Main Street Beaufort, USA, celebrated 29 years of downtown revitalization last Thursday evening in the Dolphin Room at The Best Western Sea Island Inn in Beaufort.

[caption id="attachment_17076" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC03565.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-17076" alt="Photo by Captured Moments Photography" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC03565-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a> Photo by Captured Moments Photography[/caption]

At the Annual Meeting and Awards of Excellence reception, the organization reviewed its accomplishments in the 2013-14 fiscal year, took a look back at job creations and public and private investments into downtown for the last 29 years, and announced plans for the upcoming 2014-15 fiscal year.

Norma Ramirez de Meiss, Senior Program Officer and Director of Leadership Development with the National Main Street Center, was the keynote speaker. Meiss congratulated the business and property owners and leaders in downtown revitalization for their efforts and stated that downtown Beaufort and the Main Street Beaufort program was one of the best of the national program. She ended her speech by saying, “I would come to Beaufort before going to Charleston or Savannah any day.”

The evening concluded with the organization’s awards in downtown excellence. The membership of the organization voted and awarded the following:

• Best Interior Rehabilitation: Bay Street Outfitters

• Best New Sign/Awning: Olive The Above

• Outstanding New Business: Atelier On Bay

• Small Business Partner of the Year: Captured Moments Photography

• Corporate Partner of the Year: Best Western Sea Island Inn

• Volunteer of the Year: Don Starkey

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