LAVONIA – The City of Lavonia, Mayor Courtney Umbehant and Lavonia DDA and Main Street have been awarded by the Georgia Downtown Association with an Award of Excellence for 2024’s GDA Outstanding Promotional Campaign.
This award celebrates the organization’s creativity and strategic excellence in enhancing the visibility and appeal of downtown Lavonia through innovative marketing efforts.
The Outstanding Promotional Campaign Award honors downtown organizations that have excelled in creating impactful promotional materials and campaigns that successfully engage the community and attract visitors.
They have achieved this for the 2024 initiative to help spread kindness.
Each month, the city has focused on different aspects and topics to help bring a little more positive and kind energy to the community and downtown.
“The initiative has not only brought the community closer together but has also inspired countless acts of kindness among residents,” Main Street Manager Ashley Rose Dodd said. “The success of this initiative has been so profound that neighboring towns have expressed interest in adopting similar programs.”
The City of Lavonia’s hope and purpose for the Lavonia’s Kindness Initiative is to create a ripple effect of positivity and community spirit.
“The City of Lavonia considers it a great honor to receive this award,” Dodd said. “This recognition not only acknowledges the efforts made, but hopefully encourages others to join the mission. The City of Lavonia hopes that their efforts will serve as a model, proving that with dedication and a shared vision, a culture of kindness can be cultivated and thrive.”
The Georgia Downtown Conference is the premier event for downtown development professionals across the state, offering a forum for sharing best practices, strategies and success stories.
The Outstanding Promotional Campaign Award is one of the conference’s key recognitions, highlighting the importance of effective communication and marketing in downtown revitalization efforts.
The award was presented Aug. 28 in Thomasville, where Lavonia was applauded for its innovative approach and the success of its promotional campaign.
This accolade underscores the vital role that creative and strategic marketing plays in driving downtown growth and community engagement.
The Georgia Downtown Association (GDA) is a non-profit statewide organization that connects communities and professionals that are committed to downtown vitality.
GDA provides accredited training programs for downtown development professionals, advocates for Georgia’s downtowns and educates private and public sectors on the economic benefits of a thriving downtown.
GDA also hosts the annual Georgia Downtown Conference to offer top notch educational training and networking opportunities.