Duke Energy donated $10,000 to WNC Communities for our 74th WNC Honors Awards in 2023. Their generous contribution helped us reach a total of $64,000 raised for the WNC Honors Awards, which is distributed directly to our 67 member communities to support their rural development efforts.
Donations from Duke Energy and our other sponsors goes directly to community centers across fourteen Western North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which this year represented over 68,000 households. In the last year, over 7,900 volunteers contributed an impressive 128,456 hours of their time to assist their communities. Their efforts include everything from serving critical needs through food pantries, providing emergency assistance for families experiencing hardship, and bringing resources to their communities such as Wi-Fi access, libraries, thrift stores, educational classes, and rental space for small businesses. These clubs also provide a rare place in our rural areas for people to gather and connect over monthly dinners, holiday celebrations, annual festivals, and many other creative opportunities to socialize.
We are grateful for Duke Energy’s continued investment in our community’s efforts to support the social, ecological, and economic health of our beloved mountain region. Thank you to Harrah’s Cherokee for your donation and for your support of our rural communities!
Pictured above is Jimmy Cowan, Chair of WNC Communities’ board receiving the $10,000 check from Jennifer Bennett of Duke Energy.
If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor of our 75th WNC Honors Awards, please contact our Executive Director, Jennifer Ferre, at (828) 252-4783.