[OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Update - March 2023 Newsletter

[La Grande Main Street Downtown]

March 2023 Newsletter LA GRANDE MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN About Us Support Our Mission Hello OMS, March is just beginning and LGMSD is busy planning unique and fun events for the year. Our two March events, the St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl on March 17th and the Shamrock Shuffle 5K and 10K on March 18th promise to be fun for everyone! St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl and Shamrock Shuffle On Friday, March 17th (actual St. Patrick’s Day), we are bringing back the LGMSD St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl, from 6 to 9 PM. For $15, you get a lanyard, a koozie, and a shamrock cup at the first stop at Market Place Fresh Foods. Then you can, while wearing green, wander around our award-winning downtown, visiting different restaurants and bars for drink specials (real and mock) and food specials. You will receive stickers for your “passport” to be entered into a drawing to win gift cards from each participating restaurant, along with EOBF tickets. There will be a bus going from one end of Adams to the other and back. Loveland Safe Ride will provide two cars for a safe ride home. You can register online at our website: https://www.lagrandemainstreet.org/st-patricks-day-pub-crawl.html or pay on the day of the Pub Crawl in cash at Market Place Fresh Foods. Then, on Saturday, March 18th, LGMSD will host the inaugural Shamrock Shuffle, a 5K/10K around our historic downtown. Folks are encouraged to walk, run, skip or dance along the course. There will be a live DJ opening and closing the race and prizes given for the best costume, individual and group, as well as for the top finisher in each group. Professional chip timing and a tee shirt are included.  There is still time to sign up. Register by March 6th to guarantee a tshirt! Click on this link to participate in this fun event. ​https://www.lagrandemainstreet.org/shamrock-shuffle.html   La Grande Women in Business   The LGMSD Promotion Committee has formed the Shop Local subcommittee. This committee is dedicated to helping support the Shop Local initiative within our downtown community.   Through the Shop Local subcommittee, we are working on a Women in Business quarterly networking symposium to empower women entrepreneurs and employees in La Grande, and work together to make a better downtown. If you are interested in joining this group, please fill out the google form HERE for more information.   La Grande Main Street Downtown is excited to be bringing these great new opportunities to La Grande that will help support our restaurants, retail stores, and professional service businesses downtown.  Interested? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/xPSCmpSq21zh2SFv7   Interested in meeting awesome new people and helping out at the Holiday Parade, Shop Local Sub Committee, etc? Fill out the form for more information! https://forms.gle/i3T9e5p5xTaThS6t5 Words from Director Nelson Tracey:   Breakup Season wraps production in La Grande: over the last 3 weeks, a visiting crew of 30 filmmakers and 6 actors produced a feature length film all over the city of La Grande. The beautiful views unique to La Grande were the perfect setting for this film and the cast/crew all fell in love with the town; few of them had ever been to La Grande prior to this production. In addition to our primary location, a residence near Morgan Lake, our crew filmed in the following locations: The Liberty Theater Cafe, The Liberty Theater, The Archives Bookstore, Marketplace Underground, the La Grande Airport, and on many streets downtown including Adams, Fir, Depot, and Washington. In addition to filming locations, a few businesses were especially accommodating to our film production. Side A Brewery hosted a fundraiser on behalf of Eastern Oregon Film Festival. Brickyard Lanes hosted a bowling night for our cast and crew. Benchwarmers and Long Branch were frequently visited destinations for all members of the cast and crew. HQ hosted a karaoke night and a wrap party with live music by Bag of Hammers for the cast and crew. The Landing Hotel, Travelodge, and Super 8, along with a half dozen Airbnbs served as cast/crew lodging. There were many others in the community who were vital to the smooth completion of principal photography. It was an exciting, challenging, and always rewarding experience! Thank you to everyone who opened their doors and made this experience possible. The production is still fundraising through our website to cover the remaining costs of editing and distribution. Please consider making a donation through the Eastern Oregon Film Festival to support this project. Stay in touch with the film on Instagram @BreakupSeasonMovie for the latest updates on the film. New Partners A warm and hearty welcome to our new Partners from February!  Community Merchants Designs by Stef DraWiki, LLC Katie Martin Custom Designs The Teal Cactus Tyler Photo Co.,   Thank you so much for helping to make Downtown La Grande vibrant, stable, and beautiful! Committee Reports - Updates from a few of our committees Promotion Committee – Shawna McKinnis   The Promotions Committee has already had a busy 2023 with many more fun things to come. LGMSD is hosting the return of the St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl. Businesses will have food specials, drink specials, and mocktail specials. On Saturday, March 18th, LGMSD is presenting the inaugural Shamrock Shuffle 5K/10K. There will be prizes, finish line photos and much more.   We are currently working on a couple of new events as well as getting ready for some of our tried and true events with some cool updates so stay tuned for those!   If you would be interested in volunteering to help out with one of our events, please fill out this form:  https://forms.gle/TkdhiS9NquzKS78W9 We would love to have you and your ideas! Outreach Committee -- Nicole Felty   The Outreach Committee has been hard at work lining up volunteers for the Shamrock Shuffle 5K and is excited for the inaugural event. Looking forward to next month, in late April a Downtown Clean Up day is being coordinated with interested businesses and organizations and in May a member training and mixer is being developed alongside the coordinator for Main Street Oregon.  Design Committee -- Cassie Hibbert and Evie Stacey Façade Grants: Are you considering improvements to the exterior of your downtown building? LGMSD offers up to $7,500 in grant funding for exterior rehabilitation and restoration; painting; brick, masonry, and stucco repair; window repairs; awnings; signs and graphics; and exterior lighting. LGMSD volunteers are happy to work with you on ideas and navigating Historic Landmarks District standards to find the best option for your business needs. Contact Executive Director Monica McLaughlin for more information or visit our Facade Grant webpage.   Downtown Flower Baskets: LGMSD is pleased to announce the return of hanging flower baskets to downtown for Summer 2023! LGMSD will place 36 flower baskets on Adams Avenue light poles from 4th Street to Greenwood Ave. Baskets will be displayed late May through mid-September. Sponsorship opportunities start at $100/basket and will be recognized through a sign on the flower basket and on the LGMSD website, newsletter, announcements, and social media. If you would like to sponsor a flower basket, please contact Monica McLaughlin, LGMSD Executive Director - (541) 313-8770 - director at lagrandemainstreet.org 102 Depot St., La Grande, OR 97850 - lagrandemainstreet.org.    Eastern Oregon Beer Festival -- Tisha Comer and Stephanie Hansen Monthly meetings continue with huge progress being made in Marketing (We now have a EOBF Instagram! We will continue to post on Facebook). Tickets have gone on sale and this year we have the added convenience of using a QR code so participants can purchase anywhere and anytime with a phone. Tickets can be bought here: http://www.eobeerfest.org/   KC Kunkle with Ad Dad has signed on to provide sound for the EOBF stage, 2 screens, and his band (Alka Madi) will be the final band to end the event. There has been a big push to reach out to sponsors. Multiple members of the committee stepped up to help Jacque and Monica reach out to local businesses in-person. Committee members have been making connections by attending beer fests around the surrounding states. This has also given us valuable insight into what does and does not work so we can make EOBF better for attendees and volunteers alike.   The EOBF VIP party will be held at the stunning Marketplace Fresh Foods Rooftop again this year. We look forward to working with Marco and Russ to put together a mouthwatering menu to match the angelic voice of the EOU Beer Choir. Meet LGMSD   Check out the newest feature on the LGMSD webpage: Meet LGMSD.  Each week, we take you behind the scenes to introduce you to the folks that make us who we are—the Board, the Committees, the volunteers, and the staff. Each week, we plan to introduce you to one of the many individuals who contribute so much to La Grande Main Street and ultimately making La Grande a vibrant, stable, beautiful place to gather, shop, eat, work, live, and play. So far, we have profiled Mary Ann Miesner, the President of our Board of Directors, Joshua Annas, the Vice-President of our Board of Directors, Shawna McKinnis, the Secretary of our Board of Directors, Suzannah Moore Hemann, the Treasurer of our Board of Directors, and Carol Summers.. Next, we will be featuring Nicole Felty, Chair of the Outreach Committee. Check it out on our website at: https://www.lagrandemainstreet.org/news Board of Directors Retreat    The La Grande Main Street Board of Directors held a retreat this January, led by Timothy Bishop, Economic Development Director, the purpose of which was to define the top priorities for LGMSD for the upcoming year. As defined by the Board, the top priorities are:   ·       Rebuild strong relationships with the community (business community and community at large). ·       Promote/brand downtown as a destination. ·       Research with businesses the potential of expanding the current Adams Avenue streetscape. ·       Develop a funding strategy that is diverse, adequate and sustainable. ·       Establish and articulate the values of Main Street and educate committees and community about the value of our work. ·       Strengthen relationships with key partners. ·       Maintain fully and actively engaged Board and committees. ·       Implement the Main Street Refresh Plan (adopted as our strategic plan). ODOT Charging Equipment Rebate Program   This rebate program aims to increase access to Level 2 charging stations (these are not the super-fast ones or the slowest ones) in Oregon communities to boost local access. The program offers rebates to public and private entities to reduce the cost of purchasing, installing and maintaining qualified charging equipment at publicly accessible parking locations. Multi-family housing (MFH) parking areas are also eligible, but that’s only helpful information if you happen to know of local business groups who own apartment buildings who might be interested. In fact, I remember some above-business apartments downtown, so that might be worth asking about at the upcoming online information sessions or sharing if you have contacts with those building owners and could maybe work together to increase charging access downtown. The application for this program will be open in June but it’s a great idea to starting thinking and preparing ahead! Rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with the majority of funds (70%) reserved for projects in priority communities, or those defined as disadvantaged and rural under this program.   A few more technical details: Round 1 of the Program will provide $1.75 million in rebates and will accept applications until August 15, 2023 or until the program runs out of funds, whichever comes first.   Applications will be accepted, reviewed and reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding is available at the rebate levels identified in the Table below:   Project Type Charger Type Maximum Rebate per Port (Min. 2 ports/site) Publicly accessible parking, including right-of-way parking Level 2 $4,250 up to 75% of eligible project costs Multi-family housing (can be private) Level 2 $5,500 up to 75% of eligible project costs Multi-family housing (can be private) Level 1 $750   To qualify for an incentive, applicants may either apply prior to project installation and reserve funding or apply for the rebate within 90 days of the installation date, as long as installation was completed after the Program Effective Date in June 2023.   Here is the link to the website for the program Oregon Department of Transportation : ODOT’s Community Charging Rebates Program : Climate Office : State of Oregon.   For more information please visit Register for the upcoming CCR information sessions hosted by Forth:   · March 01, 2023 at 12pm PT · March 15, 2023 at 12pm PT · March 29, 2023 at 12pm PT   Flower Baskets   La Grande Main Street Downtown is pleased to announce the return of hanging flower baskets to Downtown for Summer 2023! LGMSD will place 36 flower baskets on the Adams Avenue light poles from 4th St. to Elm St. Baskets will be displayed from mid-May through mid-September.   Sponsorship opportunities include 1 Basket: $100 3 Baskets: $250 7 Baskets: $500 15 Baskets: $1000 All 36 Baskets: $2500   If you would like to sponsor a flower basket, please contact Monica McLaughlin, LGMSD Executive Director - (541) 313-8770 - director at lagrandemainstreet.org 102 Depot St., La Grande, OR 97850 - lagrandemainstreet.org.    All sponsors will be recognized through a sign on the flower basket and on the LGMSD website, newsletter, announcements, and social media. This year is starting off with fun and exciting events and a forward-moving spirit. Join us in the adventure that is La Grande Main Street Downtown.! Interested in being a Partner? Click here 2023 LGMSD Partners Ad Dad Advantage Mortgage Aguilera's Amazing Aromas Allied Mortgage Associated Design and Engineering BELLA Mercantile Be Well Studio Benchwarmers Pub & Grill Beyond the Lens Photography Birddog Glass Blue Summit Realty Cam Credits Carol Summers City of La Grande Clanktronix/The Archives Claudson's Sew and Soak Community Bank Community Kindness of Eastern Oregon Community Merchants Connected Professional Accountants LLC Country Financial, Paul Swigert Designs By Stef Dochos Dirty Girls Detailing DraWiki Eastern Oregon Title Edward Jones - Shawn Mangum Eleven Fifteen Spa Elkhorn Media Group EOAliveTV EONI Eastern Oregon University Elkhorn Media Group Fairway Independent Mortgage Fitzgerald's Flowers Globe Furniture Grande Ronde Hospital Grande Ronde Soap and Bath Guyer and Associates Hines Meat Company. John Howard and Associates Josh Annas Katie Martin Custom Designs La Grande Theatres Longbranch Lucy's Boutiques at the Market Place Underground Market Place Fresh Foods Mary Ann and Arlan Miesner Merlyn's Catering MJ Goss Motors Mountain Valley Therapy Mountain Works Nate Conklin State Farm Nature's Pantry Northwest Furniture & Mattress OTEC Peak Lifestyle Studio Papa Murphys Take & Bake Real Deals RE/MAX Real Estate Team Rob's Speedy Delivery Rosewood Cottage Side A Brewing Scott's Heating and Air Sorbenots Tap That! Growlers, LLC Teal Cactus Ten Depot Street The Potter's House Timothy Bishop Travelodge Tyler Photo Co Union County Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Wheatland Insurance Woodsy Wicks ​Ziply Fiber   Upcoming Events La Grande Main Street 102 Depot Street La Grande, OR 97850 541-963-1223   Contact Us     Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email About Events Calendar News Contact La Grande Main Street Downtown | 102 Depot St, La Grande, OR 97850 Unsubscribe oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by director at lagrandemainstreet.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!
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