By Bethaney Phillips
Photos courtesy of Midwest Mollys
In Belleville and Republic County, like most small towns, two organizations work in tandem to grow their local reach: Republic County Community Foundation and Belleville Chamber of Commerce. Both organizations are housed in the same downtown building, located on Main Street.
That’s not where the similarities end, however. Both are ran by women named Molly. Molly Potuzak-Springer is the Director of Chamber and Mainstreet, while Molly Williams is the Director of Republic County Community Foundation.
Both started in their positions within six months of one another and were regularly confused for one another.
“People thought we were one person doing two jobs, or that we were doing the other person’s job,” said Williams said. “But we’re two separate Mollys with two separate jobs.”
That’s when the pair got together and decided to use the confusion in their favor. Together as Midwest Mollys, they tour venues, create videos, wear branded t-shirts – they have their own logo – to get the public excited and informed on Belleville and Republic County.
“It started as a joke; we were originally called ‘Tall Moll’ and ‘Small Moll’ because I am a little taller than Molly Williams, by about a foot,” Potuzak-Springer said. “Then it just naturally turned into Midwest Mollys. Initially it was lighthearted and it just turned into something.”
The pair creates videos for social media, including ones that introduce themselves and their separate rolls as “Foundation Molly” and “Chamber Molly.” Some are lighthearted, like testing out an adjustable mattress in a front window on Main Street. They were invited to attend a Bunco gathering. Others are festive, like the holiday lights at Rocky Pond Christmas. Others still are informative, like touring the Belleville Power Plant.
“The Power Plant has always been here and it’s a huge asset, but why?” said Williams. “That was specifically fun because I knew nothing about it and it’s fun because the idea is to look at the best things in Republic County and find out what we need to tell people about them.”
Next, the duo wants to visit the water treatment plant for a similar tour.
“We just need to go stick our nose in the things that when you’re mid-life you should probably know about,” Williams said. “And we’re in the position to go investigate those things and share them with others. We want to hopefully be a driving force to accomplish both our goals.”
Down the road, Potuzak-Springer said she wants to continue to spread awareness and highlight the county’s best features.
“We’re pretty attached at the hip and kind of do whatever together,” Potuzak-Springer said. “We’re always open for a conversation or visitors; our office is right on the main drag inside the front door to the left and to the right.”
