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Sylvester named DSA director
By Stephanie Salmons
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Sylvester
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Julie Sylvester was working at Killer Creek Co. when she was first appointed to the Downtown Sylva Association board earlier this year.
Now, she is taking over the organization’s operations in the wake of former Director Kyle McCurry’s exit.
McCurry was hired in late July but recently resigned to take a job in upstate New York.
Sylvester said that when the DSA was looking to fill the position in July, she’d been interested, but had “a lot going on at that time.”
Now, however, she is looking forward to her role.
“This is a really great opportunity for me,” Sylvester said. “Community involvement, economic development and relationship-building are things I’m interested in. And to be able to pull those into a professional environment is the perfect opportunity for me.”
DSA President Marybeth Druzbick said that she is excited that Sylvester, who was the chairman of the organization’s fund-raising committee, will move into this capacity.
The DSA has been working on a number of projects and was looking to move forward without a “big break” in momentum, Druzbick said.
“We absolutely wanted (the new director) to be someone who understood the organization and what we’re trying to do,” Druzbick said. “We want to make sure there’s a face that goes to the organization.”
Druzbick said that she expects a smooth transition. Sylvester, who lives downtown, already knows a lot of the community members, Druzbick said.
“She’s done a fabulous job already on the fund-raising committee,” Druzbick said. “It’s the best we could have hoped for, and we’ll be able to continue without a break in what we’ve been doing.”
Sylvester said that she has a lot of goals for the DSA, and that she will immediately focus on strengthening communication between the group and the community, whether it be face-to-face, e-mail, Web site or newsletters.
She is also planning on conducting a survey to gather feedback about future goals of the organization, and to determine what kind of events might be successful in the town, she said.
As chairman of the fund-raising committee, Sylvester said that she has been looking at other types of events the DSA can implement as well as the ones the group already sponsors.
In addition to a new chili cook-off event planned for Saturday, Nov. 22, and a “Taste of Sylva” event in the works, the group will continue their traditional “pictures with Santa” fund-raiser during the annual Sylva Christmas parade.
“I think really, communication is the key,” Sylvester said. “We need to make sure the lines of communication are open to gain feedback.”
Sylvester, who started her new job Oct. 15, will have to resign from the DSA board.
This year’s Christmas parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3:30 p.m. with the theme of “Winter in Appalachia.” To participate, groups must complete an application and turn it into the DSA by Nov. 26.
Applications are available online at www.downtownsylva.org, and at the DSA office above Coldwell Banker on Main Street, at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce in the Hooper House and Sylva town hall.
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