Meeting Delaware’s Main Street

Downtown Delaware's businesses -- and many others -- have been assisted by the efforts of Main Street Delaware.

With First Friday rolling into Delaware, Ohio, on … surprise … Friday night, we take a moment to shine the spotlight on Main Street Delaware.

To many people, Main Street Delaware is the organization behind the First Friday celebrations and weekly Farmer’s Market activities that happen on Wednesday and Saturdays throughout the harvest months.

But the organization is so much more, and is becoming even more, under the direction of its first full-time director in Frances Jo Hamilton. Hamilton oversees the organization’s four committees – promotions, economic restructuring, organization, and design. “It is hard to encapsulate everything that Main Street does,” Hamilton recently said at Chelly Belly’s in downtown Delaware. “Most see the work with farmer’s markets and First Fridays. But, there are three other committees that work hard for Main Street.”

Hamilton pointed out that Main Street Delaware is using the organizations experience with the city and business owners to help prospective businesses save money. “Businesses, and business owners, have to jump through a lot of hoops,” said Hamilton. “But we’ll work with them to keep them organized and informed before they waste money with an architect or sign designer.”

While the recession has hurt many organizations throughout the county, Main Street Delaware is on solid footing – both financially and voluntarily. In just the first six months of 2009, Main Street Delaware volunteers logged more than 2,500 hours. It is a key part of Hamilton’s function.
“We get volunteers involved in something fun,” said Hamilton. “Like baby-sitting an art gallery at First Friday or just getting them engaged by doing. Find out what their motivation is and get them into the volunteer opportunities where they can achieve.” Some of the volunteers work behind the scenes, while others are the visible face of the organization.

One of the “newer” additions to the volunteer roster is other organizations – with the Delaware City Police and Fire joining forces with the area churches to provide support during First Fridays and other events throughout the year.

Have an organization that might want to be involved with Main Street Delaware? Contact Frances Jo Hamilton at 740.362.6050 or via e-mail at mainstreetdelaware@yahoo.com.

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