The Greentown Grapevine – 2000-11, 07:11

              Volume 7, Issue 11 % paper for the people" November 2000
Legion Recognized by Town
Clyde Ragan and Stan Johnson, representing the Lowell E. Symons American
Legion Post # 317, accepted a plaque at a meeting of the Greentown Town
Council on October 3. The plaque recognizes the " outstanding job the Legion has
done to promote patriotism in the town". The Legion has arranged for American
flags to line the streets during patriotic holidays and has placed a flag mural on
Glass Museum
Hits " Most Visited
Attractions" List
3iucFa&
Exercise your right to
B
vote on November 7.
The Greentown Glass Museum was
listed fourth in " Most visited attractions
in Howard County area during a
current trip" by respondants to a
Visitors Bureau study. The year long
Visitor Profile Study was
commissioned by the Kokomo Visitors
Bureau. , The Purdue Tourism and
Hospitality Research Center conducted
interviews with visitors to Howard
County between July 1999 and April
2000. The study, funded by a grant
from the Tourism Development
Division, Indiana Department of
Commerce, consisted of personal
interviews with ' 784 visitors
representing 2,98 1 visitors ( the average
travel party size was 3.8 people) to
various sites in the Howard County
area in four separate seasons.
The top 7 most visited attractions
were
1) City of Firsts Automotive Heritage
Museum
2) Elwood Haynes Museum
3) Antique Shops
4) Greentown Glass Museum
5) Downtown Kokomo
6) Grissom Air Museum
7) Kokomo Mall.
The top 10 " most favorable
attractions" visited while visiting
Howard County include 5 which are
outside of the county.
1) Indianapolis Speedway
2) Grissom Air Museum
3) Indianapolis Children's Museum
4) Highlandpark
5) Kokomo Opalescent Glass Factory,
6) Peru Circus Museum
7) Circle Center Mall, Indianapolis
8) Downtown Kokomo
9) The Seiberling
10) Kokomo Library Genealogy Room.
School Dedication
Set for Now 5
. The public is invited to a ceremony
dedicating the new rooms and
renovations at Eastern Elementary
School. The ceremony will be
Sunday, November 5, at 2: OO p. m. in
the cafeteria, Principal Belinda
Sezbenski indicated that past
principals, retired teachers, and former
board members have been invited. The
sixth grade choir will sing. Following
the dedication, a tour of the building - will be available.
First Lady Visits Greentown -
Presents Grant
First Lady Judy O'Bannon presents a grant to Barbara Middleton, Greentown ClerWreasurer and James Harris,
Vice President of the Town Council. Rachel Jenkins, on left, representing the Greentown Historical Society,
- presented Mrs. OBannon with a b- o- ok- on Greentow_ n_ hi_ st_ or_ y._ __ _________.___ Photo by Fred Jenkins
Indiana's First Lady, Judy OBannon,
came to Greentown Thursday, October
26, to present- a grant of $ 19,495.00 to
the Town. The grant will be used for
asbestos and lead paint testing and to
conduct soil and groundwater sampling
on and near the property at 103 E.
Main St.
The Greentown Historical Society is
in the process of purchasing the
building, but were stalled in the
financing process when the lender
asked for an environmental assessment.
That assessment determined that the
gasoline tanks which served the
building when it was a gas station may
still be in the ground, most likely under
the street. As it could not be proven
that the tanks had been removed, the
lender required further testing
including soil samples.
It was at this point that the Historical
Society turned to the Town Council for
assistance. The Council applied for a
grant through Indiana's Brownfield
Progrh. The grant was approved on
October 17. The Town will use the
hnds to hire SESCO Group of
Indianapolis to do the required testing.
* Mrs. OBannon explained that
brownfields are abandoned or
underutilized commercial or industrial
properties where development is
difficult because of actual or perceived
contamination. She said it is important
Qpromote confidence in investment in &
downtown areas. She further cited a
personal example of how renovation
can be contagious and can set the tone
for additional similar projects.
Mrs; O'Bannon had heard of
Greentown Glass and was pleased to be
able to visit the Glass Museum. She
spoke of her interest h the existing
glass- making industry in Indiana. She
also did some shopping at the
Greentown Antiqde Mall.
Also, Howard County received a
grant of $ 17,934.00 for soil and
groundwater sampling at an area
adjacent to the' Continental steel
Supefind site. Officials are planning
to construct a recycling facility and an
educational " outdoor lab" at the site.