The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group’s Uptown Theater Honors were held Sunday, Nov. 3, at First Street Community Center Theater.

Seven people were honored at the event for 2024. Lisbon’s John Bardsley was one of those awarded. His daughter, Mary Bardsley Kilburg, spoke about Bardsley’s accomplishments over the life of his career.

“I thought that when I was growing up, my father knew all the answers to my questions,” Kilburg said. “I still believe that to this day.”

Kilburg said that the biggest accomplishment she could note about her father was his huge heart for the community and family.

Bardsley was a staff sergeant in the Iowa National Guard and an Eagle Scout (also helping with the local Boy Scout troops from 1975 to 2001). He has been a Rotary Club member or 35 years, served on the Wellness Coalition of Rural Linn County and been on Lisbon City Council since 2001.

“He has never campaigned for a seat on city council, aside from the sign my mom made for their yard,” Kilburg said. “It’s his reputation that helps him continue get elected.”

He was an engineer, working at Rockwell Collins for 25 years. He left that business to run a local greenhouse and florist job for 14 years in Mount Vernon.

His volunteerism saw him working with Southeast Linn Community Center, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group Ambassadors.

“Despite all of those accomplishments, though, the thing that I will say is my dad’s greatest accomplishment is being a loving husband to my mother and amazing father,” Kilburg said. “He’s never waned in his support of our mother, my sister or me.”

Bob Campagna, photographer, writer and man of many talents was also recognized this year. His son, Dan, spoke on Bob’s accomplishments.

Dan compared his father’s accomplishments to those of another legend, Johnny Appleseed Chapman, a devout conservative who planted many trees.

“Dad’s planting of seeds in the art world has started with his work for 26 years with College for Kids, where he has taught more than 600 photography classes that reached 13,000 students,” Dan said.

Those classes included students from multiple states in the Midwest, and some foreign exchange students. Bob also built more than 1,600 dark rooms in his work as a photography teacher.

He’s also had numerous galleries in Mount Vernon and other locations, including a new Abbe Creek Gallery that has opened on First Street in uptown Mount Vernon.

A recent accomplishment that many may know has been Bob’s work with Mount Vernon Area Arts council and the Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation committee to create Mount Vernon’s Sculpture Art Trail.

Dan said that at the same time he has made the communities he has lived in better, his photography work captures so much of the communities as well.

“His photos sparks and captures the beauty of those around us,” Dan said. “It preserves memories in time.”

Joleen Woods was the next that was honored. Her friend, Vicki Wieseler, was the speaker.

Wieseler said that Woods spent the majority of her career as a music teacher at Mount Vernon Schools.

Aside from working with the Mount Vernon choirs, she was also instrumental as music director for the Mount Vernon Middle School plays and musicals, directing such musicals as Oklahoma, Wizard of Oz and others.

“She was an efficient, dedicated and demanding teacher,” Wieseler said. “She had high expectation for her students.”

Part of that dedication was finding the correct music to be featured by the school.

She was also a director of the chancel choir at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church.

During her time as a director of choirs at Mount Vernon, more than 234 students were named to All-State and 198 selected for Opus Honor Choirs. She was recognized by the Iowa Choral Directors Association with the Robert Cowam award.

Wieseler said she was an accompanist for Woods for a number of years, and she said one of the biggest lessons that her students were always taught was the importance to “listen, listen, listen,” during performances.

“She is also a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs and Iowa Hawkeyes, and will always watch those games,” Wieseler said. “She’s also a master gardener.”

Woods retired from all of her jobs at the end of May. Susan Hargus and Jennifer Denniston presented on Tommie and Pat Ouverson and Fuel Art and Espresso’s impact in the community.

They listed the different ingredients that comprise many coffees, but said that the shop was so much more.

It’s the artwork that’s featured by local artists in the shop that furthers the art and culture in the community.

“It was Tommie making deliveries during the COVID lockdown, dropping off those favorite orders for her customers to their doors as long as baked goods,” Denniston said. “A touch of normalcy during those uncertain times that let us know it was going to be alright.”

The impact of the coffee shop is seen at farm-to-table dinners that have been hosted over the years.

The open mic nights at Fuel that give new artists an opportunity to share their talents with members of the community in a judgement free zone.

“It’s been an incubator for all sorts of ideas,” Denniston said. “The ideas for Chalk the Walk started over cups of coffee at Fuel.”

The coffee shop is a place where young and old are able to interact as well.

The hosting of science cafes and other speakers help the community embrace learning.

“It’s a destination for people in our uptown and people visiting,” Denniston said. “That all comes from Tommie and Pat’s commitment.”

Kevin Carpenter and Leland Turner, the owners of Helios Stitches and Stuff, were also honored.

Trude Elliott spoke about the duo.

Elliott noted that Helios Stitches and Stuff is one of the anchor stores of First Street Community Center.

Carpenter grew up working in his family business. He attended Iowa State University where he earned his undergraduate degree in English. Carpenter eventually moved to San Francisco, Calif, when he joined the Navy. He was honorably discharged due to health issues.

Turner grew up in Heywood, Calif. The duo met and were married in 2008. They eventually moved back to Coralville, where they continued working at the Carpenter family business.

“Leland fell in love with quilting,” Elliott said. “When the opportunity to own a quilting shop came up in 2012, the two decided to move and take over the quilt shop.”

That first year they got used to buying and selling the fabrics for the quilt shop, as well as hand stitching quilts.

They have built relationships with known fabric designers and their choice of bright and sunny fabrics that lives up to Helios name.

The duo eventually moved to this community they have gotten to love, and whenever they sell fabrics to people, it’s always with a piece of Ann Booth’s shortbread and directions to the Shops at First Brick to pick up more.

“They’ve jumped into community service, helping with Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community development Group in running a comedy festival over the years, or running for city council,” Elliott said. Carpenter and Turner are huge fans of Disney World.