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Easton's Centre Square will receive quadrant lighting, thanks in part to a $2,000 Main Street grant from the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. The chamber has announced the communities and organizations that are sharing more than $40,000 in this year's grant program. (RICK KINTZEL / THE MORNING CALL FILE PHOTO) More than 30 communities or organizations are sharing in more than $40,000 in grants under a program sponsored by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. The business group’s foundation, Main Street Lehigh Valley, announced the projects Wednesday during a reception at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem. Grants of up to $2,000 cover such items as planter beautification for Bethlehem, quadrant lighting for Easton’s Centre Square, a mural for Phillipsburg, landscaping at Allentown’s Old Fairgrounds Playground and a myriad of other projects in the counties of Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Warren County, N.J. The chamber said in its 11-year existence, the foundation has supported 281 projects with more than $8.4 million in grants, leveraged by about $440,000 in contributions to the chamber from individuals, businesses or fundraising events. The program’s mission is to improve the appearance of every Main Street in the Lehigh Valley. “These community development grants are essential to creating a sense of place in each community,” Frank Heston, Main Street chairman, said in a news release. “Each are unique and important, and showcase collaboration between community groups and volunteers.” The Main Street program originated in 1985 as the Citizens Christmas Committee in Bethlehem, when the Bethlehem Area Chamber Foundation sold Christmas Seals to fund holiday decorations on Main Street. When the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber merged with the Bethlehem business group, it expanded the program's eligibility to communities it serves. Applicants must raise matching funds and complete projects before the chamber releases the money, according to Lorie Reinert, the foundation’s executive director. The complete list is below. For more information about the Main Street program, visit lehighvalleychamber.org. Downtown Bethlehem Association, planter beautification Borough of Coopersburg, Coopersburg streetscape & Saucon Rail Trail Connection Lower Saucon Township, park signs Palmerton Area Chamber of Commerce, "Welcome to Palmerton" Gateway Signage Borough of Alburtis, holiday decorations Borough of Nazareth, Nazareth Center Square landscaping project Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority, visitor center beautification Bethlehem Economic Development Corp., First Friday merchant flags Community Action Development Corp., Bethlehem, landscaping and streetscaping of Four Blocks International Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley, Slate Belt Rising Hamilton District Main Street Program, Downtown Allentown planter project Easton Main Street Initiative, Centre Square quadrant lighting project Whitehall Township, MacArthur Road street light pole banners Lehighton Downtown Initiative, Lehighton Trail Town designation Borough of Bath, new municipal building landscape project County of Carbon, courthouse annex beautification project, Mansion Hill Borough of Jim Thorpe, North and Front streets beautification project Emmaus Public Library, crosswalk and signs Emmaus Main Street Partners, paint and plant project Lehigh County Agricultural Society, Liberty Street pedestrian walkway South Whitehall Township, mural in Covered Bridge Park Civic Theatre of Allentown, West End Theatre District anchor beautification project Lansford Alive, signage, mural, and additional trees Phillipsburg Urban Enterprise Zone, mural project Weatherly Area Community Library, beautification project Borough of North Catasauqua, wheelchair swing platform Borough of Hellertown, library street trees Friends of the Allentown Parks, "Adopt-a-Park" landscape at Old Fairgrounds Playground Citizens Christmas City Committee, expanded lights in Bethlehem Bath Farmers' Market, marketing materials To read the article, click here.
Easton's Centre Square will receive quadrant lighting, thanks in part to a $2,000 Main Street grant from the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. The chamber has announced the communities and organizations that are sharing more than $40,000 in this year's grant program. (RICK KINTZEL / THE MORNING CALL FILE PHOTO)
More than 30 communities or organizations are sharing in more than $40,000 in grants under a program sponsored by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The business group’s foundation, Main Street Lehigh Valley, announced the projects Wednesday during a reception at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem. Grants of up to $2,000 cover such items as planter beautification for Bethlehem, quadrant lighting for Easton’s Centre Square, a mural for Phillipsburg, landscaping at Allentown’s Old Fairgrounds Playground and a myriad of other projects in the counties of Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Warren County, N.J.
The chamber said in its 11-year existence, the foundation has supported 281 projects with more than $8.4 million in grants, leveraged by about $440,000 in contributions to the chamber from individuals, businesses or fundraising events. The program’s mission is to improve the appearance of every Main Street in the Lehigh Valley.
“These community development grants are essential to creating a sense of place in each community,” Frank Heston, Main Street chairman, said in a news release. “Each are unique and important, and showcase collaboration between community groups and volunteers.”
The Main Street program originated in 1985 as the Citizens Christmas Committee in Bethlehem, when the Bethlehem Area Chamber Foundation sold Christmas Seals to fund holiday decorations on Main Street. When the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber merged with the Bethlehem business group, it expanded the program's eligibility to communities it serves.
Applicants must raise matching funds and complete projects before the chamber releases the money, according to Lorie Reinert, the foundation’s executive director.
The complete list is below.
For more information about the Main Street program, visit lehighvalleychamber.org.
Downtown Bethlehem Association, planter beautification
Borough of Coopersburg, Coopersburg streetscape & Saucon Rail Trail Connection
Lower Saucon Township, park signs
Palmerton Area Chamber of Commerce, "Welcome to Palmerton" Gateway Signage
Borough of Alburtis, holiday decorations
Borough of Nazareth, Nazareth Center Square landscaping project
Northern Lehigh Recreation Authority, visitor center beautification
Bethlehem Economic Development Corp., First Friday merchant flags
Community Action Development Corp., Bethlehem, landscaping and streetscaping of Four Blocks International
Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley, Slate Belt Rising
Hamilton District Main Street Program, Downtown Allentown planter project
Easton Main Street Initiative, Centre Square quadrant lighting project
Whitehall Township, MacArthur Road street light pole banners
Lehighton Downtown Initiative, Lehighton Trail Town designation
Borough of Bath, new municipal building landscape project
County of Carbon, courthouse annex beautification project, Mansion Hill
Borough of Jim Thorpe, North and Front streets beautification project
Emmaus Public Library, crosswalk and signs
Emmaus Main Street Partners, paint and plant project
Lehigh County Agricultural Society, Liberty Street pedestrian walkway
South Whitehall Township, mural in Covered Bridge Park
Civic Theatre of Allentown, West End Theatre District anchor beautification project
Lansford Alive, signage, mural, and additional trees
Phillipsburg Urban Enterprise Zone, mural project
Weatherly Area Community Library, beautification project
Borough of North Catasauqua, wheelchair swing platform
Borough of Hellertown, library street trees
Friends of the Allentown Parks, "Adopt-a-Park" landscape at Old Fairgrounds Playground
Citizens Christmas City Committee, expanded lights in Bethlehem
Bath Farmers' Market, marketing materials To read the article, click here.