The new Emory Valley Center building on Emory Valley Road is pictured above in June 2017. (Submitted photo)
Emory Valley Center will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new building on Friday, June 16. Everyone in the community is invited to attend the 10 a.m. ceremony, a press release said.
The capital campaign for a new building began eight years ago when Emory Valley Center was informed of plans by the owners for probable demolition of the building that the organization used for some of its services to people with disabilities, the press release said. Capital Campaign co-chairs Gene Caldwell and Dottie Thompson led the fundraising efforts for this project until this past March, when Caldwell died.
“Through their efforts and others helping with securing funds, business and individual donors, and grant awards for the project, the dream of a new building is becoming a reality,” the press release said.
“We are incredibly grateful to our community advocates who worked so hard and have continued to contribute to make our new building a reality,” said EVC President Jennifer Enderson. “This has been a significant undertaking led by Dr. Caldwell and Ms. Thompson and supported for several years by many in our community. We’re looking forward to sharing our building with everyone at the ribbon-cutting celebration and opening it up to community partnerships in the future.”
Hickory Construction, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, began the building project for Emory Valley Center last April and has been “steadfast in their partnership for its timely completion,” the press release said.
“We join our client team at Emory Valley Center in celebrating this momentous occasion,” said Hickory Construction Vice President of Commercial Operations Chris Duncan. “It’s been a privilege for Hickory to be involved in a project so widely supported and valued by the regional community. We honor the labor of love that the late Dr. Caldwell, Ms. Thompson, Emory Valley Center’s employees, and countless volunteers and donors made toward making this project a reality. We feel proud of how this new facility will serve community neighbors with disabilities for many decades to come.”
Emory Valley Center has been meeting the needs of people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities in the East Tennessee community for more than 62 years, the press release said. It currently provides a wide variety of services including: Community Based Day Enrichment, Employment and Community First Services, Supported Living, Residential Habilitation, Family Model Residential, Semi-Independent Living, Vocational Training, Supported Employment, Personal Assistance, Transportation, Nursing, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Adult Day Services, Family Support, In-Home Day, Early Intervention Program, Inclusive Early Learning Center (preschool), and Representative and Payee services. This support reaches more than 1,300 adults and children on a monthly basis located in 16 East Tennessee counties, the press release said.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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