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Mount
Victory Community Development Association
The Mount Victory Community Development Association’s mission
is to strengthen community pride, economic development, neighborhood
revitalization, historic preservation, village beautification, greenspace
development, art & culture education and improve the quality of
life for all residents.
Meetings are 4th Wed of each month at the Plaza & we encourage
all to join!
CDA Trustees:
Pres. Peggy Harrison
Vice Pres. Jodi Holley
Secretary: Vonna Chamberlain
Treasurer: Sandy Deckler
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CDA
activities & accomplishments:
Generate Pride & Promote
• successful in nominating and placing Mount Victory Historic
District on National Register of Historic Places
• established Community Improvement Award recognizing outstanding
efforts made by residents for exterior home improvements
• produce newsletter, The Flag, to keep residents in touch of
current and upcoming event and also to highlight good things in town
that might otherwise be overlooked.
• continue to purchase flags for downtown for display on Memorial
Day through Labor Day (as long as funding is available)
• promote the village as an antique & craft shopping destination
& seize public relations opportunities
• connected with publications to promote town and businesses
within town. Printed publications include Columbus Dispatch, Lima
News, Kenton Times, Ohio Magazine, Preservation Magazine, Ohio Travel
& Tourism, Ohio Historical Society Newsletter - Echoes,
• developed website to keep resident informed, receive feedback
and promote town and events through linking with other sites and search
engines - (MountVictory.com was awarded best website by Heritage Ohio)
• assist promotion of Annual Memorial Day celebrations
• support town merchants by encouraging residents to shop locally
and patronize our town businesses (all CDA awards are purchased locally)
• generation of ideas to promote and prompt pride in our neighborhoods
Educate, Connect, Cooperate:
• members worked with Sesquicentennial Committee to research,
write and publish Mount Victory Sesquicentennail history book.
• invite speakers and consultants to help educate our group
as well as residents about the economic importance of historic preservation,
revitalization and maintaining a vibrant village. Professional consultants
speakers included Kevin Kuckenbecker, Director of Downtown Ohio
Inc., Judy Williams, Historic Preservation Consultant, Ohio State
Extension Service Community Development Associates, Cleve Ricksecker,
Executive Director of Capitol Crossroads, Pat Henahan, Heritage
Tourism - Ohio Arts Council, Carol Mackey, Fairfield County Community
Development Specialist
• recently adopted by-laws to allow CDA to incorporate more
diverse participation
• organize tree care workshops
• set up recycling for the village in cooperation with the
town council
• continuing to work with town government to assist with holiday
dinners, festivals, events by raising funds procurring supplies
• facilitate town meetings to keep up to date on residents’
views and gather input and cooperation for ongoing activities
• connected seller with buyer for one of Mt. Victory’s
most significnt historic buildings, the Mill. New owners intent:
historic preservation and new business usage
• organized a ‘A Day in the Life of Mount Victory -
Small Town ShootOut’ professional photo shoot for American
Society of Media Photographers.
• wrote and received Ohio Art Council grant for exhibit of
photographic highlights of ‘A Day in the Life of Mount Victory
- Small Town Shootout’
• implemented cooperation with Ridgemont Elementary 3rd grade
to design mini-curriculum to educate young people about their community,
how it operates and the rich history right in their own backyard
Beautify, Restore, Preserve:
• developed the Mount Victory Archive Library to preserve
Mount Victory's past for the future
• acquired vacant lot at village's main intersection, through
fundraising created the Henry Martin Memorial Park - including landscaping,
gazebo and mural based on the town’s historic connection to
the railroad
• CDA members continue to maintain and landscape the HM Memorial
Park
• played key role in facilitating streetscape beautification
& improvements through early Vision Planning sessions
• assist in streetscape beautification and maintenance by
helping to hang flags, street light banner program and planted flower
pots. (in conjunction with Garden Club)
• ongoing clean up of southern entrance to town on SR 31
• members organizing library of helpful books on the subject
of rural development and small towns
• working to encourage property owners to maintain and upkeep
properties
• wrote and received grant from Ohio Bicentennial Commission
for historic corporation markers
• requested and received donation of professional design services
from UrbanOrder Architects to provide conceptual ideas and drawings
of in-fill building for empty Main Street lot
Health and Safety
• group rep working with village to encourage ordinance to
deal with infestation, weeds, trash, and waterways.
• created the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program to help
resident maintain their homes and yards. Older residents and those
who are ill or physically challenged have priority.Securing Funds
& Fundraising:
• CDA member requested and received $15,000 of Buckeye Egg
fine monies that were directed to village funds. This money went
to secure
necessary funding for light fixture/banner portion of streetscape
project.
• wrote and received two Community Foundation grants for village
projects
• wrote, designed and published Mount Victory Women Cook,
a cookbook featuring historic recipes and stories from Mount Victory
residents. Over 400 sold to date. All profit from sales go directly
to support ongoing town improvement projects
• continue to receive donations from supportive citizens in
response to donation requests in order to implement town projects,
improvements and maintenance
"Neighbors are in the driver’s
seat of the outcomes in their neighborhoods."
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