This is a March 26, 2019 file photo of Patrick Runion, center, as “King Julien†of the lemurs in the Children's Theatre of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s production of “Madagascar — A Musical Adventure, Jr.â€
The Kanawha County Commission Thursday night gave $80,000 to the Children’s Theater of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä to help the organization buy its first building.
CTC has existed since 1932. They cast about 65 children in each show and have others working backstage. They also have a teen program. The programming is free for all participants.
Shows are performed at the Clay Center, including two shows for school children for every production.
LeeAnne Reinlander, CTC executive director, said the organization had never owned a building. In the last eight years, their programming has operated three different locations.
CTC is currently renting a building at 115 Spring St. However, the co-tenant, which pays most of the rent, is moving out. CTC has yet to receive a new contract from the building owners.
“It made us a little nervous because we’re not really sure what’s going to happen,†Reinlander told the commissioners.
The new building is located in Kanawha City at 3712 MacCorkle Ave. SE. It has a well-lit parking lot and is ADA compliant. Reinlander said CTC hopes to move in before the fall season starts.
The commissioners said they provided funding — which will be used for a down payment on the MacCorkle Avenue property — to the CTC because this was a special circumstance.
“ You all are not coming here asking us for money for costumes or repainting the parking lot,†Commissioner Lance Wheeler said. “This is a very serious thing that is shaking the foundation of your establishment.â€
Clay Center
The commissioners also approved the annual $100,000 grant to the Clay Center to provide free programming for Kanawha County schoolchildren. Typically, every Kanawha County elementary school visits the Clay Center during a school year. Out-of-county students are charged $12.
Clay Center president and Chief Executive Officer Al Najjar said that this $100,000 and a grant from the state ($50,000 this year) is the only government funding the facility receives.
This is a March 26, 2019 file photo of Patrick Runion, center, as “King Julien†of the lemurs in the Children's Theatre of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s production of “Madagascar — A Musical Adventure, Jr.â€
The commission also approved two opioid settlement fund disbursements:
$65,000 to Kanawha County Home Confinement for a vehicle to take offenders to rehabilitation facilities, make random checks of home confinement clients and take clients to court
$61,208 to Kanawha County Day Report to provide books and a vehicle to improve educational support services for people who are often in the program to avoid jail time
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