A Community Center For One and All
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By Carina Elgin
ince opening in 1948, the Middleburg Community Center, the stately yellow stucco building at the western edge of Middleburg’s business district, has seen many people come and go through its arched white doors. As the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 brought most community activities to a halt, Executive Director Olivia Rogers said the staff is “taking it day by day and staying optimistic,” making needed renovations, planning for the future, and continuing to take bookings for weddings and other activities. In 2019, some 115 events were offered at MCC, Rogers noted. The ever-popular Halloween party went through a record 500 hot dogs in 90 minutes. The center has become home to a bustling crafts show. Fourth of July festivities traditionally featured smalltown charm with fireworks that never disappointed. The beautiful ballroom with its stage hosted everything from Hunt Balls to fundraisers to Bingo night. Various classes, meetings and 15-20 weddings were held at the lovely venue. Rogers herself is an expert on wedding opportunities at MCC, having been married there before taking her current job. And then, Covid-19 hit MCC hard. A few sociallydistanced events were able to be held outside, including “Music in The Park” and outdoor movies. Some classes, including yoga, and an art program, were offered with strict guidelines. Others had to be cancelled. And yet, despite Covid precautions, the pool was actually busier than ever. “People weren’t traveling
Photo by Carina Elgin
A Middleburg Must: The Fox Out Front and there were no camps for the kids,” Rogers said. “We were glad we could offer that to the community.” In the Covid lull, significant renovations have already been made to the pool. Building and grounds maintenance has been completed. The airy Terrace Room is being totally revamped, with, as Rogers explained, “a brand new look and experience.” As a community supported non-profit, one-third of the operational budget has typically come from venue rentals, with the rest coming from individual and business donations. Rogers and the all-volunteer
board are preparing fundraising plans for the MCC Endowment, looking to raise $6 million by 2025 for the 75th anniversary. This treasured non-profit was the inspiration of Mrs. Howell E. (Dorothy) Jackson, who felt the area needed a hub for “community spirit and civic work”. She convinced some of her well-to-do friends to chip in and they purchased about 30 acres of what was then Mrs. D.N. Lee’s horse farm on the edge of town. The yellow house just to the west of the current building was the original farmhouse, and continues to be part of the well-tended complex, along with an herb garden, playground, baseball field and picnic areas. The Community Center got off to a busy start, with picnics, bowling, dances, movies, swimming and various educational classes, clearly filling a need for the mostly rural population in and around Middleburg. Virginia was still segregated when MCC first opened in 1948. The first community center for Black residents opened on the east side of town three years later, at about one-tenth the cost. In 1962, an agreement was reached to open the pool to all residents. Now, Rogers says, “Middleburg is special in that it welcomes so many demographics, ages and beliefs. There is nothing more special or unique than living and working in a small town of people who love and care about one another, and we are proud to be a hub for so many of these folks.”. Mrs. Jackson would surely be proud, too. Please visit middleburgcommunitycenter.com or their Facebook page for a full list of events and activities.
Money Talks. Now, Teach it to Hug. From memorial funds, to scholarships funds, to donor-advised funds, we can help you make a difference that never ends. Since 1999, the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has helped generous donors support a variety of charitable causes in our region. We salute the leaders who wrapped their vision and commitment—and arms—around this community to create and sustain a permanent charitable resource.
Won’t You Join Us? CommunityFoundationLF.org (703) 779-3505 6
Go Green Middleburg | Winter 2021
