New Spirit of Pella Volunteers Share a Vision For Their Community's Future

Pella, IA (October 14, 2024) – As Pella continues to grow, two impactful community members serving as new volunteers with Spirit of Pella share a vision for Pella’s brightest future. With their respective skill sets, Kyle Nelson and Hailey Swan are serving their community with great enthusiasm for advancing Pella. Both volunteers celebrate the importance of heritage and growth all while maintaining Pella’s genuinely distinctive identity.

Spirit of Pella board member Nelson, a longtime Pella resident and Central College alumnus, is extremely invested in the city’s success. Nelson, whose two of four children also attended Central College, has been involved in local community activities promoting Pella’s social and economic development.

“I look forward to watching Pella grow and move forward while maintaining its rich heritage,” Nelson said. With a strong connection to the community and a passion for attracting and retaining young talent, Nelson is investing his time accordingly. He believes that organizations such as the Spirit of Pella play a significant role in promoting Pella as a unique and desirable community to not only be involved in, but to live in.

Looking ahead, Nelson envisions a Pella with an even more vibrant economy and opportunities for recreation, arts, and family activities. “I can imagine Pella growing to around 13,000 or 14,000 residents over the next decade,” he said. “More residents will help our businesses and industries flourish, ensuring that we remain a thriving community.”

Nelson’s favorite part of Pella is how committed the citizens are to working together to realize the city’s brightest future. “Pella is known for its ability to pull off initiatives that many other towns our size would love to,” he said. “It’s because people here aren’t afraid to create a plan, work hard and invest their time and resources in projects that matter.”

Nelson is on track to leave a legacy of making a positive impact whenever he can. “I’ve always been willing to dig in and help where needed. I want to be remembered as someone who didn’t shy away from doing my part and more for Pella’s success.”

Hailey Swan, originally from Bloomfield, recently graduated from Central College. While she is relatively new to Pella, she already feels connected to the community through work with Spirit of Pella and her friendships. She commutes to Pella now but plans to move here soon so she can live what she calls, “a fully authentic Pella life.”

Swan recognizes Pella as a place where people embrace the simple pleasures. “I want newcomers and visitors to find that Pella is a place where they can find safety, stability and an inspiring place to live. A safe haven for everyone to just enjoy life.” Hailey embraces her faith, helping others, and works to make sure humility is at the core of who she is.

Swan’s personal favorite aspect of Pella is how the people live intentionally and set high standards for themselves. “People here do hard things and do them well. There’s a level of kindness that makes Pella a place where people want to be. You know you’ll be taken care of here,” she says.

In the future, Swan wants to leave a legacy full of authenticity. “It’s okay to not have it all together. The goal is not perfection, but growth,” she shared. “I want people to feel it’s okay to put their heart out there, to keep dreaming, and to learn from mistakes. At the end of the day, it’s about being honest with yourself and others.”

Despite slightly different backgrounds, Nelson and Swan share a common goal of seeing Pella grow while maintaining the unique charm and strong community values that have made it a special place to live. Nelson puts an emphasis on community development. Swan focuses on helping to create a sense of belonging in Pella so our community feels welcoming for everybody.

Nelson and Swan are both committed to the long- and short-term success of the community they love. They are each excited to continue to use their vibrant energy to shape the future of Pella in a positive way. Leaders like Nelson and Swan are a key reason why Pella is so uniquely successful.
 

To learn more about Spirit of Pella, visit spiritofpella.org.

Like and follow Spirit of Pella on Facebook at facebook.com/spiritofpella and Instagram at instagram.com/spiritofpella/

View online at https://spiritofpella.org/press-2/
News from Spirit of Pella: For more information, contact Christi Vander Voort at friends@spiritofpella.org

HOPES & DREAMS SURVEY

Our online "Hopes & Dreams" community survey continues to collect input that we share with local leaders to inform their discussions. More than 300 residents have participated in the survey to date, and we urge Pella residents of all ages to take the brief survey and share their thoughts and recommendations about building our community’s brightest future.
 

Take the survey HERE!