeing the administration of state and federal programs.

Housing Survey

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:54:52 GMT

Please help us collect data on a Housing Survey to complete a housing needs assessment for our community.

Greenfield Community Development is working on a Housing Study with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments. We need input from the community about housing in Greenfield.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey so that we have adequate data to complete a comprehensive study.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/greenfieldhousingstudy

Quarterly Update

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:54:09 GMT

2019 First Quarter Program Update:

Economic Vitality

The Open 4 Business competition through Main Street Iowa just opened. The local application is due April 10. We can only submit one contestant from Greenfield so we will have a local competition to select our candidate – the local application is due April 10. The business must located in or relocating to the designated Main Street District and have been open for at least one year to be eligible. The grant is for business improvements such as equipment, programming, marketing, etc. It cannot be used for infrastructure/bricks and mortar type improvements or projects. A 25% cash match is required. Interested businesses should contact our office for a complete Open 4 Business packet with rules, guidelines, and application.

We want to thank everyone that signed the petition, sent in a support letter or completed a survey per our outreach for community support regarding Shopko announcing its closure. We are in the process of packaging these items together in an effort to retain/recruit similar retail service in the community.

Design

The Summer Planters task force is preparing for the summer flower pots and typically plant around Mother's Day.

The Wayfinding project task force is moving forward with Phase One of the Wayfinding System Plan. The first three community map signs have been ordered and will be installed in the next couple of months... assuming the weather stays on this path to warmer days. Phase One includes three large community maps that feature places to eat and shop, community attractions as well as needed amenities such as municipal, medical and veterinary services. The locations of the first three signs will be at the corner of Hwy 92 and 25, at the Chamber/Main Street & Development office near the community groups welcome sign and on the south side of the courtyard.

The Historic Preservation Commission and Facade Improvement task force will start working with a professional historic architect to complete Historic Building Design Guidelines. This project will set standards for building owners to use when working with historic buildings in the community.

Promotions

The 4th of July is in Greenfield this year and though some planning meetings have started we still need a lot more helping hands to make it all work. Typically we have project sub-committees in the areas of Entertainment, Kid’s Activities, Parade, Fundraising, Marketing, Food/Vendors, etc. Let us know if you are interested in helping with this event – even it's just one activity in the grand scheme of it all!

Two of our most popular annual events are the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Spook the Loop. It's time to start rounding up donations of candy, money and filled eggs for the hunt.

Cold Turkey was filmed in Greenfield in 1969 which makes this year the 50th Anniversary of the film. We'd like to host a community event in late September/early October along with an original production by The Friends of the Sidey Collection and Cumberland Rose Players. If anyone is interested in helping build a celebration around this iconic film let us know.

Organization

We held our Annual Meeting/Social on February 25 and attended the Main Street Iowa Awards on March 8. Both of these events celebrate the past year, look to the future and honor volunteers and projects in the community.

The Healthy Hometown Visioning Coalition completed a Community Vision Plan at the end of 2018 to be implemented over the next couple of years. There are many activities in categories of Eat Well, Move More, and Feel Better. Projects for this spring and early summer include: Expanding availability and utilization of community supported agriculture – this includes programs like CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture and local Farmers Markets; Develop community gardens, edible landscaping and orchards that are accessible to the entire community; Encourage and promote grab and go options for fresh fruit and veggies; Develop a walking school bus for elementary students; conduct a walking audit assessing the walkability of the community.

Retail

The Spread Love Local shopping campaign held toward the beginning of February was an effort to encourage local shopping while giving back to a local charity. Participating retailers collectively raised $250 for the Adair County Neighborhood Center to purchase perishable food items. We will do this promotion again next year so be ready to cast your vote for the local charity that should benefit from the campaign and be ready to shop local and give back.

Last year the Retail and Tourism committee started “Spend a day or two on Hwy 92” as a marketing campaign to combat the Hwy 25 closure between the interstate and town. This promotion will continue this year and the committee plans to expand the marketing effort to other community's along Hwy 92.

Chamber

The Ag Expo was Monday from 4-7pm. We thank the businesses that take time to support the event and have a booth. Agriculture is our largest industry and we send a big thank you out to all those that work hard every day in the industry or supporting it. We also want to thank our event partners: The Adair County Cattlemen, Pork Producers, Corn Growers, Fair Board, Extension and Farm Bureau. This event draws a little over 200 people every year.

The committee offers several networking events for Chamber/Main Street investors and the community. Everyone is welcome to attend community coffees on the first Friday of every month from 10-11:00 am. These are hosted by investor businesses so the locations vary. They are a come and go event so you can stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole hour. General Meetings are every other month on the third Tuesday. These meetings include attendee introductions, Chamber/Main Street business update, attendee business announcements, lunch, and a guest speaker/program. Periodic Business After Hours and Newcomers Parties are being planned for summer.

Tourism

The committee is working the Nodaway Valley Marketing Class on various campaigns to feature attractions and promotions in the community. We haven't heard which ideas they've decided to run with but we look forward to seeing their work. The technology class completed a video for Hotel Greenfield and did an excellent job featuring the highlights of the hotel.

Implementation of the Wayfinding Plan falls under the tourism committee as well as they are working on new welcome bags and rack holders to place around the community. Additionally part of Phase One that falls under tourism is a coordinated effort to provide technical assistance to help businesses claim, update and utilize free online business listings.

The Office

Staff is busy coordinating project work with the committees; managing existing grants and preparing to apply for new ones - most grant deadlines fall in the late spring and early fall; fielding phone calls and information requests with our most popular calls this year being 1. Room rentals for events/parties, 2. Business names/phone numbers, 3. Housing rentals 4. Event dates/information, and 5. Requests to have information added to our calendar of events; and of course, the general organizational stuff such as bookkeeping, record retention/filing, filing mandatory state reports and marketing/communications such as the bi-monthly FYI emails, monthly calendar distribution, website updates and managing social media.

For more information about Chamber/Main Street or any of the projects listed in this report contact the office at 641-743-8444 or info@greenfieldiowa.com

Great fun at Spook the Loop!

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:49:59 GMT

Spook the Loop & Trunk or Treat has become a wonderful tradition in our community. Thanks to the 54 businesses/organizations/individuals that passed out treats to just over 500 kids. What a great way to make memories with our family and friends!

Hot off the Press! New Design Guidelines

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:45:45 GMT

The Historic Preservation Commission worked hard over the past couple of years establishig new design guidelines for the Greenfield Public Square Historic District. These guidelines will be a valuable resource to commercial building owners as well as the Main Street Design Committee and City of Greenfield as they work to maintaine and improve commercial buildings in the community; especially those with historic significance.

Please join the commission in a release party to discuss the guidelines and how they can be used as a tool in our community

Market Study for Greenfield Business Owners and Consumers

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:36:44 GMT

Greenfield Chamber/Main Street & Development applied for and received Market Study and Strategies technical assistance program from Main Street Iowa.

Knowing and understanding what’s happening within the local target market helps you capitalize on local strengths as well as develop strategies to overcome challenges small business owners face.

Market analysis is an essential tool for identifying those options and for weighing the pros and cons of each choice. Advances in technology and the rapid growth of online shopping and the impact it is having on bricks-and-mortar retail further emphasis the shifting economic landscape, meaning that your districts economy is constantly evolving.

The Main Street Iowa Market Study and Strategies Training helps local leaders better understand current conditions and brings together the Main Street Four Points to develop strategies to move the community forward in a more focused approach. This information will help your local team better understand the local market, how to promote the district’s defining assets to support the buy-local experience and identify product and service lines that might provide opportunities for expansion.

The local Main Street team will be conducting a series of surveys. The Consumer Survey is for anyone to take that has ever been to Greenfield.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Greenfield_21ConsumerSurvey

The Business Survey is only targeted to business owners in the Greenfield community.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/21_Greenfield_Business_OnlineLink