Calfee Training School Project announces founding Board of Directors
The Calfee Training School Project is proud to announce the selection of the founding Board of Directors for the future Calfee Community and Cultural Center. A number of Calfee Training School alumni joined representatives from several local churches and community organizations in May to begin the board selection process. Over the past few months, the selection panel solicited and reviewed nominations, and in early August, identified a diverse board of directors with a variety of talents and experience. The board of directors will govern the decisions and activities necessary to establish the Calfee Community and Cultural Center. The center, to be located in the Calfee Training School, will initially house childcare facilities managed by the YMCA of Pulaski County, and a museum showcasing local African American history.
The following individuals have accepted the offer of a seat on the founding Board of Directors of the Calfee Community and Cultural Center: Patricia Arnold, Michael Barbour, Mayor David Clark, Bonnie Graham, Kim Edmonds, Caitlin Hammond, Dr. Carl “Hank” Hanks, Jr., Colette Hash, Dr. Michael “Mickey” Hickman, Robert Hubble, Grace Hurst, Kim Matthews, Elaine Powell, and Haileigh Taylor. One additional seat has been reserved for an individual representing the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, to be named when that body chooses to do so. Of the board members listed above, a majority are either alumni of Calfee Training School or family members of Calfee students.
“Thirty-five nominations were submitted for fifteen available board seats, which speaks to the commitment of the community to revitalize Calfee Training School,” said Janet Johnson, selection panel chairperson and Calfee Training School alumnus. “The board members we have chosen collectively hold the vision and expertise necessary to make the Calfee Community and Cultural Center a reality. I couldn’t be more excited about the work this group will do to preserve the school’s legacy.”
The board will be introduced to the public at an Open House event planned for October 26 at the Calfee Training School. Any interested community members are invited to attend.
“Quite a lot of behind the scenes work has been happening on the project, although we were unable to do much visible work to the building until the previous owners officially transferred ownership to the Town of Pulaski in July (August?),” said Mayor David Clark, who also sits on the newly formed board. “Discussions are in the works to include Calfee Training School as a site for the GO Pulaski County community service day on September 21, and we will be organizing additional clean up days this fall. Now that the Town has legally taken possession of the building, we expect to see a lot of activity down on that side of Main Street.”
About the Calfee Training School Project
The Calfee Training School Project is an initiative to revitalize a historic African American school in Pulaski, Virginia. A group of local citizens, including Calfee Training School alumni and their families, have partnered with the Town of Pulaski, the YMCA of Pulaski County, and the Pulaski County Department of Social Services to honor the school’s rich history by revitalizing the building as a multi-use childcare, community, and cultural center.
The school, located at One Magnox Drive in downtown Pulaski, VA, was constructed in 1939 after the first Calfee Training School was destroyed by fire. The building is a Public Works Administration project repurposed several times since the school closed in 1966. For more information, or to get involved, visit the Calfee Training School Project website at calfeetrainingschoolproject.org and follow @CalfeeTrainingSchoolProject on Facebook.