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Prairie du Chien Main Street Program seeks more volunteers

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By Ted Pennekamp

 

The Prairie du Chien Main Street Program has been around for years, but over the past several months it has been making a resurgence now that it has merged with the Driftless Development Corporation.

“We’re a branch of the Driftless Development Corporation,” said Main Street President Greg Cervin, the owner of the Local Oven of downtown Prairie du Chien, who noted that Main Street is seeking more volunteers.

“We definitely need more volunteers,” said Cervin. “We have about a dozen regulars but we would like to have at least two dozen. The more volunteers we have, the less work it will be for everybody. The more people, the better.”

Cervin also said the Driftless Development Corporation is in a fundraising stage to help improve the economy of Crawford County and beyond, including the Main Street Program and downtown Prairie du Chien.

“We need to get more people involved in downtown again,” said Cervin, who noted that the Main Street Program assists individual businesses, assists anyone trying to improve their business, and helps new businesses get started. Giving financial and other advice to a start-up would be one example. Cervin also said there are grants available to improve spaces in buildings.

Main Street also assists with having more family activities downtown and one event coming up soon is Family Fun Night on July 13 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be a dance, games for children, fire engines for children to look at the get on, delicious local food and much more. “We could use more volunteers for Family Fun Night,” he said.

Cervin said the Prairie du Chien Main Street team works to renew the historic heart of Prairie du Chien to drive further economic growth for the community.

The Prairie du Chien Main Street team has a separate operating board with a president (Cervin) that reports to the Driftless Development Corporation and a team of volunteers.

The Prairie du Chien program is part of a national movement called the Main Street Program that is implemented and run on a local basis, helping transform the way communities think about the revitalization and management of their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

How is it funded?

The program is funded through a combination of support through various efforts including Driftless Development, fundraising, local business pledges, city support and support from larger businesses within the area. A five–year pledge will create a sustainable base in which to build the program .

What are this year’s goals?

The current focus is to grow the number of volunteers and establish the operating function and teams. Main Street is planning for near-term future fundraisers and events which will involve the community. Main Street is establishing a guiding set of goals based on those to be accomplished by the end of 2018 and into 2019. The team is working on budget scenarios.

For more information, interested persons can log onto mainstreetpdc.com or call 608-326-0234.

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