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Conference Focuses on Keeping Community Downtowns Vibrant
Lincoln
Businesses and Volunteers Applauded
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[November 23, 2007]
Wanda Lee Rohlfs, executive director of Main
Street Lincoln, attended the annual
Illinois
Main Street conference in Danville last week.
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 This year's theme, "Main Street for All Seasons -- Strategies for
Sustainability," featured Kevin Lust as the keynote speaker. His
presentation topic, "Moving Beyond Change," provided insights into
improving personal and organizational sustainability by emphasizing
the skills and strategies to accept change and to thrive because of
it. The sessions were directed at the four-point approach of
economic restructuring, organization, promotion and design, with
direction on being proactive for historic preservation and about
historic assets.Main Street programs are all about volunteers.
Every volunteer was reminded of their worth to our sustainability.
In Illinois, in today's climate, volunteers are valued at $19.52
(2005 resource) an hour. It has been estimated that with the
diversity in people and occupations, those who become involved in
the endeavors of downtown revitalization on a voluntary basis
contribute thousands of dollars a year by giving of their time. It
indicates a true belief in the desire to bring the downtowns to life
again.
Ending the program for the two-day conference, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn
presented awards to communities that wrote about their vibrant and
exciting downtown activities.
Main Street Lincoln has much to be proud of with the
architecture, shopping, eating, decorating and activities in the
Courthouse Square Historic District. The volunteers need to be
applauded, and the businesses need to be recognized for their
sustainability. It is good to be home in Lincoln, Ill.
[Text from file received from
Wanda Lee Rohlfs, Main Street Lincoln manager] |
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