Jacksboro to receive award for student project

The success of a Jacksboro community improvement effort will soon be recognized.

The Texas Midwest Community Network, a collaborative of 51 member communities to promote growth, announced this week that Jacksboro is one of two cities, the other being Haskell, within the organization to be honored with a Community Achievement Award at the 23rd Annual Texas Midwest Conference, Oct. 26 in Abilene.

“The award was developed as a way to encourage cities of all sizes in the region to be better prepared for future growth and economic development programs,” TMCN Executive Director Kathy Keane said, according to a press release from TMCN.

Jacksboro Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Redonna Pulis completed the application for the award with help from information from City Manager Mike Smith and Jacksboro High School ag teacher Loren Sell.

“I wanted to apply for this award because I was impressed with the Jacksboro FFA for coordinating Operation Restoration and how successful it was,” Pulis said. “I am proud that the students and Jacksboro were recognized for their efforts.”

Operation Restoration was a community improvement project spearheaded by Jacksboro FFA members this past spring. With the help of 80 to 90 student and adult volunteers from various clubs and organizations, the project was able to assist in landscape improvement and clean-ups for 17 properties in Jacksboro.

“(The award) was a pleasant surprise,” said Sell. “We didn’t do that to be recognized at all.”

According to the TMCN press release, criteria to qualify for the award include vision, pride, youth involvement, connectivity and assessment. The submitted application detailed Jacksboro’s community-wide plan (vision), beautification efforts (pride), student participation on local projects (youth involvement) and website (connectivity).

Individuals from neighboring communities in the region were then assigned to visit the city to conduct a windshield tour of what a visitor sees and experiences when they come to town.  

Information from the windshield tour will be provided to local leaders when completed.

Pulis said she has not yet received the results of the windshield tour, but Jacksboro has been assessed by TMCN members.

“We had hidden shoppers that came into town and we will get a report of what kind of greeting they got when they visited certain businesses,” she said. “The program is to help improve your community.”

In the addition to the award itself, Pulis said Jacksboro will receive some publicity from the recognition.

Lynda Pack, executive director for Jacksboro Economic Development Corporation, said projects like Operation Restoration are vital to growth.

“Part of anybody’s economic development program is community development,” she said. “When you’re trying to attract business or grow your business in a town, you want the town to be the best that it can be. You want it to look the best it can, to offer good services and to be aesthetically pleasing. 

“That’s the first thing people see when they drive through your town. Whether they’re going to stop and eat lunch, spend a little money or come to attend a funeral or go to the fort, the appearance of a town is your welcome sign and that’s very important. I’m really proud of the chamber to take it upon themselves to turn this project in.”

Not willing to rest on their laurels, Jacksboro FFA members are already planning for the next Operation Restoration.

“We’ve got Operation Restoration scheduled again for the spring about the same time next year in May,” Sell said. “We hope to have more volunteers. Last year we were around the 80-90 head mark. We got the locations we set out to do accomplished, but we’d like to get more community involvement and make a bigger impact.

“We’re in the beginning phases of that preparation. If there are people that need assistance and want some help or are willing to help with the project that day, we’d sure be glad to do it or take the help. If they don’t have time to help, we’ll welcome any monetary donations for meals and supplies.”

Pack said she hopes the impact of Operation Restoration will be felt for many years to come.

“It teaches the youth; they get to look at adult citizens giving back to their community and it makes them want to give back because if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem,” she said.