There was a lot to celebrate on Thursday on North Bridge Street in Elkin and I was delighted and proud to be a part of the festivities. On this sun-drenched afternoon the folks in Elkin dedicated the new Elkin Center of Surry Community College. The building, a supermarket that had long been vacated, is getting a new life as one of the community college’s “CLEAR” sites – Center for Learning, Education, and Retraining. It is a resource to educate those seeking higher learning and to help drive economic development in this community. It is a gateway to open opportunities for those in need of, or just looking, for a new career path. The building has been transformed into a gem, the hub of the town’s busiest intersection, where people can come together and build an even better community.
The Department of Commerce’s Energy Office was proud to play a part in bringing about a real community celebration. With $200,000 in federal Recovery Act money, the Energy Office made an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant to help pay for energy-saving heating and air conditioning equipment, an energy management system, and upgraded roof and insulation. The Energy Office joined the Golden Leaf Foundation, Duke Energy, the Rural Center of North Carolina, BB&T, Lowe’s, Yadkin Valley Bank, the Chatham Foundation, the Hillsdale Foundation and the Kulynych Family Foundation to make the new Elkin Center a reality. Surry County, the city of Elkin and the community college all played important roles.
Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco and Bud Berro from Gov. Bev Perdue’s Piedmont office joined with others representing Surry County, Elkin and the community college -- reflecting the cooperation and interdependence that makes North Carolina government effective. This is the kind of team effort that is the strength of our state – friends, neighbors, businesses and civic officials coming together to give their community a special place where opportunities will grow and futures will brighten.