Ellensburg Downtown Association to Send 8 to National Main Streets Conference
With the help of a $500 donation from local developer Triple L, LLC, and a willingness to volunteer during the conference, the Ellensburg Downtown Association will be sending a delegation of 8 Board members and volunteers to the National Main Street’s Conference March 25-28 in Seattle.
Ellensburg Downtown Association Director Timothy Bishop is excited to have this large of a turnout. “We’re absolutely thrilled to have this many volunteers able to attend the conference. As a relatively new program this kind of training opportunity will have a tremendous impact on our revitalization efforts.”
3 of those attending took advantage of an offer from conference organizers to volunteer 8 hours during the 4 day conference in return for a complimentary registration. The local development group, Triple L, LLC also donated $500 to help cover the cost of one and a half registrations. The association was able to cover the remaining registration costs from funds set aside in their operating budget for Board and volunteer training. Volunteers attending the conference will pay for their own lodging and transportation.
The 2007 Main Streets Conference will focus on sustainability of both revitalization organizations and the communities they serve. By focusing development back to traditional town centers and commercial districts, preservation-based revitalization has always supported the tenets of land use sustainability and Smart Growth principles. Main Street programs provide a framework from which sustainability principles can be applied to the entire community’s development. In Seattle, attendees will learn how communities face and resolve the challenges of sprawl; building successful partnerships that communities develop to create sustainable growth; and answering the question: where does smart growth and community development meet? Content will also focus on how Main Street and other revitalization programs stay active and effective in their communities.
"Having the National Main Streets Conference in Seattle this year is a tremendous opportunity for cities and towns throughout Washington to learn more about how the Main Street Approach is being used to successfully to revitalize communities across the country. The conference also presents a great networking opportunity for delegates with more than 1200 other downtown revitalization professionals and volunteers in attendance." According to Susan Kempf of the Washington State Main Street Program at the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
“Sessions at this year’s conference will include a fantastic array of educational sessions, tours, and networking opportunities” noted Doug Loescher, Director, of the National Trust Main Street Center. Some of the topics that will be covered in various sessions during the conference include:
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Growing Your Main Street Budget· Attracting Sponsors Who Will Stick with You over Time
· Making a Mountain-sized Membership Campaign out of a Molehill Budget
· Sponsorship Selling for Small Towns
· Fun and Fund Raising Through Festivals
· Find Your Niche in the Gen Y Marketplace
· Online Solutions for Main Street Retailers
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How Green is Your Main Street?· Smart Downtown Parking
· Is Your Main Street Program an Entrepreneurial Support Organization?
For more information about the National Main Streets Conference contact National Trust Main Street Center program associate Mary de la Fe at 202-58588-6219, email msconference@nthp.org or log onto the official conference website www.conference.mainstreet.org
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