Love's donation to help Virginia school get communication system

The Tri-Cities community of Meadowview, Virginia, is tight-knit, family-oriented and incredibly picturesque with trees that reach to the sky and the nearby Whitetop Mountain adorned with the rich greens of spring. From a perspective of aesthetics, it's no surprise people who grow up in Washington County stay in Washington County.

But education is the cornerstone of Meadowview.

"I received a great education here. My children received a great education here, and I want to continue that," said Meadowview Elementary Schools Principal Tammy Williams.

It's her first year at the helm of this school in the Washington County Public Schools system, but she grew up in the region.

So did Walter Buffalow, the general manager of the new Love's Travel Stop location in Meadowview, which is set to open in June. At a ceremony celebrating a donation from Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores to the elementary school on Wednesday, Buffalow told a group of community leaders, school administrators and students just how proud he is to be from southwest Virginia.

"I'm your new neighbor," Buffalow said. "We're from here. My kids go to school in this community, and every community is built around a school. It's the centerpiece of the community, and we want to help set you up for success."

Williams said the money will largely be spent on a two-way communication system that would allow every adult in the school to be equipped with a radio. Not only would that be useful in the event of a school emergency, but two-way radios would also be effective tools for school communication in general. The school has 23 two-way radios, but it has 65 adults.

"It will increase our efficiency and effectiveness within the building" in being able to communicate without interrupting the flow of education, she explained.

Williams said she's excited about the donation and the partnership Love's has developed with the school and the community.

"Knowing that an organization outside of education cares this much about our school is really a big deal for us," she said.

Like us on Facebook! || Follow us on Twitter || See us on Instagram! || Visit our YouTube channel