ATHENS-A farming family, a businesswoman, an artist and a businessman were honored Thursday, March 19, for their efforts to enhance downtown Athens.
Their efforts focused on renovating downtown buildings into new uses. The Spirit of Athens honored the recipients during its annual Spirit of Athens Awards Luncheon held at the Limestone County Event Center.
“These investments into downtown Athens help us preserve its history, promote tourism and improve our economic vitality,” said Spirit of Athens Director Trisha Black.
The award recipients were:
● Volunteer of the Year Award – Artist Lisa Milby, who is overseeing set-up operations of High Cotton Arts, a non-profit art incubator operated by Athens Arts League that is set to open in April.
● Downtown Revitalization Award – Laurie Mcguire, a businesswoman who renovated a row of buildings on Market Street, preserving them and resulting in new businesses locating downtown.
● Friend of Downtown Award – Isom’s Orchard owned by Wes and Marlene Isom. The Isoms and their daughter Mary Alice hosted the 2014 Dinner in the Orchard with Alabama Shakes fundraiser for High Cotton Arts. The event with the Grammy-nominated Athens-based band raised about $40,000 to renovate the storefront for the art incubator.
● Spirit of Giving Award – Businessman Jim Batson, owner of H.C. Blake and Co., who bought the former Estes Building on Washington Street and offered Spirit of Athens an affordable lease and manpower to create a project to enhance the community.
Black also honored Betsy Hyman for serving as Athens Grease Festival chairwoman, and David Seibert for construction work at High Cotton Arts.
The luncheon highlighted the High Cotton Arts facility. Athens Arts League Committee Chairwoman Diane Lehr said the facility will offer artists an affordable place to create art, a platform to nurture their business plans and an avenue to learn about festivals, marketing and educational opportunities. The facility will also have window galleries for special art shows and classroom space for artists to offer classes. There will be art camp opportunities in an adjoining green space that will accommodate children from the Boys and Girls Club and in foster care with Department of Human Resources, as well as festivals and other art events.
Black gave an overview of 2014, which included 10 new businesses in downtown Athens, more than 2,000 volunteer hours worked downtown and valued at over $44,000, and four Main Street Alabama awards. Black also highlighted Athens Rotary’s Pecan Park project at Green and Marion streets, which added a pocket park by a 100-year-old pecan tree, and the Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful “Show Your Butt” campaign to raise awareness about the use of new cigarette receptacles purchased for The Square area.
