FERRIDAY, La. &045; The 13 people who attended a meeting of the Downtown Revitalization Committee Wednesday are committed to doing all they can to help Ferriday become a thriving economic center again.

At this meeting, that meant learning anything they could about the Main Street Program from Gina Buckley, a former Main Street project manager in Tennessee and Natchez.

The Main Street Program is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The program attempts to help communities revitalize downtown commercial districts.

Buckley is the owner and operator of Westaff, an employment agency in Vidalia, La.

&uot;This is like preaching to the choir in here,&uot; Buckley said. &uot;Obviously you care about this town and want to see it grow and prosper.&uot;

Buckley pointed the group to the Main Street Web site and encouraged the group to visit Main Street communities in Louisiana, especially New Iberia, which won a 2005 Great American Main Street Award from the national organization.

But Buckley also stressed the long-term commitment and work ethic needed to successfully work in the Main Street Program.

&uot;There’s more to it than just saying you want to revitalize your downtown business district,&uot; Buckley said.

Buckley said the first step for the group is to get the Historic District Commission in Ferriday up and running so that grants can be applied for.

Teresa Dennis, executive director of the Concordia Economic and Industrial Development District, said the parish’s new business incubator should be put out for bids in August, with construction starting in September and finishing in December.

Liz Brooking told the committee she is almost ready to send in the group’s application for 501c3 &045; the number of the governmental act that gives non-profit groups tax-exempt status &045; designation. She said she is acquiring the last few newspaper articles showing what the group has done for Ferriday.