Cabell Foundation Challenge Met!

In May 2019 the Cabell Foundation of Richmond challenged Blue Ridge Discovery Center to raise $200,000 through community support for a 1:1 match. What has transpired in less than a year’s time turned out to be worth even more than that. 

Those who have been involved with BRDC for years, along with others who have only just learned about the organization, gathered for fundraisers and other special events throughout the fall and winter in a collaborative effort to support BRDC’s mission and vision for the creation of a discovery center at the base of Virginia’s highest mountains. These private donations were paired with a significant contribution from the Jack Matthews Foundation, meeting the Cabell Foundation’s challenge and resulting in $400,000 raised for the restoration phase (Phase II) of the future Center!

The BRDC property is now showing visible signs of transformation. An old stone staircase found in the hillside along the driveway leads up to the schoolhouse where the window sashes have been removed for refinishing. Inside, a skeleton of the entryway and dining hall is now visible following the removal of deteriorated plaster and lath.

With construction underway, we are now looking ahead to Phase III of our Capital Campaign. This next phase of fundraising for furnishings, interpretive displays, and landscaping will transition these buildings and grounds into the Blue Ridge Discovery Center.