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Revitalization of Lynchburg Community
| Name | Linda Wilson | | Situation | Lynchburg is the second largest community in rural Lee County. Lynchburg was once a very viable community with its own municipal leadership. Through many years of mismanagement and a severe loss of leadership, Lynchburg was destined to become a ghost town, abandoning its beauty and talents. | | Response | Through the USDA Community Strengthening Grant, Lynchburg became a target area for revitalization. The project started five years ago through joint efforts of the local Extension office and the Lee County Primary Prevention Coalition. Three community sites were selected to host programs and opportunities for the citizens. Community meetings were held to set goals and objectives. Goals were established in the areas of beautification, education and economic development. The committee initially decided to focus on beautification because they wanted the community to become attractive for future business prospects. A collaboration was formed with the already established Magnolia Beautification Committee and the CYFAR project.
With beautification being the CYFAR/Magnolia Committee's main focus, trainings were made available through Extension Master Gardening Association to three volunteers. These volunteers took on the responsibility to advise the committee in its beautification projects.
| | Impact | The first project of the joint committee was to erect a Welcome sign on the major highway entering the community. The purpose of the sign was to motivate the citizens to once again become proud of their community. Master Gardeners and youth worked together to complete this project and the sign was dedicated during their annual Festival in 2001.
In 2002 a group of seven youth and adult volunteer leaders attended the National Youth Service Learning Conference in Seattle Washington and twenty-nine youth and adults traveled to the National CYFAR conference in New Orleans to learn what and how other communities were doing to reach their goals. These two opportunities proved to be the motivation to turn this community around. A larger segment of the community is now more aware of the beautification goals and have gained a sense of commitment to these goals.
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Last update3/19/2008
This website is maintained by Tomika Orgbon.
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