Jim Bird is committed to making downtown Fort Dodge a bustling place.

One of his businesses, Olde Boston’s Restaurant and Pub, has been a downtown fixture for years. Longtime residents undoubtedly recall when the establishment was known as Marvin Gardens.

But Bird does more than run a business downtown. He has also shown himself to be dedicated to making the city’s core a place where all businesses can thrive and people can gather to eat, shop and generally have a good time. That’s a goal he has pursued by volunteering with Main Street Fort Dodge.

When Main Street Fort Dodge was restarted in January 2018 after a long hiatus, he became its first president.That presidency is a one-year term, but he stayed on for a second year. He continues to stay active in the organization.

Kris Patrick, executive director of Main Street Fort Dodge, told The Messenger that Bird is determined to ”make downtown friendly for everyone.”

His efforts were recently recognized on a statewide level when he received the Leadership Award from Main Street Iowa.

That is a remarkable achievement, especially since Main Street Fort Dodge is only two years old.

Bird realizes that when downtown Fort Dodge prospers, everybody wins. So in addition to running his own businesses, he volunteers his time to make downtown better. He is serving his fellow citizens and business owners. Everyone should be grateful for that.

We congratulate Jim Bird on his recent award, and thank him for his service to our community.