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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Representatives of Montevallo Main Street are riding high after returning home from the 11th annual Main Street Alabama Awards of Excellence Banquet that was held on Aug. 15.

With seven representatives from Montevallo attending the banquet in Monroeville, Montevallo Main Street successfully netted a total of three awards for the community organization that highlighted recent movements and successes within the city.

“Montevallo Main Street is a volunteer-driven effort to revitalize and promote our historic downtown,” said Courtney Bennett, executive director of Montevallo Main Street. “We are immensely grateful to Main Street Alabama for the opportunity to recognize our volunteers with these three Awards of Excellence.”

The awards ceremony recognized winners in a number of categories that included Capital Campaign, Public/Private Partnerships, Volunteer Development, Promotion, Marketing, Business Promotion, Business Development, Placemaking, Property Activation, Non-Historic Building Design, Planning and Public Spaces and Historic Rehabilitation.

Of the represented categories, Montevallo Main Street was first awarded “Excellence in Planning and Public Space” for the “Shining Star” memorial sculpture that is currently installed in the city’s Bicentennial Park.

Commissioned and dedicated to the memory of local artist Robin Nance Metz, who died in September 2022, the metal sun sculpture was originally created in 2007 as the result of a public art class taught by Metz’s husband Ted Metz. Prior to its installation, “Shining Star” was further painted by Maya Metz Logue to create its current appearance.

“In addition to promoting the arts in Montevallo, Main Street’s goal (in installing the sculpture) was to memorialize a beloved community member who still created art and made people smile while she bravely fought cancer,” Bennett said.

The organization then took home the award of “Excellence in Property Activation” for its efforts in beautifying and revitalizing 747 Main St.

“When Stanley and Jo Dawson retired and closed Montevallo Auto Repair in 2023, the once long-running gas station in the heart of downtown became somewhat of a blight,” Bennett said. “Although the property had been purchased by the University of Montevallo to eventually expand parking for the adjacent academic building—Fallin Hall—Main Street stepped up to add some cheer to the area in the meantime.”

That work included the placement of a banner, planters and an eventual garden that celebrated the city’s Festival of Tulips. During the Christmas season, Montevallo Main Street also leaned into the property’s auto history and constructed a tire tree farm that celebrated the holiday.

Third was the selection of Adele Nelson as Montevallo’s recipient of the Main Street Hero Award.

Nelson, who is often described by those in the organization as an integral component and key figure of Montevallo Main Street and the local community as a whole, was presented with the Main Street Hero Award and recognized at the Toast to Heroes Reception sponsored by Regions Bank prior to the banquet ceremony.

Nelson has served as the executive director of the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce since 2021 and currently sits as an ex officio member of Montevallo Main Street’s Board of Directors and as a member of the organization’s Promotion Committee. Contributing up to 60 volunteer hours each and every month, Nelson was selected for the recognition in observance of her constant willingness and readiness to serve Montevallo while improving the city as a place to both live and work.

“I am so proud of our community members who chose to volunteer to design and execute these award-winning projects,” Bennett said. “The ideas for both of these projects came from committee members who live and work in Montevallo. We are also proud to recognize our Main Street Hero, Adele Nelson, for her tireless efforts to make Montevallo a better place.”