BRISTOL, Va. – Borrowing an idea from the United Way, a local country music organization Thursday unfurled its own visual reminder of a fundraising campaign.
Instead of a thermometer, officials with the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance have placed a ‘banjometer’ on the side of their building at 520 Cumberland St. The colorful new graphic shows that the group has already raised about $6.4 million of the $10.5 million goal to transform the former auto dealership into a music heritage center.
“This represents where we are today,” said Edd Hill, chairman of the BCMA board of directors. “We’re about two-thirds of the way on our fundraising to $10.5 million. And we need the help of the local community – organizations, companies, local governments and individuals.”
Besides encouraging people to donate, the sign also informs the public of the progress, according to BCMA Executive Director Bill Hartley.
“One of the questions I get and the board gets a lot is, how are we doing? People are very interested in the progress and a lot of people don’t realize we’re this close to our goal,” Hartley said.
The graphic will also be added to the alliance Web site, www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/.
To date, they’ve received a $2.5 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development and $1.95 million from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission. The BCMA is awaiting word on an additional $500,000 in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The organization has already invested about $1.6 million in site work, planning and engineering, including about $500,000 from local contributions.
The roughly $4 million balance doesn’t have to be in the form of a direct contribution, Hartley said.
“The way the public monies are structured, we don’t have to have cash in hand. People can make pledges,” Hartley said.
In addition to drainage and utility work now under way, additional improvements to the exterior of the brick building are planned for this spring.
“Our planning is just about complete,” Hartley said. “The architectural drawings are nearly done and have been reviewed by the Smithsonian [Institution] and the [Virginia] Department of Historic Resources. When we get our funding, we can put the project out to bid.”
dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532
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