Lynne Kellneer: Story neglected to point out 40 years of good downtown deeds

Re “It’s a yucky job, but new ‘ambassadors’ glad to do it” (Front page, Dec. 16): Deke Farrow’s article regarding the Downtown Modesto Partnership’s “ambassadors” was certainly interesting and enlightening, but why did you wait until now to tell this story? This organization has been around for less than a year, but you’d think they invented the idea of cleaning up after the copious amounts and variety of debris people leave downtown.

What might not be so well known is that this service, as well as many others, has been offered downtown for over 40 years by the Downtown Improvement District. They have an employee who could tell 20 years worth of stories you featured. The DID has performed its services quietly without feeling the need to call attention to itself as Modesto transformed from a hub of activity to a ghost town to a variety of businesses trying to stay afloat while finding a niche and bringing people back downtown. The job was getting done and progress was being made long before the DoMo Partnership announced its presence in town. Please give credit where credit is due.

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Lynne Kellneer: Story neglected to point out 40 years of good downtown deeds."