RADFORD – A $17,000 gift from a local group of philanthropic women is giving a boost to the efforts to restore the historic Edgar A. Long building, former home of the Christiansburg Institute.
The New River Valley Chapter of 100+ Women Who Care presented a check for $12,000 from its members and an additional $5,000 donation from the Secular Society to Christiansburg Institute Inc. on Tuesday at the historic building in Christiansburg. The funds will be used toward the replacement of the roof of the building.
“Christiansburg Institute, Inc. intends to apply this amount towards a new roof for the Edgar A. Long building,” said Debbie Sherman Lee of Christiansburg Institute Inc. “Recognizing that the projected cost for restoring the roof is upwards of $150,000, I’m hoping that other organizations, groups, businesses and individuals will also help preserve and protect the history and legacy of Christiansburg Institute. I would like to thank the 100+ WWC for investing in our organization and vision.”
“We look forward to the day when we can restore the entire building to serve all members of our diverse community by holding events in the Long building and on the four-acre property,” she continued.
Christiansburg Industrial Institute educated African American students in the New River Valley and beyond the valley for a century, from 1866-1966. Christiansburg Institute, Inc. is an organization formed to “continue preserving and sharing our school and history with our community and beyond,” according to information about the organization. “A restored and operational Edgar A. Long building holds the promise of being an accessible and flexible multipurpose community gathering space and a museum that honors the history of Christiansburg Institute and African Americans in the South.”
100+ Women Who Care is a national organization in which a group of at least 100 women meet four times a year and each personally contribute $100 each quarter to a charity of the group’s choice. Christiansburg Institute, Inc. is the group’s winter quarter recipient. The New River Valley Chapter was co-founded by Sarah Black, Alexa Casey and Beth Parker. The NRV 100+ WWC meets quarterly on the third Tuesday of January, April, July and October. Committed members donate $100 every quarter, and each meeting lasts no more than one hour. At each 100+ WWC quarterly meeting, three local not-for-profits are drawn from a bucket. Each organization must have a 100+ Women Who Care NRV member sponsor willing to present on its behalf. The group’s membership area includes the counties of Montgomery, Giles, Pulaski, Floyd and the City of Radford.
“We are a group of 100+ women who are interested in supporting our local community in the New River Valley,” states the group’s website. “We come from all walks of life and varying financial backgrounds. As individuals, it is challenging to make a meaningful impact in our community, but, as a group, we have the ability to contribute to the growth of our community in ways that we never thought possible.”
“Our mission is to reach out and help our community with 100+ committed women pledging to each contribute $100 on a quarterly basis to local charities,” the statement continues. “All charities and organizations up for consideration must be in the NRV area, non-profit 501(c)3 and non-controversial. The goal is to keep it local and have an impact that we can see in our communities.”
For more information or to make a donation to Christiansburg Institutes, contact debbieslgranny2@gmail.com or make checks out to Christiansburg Institute, Inc. and send them to P. O. Box 433 in Christiansburg, VA 24073. Visit Christiansburg Institute on Facebook or at their website at www.christiansburginstitute.com.
For more information, visit www.100womenwhocarenrv.com or email nrv100wwc@gmail.com. Their next meeting is Tuesday, April 16th, 2019 at 6:15pm at Bull & Bones at First & Main in Blacksburg.
