Please see information in the press release and Nov 29th Main Street Minute below.  

Here is a sample banner.   The banner will include your message which will be overlaid on top of the photo. The message will feature your name, in one of the four following ways: “John Smith”, “Smith family”, “In memory of John Smith” or “In honor of John Smith.” Or you could honor a local organization – such as “In honor of the Boy Scouts”. All messages must be reviewed and approved by the branding committee. In the banner example below, your message would be overlaid on the landscape picture of the Trinity Church. 

Remember – first come, first adopted!   Banners and wording must be selected and payment made by Dec 13. Adopt a banner by calling the office at 655-6246 or emailing mainstmanning@mmctsu.com .  The pictures and taglines you can choose from are listed in the file below.  The picture will be placed in the middle of the banner (like the sample).  The associated tagline will go below the picture.  Your individual message will be superimposed on top of the picture.

Main Street Minute

Ron Reischl

Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”?? The many reasons include past generations who were willing to invest in Manning’s future. Their investments have ensured Manning remains a vibrant community. Consider investing in Manning via the Refresh Manning Trust Fund. It can be as little as $100 or you can truly put your stamp on Manning by donating farmland. An informational meeting is scheduled for 5:30 this evening -Thursday, Nov 29th - at the Warren Timmerman Shelter House. A light lunch will be served.

  Doesn’t Main Street look great with all the decorations?  The banners, snowflakes and trees are wonderful!!  Around February 1st, the holiday décor will be replaced with new branding banners.  See the press release in today’s Monitor.  The banners can be adopted by you! This is a gift that “keeps on giving” for 3 years.  Hmmm – a refreshing thought…..this would make a great Christmas gift to loved ones….or give a gift to yourself!  Remember – first come, first adopted.

Last Saturday was Small Business Saturday.  I encourage each of you to shop in Manning during this entire Christmas season.  From the small business website:  “Small Business Saturday is about Main Street, not Wall Street. It’s about entrepreneurs and families selling things that the chains and e-commerce companies aren’t. Only small businesses can offer truly unique gifts and the most genuinely friendly customer service.  Small Business Saturday is also about supporting the local economy. The chain stores are owned by bigger companies that are probably based somewhere other than your hometown, but small businesses are usually owned by your neighbors. When you shop at a small business, you’re supporting your local economy and your local job base.  Small business drives our economy.”

Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”??   It is due to our businesses, our volunteers and our entire surrounding area.  The sense of community goes beyond the city limits.  It includes our local farmers and all those who live in our rural areas.

                                    Adopt a Main Street Banner
Around February 1st, the holiday décor on Main Street will be replaced with new branding banners. A total of 37 banners will be installed on Main Street light poles. Approximately 15 of the banners are sponsored by local businesses and will include their business name or logo. The remaining banners will include a photograph of a local scene and a “refreshing” tagline.  A sample is hanging in the Main Street office. These banners are available to be adopted by our local community members - you. The banner will include your message which will be overlaid on top of the photo. The message will feature your name, in one of the four following ways: “John Smith”, “Smith family”, “In memory of John Smith” or “In honor of John Smith.” Or you could honor a local organization – such as “In honor of the Boy Scouts”. All messages must be reviewed and approved by the branding committee. The banners can be adopted for a 3 year period for $375 and will be installed for 9 months each year - outside the holiday season. Adopt a banner and have your message fly on Main Street for three years!! Banners will be available on a first come – first served basis. The…adoptable…refreshing banners can be found online at  http://www.manningia.com/msm-blog.html. or at the Main Street Manning office. Banners and wording must be selected and payment made by Dec 13. Adopt a banner by calling the office at 655-6246 or emailing mainstmanning@mmctsu.com . Remember – first come, first adopted! 

                        Invest in Manning and Save Taxes

Main Street Manning, the Manning Rotary and the Manning Betterment Foundation are partnering to sponsor a trust fund specifically for Manning.  The fund is designed to be a perpetual fund that will benefit Manning much as the Warren Timmerman Trust fund does today. Manning is a better community due to projects such as the Warren Timmerman Shelter House and the nearby Warren Timmerman Sports Complex. In 2012 alone, Manning received over $67,000 for 5 projects.  The new fund, called Refresh Manning Trust Fund, will follow Endow Iowa guidelines.  The major component of the Endow Iowa Program is a significant state tax credit equal to 25% of your donation.  The Endow Iowa program also allows a federal tax deduction.
     The Refresh Manning Trust Fund will be setup as a sub-account within the Community Foundation of Carroll County.  An initial donation of $10,000 is needed to setup the sub-account. Two private donors have committed $5000 each.  The trust fund will be setup to benefit all non-profit organizations “headquartered” in Manning.  Additional sub-accounts can be established for specific purposes such as the Hausbarn or Rec Center.  Each sub-account requires an initial $10,000 funding.   After initial funding, minimum donations are $100. You can make a gift of cash, stocks, bonds or real estate. 
     An informational meeting for the public will be held at the Warren Timmerman Shelter House 5:30, Thursday, Nov 29th. Mike Nelson, trustee of the Timmerman Trust Fund, will speak about the logistics of the Refresh Manning Trust Fund, the benefits to the community and the tax benefits to donors.  A light lunch will be served.
     This is designed to be an investment in Manning’s future. Manning community members, Manning alumni and the local agricultural sector are encouraged to invest in Manning with your gift. Consider the positive impacts of another trust fund for Manning. An individual can put their stamp – and maybe even their name – on Manning’s future.   Please give consideration to Manning’s future generations.  They include your children and grandchildren or those of your friends and neighbors. 

Main Street Minute      Ron Reischl

Main Street Minute

Ron Reischl

Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”?? The many reasons include past generations who were willing to invest in Manning’s future.  Their investments have ensured that Manning remains a vibrant community.  Drive around and look at other communities our size.  Most of them are stagnant.  Why are they dying and why is Manning vibrant?  What is different about Manning? The difference is YOU. It is due to the efforts and investments of you, your friends, neighbors and generations of past Manning area residents.  Please read the press release in today’s Monitor regarding the new Refresh Manning Trust fund.  The trust fund provides an opportunity for you to be part of Manning’s future.  Main Street Manning, Manning Rotary and Manning Betterment have joined together to ensure Manning stays vibrant in future years and for future generations.  I am excited about it and I hope you will be also!  Help ensure Manning continues to be vibrant.  The trust fund makes it easy to donate.   You can invest as little as $100 or donate a farm!  It is expensive and time consuming to establish your own charitable trust.  Consider donating to Manning’s future through the Refresh Manning Trust Fund.  It is a gift that “keeps on giving”.  According to Iowa Community Foundations, a $25,000 gift will provide $46,172 in grant monies over 25 years and will still have a value of  $69, 257 (assumes 8.5% growth and 4% annual distributions). 
     Donations can be made upon one’s death through a will or can be made while you are alive.  If Warren Timmerman were alive today, I am certain he would be impressed with the improvements his investment has made.  On a personal level, my Mom wanted to erect 3 statues in Manning’s Catholic cemetery.  She made a decision to donate the money while she is alive.  As a result, she is able to enjoy seeing the results of that investment.  It provides her a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. 
    This holiday season, you will have a new opportunity to “give a gift to Manning”.  It will be a gift that keeps on giving.  Or you can make plans to donate to this trust fund in future years.  The trust fund is designed to be here for generations.  I ask you to seriously consider investing in Manning’s future.   Thanks for your consideration!!
    Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”??   It is due to our businesses, our volunteers and our entire surrounding area.  The sense of community goes beyond the city limits.  It includes our local farmers and all those who live in our rural areas.

Main Street Minute      Ron Reischl

Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”?? There are many reasons including the progressive attitude of committed community volunteers. As a result of a diligent set of volunteers, Manning will have new Christmas decorations on Main Street this year. The idea started in a Main Street Manning (MSM) Promotion Committee. Lois Croghan, MSM Board Member, headed a group of volunteers: Karen DeBoth, DeEtte Grabill, Kasie Sanford, Lois Stessman and Janice Vonnahme. After analyzing many ideas, the volunteers developed a design and sought funding. MSM received $12,000 in funding from the Warren Timmerman Trust. The Manning Chamber of Commerce contributed $2500.  The city and electrical utility are donating time to install the decorations. Ten snowflakes, twenty snowflake banners and thirty-seven garlands will be installed on Main Street poles. An example of the snowflake banner is installed outside the MSM office. Our “It’s Refreshing” brand is integrated onto the banner design. In future years, the volunteers hope to add decorations until all 37 Main Street poles have a full set of decorations. 
This success is a direct result of the dedicated volunteers’ efforts.  They experienced numerous roadblocks but overcame all.  Please take time to thank the volunteers - the majority of whom are small business owners.  Please support their businesses and all of Manning’s small businesses during the upcoming holiday season.  They deserve our support and our dollars.  Community members will determine if our small businesses stay in business.  VOTE with your dollars in our refreshing small businesses during the upcoming holiday season!!! Please thank the city and the electrical utility crews.  The Manning Chamber voted its support with their donation.  The decorations would not be possible without the Timmerman Trust monies.  Hmmmm – wouldn’t it be great if we had additional trusts that are solely designed to improve OUR hometown!!!! 
Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”??   It is due to our businesses, our volunteers and all our supportive community members.  More reasons are highlighted below.  

Main Street Minute     Ron Reischl

Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”??   Because of our refreshing small businesses!!!  Here are more ideas for local gifts but use your own imagination! Give a membership to the Rec Center or golf course. For fun - purchase a family or neighborhood outing at our bowling alley. Ahhh – a massage for a good friend (ok – get one for yourself also!). Or spa and salon services. Give a gift of your time or money to a local charity or organization. For the holidays, how about adopting a local family in need and provide food from our local grocery store??!! Remember, giving - the ability to give - is a gift unto itself. Write-up your own gift certificate to mow a neighbor’s or friend’s lawn, or shovel their sidewalk, clean their rain gutters, wash their car… Pay it forward. Hmmm – ten small gifts. Give 10 hugs to 10 friends. Send someone a personal note telling them how much they mean to you and how much you value their friendship. Promise them a home-made dinner at your house! Purchased locally of course! Purchase unique gently used gifts/clothes from our second hand stores. Replace your mom’s stove or refrigerator even if it is still working.
     Read last week’s article for additional reasons!  Why do we say “Manning, Iowa…It’s Refreshing.”??   More reasons are highlighted below.