Magnificent Meade Make-Over

Our downtown area is in need of revitalization. There are several business store fronts in the downtown area that need attention. Phase 1 of this project is to paint and clean the area surrounding 2 of those buildings and start making the area more attractive to those who travel through Meade. Phase 2 would be to bring in plantings, preferably low-maintenance and drought resistant to enhance the frontage area of those storefronts. Our town is located on a major highway, US HWY54, and there are many people who pass through our town. We would like those people to consider stopping in Meade and see what we have to offer the traveler. We, the service learning group of Meade High school, has enlisted the help of an established service learning group in Spring Hill Kansas, a town located south of the Kansas City Metro area. The Spring Hill group has given us pointers as to how to go about getting funding and supplies for our project as well as giving us plans to get our project out in the media. They have been extremely supportive. Our original paint date was to have been Saturday April 7. Due to weather, we had to reschedule. Our alternate date is Saturday, May 12. In the meantime, we have enlisted the aid of our high school student body to aid in our clean up efforts of the downtown area. We plan to paint curbs, parking lines, clean windows, clean around our senior center, paint fire hydrants around town. This workday is scheduled for April 25. We have presented to the Meade Chamber of Commerce and have been granted $500 to start our project. This donation has allowed to purchase the supplies and paint for one building. This building is an extension of our county historical museum. The Spring Hill group was able to get another 70 gallons of recycled paint from the Miami County Recycling Center near their town. This donation allows us to paint building number 2. In addition to the donations, we have worked the concession stands of our high school track meets to earn more money for our efforts. Again, we would like to continue our make-over efforts to include plantings along the highway as well as paint more buildings. It is also our hope that if these buildings were more attractive, people might consider putting a business is the currently abandoned buildings.