Volunteers of the Year - Past Recipients

Andrew moved to Lansing in 2020 and began teaching music at Eastern Allamakee Community School District. His involvement with Main Street Lansing has largely revolved around the successes of RAGBRAI 2022 and other efforts in the community relating to beautification and efforts of the Economic Vitality Committee. He continues to serve Main Street Lansing as their new Executive Director.

Amy has played a major role in creating successful outreach and marketing materials for Main Street Lansing. Her marketing experience has allowed her to provide numerous methods to improve the program’s communications, and her work to draft MSL’s physical PR material has enhanced the program’s visibility. As a member of the Promotions Committee, she has provided insight that resulted in very successful promotions. Her effective fundraising efforts ensure the continued sustainability of Main Street Lansing.

Since joining Main Street Lansing, Maryann has been a driving force behind many of the events and promotions the organization has implemented over the last few years, breathing new life into regular events and providing the spark for new projects. During 2020, she worked diligently to adapt MSL offerings to work within COVID-19 protocols, and she constantly advocated the importance of supporting the community. Maryann strives to make Lansing a better place every single day, and it is a privilege to recognize her efforts by naming her the winner of the Main Street Lansing Leadership Award.

Ellen Modersohn has been instrumental in creating the newsletter and other informational materials. If she is unable to do something in particular on the website, she always points to someone who can. She has been one of the key people behind the increased visibility of Main Street Lansing in 2019. Main Street Lansing is extremely grateful to have someone as resourceful as Ellen involved in the program and in the community.

“Hey, Judy! Is my picture ready?” For twenty years, Judy and her husband operated a custom-framing shop on Main Street. But Judy had more to offer than frames and glass. She wanted Main Street to thrive. She became an active Chamber Board member. As it faded, she helped found the Main Street program, served on the board and as first chair of Promotions. She’s been a generous supporter of all things community. Thank you, Judy!

Scott and Nancy tackled the biggest job of any community hosting RAGBRAI – Transportation! This is an especially difficult job for the Final Day town as it involves to massive coordination situations – long term parking and final day transport. These two super volunteers spent endless hours planning and supervising Lansing’s RAGBRAI efforts with spectacular results. Our final day was one of the easiest and fastest experiences by RAGBRAI riders and their support vehicles.

Jana owns and manages on of Lansing’s premiere retails businesses – The Red Geranium. She has been involved with Main Street Matters since its inception and was instrumental in the original application to Main Street. Jana has been chairperson of the Promotion Committee for the past five years. The Promotion Committee activities have grown continually under Jana’s leadership including the award winning Punch Card Promotion which had a record breaking year this year in dollars spent in Lansing. It has been her determination and unflagging energy that has made the work of the Promotion Committee so important to Lansing’s visibility.

Bruce and Mary Palmborg are the reason that Main Street Matters in Lansing exists and continues to operate as a professional organization. Through their efforts, education, concern, leadership and cheerleading, the Lansing community rallied behind them to form a committee that brought Lansing before Main Street Iowa to apply for recognition. Their tireless work to document and realize the value of our historic downtown district has placed Lansing Main Street on the National Register of Historic Places. The village now has a vision for its future based on a well documented and valued history thanks to this couple.

Curt’s passion for Lansing’s downtown shows through in his never ending quest to make Lansing a better place. Whether it is heading up the Design Committee or lending a hand with a Main Street project, Curt is always there. Curt is very active in our Communications Action Group. Additionally, he helps maintain the overall look of Main Street through an Action Plan that has flowers/plantings in the summer and decorations during the Christmas season. For his dedication in past years, and 2014 in particular, we thank Curt by nominating him Main Street Lansing’s 2014 Volunteer of the Year.

Relentlessly hard working and constantly giving of her time, Sue is truly one of a kind. She’s the first person to “like” “comment” and “share” our posts on Facebook, she’s painted benches, served food and drink at events, watered planters, handed out flyers, arranged our Christmas tree and helped decorate it, furnished the office with chairs and tables and decorated it for every season. She’s assisted with the farmers’ market, put up signs and taken them down, all while serving on two committees. She’s a true Main Street Warrior; reliable, relentless and now, rewarded.

Bill came to Lansing from Chicago when his wife fell in love with the town. Bill is semi-retired from his business in Chicago which means lots of commuting, but he still managed to give his time and talent to help Main Street Lansing. With his background in advertising, particularly in the area of branding, he has been an invaluable resource for our program. He spearheaded Main Street Lansing’s branding efforts and with Bill’s help Main Street Lansing produced an excellent tourist brochure. Main Street Lansing is lucky to have a volunteer as committed as Bill O’Connor.

Bruce put in more than 700 volunteer hours during 2011 to make Lansing a new Main Street Iowa community. Part of his volunteer time was spent on the newly created Main Street Plaza and as part of the watering crew that keeps the downtown flowers blooming in the summer as well as his duties as board president.