Weekly update - Sláinte!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  Here’s an little Irish lesson:

Dia dhuit (DEE-a gwitch) – Hello!
Conas tá tú? (conas a-TA too) – How are you?
 
And the most important one:
Sláinte (SLAWN-cha) – Cheers!
 
I hope that you find a good use for at least one of those phrases today, preferably at tonight’s Trivia Challenge and Pub Crawl!  Don’t forget, registration and instructions for teams begin at 5pm the Eagles Lodge, 510 Greenwood Avenue.  Grab a friend or two or three and come on down.  The cost to play is $20 per team, and all proceeds will go to benefit the Reedsport Main Street Program.  There will be prizes for most correct answers and best dressed “wearing of the green” team.  See you there!
 
We have a ridiculous number of art-related projects coming up, so if you like to design, paint, or lend a hand, please contact me to see how you can get involved.  Your ideas might end up as a mural, a street banner, or a painting on a storefront window.
 
Speaking of murals and windows, did you know that we’re about to launch another round of our Façade Improvement Grant?  We’ll provide applications starting on April 1st – no fooling!  Think about how you can gussy up your digs if you own a business along Highways 101 or 38 in Reedsport (sorry Gardiner/Winchester Bay!)  If you don’t own a business in those areas, why not give those businesses some feedback on what would encourage you to stop and shop there more?  Would it help to have an awning or better lighting?  Something to make it more inviting, or a better sign?  Bigger businesses spend big money to find out what their customers are thinking.  Let’s support our small businesses for free!
 
Mark your calendars for Friday, April 22nd, when the Reedsport Main Street Program is holding a Community Open House from 5-7pm at the Community Center.  This will be our opportunity to come together as a program and show off all of the projects we’re working on, plus everything we’ve accomplished in the last year.
 
The next day, Saturday, April 23rd, we’re holding another Volunteer Spruce-Up Day to work on making Reedsport look great!  Remember the last one?  We cleared the brush in front of the pond by the Scholfield Bridge and created a basic kayak/canoe launch at Champion Park (which the dogs have enjoyed using as well!)  Like before, we’ll work from 10am to 4pm with a break for a BBQ lunch.  What project will we work on this time?  Send me your ideas, and stay tuned for more details.
 
How about some more dates for your calendar?  Today, March 17th, the Design Committee is meeting in the conference room at City Hall.  The next Promotion Committee meeting will be on April 12th at 5:30pm (note the later start time) at the Waterfront Restaurant.  The Economic Committee meets the day after on April 13th at 5pm in the conference room at City Hall.  The Board of Directors will meet again on April 19th at 5pm in the conference room at City Hall.  Enough meetings to make your head spin, right?
 
Shakespeare says  that brevity is the soul of wit, and he seems like a pretty smart guy, so that’s all for now.
 
Slán go fóill / farewell!
 
Katie Lockard
Reedsport Main Street Program Coordinator

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