Eliada’s New Health & Fitness Center
Eliada’s historic dairy barn, one of the landmark iconic structures of the agency’s century-old campus, has undergone a dramatic renovation to become a state-of-the-art Fitness & Recreation center. Eliada will hold an open house on July 25 from 4.30 – 6.30 pm in celebration of the facility’s successful completion. The open house will feature a brief tour of the area, demonstrations of facility elements such as the new climbing wall, and light refreshments. The public and media are invited to attend.
The Fitness & Recreation center is one of many incarnations of the dairy barn, which has a rich history. When Dr. Lucius B. Compton founded Eliada in 1906, he bought a small tract of land adjacent to a large farm. The new orphanage relied on the support of the community, especially the surrounding neighbors. When the owner of the adjacent farm passed away, he left his farm and all of its structures, including a large barn, to Eliada. This donation became key to the survival of Eliada, allowing Dr. Compton to provide vegetables, milk, meat, and eggs to the children in his care. All of the Eliada residents worked on the farm, each pitching in to keep up with the many daily chores necessary for the farm to run smoothly. Together they bottled and sold milk, kept chickens, canned and pickled produce, and managed to provide for the many children who called Eliada home.
Dr. Compton often traveled to give speaking tours in hopes of inspiring support for his fledgling organization. While on one such tour in Pennsylvania in 1927, he received a telegram that the main barn had burned down, leaving just a brick foundation. When the Pennsylvania Dutchmen he was staying with heard of the loss of this key structure, they immediately committed to help. A large group of these men traveled to Asheville and quickly rebuilt the barn in the traditional style of their region. This is the reason behind the unusual curved roof for which the barn has become so recognizable.
As Eliada grew to meet the changing needs of children and families, other avenues of funding became available. The dairy operation and surrounding farm were no longer a vital part of the campus life, and the barn began to gradually fall into disrepair. Last year, Eliada CEO Mark Upright and the Eliada Board of Trustees began a drastic renovation plan to return this neglected structure to a centerpiece of campus life.
Providing enriching recreation and fitness opportunities for students has always been a goal for Eliada. Now, with the newly-renovated barn, students have a first-class recreation center equipped with a climbing wall, weight room, exercise equipment, loft area, pool tables, and other fitness activities.
According to Eliada CEO Mark Upright, “Preserving Eliada’s rich history is important, and so is creating an environment that honors the students in our care. Renovating the historic dairy barn to the new Fitness & Recreation facility does just that, and we are so pleased with the finished product.”
For more information about the open house event, contact Michelle Robinson at (828) 254-5356 x 354 or email mrobinson@eliada.org.