Community Collaboration Brings New Welcome Sign to Sisters, Oregon

Kiwanis Club, student artists, and local volunteers team up to revitalize iconic town entrance display.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 12:00am

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A bold, colorful silkscreen-style illustration featuring a repeated pattern of a wooden welcome sign plaque in neon shades of yellow, purple, and white, capturing the celebratory energy of the community project.The vibrant new 'Welcome to Sisters' sign, a collaborative community project, brings a pop art flair to the town's iconic entrance.Sisters Today

The Kiwanis Club of Sisters, Oregon, in collaboration with student artists from the local high school, have erected a new 570-pound 'Welcome to Sisters' sign at the eastern entrance to the town. The two-sided sign, which also reads 'Come Back Soon' on the reverse, was a community effort to revitalize and repaint an existing sign that was previously removed due to a nearby roundabout construction project.

Why it matters

The new welcome sign serves as an iconic entry point and community landmark for the town of Sisters, showcasing the collaborative spirit and artistic talents of local volunteers and students. As Sisters continues to evolve, this project highlights the town's commitment to maintaining its welcoming character and small-town charm for both residents and visitors.

The details

The sign, measuring 4.5-by 11-feet, was originally taken down by the city during planning for a new roundabout. It was then transported to the Sisters High School art class, where a group of students led by teacher Bethany Gunnarson sanded, disassembled, redesigned, and repainted the sign over the course of several weeks. The students incorporated elements like engraved relief, hand-painted flowers, and their own signatures into the final design. After being stored for over a year, the refurbished sign was reassembled and installed at its new permanent location by Kiwanis volunteers.

  • The original 'Welcome to Sisters' sign was taken down more than a year ago during planning for a new roundabout project.
  • The high school art students worked on redesigning and repainting the sign over the course of several weeks last spring.
  • The refurbished sign was reinstalled and unveiled to the public last Friday.

The players

Kiwanis Club of Sisters

A local community service organization that coordinated the installation of the new welcome sign.

Sisters High School

The local high school whose art students were involved in the redesign and repainting of the welcome sign.

Bethany Gunnarson

The art teacher at Sisters High School who led the student project to revitalize the welcome sign.

Samantha Powell

A ninth-grade student at the time who was a key contributor to the sign's redesign.

David Hiller

A Kiwanis volunteer involved in the project to install the refurbished welcome sign.

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What they’re saying

“We were happy to lend our skills to repaint the flowers for the City of Sisters sign! It was rewarding for students to be able to help a little bit or a lot, and to see the progress many hands made over the course of a few weeks.”

— Bethany Gunnarson, Art Teacher, Sisters High School

“The highlight of the project was seeing concept design by Bethany and her students using art design graphics and then how perfectly they actually came to painting it.”

— David Hiller, Kiwanis Volunteer

What’s next

The new welcome sign is considered a temporary installation, as the city of Sisters plans to erect a more permanent gateway sign later this year as part of a comprehensive citywide signage project.

The takeaway

This community-driven project to revitalize the iconic 'Welcome to Sisters' sign demonstrates the town's commitment to maintaining its small-town character and collaborative spirit, even as it continues to evolve. The involvement of local students, volunteers, and organizations highlights Sisters' focus on celebrating its unique identity and welcoming visitors.