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Jerrys Jottings: Fair yields results for Hoover Park, WB
by Jerry Fleagle, Hoover Association · Op-Ed · August 28, 2014


The Hoover Presidential Foundation hosted a special exhibit at the Iowa State Fair as part of our marketing campaign for “The Making of the Great Humanitarian: Herbert Hoover and World War I.”
As part of the exhibit, we “sailed” the “SS Hoover” around the fairgrounds twice a day to gain attention and raise awareness of the Hoover Campus and West Branch.

The Des Moines Register listed our exhibit as one of the Top New Attractions to see at the Fair. The “SS Hoover” image is now on thousands of phones and cameras as vivid reminders of the Hoover story.

I’d like to share the good news that came from the fair and how it will positively impact the Hoover Campus and West Branch.

We (Hoover Presidential Foundation staff and a great group of volunteers) gave out over 21,000 “Hoover Cookies on a Stick” to fairgoers in 11 days. They received a copy of the “Hoover Cookie” story, which was vital to the success of Herbert Hoover’s Belgian Food Relief efforts, as well as a special “Buy One, Get One Free” admission offer to the Hoover Museum on the back to encourage attendance this year.

People also eagerly snapped up the new West Branch brochure developed by the Main Street West Branch committee — taking all we had!

We met thousands of people who have been here “when I was a kid” and invited them back, offering incentives to do so. The “Buy One, Get One” incentive offers were being redeemed at the Hoover Library-Museum just days into the fair and have been well received.

We highlighted the “America’s First Ladies” exhibit, open now through Oct. 26, as well as the 50th year commemoration of the Hoover State Funeral on Oct. 25.

And there is a lot of excitement about next year’s special exhibit, “The Making of the Great Humanitarian.”

We picked up a lot of media attention in central Iowa, with newspaper articles and radio coverage of the exhibit.

What was amazing to me was the lack of knowledge about Herbert Hoover, the Hoover Campus and even where West Branch is. Many did not realize it was even in Iowa.

We have a great story to tell and it will take ALL of us, working together, to get more people to experience West Branch and the Hoover Campus.

We will always be “Better Together” (The Hoover Campus and West Branch) when working together for everyone’s benefit. I firmly believe we will have record crowds in West Branch next summer to see the exhibit, but our challenge is to be ready as a community to capitalize on it.



Hoover’s Hometown Days

I want to thank everyone who participated, and most of all, those who volunteered their time during Hoover’s Hometown Days earlier this month.

It was a splendid weekend, both on weather and fun! Community events do not succeed without willing volunteers and I want to thank all of those who helped with all the events around the community- it makes West Branch a special place.

We look forward to next year, and realize we will have even bigger challenges with the largest exhibit ever at the Hoover Library-Museum and Park, but are confident it can be the biggest and best yet for Hoover’s Hometown Days celebrations!