Photo Courtesy of Journal Review
As she watered flowers along a virtually empty downtown street on a weekday morning in late April 2020, Sue Lucas paused to capture the scene.
Restaurants had been closed to in-person dining and all non-essential workers had been ordered to stay at home as Indiana saw its first cases and deaths from COVID-19.
“There was a strong mindfulness of all the forces that were serving in response to the crisis, and new folks stepping up ready to serve,” Lucas, Crawfordsville Main Street program manager, said during the organization’s virtual annual meeting Monday.
As the virus spread, Main Street served as a pipeline for local business relief efforts and grants. A call-to-action was put out on social media urging residents to support downtown merchants.