The Allentown Village Initiative - Best of 2016

​Every day the volunteers of The Allentown Village Initiative (TAVI) help to beautify the village main streets, restore historic charm, help the downtown commercial district thrive, and strive to make Allentown, NJ a better place to live and enjoy. 
 

​At TAVI we are always looking to the future to better our community and at present we are investing resources into street parking signage to beautify the town and help our businesses.  If you would like to help contribute to this or any other project, we encourage you to please reach as a volunteer or donate:
 
Volunteer:  http://www.allentownvinj.org/volunteer.html
Donate: http://www.allentownvinj.org/donate.html
 
To give you a taste of what’s to come here is a look back at some of TAVI's best moments of 2016:

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FEBRUARY
On a cold Tuesday in February,
80 plus representatives from Main Street programs, NJ state employees, the Allentown Mayor and Borough council members were in attendance for the quarterly Main Street Downtown Institute hosted by TAVI in Allentown.  The event featured, informational sessions, door prizes and food supplied by the Allentown local businesses, a presentation from Alice Wikoff, an Allentown historian, plus a live performance from the Allentown High School Glee Club.  

APRIL
Sweet April showers do spring May flowers. – Thomas Tusser
 
One sunny weekend in mid-April TAVI volunteers worked with friends and neighbors to help clean up old Lakeview Drive Cemetery .

​MAY/JUNE
Summer was upon us and with the season change, TAVI made bloom our online community with a new logo design and website relaunch.

 JULY
In the warm summer evenings TAVI reminded residents, family and friends of Allentown’s charm by introducing candlelight to the Allentown Library windows.

SEPTEMBER
Our September was one to remember as TAVI hosted a fundraising and community event bringing both the businesses and neighbors together to celebrate the Jazz Age.  

OCTOBER
Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul... but I must confess that I love you only because you are a prelude to my beloved October. ― Peggy Toney Horton
 
Fall is always marked in Allentown with the annual Fall Festival.  This year, despite the windy weather, TAVI had great support at our booth where we celebrated the town history with neighbors and visitors from all over.

DECEMBER
December was the peak of 2016 and the biggest month for contributions from TAVI.  We got social and launched our Facebook page, engaging with more and more community members.  At the historic Imlay House we had another event in collaboration with the local business: Branching Out.  Later in the month we displayed our newest holiday life-sized figures and finally we released the newly finished: A Short History of Allentown.  ​