Vision Iowa announced Wednesday that a project to make the Mahanay Bell Tower in Jefferson a full four-octave carillon received grant funds through their Community Attraction Tourism grant.

Bell Tower Community Foundation President Carole Custer tells Raccoon Valley Radio her initial reaction after she found out that they got the grant.

“We were just ecstatic. Things like this don’t happen everyday and they moved very quickly on our project and that we are forever grateful. It was just another demonstration of the kind of commitment that we need to finish this project.”

The $87,102 grant funds will be used to purchase 16 additional bells and 40 strikers on the tower. Custer says the Vision Iowa Board will disband following their meeting in Emmetsburg on Wednesday and will transition into the Enrich Iowa Board. She believes that because Vision Iowa is no more, that helped their chances of getting one of their final grants.

The grant is contingent upon completing their fundraising goal within 30 days of being awarded the grant. The total cost of the project is $440,905.