Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis House District 15 Service and Support Tour: Albany Visitors Association

October 27, 2023 – Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis: Facebook Post

Building Community Together!

In HD-15, we’re all about people coming together, making connections, helping those in need, and doing great things. What makes our HD-15 community truly special? It’s our commitment to strengthening ties, raising awareness, offering opportunity, and forming powerful partnerships.

This week, I set out on a ‘Service and Support Tour’ around HD-15. And I wanted to share with you the amazing individuals and organizations that make our community thrive. I’d like to share these resources and help you discover the “who, what, and how” to make a difference. So many people want to help, to do “something”, but don’t know where to start – maybe something posted this week inspires you! I know it inspires me.

By focusing on these good things, we can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors. HD-15 has the resources, we have a great community, and most importantly, we support each other like family.
Join me as I work towards building more community awareness – one visit at a time!

Also on Wednesday, I visited with the Albany Visitors Association (AVA). The AVA is the official marketing arm of the city, charged with marketing Albany, the area attractions, historic resources, venues, and events for leisure tourism and group travel. AVA representatives market Linn County as a tourism destination with itineraries that include attractions in Albany and around Linn County.

Veterans Day is right around the corner, and AVA is celebrating big! With the banners already up, the largest parade this side of the Mississippi and Military Uniforms on display throughout downtown. They are so grateful to our veterans and several restaurants host free breakfast or lunch to honor them. Our carousel offers free rides as well.

AVA is also getting ready for the holiday season with the Downtown Holiday Open House, Downtown Twice Around Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony, Pioneer Christmas Party for Children at the Monteith House, Christmas Parlour Tour of Historic Homes, and Holiday Light Contest just to name a few.

There is also a Free Albany Explorer App, here’s a link to download it: https://albanyvisitors.com/become-an-albany-explorer-the-albany-app/
They have push notifications for events, self-guided tours, and the AVA is particularly proud of their pioneering women videos with narrative about their contributions to Albany and the world.

So many great projects are underway downtown, from the completion of the Chamber’s mural to the riverfront project, our Greyhound Tavern venue, preserving the historic Briggs building and Oregon Electric Station for Sybaris. Hotels on the forefront and more opportunities for retail and restaurants, Albany has a lot to be proud of and they are always happy to share it on their website, social channels, and advertisements. And of course – visitors!