Summer 1999 Newsletter page 4

Association sponsors Celebration

New Mexico Congresswoman Heather Wilson celebrated her Route 66 legislation at the 66 Diner on April 9, 1999. Wilson was escorted to the event by the Pajarito Thunderbird Club of New Mexico in classic T-birds reminiscent of the glory days of the Route.

The New Mexico Route 66 Association sponsored the event and invited mayors from the towns and cities from across New Mexico and along the Route. Wilson, who spoke at the event, stated she sponsored H.R. 66 to promote tourism and preserve the small businesses and historic sites along Route 66.

Others speaking during the event were Janet Green, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism; Susie McComb, the President of the Route 66 Association; and Joyce Pullen, Office Manager for Senator Pete Domenici. Tom Willis, owner of the 66 Diner presented Route 66 shields to Congresswoman Wilson and Senator Domenici.

Mark your Calendar for the 10th Anniversary Bus Tour!

To celebrate the Association's 10th Anniversary as an organization we'll be co-sponsoring a bus tour of New Mexico's central portion of Historic Route 66! We'll be working with the New Mexico Architectural Foundation to determine logistics, tour route, costs, dinner, tour guides, tour stops and more.

David Nidel, past President of the Association and Jan Barnhart, President of the Architectural Foundation will co-chair the event. They will be mailing out the final details shortly.

Join the Association and Foundation as we cruise the roadway together. The event will be held sometime in October. We will notify members of the exact date and time.

For more info call David Nidel on his pager at (505) 858-6012.

Fund Raiser a Success... Thanks! A recent appeal to our members by the Board of Directors to offset the unexpected costs of the successful advocacy and education campaign with New Mexico's State Legislature, and additions to the Web Site, paid off big! Over $1100 arrived, mostly in small donations that helped offset our costs. Much thanks and remember, get a friend to join so we can do more!

New Printing of Route 66 Publication Available

You might like to know that we have a new printing of the 1992 publication, The Historic and Architectural Resources of Route 66 Through New Mexico, by David Kammer. It costs $10.00, checks payable to New Mexico State Historic Preservation Division, 228 E. Palace, Room 320, Santa Fe, NM 87501.
Nancy Hanks
Cultural Resource Specialist
NM Historic Preservation Division

  Advisors & Directors conduct annual Strategic Planning Session

Twenty-one Directors and Advisors met to lay out the 1999-2000 work plan for the Association in early May. Barbara Silverman, Organization facilitator helped lead the group through a series of decisions about action priorities for the upcoming year.

Among the many recommendations to work towards were:

  • National Scenic Byway Designation.
  • Funding for local communities in cultural and heritage tourism for the 75th Anniversary at the next legislature.
  • Complete Historic Trail Marker and Off-Interstate Directional Sign Projects.
  • Develop and fund more local Public Art projects for Historic Route 66.
  • Create a clearinghouse of available Route 66 resources for local communities to use.
  • Help local communities cross-market, advertise and promote their Historic Route 66 assets.
  • Develop a slide presentation for local communities instructing how to preserve, restore and rehabilitate their Route 66 buildings.
  • Carefully monitor and become involved in the state Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan.
  • Expand Membership and Development initiatives for the organization.

Volunteers Needed

We need your ideas, and more importantly your participation, to make those ideas a reality. The New Mexico Route 66 Association's Directors, Advisors and Trustees are all volunteers. To get an idea approved by the Board and off the ground we need you to help do it! If you have a few hours a month to help out, here's some ongoing activities we need your assistance with: Newsletter Distribution

Newsletter Stories and Pictures

Sell Ads for the Newsletter

Distribute our materials, newsletters and maps at local/regional events.

Membership

  • Respond to requests.
  • Generate thank you notes.
  • Initiate new member development.

Archives and Historic Memorabilia

Don't throw away those family pictures and memorabilia about Route 66! We maintain an archive of materials donated by friends of the Association to preserve our legacy and memories of the road. In some cases these donations are tax deductible.

Call Susie McComb (505) 832-4087 for more information.

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