Rocky Mount Mills

By Lindell John Kay

SECOND NATURE:

CHARITY WORK COMES NATURALLY AT ROCKY MOUNT MILLS

Charity work is second nature to the Rocky Mount Mills, its parent company and the nearly one dozen breweries and restaurants housed on its campus. Te Mills is nestled on the edge of downtown Rocky Mount on the Tar River next to Battle Park — the perfect location to impact the community, said Evan Covington Chavez, development manager for the Mills.

“We're here for the long haul,” Chavez said, adding that the Mills' owners Capitol Broadcasting Co. is interested in not just refurbishing buildings, but improving the entire community.

To that end, the Mills sponsors several fundraiser events throughout the year. An event that's proven popular is a 5K run that takes participants through Battle Park.

“We want to be part of the community,” Chavez said. “Tat's the great thing about the 5K runs. Some people that live in the area have never been to Battle Park. On the run, they go through the park. Hopefully, they'll see how nice it is and return for another visit.”

Later this year, the Mills will again sponsor the Beans and Brews for Rocky Mount Meals on Wheels. Te event hosts teams cooking chili paired with unique craft beers. Participants also get a chance to chat with the brewers to learn more about their craft beers. Te event raises money to help Meals on Wheels feed the city's homebound seniors.

Te breweries often get in on the action as well. Koi Pond Brewing Co. and On the Square recently held a fundraiser for the Friends of the Braswell Memorial Library at the Mills.

Koi Pond Manager Josh Parvin said it's all about community.

A Rocky Mount native, Parvin remembers going to the library as a child.

“As a kid I enjoyed Braswell,” Parvin said. “We're happy to be able to give back.”

Te fundraiser — with beer and wine tasting and live music — will allow the library to bring in more authors for meet and greets like the events guest speaker Adrian Harrold Wood, a Rocky Mount native, writer and owner of the blog Tales of an Educated Debutante. Due to the money raised, the library was able to bring in Jacqueline Ogburn, author of “Te Unicorn in the Barn.”

Carolyn Patton, secretary of Friends of the Library, said Koi Pond was a wonderful fundraising partner.

A big event held earlier this year spotlighting the Mills' willingness to contribute to the community was a concert to raise money for a documentary film about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his famous “I Have a

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Dream” speech in Rocky Mount eight months before the famous 1963 March on Washington.

Te five-hour concert featured a performance by blues legend Cool John Ferguson.

Te food was prepared by On the Square and craft beer was brewed by Carolina Eagle Distributing and Bull Durham Beer Co. Te Mills partnered with Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant to put on the event, just another example of the Mills working with the community.

Scott Roberts, the Mills' general manager, said they were honored to be a part of the unforgettable experience.

Te Mills also has Sunday Supper, an annual event where hundreds of residents come out to eat at long communal tables with the purpose of getting to know each other and raise money for United Way.

Ginny Mohrbutter, executive director of the United Way Tar River Region, said the event is about uniting the community by breaking bread together and sharing conversations with people from all across the area.

Te proceeds from Sunday Supper at the Mills will support the work of United Way and its community partners in the areas of education, health, income and independence, Mohrbutter said.

For the Mills, it's all about community development and giving back.

“It's not just about building a building, it's about improving the entire community,” Roberts said.

It's part of the culture of the Mills and Capitol Broadcasting to help positively shape community.

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