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Q&A: Working hard for the town she loves

Judy Phillips was recently honored as Marietta Main Street’s Overachiever of the Year. Photo submitted by Cristie Thomas

Though she’s an active member of Marietta Main Street’s design committee and public arts sub-committee, Judy Phillips, of Marietta, says she’s no artist. Instead, she describes herself as a worker bee. It’s that hard work that recently earned Phillips the Overachiever of the Year award for Marietta Main Street, presented Feb. 16 at the Downtown Celebration with Marietta Main Street.

For years, Phillips has worked on cleaning up downtown, hanging flower baskets and flags, helping get a downtown mural project going and much more.

“She shows up as often as she can to help with whatever she can,” said Cristie Thomas, executive director of Marietta Main Street. “She has attended Heritage Ohio trainings, countless committee meetings, downtown volunteer days and other events over the years. Last year, she helped coordinate the grant that funded the expansion of our downtown beautification program.”

Phillips, who retired as director of the Minerva Public Library before moving to Marietta, said putting work into your community is a must.

Question: How did you first get involved with Marietta Main Street?

Answer: I guess it was five, six years ago. I moved here six years ago and started to volunteer hanging flags and joining the design committee. It took off from there.

Q: What was it about Marietta Main Street that you were interested in?

A: I was new to the area and wanted to establish a network…and get to know the area.

Q: What are some of the projects you’ve worked on?

A: Pioneer Park, next to the Plumbers and Pipefitters…I worked on the park and getting it beautified, planting daffodils and cleaning up. It needs some more work now. It’s an ongoing thing and I’ve done it in the past but it’s getting harder.

Q: How big of a group typically works on a project with you? Is it the same group of volunteers most of the time?

A: For a while, we had some fairly substantial turnover and then we’ve had some younger volunteers come on board, which is great. I met people I would not have met otherwise. I’m on the public arts subcommittee so I’ve met some very interesting, creative people.

There are always people who have an influence and worker bees and I’m a worker bee.

Q: What does the design committee do?

A: That’s the committee that handles the flags, the flower baskets…we want downtown to look as good as it can. We work on planting, landscaping, having no litter. We’re concerned about the bumpouts. Some are maintained and some are neglected. We’re in competition with all these all little towns in the country and we need to look our best.

Q: What are some of your goals moving forward with the group?

A: We’re already so busy and it’s all volunteers. We’ve got a pretty full plate and it’s challenging what we can do because of funding and manpower. I have a list but it’s really just pie in the sky.

Q: What would you tell someone who’s considering volunteering for Main Street Marietta?

A: When I think of Marietta, I think of the “p” word–potential. We’re a nice, attractive town and I think we have potential to be even better but it takes a lot of collaboration and cooperation from various segments of the community. People have to be willing to work and donate time to their town.

Q: Is the work you do fun?

A: A large majority of the time it is fun. It’s been very educational because I have a very limited knowledge of the town’s history. I’ve enjoyed learning about people I’ve met, where they come from and why they’ve come back, in many cases.

Q: How did you find out you were getting the Overachiever of the Year award?

A: I didn’t know until I got to the dinner and they announced my name. I was told I was a nominee the day before.

Q: How did you react?

A: I was very surprised, very honored. I was shocked. At my age, to be an overachiever is really an accomplishment.

Q: Why is it so important to volunteer?

A: I just encourage everyone to get involved in the community. It doesn’t have to be through Main Street. I feel like there’s always a lot of complaining and not a lot of volunteering. You can be part of the problem or part of the solution and we need solutions. Even if it’s just one day a year, people can help.

Kate York conducted this interview.

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