THIS WEEK’S “My Turn” column
is by Rachel Lutz Jessup. Jessup
is the assistant branch
manager at the NBT branch on
Wall Street, and the president
of Main Street Oneonta.
I have the good
fortune of being
involved with
many organizations
whose goals
are the continuing
improvement of
Oneonta and the
surrounding area.
This year, I am
honored to be the chairwoman
for one of these
organizations _ Main
Street Oneonta. It is an
honor to lead an organization
that has such
deeply imbedded roots.
Main Street Oneonta
started as the Downtown
Retail Merchants Association,
during the heyday
of Bresee’s Department
Store, when Thursday
nights downtown often
included dinner at the
Healthbar and shopping
until 8 p.m.
Downtown Retail
Merchants Association
became the Downtown
Oneonta Improvement
Task Force, under the
supervision of Mark
Drnek.
Main Street Oneonta
came about shortly after
that and was led by local
merchants and community
members, including
Nancy Scanlon, Karen
Woods, Michelle Eastman,
Grace Smith, Julie
Carney and Kathleen
Frascatore, to name a
few, and was supported
by a small group of very
dedicated volunteers.
We continue to serve
you today as Main Street
Oneonta.
We are so fortunate to
live in this community.
Even with the losses that
we have suffered over the
last year (the closing of
the National Soccer Hall
of Fame, the loss of the
Oneonta Tigers and the
challenges to the Foothills
Performing Arts
Center) our hills are still
bustling with a multitude
of activities.
Our downtown offers
a wide variety of stores.
You could spend a day
going shopping for musical
instruments, health
food, clothing and shoes,
outdoor apparel
and gear, hardware,
handmade
gifts, unusual
gifts, slightly
used clothing,
art supplies, pet
supplies, jewelry
and books while
you’re getting
your car serviced,
going to the gym, doing
laundry, learning how
to dance, taking taekwando,
getting coffee or
something to eat, visiting
your lawyer or accountant,
getting your eyes
checked, going tanning,
getting a haircut, going
to the spa, getting a tattoo,
admiring the talents
of our local artists and
performers or diving into
local history.
Who says there isn’t
anything to do around
here?
To top that off, the
volunteers of Main Street
Oneonta try to make all
of this more fun. We are
best known for our events
downtown that include
the Cruise-In’s, Sidewalk
Sale Festival, Downtown
101 and Halloween trickor-
treating.
Our holiday events
include the gingerbread
contest, Santa parade
and the tree-lighting
ceremony.
However, as an organization,
we strive for
continual improvement.
Some of our goals for
this year include teaming
with the city and the
county to move forward
with the result of the
branding study, the
installation of an informational
kiosk for downtown
and better signage
for merchants whose
locations are not directly
on Main Street.
We’re hoping to bring
back to life an “artwalk”
in conjunction with
entertainment in Muller
Plaza _ something we’re
calling “First Friday.”
And, in hopes of bringing
our organization up to
the next level, we have
brought Maggie Barnes,
former director of community
affairs for A.O.
Fox Memorial Hospital,
on board with the help
of our friends at Otsego
County. What a great
addition to our current
leadership and membership.
One of my favorite
quotes is by George Bernard
Shaw, which reads,
“I am of the opinion that
my life belongs to the
community, and as long
as I live, it is my privilege
to do for it whatever I
can.”
I believe this is a philosophy
that is instilled
in many of the people
who live and work in
Oneonta, but especially
in all of the people who
are part of Main Street
Oneonta. That’s the key to
what makes Oneonta such
a great place to be.
Thank you to everyone
who helps us be successful
as an organization. We
would not be who we are
without our dedicated
volunteers and leaders.
We would not be able to
do what we do without
donations from the community,
local businesses,
municipalities and
councils.
You don’t have to operate
an establishment in
downtown Oneonta to get
involved. Donations are
always appreciated (we
are a not-for-profit), and
we’re always looking for
volunteers.
Share your great ideas
at our meetings, currently
held the last Friday of
each month at 8:30 a.m.
at the NBT Bank on Wall
Street. For more information,
visit mainstreetoneonta.com.
TO WRITE for “My Turn,” contact
Daily Star Publisher Tanya
Shalor at tshalor@thedailystar.
com or 432-1000, ext. 214.
More “My Turn” columns can
be found at www.thedailystar.
com/myturn.
