Spirit of Athens and its partners win 5 Main Street awards

by Holly Hollman
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unnamedATHENS-The Spirit of Athens, a nationally-accredited Main Street organization, netted five Main Street Alabama awards that highlight partnerships with businesses, other non-profit agencies and local leaders.

These type of partnerships have led to more than 4,500 volunteer hours being spent to enrich Downtown Athens since June 2014.

At a banquet in Birmingham on Tuesday night, Spirit of Athens received awards for fundraising, downtown events and promoting others who work to enhance Downtown Athens. Main Street Alabama celebrated designated communities’ successes on Aug. 23, 2016, Main Street Alabama Day, as proclaimed by Gov. Robert Bentley. The awards Athens and other designated communities from across the state received were designed and made by metal artist Micah Gregg who operates a studio based in Huntsville called Drop Metal.

Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks and Limestone County Commission Chairman Mark Yarbrough both congratulated Spirit of Athens for its efforts to collaborate with other entities to make Downtown Athens a retail and tourist destination while supporting historic preservation.

Mayor Ronnie Marks

Mayor Ronnie Marks

“These awards indicate others in the state have noticed the success we are experiencing thanks to Spirit of Athens and its supporters,” Marks said. “We have a thriving downtown because of Spirit of Athens and its commitment to the Main Street concept.”

According to Main Street Alabama statistics comprised of information provided by Spirit of Athens, since June 2014, Downtown Athens has seen 17 net new businesses, 74 net new jobs created, $945,025 in private investment and 4,523 volunteer hours. That does not include recent months which have not yet been reported.

Yarbrough said he appreciates the volunteers who contribute their talents and time with Spirit of Athens and its partnering groups to give back to the community.

“Thousands of hours have been given by these volunteers, and I am extremely proud their hard work is being recognized,” Yarbrough said.

The five awards Spirit of Athens received are:

Athens Arts League Executive Committee member Amy Golden accepts the Excellence in Fundraising award from Charles Goodrich, Main Street Alabama Board Chairman and Vice President of Revitalization Programs for the National Main Street Center, Matt Wagner.

Athens Arts League Executive Committee member Amy Golden accepts the Excellence in Fundraising award from Charles Goodrich, Main Street Alabama Board Chairman and Vice President of Revitalization Programs for the National Main Street Center, Matt Wagner.

• Excellence in Fundraising for the event A High Cotton Homecoming with Roger Murrah and Friends, which netted about $7,000 for Athens Arts League to support its downtown non-profit art incubator called High Cotton Arts. Murrah, an award-winning songwriter and Athens native, hosted the concert.

• Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships for projects done with Lowe’s of Athens. The local Lowe’s store donated Christmas trees to the City of Athens in 2015, and in turn, the city worked with Spirit of Athens, Athens-Limestone Tourism, Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful and Limestone County Archives to create the inaugural North Pole Stroll. Lowe’s also donates the use of plants to decorate for downtown events and helped improve the Limestone County Farmers Market in downtown Athens.

• Excellence in Business Promotions for Fridays After Five, a merchant driven event where downtown businesses stay open later on the second Fridays of each month from July through September. Spirit of Athens coordinates the event and has music, artists and vendors.

Earl Glaze, who oversaw much of the construction of City Hall, accepted the award from Charles Goodrich, Main Street Alabama Board Chairman and Vice President of Revitalization Programs for the National Main Street Center, Matt Wagner.

Earl Glaze, who oversaw much of the construction of City Hall, accepted the award from Charles Goodrich, Main Street Alabama Board Chairman and Vice President of Revitalization Programs for the National Main Street Center, Matt Wagner.

• Excellence in Architectural Design for the City of Athens and its new City Hall, which opened this year in downtown and replaced a 1955 structure. City Hall’s design is based on the Greek revival architecture prevalent in the downtown area and historic districts. City Hall will include a tribute to the late Judge James Horton who presided over a Scottsboro Boys defendant’s re-trial and overturned a guilty jury verdict, leading to the end of his political career. Horton’s home was at the City Hall site in the 1930s during the trial and was later moved to Greenbrier. The Horton family donated the land to the city for public use. In addition, iconic sites, many from the downtown area, are showcased at City Hall on canvas prints photographed by local artist Randal Peek.

Kristina Hendrix, Rebekah Davis and Carolyn Williams with Athens-Limestone Community Association accepted the Community Award ward from Charles Goodrich, Main Street Alabama Board Chairman and Vice President of Revitalization Programs for the National Main Street Center, Matt Wagner.

Kristina Hendrix, Rebekah Davis and Carolyn Williams with Athens-Limestone Community Association accepted the Community Award ward from Charles Goodrich, Main Street Alabama Board Chairman and Vice President of Revitalization Programs for the National Main Street Center, Matt Wagner.

• Community Award for Athens-Limestone Community Association, a non-profit group dedicated to preserving and promoting the Trinity/Fort Henderson historic site near Downtown Athens. Fort Henderson was a Civil War fort built by ex-slaves and later served as the site of Limestone County’s only all-black high school. Trinity School closed amid integration in 1970 and fell into disrepair. The association has worked with the community to restore part of the school and open the Pincham-Lincoln Community Center. Spirit of Athens works with ALCA to promote its events held in Downtown Athens.

Main Street Alabama’s President and State Coordinator, Mary Helmer, said, “The award winners represent the most innovative downtown revitalization projects in our Main Street Alabama communities. The effort and leadership it takes to move these projects from concept through completion is tremendous, and we are thrilled to acknowledge such achievements.”

photo credit:  zeekee business photos

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