Local residents have come together to form a non-profit group to save a historic building. 

The Friends of Historic Sharon Community Center was formed to help save the more than century-old high school/community center building in Sharon. Members of the group include President Phil Winborn, Vice President Cheryne Yoder, Treasurer Stephanie Leonard, Secretary Meg Nagel, Gene Miller, Cathie, Roger, and Ron Stutsman, Scott Ritter and Myron Smalley. Yoder explains how the group began, “We started developing this idea that we wanted to save the building. You know, kind of restore the building to the high school’s original look in 1898 when it was started. It was opened in 1899. We just have kind of gotten together, these ideas have kind of swam around in a pool for a while and we’re drawing out of them. And that’s kind of how we got started and now we’re getting organized.”

The first formal meeting was held on October 7th where the group applied for a non-profit status to allow the group to raise funds for the building followed by discussions of possible events. Yoder mentions the Johnson County Historical Society came out to look at the building and help the group with possible ideas. The historical society added the building to “Iowa’s Most Endangered Buildings” list in 2020. She says the group’s first and most essential need is to raise money to replace the building’s foundation. Once that is finished, the group can begin to host events at the center. For more information, visit here.