News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2007

Columbus, OH -- Fred Deel, Director of the Governor's Office of Appalachia (GOA), joined officials from the Noble Learning Center (Noble County) today to celebrate the new Center, which was awarded $5,000 through the GOA Appalachian Community and Economic Impact Fund in support of renovations and improvements at the site.

"The Appalachian Community and Economic Impact Fund was created to support community assets like the Noble Learning Center," said GOA Director Fred Deel. "As an advocate for the Appalachian region, the GOA is pleased to support a variety of projects that serve the interests of the area's businesses and residents."

The Noble Learning Center provides a variety of services and programs for infants, preschool and school age children. The facility provides daycare to employees of Noble County's largest employers, including the Noble Correctional Institution, MAHLE, Magnum Magnetics and International Converter, as well as employees of numerous small businesses in the area. The Center recently received an award of excellence from the 16-county Eastern Ohio Development Alliance.

The funds were awarded to assist the center in purchasing security cameras, a chain link fence, and mulch to cushion outdoor play areas, a guideline of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as constructing an inside door to prevent unauthorized adults to enter the child care area.

The Governor's Office of Appalachia is a division of the Department of Development and represents the interests of the 29 counties comprising East Central, Southeast and Southern Ohio. The GOA works on behalf of the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C. to support local, regional, state and federal initiatives that allow the people of Ohio's Appalachian region to obtain economic, educational and community prosperity.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Kelly Hassett at (614) 466-4133