Alan Scruggs (rear left) and Brian Mosier (rear right) of VMDAEC accept the Fluvanna Garden Club Award at the Electric Cooperative Training Center. (Photo By: Jim Robertson)

On Oct. 28, outside of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Electric Cooperative Training Center in Palmyra, Va., the Fluvanna Garden Club proudly presented its biannual Dogwood Award in a socially distanced ceremony.

Founded in 1995, the Fluvanna Garden Club recognizes with the award an individual or business within the community that has enhanced and beautified its space. The Dogwood Award is a free-standing plaque that will stay on the grounds of the training center for the next year.

Helen Goin, chair of the Fluvanna Garden Club’s award committee, said, “The training center is a gorgeous facility, so we are here to present an award to the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives for maintaining such a beautiful property in our community.” Helen’s husband, Charles, served on the board of nearby Central Virginia Electric Cooperative for 42 years.

“CVEC is very fortunate to have the training center as a neighbor here in Palmyra,” said Gary Wood, president and CEO of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. “When the training center was still just a concept, CVEC offered to lease the property to the statewide association for only a dollar in order to help get the training center idea off the ground. The statewide association has taken it from there, first with their triple-wide trailer and now with this beautiful training facility.”

Brian Mosier, president and CEO of VMDAEC, accepted the award on behalf of the association. “It’s a wonderful honor to receive this award for the way our property is maintained and the role our training center plays in the community. I’m so proud of this building and this is also a wonderful opportunity to thank the community here for their support and for the ability to provide training for our members in the three-state area,” he said.

During the award presentation, Mosier gave credit to Alan Scruggs, the association’s vice president of safety, training and education.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” said Scruggs. “We’re very proud of our facility here. It takes a lot of work to maintain the property and keep it up to date.”

Added Wood: “The VMD Association has done an excellent job here with the Palmyra Training Center and they’re a terrific neighbor to us. This award is just another indication of how well they’re doing.”