PIKE: Dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting held Tuesday for the Fred L. Bradshaw Learning Center at Perry’s Orr Center
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By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
David Camphouse/Pike Press Elected officials, donors, members of the Bradshaw family, and representatives from JWCC, University of Illinois, and the Orr Corporation gathered Tuesday, August 9, to dedicate the newly constructed Fred L. Bradshaw Learning Center at Perry’s Orr Center. Left to right: State Representative Chris Miller, U.S. Representative Mary Miller, State Senator Jill Tracy, County Extension Director Shelby Crow, State Representative CD Davidsmeyer, Orr Corporation Board Vice President Lynn Curry, Compeer Financial Chief Core Markets Officer Matt Ginder, JWCC President Mike Elbe, Neal Merchant, University of Illinois College of ACES Interim Dean Dr. German Bollero, Cody Bradshaw, Jeff Bradshaw, Wesley Bradshaw, Eric Bradshaw, Carole Bradshaw, Jane Bradshaw, Orr Corporation Board President Matt Bradshaw, Lori Bradshaw, Kyle Bradshaw, FSB’s Jill Moss, JWCC Agriculture Department Chair Mike Tenhouse, and JWCC Trustee Larry Fischer.
The official dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Fred L. Bradshaw Learning Center at JWCC’s Orr Center was held Tuesday, Aug 9. Key stakeholders, donors and elected officials from around the region were in attendance.
An emphasis of the ceremony was on showcasing the 44-year educational partnership with the University of Illinois, John Wood Community College and the Orr Research Center Corporation. Together, according to a JWCC release, these partners continue to work collectively to build a strong rural economy and create new generations of farm operators, owners and other rural careers.
The Orr Corporation has led the privately funded construction of the Fred L. Bradshaw Learning Center. To date, according to the same JWCC release, $2.1 million of the $2.5 million target goal has been raised to date. Construction of the 24,000-square-foot facility began last September.
The new building was named in honor of Orr Corporation Past-President and founding board member Fred L. Bradshaw.
According to current Orr Corporation Board President Matt Bradshaw, the Bradshaw family is honored by the dedication of the new building in Fred Bradshaw’s memory. Matt is Fred Bradshaw’s son.
“We appreciate the recognition of our father’s years of work and dedication to the education and research that goes on here at the Orr Center,” Matt Bradshaw said. “We are humbled as a family.”
Bradshaw said that the new building will greatly enhance the educational capacity of the Orr Center.
“It should allow for additional services to take things to the next level,” Bradshaw.
Bradshaw emphasized that the newly constructed building will house, not only JWCC staff and faculty, but will also house University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources Educator Amy Lefringhouse.
“We will have more offerings in the area of natural resources,” Bradshaw said. “Amy will be a huge asset to our students.”
University of Illinois County Director Shelby Crow indicated the Extension is excited to partner with JWCC at the Orr Center.
“It’s a new partnership,” Crow said. “Amy Lefringhouse will be teaching credit courses to John Wood students. We’ve always had a relationship with JWCC. This just takes it a step further.”
University of Illinois Extension Region 2 Assistant Director Janice McCoy said the partnership represents an effort to offer extension education in a range of ag topics through the community college.
“It’s part of an interdisciplinary effort – to teach agriculture, land management, and natural resources all coexisting together,” McCoy said. “Those topics will be integrated in the coursework.”
JWCC President Mike Elbe stated that the dedication of the Fred Bradshaw Learning Center represents a momentous occasion for JWCC and agriculture education in West-Central Illinois.
“Today is a defining moment for our College,” Elbe said in his prepared remarks at the dedication ceremony. “A defining moment for our Agriculture Program, a defining moment for our partnership with the university of Illinois College of ACES, and a defining moment for this region which this facility will serve.”
Elbe went on to credit Fred Bradshaw’s legacy and the ongoing work of the Bradshaw family for helping to establish the Orr Center and helping to complete the newly built Orr Center facility.
“Fred Bradshaw was a founding member of the Orr Corporation Board and a pioneer in the early years of developing this unique partnership between a land grant university and a community college,” Elbe said. “He was a community leader who served our college, our ag program, and this region for decades.”
Directing his comments to the Bradshaw family, Elbe went on to inform the family that the new facility would be named in honor of Fred L. Bradshaw.
“For your father’s, your mother Carole, the entire Bradshaw family and your continued giving of your time, talents, and treasure over the past 50 years, I am proud to say this facility will be named in honor and memory of your father,” Elbe said. “Unfortunately, we lost Fred in March of 2019.”
JWCC Agriculture Department Chair Mike Tenhouse said that he was eager to begin the upcoming school year in the new building.
“This is a long-awaited day,” Tenhouse said. “We’re glad we’re here doing what we do for JWCC and for the region.”
Tenhouse praised the collaborative effort that allowed for the timely construction of the new building.
“The stars aligned – between the Orr Corporation, JWCC, and the builder – to get us where we are today,” Tenhouse said.
