<p>From left, Mike Bass, Dennis Schultz and Ray Hire secure a new message sign in place June 30 in Prairie City, under the city parking sign in the center of town. The sign, a project of the Prairie City School Booster Club, will display school and community events.</p>

PRAIRIE CITY Got an event coming up in Prairie City?

Thanks to the Prairie City School Booster Club, you can now proclaim it on a sign in the midst of town.

The new sign was erected Saturday, June 30, on the citys public parking lot on Front Street, next to City Hall.

According to Anna Bass, of the booster club, who organized the project, it will be used to announce community and school events. Notices can run up to a couple of weeks in advance, and can be programmed for deletion when the events date has passed.

The sign will also post safety messages, Bass said, with no specific start or end date.

No personal messages, such as birthdays or yard sales will be allowed.

Theres no charge to have messages run on the sign, but the group welcomes donations, payable to the City of Prairie City or the booser club, to help with the maintenance.

The signs display screen is grayscale LED light-emitting diode which gives off less direct light and is more energy efficient than other methods.

The program, operated via wireless internet, run from Bass personal computer for the time being.

She said that eventually the school will take over the responsibility of the program. One teacher has expressed interest in making it a class project, Bass said.

Bass presented proposals on the sign project to both the school and the city council, and received unanimous votes in favor of the sign from both groups. The city will pay for the electricity cost.

The booster club bought the sign from Golden Rule Signs for $10,899.58.

The group received several donations from area groups to help make the new sign a reality, including, $2,000 from Safe Communities Coalition; $1,200 from Old West Federal Credit Union; $750 from the Prairie City School student body funds, which are not school funds; and $500 from the Bank of Eastern Oregon.

Those lending a hand for the installation included Anna, Mike, and Larry Bass; Ray Hire; Dennis Schultz; Marge and Art Walton; Louanne Zweygardt; Chris Camarena with Prairie City Public Works; and PC mayor Tim Cooley.

The loan of equipment from a few sources also aided the cause: Blaine Huffman of Huffmans Market, a forklift, the city with a manlift, and Mike Voigt brought in his pettibone forklift to hoist the sections into place.

To have an announcement displayed on the sign, call the City of Prairie City at 541-820-3605.