Athens Main Street has been recognized with an Award of Excellence from the Public Relations Council of Alabama for its communications efforts following a tornado that struck downtown in late 2024.

The award honors the organization’s crisis communications campaign, “Stronger Together: Athens Main Street’s Tornado Response,” in PRCA’s Tier 2 Short-Term Programs and Campaigns category. The campaign was launched after an EF-1 tornado caused damage in the heart of downtown Athens on Dec. 28, 2024.

In the immediate aftermath, Athens Main Street became a central hub for information, providing daily updates on social media, direct outreach to affected businesses, a dedicated online recovery resource page, and coordinated media engagement.

The effort generated significant reach and engagement. In the first two weeks, the organization shared more than 50 updates across Facebook and Instagram, reaching roughly 261,000 people and generating more than 1.9 million views. Email newsletters saw more than 2,000 opens, while the recovery webpage drew over 5,000 unique visitors. The campaign also secured positive coverage from multiple local and regional media outlets within the first month.

“This recognition really belongs to our entire community,” said Executive Director Tere Richardson. “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 led by Richardson and supported by dozens of volunteers, who contributed an estimated 300 hours to the recovery effort.

PRCA’s Medallion Awards program recognizes outstanding public relations campaigns across the state, highlighting excellence in research, planning, execution, and measurable results.