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Thurmont’s Main Street and EDC Plan New Events and Improve Old Offerings in 2007
Ingrid Mezo
Vickie Grinder, Thurmont’s Main Street Manager and Economic Development Committee [EDC] chairwoman, has big plans this year for how to attract tourism dollars to
the town, and get the community involved in town events and shopping in local businesses. Town beautification is also on her list of priorities this year.
"The biggest goal in 2007 is to increase awareness for our Main Street businesses, as well as locally-owned independent businesses," Grinder said.
This year, Grinder said she hopes to improve on the town’s welcome package that she put together last year.
This year’s welcome package will include a bound coupon package, the town’s brand new "Get Away to the Gateway" map, promotional items from local businesses like
pens and notepads, and a listing of local, family-oriented events that occur in the town throughout the year like Halloween in the Park. Grinder said she is also looking into getting
new bags for the welcome package.
Grinder plans to start a brand new program in the town called "Furmont Days of Main Street," where people can bring their dogs to community events like a dog and
pet owner look-alike contest, a pet parade, and an agility contest for dogs. Tammy Bomberger of Bomberger’s Pet Sitting, a local business, is the chairwoman for the event, and
Grinder has already met with her to discuss how they will pull it off, she said.
The dog events in the community will run three Saturdays throughout the year, potentially in May, June, and September, when the weather is comfortable enough to
walk dogs outside. So far, the two want to call one of the Saturdays a "Dog Day Afternoon" and another "Howloween."
The events will have the added benefit of bringing people into the downtown businesses, Grinder said. The two also hope to get local veterinarians involved to set
up informational booths where dog owners can learn how to ensure their pets’ safety in extreme weather, and that type of thing, Grinder said.
"There are a lot of dog lovers in this town, so we’re looking for a good response to this," she said. "I love all dogs," said Grinder, who owns two boxers named
Isabella and Rex.
Another new town event Grinder hopes to put together this year is a scarecrow contest on Main Street.
"The gist is local residents and kids can make different types of scarecrows, and we’ll display them in the stores," she said. "I’d like to put them telephone poles
on Main Street, so people can go into the stores and cast votes, and get a prize from [the town’s EDC.] That would give Main Street a little bit of a fall look."
She said she got the idea while driving through Waynesboro, Pa. "One was a bride," Grinder said. "That was my favorite. They really have come a long way on their
Main Street. They probably had 50 or 60 of them up on telephone polls."
For next year’s Christmas holiday, Vicki would like to have a local artist design a Christmas ornament that the town could sell as a fundraiser. Local artist and
gallery owner Rebecca Pearl’s painting of a downtown scene adorned the Christmas cards Grinder sent out this year, she said.
"Most of the businesses this year had really nice Christmas decorations this year," she said. "The storefronts were illuminated and really well-merchandised. On
Main Street’s wish list this year would be new decorations for Mechanicstown Park."
The town’s economic development committee this year will also work with the town’s farmer’s market committee to potentially change the location and improve the
market’s marketing. Grinder said the town’s economic development committee plans to meet in March with Dawn Weddle, the chairwoman for the committee this year and others involved
with the farmer’s market to "listen to what the vendors have to say, make it more visible, not only to locals but to tourists as well, and have more signs this year."
Grinder has also been working in conjunction with the town’s EDC and Mayor Martin Burns on purchasing planters for Main Street, and replacing the flowers in them
with little Christmas trees during the winter. Grinder said they also discussed topiaries for the town square.
Grinder said she is a firm believer in the tourism industry, and would like to continue to grow the tourism for Thurmont.
"I don’t believe the Town of Thurmont has capitalized on the tourism industry," she said. "Thurmont is a nice getaway, and on the weekends we have people from
Baltimore, D.C., [and elsewhere] here. Tourism brings money into the community and you do not have to build houses or schools for it."
The town’s EDC is working with Frederick County Tourism on a new promotion for municipalities along U.S. Rt. 15 called "15 on 15," she said.
This year, Grinder also plans to continue apply for grants to fund Main Street programs and help businesses, and projects like the trolley path and car.
And, of course, Thurmont’s Main Street and economic development committee will continue current programs, including a third annual Business Expo on March 30.
"We’re going to have a Hawaiian theme this year," said Commissioner Bill Blakeslee, liaison to the town’s EDC. "We will have more room than last year, more
parking."
Blakeslee said the committee was looking into having a shuttle service from the lower fields where the vendors could park to allow more parking space for visitors.
"Now is the time to start thinking about it," he said.
"I’m hoping that we continue the positive work that we’ve done, and hope that we get more businesses involved, and hope to make the organization even stronger,"
Blakeslee said. "We’re going to try and get more people involved in Main Street to get a group decision, rather than a decision by one or two people, and we’ll get their input, and
spread the workload out."
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