St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, world-class food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere—but the people of St. Pete truly make this city something special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench Monthly shines a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete unique.
This month our light shines on Allison Stribling, Executive Director for the non-profit organization Preserve the ‘Burg. For over forty years, PTB has worked “to secure the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, maintenance, and/or acquisition of important natural and historic sites and structures.” In simpler terms, they endeavor to “keep St. Pete special.” Since 2015, Allison has applied her “get it done background” to this mission, helping PTB to grow in both membership and outreach as they strive to advocate, educate, and celebrate what makes the city special.
Seeking the Love of a City
Although Allison is not a St. Pete native, she is a proud seventh-generation Floridian. She was born in Ocala, earned her degree at Florida State University, and worked in and around Tallahassee for thirteen years. In 2012, a company downsizing left her without a job. Inspired by Tampa Bay author Peter Kageyama’s book “For the Love of Cities,” she decided this downturn was actually an opportunity “to find the place I’d fall in love with.” So she sold her stuff, threw her kayak on top of her car, and spent the next six months traveling through Florida. She explored the Keys, St. Augustine, Atlantic Beach and St. Pete, among others, but found she kept returning to St. Pete. Every time she did, she heard the same thing again and again: “I love St. Pete.” It didn’t take her long to see that there really was something special about the city. Believing she had found the city she could “fall in love with,” she rented a studio in Historic Driftwood and dived into life in the ‘Burg.
“I Love St. Pete”
She set out to take it all in, or as she describes it, she “sucked the marrow out of St. Pete!” and St. Pete didn’t disappoint. Everywhere she looked, people from eight to eighty were enjoying the nearly endless variety of activities the city offers. Her instinct had proved correct. She did fall in love with the city. But it wasn’t just the “fun and funky” vibe that grabbed her heart– it was the people. She immediately felt like a welcomed and valued member of the community. She also was impressed by the active role grassroots organizations and businesses played in the ongoing effort to keep St. Pete special. Allison wanted to be part of that collective energy “working to keep the buzz alive,” so she was thrilled when she was offered the opportunity to join the Preserve the ‘Burg team.
Keeping St. Pete Special
As Allison describes it, PTB endeavors to “empower people to become the voice and the engine that keeps St. Pete special.” Cities are living entities and as St. Pete continues to grow and change, protecting and nourishing what is special about it is essential. Allison’s guiding principle as Executive Director has centered on the belief that when communities work together, they can avoid both unfettered growth and stagnation. Simply put, communication and connections between local organizations and local businesses both amplify and strengthen their voices.
You can see how Preserve the ‘Burg proudly continues to advocate for, educate and celebrate what makes St. Pete special by checking out their website at preservetheburg.org.
Great job Tina!!