Nominate your loved ones for a story:

Nominate your loved ones:

Through the Cowan Commercial Club, Jarod Pearson Creates Generations of Civic-Minded Leaders.

by | Apr 2023

PRESIDENT OF the Railroad Museum and Cowan Commercial Club Jarod Pearson is a seventh-generation resident of Franklin County and a member of the Cowan Community. He joined the Railroad Museum and Cowan Commercial Club at 14, but his passion for the organization only grew stronger over the years.

Long-standing members of both organizations welcomed him with open arms. Because of their willingness to pour into the young Pearson, he was able to step up years later as president and make a difference in each group and the broader community. 

He said, “The work of these two organizations shaped my thinking and sharpened my commitment to the town I live in.” 

Pearson’s dedication to the community stems from his childhood experiences watching his parents and other community members come together to make a difference. 

Photographed by Brooke Snyder.

He said he remembers the Homecoming ’86 Celebration the city held in 1985 and how dozens of people came together to decorate and prepare the Railroad Park. Pearson said watching community leaders as a child made an impression on him. 

“So many people who taught and inspired me and set that example have passed on. But I feel I’m part of their legacy because I continue what they started.” 

And now, as an adult, he’s continued that legacy by leading the two organizations in various impactful projects.

The group participates in the town’s commerce and supports causes and projects that benefit the beautiful town of Cowan.

Pearson described the Cowan Commercial Club as “an organization that’s about making the town livable.” 

Photographed by Brooke Snyder.

The club’s mission to promote the well-being of Cowan residents has resulted in initiatives such as creating the VisitCowan.com website and the Cowan Clipboard e-mail newsletter, among other projects. 

The Cowan Commercial Club is now 100 years old and is the oldest civic club in this area. Pearson said he feels proud to have served such a strong community for as long as he has. 

“It feels like you’re definitely part of something bigger. You’re a part of something with an impressive history that serves a dynamic purpose. And with your contribution, it has a future.” 

The Cowan Commercial Club is known these days for its annual Flag Day ceremony, inspired by an excerpt Pearson’s mother wrote about Betsy Ross and American Flag Day in the ‘70s. It is one of the newest, most unique traditions Cowan can call its own. 

One of the club’s challenges in recent decades was figuring out how to help bring the town back from challenging moments. In the early 2000s, numerous businesses and major industries faced difficult times. 

Photographed by Brooke Snyder.

The Railroad Park, the town’s centerpiece, was beginning to show its age, and it took a group of determined community members to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Their determination led to the original Fall in Love With Cowan Festival in 2002. That event was re-imagined as the Fall Heritage Festival in 2014, which has since become one of Franklin County’s largest outdoor events. 

Creating the festival helped motivate the community to invest in the park, recruit businesses, and encourage new property investment. 

Another enormous challenge the club tackled was the loss of Cowan’s only bank in 1997. Pearson said, “Just when we thought we were in the worst situation, we got to work.” In partnership with the City of Cowan, the Cowan Commercial Club organized a New Bank Task Force that coordinated a door-to-door survey and interviewed three prospective companies. In 2007, 10 years after the old Cowan Bank had closed, Franklin County United Bank opened a new branch in Cowan. The Cowan branch operates today as part of Citizens Tri-County Bank. 

Pearson said there had been other times when the group was discouraged by challenging economic times. Many small businesses were forced to close, but others persevered, and the town always pulled through. 

Pearson said, “Having a civic organization that brings residents, businesses, elected officials, and other organizations to the same table to work through issues and find positive ways we can contribute just keeps us all together. Being part of a civic organization in a small town is no small feat. It takes a lot of commitment and resolve, but we do it and get it done.” 

Despite being 100 years old, the Cowan Commercial Club shows no signs of slowing down, thanks to leaders like Pearson, who continue to push for progress in their town. However, he gives all due credit to the civic-minded leaders from years ago who set the example that he intends to follow. GN 

More Good News

Honoring Richard Ellis

Honoring Richard Ellis

WHAT WILL your legacy be? This question often lingers in our minds, prompting us to reflect on how we hope to be remembered and the impact we want to leave behind. For some, legacy is found in the...

read more
Homegrown Heroes

Homegrown Heroes

JOHN WINE led a group of teens on a mission trip in the sweltering heat of a Louisiana summer, working on a house without power. As sweat trickled down their faces, the reality of the need struck...

read more
A Lifeline In The Skies

A Lifeline In The Skies

THE EMERGENCY phone rang, cutting through the morning silence at Erlanger Health System. This sound was familiar, yet one that never failed to send a rush of adrenaline through the LIFE FORCE Air...

read more
Mac’s Meat: Farm-to-Fork

Mac’s Meat: Farm-to-Fork

MAC’S MEAT Processing has transformed local food traditions in our town since 1969. Established by Hugh “Mac” McCormick, this family-owned business has continuously grown and adapted over the years...

read more
John Ferrell: Sweet Success

John Ferrell: Sweet Success

JOHN FERRELL squinted into the sun, watching honeybees lumber from flower to flower. It wasn’t the same frantic buzzing that irritated him as a child. This time, he saw the intentional movements,...

read more
Ray Cobb: A Lens of Courage

Ray Cobb: A Lens of Courage

A YOUNG RAY Cobb, barely out of his teens, crouches behind a sandbag in a mock Vietnamese village. Sweat beads are on his forehead, and condensation gathers on his vintage camera lens. The distant...

read more
Legacy in Motion

Legacy in Motion

LEGACY. A term that has many definitions. It can be one’s money or assets, faith or values, or reputation. While it can mean so many things, what is important to remember about a person’s legacy is...

read more
Giving the gift of lights

Giving the gift of lights

JASON DAUGHERTY is a lover of Christmas. He enjoys the time of year when the family gets together and shares gifts and fellowship, along with the birth of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He not...

read more
Songs for the Season

Songs for the Season

OVER A century ago, the Festival of Lessons and Carols was introduced by the King’s College Chapel In Cambridge, England. According to the college’s website, the event was introduced in 1918 to...

read more
Bringing the Local Butcher Back

Bringing the Local Butcher Back

JEFF EBNER was riding his motorcycle on a hot Florida day when he stopped at a stoplight and noticed his shoe was stuck to the road. “I checked my shoe thinking I had stepped on a piece of chewing...

read more
Come Gather Here

Come Gather Here

CHEERS, THE Central Perk, Paddy’s Pub, MacLaren’s, and Monk’s Cafe. What do they all have in common? They are all iconic gathering places. Places that came into our lives each week, via our...

read more
The art of Preserving History

The art of Preserving History

PAINTERS CREATE with oils, pastels and watercolor. Sculptures work with clay, stone, and wood, and musicians experiment with melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. Each of these types of artists work...

read more
Remembering those who served

Remembering those who served

MY GRANDFATHER was a World War II veteran. He served as a staff sergeant for the United States military. He woke each morning and raised the American Flag, displaying it proudly from a front yard...

read more
The good stuff takes time.

The good stuff takes time.

MARTHA CAROL Luttrell, more commonly referred to as MC Luttrell, has played a foundational role in organizing a community outreach event in Franklin County over the last several years. Her tireless...

read more
Juneteenth

Juneteenth

“FREEDOM” enters the chatroom, and immediately it’s all, barbecued meat and who’s got the biggest bang of a firework show. While Independence Day is our nation’s designated time to pause and...

read more
Training for success

Training for success

Α NEW DOG, we imagine, would be a wonderful addition to our homes. We immediately picture wet kisses and cold evening cuddles. We see the perfect spot for his bed in the living room corner and...

read more
Licenses and Learning

Licenses and Learning

POWERBOATS, HOUSEBOATS, jet skis, jon boats, and even sailboats all make appearances at the annual Spirit of America Youth Boating Camp on Tims Ford Lake.  As the interest in water recreation...

read more
Juneteenth

For God and Country

FRANKLIN COUNTY residents have a long history of service to their country. It’s a history still being uncovered and honored through the Franklin County Veterans Flag Memorial, an American Legion...

read more