One Summer in Vermilion. Vol. 1, Issue 1
May 11, 2021
Hello! My name is Hayley Carter and I am working this summer as an intern with Main Street Vermilion (MSV). Maybe you’ve seen me walking around town with a clipboard. I’ve been busy introducing myself to small business owners and updating contact information. I’ve enjoyed the fast pace of my new position and having something to look forward to every day is quite exciting!
Being new to MSV, I have learned a few interesting things during my first week…
First of all, I can’t start this post without mentioning “Main Street Mae,” the executive director’s (Marilou Suszko) dog. I’m a huge animal lover, so when Marilou asked if it was okay to bring her to the office, I was all for it! She is a constant presence and joy to have at the office.
One of my jobs is to sift through some old files. Some date all the way back to the year 2000, when I was born! MSV has hosted some fun events such as Hot Diggity Dog (taking your dog to the beach), a Christmas Tree Ship, and even a Johnny Cash impersonator!
Getting to know some of the small business owners has been quite fun as well. I’ve particularly enjoyed my experiences speaking with Charl of Encore Consignment Shoppe and Nick of Swan Creek Candle. I enjoy the atmosphere of downtown Vermilion, and look forward to connecting with more people!
I had the opportunity to attend the National Day of Prayer service in Victory Park on May 6th. Eight local churches hosted the event and I enjoyed the ceremony as well as the people that participated!
Here’s a fun fact about me: You may have seen me at several of Vermilion’s various beaches. I sampled water for the Erie County Health Department from summer 2018-2020, and tested the samples for E. coli levels. Some Saturdays after work I would walk around downtown and check out the various storefronts. I also discovered the awesome food of Big Ed’s Soda Grill during this time. I took one of my coworkers there to eat lunch, and she enjoyed it. So I highly recommend Big Ed’s!
The main thing that I hope to take from this internship is to experience and appreciate the various functions of the groups and programs that make up Main Street Vermilion. I’ll be gardening with Vermilion in Bloom, working on the beach for Shore Thing, learning more about public art through Public Art Vermilion, and working closely with the Vermilion Arts Guild. I’m looking forward to all the new experiences that this opportunity will bring!
Hayley Carter, MSV Intern
Note from the Director: We are happy to welcome Hayley, who arrived at Main Street through the internship program at Erie County Community Foundation. It’s been a pleasure to add her to our staff and she’s currently digging into the history of Main Street as we prepare to celebrate 20 years of service to our community. Hayley has been good at uncovering some past features and events that have escaped us!