Pictured is a postcard available soon through Vision Downtown Lampasas! that depicts a mural in progress on the Jerry Goodson Surveying building near Fourth Street. Success is measured not only by the end result but also in how the results are achieved.

Vision Downtown Lampasas!, though still in its early stages, can be considered a success because with more than 100 community backers serving on eight committees, chances are one's neighbors and acquaintances are involved somehow.

Lots of things are going on behind the scenes, and the public soon will be able to see the outcome of many of those plans.

Celebrating one year of existence, the downtown task force will hold its first fund-raising event Friday with Evening Under the Stars. The night of entertainment, barbecue and auctions is expected to pad the group's coffers to assist in the myriad of projects being planned.

Maryann Severn, chairman of the VDL! fund-raising committee, has not lost her enthusiasm for the task. If anything, she said, the more people become involved, the more excited she gets about what can be accomplished.

"People have been working behind the scenes for a while now developing everything from design guidelines of the area to incentives for residential and commercial renovations," said Mrs. Severn.

The economic restructuring committee has done a complete inventory of the area VDL! is concentrating on, and the group has established current values. "As a result, we will make recommendations to the city of Lampasas for land use; for example, alternate uses of land, smaller spaces for retail to make them more affordable, and others."

The committee also recommended augmenting the Phase I target area, expanding from Sulphur Creek to the alleys of Key Avenue, to encompass the whole central business district.

And the incentives committee has developed a lowinterest loan pool supported by five local banks that can make funds available for renovations to homes and businesses in the covered area. "The money is out there and being offered to help our residents. This is a wonderful program."

A grant for facade improvement also is being considered, Mrs. Severn said.

One of the early projects Mrs. Severn said funds are being considered for are banners to be placed on Key Avenue light posts directing visitors to the downtown historic area. Money raised at home could supplement a match- ing grant through the city's participation as a "Go Texas Community," a program by the Texas Department of Agriculture that helps revitalize small towns.

The design committee's eventual plans include installing historic lampposts down Third Street to make a visible entrance to the downtown business district.

"I think the term 'business district' is more appropriate," Mrs. Severn said. "It's not just the downtown area or Courtyard Square. It encompasses so much more. And anything that improves Lampasas and brings people in will help our entire community."

The fund-raising chairman also reminded residents to keep an eye on the historic buildings in the city for four proposed murals by the VDL! art committee. The first in the works is on the Jerry Goodson Surveying building near Fourth and Western streets. It began with a boot round-up during the spring.

"The community response was overwhelming," Mrs. Severn said. "More than 140 pairs of boots were photographed by Kellie Hughes, and it was a wonderful party atmosphere."

The photo was enlarged and outlined on the side of the Goodson building, and it will become a paint-bynumbers effort from boot donors.

Further results will be seen Friday when VDL! opens its Web site where visitors can select a boot photo and have it made into a poster, puzzle, portrait, note cards, mugs and other items. Local merchants will carry some of the items for sale, and plans call for them to be available in time for Christmas shopping.

Start date for a second mural has been advanced and should begin in the next several months. Lampasas Hardware will be the recipient of the artwork, which will feature a mural in sepia tones that depicts the hardware building in its early turn-of-the-century period.

"We hope to do many more fund-raisers to get our community where it needs to be," said Mrs. Severn. Future events could be geared toward specific aesthetic projects, she added. "Our major goal is to get the word out and the enthusiasm going and encourage people to join us in revitalizing our community."

Bryan Linder, a marketing director for World Financial Group, has accepted the challenge of creating more public awareness of the project.

"Visibility is a factor, and we want people to watch and see what happens. Good things are going to begin to happen.

"Ultimately, we want to bring in businesses and more dollars to Lampasas," said Mrs. Severn. "People should expect to see increased activity in the area, and that will benefit Lampasas as a whole."

THE EVENT

the Stars When: Friday, 6 p.m. Where: Courtyard

Square Also: Fund-raiser for

Vision Downtown

Lampasas! With: BBQ dinner, live

and silent auctions

and music Tickets: $25 per person

at the chamber office, from VDL! board members