Greetings Main Street Friends!
The Value of Volunteers...
Nearly everyone knows the benefits of volunteering. Individuals who donate their
time find satisfaction in contributing to their community, enjoy the opportunity to
interact with other volunteers, gain experience to enhance their resume for paid
employment, and have the chance to stay active and healthy. The Leadville/Lake
County area is fortunate to have many residents who step up to help with a
variety of needs, both on-going and those related to special events.
While Leadville/Lake County values and acknowledges its many volunteers, the
community may not be as aware of the importance of volunteerism for economic
and community development. First, there is the obvious cost savings of using
volunteers to perform tasks instead of paid staff. Second, as the volunteers assist
with development efforts, they are more likely to become (and remain) engaged
with plans for the community. They begin to deeply understand all the work it
takes to develop, implement, and assess activities, and they better appreciate the
way that development works. Finally, volunteers see the value of the work being
done, the need for careful planning, and why everyone needs to work toward the
same goals. Interaction with businesses and other organizations results in
greater positive connections. On some projects, youth work side-by-side senior
citizens; volunteers represent all ages, socioeconomic groups, and diverse
backgrounds. There is a role for everyone and things get done!
In coming weeks, we will be highlighting some volunteers who are involved with
the leadership of Leadville Main Street. Many donate countless hours behind the
scenes while, in most cases, they also have a “day job” to perform. In order to
preserve our rich history and make the downtown the very best that it can be, we
need leaders and volunteers to help implement sound plans. We will improve
infrastructure, revitalize some key buildings, and add amenities to our already
long list of assets. Watch for upcoming stories on some of the people that make
downtown what it is.
Over the past few months, we have been reviewing Main Street America's 4-point approach - if you missed any of these newsletters, check them out here.
Leadville Main Street Team
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Leadville MainStreet focuses on the assets, resources, and people of Leadville, preserving key cultural, historic properties; revitalizing commercial buildings; and adding outdoor features to create a sense of energy for Leadville's future! More about us » and Follow us on Facebook » or email us here.
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