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High Country News
Story by Kathleen McFadden

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx were in Blowing Rock last Friday to tour the Mariam & Robert Hayes Performing Arts Center and to formally present a ceremonial check representing a $6.2 million loan guarantee to Wachovia Bank. Wachovia Bank has provided permanent financing for the theatre, and USDA Rural Development provided the loan guarantee.

Dole’s stop in Blowing Rock was one of many on her five-day visit to western North Carolina during the current Senate recess.

Hayes Center Executive Director Jeff Clark, along with several members of the board, led Dole and Foxx on a tour of the facility and discussed upcoming programs at the center.

Board Chair Chip Williamson emphasized that the facility is not just for Blowing Rock residents. “People ask, ‘How can you build a theatre of this size for Blowing Rock with just 1,000 people?’” Williamson said, “but this is a regional facility,” and he discussed children’s programs, plays, concerts, movie nights and other events scheduled for the theatre’s first season.

Clark and Williamson explained that the guiding vision of the theatre is to offer high-quality arts programming, to bring together the High Country communities and to allow underserved artists and school children to interact in the kind of institution usually found in America's larger cities.

Dole remarked, “It’s really a jewel and will really help us with our tourism. This is very exciting and the passion you all exhibit is wonderful.”

During the tour, preparations were well underway for Eleganza!, the inaugural party held Saturday night to raise funds for an operating endowment for the theater. The second-floor children’s theatre room was filled with flowers on Friday morning, and floral designers were creating the Eleganza! centerpieces. Dole and Foxx stopped to smell the roses and shake hands with the designers.

After signing the ceremonial check, Dole and Foxx met with Mariam Cannon Hayes, thanking her for her contributions to the effort and chatting about the upcoming party.

“I wish I could be here with you tomorrow night,” Dole said.