UPCO recognizes volunteer Jack Alston for helping make the uptown area more special
By Grace Brooks
Born in Chicago, Alston lived there for 13 years until moving to Louisville where he attended the University of Louisville. He also played a year of professional baseball in the Minor Leagues and served three years in the army. Later, he began work for a large engineering and architecture firm called Burgess & Niple, Inc. After working in 14 different states on more than 80 different projects, Alston retired from the company as Director of Communications. He moved to Plain City shortly after in 2005, looking for a small town to match his new slow-paced lifestyle of retirement.
About a month after moving, he attended a meeting, run by the mayor and various UPCO volunteers, that was geared toward new members of the community. It was here that he decided to become a volunteer of UPCO. When asked what sparked his decision, Alston responded, “My technical background in Urban and Regional Planning really led me to volunteer for UPCO. I believed that my planning experience for more than 40 years could be a valuable resource and perspective for Plain City.” He now serves as a member of the Design Committee for UPCO.
Alston was attracted to the Design Committee from the beginning because of the Uptown Revitalization Plan. This plan began as an assessment of the village’s Uptown area and various potential improvements and preservations that could be made. Now, the list created is a work in progress.
Other than UPCO, Alston volunteers his time as a member of the Plain City Historical Society, the Village of Plain City Board of Zoning Appeals and the Historic District Design and Review Board.
He would like to point out that the unique events of Plain City such as the 4th of July parade, the Plain City Classic Car Cruise-In, the Miami Valley Steam Threshers, the Plain City 4 Mile Run-Walk and Christmas Under the Clock that help to distinguish the village are all run by volunteers. UPCO volunteers are directly responsible for the Cruise-In, the Run-Walk and Christmas Under the Clock and without the organization these events might not occur. Alston comments, “None of these events just happen – they require lots of volunteers interested in the life of Plain City. There is a place for anyone wishing to be involved, for someone else’s benefit.”
To volunteer for a committee or for a particular event contact Shannon Weigand at 873-0233 or UPCO.Misc@live.com. Or attend the next quarterly meeting on Thursday, August 20 at 7 p.m. at the Plain City Public Library.
