March 28, 2024

Hundreds participate in first week of Newton postcard project

In just a week since launching a postcard campaign to encourage city pride in Newton, about 500 postcards have been completed.

Next month those postcards, which are hoped to be numbered to 10,000 by then, will be sent to random addresses across the state to share what Newton residents love about the city with other Iowans.

The postcard project was launched by the Get to Know Newton campaign to instill the values of community outreach and development. However, Newton’s Management Analyst, Natalie Umsted, is always trying to do different things as one of the primary organizers of the campaign. There is still a long way to go as the project ends on April 17, but the success of it will determine whether it becomes an annual event.

Last week, Umsted spoke about the project at the Newton Chamber of Commerce breakfast and the Get to Know Newton leadership class. The city council meeting on Monday and the rotary club also heard about the postcard project. Each event accumulated to the total count of postcards.

“There are really positive reactions from the public. One of the great things about the Get to Know Newton campaign is we are always inviting people to share their own stories,” Umsted said.

Many people have commented on how friendly and neighborly the city is while others love Newton parks. The Valle Drive-In has also received a lot of attention as it is one of a handful drive-in theatres left in the state.

The design of the postcards was created using a template from neighborhoodpostcardproject.com, a website that helps cities, organizations, and even individuals create fun postcards. The Get to Know Newton campaign wanted the postcards to be people-centered and focused with bright designs and colors to attract a diverse array of Newton residents. The front of the card also features a quote from Newton residents who comment on the wonderful opportunities of the city.

“We thought to include something that someone had said that’s positive about Newton on the front side of the card as it would help people to get an idea of what they might want to write on the back side of the card,” Umsted said.

There are five postcards for residents of Newton to choose from with each postcard representing unique qualities of Newton. For instance, there are postcards of people in the workplace, children painting, musicians and fans at a concert, kids at school and people enjoying the parks of Newton. The Get to Know Newton campaign chose a good mix of activities in Newton, and Umsted could not be happier to be a part of this project.

“It has been a lot of fun. It is a project that I think has been positively embraced by the community. You get to use a lot of creativity and be really positive and spreading those positive vibes is rewarding. I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Get to Know Newton project,” Umsted said.

To fill out a postcard, visit the Newton Public Library.

Contact Scott Thenhaus at
newsroom@newtondailynews.com