Sunday, June 30, 2013

Self Portrait: June

June has been one hell of a month. I spent more than half the month planning my self portrait in my new house and could come up with nothing to say or write about. I suppose maybe it's all too fresh right now. On Tuesday I attended the annual Downtown 100 meeting, where among many things, the Member of the Year is announced. Much to my surprise, it was me! So instead of forcing some words about buying a new house, I will let Melissa Taylor (my good friend and DT100 Membership Chair) do the talking.


"Each year, the Steering Committee accepts nominations for Member of the Year and votes on the most deserving candidate. This award is given to the Downtown 100 member who demonstrates leadership within the organization. Not only are they an asset to their committee, they make a positive impact on the DT100 as a whole.

This year’s Member of the Year has done just that. They have taken a personal interest in the Downtown 100 and involved themselves in every aspect. As a member of the events committee, they are an active participant in meetings and helped to coordinate and host unique events, such as the Game Night. They are also a common presence at both social and leadership functions. When out in the community, they are an advocate for the DT100 and Downtown Norfolk, always promoting ongoing projects and events. They have given hours to various volunteer projects, including the Foodbank, the Plot, and Better block. As a participant in Better block, this member coordinated DT100 volunteers to help with set-up, while successfully setting up their own pop-up business. As if all of that wasn’t enough, this year’s Member of the Year has literally changed the face of the DT100 with a new logo and color scheme. We have them to thank for the updated look on our shirts, signage, Facebook page and every other means of communication.  
I am pleased to present the 2013 Member of the Year Award to Ashley Grove."

I couldn't be more honored and excited as ever to be apart of the organization and a resident of Norfolk.