The Smithville Rotary Club hosted a dedication Saturday, Aug. 28 of a “Welcome to Smithville” sign located on the north end of the city. The sign was placed on Smithville Community of Christ Church property at 19400 N. U.S. Highway 169. This is a project 20 years in the making. It is the companion piece to a similar sign on the south side of the city erected two decades ago.
“The church property is a wonderful location and it’s very viewable by all that enter in to Smithville,” said Linda Buckmiller, Rotary member. “The Smithville Rotary Club is very excited and pleased to be able to complete the dream of one of our own, the late Leinda Haddock.”
Haddock, a former Rotarian and local business woman who owned Ladoga Ridge Winery with her husband Galen, passed away in late May 2020.
Last spring, the Rotary Club decided to honor her by completing this project. Other local organizations contributed to the building of the sign, which displays their emblems. These organizations are the American Legion, the Kiwanis and Lions clubs, Knights of Columbus, Smithville High School Chapter of Future Farmers of America, Boy and Girl Scouts, Smithville Chamber of Commerce, the local Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Eastern Star.
“This could never have been accomplished without the help of Rotary District 6040 and the other organizations of Smithville,” Buckmiller, said. “This was definitely a community project that brought us all together.”