A local group of concerned citizens are seeking funds to renovate a former
school into a community center.
The Fairview Citizens Corporation, Inc. is asking current and former residents to
help them in their quest to replace the roof on the Fairview Community Center and
they are holding a special get-together Tuesday at 1 p.m. on the site.
The project received some state funding during last year’s General Assembly that
gives a jumpstart on their fund-raising efforts but they fall a little short.
According to Rusty Hensley, vice-president of the Fairview Citizens Corporation,
Inc., $25,000 was appropriated through the Virginia budget but $65,850 is the
amount needed to put on a new roof.
“The Fairview Community Center has the potential for so much more!” explained
Hensley. “It could be a possible meeting place for the Ruritan Club. It could be
a site for an emergency shelter due to storms, etc.
“It could also be a site for organized community activities such as bingo, a
senior citizens group, crafts, classes, etc. But the center is in dire need of a
roof!”
The group was given the building after the school system closed down Fairview
Elementary School after enrollment at the school had dwindled. The Fairview
Citizens Corporation, Inc. received a deed of gift June 18, 1991 from the Scott
County School Board and took over operation of the building.
The group organized to promote a community center for meetings, programs, clubs,
public functions, civic and community activities and enterprises for the
recreational, social, literacy and educational use.
Hensley said the center, which serves as a voting precinct during elections, can
also be rented for reunions, yard sales, birthday parties, benefit singings and
much more.
Because of its former use as a school, the Fairview Community center is equipped
with a kitchen and cafeteria area. It is also a convenient place to host a
community-wide yard sale.
The site also serves as a storehouse for used furniture and bedding available to
victims of fire and/or floods.
Organizers also have a Clothes Closet room with a wide variety of clothing sized
from infants to adults for those who have lost belongings due to disaster or for
those who are needy.
A community Thanksgiving dinner is served at the center each year. For those
unable to travel, the delicious turkey dinner is delivered to shut-ins.
The Quilting Room is a special place where community residents can work together
on a project to benefit the center. They offer a quilting service for a fee or
make quilts to be raffled off to help defray the center’s expenses. The location
is ideal to host quilt shows in the building.
Scott County deputies have also used the center for specialized training with
dogs.
Each month, the Fairview Citizens Corporation hosts its dinner meetings.
The group formed a building committee headed by President G. Wayne Salling and
Vice-president Hensley. The committee is working with Paul Paul Kuczko of the
Lonesome Pine Office on Youth, Ed Carter, business liaison with the Flatwoods Job
Corps, Mountain Empire Older Citizens and RADA.
An open meeting is planned by the group on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. at the
Fairview Community Center . The site is located on Route 600 ( Fairview Road ),
off of Highway 23. Donations will be accepted during the event.
Any and all donations are appreciated and are tax-deductible. Contributions
should be made payable to Fairview Citizens Corporation, Inc and sent to G. Wayne
Salling, 509 Anderson Circle , Gate City , Va. 24251 or Rusty Hensley, P.O. Box
384 , Duffield , Va. 24244.
.
Business Directory
Vacation Guide
