Durham #1 for Large-Sized Fourth Economy Communities in 2013

Durham residents know that their county is a hotbed of economic activity and is poised for growth in all the right ways, but it's always nice to be recognized.

Durham was recently recognized for being #1 in the nation by the Fourth Economy Community Index's top 10 large-sized Fourth Economy Communities. The recognized communities are ideally positioned to attract modern investment and managed economic growth.

The “fourth economy” characterizes the most recent phase of our nation’s economy, reflecting a combination of the previous three to include agrarian, industrial, and technological. This new index is intended to serve as a dashboard for community stakeholders to gauge their capacity to attract and retain modern investment.

“There has never been a more important time for economic and community developers to rethink how we measure economic success,” said Rich Overmoyer, CEO of Fourth Economy Consulting, the economic development firm that created the index in 2011.  “As a country, it is critical that we position our communities to take advantage of the long term economic prosperity and impact that both the public and private sectors can have on their respective economies.  This index begins to point to the data and assets that help to influence and monitor progress toward that goal,” Overmoyer added.

Fourth had this to say about Durham:

"Leading the large county index is highly popular Durham County, North Carolina, home to Duke University, a historic downtown center, and a booming technological prowess, all with an unmistakable Southern charm.

Durham County has been long ahead of the game when it comes to research and development, capitalizing upon its wealth of academic resources and potential for discovery. Home to one of the nation’s most competitive universities and major technology playground, Research Triangle Park, companies such as IBM, Cisco, NetApp, and their research teams have taken root in the area, creating a demand for manufacturing expertise and a technology industry that supports that growth.

The city mobilized its efforts in attracting entrepreneurs by creating a built environment that facilitates investment, bringing a newfound vitality to downtown Durham. Focusing upon Durham’s potential as a prime start-up environment, the city invested in marketing to the businesses, offering services like Smoffice and The Bull City Startups. These tactics have been incredibly successful, bringing eighty start-ups in three years and creating 600 jobs.

“We do entrepreneurial activity much better than most. Our secret sauce is—create the environment, invite them to try it, and get out of the way. We play in keeping the ecosystem vibrant and allow them to use it to grow organically,” says Casey Steinbacher of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce. “We are an incredibly diverse and welcoming community that values diversity of people and thoughts so new ideas do well here”.

Durham County boasts a quality of life that many counties of its size envy. As the economy diversifies, focus swings to improvements for charter schools and more youth programs. As a result, those unconnected to business lead better lives as well, creating a well-rounded approach to fourth economy development."

About the Index:

The Fourth Economy Community Index (www.fourtheconomyindex.com  or  #FECIndex) categorizes counties based on their Census 2010 population.  Micro counties are those less than 25,000.  Small counties range from 25,000 to 49,999.  Mid-sized counties are 50,000 to 149,999.  The large counties are between 150,000 and 499,999.  The FEC Index then considers several county-level measures within five areas: 1) Investment, 2) Talent, 3) Sustainability, 4) Place, and 5) Diversity. These five areas serve as a foundation for future economic success.  Specific indicators include wage and employment growth, education levels, drive times, home values, minority business ownership, agricultural and manufacturing capacity and population density. The measures are then weighted based on the level of influence they have on both internal and external investment decisions.

For more information on economic growth in Durham, read more at the Durham News Service. For a current inventory of new developments happening in Durham, click here.

Durham Funds Public Art Grant

Durham has always been a vibrant and welcoming place for artists to create and show their work. That's why it should come as no surprise that the City of Durham would be giving its support to make art accessible to all through a public art project.

Passersby on Durham’s West Main Street will soon be enjoying a new Civil Rights mural thanks to a recent grant from the City of Durham to a renowned artist.

The City of Durham, in the scope of the Durham City and County Cultural Master Plan and in fulfillment of the purposes of the Public Art Grant Initiative Pilot Project, have awarded a grant to artist Brenda Miller Holmes to oversee the design, creation, and delivery of a mural to be located on the eastern exterior wall of a building located at 112 W. Main St.

According to Renee Leverty, chair of the Durham Cultural Advisory Board, this mural will honor not only an important part of Durham’s history, but also give an opportunity for true community participation. “The project includes many aspects that make it so appealing,” Leverty said. “The aesthetics of her work, a strong community and educational outreach, and a mentorship that will give a local artist the opportunity to gain expertise in the area of public art, which are all good things for Durham.”

Holmes will lead a process for public input into the design of a painted mural commemorating the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Durham. Project coordination will begin this month and continue through January 2013. Holmes is looking for 15 Durham youth (between 15-20 years old) and 15 Durham adults (age 21 and older) to participate in the creation of the project between February and June 2013. Applications to participate are available for interested residents and are due by January 15, 2013.

According to Holmes, there are several educational components that will be included in the mural creation, including four educational workshops, scheduled once weekly during February’s Black History Month, as well as six design workshops to be held between March and mid-April 2013.

About Brenda Miller Holmes 
Brenda Miller Holmes is a muralist and art educator that has been facilitating collaborative community mural projects throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally for the last 10 years and has studied and worked with Master Muralist Susan Cervantes of Precita Eyes Muralists from 2005-2011. Holmes was trained in an artistic approach mirroring that of popular education, and her interest lies in the intersection of art, community empowerment, and social justice. She is passionate about sharing this unifying and transformative creative experience. Beyond mural making, her art teaching experience spans a variety of media and she has facilitated workshops with people of all ages, from toddlers through adults. Holmes can be reached by email at Brenda@BrendaMillerHolmes.com

About the Office of Economic & Workforce Development
Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the Office of Economic & Workforce Development helps ensure that Durham has a strong and diverse economy by increasing the city’s tax base through several revitalization initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area. The department also plans and promotes cultural awareness and events, identifies and recruits target industries as well as assesses and trains Durham residents to fill new jobs. For more information go here, “like” on Facebook, or “follow” on Twitter.

To find out more about Durham's thriving art scene, click here. Fore more information about arts events in Durham, click here.

First Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience at DPAC

Durham has long been on the culinary map as a place where great food and drink happens, so it's only fitting that the Bull City would be hosting an annual food & beer event.

DPAC - Durham Performing Arts Center is partnering with Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom and Sam’s Quik Shop to host the First Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience from 4-8pm February 24, 2013 at DPAC.

The Bull City Food & Beer Experience is designed to stimulate and educate your palate and mind through pairing of local food showcasing 20 Durham restaurants, unbelievable beer from 20 North Carolina Breweries in addition to another 30+ craft and specialty import breweries, and appearances by the owners of three of the premier craft breweries in the United States, Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Kim Jordan (New Belgium) and Dale Ketechis (Oskar Blues). All three breweries have chosen North Carolina for their East Coast expansion bringing hundreds of jobs to the Tar Heel State. Keynote Speakers include Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Kim Jordan (New Belgium) & Dale Katechis (Oskar Blues). This event is a fundraising event to benefit the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.

Admission into the Bull City Food & Beer Experience includes:

• Souvenir Glass and Tasting Notebook 
• Food sampling from 20 of Durham's finest restaurant's & Beer Tastings from over 50 breweries. 

Tickets go on sale Friday December 21, 2012 at 10 AM and can be ordered online, by calling the the DPAC Ticket Center at 919.680.2787, or in person at 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800.745.3000

With so many exciting events and festivals happening in Durham, it can be easy to lose track of them all. Use the Durham Event Calendar to find out more about what's going on. Learn more about Durham's dining scene online.

Durham BBQ Restaurant Offers Help in Aftermath of the Sandy Hook Incident

The food scene in Durham, NC is filled with high-quality product, and high-quality people, too. The events of December 14 in Newtown, CT shook people the world over, and propelled many to action.  Dan Ferguson, owner of The Original Q Shack in Durham, NC is a business-owner and father, and he realizes that this - and every - community needs to help.

Ferguson is donating 100% of the proceeds from The Original Q Shack on January 2 (11 AM to 9 PM) to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which has an office in Durham.  

“I feed people for a living and knew this is how I could give back to my community,” said Ferguson.  He feels NAMI is the right fit because everyone needs to know that there is help for families who have a family member with mental illness.  “I wanted to help raise money for services and resources that are needed to support these families.  They are not in this alone.  Our community is here for them,” he added.  

“My youngest son is 6 and a half and in first grade....he could have been one of those babies our country lost last week,” said Ferguson who believes that the perpetrator of the incident was in need of mental health care.  “I have three kids and feel for all those parents that have experienced such a devastating loss.  Like our whole community, I felt so helpless watching the news.  I wanted to do something to try and help,” he said.

Among Durham’s most popular restaurants, The Original Q Shack, not to be confused with other restaurants in the area bearing a similar name and with which Ferguson used to be associated, has its sole location in the Rockwood District of Durham at 2510 University Drive. Ferguson is planning on offering limited menu on Wednesday, Jan 2nd 11 AM -9 PM. All of the proceeds from the day will go to NAMI, a move made possible in part by the generous support of one of Ferguson’s vendors, US Foods.

Durham is home to hundreds of great restaurants.  Learn more about all of them here.

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

WHEN & WHERE
Greenwood Commons
5410 NC Hwy 55
Durham, NC 27713
Saturdays, 8am-12pm (April-November)
10AM-1PM (December-March)
Year-Round, Rain or Shine

THIS WEEK
Fickle Creek Farm •  Berenbaum's • Alfred's Farm • Ninth Street Bakery • Prodigal Farm •  Bushy Tail Farm •  4m Farm • Pine Knot Farm •Walters Unlimited • Parker Farm & Vineyard • Four Leaf FarmHappy Holidays - come on out to market to prepare for some warming, winter dishes, to live music and the company of local producers!

Market Hours/Information
Winter hours:  Our hours are now 10AM-1PM (December-March)!

Reminder: We will be CLOSED on Saturday, December 29th.

Market Swag
Get your local stocking stuffers!!!

We have t-shirts, at last! Our t-shirts were made by TS Designs in Burlington, NC, and are made of organic cotton grown right here in NC, and sewn here as well. Keep your money in the local economy by buying a market shirt, and show off your favorite farmers' market, wherever you go in the world! All sizes S-XXL are available at market on Saturday for $20! We also have bumper magnets! Be one of the first two people to find me and tell me the last three mayors of Durham! Otherwise, they will be on sale for $3.

Volunteering & Spreading the Word
Farmer Foodshare is rolling! The Durham Crisis Response Center was incredibly thankful for your donations and support, cheers to a great community! We still need volunteers for our FF donation station to be sustainable, as well as general market volunteers! Love food? Love people? Perfect. By being a volunteer, you can get to know our farmers and vendors even better, and get to understand all the goings-on in food and agriculture in the area. We need help with event planning, the donation station, market breakdown, marketing, community engagement, or you could probably even pitch me a great idea for what you could do to help the market and community grow together.  You can email me at: manager@southdurhamfarmersmarket.org  

Be sure to check out our seasonal recipe of the week at the bottom of the newsletter, and here on our Pinterest provided by our super, fantastic, equestrian, amazing community member, Rhiannon, as well as one of our new interns, Samantha! We will be adding more photos and seasonal inspiration to our Pinterest!

You are the community, and you know better than anyone else, where to find more people like YOU. Please consider posting this flyer in your work, favorite cafe, gathering space, or wave it in the streets, to spread the word about our market! Click here! (inverted the poster so there is not a ton of black ink!)

As a reminder, please bring a reusable bag if you can. Big thank you from vendors and the environment! Thank you for being a part of the market, and for letting us be a part of your community. Remember to spread the word, and tell your friends to buy local.

Sincerely,
Ben
Your Market Manager

Most City of Durham Offices Closed for Christmas and New Year’s Holidays

Most City of Durham administrative offices will be closed Monday, December 24, Tuesday, December 25, and Wednesday, December 26, 2012 as well as Tuesday, January 1, 2013 in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Police, fire, and rescue services for life-threatening or in-progress emergencies may be reached by calling 911. Non-emergency problems or concerns may be directed to (919) 560-4600. Durham residents are also asked to take note of the following changes in City services and programs.

Solid Waste, Recycling, Yard Waste, and Bulky Item Curbside Collections
The City’s Solid Waste Management Department will be closed on Tuesday, December 25. Collection for all services, which includes solid waste, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items, will be delayed by one business for the remainder of this week. Customers who would normally receive their bulky item and yard waste collection on Friday, December 28 will instead receive their collection on Monday, December 31.

The department will also be closed on Tuesday, January 1. All collections for solid waste, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items will again be delayed by one business day for the remainder of this week. Customers who would normally receive their bulky item and yard waste collection on Friday, January 4 will instead receive their collection on Monday, January 7. For more information, click here.

Residents are reminded to place their carts at the curb by 7 a.m. the day of their scheduled collections and to return garbage, recycling, and yard waste containers back to their home, away from street, curb, and sidewalk. As traffic increases during the holiday season, motorists are also asked to be aware of collection crews working in neighborhoods and other high-traffic areas.

Waste Disposal and Recycling Center
The City's Waste Disposal and Recycling Center (Transfer Station) will close at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 24 and will also closed on Tuesday, December 25 and Tuesday, January 1. It will operate under its normal schedule on all other dates. For more information, click here.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
The City's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center will be closed on Tuesday, December 25 and Tuesday, January 1. Since the center is normally closed on Mondays, it will operate under its normal schedule on all other dates. For more information, click here.

Curbside Christmas Tree Collection
The Solid Waste Management Department will collect Christmas trees from all solid waste customers beginning Wednesday, January 3 until Friday, March 1. Trees should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on residents’ normal household garbage collection day. Residents are asked to leave the tree at the curb for one week before contacting Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200 to report a missed tree collection. Trees taller than six feet should be cut in half. Residents should remove all decorations and hardware, including tinsel, lights, garland, ornaments, nails, and stands. Residents are also asked to not place trees in bags. Christmas trees may also be dropped off at the City’s Waste Disposal & Recycling Center at 2115 E. Club Blvd., Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon at no charge until March 1. Customers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before closing. Trees delivered after March 1 will be subject to the usual disposal fees.

Remember To Recycle
Residents are encouraged to recycle year-round and particularly during the holiday season when the amounts of trash generated increases. Paper holiday waste, including wrapping paper (non-metallic only), cardboard boxes, and greeting cards may be placed in the blue recycling cart. To learn more about recycling, click here.

Durham Parks and Recreation
Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) will close its administrative office, all recreation centers, and all indoor rental sites from Monday, December 24 through Wednesday, December 26. The administrative office, all recreation centers, and all indoor rental sites will reopen under their normal operating schedules on Thursday, December 27.

DPR will also close its administrative office, all recreation centers, and all indoor rental sites on Tuesday, January 1. Recreation centers will close at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 31.The administrative office, all recreation centers, and indoor rental sites will reopen under their normal operating schedules on Wednesday, January 2. For more information, click here, “like” DPR on Facebook, or call (919) 560-4355.

Durham Area Transit Authority
On Monday, December 24, Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) and DATA ACCESS will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Bull City Connector service will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, December 25, DATA, DATA ACCESS, and the Bull City Connector will not operate and DATA and DATA ACCESS administrative offices will be closed.

On Wednesday, December 26, all fixed route service on DATA and DATA ACCESS will operate from 5:30 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. The Bull City Connector will operate from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. However, DATA and DATA ACCESS administrative offices will be closed.

On Monday, December 31, all fixed route service on DATA and DATA ACCESS will operate from 5:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Bull City Connector service will operate from 7 a.m. until midnight.

On Tuesday, January 1 all fixed route service on DATA and DATA ACCESS will operate from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The Bull City Connector will operate from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. However, DATA and DATA ACCESS administrative offices will be closed.

For more information on DATA and DATA ACCESS, click here, “like” DATA on Facebook or call (919) 485-RIDE. For more information on the Bull City Connector, click here or “like” BCC on Facebook, or “follow” them on Twitter.

Durham One Call
Durham One Call will be closed on Monday, December 24 through Wednesday, December 26 as well as Tuesday, January 1. The center will also close one hour early on Monday, December 31 at 5 p.m. Residents may complete an online service request by clicking here, or by leaving a message at (919) 560-1200. Durham One Call will forward all requests for City services to the appropriate department on the next business day. For information about the City’s holiday schedule and the services that may be affected, residents should contact (919) 560-1200 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or click here.

Music Scene Sounding Better in Durham, NC

Durham, NC is rapidly emerging as a hotbed of independent music.  With several venues open just in the last couple of years, there are many choices for acts of all kinds to show off in front of their fans.  But performance venues are only part of the picture.

With the addition of a a great support ecosystem, a place like Durham becomes a destination to not only perform, but to get instruments and to record, too.  With an announcement from SoundPure, Durham just took a huge leap forward toward that ecosystem being a reality.

SoundPure, an Independent, Durham-based professional audio business, recently announced the expansion of its guitar and drum retail storefront. “When we acquired Indoor Storm and all of their fantastic staff last year out of Raleigh, this meant one less music store for the Triangle.  We knew that a local retail operation would be in our future, so we purchased the building next door to our existing facility and started building this gorgeous guitar and drum space,” said Todd Atlas, president of Sound Pure.  “There's such a vibrant music community in the Triangle, and the only full service alternatives to musicians are big-box, international chain stores.  Unlike the big box stores, SoundPure represents products made by smaller, independent luthiers and artisans, which means better quality, and better value to our customers.”

In 1997, Todd Atlas started Sound Pure out of a dorm room at Duke University. Sound Pure has since developed an international reputation in the music equipment industry by representing boutique, small-production, and highly sought-after artisan brands of guitars, drums and audio equipment. The company has primarily served its market online, however, the retail expansion will allow SoundPure to better serve the Triangle’s music community. Sound Pure's retail location will be the newest addition to Durham’s the thriving Central Park District.  “Despite this economy, we believe in the neighborhood, we believe in the Triangle, and we believe musicians need a better place to shop locally,” said Atlas.

With the highest percentage of creative class jobs in the US, Durham is a place where the arts are held in exceptionally high regard. SoundPure is yet another business to help deliver on that promise.

Learn more about Durham and all it's creative outlets online.

This Week at the Farmers' Markets

South Durham Farmers' Market

Happy Holidays - come on out to market to prepare for some warming, winter dishes, to live music and the company of local producers!

I was fortunate enough to see this amazing woman talk this week, at the NC Choices Carolina Meat Conference, check out what she has to say about animals, livestock management, and more.

Market Hours/Information
Winter hours:  Our hours are now 10AM-1PM (December-March)!

Market Swag
We have t-shirts, at last! Our t-shirts were made by TS Designs in Burlington, NC, and are made of organic cotton grown right here in NC, and sewn here as well. Keep your money in the local economy by buying a market shirt, and show off your favorite farmers' market, wherever you go in the world! All sizes S-XXL are available at market on Saturday for $20! We also have bumper magnets! Be one of the first two people to find me and tell me the last three mayors of Durham! Otherwise, they will be on sale for $3.

Volunteering & Spreading the Word
Farmer Foodshare is rolling! The Durham Crisis Response Center was incredibly thankful for your donations and support, cheers to a great community! We still need volunteers for our FF donation station to be sustainable, as well as general market volunteers! Love food? Love people? Perfect. By being a volunteer, you can get to know our farmers and vendors even better, and get to understand all the goings-on in food and agriculture in the area. We need help with event planning, the donation station, market breakdown, marketing, community engagement, or you could probably even pitch me a great idea for what you could do to help the market and community grow together.  You can email me at: manager@southdurhamfarmersmarket.org

Be sure to check out our seasonal recipe of the week at the bottom of the newsletter, and here on our Pinterest provided by our super, fantastic, equestrian, amazing community member, Rhiannon, as well as one of our new interns, Samantha! We will be adding more photos and seasonal inspiration to our Pinterest!

You are the community, and you know better than anyone else, where to find more people like YOU. Please consider posting this flyer in your work, favorite cafe, gathering space, or wave it in the streets, to spread the word about our market! Click here! (inverted the poster so there is not a ton of black ink!)

As a reminder, please bring a reusable bag if you can. Big thank you from vendors and the environment! Thank you for being a part of the market, and for letting us be a part of your community. Remember to spread the word, and tell your friends to buy local.

Sincerely,
Ben
Your Market Manager

Durham Farmers Market

As the Market Manager, one of the most frequently asked questions that I get is: "Are there any vegetables available at the Market during the winter?".
You probably know that the answer is an emphatic "Yes!".  If you look at the list below, you'll see that there is a wide variety of vegetables available.  In the past few years, a good number of our farmers have started to shift their focus to growing more vegetables during the winter, so now there is a good supply of vegetables during the colder months.  Some of the winter vegetables are easy to cook with and highly sought after like brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and carrots.  There are others that are a bit less sought after, but just as delicious.  Turnips, for example, are the work horse of a winter farmers' market.

Turnips are very fast growing and cold hardy vegetables.  Farmers can grow and harvest them through the winter.  When the temperatures get very cold, all winter crops grow slowly.  Turnips, once established, will hold in the ground during the cold months. Farmers can harvest only what they need to harvest and then leave the rest in the ground until they need to harvest more. Turnips, unlike other crops, won't go bad when left in the ground during the winter months, they just sit their and wait in nature's refrigerator. More ephemeral crops, such as broccoli, need to be harvested as soon as they are ready, other wise the broccoli will start to flower and then deteriorate. Turnips are quite a hardy crop and if you try to eat locally grown food all year long, they are a definite winter vegetable staple.

It hasn't been until recently that I've learned how to cook turnips and really love them.  My favorite is roasting them with sweet potatoes.  Turnips and sweet potatoes, I've learned roast at the exact same rate! To roast them, I dice both the turnips and sweet potatoes into the same size, coat them with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a sprig of rosemary or thyme.  Put them on a cookie sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (or until I can stick a fork in them).  Roasting turnips brings out their sweetness and subtle flavor.

A few weeks ago, at the Pre-Thanksgiving Market, Chef Katie Coleman came to the Market and did a cooking demonstration.  She made honey glazed carrots and turnips.  It's another great way to incorporate more turnips into your cooking repertoire!

See you at the Market!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES:  CRESS aka CREASY GREENS, Asian Greens, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collards, Daikon Radish, Escarole, Fennel, Fresh Herbs (Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Ginger, Green Onions, Garlic, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peppers - sweet and hot, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Rutabega, Radishes, Rapini, Salad Mix, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Turmeric Root, Greenhouse Tomatoes,  Winter Squash and more
MEATS AND EGGS: VEAL, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Turkey
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged cow and goats milk cheeses.
FLOWERS & PLANTS: Asian Lilies, Wreaths & Greenery, Landscaping Plants, House Plants
SPECIALTY ITEMS: PECANS, Raw Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Soaps, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions

DCVB Earns Awards For Its Work, and Workplace

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) is Durham, NC.'s official marketing agency. Funded by a portion of the visitor-paid occupancy tax collected by hotels in Durham County, the organization is charged with getting people to visit Durham for both work and play.  Since its inception in 1989, DCVB has won nearly 140 awards and citations for its work, practices, policies.  In short, working at DCVB means producing top quality results in a top quality environment.

For the fourth time since the award's inception in 2005, DCVB has been recognized by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for its excellence in workplace flexibility. 

"Flexibility in the workplace is as much about helping employees be effective and productive as it is about yielding positive business results for an organization," said Shelly Green, DCVB's President and CEO.  "We see great benefits (as do our employees) from the policies and practices we have in place that promote work/life balance."

The awards are part of a research-based initiative called "When Work Works."  The Foundation surveys employees and employers about the flexibility programs and practices at their workplace as well as the perceived level of  support fostered in their workplace culture.

“Our research consistently finds that employees in effective and flexible workplaces have greater engagement on the job and greater desire to stay with their organization. In addition, they report lower stress levels and better overall health,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of Families and Work Institute.  According to Galinsky, DCVB ranks in the top 20% of employers nationally in terms of its programs, policies and culture for creating an effective and flexible workplace.

The organization has also been recognized with several honors for its creative work - all of which is done in-house at DCVB. "The creative team at DCVB is outstanding.  Whether it's publications, direct-mail, or websites, these folks consistently produce innovative, award-winning work," said Green. 

The work they have done this past year has received two 2012 MarCom Creative Awards and three honorable mentions.  To date, DCVB has won four platinum awards and nine golds from MarCom, along with numerous honorable mentions.  This year the awards were:

• Platinum (highest award): 2010-11 Annual Report
• Gold: Mini-Meeting Planners Guide
• Honorable Mentions: 2011-12 Preservation Durham Fundraising Campaign
  2012 Visitor & Relocation Guide
  Durham LGBT Travel Portal

The MarCom Creative Awards are part of an international competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communications practitioners. Entries were judged by industry professionals who looked for companies and individuals whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

DCVB was also recognized recently by the Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina (DMANC) with Platinum awards for the same two publications.  

In addition to the Sloan Awards, DCVB was the first CVB in the nation to achieve Green Plus certification  recognizing organizations that have achieved a high level of commitment to people, performance and the planet.  

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau is Durham's primary point of contact for visitors.  They operate the Visitors Information Center at 101 E. Morgan Street in Downtown Durham, and maintain the Durham Event Calendar, among many other resources.