I bet you’ve begun your holiday shopping, a novel demand on your time because of the annual complexity of buying a bunch of gifts for a bunch of people all at once.  I’d like to suggest two gifts that will do a world of good and make you happier having given them! 

Gift #1: Shop Small, Shop Local….

The MHPN promotes the idea of avoiding the malls when you can. They foster sprawl and sap the life out of our traditional downtown commercial areas. Shopping small is for more than just the Saturday after Thanksgiving!

Don’t have a favorite traditional downtown?  Discover those involved in the Michigan Main Street Program!  These are the towns that conserve their historic commercial buildings and give you an authentic small-town shopping and entertainment experience. 

Imagine your impact!  The National Retail Federation reports that, in spite of the downturn, holiday shopping will average over $800 per adult. Even if only 1% of Michigan’s 10,050,000 residents – or about 100,000 Michiganians – spend this much, that infuses over $80 million into our authentic downtowns and neighborhood shopping areas.

Gift #2: Give to the MHPN…

After you shop Main Street, make a holiday gift to the Michigan Historic Preservation Network!

You’ve heard from the MHPN all year! We provided training and webinars that allowed you to care for your historic properties. We congregated your voices for effective communications with our elected officials. We helped your Historic District Commissions offer local protection. We assured that preservation was part of the planning process rather than an afterthought.  Plus much more!

If you have been well-served by the MHPN this year, make a gift!  It will help us leverage the $40,000 awarded to us by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.  Go to www.mhpn.org or write a check to the “MHPN” and mail it to our Old Town office at 303 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Lansing, MI 48906.  While there, ‘gift’ a couple memberships to family and friends!

  Have a joy-filled holiday season.  We’ll see you in the New Year as we work together to protect the historic buildings of Michigan!

Janet L. Kreger
MHPN Board President

The Michigan Historic Preservation Network
announces its

43rd Annual Statewide Preservation Conference

  “A FRAGILE BALANCE: 

How Heritage Tourism Balances Profitability and Authenticity”


  Wednesday, May 10 - Saturday, May 13, 2023

Mission Point Resort
Mackinac Island, Michigan

 
   For information click here.