By Mark Wineka
mark.wineka@salisburypost.com

MOUNT ULLA — Carolina Farm Credit, which has an office in Salisbury at 2810 Statesville Blvd., has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Country Life Museum being developed at Sloan Park.

The grant comes from Carolina Farm Credit’s Corporate Mission Fund, which is donating $144,000 to 27 local organizations and eight college students this year. It’s an increase from $100,000 in grants distributed in 2015.

In this area, grants from the Corporate Mission Fund also are going to the Lomax Incubator Farm in Cabarrus County and the FFA programs at West Rowan and Statesville high schools.

At West Rowan High, the funds will go toward the purchase of a small horse barn and tack area for students interested in equine science, medicine and care.

A 60- by 80-foot building, already erected, will serve as home for the Country Life Museum at Sloan Park. The museum is the long-held dream of the Carolina Antique Power Association.

The group’s mission statement for the Country Life Museum says its purpose will be “to preserve, restore and demonstrate various aspects of the country life of the past.”

The statement continues: “The vision is to use exhibits to educate both present and future generations on the rural way of life of the American farm family.”

While it will be located in Rowan County, the museum also hopes to serve and draw visitors from neighboring counties such as Iredell, Davie, Davidson, Cabarrus, Stanly and Mecklenburg.

The Country Life Museum will rely on a growing collection of donated farm and country life items, and volunteers will provide the staffing.

Kim Starnes, chairman, and James L. Taylor Jr., relationship manager for the Carolina Farm Credit office in Salisbury, presented a $5,000 check Friday to Randy Elium, president of the Carolina Antique Power Association.

“Our Corporate Mission Fund allows us an opportunity to support grass-roots organizations that are making a difference in their rural communities,” Vance Dalton, chief executive officer of Carolina Farm Credit, said on the cooperative’s website.

The 9,200-member cooperative provides financing to full- and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses. It also offers financing for construction and the purchase of homes in 54 counties through 32 branch offices.

Other services are credit life insurance, appraisals, leasing programs and financial planning.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.