BOONE, Iowa—As RAGBRAI heads into it’s final days, Boone Mayor Dave Casotti released a statement about the overnight stay in Boone for the 53rd RAGBRAI.
Mayor Dave Casotti issued the following statement this morning after thousands of bicyclists and
their support team members overnighted in Boone as part of this year’s RAGBRAI:
“As the excitement of RAGBRAI moves on to its next destination, I want to take a moment on
behalf of the City of Boone to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who helped make our
community’s overnight hosting experience such a success.
“Welcoming thousands of visitors into our city for a single night is no small undertaking. It requires
months of planning, countless hours of preparation and an extraordinary commitment from people
across our community. Boone rose to the occasion in a way that should make all of us proud.
“Thank you to our city employees and public servants whose hard work often took place behind
the scenes but was essential to the success of this event. Our public works crews, police officers,
firefighters, parks staff, administrative staff, council members, and countless others worked long
hours before, during and after the event to ensure our guests experienced the very best Boone
has to offer. Your professionalism, flexibility and dedication were on full display.
“My very special thanks go to the Boone County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive
Director Kris Blocker for her work in landing our community as an overnight stop and the 14
member of the BCCVB’s executive committee and Kris for the countless hours they spent over
the past six months in event planning, preparation and execution. Very special thanks, too, to
Police Chief John Wiebold and Public Works Director Waylon Andrews for going above and
beyond the normal call of duty to help ensure the city services meshed with the demands of such
a huge event and to Fourth Ward Councilman Terry Moorman who filled so many different,
important roles throughout the entire process.
“Thank you to the volunteers of other civic organizations, churches, and other community groups
who donated their time, talents and to welcome visitors from across Iowa and around the world.
Whether you volunteered, cheered along the route, hosted riders in your yard or simply offered a
friendly smile and a helping hand, you played an important role in creating an unforgettable
experience. Thank you, too, to the owners and employees of businesses across town for opening
your doors and helping Boone put its best foot forward.
“Finally, thank you to the citizens of Boone for your patience, hospitality, and willingness to share
our community with thousands of guests.
“Events like RAGBRAI remind us that Boone is more than a place on a map. It is a community
defined by generosity, hard work, and pride in our hometown. Our visitors experienced that
firsthand, and I have no doubt many left with a lasting impression of the people who make Boone
such a special place to live, work and visit.
“Thank you for representing our community so well and for showing Iowa what Boone is all about.
Together, you made our city proud.”
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