Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 3, 1994 TAG: 9404040166
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-14 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
She served as its interim director when her predecessor, Katie Gifford, was preparing to have a baby and then as acting director when Gifford resigned to be with her child.
The center serves people from the counties of Wythe, Carroll, Smyth, Bland and Grayson and city of Galax. Rudnicki has worked there for four years as volunteer coordinator and parent-child coordinator since she and her husband, Dave, moved to Virginia from New Jersey.
``We just wanted to get out of the city,'' she said. Dave Rudnicki works for The Homestead in Roanoke as its representative in this area.
Social work is not new to Sue Rudnicki. In Monmouth County, N.J., she worked for 11 years for the New Jersey Department of Human Services with people who were developmentally disabled. She also did some supervisory work there.
Rudnicki got her bachelor's degree in social work from West Liberty (W.Va.) State College. ``I started out in dental hygiene,'' she said, ``but I hated those science classes.''
She had taken sociology, social work and psychology electives, most of which were taught by a husband-and-wife team whose classes she enjoyed, ``so I kind of got drawn that way.''
The center sheltered 69 children and 57 women in 1993, but had to turn away 292 last year because of a lack of shelter space.
An earlier 20-bed shelter in downtown Wytheville was destroyed by fire two years ago, and the center has been renting temporary space since then with room for only eight beds. But a new 23-bed shelter is under construction and will have handicapped accessibility, a sprinkler system and other facilities that its previous shelters have lacked.
Civic groups and other organizations have ``adopted'' rooms in the new shelter to decorate or furnish. ``We still have a few bedrooms left to be adopted,'' Rudnicki said.
People and greenhouses are also donating trees and shrubs which will be planted by an ecumenical youth group representing several Wytheville churches April 17. ``We could still use more bushes, bulbs or whatever,'' she said.
Anyone interested in adopting a room or providing foliage can make arrangements by calling the center at 228-8431.
Completion of the new facility means the center must seek funds to expand its employees to include a night manager and weekend staff, ``something we haven't had,'' Rudnicki said. In its temporary quarters, the shelter has provided 24-hour weekend coverage by telephone and had someone on call to respond to emergencies.
``We've had hot-line coverage but not staffer coverage,'' Rudnicki said. ``We have to refocus.''
The center does have people to provide help to adult and children sexual assault victims, a legal advocate, and four weekly support groups for victims of domestic violence. Its services extend far beyond the abuse victims it shelters.
The shelter can be reached for help regarding domestic violence through the toll-free statewide hot line at 1-800-838-VADV (Virginians Against Domestic Violence). It serves many clients from counties where a long distance call would be required for the regular Wytheville number.
Sewer extension funds approved
FORT CHISWELL - Federal funding for extending sewer services into eastern Wythe County has been approved but it is not yet known when the money will become available.
The $9 million project in the Fort Chiswell area includes a grant covering 60 percent of the cost and low-interest loans on the rest. It is expected to go a long way toward opening up the area around Interstate 81-77 for development when it is finished.
It will be carried out in conjunction with a project providing sewers to the nearby Max Meadows area. That project also includes installing 18 bathrooms, demolishing 15 houses, rehabilitating more than 50 homes, and disposing of nearly 50 abandoned vehicles.
The Max Meadows project will be funded by a $1 million Community Development Block Grant and a $500,000 Farmers Home Administration loan-grant combination. Other grants for it total $209,000, and the county will pay about $100,000.
Officials of towns to meet April 15
WYTHEVILLE - Wytheville Mayor Trent Crewe, who is town section chairman for the Virginia Municipal League, has set the dates for three regional town section meetings starting with one April 15 in Wytheville.
The others will be May 6 in Farmville and May 20 in Charlottesville.
Each will start at noon with a buffet lunch followed by a program on town-related legislation passed by the 1994 General Assembly, federal issues involving towns, and a general discussion on town concerns. The programs will end by 2 p.m.
Registration is $7.50 per person.
Industrial park sites sought
WYTHEVILLE - The Wythe County Joint Industrial Development Authority is looking for new industrial park sites.
A site selection made up of IDA Executive Director Benny Burkett, Wytheville Town Manager Wayne Sutherland, Rural Retreat Town Manager Ray Matney and Wythe County Administrator Bill Branson has been formed.
Burkett said he has already looked at five potential sites.
by CNB