After 100 years of serving communities, Lowe’s today revealed the 100 impact projects out of more than 2,200 submissions that are the cornerstone of 100 Hometowns, an initiative to celebrate Lowe’s centennial. Eight projects were selected from within North Carolina, including one community project awarded by Lowe’s in Selma, North Carolina: Activate Selma.
In addition to the Activate Selma project, Lowe’s awarded projects to the following locations:
- Charlotte (Rendezvous at the Ritz)
- East Bend (East Bend Town Square)
- Siler City (Critical home repairs and outreach services for Siler City seniors)
- Hickory (Exodus Missionary Outreach Church Fellowship Hall)
- North Wilkesboro (Anchor Ridge – Kids Club)
- Salisbury (BlockWork)
- Elizabeth City (Fowler Alley community space)
Lowe’s selected projects across the United States include 35 community centers, 19 community spaces, nine shelters, eight housing facilities, seven cultural preservation projects, seven playground installations, six gardens, four food pantries, four skilled trades projects, and one civic upgrade.
To see the full list of US 100 Hometowns project descriptions, visit corporate.lowes.com/newsroom/100-hometowns.
Lowe’s has grown from its first North Wilkesboro Hardware store founded by L.S. Lowe in 1921 to more than 2,200 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Lowe’s became a publicly-traded company in 1961. Today, Lowe’s serves about 20 million customers a week and has more than 300,000 employees, according to the company.
Activate Selma Community Improvement Project
The nonprofit group’s winning impact project is “Activate Selma: Downtown and Edgebrook Park Community Improvements.” The group and the Town of Selma will be working with Lowe’s in Smithfield, NC.
Selma Mayor Cheryl Oliver urged the group to apply for the Lowe’s competition in March. Activate Selma is a grassroots group of residents, volunteers, and business owners who are “revitalizing and uplifting their beloved rail community and all it has to offer.” They meet weekly with the vision statement: “We don’t complain, we take action!”
Activate Selma’s application, partnering with the Town of Selma, was one of more than 2,200 submissions Lowe’s received from across the country. As finalists, Cindy Brookshire and Jeffery Hamilton of Activate Selma and Billy Roach, Director of Selma’s Parks & Recreation Department, met with Lowe’s representatives in June to go over the proposed project sites and grant budget.
Lowe’s announced Activate Selma’s selection July 21, 2021. The Town of Selma and Activate Selma began sharing the news at Activate Selma’s July 21 meeting at the Selma Lions Club.
Upon learning that Selma had been named a winner, Mayor Oliver thanked Lowe’s for sponsoring a contest aimed at improving 100 communities across America. “What a great way to celebrate Lowe’s 100th Anniversary! I look forward to working with other volunteers to complete our proposed projects. These projects will visually improve Selma, unify us as we work together on a common goal, spark our community spirit, and heighten our sense of pride in our hometown.”
Lowe’s 100 Hometowns grant will pay for Activate Selma’s impact project, which includes significant visual upgrades to the downtown streetscape, such as replacing trash cans and adding new planters. At Edgebrook Park, Selma’s only American Disabilities Act (ADA) park, crews will work together to install ADA playground equipment, create a parking area for better access, renovate the picnic shelter and replace the Edgebrook Park sign. All work will be done with Selma volunteers, professional services and Lowe’s employees.
Project manager Billy Roach and Activate Selma volunteers will begin meeting with local Lowe’s representatives before July 27. Target date for finishing the project is within the next 100 days. Activate Selma and Town of Selma welcomes individuals or groups — scouts, veterans, church groups — to be a part of this exciting project. To get involved, contact Billy Roach at Broach@selma-nc.com or Activate Selma at activateselma@gmail.com.
Sources: Lowe’s / Activate Selma
