When the Alliance Main Street program sponsors a clean-up day, they get really serious. Members of the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department, Main Street and Keep Alliance Beautiful joined forces for “April Showers,” a project to clean the dirt and grime of winter off of downtown buildings, sidewalks and landscape. The idea came from another Main Street community which shared the project with other communities at National Town Meeting on Main Street in 1995. Firefighters use a low water pressure to hose down the buildings. Sidewalks are also washed and the dirt is swept into the gutters which are also washed down. The event provides a training opportunity for firefighters, a fresh face for buildings and an opportunity for the public to celebrate. School organizations such as Future Farmers, Explorers, and Girls Are Powerful to youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts provided the backbone of the volunteer base. Special sales, contests and prize give-aways brought people downtown. The boost in sales is welcomed in what is a typically slower time for retailers. The event has drawn national attention to the community. April Showers was featured on CBS Sunday Morning which brought queries from other parts of the country and positive publicity as well. “It’s a win-win situation for retailers and shoppers alike,” said Alliance Main Street Manager Carrie Katen. “It sets the tone for the Spring and we start out with a clean downtown to attract business.”
