(March 28, 2022) – Diamond Vogel and Keep Iowa Beautiful today (Monday) announced the grant awards for the 2022 Paint Iowa Beautiful program. The program provides free paint to a wide variety of public service projects throughout Iowa. Doug Vogel, Vice-President, Marketing, of the Iowa based company, says “The partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful allows Diamond Vogel to assist and work with many local volunteers that help build communities, making Iowa one of the best states in the nation to live. Governor Reynolds will be signing a proclamation designating April as Keep Iowa Beautiful month and we are pleased to do our part by awarding paint to 154 community projects in Iowa.”

Kevin Techau, Executive Director of Keep Iowa Beautiful, says “Over the years, the Paint Iowa Beautiful program has awarded paint grants to projects in every county in Iowa. The program provides the paint for beautification and clean-up projects that improve the economic vitality and cultural climate of Iowa communities in every corner of Iowa.”  In the 19-year partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful, Diamond Vogel has awarded over 12,564 gallons of paint for 1,286 community projects in Iowa.

Among the 2022 Paint Award winners in the immediate KJAN listening area, was (Community; Organization Name; Areas to be painted; Name of person submitting nomination)….

• Audubon; Audubon Public Library; Exterior doors book drop and exterior trim; Gail P. Richardson
• Brayton; City of Brayton; Welcome to Brayton signs, park bathroom, metal bin gazebo; Brooke Hansen
• Carson; Carson Fire Department; Carson Fire Department; Amy Spiering
• Coon Rapids; Main Street Coon Rapids; Grain Bins located on Main Street; Katie Mason
• Council Bluffs; Harvester Artist Lofts; “Concrete wall north side of building|Concrete stairwell”; Emily Globe
• Elk Horn; Public Library; Teen section of the library; Alissa LaCanne
• Guthrie Center; FireFly Creek Ranch, LLC; Exterior front & exterior (partial) side of old state mental institution in rural central Iowa; Brenda Rose
• Madison County; Madison County Chamber of Commerce; “Hogback Covered Bridge|Holliwell Covered Bridge|Roseman Covered Bridge|Imes Covered Bridge|Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge”; Amara Huffine
• Menlo; City of Menlo; 16 Community Fire Hydrants, Parking Lines and Handicap Parking for our Downtown Streets; Carol Sheldahl
• Missouri Valley; Missouri Valley Chamber of Commerce; “2 cattle barns on the Harrison County Fairgrounds | 7 picnic tables in the Missouri Valley City Park”; Jeannie Wortman
• Mount Ayr; Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce; “Still Smokin’/Timberline|Country Blossoms|Aunt Jennie’s Attic|Ringgold County Development/Mount Ayr Chamber|Lefty’s Club Tavern|the vacant 106 E. Madison building”; Karen Bender
• Manilla; Manilla Chamber of Commerce; Main Street buildings; Virginia Rasmussen
• Essex; City of Essex; Historical opera house; Mary Ohnmacht
• Oakland; Eckels Memorial Library; Children’s Room, Teen Area, Circulation Desk area, Computer room, Bathroom, Hallway, Front entry.; Kari Rose
• Onawa; Onawa Public Library; Outside windows and doors trim on the entire library building; Amy McDermott

In addition to paint projects, join over 50 communities participating in Keep Iowa Beautiful’s Pick Up Iowa annual program by cleaning up litter and trash along Iowa’s roadsides, neighborhoods, streets, school grounds, parks and streams. Encourage your community mayor, city council or county supervisors to announce several days or a week as PICK-UP YOUR COMMUNITY. Pick-Up Iowa is being held through June 30th, 2022 on any dates that work for your community. To participate you must register your group/organization at https://keepiowabeautiful.org/get-involved/community-outreach-opportunities/pick-up-iowa/. Registered participant groups are eligible for a limited supply of free cleanup supplies donated by Keep Iowa Beautiful.

For more information see our web page at www.keepiowabeautiful.com