The Noon Optimist Club of Marshalltown met at the Best Western Regency Inn on June 29 with President John Danielson presiding. Rev. Michael Herschberger provided the invocation and the club followed with the Pledge of Allegiance. One guest was in attendance, Nancy Earney, wife of club member Bill Earney. Greg DeSaulniers presented the community calendar of events.

Danielson provided an update on the Avenue of Flags project. Volunteer spots are still open for the Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veteran’s Day holidays; contact Randy Bishop, Herschberger or Danielson for information regarding signing up to volunteer at one of the remaining holidays during the year 2017.

Upcoming club events: Avenue of Flags project on July 4 and Labor Day on Sept. 4 and the Iowa State Tractor Pedal Pull Championship on Sept. 9 at the Marshalltown Coliseum.

Danielson introduced the guest speaker, Amber Danielson, executive director of Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance. Amber provided an overview of the upcoming Linn Creek Arts Festival on July 15 at the Fisher Community Center in Marshalltown. She noted the festival has free admission, more than 60 artists from seven states, youth activities, food and drink vendors, live music and other forms of entertainment. She mentioned more than 80 artists applied for the festival this year, although the festival’s selection committee has to narrow the list down to 60 due to space restraints. This year’s festival will once again provide many different youth activities; some to note include face painting and sand painting. The festival is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and end around 5 p.m. There will also be an after party titled “Art after Dark” held from 6-10 p.m. at the 13th Street Business District. The after party will include live music, food and drink vendors and some light entertainment. Parking for the Linn Creek Arts festival will be held at the old Econo Foods parking lot, with the overflow parking lot to be at the YMCA Cultural Center (old YMCA).

The meeting concluded with the Optimist Creed. Join the group and find out how you can help enrich the youth in the community. Guests are always welcomed. Lunch meetings take place every Thursday at noon at the Best Western Regency Inn. Visit the website www.noonoptimist.org.