July 15, 2010

East Arkansas Community College-Forrest City
Press Release-Photo Attached

The East Arkansas Community College Foundation has announced a gift from Edwene and Bonner McCollum of Forrest City for the construction and naming of the three sidewalks surrounding the new EACC Fine Arts Center. The McCollums are longtime Forrest City residents. Bonner McCollum serves as Publisher Emeritus at the Forrest City Times-Herald and Edwene McCollum is associated with her daughter, Weston Lewey, at the gift shop Chez Weenie located in Forrest City.

“The sponsorship of the Center’s sidewalks by the McCollums was a welcome gift to the new Fine Arts Center,” said Dr. Coy Grace, EACC President. “We’re excited that the McCollums have been so generous in their support of the College and the mission behind the building to bring arts and entertainment to this area of the Arkansas Delta. The McCollums have been a part of this long process and have since the beginning of the project. Their financial support as well as their support by way of the Times-Herald has been invaluable in helping to ‘get the word out’ about the construction of the facility as well as the events we’re offering now. They have been such integral advocates of this project and have contributed enormously to the promotion of the arts in this area. Thanks to the generosity of supporters like the McCollums, the College looks forward to offering many types of venues for people of all ages.”

“The EACC Fine Arts Center is a tremendous asset for Forrest City and for all of eastern Arkansas,” said Edwene McCollum.  “It is a first-class facility, and we hope it will be used and enjoyed by everyone, both now and for generations to come.  Many thanks to those who had the faith, vision and confidence that such a huge undertaking could be accomplished.  It is truly a work of art.”

The Center includes an Auditorium that seats 1,100, a state-of-the-art Stage, Ticket Office, Orchestra Pit, a Black Box Theatre, a Banquet Hall, and a Gallery for art exhibitions. The building, considered a ‘Class A’ performance center, was designed with ‘flexible seating options’ to accommodate many different seating and table configurations and is able to host many different kinds of events.

Photo: Edwene and Bonner McCollum with Dr. Coy Grace, EACC President in front of one of the plaques recognizing their gift to the Fine Arts Center Arts Center.