Planning begins on use of Duke funding

Leaders from Alleghany and two neighboring counties have started the process of planning how to use a $475,000 economic development grant from the Duke Endowment (DE) Program for the Rural Carolinas. The Northwest Alliance Program for the Rural Carolinas is the name of the group of leaders from Alleghany, Ashe and Wilkes counties which will administer the grant project. DE announced the grant awards last month.

So far the alliance includes 12 representatives — four from each of the three counties. After attending a three-day seminar DE held for grant recipients in Moore County in late June, the alliance has met twice this month, with further meetings planned.

The latest meeting was held July 15 at Mount Zion United Methodist Church. "We started developing a vision for a regional program," said Melanie Young. "We looked at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the region's economy. We'll be using those to define a common vision for the region's economy."

At a previous meeting July 3, Young was named project coordinator for the alliance. Young is with New River Community Partners, which helped prepare Alleghany's application for the DE grant. Alleghany's three other alliance representatives are Patrick Woodie, director of NRCP; the Rev. Phillip W. Park, pastor of Mount Zion United Methodist Church; and Carolyn Sprinkle, project coordinator for Alleghany Wellness Center Inc. The DE Program for the Rural Carolinas is a new endeavor for Duke, which traditionally assists non-profit hospitals and children's homes, and rural United Methodist Churches.

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