Downtown Ashland Association salutes Lorie Foley for volunteering two years as the organization’s president. She has gone above and beyond to support our community!
We offer this video as a small token of our gratitude, and look forward to celebrating Lorie’s volunteerism all together someday in the future.
Downtown Ashland Association and our partners in the Main Street America network stand resolutely for peace, justice, accountability, and fair treatment of all people.
We are committed to taking action against systemic racism and discrimination in all its forms. All lives cannot matter unless Black lives matter. The humanity and dignity of every person must be honored and respected in our public spaces.
This organization's mission is to enhance and promote Downtown Ashland as the center of our community. That stewardship role requires us to engage with all our neighbors to create a downtown that serves everyone.
We believe in the partnerships and programs we host to encourage diversity and inclusion. But there is much more we must learn and much more we must do.
We are a volunteer organization, and we invite all our neighbors to help make Ashland's events, programs, and promotions fully inclusive.
You can learn more about our projects and programs on the About Us pages. Choose a project you’d like to help with and email me to get started. We look forward to working with you!
Maggie Beal Longest
Executive Director, Downtown Ashland Association
Martha J. Miller joined the team at Downtown Ashland Association (then called Ashland Main Street Association) in 2019. Miller is a talented writer, strategist, and communications professional. She offered her services to the Association as a communications consultant at a critical time; she brought us to re-branding, built our first visitor-focused website, and reconfigured our communications strategy. Downtown Ashland Association would not be where we are today without Miller’s work. We are fortunate that she continues to offer her time and talents on our team.
Like many of our supporters, Miller’s roots tie her to Ashland. After attending middle school and high school in Ashland, Miller left for college and moved to Washington D.C., where she spent the next ten years. Fate called her and husband, Zach Miller, home a few years ago, and they have fallen in love with Ashland all over again.
“It is a great place to raise a family, and I love all the good changes that are happening here,” says Miller. “I have seen a huge amount of growth downtown, compared to when I was growing up here. That growth has been great to see. I love spending time downtown.”
Miller’s oldest son, Henry, enjoys the festivities at Ashland Train Day.
Miller says that she was driven to work with Downtown Ashland Association to support local businesses. While working with Ashland Theatre Foundation for its media launch, Miller met Executive Director Maggie Longest. “That was my first introduction to what Maggie does and the mission of the association,” Miller said. “I got really excited about what Downtown Ashland Association is doing because they were all things that I believed in anyway, so it was great to have the opportunity to get involved.”
Once on board, Miller was pleasantly surprised with the level of commitment within Downtown Ashland Association’s volunteers. “The thing that has been so illuminating and heartening is to see so many long-time volunteers,” she says. “I think it is unique to find that level of community involvement and commitment to a place where you live or work. I think everyone in the Ashland community feels very invested.”
The spirit of community shapes Miller’s communication strategy for Downtown Ashland. When asked how to advise a potential visitor to Ashland, Miller says, “Ashland is quaint, but it is quirky. We have a funky, growing, thriving culture here. We are a little off-beat, but we still have that southern, small-town charm. Ashland is a nice respite from the city, and it is very walkable. I would love to see more people who live in Richmond or Fredericksburg come spend the day here because it has that charm and appeal for all ages.” We couldn’t agree more!
See marthajmiller.com for further info about Martha J. Miller’s inspired writing, editing, public relations, and marketing.
Following months of brand development and constituent marketing research, Ashland Main Street Association has officially changed its name to Downtown Ashland Association, launching a new, visitor-focused website – ashlandvirginia.com.
As an accredited member of Main Street America and the Virginia Main Street program since 2013, Downtown Ashland Association works in partnership with the Town of Ashland to revitalize Ashland’s historic downtown to ensure local businesses and the community not only grow, but thrive.
“We decided to rebrand the organization to ensure that our message is clear: come enjoy Downtown Ashland!” said Maggie Longest, Executive Director of Downtown Ashland Association. “We are most excited about the launch of ashlandvirginia.com as a storytelling tool to share all there is to see, do, and experience in our quaint and quirky downtown.”
With a directory of local businesses, a comprehensive events calendar, a news-style blog featuring profiles and sample trip itineraries, ashlandvirginia.com is a one-stop resource that encourages visitors and residents to shop locally and enjoy this unique, historic community.
“With our new site, you’ll never miss a chance to enjoy downtown,” said Downtown Ashland Association President Lorie Foley. “We have fabulous restaurants and shops, cycling routes, historic walking tours, turn-of-the-century rail history, sports games at Randolph-Macon, and shows at Ashland Theatre. Plus, you can bring the family to events like Train Day and Light Up the Tracks. There is so much to explore in Downtown Ashland!
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Downtown Ashland Association is a nonprofit community organization that relies on your support to help Downtown Ashland shine. We believe in a vibrant business community. We believe in celebrating and preserving historic character. We believe in the power of community partnerships.
