<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Joy Team’s messages rising across Phoenix

Vancouver nonprofit has four billboards near site of Sunday's Super Bowl

By , Columbian Education Reporter
Published:

On the Web

The Joy Team

http://thejoyteam.org

As local Seahawks fans drive to the University of Phoenix Stadium for the Super Bowl on Sunday, they may see four enormous billboards reminding them to smile. Be joyful.

It also might seem like deja vu for Clark County residents. The billboards were placed by the Vancouver nonprofit The Joy Team, led by founder Michele McKeag Larsen. The nonprofit has placed more than 100 joyful billboards in the Vancouver-Portland metro area.

Placing billboards promoting positive messages in Phoenix during the Super Bowl was not planned.

“That was a happy coincidence,” said McKeag Larsen. “I got an email from Fred Bentzen of Outfront Media who saw some of the press we got on our 100th positive message billboard. He said, ‘We love what you’re doing. We’d love for you to spread some joy in Phoenix, too.'”

The advertising company had surplus billboards and offered them at a reduced, public service announcement rate. Joy Team board members Heather Strang, Carol McKeag and Patricia Johnson contributed to sponsoring the billboards. Within two weeks, the billboards were up.

On the Web

The Joy Team

<a href="http://thejoyteam.org">http://thejoyteam.org</a>

These messages will be seen more than a million times during the four-week period the billboards are displayed, Larsen said.

“After it was all set in motion, we realized the Super Bowl is happening at the same time the billboards are up,” Larsen said. “Isn’t that fortunate? Quite a happy coincidence.”

The billboards spread out in the Phoenix metro area read:

• “Smiling leads to happiness. Try it. We double dog dare you.” Location: Grand Avenue, 100 feet north of 39th Avenue; just 8 miles from University of Phoenix Stadium, where the Super Bowl is being played.

• “Breathe in love. Exhale gratitude.” Location: Cave Creek Road, 94 feet north of Ninth Street.

• “You are beautiful. Yes, you.” Location: Van Buren Street, 100 feet west of 19th Street.

• “You’re on the path that leads to awesome. Seriously. We saw the sign.” Location: Apache Trail, 50 feet west of Saguaro Drive.

No Joy Team members will be in Phoenix on Sunday to see the billboards or the Super Bowl. But the Joy Team would like to continue expanding beyond the Vancouver-Portland area.

“Ultimately, I’d love to have these billboards up in every city in the U.S.,” Larsen said. “It would be a great thing for people everywhere to have a positive message enter their brain at some random time because it’s on a billboard. Hopefully, it will keep snowballing.”

What’s next for the Joy Team? On Feb. 13, the Junior Joy Team will be delivering Valentines with the entire third grade class of Hough Elementary to Vancouver Fire Department to Station 5.

“We’re making valentines for all Vancouver Fire employees, that includes janitors, fire fighters, administration, everybody,” Larsen said.

Loading...
Columbian Education Reporter