AHOSKIE – An exciting opportunity is headed this way.

The Golden Leaf Foundation is currently managing a $10 million pot of grant money to be distributed among six North Carolina counties.

Hertford is currently one of those target counties in Golden Leaf’s Community Assistance initiative. Representatives from the county, its municipalities, health care providers, and various non-profit organizations were present at Tuesday’s meeting held at Catherine’s Restaurant.

Patricia Cabe, Vice President of Programs for Golden Leaf, Inc., spoke to the gathered crowd and talked about what other counties had done with their share of the money and listed ideas for Hertford.

According to Cabe, Gates County only used about $800,000 in order to refurbish their community center and have a feasibility study done on their water/sewer infrastructure.

Scotland County, on the other hand, used just under $2 million for educational causes.

The possibilities are wide open for what the money can be used for within Hertford County, Cabe said.

&uot;We’re very glad that Hertford was singled out in the first group of communities. This is a chance to make a difference here in Hertford County,&uot; she stated.

Cabe listed several common uses for the grant money, and wrote down suggestions from those in the room as possibilities, as well. Those included:

* transportation

* infrastructure

* downtown revitalization

* education and youth development programs

* workforce development

* recreation (quality of life)

* crime and law enforcement

* promoting tourism

* economic development

* health and safety

Any non-profit organization, group, or municipality within the county is potentially eligible for funding, according to Cabe.

&uot;Everybody has a pet project. We just need to find out what they are and decide what’s most important,&uot; she said.

It was decided that everyone should submit their proposals to the County Manager’s office by August 31. County Manager Loria Williams will then compile a list of all requests and present it at the next meeting of the group.

A representative of the organization’s name must be provided with all requests, along with a project description and dollar amount.

There is a tentative meeting scheduled for September 18 at 10 a.m. in the commissioners’ room in Winton for all representatives.

For more information or to submit a request, email loria.williams@ncmail.net or hertford.county@ncmail.net or call 358-7805.