Released on = October 31, 2006, 7:39 pm

Press Release Author = Timothy B ishop, CMSM Ellensburg Downtown Association

Industry = Small Business

Press Release Summary = Central Washington University Student Helps Downtown
Association Launch Online Effort to Save Downtown

Press Release Body = For Immediate Release November1,2006

For more information contact:
Ellensburg Downtown Association
Timothy Bishop, Executive Director
509-962-6246 timothy@ellensburgdowntown.org

Rural Washington Downtown Looks Online for Help as Regional Retail Appears on the
Horizon

Ellensburg based Internet Service Provider, Kvalley Computers and Internet, and
Central Washington University student Nicole Evans, are working with the Ellensburg
Downtown Association in an innovative effort to raise funds to help revitalize this
small central Washington community's downtown in preparation for the arrival of
large regional retail development on the outskirts of town.

With the City's proposed comprehensive plan update indicating that 50 acres near the
Interstate will soon be rezoned for regional retail development, the Ellensburg
Downtown Association is preparing for the monumental task of revitalizing an already
struggling Downtown. A fledgling organization with a limited budget to accomplish
the task, the Ellensburg Downtown association is looking for help in an innovative
place, online. Kvalley Computers and Internet, a locally based ISP helped develop
the organization's fundraising website www.savedowntown.org that will launch
November 1st. "What savedowntown does is create an opportunity for anyone online to
make a small donation of as little as $10 to help the EDA revitalize our Downtown."
according to Kvalley owner Chris Schmidt. "In return they can post their name, home
town and a link to their business or personal website on to this site."

For Central Washington University, student Nicole Evans, the challenge was equally
as exciting. She got involved to help market the site. Usually you have a town
that's already been revitalized using the Internet to market itself as a
destination, here you have this small organization using the Internet to help
revitalize our community." "With virtually no budget for marketing this is an
opportunity to really explore the marketing potential of the Internet and other non
traditional mediums."

Timothy Bishop the association's Executive Director since August is optimistic. "I
have never seen a Board or a community this enthusiastic about revitalizing their
Downtown. The savedowntown.org website gives them a chance to share that enthusiasm
with everyone on their contacts list." Bishop added that the fundraising effort
itself has been a great team building experience for Downtown merchants to work
together. "D&M coffee offered to put the website on their coffee cups, other
businesses are handing out stickers with the website and have signs reading ""Ask me
about www.savedowntown.org "" People are calling the office everyday asking how can
I help?"

The Ellensburg Downtown Association is a local non profit organization dedicated to
revitalizing Ellensburg's downtown using the Main Street four point approach to
Downtown revitalization. Bishop was recruited earlier this year after overseeing
the revitalization of Walla Walla's downtown for the last decade.

For more information contact the Ellensburg Downtown Association at 509-962-6246 or
log onto www.savedowntown.org





Web Site = http://www.ellensburgdowntown.org

Contact Details = Timothy Bishop, CMSM
Ellensburg Downtown Association
103 E 4th Ave # 204
Ellensburg Wa 98926

509-962-6246

timothy@ellensburgdowntown.org