Downtown Beautification and Improvements:

• Purchase 24 downtown banners for the City
• Beautify downtown with the purchase and maintenance of many hibiscus planters located throughout the area.
• Contribute to the City of Vero Beach more than $21,000 toward Model Block improvements.
• Purchase decorative vintage street lights for model block
• Purchase tables and chairs for downtown events
• Along with the Hibiscus Festival, has Underwritten the cost of a 6’ fiberglass turtle replica for downtown…as a part of the Mental Health Association’s TurtleTrax fundraising and public arts event

Other Accomplishments:

• Direct significant volunteer effort in support of program with 100s of people contributing 1000s of hours
• Lead role in annual Christmas in Downtown event
• Hold charrettes for public input on downtown design, public traffic issues, visioning for future
• Encourage private investment in revitalization of downtown
• Maintain database of downtown properties and businesses
• Create Main Street brochure, quarterly newsletter
• Provide Main Street traffic signs to City
• Promote downtown in media
• Organize visits to other Main Street cities to study results
• Create and sell original art posters, post cards and T-shirts to promote downtown
• Partner with Jaycees to sell historic downtown blankets
• Arrange for outside Market Study to determine future of downtown
• Organize and chair City of Vero Beach Ad Hoc Committee to establish downtown priorities
• Create new downtown event, Goof-A-Lympics
• Organize Diamond Alliance with Royal Palm Pointe and Oceanside Business Association to work towards uniform identity for all city shopping areas
• Hold Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, give out awards
• Conduct annual Strategic Planning Workshops for board to determine work plan
• Lobbies County Space Needs Committee to build new Administration Building downtown
• Coordinate Thompson Elementary School Mural project with Main Library
• Speak to community clubs and organizations about downtown needs and accomplishments
• Maintain excellent working relationship with Florida Main Street in Tallahassee
• Downtown manager and volunteers attend Main Street conferences
• Weekly Downtown display ads in Press Journal
• Received awards for Downtown posters and Downtown Friday Anniversary insert
• Press Journal Readers Choice award for Downtown Friday “Best Event”
• Assisted other community organizations starting similar events
• Participate as one of 50 sponsors in the Mental Health Association’s “TurtleTrax” fundraising and public art promotion. MSVB will be official sponsors of one of the turtles which will be situated in the historic sector on display.

2002/2003-Accomplishments

• Establish monthly communications newsletter to all members, prospective members and VIP list
• Create and maintain membership lists
• Continue on-going speaker engagements to local organizational meetings
• Organize and participate in the creation of the Library Mural
• Organize the dedication and extensive publicity for Library Mural
• Act as advocates for new Downtown Entry Sign on State Road 60, new light pole banners throughout the downtown district, refurbishing of Pocahontas Park (Playground)-Phase 1, City Diesel Plant refurbishing and the old Florida Theatre (Center for Performing Arts at Theatre Plaza) restoration
• Utilize fundraising dollars towards new drinking fountain in Pocahontas Park Playground
• Participate on the Pocahontas Park Playground Grand Opening committee
• Coordinate with the city for new banners for light poles to match new downtown entry sign on State Road 60
• Coordinate guest writer column in Press Journal-speaking on the attributes, activities and future for the historic district of downtown.
• Resurrect a promotions committee to look at possible future events/fund raising activities
• Resurrect and launch the return of a semi-annual Downtown Friday-March 2002
• Work with the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce in participating in a Networking Breakfast at the Heritage Center.

2003/2004/2005-Accomplishments

• Held Downtown Friday events in October 2003, April 2004, November 2004, January 2005, April 2005
• Additional Downtown Friday’s will be held on July 29 and October 21, 2005
• Maintain a Downtown Friday Committee-
• Work hand-in-hand with the Press Journal (and other media) on advertising and editorial to promote Downtown Friday
• Coordinate a committee for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Hibiscus Festival-April 2004
• Maintain committee volunteers and directions for Hibiscus Festival
• Work with the City and Press Journal creating a logo for the Hibiscus Festival
• Work hand-in-hand with the Press Journal on advertising, promotion and editorial to promote the Hibiscus Festival.
• Communicate with all other media (print, radio and television) to promote the Hibiscus Festival.
• Crowned a 2004 Hibiscus Queen

• Establish the dates of April 15 and April 16 respectively for the 2005 Hibiscus Festival Weekend
• Launching the 2005 Hibiscus Committee in July
• Communicate with downtown businesses for the continuation and participation in the Hibiscus planter project.
• Moderate at the Press Conference for the grand announcement of the Center for Performing Arts at Theatre Plaza restoration.
• Sponsor a “meet and greet” for Theatre Director, Fred Sailor
• Appointed board representative sitting on the board of the Theatre working in unison on fundraising contacts and on-going awareness of the theatre project
• Coordinated Downtown Friday and Hibiscus Festival posters to be donated to the new Hibiscus Children’s Center
• Working on the sponsorship of a Breakfast with the Mayor
• Coordinating a 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of the DVBA/MSVB collectively
• Work with the Vero Beach Book Fair on Street Closures
• Plan Christmas in Downtown ‘04 in tandem with the Heritage Center and handle all publicity relative to event.
• Plan Christmas in Downtown at Downtown Friday-05 with the Heritage Center and the Downtown Vero Beach Merchants Association
• Plan and execute the Hibiscus Festival 05 in collaboration with the Heritage Center and the IRC Historical Society.
• Set April dates for Hibiscus Festival 06 with committee meetings beginning in August 05.
• Work hand in hand with the local media regarding PR and promotion for the Hibiscus Festival and institute 2nd Festival Insert in the Press Journal
• Institute new web site for organization: mainstreetverobeach.org in construction as of august 05
• Work hand In hand with departments of the City of Vero Beach on aspects of the Hibiscus Festival
• Support the approval process and fundraising of the Rotary Clubs Centennial Fountain in Pocahontas Park.
• Continue the monthly publication of a MSVB newsletter.
• Institute a “Charity of the Evening” for each Downtown Friday event, inviting a local charity to be a part of the street party and allowing them awareness and fundraising opportunities.
• Developed a website, offering an array of information for merchants, shoppers, and visitors to the downtown area.