ODESSA, Mo. — In Lafayette County, a unique initiative is underway to boost Odessa's historic downtown.

"We just want people to visit Odessa, spend their tax dollars here [and] enjoy what we have to offer," the city's finance director, Cathy Thompson, said Monday.

Thompson is also the treasurer for The Downtown Collective of Odessa. It's a nonprofit organization working to continue revitalization efforts for downtown.

Now, a dozen O's are up for auction, with the profits set to go toward the downtown revitalization efforts.

"With that, we are hoping to revitalize the downtown area, and we decided to show off the artistic talent of our Odessa citizens," Thompson said. "They're good. I'm telling you they are really, really good. This would not be my work, by any stretch of the imaginatio

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