Danville city leaders joined other area leaders and citizens Thursday afternoon in celebrating the grand opening of Middle Border Forward’s new office in the Pace on Main building at 326 Main St.
Middle Border Forward began three years ago by the Danville Regional Foundation in a community development effort to bring people together to address challenges in the region and establish a new vision for the region. The organization will encourage, engage and develop young leaders in the community and launch new actions that create positive change.
“By establishing a vision, we can identify and direct the leaders of this city and region who will guide us along the path of where we want to go,” Mayor John Gilstrap said. “By identifying and directing our leaders, we can best harness their talent, time and energy.
“Today, we recognize an organization that is filling a vital community need. This vital community need is to develop a new generation of leaders who will establish their vision for the future and engage citizens in the process.”
Jennifer Gregory will lead Middle Border Forward as its executive director of the nonprofit organization. The name “Middle Border” refers to the geographical area centered on the “border” between south central Virginia and north central North Carolina.
At Thursday’s ribbon cutting, Gregory said they would kick off their efforts with roundtable discussions open to all area nonprofits, government agencies, local businesses and concerned citizens living or working in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County. The six roundtables will encourage discussion of areas the group’s board of directors has determined it wants to focus on.
Toward that goal, Gilstrap said, “While we welcome you to your new home in the River District, let us all here today be reminded that a secure future will not happen by accident. We have to plan for it. The task of planning for a secure future will rest on the shoulders of the next generation of leaders.”
