Gilliam Wellness Center dedicated
Jim Dahlman
Issue date: 4/28/10 Section: Student Life
The sun broke through the clouds just as the Gilliam Wellness Center was officially dedicated on Friday morning. About 100 people from the college and community, including college trustees and local government officials, attended the 40-minute ceremony outside the newest building on campus, which opened last month.
"We dedicate this building first to the glory of God," Vice President of Institutional Advancement Bill Greer declared. "We also dedicate it to the memory of Marvin Gilliam Sr.," a 1938 graduate of Milligan who went on to long-time career as a teacher and apple grower in his native southwest Virginia.
Richard Gilliam of Charlottesville, Va., and his wife, Leslie, donated the funds for the building in honor of his father.
Milligan graduates Denny and Cindy Mayes of Alcoa, Tenn., donated funds for the center's equipment.
Opening the ceremony, President Don Jeanes said the center will help fulfill the college mission of helping people grow physically as well as intellectually and spiritually. "The Gilliam Center occupies a strategic location on campus, next to the dorms," he said.
Speaking for the family, Leslie Gilliam remembered her late father-in-law as "a very humble man" who was always proud of his Milligan education. "Our gift was to strengthen Milligan," she said, "to help attract and retain quality students."
"We didn't accomplish this, God did," said Board of Trustees Chairman David Hamilton (class of '86) of Jacksonville, Fla. "God put in our path someone to help with the vision (of the college)."
Representing the college faculty and staff, Dr. Vikki Sitter called the new building "a significant landmark on the campus that will strengthen our community, one that will … empower and enrich the lives of students."
Freshman Lauren Austin, speaking for the student body, said students were "extremely ecstatic" about the new facility.
"Maybe we'll complain about climbing Sutton Hill a little less," she joked. More seriously, she added, "It's more than a building. This is bound to change the campus and community."
The 7,100-square-foot facility cost about $2.2 million to build and outfit, Greer later reported. It is a "green" building, one of the first in region certified to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, standards. It features cardiovascular fitness equipment, free weights, a weight machine circuit, aerobics and spinning rooms, wall-mounted TVs and a Wii area.
Since opening in mid March, the center has attracted an average of 53 people a day, according to Wellness Center Director Chris Webb, with traffic topping 100 on several days.
"We dedicate this building first to the glory of God," Vice President of Institutional Advancement Bill Greer declared. "We also dedicate it to the memory of Marvin Gilliam Sr.," a 1938 graduate of Milligan who went on to long-time career as a teacher and apple grower in his native southwest Virginia.
Richard Gilliam of Charlottesville, Va., and his wife, Leslie, donated the funds for the building in honor of his father.
Milligan graduates Denny and Cindy Mayes of Alcoa, Tenn., donated funds for the center's equipment.
Opening the ceremony, President Don Jeanes said the center will help fulfill the college mission of helping people grow physically as well as intellectually and spiritually. "The Gilliam Center occupies a strategic location on campus, next to the dorms," he said.
Speaking for the family, Leslie Gilliam remembered her late father-in-law as "a very humble man" who was always proud of his Milligan education. "Our gift was to strengthen Milligan," she said, "to help attract and retain quality students."
"We didn't accomplish this, God did," said Board of Trustees Chairman David Hamilton (class of '86) of Jacksonville, Fla. "God put in our path someone to help with the vision (of the college)."
Representing the college faculty and staff, Dr. Vikki Sitter called the new building "a significant landmark on the campus that will strengthen our community, one that will … empower and enrich the lives of students."
Freshman Lauren Austin, speaking for the student body, said students were "extremely ecstatic" about the new facility.
"Maybe we'll complain about climbing Sutton Hill a little less," she joked. More seriously, she added, "It's more than a building. This is bound to change the campus and community."
The 7,100-square-foot facility cost about $2.2 million to build and outfit, Greer later reported. It is a "green" building, one of the first in region certified to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, standards. It features cardiovascular fitness equipment, free weights, a weight machine circuit, aerobics and spinning rooms, wall-mounted TVs and a Wii area.
Since opening in mid March, the center has attracted an average of 53 people a day, according to Wellness Center Director Chris Webb, with traffic topping 100 on several days.
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