I am honored to serve as President of the Brookside Business Association for 2014. In the past, I have served on the board as treasurer and vice president, so I am thrilled that I am able to continue serving as the board president.
When I first came to the Brookside community in 2009, I was nervous, scared and excited all at the same time. I started attending the monthly general meetings where I learned so much about Brookside and the surrounding areas. I was received with open arms and felt welcomed by all. Next thing you know I was on the events committee and the rest is history.
Brookside has seen many changes this past year with the addition of bike racks throughout the area and new landscaping. These efforts are made possible by the Brookside CID which continues to work on new ways to improve the area and see that it remains a treasure in the city.
One of the new programs that was implemented this past year in Brookside was the Events Rebate Program. Businesses were encouraged to host public events and a portion of the cost of the event was refunded back to them as a matching grant. Several merchants participated in this program last year and my hope is that we can keep this going as it proved to be quite successful.
I encourage everyone to attend the monthly networkings and luncheons to learn more about Brookside, Waldo, and Southtown. The monthly Brookside Merchants meeting on the first Friday of the month at 8:30am at Goodcents is another great way to stay involved and knowledgeable. I look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming St. Pat’s Warm-Up Parade on March 15th. Thank you again for allowing me to serve as your president.
Submitted by Kim Harris, President and Owner/Operator of the New Dime Store