Let's uplift our town together!

Have you ever thought “How can the town with the best people in the world not show it along our roads and in our neighborhoods? or “I wish someone would just make Rawlins look better?” We have wondered that too. 

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If you are tired of complaining and want to do something about the way our community looks, check out UpLIFT Rawlins. Whether you want to pitch in for an afternoon or take the lead on a new project, we need you! 

 

Who is Uplift Rawlins?

We are just folks who love Rawlins. We are a new group of residents who are getting together to spruce up our community through creative and hands-on projects. We say, “Let’s Raise the Bar” for this place we all love. We know that when the great people of Rawlins team up, we can achieve what we set our minds to. Come join us to help dream, plan, and do projects to make the appearance of Rawlins match our wonderful people. 

 

Who can join? 

Anyone who wants to help! We hope to recruit new members and partner with businesses, churches, student groups, civic organizations, and others to focus on the challenges that are important to you!

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Want to know where our next meeting is? 

• Check the top of this page or www.facebook.gov/upliftrawlins for the next meeting. 

• Email us at upliftrawlins@gmail.com to be added to our email group. 

 

What are your parameters? 

We are hard-working and creative. We’re not bossy or negative. We are working to make change as community members. We’re staying in our lane. We are not a government entity or an HOA.  We simply want to share ideas, and work together to make Rawlins more attractive. We will work to engage the whole community to create hands-on projects and then bring them to life. 

 

What projects are happening summer 2025?

We know that change starts one little bite at a time. This summer we are focusing on two initial projects. First, we are starting a “Home of the Month” program. Second, we are coordinating planting flowers in self-watering pots and in our parks throughout town. Come help us do these projects and more!

 

How will the “Home of the Month” work? 

Residential Rawlins has been divided into 5 sections - North, South, East, West and Center. Each section will have a winning “Home of the Month” from June-December. This is not just a yard competition. Creative landscaping, home improvements, decorations, or anything else that catches the judges’ eyes will be considered. We will also have two “Businesses of the Month”. We plan to announce the first seven winners by mid-June. 

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You can see the map of the sections here. 

Here are the nomination forms: 

Home of the Month Nomination Form https://form.jotform.com/251335796795069

Business of the Month Nomination Form https://form.jotform.com/251366674961164

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Want to help? We still need judges and administrators for the program! Come to our next meeting to learn more.

 

How will the flower planting project work?  

We have gotten permission from the City of Rawlins to coordinate planting of flowers around the community. This includes 15+ self-watering planters around the community, and potentially flower beds at Tully, Bolton, Washington, Rob Roy, and the entrances to the cemetery. The City will then keep them watered throughout the summer. 

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These are available for community members, organizations, and/or businesses to adopt. Don’t have the time to plant? Provide the funds and our volunteers will do the planting for you. See the current list here.

 

All adopted pots and beds will have a sign recognizing the adopter. They will also be featured on our Facebook page with a photo. 

 

What other projects is UpLIFT Rawlins working on? 

We will be cleaning up the tree area along the eastern side of the 287 bypass north of The Movies. We are considering planting more trees, bushes and/or flowers in the area. Additionally, a business member is providing weed spraying around the entryway signs, the fronts of the three derelict hotels on West Spruce, and various parks with no charge for her time. 

 

What other ideas have you discussed? 

We only started meeting in April of this year, and we have discussed: 

• planting flowers along the bypass 

• starting a “Guerrilla Yard Cleanup” to help those in need, such as the elderly, with yard projects 

• addressing decrepit signs with property owners 

• beginning west side mural program 

• partnering public art wrapped utility boxes 

• planting trees around Rawlins 

 

What difference does looking good make? 

Appearance is vitally important to both how we feel living here and to how we are perceived by others. We all get frustrated at times with the appearance of Rawlins. But it will take more than just the government and existing programs to shift our direction. 

 

At a recent meeting, we were inspired by a post from Jeff Siegler, of “Revitalize or Die.” To quote in part, 

“Times didn’t start changing. They already changed…It’s about asking: Are we still relevant? Because doing the wrong things more efficiently isn’t progress. Revitalization today isn’t about jobs or visitors—it’s about residents. It’s about emotion, beauty, pride, and belonging…We live in an economy of aesthetics. People decide where to eat, live, shop, and travel based on how places make them feel. A beautiful home sells faster. A stylish café gets more foot traffic. A pretty downtown gets posted on Instagram. This isn’t shallow—it’s human nature…Here’s a wild idea: start a Chamber of Cute. A Bureau of Enjoyment. An Office of Holy Hell This Town Makes Me Feel Great. Sounds silly? Not really. Because the places people love the most are the ones that deliver those exact feelings.”

 

How long will it take?

We won’t magically get rid of asbestos-laden buildings or convince everyone in town to take pride in their property. However, as Og Mandino said, ”Take great comfort in knowing that ALL great feats are accomplished one small step at a time."