Main Street Ottumwa is proud to announce a new Hometown Hero Banner series honoring first responders, healthcare workers and teachers with ties to the Ottumwa community. The banners will be displayed along Main Street in downtown Ottumwa from mid-January 2027 through mid-May 2027, and again during the same period in 2028.
The new series builds on the success of Main Street Ottumwa’s Hometown Heroes Veteran Banner project, which has become a staple of downtown during the summer months. To honor other segments of Ottumwa’s residents whose daily service strengthens the community, the Design Team created this companion series for the winter and spring season.
Banners will be placed on the decorative light poles on Main Street on or about January 15, 2027, weather permitting, and will remain until mid-May 2027. They will return for a second display from mid- January to mid-May 2028.
The cost is $185 per banner. That fee covers the purchase of the banner and installation, as well as a contribution to the Ottumwa Food Bank. After the two-year display period, families and sponsors may keep the banner as a lasting keepsake, consistent with the veteran banner tradition.
Each custom banner is intended as a public thank-you in the heart of downtown — a visible reminder that Ottumwa’s first responders, healthcare workers and teachers serve their neighbors every day. Residents, families, employers, civic groups and classmates are invited to sponsor a banner for someone they wish to honor.
Applications and additional details will be available through Main Street Ottumwa at www.mainstreetottumwa.com and at the Main Street office, 334 E. Main Street. Spaces are limited to available decorative light poles along Main Street. Early applications are encouraged.
“Our veteran banners have shown how powerful it is to put faces and names on the people who serve this community,” said Kris Patrick, Executive Director of Main Street Ottumwa. “This new Hometown Hero series lets us do the same for the firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, nurses, doctors, caregivers and teachers who keep Ottumwa safe, healthy and learning. And every banner also helps
stock shelves at the Ottumwa Food Bank.”
