West Des Moines has A-MAY-ZING DAYS ahead

We have a real sense of community in West Des Moines. You can see it in the kindness with which people greet each other, the way we support our neighbors in times of need, and the overwhelming response of our residents to community events. If you ever sit back and try to examine the various events held in West Des Moines, you can really see the importance of community celebration. Gatherings that involve local organizations or businesses and bring together residents from all over town connect people to the community. They help people create memories that are intertwined with other people and places in our City. They also connect people to the future of our community, as we plan on attending a certain event "next year" or welcome a new reason to celebrate in our ever-expanding and improving City.

Given the exciting benefits that celebrations bring to our city, I'm thrilled to talk about a month-long event in May that people from various parts of the community have been planning for the last year. A-may-zing Days is being billed as a "Celebration of West Des Moines" and provides a mix of existing and new events that will make West Des Moines the place to be in May. In addition to the City, some of the organizations involved include:

WDM Chamber of Commerce;
WDM Development Corp;
WDM Community School District;
Historic Valley Junction Foundation;
Jordan Creek Town Center;
Valley West Mall;
West Glen Town Center;
Lions Club; and
WDM Rotary.

More groups are signing up to participate as I write this! There are several events that will be publicized officially in a calendar as we get closer to May, but some of the highlights include:

Two pancake breakfasts, one held May 3 by the WDM Rotary and one held May 17 by the Lions Club and Eddie Davis Community Center.

Learnapalooza, the free annual event sponsored by the WDM COmmunity School District's Community Education. Traditionally held in April, Learnapalooza has moved to the first Saturday of May to be part of A-may-zing Days.

The 4th annual Festivale Cinco de Mayo, hosted by the Historic Valley Junction Foundation at Railroad Park and 5th Street in Valley Junction, on May 3.

Zing into Spring, a brand new Chamber event highlighting family fitness and wellness. The Zing into Spring, which takes place on May 4, will feature a 5k fun run, 1 mile walk and health fair headquartered on the lawn of City Hall. There will be a kids zing zone, a DJ, and much more, with a portion of proceeds this year being donated to help send Shawn Johnson's Coach Chow to Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

Three big musical events will cap off Memorial Day weekend including a May 23 concert at Val-Air Ballroom, a street party featuring three bands on May 24 on 5th Street at Valley Junction, and a musical event with a national headliner on May 25 at Jordan Creek Town Center followed by a fireworks display.

There are so many more events. Many events are free, and most that do charge are both affordable and send a portion of proceeds towards a worthy cause, whether it be WDM Human Services, supporting our troops overseas, or other charities. To read about more events, visit www.amayzingdays.com. This site provides a tentative calendar and event listing, which will change and grow as we get closer to may, so keep checking back.

May will be a great opportunity for our City to come together and enjoy numerous events catered to residents of all ages. We haven't seen anything like A-may-zing Days in West Des Moines before, and I hope you clear off some time from your calendars in May to celebrate our community.