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Lucas Maier gets a hearty congratulations from Jean Capell at Tuesday’s preschool graduation ceremonies at Windsor Place. To Capell’s left are Georgia Cleaver and John Hartman.

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Organizers: Farm-City Days on life support

By ROB BURKETT rob@iolaregister.com

Three lone organizers sat inside the North Community Building Tuesday night, hoping for signs of life. An Iola tradition is officially on life support.

With no one showing up to the meeting, Farm-City Days supporters like Terry Johnson have doubts about the festival happening this year.

“If we can’t get any help then it won’t be happening,” said Johnson.

For the past 40 years Iolans have been celebrating Farm-City Days, a festival that grew from humble beginnings. 

“It started out as just one day,” said Marty Meadows, Farm-City Days organizer. “It’s grown and changed over the years.”

What has also changed is the level of interest.

Ashlee Mathews, one of the newest members of the organizing committee, expressed concern about the seeming lack thereof. 

“Last year we managed to put it on with help from husbands and children,” said Mathews, “That was just 15 people and it was a lot of work for that few people.”

This year the group is looking to get 30 additional volunteers besides the six organizing committee members. If the committee members don’t see a response in the near future, then a civic tradition might be lost.

“We need the help,” Mathews said. “We are still excited about the event if we can get the people.”

“We had one of the best turnouts in the history of the event last year,” Mathews said. “That takes a lot of planning and work between now and then. We hope people will realize that it is work but it isn’t that intimidating if we have a lot of people pitching in.”

As a last ditch effort to get volunteers for the event, organizers will meet again at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the North Community Building.

“We’ll take civic groups, sports teams, Girl Scouts, anyone that wants to be a part of this,” Mathews said. “Otherwise we aren’t going to having one this year.”

Those wanting to sign up to volunteer before the next meeting can do so by calling the Iola Area Chamber of Commerce at 620-365-5252 or at www.facebook.com/pages/Farm-City-Days-Iola.


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