Mount Olive College and business leaders plan Thursday get-together
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on September 6, 2006 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College and the town's downtown business community will hold a Community Connection Evening from 5:30 until 8 p.m. Thursday on Center Street in downtown.
The college will be showcasing the clubs and other student organizations available to students.
The Small Town Main Street group and the college wanted to do something together for the community, said Small Town Chairman Stephanie Kornegay.
"The Community Connection will be for everybody in town to come see them and welcome the students," she said. "The college has a lot of great things going on, and it's a great chance to showcase that."
A band will perform free for the public beside the old train depot, and the students will have their booths set up on the lawn in front of the old Belks building across Main Street from the depot. Food will be available, and a number of downtown merchants will stay open late and give away prizes. Andy Greer's book store will also have a book signing for several local authors.
The event is being organized by the Small Town Main Street, Mount Olive College and the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce.
Some of the merchants will have specials throughout the day, and maps for walking tours will be available, said Chamber President Gina Knode.
"We're fortunate to have Mount Olive College in our town," she said. "And it's an expanding college. Our purpose is to highlight the downtown and get the college students and the community to come out and see what Small Town Main Street has done. Mount Olive was a pilot program and one of the first small towns chosen to participate in the Main Street program at a time when it didn't even have a name."
If it rains, the event will be held in Mount Olive College's Murphy Center.