The new Great Northern Services Community Room, a state-of-the-art multi-media conference center, is open and ready to serve the county-wide community.
Located in the heart of the GNS building at 310 Boles Street in Weed, the center is designed to be used by organizations and businesses in Siskiyou County for seminars, annual meetings, workshops, conferences, and more.
Mike Solano, whose business donated generously to the project, stopped by to check it out once the Community Room was up and running. His first impression produced a huge smile.
“This space is just vibrant – it gives you the sense you have the power to succeed,” he said.
The Community Room seats up to 24 people at two long conference tables. An optional visual divider is available to partition off half the room for smaller meetings.
Broadband Wi-Fi enhances both video conferencing and media presentation possibilities on the large computer monitor mounted at one end of the room. USB and HDMI data ports and power outlets at each of the conference tables complete the high-tech communication opportunities for groups who use the facility.
The center also will serve as the main gallery for the recently launched Great Northern Student Art Project. Eight pieces of art are already on display and executive director Bonnie Kubowitz said ultimately about 20 pieces of student art will be displayed at all times.
“Community use of our new conference center will ensure a high level of exposure for and interest in the students’ art,” she explained. “This will be an ongoing fundraising project for participating school art programs as well as a rotating art display for the community.”
Solano said the new Community Room reflects what he believes to be at the core of Great Northern’s work – prioritizing the needs of others.
“And the non-profits that will use this space are all doing similar work – working and building partnerships for the sake of others,” he added.
Solano donated the dishwasher, microwave, and refrigerator in the small kitchen area that allows refreshment service to be managed apart from the work area. He said he is able to fulfill his commitment to support nonprofit events and projects across the county thanks to the strong community support his businesses receive from people who shop locally.
The new Community Room itself was made possible by the generosity of the McConnell Foundation, Kubowitz said.
“When we moved into this building after our offices were destroyed in the Boles Fire, we wanted to make sure future renovations somehow benefitted the entire community. McConnell allowed us to realize that dream. We are grateful to them for their generosity and shared vision, and to Mike Solano for continuing to support us from within the community,” she said.
Not-for-profit organizations, agencies, and entities may reserve and use the Community Room free of charge; for-profit entities will be charged a nominal user fee. Fill out the Online Application to reserve.
For more information about reservations or about participation in the Student Art Project, call Great Northern’s office manager Angela Nathan at 530-938-4115, ext 111.