MainStreet is one of the newer passions in my life. I have always enjoyed the

magic of quaint little towns as I traveled, and several years ago I was

introduced to this non-profit organization that is part of the National Trust for

Historic Preservation. You can visit their website www.mainstreet.org for all the

details about the program, but basically communities can apply through their

state program to be a certified MainStreet community. The one I work with is in

Clovis, NM. Their goal is to revitalize a downtown district that was impacted by

a mall opening up in the 1980’s and the sprawl of development that has grown

the town’s boundaries. They focus on economic development, historic

preservation and events that highlight the downtown.

I took to this new world like a duck to water and completed a two-year training

through the Trust to become a nationally certified director in January of 2009.

(Hurray!) This opened the door for me to work with the state program doing

consulting with MainStreet communities in the area of Promotions. It has been

amazing fun! I consult with communities one-on-one, train Promotions

Committees, and teach workshops all focused on branding, marketing, event

planning and retail promotions. I love seeing each community figure out how to

highlight their unique district and “package” it to share with residents and

tourists.