BLACKSBURG – Blacksburg Council members recently listened to funding needs of local community organizations and groups that provide arts, literacy, sustainability, senior support, and many other programs striving to improve the lives of the New River Valley residents.
The full presentations can be viewed via a recording of the live streamed video of the Mar. 25 meeting at www.blacksburg.gov.
This spring, the Mozart Requiem is being performed by the Blacksburg Master Chorale joined by the Tech Philharmonic and the Tech Chamber Chorus. The group performs many genres of other music, but without a paid staff and official practice location. Need-based scholarships are made available partly through funds from the Town of Blacksburg.
Literacy NRV provide free instruction in English and math tutoring, GED exam preparation, achieving United States citizenship, and many other individual educational supports within the community of the New River Valley. According to the Executive Director of Literacy NRV Ginny Ayers, the organization does not receive any state or federal adult education funding.
“Our local governments make up over 10 percent of our funding,” Ayers said. “Out of 150 tutors, 50 are from the town of Blacksburg, and they are volunteering throughout the New River Valley for us.”
The NRV Agency on Aging is celebrating their 50th year of service in the New River Valley. Newly appointed Director Ray Parks shared important information of the agency’s growing financial support needs. “Aging in Place” is a commonly used term and describes one of the major goals of their organization to provide seniors to have an option of “dignity and choice” in their care, along with access to needed services, help and support.
Debbie Edwards of the Blacksburg Farmers Market also requested funding to help support their efforts to bring fresh food and other local wares through 40 local businesses. Among other community outreach events, the farmers market provides a visitors’ destination with live music, fresh produce for the Meals to Wheels program, hundreds of hours for Virginia Tech University students to meet with community volunteer hours, and new this year is a Farmer’s Emergency Fund, Edwards said.
Executive Director of the Lyric Theater, Seth Davis, said that the Lyric will be celebrating 95 years at the same location in downtown Blacksburg. The Lyric Theater has much more to celebrate with, among other things, an over 25% increase in overall attendance to their programs, three times the educational programs offered, and new audiences of elementary and middle-school students, college-age students, and international attendees, Davis said.
Following presentations, Council member Liam Watson said, “I’ll just say, thank you to all of you who came. I’ve said to a couple of you now that this is my favorite night of the year on Town Council, is getting to hear the good work that you guys are doing and it brings me immense joy to hear about the things that each of you are passionate about, so thank you for coming to us.”
