The Uptown Theatre Honors Gala was held Saturday, Oct. 1, at First Street Community Center in Mount Vernon.
Honored at this year’s gala were Myrt Bowers, Randy Harman, Gwen Drahos, Mike Smith and Steven and Susan Maurice. Steven and Susan were unable to attend the ceremony, after contracting COVID-19.
Ahead of the ceremony, a moment of silence was held to honor several citizens who had an impact on the arts and community of Mount Vernon, including Cheryl Russell, Kate Rose, Leah Rogers and Wendy McClain.
Bowers was the first honoree, and Joe Jennison, director of Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Development group, spoke about her impact in the community.
Bowers, who grew up in Mount Vernon, was the oldest of 13 children. She spent 37 years as a nurse, providing patient care.
She was then an executive director of an organization that provided meals to seniors in Cedar Rapids. Some of her career memories included staying in the hospital in 2003 during a snowstorm, so her patients would be taken care of, and adapting to the flood of 2008 to switch from the site in downtown Cedar Rapids to other locations on higher ground, not missing a single meal delivery.
Bowers also served on the Linn County Democratic Central Committee for several years, and has met numerous politicians, including the Clintons, the Bush’s and Barack Obama.
“During the course of her life, her backyard grew from cornfields to the city to the county to the state and even the nation,” Jennison said. “Her piece of advice to everyone is there is no better feeling than knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life.”
Taylor Brocka, Harman’s daughter, spoke about Harman’s musical career.
Harman, a resident of Mount Vernon, got an early interest in music. He loved Elvis Presley, and got a start as drummer. In middle school, he was allowed to finally join the percussion section of the band.
With fellow musician Steve Edwards, they started the Band with No Name. When Eddie and the Stompers graduated from college, Harman took the band name Stompers and continued to play in the Mount Vernon community. The Stompers practiced all year before making their return.
Harman’s band recorded two 45 records and were inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Harman retired as a physical therapist, his job when he wasn’t playing music.
Harman noted remembered getting kicked out of a gig at one point because he was too young to be playing at a bar after hours.
Sara Gaarde spoke about the impact Drahos had in the Mount Vernon and Lisbon art community.
Drahos opened Gwen’s in downtown Lisbon more than 40 years ago. Alongside the buffets and cooking meals every day, Gwen’s banquet room also served as the stage for several dinner theatres over the years.
“The sets would be built on site and audiences would be 60 to 70 people for each show,” Gaarde said.
Gwen’s has also hosted Trivia contests or spelling bee competitions over the years, as well as other community events.
Drahos was also integral in getting Lisbon Schools to fully include students with disabilities in their schools.
Fred Burke recognized Mike Smith’s impact to the arts by recounting Mike’s end of the phone call selling tickets for an upcoming concert in the First Street Community Center.
While Smith was the longtime owner and manager of Bauman’s, he has also been integral in supporting concerts and arts in the uptown, first with concerts in the pocket park between the Mount Vernon Bank and First Brick and then at First Street Community Center.
“He is passionate about live music,” Burke said. “He would attend concerts far and wide looking for new musical groups and asking if they’d consider coming to Mount Vernon for a gig.”
Burke said one of the lessons that Smith always imparted has been “you get more out of volunteering than the work you put into it.”
Burke encouraged everyone to follow Smith and work to do their part to contribute to the collective betterment of their community.