Confessions of a Workaholic: Coordinator

A “typical” day for a Main Street manager:

8 a.m. Breakfast meeting with dedicated volunteers to discuss project or event

9 a.m. Check or send emails in office regarding project or event

9:20 a.m. Make an apt. for another project or event

9:30 a.m. Answer questions from the public about project or event

9:50 a.m. Walkabout of Downtown to share information with business owners about project or event

Noon - Lunch meeting with a different group of dedicated volunteers to discuss another project or event

1:30 p.m. Back in office to create marketing material for project or event

2:30 p.m. Post information about project or event to Facebook, website and Twitter account.

2:40 p.m. Answer questions posted by public on Facebook

2:50 p.m. Return calls missed during lunch meeting about project or event

3:10 p.m. Running late to another meeting with dedicated volunteers about another project or event

4:30 p.m. Checking schedule regarding To Do List that piles up on desk during meetings

5:30 p.m. Committee or Board meeting

7 something – Get home, kiss husband, cook dinner, watch mindless TV, get ready for bed, read. Goodnight.

Good morning and REPEAT.

I love my job. It is challenging, rewarding, creative and I work with the most amazing group of volunteers… but it is exhausting! I haven’t been home from work before 7 p.m. but ONCE this month! I’ve put in 25 hours of overtime since June 1 and this is just the beginning of the summer rush of promotional events. Sigh.

Thank goodness what I do is so much fun. Each day is varied but includes a lot of coordination, collaboration and information sharing. I’m a “clearing house” for everything downtown. I love being in “the know” and using my empathetic people skills as a “Chat Kathy” to build relationships for the betterment of all involved.

I’m not a party planner, (thank goodness for my volunteers who excel in that area) but I do enjoy marketing all the fun events that go on downtown.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be involved in the following activates:

Brewfest

Jubilee Days

Gem City Car Classic

Update of the Downtown Development Plan

Relaunch a new website for Main Street

Farmers Market

Historic Walking Tours

Upstairs/Downtown Tour

Downtown Kickoff

… To name a few and that is only one component of my job. Besides events and promotions, I coordinate historic preservation and beautification projects downtown, welcome new businesses, help expand existing businesses, fundraise, educate, recruit and train volunteers, manage a budget, attend board meetings, coordinate projects with other non profits, etc. etc. etc.

I’m exhausted again just thinking about it! So now when you see me on the streets dragging my feet with a big smile on my face, you know a little bit about my day. (And why I’m so behind with this blog!)