local businesses as they stay the night , shop , eat and recreate in our community . Additionally , we work closely with the Greenbrier County Convention & Visitors Bureau , City of Lewisburg and other community businesses and organizations to promote and uplift cultural tourism to our area .”
GVT is impacting its community in more ways than driving economic growth ; it is also making a difference in the lives of individuals .
“ Theatre is a really intimate art form that is all about bringing people together . We love that our work allows us to tell unique stories and engage so many interesting people . We employ artists from across the country and get to share the beauty of West Virginia with them ,” says Matthew Scott Campbell , producing artistic director at GVT . “ In turn , our audience gets to experience top talent on our stage . After the past two years we ’ ve had , we think we ’ re seeing more than ever just how valuable this work can be .”
Beyond the performing arts , Gum Store Studios gives visitors a uniquely diverse artistic experience . The Gum Store building in White Sulphur Springs has been reconfigured to house an evolving vision of sharing arts , creativity and healing with the community .
“ After the flood , the Gum Store building was abandoned and in dire need of rehabilitation or demolition , so I did what any sane person would do : I mortgaged my home and decided to save it ,” says Penny Fioravante , founder of Gum Store Studios . “ We are truly a community of artists and healers who want to make a difference . I ' m proud that we took a dilapidated building and transformed it into a home for art and soul , giving an opportunity for seven women and LGBT individuals to open businesses . We are thrilled to share our collective talents and bring opportunities for workshops and public art celebrations to our little corner of Greenbrier County .”
Photo by Pat Bauserman .
Education
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine ( WVSOM ), a medical school in Lewisburg , WV , is ranked number one in rural primary care nationwide . WVSOM ’ s mission is to educate students so they become the most welltrained and compassionate osteopathic physicians in the world . On top of graduating highly competent and caring physicians — many of whom go on to practice in West Virginia — WVSOM has a significant economic impact .
“ WVSOM ’ s overall economic impact is $ 133.6 million , with $ 112.8 million in Greenbrier County , and the remainder in our statewide campus system throughout the state . When the health care contributions of our alumni currently practicing in the state are factored in , WVSOM ’ s economic impact is more than $ 1.5 billion ,” says Dr . James Nemitz , president of WVSOM .
With a staggering impact on the entire state , Greenbrier County is one of the largest beneficiaries of the medical school ’ s positive effect .
“ WVSOM has a great relationship with Greenbrier County , as our students and employees serve in numerous roles to benefit members of our community . WVSOM students contribute more than 10,000 documented hours of community service annually ,” says Nemitz . “ Additionally , our students provide more than 1 million hours in health care delivery throughout the state annually . We are the fourth largest employer in the area and have been ranked by our employees eight times as a great college to work for by The Chronicle of Higher Education .”
Photo by Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates .
Southern Hospitality
A visit to Greenbrier County would not be complete without excellent accommodations . One hotel that drives tourism to the area is the famed Greenbrier , a world-class resort and National Historic Landmark . The Greenbrier has been rooted in a tradition of excellence since 1778 . As a destination for visitors , the hotel has brought national recognition to the establishment and the entire county . In addition , The Greenbrier offers a variety of activities that allow guests to experience the area and culture .
While The Greenbrier has a long-standing history in Greenbrier County , the Schoolhouse Hotel is planting roots in White Sulphur Springs . The boutique hotel is transforming the historic high school and making it a priority to preserve the history of the building . The idea for the hotel came to fruition when Disability Opportunity Fund ( DOF ) Founders Charlie Hammerman and Nanci Freiman visited White Sulphur Springs .
“ The community was looking for resources , and we were looking to deploy our resources to somewhere or someone that needed it ,” says Genny Freiman , project manager and program analyst at DOF , a nonprofit community development financial institution committed to helping communities spark economic growth . The Schoolhouse Hotel falls in line with this mission because it is being built with a focus on community and revitalization . •
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