Linn Syz:
Montpelier Alive Volunteer & Board Member
In this interview, Linn shares her experience volunteering with and being a board member for Montpelier Alive for fifteen years.
Downtown in the early 2000s wasn’t as vibrant as it is now. Living in the area since 1979, Linn felt as though downtown Montpelier was worthy of her attention and wanted to see more vibrancy. With many opportunities to pitch in with events like July 3rd, Brown Bag Concerts, Downtown Flowers, and Artwalk, Linn found that Montpelier Alive appeased her desire to be proactive in the betterment of downtown.
Linn first got involved with Montpelier Alive in the early 2000s after transitioning from her role as a teacher. She stopped teaching and began working downtown with New England Grass Roots and the Montpelier River Conservatory. Coming onboard with Montpelier Alive back when Mary Hooper was a part-time director, she began as a volunteer and then went on to join the board, jumping in both feet first, for the next 15 years. She was on the board as chair in 2005, then secretary, and treasurer.
Some significant achievements/notable milestones during Linn’s time with Montpelier Alive included hiring full-time directors and securing funds from the Downtown Improvement District (DID) which enabled the organization to secure funding every year without having to tap into community resources. For example, Linn states that they used to have to ask business owners to donate for things like flowers…etc. Also during Linn’s time with the organization, there were frequent changes in directors and being known for her organizational skills, Linn stepped up 2-3 different times between directors in the office - taking phone calls, tracking the bills and more.
Linn believes that an organization like Montpelier Alive is crucial to the community because the City doesn't have the time, manpower, or money to do what Montpelier Alive does. She states, “there needs to be constant promotion of the downtown and Montpelier Alive highlights downtown dedication along with how much our downtown means to people - despite challenges such as lack of foot traffic, covid, and the flood.”
Linn often travels and sees places that don't have downtowns anymore. She believes Montpelier would look like that without Montpelier Alive. Linn shares that Montpelier Alive’s focus of getting people downtown with events, promotion, and supporting businesses is crucial. This was further highlighted when Katie received a lot of kudos for her role in helping businesses during the flood, for example.
Above all, Linn hopes people continue to support downtown. She recalls when big box stores were seen as the main threat but that’s now changed with the rise of online shopping. She believes that downtown Montpelier is at a really critical juncture and wants to encourage people to shop downtown - insisting on the importance of considering what one can get locally first before shopping elsewhere. Finally, Linn states, “I don’t see many towns like Montpelier anymore - it’s a special place - and I have so much admiration for the business owners.”