Rotary Club of Graham donates $20,000 for Crisis Center repavement project

The Rotary Club of Graham implemented their President’s Project two years ago with then club president Matt Hughes, where they would dedicate $10,000 each year to make an impact within the community. The club chose the Graham Area Crisis Center and recently made a donation of $20,000 to cover the cost of their parking lot repavement.

The Graham Area Crisis Center building getting the repavement will be the building on 601 Indiana St. which houses their offices, the Nifty Thrifty thrift store and the Graham Food Pantry. Graham Crisis Center Executive Director Cathy Partridge said the project will begin Monday, July 12, and will be finished Sunday, July 18.

“Besides aesthetics, of course that is going to be a huge asset to everyone, but the parking lot is dangerous. It is just dangerous, and I have said so many times to watch these people try to push their shopping carts out around the back of their car or truck to unload. They (the carts) turn over (and) it’s a hazard. It is just a huge hazard and part of the repaving is going to redo the handicap ramps and parking. There will be actual ramps instead of a little asphalt there that doesn’t really function well so it’s going to be so much better for all of that,” she said.

The resurfacing project will spread around to the donation doors at the side of the building. Partridge said clients to the food pantry or those coming to the thrift store can park in the grass by the Eastside Church of Christ parking lot during construction. The pipes by that side of the building will be cut and a ramp will be constructed to allow clients to get up the side of the building. If the grass is wet, clients can park in the Eastside Church of Christ parking lot.

For the rest of the story, see the July 7 edition of The Graham Leader.