Buckle up: New committee, custom benches rev up Iola’s revitalization

IOLA – When a village with fewer than 1,300 citizens hosts an annual event drawing 100 times its population, the village could either sit on its hands and hope for more year-round visitors – or it could formalize and come up with a more productive form of seating. 

Alan Bauer said with the formation of the Iola Revitalization Committee and a new fundraiser – customized benches channeling the spirit of the village’s iconic antique car show – Iola has opted to take the wheel on its image like never before. 

New organization, goals for Iola 

Bauer, chairperson of the revitalization committee, said a number of disparate initiatives have long served to promote Iola, but it was only last spring when the village’s board of trustees decided to coordinate the efforts. 

“Everybody was getting different ideas and people were sharing them,” he said. “I believe Jen Schustek, our village board president, kind of came up with the idea – ‘Why don’t we create a committee that can handle and look into how these things are going to take place?’” 

For the most part, Bauer said the committee is looking to leverage Iola’s existing, if under-the-radar advantages to attract business investment and tourism, as well as strengthening the village’s sense of itself. 

“We’re a nice little community tucked away, yet close enough to other things that we could hopefully attract some potential new businesses as well,” he said. 

Bauer said the Revitalization Committee is still pretty new, “but our discussions are around what we can do to help improve our community – to bring some pride to our downtown.”

“We’re trying to bring not only business but visitors to our community,” he said. “A lot of these (initiatives) are physical things that we’re talking about right now, but we’re putting things together and trying to come up with ideas and lists that are reasonable and will help our community.”

Some of the initiatives, Bauer said, include: 

• Bolstering promotion of Iola’s annual winter carnival, Memorial Day and Christmas parades, strawberry festival, fireworks displays and Tastes & Tunes and Ride for Heroes events
• Highlighting attractions such as Glacier Wood Golf Club, the Iola-Scandinavia Community Fitness & Aquatic Center and the Iola Winter Sports Club 
• Adding a fishing pier/kayak launch to Iola Lake and the village’s mill pond 

“One of the big things that we need – in order to go out and look for funding for some of the bigger projects – is an outdoor recreation plan,” he said. “It allows you to have opportunities through grants and other things.”  

A significant project the committee is working to pursue, Bauer said, is a bicycle path connecting Iola with Scandinavia, the neighboring village with which Iola shares a school district. 

“In Scandinavia, the Tomorrow River (State) Trail runs through,” he said. “We’d love to be in connection to that, as well as connecting our two communities together.” 

Bauer said the aim of attracting more visitors corresponds with making Iola more visually attractive, right down to its public garbage cans. 

“In the spring we’re going to put out some street banners downtown, and then potentially some flower hanging baskets – all really just to make it an appealing spot as you drive through,” he said. “We want to be one of those (places) that somebody says, ‘I want to stop,’ or, ‘that little restaurant or shop or whatever is, is a spot that looks nice to stop by’ or, ‘I want to come back there.’” 

In the driver’s seat 

Figuring prominently on the committee’s route to revitalization, Bauer said, are the benches resembling classic truck beds. 

“(With) the car show (in town), these benches were a natural fit,” he said.  

Per the press release announcing the project, Jim Payton – a present Iola Car Show volunteer and retired foundry worker – built a wooden prototype of the bench and provided it to Alan Crawford, a tooling engineer at Waupaca Foundry who Payton knew could refine the design and cast it in iron. 

Bauer said he further credits Joe Opperman – who serves as executive director of the Iola Car Show, as well as a member of the Iola Revitalization Committee – for helping to forge all the connections, as well as the generosity, of Waupaca Foundry. 

Further, Alliance Industries (with locations in Appleton and Menasha), Metal Crafters Inc. (Stevens Point) and Feltz Manufacturing (Stevens Point) also contributed, and the first model – powder-coated and complete with a bumper and a license plate – was produced in summer. 

“You can create a unique bench and personalize it in whatever way you want,” Bauer said. “(The committee thought) ‘it would be another great way to tie in our downtown.’ Whether it’s businesses or individuals that want to either sponsor or purchase these benches to put out and have available, we just thought it was a great idea.”

The benches are for sale on the car show’s website (iolaoldcarshow.com), available in four colors and with customizable text on the bench’s “tailgate” and license plate.  

One can purchase a bench personally for private ownership or pay for a customized bench to be placed either in the Village of Iola or on the grounds of the car show. 

The benches sponsored by individuals or businesses for the village’s benefit, Bauer said, will be strategically placed downtown and throughout the community.  

Several businesses have already placed their orders for personalized benches in Iola, he said, “whether it’s with their business’s name on it, or whether it’s with some unique saying or some (message) they want to put on it.” 

“We’re hoping for maybe up to 10 or so throughout the village,” Bauer said. “We’re a small village, so, you know, too many can be too many.” 

Weighing approximately 350 pounds and featuring natural red oak wood seating, the benches cost $2,195 each. 

“Out of that the costs are covered, and then $1,000 goes back to the village revitalization committee,” Bauer said. 

According to the announcement, the Iola Car Show intends to donate the first completed bench to the committee. 

Thanks to all involved, Bauer said the sponsored benches will be produced and placed in the spring.

“The connection to the (Waupaca) Foundry has been just a wonderful partnership,” he said. “Not only with the car show but also now with our community, as far as this bench project. We have so many foundry employees who live in our community as well, so it really just ties together so nicely.” 

The Iola Car Show 

One may wonder how a village the size of Iola came to host one of the country’s largest antique car shows/swap meets. 

The event started humbly, according to its website, when respected author/publisher/numismatist Chester Lee “Chet” Krause invited a few friends to display and discuss old cars at a park near Iola Lake. 

What started with about 20 cars would exponentially grow in popularity and attendance over the years, with present estimates of 130,000 visitors and 2,500 show cars arriving and transforming the village every second weekend of July. 

Many Iola residents volunteer for the car show, Bauer said, and he – a retired teacher – is the coordinator for all volunteers, local and otherwise. 

“We had almost 1,500 volunteers this last summer at the show, representing about 90 different groups that donate their money and time,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing, and the way that the car show gives back is fantastic.” 

Bauer said between Iola Old Car Show, Inc.’s charitable giving – per its website, $9 million in donations to date – the local economic impact and the general excitement, the locals mostly appreciate the spectacle. 

“The car show, to our community, is such a gift in so many different ways,” he said. “I mean, anything that is that large, obviously it doesn’t please everyone in all aspects… because it disturbs the normal rhythm of life. For most people, it’s a fantastic thing… There’s a vitality to it that kind of makes it (special) on that weekend.” 

A significant local endorsement for the show, Bauer said, is how it’s run by five or six passionate, full-time staff who are “all local people – there’s nothing about it that (involves) any outside business or organization coming in to run this.” 

“This is all (staffed) by local citizens and volunteers then on top of that,” he said, “to make it all really come together and work.” 

High beams, hopes 

If community and collaboration are what continues to fuel the car show’s success, Bauer said the Iola Revitalization Committee looks to shift those gears to focus on Iola itself. 

“The village is so much more than the car show,” he said. “Part of what we’re trying to do as a revitalization committee is also to show people what else is available.” 

Citing the benches as an example, Bauer said though the committee is trying to promote offerings beyond the show, they’re of course willing to capitalize on the annual event that, in the eyes of many, puts Iola on the map. 

He said though he understands that reputation, it doesn’t do the village justice. 

“It’s such a special place,” Bauer said – though he said he feels a duty to help locals recognize this as much as outsiders. 

“When you live in a place, it is so different than visiting,” he said. “Obviously, you get to know the ins and outs, but the people of this community and the things we have available really are special. I’ve lived in a bunch of different small towns in Wisconsin in my lifetime, and this one has a unique feel and flavor to it, beyond the car show. You’d hope that everybody has that feeling about their town as well – that wherever you’re from, you’d have a feeling like that, and hope to be able to share that with others as they come through.” 

Visit villageofiola.com for more information on local events and more, and iolaoldcarshow.com for information on the benches and car show.