The Levelland Main Street Board has welcomed another Main Street Maker to their fundraising program to help with the revitalization projects for the downtown district.
The Little Dribbler’s Board reached out to the Main Street Program with the goal to commemorate the establishment of this organization in its original location at 911 Houston Street, as well as continue the handrail project momentum.
“We have so many unique businesses and organizations that set Levelland apart and Little Dribblers is certainly one of them,” Main Street Manager Tania Moody. “To be able to honor this incredible commitment to youth basketball that was made so long ago, and still continues today, and memorialize this in mosaic form, is just inspiring!”
Little Dribbler’s Basketball, Inc. has been promoting youth basketball since 1969. This nonprofit organization dedicated to organizing youth basketball leagues, was founded by four dads; Harold Phelan, Frank Burnett, Hulon Moreland and Chester Bridges, with a desire to build a youth basketball program that was open to all boys and girls in the community with a desire to learn how to play basketball.
Their guiding principle was to welcome all players regardless of skill level and teach fundamentals in a safe, and fun learning environment. In addition to basketball skills, the goal was to help players gain important life skills such as responsibility, respect for others, teamwork and sportsmanship.
Pat Phelan, Director of the Little Dribblers organization, collaborated with the Main Street Program to select two historic logos from their program and the back-to-back mosaics have been proudly incorporated into a custom fabricated handrail that resides right outside of their building. Little Dribblers chose the Main Street Mosaic Member as their donor level and as a result has added two more mosaic designs to the City of Mosaics art offerings which will soon hit triple digits.
“Seeing these amazing hand rails with mosaics being placed throughout the downtown area, we felt like it was the opportune time to be a part of the collaboration,” said Phelan. “The mosaics along with the hand rails look great.”
Taking over the role as director for the organization after his father Harold stepped down, Pat has been the sitting director since 1987.
“I have grown up with this organization,” said Phelan. “I played, coached and eventually my dad pretty much forced me to take over when he finally decided his time was done with the organization.”
With the ever growing positive affect on communities with youth basketball, Phelan explained that during his time a part of the organization he has seen tremendous growth from community involvement and how much the organization has meant to generations of families.
“This is a community oriented ordeal as we require all teams to be within their respective school districts in order to grow up playing together with one another,” explained Phelan.
The previous handrail that resided in the front of the building is currently in the process of being relocated and will allow the community to have another point of safety.
The Main Street Makers Program includes six levels of support: Main Street Visionary, Missioner, Mosaic, Streetscape, Movement and Member.
Each level can be a one time donation or monthly. They range from $10 per month to $425 per month with the top tier being a one time gift of $10,000. The vision is for this to allow individuals and businesses to help shape downtown into a place of their making. From new mosaics, to street-scapes, murals, seating, art installations, fountains, lighting, reading nooks and more.
Since 2021, funds raised by the Levelland Main Street program have refurbished 22 trash cans, added more pedestrian signage, created new ways to advertise downtown by partnering with the Mallet Event Center, Walmart and billboard signage.
The program has installed 44 new planters, 43 new handrails, and 86 new mosaics. In the works is a new downtown park, two more handrails, and four giant planters with 16 more mosaics, scheduled for late April installation.
The Levelland Main Street shared they are grateful for the continued support and investment that so many make in downtown.
“It is our hope that others will see this as an opportunity to help create the space they want to see and enjoy,” said Moody. “Every dollar makes a difference downtown.”
If any individual is interested in becoming a Main Street Maker, contact the Main Street Program at 806-894-9079 or email Tania Moody at tmoody@levellandtexas.org.