With a quick glance at Cheryl Crowder's office, anyone could tell there is a room in her heart, and her job place, for downtown Muncie.
On the walls, posters of Muncie's past events like Muncie Gras and Muncie Music Fest are placed one on top of the other. To the left, on top of what looks like a closet door, Crowder's pink and yellow Muncie Gras costume from hangs innocently.
Crowder, event coordinator of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, was not born in Muncie, nor was she raised in this city. But ever since she ventured off Ball State University's campus onto main street, she has worked to become a representation of downtown Muncie.
She laughs as she thinks about her college experience.
"It was such a long time ago..."
Crowder studied theater and psychology at Ball State. It was her interest for the arts, and also an interest in socializing, that led her to downtown Muncie.
She was a part of a student-run theater group located in the Patterson building downtown, just a block West of the MITS station. The students were working on renovating the space so they could do performances.
She said it was during that time that she met her former husband.
"I never really left downtown after that," she said.
At the time downtown was not the same as it is now. Crowder and her husband were among about five people that lived in downtown Muncie, she said.
Because of the small population, more artists took the opportunity to rent the empty buildings downtown. Crowder and her husband moved a couple times, but always in the same area.
Her connection with promoting downtown began before there was an official group.
"I was involved in some of those groups early on throughout their many transitions, just because I was a resident," she said
When Muncie Mayor Dan Canan stepped in to create Muncie Downtown Development Partnership as a way to promote the area, Crowder saw the opportunity for an exciting job.
Crowder applied for the office managing position in the new group, but she was told she was not going to be hired for the position. Instead, a new job was created for her, the job she has held for the last 10 years.
Changing downtown was not an easy task. It was not common to see people go downtown for entertainment. Crowder learned that the best way to make downtown visitable was to look at its streets and buildings as if they are homes.
"It's just like inviting someone to a party," she said. "First you are going to make sure you are inviting, that your house is clean, that you are going to have the music they like to hear and the food they like to eat. Then you want to invite them to come back and enjoy again."
Although the city funds for the group ran out, Muncie Downtown Development Partnership found a way to continue organizing events and supporting businesses.
The group's efforts began to pay off as it started seeing new businesses and more residents move back to the area. Then the businesses started to get involved with the group.
Mike Martin, Owner of Doc's Music Hall, said he has known Crowder for about seven years. He said he met her while putting events together, and he saw her dedication for the community.
"I think she's been a great influence, especially in the last couple years when the economy was tough and the funding was cut for Downtown Development just because the city didn't have [the money]," he said. "And she just chose to stick in there and raise her own money and to me that was showing her dedication."
Martin said he thought Crowder chose to stay in downtown Muncie because she saw something could be changed.
"She has the unique ability to see the potential of downtown Muncie even before it was ready, so she is a visionary," he said. "She is just a tough woman, she's not a quitter, so once she got involved she knew she was going to see it through."
Bob Hartley, owner of The Artist Within, said he couldn't think of anybody more dedicated to the growth and development of downtown Muncie than Crowder.
"She's not just in her office promoting, but she goes out helping set up for Muncie Gras. She is always out for First Thursdays and she makes a point of seeing different business owners and seeing if there's anything she can do to help," he said.
Crowder said her job is more than organizing events; it's the sense of neighborhood that lives in downtown. She loves the fact that there are neighbors that look for each other and care.
"We're an odd group," she admitted with a smile. "We would be on McGalliard if we were typical. There really is a bunch of individuals down here."
Crowder will continue working in her job for now. She said she has no plans because she likes to take what life brings to her.
"Nature had an amazing course in my life," she said. "I love what I'm doing, and I'm pretty happy with where I am right now."
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