Lowe’s Hometowns Program Selects Special Love and Northern Virginia 4-H Center for 2024 Community Impact Projects

The Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center in Front Royal and Winchester-based nonprofit Special Love have been chosen as recipients of the 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns Community Impact Program. This program is part of Lowe’s five-year, $100 million commitment to revitalizing community spaces nationwide. Since its inception in 2022, the program has supported over 100 community-based projects, improving parks, playgrounds, shelters, and facilities for veterans and first responders.

Renovations to key areas of the Northern Virginia 4-H Center and Special Love will benefit the 4-H Center’s facilities, which host a variety of programs, including Special Love’s hallmark program, Camp Fantastic. This week-long camp provides 7—to 17-year-old cancer patients and survivors with medical care on-site and allows them to enjoy a range of activities, from canoeing and sports to cooking and ropes courses.

Key upgrades planned at the center include:

• Infirmary Renovations: The camp’s health clinic will be updated with an ADA-accessible shower, fixtures, LED lighting, new flooring, and fresh paint. This clinic serves Camp Fantastic and other summer camps and winter shelter programs for the homeless.
• Basketball Court Revitalization: The basketball courts will receive repairs, resurfacing, new backboards, nets, and seating options, ensuring a safe and enjoyable space for campers, community groups like scouts, and local families.
• Campfire Circle Restoration: A favorite outdoor spot, the campfire circle will be repaired to address erosion and uneven ground. New benches will be installed to allow guests to gather safely for activities like songs and s’mores.
• Bathroom Partition Replacements: Rusted and deteriorating metal partitions in shared bathroom spaces will be replaced with safer, dense composite materials, improving the experience for all who use the center.

This local project is one of 100 selected for 2024 as part of Lowe’s Hometowns initiative, which will benefit 87 communities across 44 states and Washington, D.C. The initiative supports various community needs, from housing to outdoor spaces. It relies on the efforts of Lowe’s “red vest” associates, who volunteer their time to help bring these projects to life.

More than 50 Lowe’s volunteers will be on-site at the Northern Virginia 4-H Center on September 19-20, focusing on the Campfire Circle renovation. On September 20, members of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office will join them as part of the United Way’s annual Day of Caring, further amplifying the project’s impact.

To learn more about the 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns projects and their impact nationwide, visit Lowes.com/hometowns.