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Black Belt Treasures opens, promotes area A gala program featuring authors, artists and crafts persons from 17 Black Belt and contiguous counties will celebrate the grand opening of the Black Belt Treasures Gallery in downtown Camden beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept.30th. Black Belt Treasures is a partnership between the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission and the University of Alabama. Sales of items produced exclusively in the 17 counties will be made from the gallery in the former McGraw-Webb Chevrolet Building at 209 Claiborne Street in Camden. Specific items, such as Black Belt Gift Baskets will be offered on the Black Belt Treasures web site. The grand opening will feature book signings by authors such as Kathryn Tucker Windham and State Senator Hank Sanders, music by James “Winky” Hicks, and exhibits by many of the artists and crafts persons. Numbers of well-known persons from government, education and civic life are expected to attend. The schedule is from 10 a.m. until gallery closing at 5 p.m. The brainchild of Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission Executive Director John Clyde Riggs, Black Belt Treasures is a non-profit 501c3 organization. Counties from which items are being drawn include Butler, Bullock, Clarke, Conecuh, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox. “We are excited by the amount of truly professional work being done by artisans, authors and food producers in these counties,” Riggs said. “Our goal is to assist them in marketing their products to a wider group of potential customers. At the same time we anticipate this being an income and job creating mechanism to advance our economy.” Delia Brand is the Executive Director and Sulynn Creswell is Gallery Director. They have been on board for months, working with scouts throughout the area, uncovering quality products. Other staff is being employed on an as needed basis. Riggs said initial financing for the innovative project was cobbled together from a series of grants as well as support from the Alabama Power Foundation and the Alabama Bureau of Travel and Tourism. Norman Burton, coordinator of Alabama-Tombigbee Resource Conservation and Development, a Black Belt Treasures partner, is Chairman of the Board of Directors. The project has received full endorsement from the Governor’s Black Belt Action Commission, co- chaired by Senator Sanders, and State Treasurer Kay Ivey, a Camden native. “We want people to come to the grand opening with dollars and check books in hand,” Riggs said. “We believe those attending will truly be amazed at the quality of these items.” Riggs indicated special thanks to the University of Alabama for their partnership. “They have opened their doors to us to get this project off the ground. He saluted UA Provost Judy Bonner, a Camden native, and Nisa Miranda, head of economic development, for their strong support. An anticipated outgrowth of Black Belt Treasures is development of tourism trails throughout the counties, introducing visitors to the great history and heritage of the region. This effort is under the coordination of Alabama-Tombigbee Tourism Coordinator Linda Vice. For additional information contact Delia Brand at 334-682-9878 or Jamie Wallace at 334-682-4234.
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