Report to the Public

The year of 2015 was a GREAT year for the organization.  General membership and agency involvement as partners of the organization continues to increase. Committee and partner activities have resulted in over $1.5 million dollars ($1,544,339) being provided to support partner and organization initiatives for Graham County citizens. The organization continues to keep operating expenses at a very low percentage.

Below is a complete list of accomplishments for GREAT.  Highlights of the year include:

• Collaboration with Graham County Schools to continue implementation of 21^st Century Community Learning Centers grant  from NCDPI to provide after school programs at four sites in Graham County;

• Funding from Marshall University to the Graham County Diabetes Coalition for continuation of prevention and diabetes management activities;

•  Completion of the Graham County Schools Greenway Project and Outdoor Classroom with collaboration and support  with Graham County Schools, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Foundation, Alcoa Foundation, Graham County Diabetes Coaltion and Cherokee Preservation Foundation;

• Collaboration with the USFS and Town of Fontana Dam to secure Recreational Trails Program FY15 funding to bring the Fontana trails to hiking/biking/equestrian standards;

• Continuation of the Imagination Library Project for Graham County children;

• Collaboration with MANNA FoodBank and Graham County Food Distribution Project to address food insecurity issues; and

• Organization support from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Z. Smith Reynolds and Duke Energy Foundation.

Thank you for your involvement with GREAT and support of its activities to improve the quality of life for Graham County citizens.

Sincerely,

Rick Davis                  

Rick Davis, Executive Director

Volunteer Service by GREAT Board of Directors –the GREAT Board of Directors have provided 750 hours of volunteer service to the organization which equates to $16,912  using the NC volunteer hourly rate of $22.55 per hour.

21^st Century Community Learning Center Grant – year 3 funding of a four year grant from NCDPI to provide after school programs at four sites in Graham County - RES, RMS, RHS and SVC.  Total award was for $1,360,000 (Year 1 - $400,000; Year 2 - $400,000; Year 3 - $320,000; Year 4 – $240,000).

Imagination Library Project – funding in the amount of $6,815 for FY2015 from individuals and businesses to provide books for birth to five year old children each month.

Volunteer Activities – in collaboration with the Partners of Joyce Kilmer, member organizations and the USFS several volunteer activities were conducted including rebuilding of split rail fence at Stecoah Gap Overlook, trail bridge construction, over fifty (50) guided hikes, outdoor classroom construction and clearing vegetation and trees of twenty (20) scenic overlooks. A total of 12,000 volunteer hours valued at $265,000 was contributed during FY2015.

The Winston-Salem Foundation – completion of grant program in the amount of $71,000 to provide mental health services to Graham County Schools’ students.

Trail Projects – The Benton-MacKaye Trail Association contributed $3700 and the Partners of Joyce Kilmer contributed $5000 to install new oak trail signs on the Benton-MacKaye and Joyce Kilmer trails which should help reduce search and excuse for lost hikers. This required 127 miles of hiking and 313 volunteer hours which equates to $7,058 using the NC volunteer hourly rate of $22.55 per hour.

 Small Business Grants - award of four small business grants in the amount of $2,000 by Graham County Economic Development Council to promote entrepreneurship in the county.

The Partners of Joyce Kilmer – provided funding in the amount of $3,500 for a RHS summer student employee to work on the Cheoah Ranger District, provide maintenance services for restroom facilities at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and provide materials for renovation of Joyce Kilmer visitor area.

Clean Sweep – coordinated two county-wide "clean sweep" roadside litter clean up events. Collected a total of 315 bags of litter. Two Lake Santeetlah litter clean up events resulting in collection of 2,800 pounds of litter and one truck load of large discarded items. Clean up of lower Fontana Lake resulting in collection of 6,000 pounds of litter and one truck load of large items.

GEAR UP Project -  GEAR- UP stands for “Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs” and is a national college access initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Graham County Schools is a site for GEAR UP NC serving students, families, and educators from 2012-19. GEAR UP NC's goal is to significantly increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. The seven year project provides $130,550 each year for services with Graham County Schools’ students.

Graham County Strategic Tourism Plan Destination 20125 - completion of Strategic Tourism Plan with the Graham County Travel and Tourism Authority, Town of Robbinsville, Town of Santeetlah and Fontana Dam Travel Authority endorsements.

Appalachian Gateway Communities Grant – a five member team from Graham County attended the Appalachian Gateways Communities Workshop in Berea, KY on December 1-3, 2015. The team produced a work plan to develop a Graham County Asset Map.

United States Forest Service Partnership – recipient of a FY15 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant for $100,000 to connect the Fontana Loop Trail (FY2103 RTP grant) and the Bee Cove Loop Trail (FY2014 RTP grant). Completion of the project will create over 9 miles of new or reconstructed diverse use trail.

Graham County Schools Greenway Project – in collaboration with Graham County Schools and the Graham County Diabetes Coalition the final component of the fitness trail/greenway was completed in the amount of $18,614.

Cherokee Preservation Foundation – grant funding in the amount of $23,650 for completion of the RHS Greenway Outdoor Classroom Project designed to sustain Cherokee cultural traditions, support an increase in artisan resources and increase public education opportunities regarding Cherokee history of the property.

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership - funding in the amount of $13,050 that supported the Robbinsville High School (RHS) Greenway Outdoor Classroom Project designed to sustain Cherokee cultural traditions and support an increase in artisan resources.

Appalachian Region Commission Telecom Project – collaboration with Graham County Government to serve as fiscal agent for a $225,000 project designed to establish last mile infrastructure for the deployment of high speed telecommunications in Tapoca and Meadow Branch communities.

MountainWise Grant - $1,500 grant from MountainWise to supplement construction of a Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest entrance sign.

Food Insecurity – collaboration with MANNA FoodBank and the Graham County Fellowship Distribution (United Methodist, Grace Fellowship and Stecoah Baptist) to provide access to food to address local food insecurity issues. The project served 832 Graham County families during 2015.

Stecoah Valley Center Conceptual Master Plan and Site Design Project – an award  provided by the NCFS Urban and Community Forest Program through the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) located at Virginia Tech. The grant in the amount of $19,214 with a required $3,339 in-kind/cash contribution match was used to work with a stakeholders committee and the community through community workshops to develop an overall master plan for the Stecoah Valley Center ten (10) acre site.  

NC Department of Health and Human Services – collaboration with Graham County Health Department and Graham County Schools to secure funding for implementation of an evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program. Project REACH, a five year grant (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2020) with the NCDHHS Office of Adolescent Health in the amount of $999,999 annually for three identified counties. Graham County Health Department will receive $147,500 each year for five years.

Marshall University/Bristol Myers-Squibb Foundation – year 4 grant funding for the Graham County Diabetes Coalition for prevention and management of diabetes in the amount of $40,000.

Cherokee Preservation Foundation – Junaluska Museum Project – funds in the amount of $36,476 for a partnership with the Junaluska Memorial Site and Museum to purchase museum quality display cases for the Museum to provide exhibit and protection for masks, carvings, and baskets in the museum’s collections. The exhibit cases will greatly enhance facilities at Junaluska Museum and provide for better interpretation of Cherokee history in Graham County.

Percy B. Ferebee Foundation - Ferebee funds $5,000 will support a component of the Stecoah Play Park project which includes the construction of handicapped accessible restroom facilities and handicapped access to the facilities located near the playground area.

America’s Best Communities Project - $50,000 award from Frontier Communications, DISH Network, CoBank and The Weather Channel — the America’s Best Communities competition sponsors — for the three county team of Clay, Graham, Macon and Swain counties to develop have advanced as a team to the quarterfinals of this innovative competition. They are among the 50 quarterfinalist communities that now have six months to complete their revitalization plans and compete for up to an additional $3 million to bring their ideas to life

Duke Energy Foundation – funding in the amount of $5,000 for organization capacity building

Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation – funding in the amount of $35,000 for general support activities of GREAT