Three of the four billboards are now up around Mason City, Iowa. The final billboard is a digital board and will go live Monday. A lot of people have been asking, “Why billboards?”
For the past 16 years, our team has worked to uncover new leads in Jodi’s case. It has not been an easy task. As the years tick by, more and more people forget precious details – the smallest details – that can break this case wide open.
We had discussed billboards in the past, but really never had the funding. Two years ago we had a Walk for Jodi – where our team members joined to walk the route Jodi took to work. It was the same type of effort: bring awareness to the case. We needed something new.
Was the movie ‘3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ the driving force?
Yes, and no. While we had always thought about billboards, the money wasn’t there. Billboards aren’t cheap. Last fall we received a generous donation from a FindJodi.com donor – and that sealed it for us. It happened to work out during the time when the movie was popular, so it made perfect sense.
Why not 3 billboards? That was the original intent. However, the generous folks over at Fairway Outdoor donated a 4th, digital billboard. That will go live Monday as I mentioned. I want to send a special thanks to Fairway and Steve Ross for logistics, snapping the pictures and helping us out. They run a tight ship over there.
Mix of old and new media
We are so excited with how social media has been a driving force for new leads. We get critical information from our Facebook page. It allows us to send out a message and get immediate response. The same goes for Twitter. Social media, paired with billboards, walks and even good ol’ door to door flyer dissemination (which our team will be doing on Tuesday, June 5th in Mason City) has already become a great formula for sending a message not even locally, but nationwide.
A team across state lines
A lot of people ask how our team works together. First of all, we’re not all in the same state. We are stationed in California, Minnesota and Florida. It’s a great triangle and allows us to get most of the country covered when and if necessary. We communicate by Skype, text message, email, Facebook, Facetime, and letters and packages through United States Postal Service. Another nice mix of ‘old and new’ technology. Learn more about our team here and how we work together here.
June 5th event in Mason City
We’ll be holding an event on June 5th, 2018 in Mason City. It’s a date that would also be Jodi’s 50th birthday. We will gather at the location of one of the billboard sites.
Where: 1223 North Federal Avenue, Mason City, Iowa
When: June 5th, 2018 at 10:30 a.m.
Why: To call attention to Jodi’s case, dedicate the billboards, read a statement from the family, answer questions and disseminate flyers in and around Mason City.
We encourage the public, media, law enforcement and city officials to attend the event.
The locations of the billboards are:
- 1223 N Federal Avenue
- 200 block N Monroe Avenue
- 514 South Federal Avenue
- SW corner of North Iowa Events Center
3700 4th St SW (digital)
And a special thank you
We’re living in a time where technology, social platforms and investigative techniques can solve the coldest of cases. Without your support and interest in the Jodi’s case, we would be nowhere close to where we are today.
For that, we’d like to say, Thank You. We continue to hope that this is the year we all help break this case wide open.
If you would like to leave an anonymous tip, you can do so here, or call us with your anonymous tip at: (970) 458-JODI
