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Art and trash

Youths produce new trash containers for downtown; Metal work done by FDSH students while younger kids provide art; Theme is Pick It Up Fort Dodge

-Submitted photo
These industrial technology students from Fort Dodge Senior High School made metal trash receptacles that are being placed around downtown Fort Dodge.

Because of the work of a lot of Fort Dodge youths, no one will have any excuse for dropping litter on the ground downtown.

The young people have produced 26 trash receptacles that will be placed around the downtown area.

The metal receptacles were made by industrial technology students at Fort Dodge Senior High School.

On each one, there are places where panels decorated with art work will be inserted. That artwork, which will illustrate the motto Pick It Up Fort Dodge, was created by students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The first 14 of these trash receptacles were set up this week.

-Submitted photo
Fort Dodge City Councilman Kim Alstott, left, and Carissa Harvey, the city’s strategic planner, set up one of the new trash containers along Central Avenue recently.

”I and the team think they are absolutely fantastic,” said Kris Patrick, the executive director of Main Street Fort Dodge. ”They look really good on the street.”

The project got started in December 2018, when the city received a $10,000 Arts Build Communities grant from the Iowa Arts Council.

The Pick It Up Fort Dodge theme was developed. A contest was held to allow children to develop the art works that will grace the containers. Patrick said 36 entries were received and 26 were chosen.

She said the industrial technology students were ready to start making the containers when the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year. The containers were finally made during the school year that is now wrapping up.

Patrick said 22 containers will be set up, with four being held in reserve in case one is heavily damaged.

She said an event is being planned for June 19 at which the artwork will be installed, and the student artists will be recognized.

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