ARC Announces Winners of Gems of Appalachia Blue Ridge Parkway Grant CompetitionSeptember 2009 |
WASHINGTON, September 18, 2009—The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has announced the winners of the second round of its Gems of Appalachia grant competition to enhance the gateway communities that border national and state parks and forests.
Grants totaling $150,000 were awarded to six winners from the states of North Carolina and Virginia. The grants will fund projects in communities along the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway that will promote sustainable tourism while protecting the area's natural beauty and cultural heritage.
ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne B. Pope congratulated the winners: "The Blue Ridge Parkway, with its spectacular scenery, is one of Appalachia's most cherished treasures. These winning projects come at an ideal time, helping boost tourism to the parkway and create jobs as it celebrates its seventy-fifth anniversary. At the same time, they will help preserve its natural and cultural resources for many years to come."
Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis said, "Working with the Appalachian Regional Commission has been a pleasure and helped us achieve success in one of the goal areas for the parkway's seventy-fifth anniversary—building stronger relationships with our gateway communities. The grant awards from ARC highlight some of the innovative work that is happening across the parkway region."
Grants were awarded to: