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Police set to give latest information on search efforts for Mollie Tibbetts on Friday

“We really only have one choice; to be hopeful and to keep a positive outlook. I want her to hold out hope and not give up because we are not giving up on...
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BROOKLYN, Iowa-- Wednesday, August 8, 2018 marks three weeks since 20-year-old University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts was last seen in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa.

Take a stroll through town, her hometown bank is keeping a running total of reward money for Mollie's safe return. It reached $301,000 Wednesday morning.

Even though it's been three weeks, people in Brooklyn are not giving up hope.

Walk about a block down from the bank, you'll find Live Now Designs owned by Joy VanLandschoot. Her design business has become the center hub for the search over the past 21 days.

"It's hard everyday. Every morning you hope you're going to wake up and have missed a phone call or the news that shes been found," says VanLandschoot.

She didn't know Mollie personally, but for the past three weeks, she's made upwards of about a million different signs and buttons of all kinds with Mollie's name and picture.

"People will come in off the interstate and say they're headed to New York or Kentucky, just every state. It's not surprising in a small community to have the community pull together but to have the state, nation the world behind you is astonishing, and we hope it helps find Mollie."

Joy doesn't do it alone. Sheri Sharer is one of many volunteers that help.

"I have a daughter that this could be her, and I work for the city and I figured this would be a good way to help," says Sharer.

More than 20 days spent pressing, cutting and fastening. These workers have a message for Mollie.

"We're going to find you. We're never going to stop until we do," says Sharer.

And the effort is just as eager as it was on day one.

"We really only have one choice; to be hopeful and to keep a positive outlook. I want her to hold out hope and not give up because we are not giving up on her," says VanLandschoot.

Police will hold a press conference with the latest information about the search for Mollie on Friday, August 10, 2018.

You can send in a tip at findingmollie.iowa.gov.

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