With the passing of another yuletide and New Year, early 2018 sets in with a string of more moderately celebrated holidays as MLK Day, President’s Day and Valentines Day, each await us in the coming weeks and months.
Friends of Old Town Stayton plan to celebrate the latter occasion with a hearty adornment of street lamps.
Friends Program Coordinator Isaac Kort-Meade notified us in advance of Canyon Conversations on the Wednesday following Christmas at Moxieberry in downtown Stayton, sharing plans for this year’s “Walk of Hearts,” which he described as “a wildly successful event last Valentine’s Day.”
This year will mark the second in which Friends of Old Town Stayton has arranged Walk of Hearts. It offers customized messages with the intent of “proclaiming your love for a spouse, family member, friend or business,” Isaac Kort-Meade noted.
He added that the unique display will “allow you to shout your love from the light posts.”
Walk of Hearts is a Friends of Old Town Stayton promotion inspired by a similar, successful endeavor undertaken in Independence, and the Polk County town is happy to see it catch on across the valley.
Independence Economic Development Director Shawn Irvine said his town’s downtown association began the walk four years ago; like Stayton, the city is not involved.
“We’ll be doing it again this year, and this year we’ll even have an online signup which we hope will generate even more interest,” Irvine said. “It’s a fundraiser for the Independence Downtown Association which works to make downtown Independence more attractive and economically vibrant…It’s been a great fundraiser for the organization and it is kind of a fun way to perk up the winter doldrums too.”
That’s the idea in Stayton as well. Customized messages will be hoisted up on the lampposts downtown and will remain there through the month of February.
Isaac Kort-Meade said last year donations from the event allowed Friends to increase its efforts to beautify and revitalize historic downtown Stayton.
“All proceeds from the event this year will help make Old Town Stayton a safer and more enjoyable place to visit,” he said.
Each side of a heart costs $25 and can be ordered online at www.friendsofoldtownstayton.com, or by calling Isaac Kort-Meade at 503-769-2919. The website will soon contain information about the number of characters allowed and any restrictions can be found on the website. All orders must be placed by Friday, Jan. 26. Hearts will be hung along the light posts on Third Ave in downtown.
Information and orders can also be handled at Quilt N’ Stitch, 395 N. Third Ave., or by emailing friendsofoldtownstayton@gmail.com.
Originally Published in Statesman Journal
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Salem, OR 97309
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