by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor 
  A tradition of excellence in education, scholarship and service already established in the Garden community and plans by the University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy to continue that tradition were celebrated Saturday as UACP held an open house at its newly renovated Garden campus.
  Hundreds of community supporters, area college presidents and Garden High School alumni, along with UACP faculty, students and staff, attended the event held in the former gym turned lecture hall.
  The Honorable Elizabeth McClanahan, Virginia Court of Appeals judge, who is a graduate of Garden High School, was the keynote speaker for the event (see related story, this issue).
  She spoke of the transitions taking place as the building now housing UACP -- once used as a high school and an elementary-middle school -- takes on its new role as an institution of higher learning.
  “As these transitions take place in GHS and in the education of pharmacists, Buchanan County also benefits with a transition and enhancement of the diversity of the local economy,” McClanahan said. “You have made great progress in creating a system of higher education in Buchanan County that challenges and benefits students and meets the needs of law, healthcare, families, businesses, taxpayers and ultimately, the economy.”
  She thanked those present “for having a vision, building and growing Buchanan County, enhancing medicine, educating its caregivers and investing in the restoration of an historic and architecturally significant building.”
  Mickey McGlothlin, chairman of the University of Appalachia Board of Trustees, spoke briefly, recognizing special guests, including Grace Wooldridge, a long-time teacher and supporter of the Garden schools, and he noted Saturday’s event was being held to both “celebrate the future and honor the past.”
  Two former principals were in attendance, including Larkin Deel and Janie Owens and McGlothlin also recognized the former Garden teachers, faculty and staff who attended the event, as well as Garden graduates and other students who attended school in the building when it was later used as an elementary-middle school.
  “Thanks to each of you for your support,” McGlothlin said.
  “This building looks a lot like it did, but it has changed a lot,” he continued, noting many of the renovations which had taken place.
  He pointed out the UACP project, like the project to build a law school in Grundy, began as an economic development project initiated by the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors.
  He noted that bringing people from outside the community to the community, increasing the job market, bettering the housing market, building the economy and showcasing the county for future tourism were all benefits to the location of institutions of higher education in the community.
  The newly renovated Garden facility, he said, is now home to 60 first year pharmacy students and next year, he said, plans are to have second year students now on Slate Creek at the Garden facility as well.
  In the meantime, he noted, the university continues to recruit students for its incoming class with more than 800 having applied already for 65 seats.
  McGlothlin introduced Frank Kilgore, whose vision, with the board of supervisors, it was to found the University of Appalachia and the college of pharmacy.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  To subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.