Hospital auction raises money for scholarships

by Jazz Clark
On Tuesday, October 16, Valley Health sold the furnishings and remaining equipment from the old hospital at auction. The profits of over $5,000 were donated to Blue Ridge College.

Conducted by Plumlee Services, the auction proceeds were to be used for scholarships for Morgan County residents at the college.

Big items such as electric hospital beds were sold, along with furniture and electronics. Much of the inventory was sold for scrap metal.

Bill Clark of the Morgan County Economic Develop-ment Authority was there to make sure the items got out without any damage to the building.

“We were happy to see all that property go towards something positive,” Clark said. “It’s another way to get the school up and running.”

Buyers had to transport their purchases out of the building by Friday, October 19.

Unrelated to scholarships, funds from this source can be used for classes as diverse as business to computer literacy to culinary arts.

“Students who normally wouldn’t get to attend higher education might get a chance now,” said County Commissioner Brad Close.

Close said this was a partnership between Valley Health and Blue Ridge, and that they were gracious to donate any assets they didn’t use to aid county residents with paying for an education.