Upstate Forever ready to embark on drive to raise $1.2 million

RACHEL E. LEONARD, Staff Writer
Published March 24, 2006

Upstate Forever is moving ahead with its first-ever capital campaign to raise funds for land trust easements and the "green" renovation of its Greenville headquarters.

Kimberly Ferlauto, capital campaign coordinator, said the conservation group hopes to raise $1.2 million.

One-third of those funds would go toward building renovations, she said.

The remaining two-thirds would be used to strengthen and expand the Land Trust Program, which already protects more than 5,000 acres of land throughout the Upstate.

In Spartanburg County, the group has two easements -- Four Columns and Fairview Farms near Landrum -- covering 1,395 acres in Spartanburg County, said Stephanie Monroe, director of Upstate Forever's Spartanburg office.

The land easements allow environmentalists and smart-growth advocates to protect the area's "special places" and natural resources while controlling unneeded sprawl, Monroe said.

"We're losing (land) so rapidly to development that we need

to start looking at protecting our natural resources, not only for us but for our future generations," she said.

The renovation of the group's Manly Street headquarters will incorporate recycled materials, supplies from sustainable sources, energy efficiency techniques, solar panels and methods to reduce storm water runoff, Ferlauto said.

About $750,000 has already been contributed to the campaign through one-on-one contributions from members and local organizations. The fundraiser kickoff Thursday will take the group's cause to the public at-large and involve a direct-mail campaign, Ferlauto said.

Founded in 1998, Upstate Forever today boasts more than 1,600 members, mostly individuals.

Rachel E. Leonard can be reached at 562-7230, or

rachel.leonard@shj.com.

By ASHLEI N. STEVENS

Staff Writer

Although Z.L. Madden will close as an elementary school this spring, it will continue to serve children this fall.

Spartanburg School District 7 will relocate its Southside Learning Center programs to Madden, including adult education, child development and behavior intervention programs.

Those programs are currently housed in the old Mary H. Wright Elementary building on Caulder Avenue.

District 7 has also partnered with Head Start, a public child development program serving low-income preschool children.

Head Start will consolidate five of its city centers and relocate to Madden, where it will occupy 14 classrooms serving 250 3- and 4-year-olds.

William Ross, chief executive officer of Piedmont Community Actions, which oversees

Head Start, said this is a win-win situation that will allow Head Start to more efficiently use its resources and work collaboratively with the district.

"We're just so pleased we can go into a facility that was designed as a classroom and as a school," said Ross, adding that several of Spartanburg's 13 Head Start centers are currently run in recreational or community centers. "The building is in great shape and is more conducive for instructional activities we want to do for children."

Head Start will lease the space from the district for $63,000 a year initially, district officials said. Head Start's food services staff will use Madden's cafeteria to provide meals for all employees and students in the building, and they also will be willing to share parenting classes and family literacy services with District 7 families, Ross said.

District 7 will occupy six classrooms by adding a child development program that will serve about 120 3- and 4-year olds. With those students -- combined with 250 others from Head Start and Southside Learning Center -- Madden will serve about 500 people each day, officials said.

The district plans to add a gravel parking lot at the location.

The board voted to close Madden last year due to declining enrollment and cross-district busing issues. The district predicts that it will save $486,000 each year after Madden closes.

"We're sad that the school will close," Ross said, "but we're honored to carry on Madden's mission of serving children."

Ashlei N. Stevens can be reached at 562-7425 or Ashlei.stevens@shj.com.