By Angela H. Hill

Woolwine resident Sandra Puckett has been hired as director of the Patrick County Tourism Advisory Council.

Former director Joseph Quesenberry left October 31 to become town manager for Warsaw, a town in Richmond County.

On January 19, Puckett welcomed council members to her first meeting as director. “I consider Patrick County my home and have a great desire for pushing for the betterment of our community,” she wrote in her welcoming letter. “[I] am excited by our many opportunities to further advance the tourism industry and bring additional revenue, jobs and people to this area.”

Patrick County Administrator Tom Rose introduced and welcomed Puckett to the council at the meeting. “We’re very pleased to have her on board,” Rose said. “I think she’ll be a good member of our council, and we’re pleased to have her as part of our legislative family.”

“My heart is here in Patrick County,” she said. “This is going to be my final resting place and I’ll give it a good go.”

In other meeting news, TAC members discussed progress on securing a downtown revitalization grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for the Meadows of Dan Revitalization Project. The first public hearings on the grant are slated for March.

Last year, The Lane Group engineering firm was chosen to work with DHCD and county officials to create a master plan for the project. Securing the grant is a competitive process, council members agreed, and grant planning will focus on the projects that carry the greatest benefit to the overall community.

Revitalization ideas include sidewalks, recreational trails, water and sewer, façade improvements, an indoor performance venue, signage, kiosks, and public restrooms. Currently in the planning stages, the project stands to snag up to $700,000 in construction funds and $300,000 in revolving loan funds under a DHCD grant.

Also at the meeting, Karl Weiss, Patrick County supervisor for the Blue Ridge District, suggested a new sign go up at Fred Clifton Park in Meadows of Dan. Weiss pointed out that because of its proximity to Lover’s Leap, the park is one of the county’s top tourist destinations.

Those at the TAC meeting also reviewed an informative sign that will accompany the LOVE sign erected this summer near the Patrick County library. David Stanley of SilverLining Design LLC, who handles graphic design and website development for TAC, brought the new sign to the meeting.

Part of a statewide marketing campaign from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the LOVE sign is the 51st to go up in Virginia. The Patrick County LOVE sign was specifically drafted to incorporate the county logo and the sweeping lines of Bull Mountain.

Before the council adjourned, Wayne Kirkpatrick addressed the group with questions about grant funding to market an upcoming livestock event April 29 at Rotary Field. The local livestock show will focus on cattle, sheep, goats and poultry, and draw up to 50 exhibitors.