Aug. 15, Main Street Alabama held its eleventh annual Awards of Excellence Banquet at the Community House in Monroeville to celebrate the successes of local programs. The event was sponsored by Alabama Municipal Electric Authority and University of West Alabama Division of Economic Development and Workforce Development. Main Street Alabama’s President and State Coordinator, Mary Helmer Wirth, and Assistant State Coordinator, Trisha Black, recognized projects and individuals who made significant contributions to their communities. The Awards of Excellence program highlighted the tremendous impacts of these honorees in their respective areas.

“As an organization, we are honored to receive this award; however, it is the hard work of individuals investing in our downtown that truly deserves acknowledgment. Their efforts—ranging from purchasing and refurbishing buildings to launching new businesses—are pivotal in realizing our vision of Russellville’s downtown as a vibrant place for both work and play. We are deeply grateful for their belief in our community’s potential, which has been instrumental in making this vision a reality,” said board president Mitch McKinney

2023/2024 Awards of Excellence $1 Million Total Reinvestment (Russellville)

“Last night’s event was a heartwarming celebration of the remarkable achievements of our local Main Street programs,” said Wirth. “The inspiring success stories shared at the event truly highlighted the essence of community spirit and collaboration. It’s a testament to the effectiveness of Main Street’s Four-Point Approach in fostering economic development and preserving historic areas.”

Main Street Alabama has 33 Designated Programs and 29 Network Communities. Alexander City, Anniston, Athens, Atmore, Birmingham’s Historic 4th Ave Business District, Birmingham’s Woodlawn District, Calera, Centreville, Columbiana, Decatur, Demopolis, Elba, Enterprise, Eufaula, Florence, Foley, Fort Payne, Gadsden, Heflin, Jasper, LaFayette, Leeds, Marion, Monroeville, Montevallo, Montgomery, Opelika, Oxford, Scottsboro, South Huntsville, Russellville, Talladega, and Wetumpka each have Designated Programs.

Main Street Alabama is a non-profit organization focusing on bringing jobs, dollars and people back to Alabama’s historic communities. Economic development is at the heart of our efforts to revitalize downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.