The United Fund of Surry County is moving, and officials there are hopeful of helping a local historic landmark reopen to the public in the process.
The United Fund, based at 137 Moore Avenue in downtown Mount Airy, will be closing its doors at its present location today, with hopes of reopening in the William Alfred Moore House on Monday.
“We’re packing up our offices now,” United Fund Executive Director Melissa W. Hiatt said Tuesday.
She said the idea to move to the Moore House began taking root in September. It was then that her agency had an event recognizing United Fund champions, holding the gathering at the Moore House.
Hiatt explained the present location, a small second-floor office, is a difficult place to hold events. There is little parking, and not a lot of room. Thus, whenever the agency wants to host a gathering or have a large meeting, it is forced to rent another location in town, as well taking supplies out of storage, transporting them, then returning and storing once again.
“It would be easier if we had a free standing space off to itself, where we could hold business meetings without having to go off somewhere else,” she said.
When holding that September meeting at the Moore House — which as largely been closed to the public since the start of the coronavirus pandemic — she had in idea: Perhaps the United Fund could move there, meet its facilities needs, and offer help to the Moore House Foundation as well.
“When people want to see the house, or arrange tours, we’ll be there. There will be someone in the building who can help.”
Hiatt also said she plans to help the Moore House Foundation with website design and its social media presence to attract more attention.
The Moore House, built in 1860, is the oldest continuous standing structure in Mount Airy. William Alfred Moore was a local merchant and industrialist who built the home, where he and his family lived. The home, owned by the Mount Airy Restoration Foundation, no longer has full time staff or volunteers manning the home. Hiatt said after having the idea, she discussed it with foundation board members, who were open to the move.
While the idea first came up in September, and those talks largely took place in October and November, Hiatt said her agency wanted to delay the move until now, once the busiest part of the United Fund’s annual fundraising was behind them, as well as the holidays being past.
Now comes time for the move.
“We hope to be open for business over there on Monday,” she said. .
She said it will be good, financially, for both of the agencies as well.
“They need a revenue stream, our rent will help with the revenue stream…it is a cost saving measure (for us) also,” she said. “I think it will be a great partnership. We’re excited. I’ve met with their board, we’re excited about the possibility of some things that can happen over there…It’s a beautiful space, it was breaking my heart to see it sitting there locked up.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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