The national small business movement, Independent We Stand, announces the quarterfinalists, including Venice MainStreet, of the 2016 Independent We Stand “America’s Main Streets” contest. As the lifeblood of our cities and towns, Main Streets play an important role in the long-term success of communities and help build a sense of place. Venice Main Street is calling on the public to vote for help move VMS one step closer to the grand prize of $25,000.
Venice MainStreet was founded in 1987. During this time businesses and downtown were struggling. Today downtown prospers due to the ongoing economic vitality and support that Venice MainStreet brings to it. The drive of Venice MainStreet is historic preservation through the context of economic vitality. “To protect what we have, we as a community must work together keep it viable.” says Erin Silk VMS Executive Director, “We are excited to be considered for the $25,000 grant from Independent We Stand. We hope you will help us by voting every day until May 29th.”
“The goal of this inaugural Independent We Stand ‘America’s Main Streets’ contest is to promote the importance and strong economic benefits of Main Streets and the small businesses that help them thrive,” says Independent We Stand co-founder Bill Brunelle. “We are so pleased to see how passionate people are about their Main Streets. It’s evident by the broad range of nominations we saw representing 44 states in the first round. Now, it’s time to rally and vote again for these terrific quarterfinalists.”
More than 150,000 votes were cast for 253 nominees during the nominations phase. The quarterfinalists in alphabetical order are:
• Ames Main Street Cultural District, Ames, Iowa
• Cedar Lee Business District Ohio, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
• Corning’s Gaffer District, Corning, N.Y.
• Dover-Foxcroft Downtown, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine
• Downtown Brookings, Brookings, S.D.
• Downtown Development Authority of the City of Tifton, Tifton, Ga.
• Downtown Laurel, MS, Laurel, Miss.
• Downtown Lynden, Lynden, Wash.
• Doylestown, PA, Doylestown, Pa.
• Gateway to the Great North Woods, Millinocket, Maine
• Grapevine Historic Main Street, Grapevine, Texas
• Historic Downtown Franklin TN, Franklin, Tenn.
• Jacksonville Main Street, Jacksonville, Ill.
• Main Street Greenville, Greenville, Ohio
• Main Street Libertyville, Libertyville, Ill.
• Main Street Madison Indiana, Madison, Ind.
• McKinney Main Street, McKinney, Texas
• Moultrie Main Street, Moultrie, Ga.
• Sterling Main Street, Sterling, Ill.
• Stuart Main Street, Stuart, Fla.
• Third Street, Beaver, Pa.
• Venice Main Street, Venice, Fla.
• Water Street, Gardiner, Maine
• Wellsboro Main Street Pennsylvania, Wellsboro, Pa.
• Woodstock, Georgia, Woodstock, Ga.
Semifinalist voting began May 2 at www.MainStreetContest.com and runs through May 29. Voting can be done daily.
The winner of the 2016 “America’s Main Streets” contest will be announced June 3.
http://mainstreetcontest.com/profile.php?id=46
