Downtown Goshen, Inc.
Row one (left to right): Burl Troyer, Jeremy Stutsman, David Schrock Shenk, Gina Leichty, Gretchen Morningstar, Grace Hunsberger, Earlene Nafziger, Eric Kanagy. Row two (left to right): David Daugherty, W. Earl Taylor, Jim Kroemer, Scott Woldruff, Virgil Snyder, Janette Yoder, Allan Kauffman, Tom Stark, David Swihart, Tim Near, J.C. Schrock, Brad Weirich, Jim McKee, Julia Gautsche. (Not pictured): Mike Huber, Myron Bontrager, Nick Keiffer, Tim Saylor
Pictured above is the 2009 Downtown Goshen, Inc. board (that’s me on the far right). I more or less started this non-profit two years ago, merging two other existing organizations to form it. I didn’t, of course, do it by myself, but I set the vision, pulled together the pieces, and led as president for the past 2 years.
As you can see above, we have a lot of people from many different backgrounds involved from business owners to residents to the mayor and chamber president to building owners/developers to people passionate about our little downtown. Lots of differing opinions, good ideas, bad ideas, contention, frustration, problem-solving, etc. — and we’re all at the same table. It’s an energizing group of people and it’s been highly rewarding helping to grow and strengthen the organization.
This year, as I’m no longer president, I’m focusing on fundraising, attempting to double our budget from roughly $80,000 to $160,000. If we can do it in this economy, we know that we have the support of our community. We do SO MUCH with SO LITTLE, every dollar is well spent. But that’s the small-midwestern-town way, I suppose.