Alexandria Technical & Community College Receives Grant For Community Service

02/07/2012

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation funds students' good works

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a $8,700 grant to Alexandria Technical & Community College to build a trailhead on the Central Lakes Trails at Big Ole Central Park.

Alexandria Technical & Community College in collaboration with Alexandria Area Stewards, Central Lakes Trails, City of Alexandria, Douglas County Parks, Alexandria Hotels and Hospitality, CVB, and Active Living Alexandria submitted an application to Lowe's for a community improvement grant. As part of the application, the college laid out a plan to have current students who participate in SkillsUSA through their program construct a trailhead at Big Ole Central Park. The trailhead will provide travelers on the Central Lakes Trails system a covered kiosk with maps and community information. "We want this project to be the model for other communities on the trail. It will greet travelers and provide a gateway to the community," stated Tam Bukowski, director of safety and security at Alexandria Technical & Community College.

This project represents partnership at its best. It's a win-win for everyone. The community receives a welcoming access point for the trail travelers to visit Alexandria. Additionally, students in the Carpentry, Concrete Mason, and Mechanical Drafting, Design, and Engineering programs at ATCC will participate in a real construction project that represents many entities' interest. It is the kind of project that the SkillsUSA program promotes to educate tomorrow's workforce. The partners of this project are grateful to Lowe's for supporting technical education and this community investment.

"The grant represents Lowe's commitment to career and technical education," said Marshall Croom, chairman of Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation. "By supporting schools like Alexandria Technical & Community College, we believe we are contributing to a cause that's important to our customers and employees by helping provide improved learning environments and build stronger communities."

ABOUT SKILLSUSA

SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. SkillsUSA helps high school and college students enrolled in career and technical education programs to excel by teaching employability skills such as communication, problem solving and leadership in conjunction with their trade, technical and service occupations skills. The association's annual membership exceeds 300,000 students and instructors in more than 3,800 schools and colleges in every state, three territories and the District of Columbia. Alexandria Technical & Community College has over 400 students who currently participate in SkillsUSA. For more information, visit www.skillsusa.org.

ABOUT LOWE'S

Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company's signature education grant program, Lowe's Toolbox for Education®, has donated nearly $5 million in grants to K-12 public schools every year since its inception in 2006. Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. In 2010, Lowe's and the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.

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