FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contacts:
Lorin Ditzler, Associate Director
Ph: 515-400-2853
lditzler@keepiowabeautiful.com
Andy Frantz, Executive Director
Ph: 515-770-1844
afrantz@keepiowabeautiful.org
(October 14, 2026) – Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) is excited to introduce Julie Wright as the Hometown Pride Community Coach for Hamilton County, marking the official launch of the Hometown Pride program in the 9 communities of Blairsburg, Ellsworth, Jewell, Kamrar, Randall, Stanhope, Stratford, Webster City, and Williams.
In her new role as Hometown Pride Community Coach, Wright will work with each town in Hamilton County to help launch Hometown Pride – a volunteer-driven community betterment program that focuses on improving public spaces, building community pride, and strengthening local leadership. Each town will form a Hometown Pride committee of resident volunteers who will identify and complete betterment projects that are tailored to the unique needs of the community. More than 100 towns have participated in Hometown Pride since its inception in 2012.
Wright brings a strong combination of experience as a business owner, business coach, and all-star volunteer for her own hometown. She has been the owner of a professional service firm for more than 30 years, and is a business advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. As a volunteer in Clear Lake, Wright led an initiative to raise millions of dollars and coordinate hundreds of volunteers to create one of the region’s largest tourist attractions – Central Gardens of North Iowa. She is co-owner of a main street business and author of the soon-to-be published book, “Prosperous Towns.” Wright holds a B.S degree from Iowa State University in IAd/Business – Marketing.
“I love it when communities create their own futures…and I get to help them jump into that vision,” shared Wright. “Together, volunteers in Hometown Pride communities are leading the way for the next generations to live, play, create and work in prosperous towns in rural Iowa.”
Hamilton County applied to Hometown Pride earlier this year, as a collaborative effort involving Hamilton County, Hamilton County Growth Partnership, Ames Regional Economic Alliance, and the nine participating communities. The new communities were selected to participate in the program based on their demonstrated readiness and enthusiasm for working together to create long-term community improvements.
“Hometown Pride is built on the belief that the best ideas for a community come from the people who live there,” said Andy Frantz, Executive Director of Keep Iowa Beautiful. “The most successful small towns are those where residents work together to achieve shared goals. We’re excited to bring on Julie Wright in the Hometown Pride coach role for Hamilton County, to support volunteers as they turn local ideas into lasting impact.”
Wright will begin her new role on October 19.
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About Hometown Pride
Hometown Pride is a long term partnership that focuses on building local leadership and community capacity, rather than funding individual projects. With the support of a professional community coach, volunteers identify priorities unique to their communities and work together to move projects forward. Over the course of the program, communities complete projects such as parks and trails, public art, community events, beautification efforts, and new gathering spaces. Communities receive five years of coaching to build momentum, and most continue Hometown Pride for years afterward as local volunteers keep projects moving.
More than 100 communities have participated in Hometown Pride since its inception in 2012. Together, these communities have:
- Completed 2,500 community projects
- Raised more than $23 million for local projects
- Engaged up to 2,000 volunteers annually in leading positive change
The primary goals of Hometown Pride are to: Strengthen leadership through volunteerism; Improve public spaces; Build community pride; Create momentum for economic growth; and Build community partnerships.
State-wide, Keep Iowa Beautiful’s Hometown Pride program is supported by many valued partners, including investments from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Alliant Energy Foundation. Together, these partnerships help communities strengthen local leadership, foster regional collaboration, and create lasting improvements that enhance quality of life across the state.
To learn more about Hometown Pride, visit: keepiowabeautiful.org/programming/hometown-pride/
About Keep Iowa Beautiful
Keep Iowa Beautiful is a statewide nonprofit organization that empowers Iowans to create vibrant communities and build hometown pride through volunteer-driven enhancement programs. Since 2000, Keep Iowa Beautiful has partnered with communities across Iowa to strengthen local leadership, inspire civic engagement, and improve the places Iowans call home. www.keepiowabeautiful.org
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