Osceola’s Mayor, Thomas Kedley, is on a mission. Over the past few months, discussions of a new Recreation Center for the City of Osceola have gained momentum. From a side note on his administrative wish list to go along with recent community trail updates and park improvements to a personally passionate campaign to raise funds for the development and construction of the Rec Center, Kedley’s work has been constant and committed. And through the non-profit, Operation Recreation he and his wife Becca established, the realization of a new Rec Center for the community is within sight.
Voting at A Community Thrives is open until May 12th! You can vote once a day!
“Operation Recreation was established to help raise the funds for the recreation center Osceola desperately needs,” said Kedley in a recent interview with Van and Bonnie of WHO Radio. “Clarke county, being ranked 92nd (up from 98th in 2016) out of 99 counties in Iowa for health is an epidemic, and we need to address it today, before the future of our community is jeopardized.”
Through the non-profit, Kedley and his team hope to be able to raise the funding needed to start the Rec Center building, assuring the separation of these funds from programs managed through the City or City Council.
There are a number of ways you can support Operation Recreation:
- Make a donation through their website: www.OperationRecreation.ORG
- Send a donation to the operation’s address: 318 Eastview Place, Osceola, Iowa 50213
- Contact Mayor Kedley directly at: [email protected]
- Vote at the USA Today Grant program, A Community Thrives where the recipient of the most votes accumulated before May 12th, 2017 will receive a grant up to $100,000!
Kedley’s Commitment to Fitness and His Challenge to Everyone:
As a high school senior, Kedley weighed in at over 300 LBS. His commitment to a healthy future for Osceola stems from personal experience.
As if Kedley’s commitment to the Recreation Center wasn’t evident, he’s also challenged himself to accomplish quite a feat upon successfully reaching their first landmark funding goal of raising $250,000. If, by July 31st, 2017, Operation Recreation reaches their $250,000 goal, you’ll get to see Mayor Kedley run across the entire state of Iowa – from the Minnesota Border to the Missouri border – 225 miles North to South!
Spurred on by his own commitment to fitness and improved quality of life, Kedley and his team have been hitting the wires and media hard to get the word out about Operation Recreation. Through an aggressive media campaign, Kedley has hit newspapers – local and regional – as well as television news and radio stations.
Check out the Media Coverage Operation Recreation Has Received To Date!
RADIO:
Radio Segment: Cotlar & Company, ESPN Des Moines 1350 KRNT
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Radio Segment: Sue Danielson – Focus: Public Affairs, WHO News Radio 1040 Des Moines
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Radio Segment: Van and Bonnie AM Radio Show, WHO News Radio 1040 Des Moines
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PRINT / DIGITAL:
Feature 1: in Osceola Sentinel (online & Print) – Click to read the article.
Feature 2: in Osceola Sentinel (online) – Click to read the article.
Feature 3: in Osceola Sentinel (online & print) – Click to read the article.
Main Feature on WHO News Radio (online) – Click to read the article.
Main Feature in Des Moines Register (online & Print) – Click to read the article.
If you would like to make a donation to Operation Recreation or would like to learn more about the foundation activities, please contact City Administrator Ty Wheeler by email at [email protected] or by calling City Hall at 641-342-2377. You can also contact Mayor Kedley directly by emailing [email protected] or call 563-249-1330.
