ATHENS, Ala. — Athens Main Street has received an Award of Excellence from the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA) for its communications response following an EF-1 tornado that struck downtown Athens on December 28, 2024.
The award recognizes the organization’s crisis communications campaign, titled “Stronger Together: Athens Main Street’s Tornado Response,” in PRCA’s Tier 2 Short-Term Programs and Campaigns category.
When the tornado touched down in the heart of downtown Athens, Athens Main Street moved quickly to become the central source of accurate, timely information for business owners, residents, and the broader community. The organization’s response included daily social media updates, direct outreach to every affected business, a dedicated online recovery resource page, and coordinated media relations efforts.
The results exceeded every measurable objective set at the campaign’s outset. Athens Main Street shared more than 50 updates across Facebook and Instagram in the first two weeks following the storm, reaching approximately 261,000 people, and generating more than 1.9 million post views. On Instagram alone, posts reached over 20,000 accounts and were viewed more than 111,000 times. Email newsletters were opened more than 2,000 times, and the dedicated recovery webpage attracted over 5,000 unique visitors. Within one month, the campaign secured positive coverage from several local and regional news outlets.
“This recognition really belongs to our entire community,” said Tere Richardson, Athens Main Street Executive Director. “When the tornado hit, people were scared and uncertain. Our job was to make sure they had the information they needed and felt supported. Seeing downtown bounce back the way it did, that’s what this is really about.”
The campaign was a collaborative effort led by Richardson and dozens of volunteers who contributed an estimated 300 hours to the recovery effort.
The Public Relations Council of Alabama’s Medallion Awards recognizes outstanding campaigns and programs that demonstrate exceptional research, planning, execution, and measurable results.
