Activate Selma selected as one of Lowe’s 100 Hometowns project

Submitted by ACTIVATE SELMA

SELMA — Activate Selma has been selected as one of Lowe’s 100 Hometowns, a $10 million initiative to celebrate Lowe’s centennial by completing 100 community impact projects across the United States by the end of the year.

The nonprofit group’s winning impact project is “Activate Selma: Downtown and Edgebrook Park Community Improvements.” The group and the town of Selma will be working with Lowe’s in Smithfield.

Selma Mayor Cheryl Oliver urged the group to apply for the Lowe’s competition in March. Activate Selma is a grassroots group of residents, volunteers, and business owners who are “revitalizing and uplifting their beloved rail community and all it has to offer.” They meet weekly with the vision statement: “We don’t complain, we take action!”

Activate Selma’s application, partnering with the Town of Selma, was one of more than 2,200 submissions Lowe’s received from across the country. As finalists, Cindy Brookshire and Jeffery Hamilton of Activate Selma and Billy Roach, director of Selma’s Parks and Recreation Department, met with Lowe’s representatives in June to go over the proposed project sites and grant budget.

Lowe’s announced Activate Selma’s selection July 21. The Town of Selma and Activate Selma began sharing the news at Activate Selma’s July meeting at the Selma Lions Club. Upon learning that Selma had been named a winner, Mayor Oliver thanked Lowe’s for sponsoring a contest aimed at improving 100 communities across America.

“What a great way to celebrate Lowe’s 100th anniversary,” she said. “I look forward to working with other volunteers to complete our proposed projects. These projects will visually improve Selma, unify us as we work together on a common goal, spark our community spirit and heighten our sense of pride in our hometown.”

Lowe’s 100 Hometowns grant will pay for Activate Selma’s impact project, which includes significant visual upgrades to the downtown streetscape, such as replacing trash cans and adding new planters. At Edgebrook Park, Selma’s only American Disabilities Act (ADA) park, crews will work together to install ADA playground equipment, create a parking area for better access, renovate the picnic shelter and replace the Edgebrook Park sign.

All work will be done with Selma volunteers, professional services and Lowe’s employees. Project manager Billy Roach and Activate Selma volunteers began meeting with local Lowe’s representatives last month. Target date for finishing the project is within the next 100 days.

Activate Selma and Town of Selma welcomes individuals or groups — scouts, veterans, church groups — to be a part of this project. To get involved, contact Billy Roach at broach@selma-nc.com or Activate Selma at activateselma@gmail. com.