Mark Warner visits Draper Mercantile
Cody Dalton,
07-28-2010
Virginia Senator Mark Warner met with a group of local leaders to discuss a variety of topics at the Draper Mercantile on Saturday.
Warner visited the New River Valley Fair earlier in the day as he completed a two-day trip across Southwest Virginia. His destinations included stops in Bristol, Abingdon, Lebanon, Coeburn, Wise, Tazewell, Dublin, Draper, and finally concluded in Floyd County later Saturday night.
The main purpose of the visit to the Mercantile was was to meet with area leaders and businessmen to discuss tourism and economic development during a roundtable.
A group of approximately 20 people, which included representatives for the Town of Pulaski, Pulaski County, the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Commission, local artists, and a local food movement, met with Senator Warner for about half and hour at the roundtable discussion.
During the meeting, they discussed both the importance of the Mercantile to various regional initiatives that are going on throughout Southwest Virginia. Also discussed was the importance of outdoor recreation, such as the New River Trail just across the road.
After the discussion, Joe Sheffey, chairman of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, introduced Warner to the public. He gave Warner a shirt and lapel pin, which had the Pulaski emblem and read "Pride, Vision, and Excellence".
"As I give this to you, I ask you one more thing," Sheffey said. "I have one more shirt like this so perhaps I would like you to come back when you become President of this country."
After receiving a round of applause, Warner spoke to the crowd for a few minutes and reaffirmed his faith in Southwest Virginia.
"Let me thank all of you," Warner said. "I would like to thank the Gardner's and their investment in bringing this wonderful Merc facility back. I live in Northern Virginia, but 20 years ago I came to Southwest Virginia and the people embraced me.
One of the things I tried to promise when I was crazy enough to get into politics was that if you hire me, I won't forget that Virginia doesn't end in Roanoke. I have tried to keep that promise."
Before ending his speech and departing Draper, Warner further complimented the success of arts in Southwest Virginia and how much they have expanded.
"One of the things that has been so extraordinary and one of the things that we celebrate, like we were talking about upstairs today, is to see in the last seven or eight years the kind of enormous growth of opportunities in celebration of the art, culture, history, and outdoor venue possibilities in this region," Warner said. "I think about the Crooked Road that was an idea eight years ago and now it is nationally and internally known."
Over 100 people attended the event, as food and refreshment were served afterwards. You can visit Warner's website at warner.senate.gov for more information.
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