By Dr. Ferrell Miller
JC Breakfast Optimists Club Secretary / Programs Chairperson
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club met at Jim Clark’s Chevrolet on June 19 to learn more about Junction City Main Street. Terry Butler, Vice President of the Board of Directors of Junction City Main Street was the presenter.
Junction City Main Street, is guided by an active and engaged volunteer board of directors, who seek to make the designated downtown area an economic engine for the region and a location where friends and families can gather for shopping and socializing. The 501c3 organization began operating in the spring of 2021 when the city was selected after a competitive application process as a designated Kansas Main Street. While the focus is on revitalizing and renewing business activity downtown, Junction City Main Street collaborates and partners with all the entities focused on a successful region.
The Mission of Junction Main Street is to strive to preserve and share the city’s history through a dedicated network of community volunteers. It’s driven to ensure Downtown provides a positive experience defined by a modern and robust economy and activities that engage and delight.
Terry told the Optimists that “Junction City is a uniquely American experience with support of the military, law enforcement, diversity, the arts and more. There are 1,600 Main Street communities in the United States and 38 in Kansas.
Flags of Geary County is a project that may benefit multiple local area organizations. For a nominal contribution, JC Main Street will oversee placing and removing a leased 3-foot by 5-foot U.S. flag(s) on a 10 foot pole(s) in the lawn in front of a business or home 5 times a year for at total of 6 holidays. To be a part of this project contact Junction City Main Street at 129 W. 7th Stret in Junction City.”
Some of the events held each year include The Main Street Market, which is held on Saturdays during May through October; Taste of Culture held on the first Friday and Saturday in May; Freedom Fest, which is a 5-day period around Independence Day; Freedom on Wheels held on Saturday during Freedom Fest; Paint the Town Blue held on the Saturday before the JCHS Homecoming; Oktoberfest the first Friday and Saturday in October and Hometown Christmas the first Saturday in December. There are many other events and activities happening downtown every week. To find out more information contact the Geary County CVB or the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library.
Next week the JC Breakfast Optimists will learn about the Geary County Sheriff’s Office and make donations to the Junction City Little Theater Summer Program and Geary County Girl’s softball. Meetings are open to anyone interested in being a “Friend of Youth” and learning more about our community. We gather at 6:30 AM and the meeting begins at 6:50 AM in Jim Clark’s Chevrolet showroom on Golden Belt Boulevard in Junction City.