Versailles Lions Building Is Getting A Mural

The Ripley County Community Foundation has awarded a $5,000 grant to Versailles Main Street.

(Left to right) Roxanne Meyer, Mary McCarty, Holly Harley, and JaredRogers. Photo provided.

(Ripley County, Ind.) - The Ripley County Community Foundation awarded a Sally Morris Community Impact Grant. This year these grants are being proactively granted by the Board of Directors to allow the Community Foundation the flexibility and creativity to assist communities in times of need (when project would fall outside of or normal grant timeline) in a thoughtful and unique way. Each year the Board of Directors evaluates the work of the Community Foundation and selects areas of interest to target in the upcoming year. This year, one issue the Board wanted to address was downtown revitalization.

To reignite the community pride through collaboration, they recently granted $5,000 to the Versailles Main Street Program for the commission of a mural to be painted on the Lions Club building.

“There are many projects taking place all over Ripley County which are aimed at bringing life back to our town squares. Over the last several years, Versailles Main Street has made strides in making the Versailles town square a center of activity. They have introduced a weekly farmer’s market, weekly community exercise programs, 5K events, a Christmas Parade and a Taste of Versailles. Additionally, the Town is moving its Town Hall back onto the town square,” stated Chris Nichols, RCCF Board Member.  

2018 is Versailles’ Bicentennial which will be celebrated on July 28th with an all-day event on the square. The Board of Directors wants to support Versailles Main Street and the Town of Versailles in its revitalizations efforts and will do so by commissioning a capstone project that will memorialize the Town’s Bicentennial while inspiring new energy. 

“One necessity in downtown revitalization is to create a charming space that people want to visit. It is the hope of the Board of Directors that a piece of community art will draw people to the town square and spark conversation among families, friends and former residents,” stated Amy Streator, RCCF Executive Director. 

The community is invited to assist in the painting of this mural on July 28 at the Versailles Bicentennial Celebration.

This is just one more way we are working to Connect People who Care with Causes that Matter.