CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer and his wife Sharon Greer who are spending the holidays in France, happened upon a bar called La Gitane. Inside, patrons from all over the world tack currency to the wall, writing messages across the bills. On a five-dollar bill, they wrote: “Go Cyclones. Alamo Bowl ISU. Greers Were Here. 2018.”

NORMANDY, France — Having a population of 3.4 million people and being a tourism Mecca, the odds of making a connection there with someone back home in Iowa are slim. But long-time Iowa State fans Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer and his wife Sharon Greer discovered Cyclone Nation reaches farther than they thought.

The couple, who are spending the holidays in France, happened upon a bar called La Gitane. Inside, patrons from all over the world tack currency to the wall, writing messages across the bills.

The Greers spotted a U.S. dollar bill marked “Go Cyclones” and dated September 2018.

“So amazing — in Normandy, France and looked up to see ‘Go Cyclones’ — it is a ‘sign’ and so we upped the game for a victory!” Sharon wrote on her Facebook page.

On a $5 bill, they wrote: “Go Cyclones. Alamo Bowl ISU. Greers Were Here. 2018” to show their support for the Cyclone football team facing the Washington State Cougars in the Alamo Bowl Friday.

Sharon said there was U.S. and foreign money all over the place with writing. The owner of the bar called it her retirement plan.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at

641-753-6611 or

sjordan@timesrepublican.com