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Main Street Buena Vista has a new executive director. Brooke Dalton, who was born and raised in Buena Vista, began her new job in mid-February.
Dalton succeeds Jamie Goodin, who guided the fledgling organization, which promotes downtown Buena Vista, during its first year of existence this past year. Goodin stepped down Dec. 31.
As executive director, Dalton is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all of MSBV’s ongoing operations, in addition to identifying and executing new opportunities that contribute to Buena Vista’s ongoing revitalization.
Dalton, a 1989 graduate of Parry Mc-Cluer High School, is also a graduate of Liberty University, where she majored in public administration. She was a Huffman before she married her husband, Matt Dalton. She has lived in many different places due to her hu s b a nd’s service in the Navy. The couple lived in Florida when they were first married and in Poulsbo, Washington, where she owned an art gallery and was treasurer of the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association, representing businesses in the downtown area. She said she has extensive volunteer experience with the Navy and the communities where she has lived. “We have been blessed to live in many different, wonderful places across the United States, but it is nice coming back to my roots, being close to family, and now having the opportunity to make a difference in my hometown,” said Dalton. “My journey with MSBV began last year when I attended a town hall meeting and met my predecessor, Jamie Goodin. After listening to Jamie and the picture he painted for BV, I was inspired to get involved. I signed up for the place-making committee that evening. Since then, the committee has begun to create a warm and welcoming environment downtown by placing benches and planters along Magnolia. It reminds me of the proverb, ‘Little by little, a little becomes a lot.’” MSBV, said Dalton, is currently planning and coordinating its 2023 initiatives. She said citizens are encouraged to contribute in a number of ways, including serving on the MSBV board or committees, volunteering for events and activities, and sharing ideas to create a more vibrant Buena Vista. Visit https://mainstreetbuenavista. org/ for more information and follow MSBV on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates.
MSBV began as a pilot Main Street program in 2021 and last year was one of 10 local organizations to be accepted into the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s inaugural Mobilizing Main Street cohort-based program. The city of Buena Vista is providing financial support for MSBV.
