Smithsonian exhibit to Jefferson in 2018- info mtg. July 24

We’d like to invite interested residents to a Pep Rally for an outstanding project awarded to Jefferson Matters: Main Street and the Greene County Historical Society. Hometown Teams is a Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibit sponsored through Main Street Iowa and was awarded to six Iowa communities for 2018. Our exhibit is scheduled to be located at the Greene County Historical Society from August 11 —September 23, 2018. This will be six weeks of opportunity for residents and visitors to experience a real Smithsonian exhibit on a topic everyone loves. The time is perfect for students to experience this exhibit. This museum exhibit helps us explore our love of sports in our hometowns. If we’re not playing sports, we’re watching them. No part of American culture so colorfully and passionately celebrates American ideals as does sports.

We’d like to invite you to an informational Pep Rally on Monday, July 24 at 7 pm at the Historical Museum. We are inviting sports enthusiasts and organizations that we know are community-minded and would have great ideas on how to promote and participate in this opportunity. Please feel free to bring others along that you think would like to be involved.

Agenda for Mon., July 24 at the Greene County Historical Museum at 7 pm:

Show a short video of the Hometown Team Smithsonian Institute Exhibit

Brainstorm ideas for local exhibits, events & activities during or leading up to the exhibit

Share the “teams” needed to organize this project and get commitments of involvement

This project should be fun, exciting, and as sports do—bring people together.

Ideas from the committee so far include:

*Movie week at the theatre with sports –themes

*Photography of sports

*Style show of sports/band/cheerleading uniforms through the ages

*Impact of music—pep bands, etc.

*Book talks of sports related books—through public libraries and schools

*The Food! Concession stands

*Speakers of local sports celebrities

*Tailgating event for promotion

*Promotion of our local sports manufacturers

*Facebook page to post old photos

*Sports toys and their impact

*Sports cards, trophies & memorabilia

*Exhibit from each community in Greene County on sports history, stories, videos, teams, interviews, etc.

*Promotion of all sports— football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, bowling, gymnastics, track, cross-country, swimming, archery, Little League, park & rec activities, wrestling, 6 on 6 basketball, golf, weightlifting, extreme sports, car racing, cycling, adaptive sports, competitive dance, cheerleading, etc.

Hometown Teams is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Main Street Iowa program.

Project Team: Peg Raney, Debra McGinn, Roger Aegerter, Dianne Piepel