LEWES, Del. - As the summer comes to a close, Lewes is seeing how it's Love, Lewes campaign has made an impact on local businesses and the community.
Lewes Mayor Ted Becker, said, "It really has helped people coalesce around the idea that they really do love Lewes and they want to be here, and it brought the community together in a way that we couldn't have done without it."
The Love, Lewes campaign also focused on restarting the city's economy, and Touch of Italy says it has.
"It has brought everybody together, business has been booming even more,” said Ralph (Junior) Foskey IV, the general manager at Touch of Italy.
The Love, Lewes yard sign campaign was also a hit.
"We sold almost 500 signs and everybody just comes in and loves the signs and love the new iconic image that it portrays,” said Betsy Reamer, executive director of the Lewes Chamber of Commerce.
Now continuing to bring the community together while keeping everyone safe, the Chamber of Commerce is holding a “Lewes Loves Masks” contest starting Labor Day Weekend. The contest is held from September to December, with a different theme every month. To enter all you have to do is take a picture with your most creative mask, and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #LewesLovesMasks.
• September: Most creative mask or scene.
• October: Team Pride. Show off your favorite sports team on a mask.
• November: Family. Best photo of your family members on a mask.
• December: Holiday. The best holiday-themed mask.
"One of the people on our zoom calls saw another town to do a mask campaign. So we decided what a great idea to make it a positive thing so people understand why we are wearing our masks and what we're doing to help prevent [coronavirus], and make it comfortable to come shop in our town,” said Michiko Seto, owner of Blooming Boutique.
The winner of the best mask, each month, receives a $50 gift card from a Lewes business. The entire campaign has had a positive impact on the city.
“Not many people know about Lewes we've been a little quiet secret down here,” said Seto. “But it's nice the word is getting out. We have a lot to offer, we have unbelievable restaurants, unbelievable shops there's lots to do.”
