Athens Main Street had a big night at the Main Street Alabama’s 2023 Award Dinner held recently at Stovehouse in Huntsville.The award program highlights Main Street organizations throughout Alabama and recognized Athens Main Street’s impact on historic downtown Athens.

“Athens Main Street appreciates the recognition of the great strides being made toward revitalization in our downtown,” said Athens Main Street Executive Director Tere Richardson. “Thank you to those in our community that were so instrumental in the success of these efforts.”

Athens Main Street was awarded the following awards.

• Main Street Ambassadors for Excellence in Marketing – recognizing outstanding efforts in overall marketing by a Main Street organization to promote the entire district as a destination or a branding or image development campaign.

• Inaugural Athens Main Street Boutique Crawl for Excellence in Business Promotion – recognizing local promotions, events, and activities that result in increased sales or the development of effective retail promotion in conjunction with district merchants.

• Market & Monroe for Excellence in Building Design (non-historic) – This award recognizes outstanding completed design projects including façade renovation and or interior renovation efforts and infill construction.

• Reinvestment Award – The awards were given in recognition of Main Street Alabama programs that have reached major milestones in their district revitalization efforts. Economic impact numbers reported monthly by Athens Main Street were used in the calculation of this recognition. Athens Main Street’s district reinvestment of over $30 million was recognized.

Each year, local Main Street programs select an individual, business, or organization that made an outstanding contribution to their program. They are recognized at the Toast to Heroes Reception prior to the award banquet. This year’s Athens Main Street Hero Award is Michelle Williamson.

“Michelle Williamson embodies the quote ‘We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.’ She is the director of marketing & community relations of one of the busiest and most well-respected engineering firms. In addition, she and her husband own and operates a logistics company. As a volunteer, there is no one that gives more of her time than Michelle. She is a long-time Athens Main Street Board Member, chairs the Promotion Committee, and volunteers for every Main Street event. She also plays key roles in over a dozen or more other nonprofit activities in the community,” Richardson said.