JBC marks 25 years with commemorative ribbon cutting
"In 25 years, we’ve come a long way,” Woodward said. “We’ve had so much fun here, and literally thousands of students have come through our doors.”
Last week, the June Bug Center (JBC) celebrated its 25th anniversary as a community center for arts and education with a commemorative presentation, a video film, refreshments, and a Floyd County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.
The Center is a 501c3 nonprofit created in 2001 by Donald “Swede” McBroom and Dorian Dugger in honor McBroom’s late mother, June McBroom, who had a passion for the arts and education and believed in the importance of creating after-school opportunities in a community-centered space where every child can belong.
Troika Crafts is Southwest Virginia’s premier showcase of local and regional fine craft.
Find us at 203 S. Locust Street in The Station.
Learn more www.troikacrafts.com.
JBC Executive Director Joanne Woodward addressed a crowd of supporters on May 5 in the Black Box Theater, reviewing the scope and the benefits of their programs. “We provide opportunities for students to find their voices and discover their gifts that will carry them for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Woodward thanked McBroom, who was in attendance, for providing such an important resource for Floyd County youth. She outlined the history of the building, first as a Sears and Roebuck’s catalog distribution center, then as Citizens Telephone’s Select Tech Satellite TV location. When Citizens moved, McBroom, a furniture craftsman, purchased the building to use as his woodworking studio and gallery. He retired from the business after several years due to a health issue.
The JBC established itself as a center dedicated to the Performance Arts, following the building of the Black Box Theatre, an 80-seat theater with state-of-the-art theatrical lighting, surround sound, a retractable movie screen, and multimedia presentation capacity. In its early days, JBC was home to Healing Arts practitioners of massage, acupuncture, meditation, and more.
Mark J. Harris
Floyd County Farm Bureau
(540) 745-2021
335 E. Oxford St.
Floyd VA 24091
When a local dance studio burned down, the studio approached McBroom and asked if they could use the building adjacent to the Center, which McBroom had been using as his woodworking warehouse. McBroom renovated the space and equipped it with full-length mirrors, sprung dance floors, a room sized roll out mat, bluetooth speaker, and a ballet bar.
Woodward shared that McBroom joked with her that he did more work after retiring than before he retired. “The Movement Arts Dance Studio was the beginning of student programing at JBC,” Woodward said.
Today, the Center’s programing includes a Lego Club, Robotics, Improv, Ballet, Drama, Story Telling, Blue Ridge Strings, and S.T.E.A.M. The Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) is based out of the JBC and provides students ages eight to 18 with weekly instruction in fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin playing.
Paul Tremblett, who heads up the JBC’s S.T.E.A.M. programs, spoke to the group. With a background in telecommunications, computer programing, writing software, and more, Tremblett said he picked up where Rebecca Jackson left off. Jackson was the first to bring Legos and Robotics programs to the JBC, which introduced a whole different level of opportunities, Woodward said.
Tremblett noted that S.T.E.A.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Speaking of his interactions with students, he said, “I like to stretch their minds and fill the empty space that stretching leads to with some good stuff. I like to teach them how to think,” he said as he pointed to some of the projects on display that he and the students had worked on.
Our store offers a selection of lumber, roofing material, insulation, plumbing fixtures, electrical components, and conveniently located five minutes outside the town of Floyd.
“Twenty-five years ago, we started with one class in the dance studio. Right now, we have 16 After School Programs and 22 Summer Camps coming this summer. The camps are places where the kids discover who they are,” Woodward said. "In 25 years, we’ve come a long way. We’ve had so much fun here, and literally thousands of students have come through our doors.”
At the ribbon cutting, which took place in the lobby, Chamber Director Kathy Fett said, “On behalf of the Town of Floyd, the County of Floyd, the community of Floyd, and the Floyd Chamber of Commerce, we are so happy to be here celebrating your 25th anniversary. What an accomplishment.”
Learn more about the JBC, its mission, and programs at www.junebugcenter.com.
Southwestern Virginia’s premier source for hemp products. From edibles and tinctures to topicals and accessories, we provide trusted, high-quality options for both wellness and relaxation. Visit our retail locations in Downtown Floyd, Roanoke (Wasena neighborhood) or shop online today!
Click to enlarge photos in gallery. Photos by Colleen Redman
