Middleburg Community Center Welcomes Lynn Wiley as Board President
Written by Dulcy B. Hooper | Photos by Michael Butcher
Over 75 years ago, a group of civic-minded individuals came together to establish the Middleburg Community Center. When it opened its doors in January 1948, it was replete with a grand ballroom, bowling alley, and swimming pool as the main attractions. In that first full year of operation, the Community Center hosted nearly 500 events ranging from picnics, balls, and bowling to swimming, movies, and tractor shows.
Earlier this year, on March 5, Lynn Wiley was named president of the Middleburg Community Center’s Board of Directors, a committed group of individuals whose efforts help steer the organization for the benefit of the community. “I was already involved,” Wiley shares, adding that she was originally asked to help with various functions and had used the Middleburg Community Center herself for events with other people.
As one of Loudoun County’s oldest nonprofits, Middleburg Community Center relies on private donations to keep the center’s doors open. “We work with over 70 local nonprofits and businesses to make all of our community events and programs possible,” Wiley notes. In her role as board president, Wiley has an important mission ahead of her: the rollout of a capital campaign. “We want to be prepared financially to better serve this community,” she explains. “There are things that may or may not have to be replaced, and I want us to be prepared.”
While Wiley and other members of the board and staff are at the beginning stages of organizing the campaign, they know what they want to accomplish. “Our goal is to raise $7.7 million,” she says. “That signifies 77 years of serving Middleburg and the surrounding community.” Wiley hopes the campaign will pave the way to even more events, and to expand and improve events that are free to the community.
Wiley is an enthusiastic advocate of Middleburg Community Center’s efforts. “You have to come to the Halloween event!” she says. “After a parade sponsored by Middleburg’s business association, the Community Center opens its doors for hot dogs, baked beans, and various other things. We probably served 500-plus children and parents!”
And then there is the Newcomers Club. “We had so many moving into the community, we did some digging and research and sent out invitations.” Wiley explains that around 75 individuals attended the first event, and plans are to continue the Newcomers Club once or twice a year.
An upcoming event — DocWeek — will take place May 14 through 18, offering five nights of documentaries. “DocWeek, a nonprofit, puts it on,” says Wiley, “and local restaurants offer dinner to go with the movies that are shown outside on a blow-up movie screen.”
With more than 2 million people participating in the events over the years, the Middleburg Community Center remains the community-supported social hub it was intended to be, hosting a myriad of special private events, educational classes, meetings, fundraisers, and community functions.
“Our mission is to be a gathering place for cultural, educational, and social activities and programs to enrich the lives of the people within the community,” Wiley notes. “I think of my involvement as just giving back. You live in a community, and you get so much out of a community — you must give back.” ML
Middleburg Community Center
300 W. Washington Street
Middleburg, VA 20117
(540) 687-6373
middleburgcommunitycenter.com
Published in the May 2024 issue of Middleburg Life.