Carlsbad MainStreet recently put out a 2022 impact report, and there’s some great information highlighting why this organization is so important to our community. MainStreet reported nearly $600,000 in private reinvestment for the year, as well as almost $300,000 in public reinvestment. The organization also recorded more than 1,000 volunteer hours as 126 local businesses were supported. Most importantly, MainStreet reports that these efforts resulted in the creation of 14 additional jobs.
Highlights for the year included the 2022 Downtown Beautification Project, Cavernfest, the Downtown Farmers & Makers Market and the addition of a downtown kiosk. MainStreet also reported on the Cavern Theatre Rehabilitation project and the Pearl of the Pecos Arts & Cultural District. CavernFest reported more than 20,000 attendees overall. The annual event includes 12 musical acts and 25 food trucks. Due to CavernFest’s success, MainStreet was able to award $10,000 in matching grants to four downtown merchants for a façade grant program. This allows downtown businesses a chance to improve on what the business looks like. Additionally, weekly Farmer’s Markets drew up to 500 participants while the Third Thursday market would draw more than 1,000.
All of these projects are continuing this year. Congratulations to MainStreet’s staff: Kat Davis, Eyenid Manzo and Kelly Childs, as well as Susan Crockett and the entire MainStreet board of directors. We work very closely with MainStreet on a wide variety of issues, including annual events such as our Independence Day celebration.
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Thanks to Chevron and the Carlsbad Community Foundation for recently recognizing 21 nonprofit organizations through its Catalyst Grant program. The Chevron Catalyst Fund was established in 2016 as a partnership between the Foundation and the Chevron Products Company and has awarded more than $381,000 in grants.
This year, the list of organizations receiving money included the Assistance League of Carlsbad, the Madison Lee Memorial Fund, the Carlsbad Transitional housing and Homeless Shelter, Carlsbad Prep Academy, the Carlsbad Battered Families Shelter and many others. The organization also supported groups such as the Southeast New Mexico Historical Society and the Carlsbad Museum. Thanks again to Chevron for supporting so many wonderful local organizations, and to the Foundation for organizing this event.
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Schools were closed for President’s Day on Monday. Presidents Day started as a celebration of George Washington’s Feb. 22 birthday — and officially, the federal government still calls the holiday Washington’s Birthday.
Thank you to Carlsbad’s Downtown Lions Club for putting up the flags around town in celebration of President’s Day on Monday. The flags across the courthouse lawn, in particular, were beautiful.
Sincerely,
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway