FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 ❚ NEWSLEADER.

COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NET

Staunton News Leader - 08/09/2019 Copy Reduced to 72% from original to fit letter page Page : A01

Local
scholarships
to help colle
students
get through
school
Rilyn Eischens
Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK

With the average cost of tuit

four-year university reaching
$10,000 per year, most pros
college students are looking fo
help they can get when it co
paying for school.
Scholarships can be a sig
Stelle Rose officially opened at the beginning of August after almost a year of renovations. Located in the old Staunton help, but they also require a re
train station, it was known as being the Pullman restaurant, which closed in 2008. Now, it is an event and wedding venue. commitment. It’s important
PHOTOS BY LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER search options and plan care
avoid becoming overwhelmed w

‘That’s the kind of

says, letters of recommendati
other application materials.
It’s worth investigating wh
student’s, parent’s or other
member’s employer offers s

venue I want to have’

ships. Students should also ch
whether there are awards align
their extracurriculars and in
from groups like Future Farm
America and the Virginia High
League.
Staunton train station opens as wedding, Prospective students sh
overlook small awards, the Un
event space after a year of renovation of Oregon recommends. Even
scholarship might pay for a text
every dollar helps.
Laura Peters | Staunton News Leader | USA TODAY NETWORK While preparing application

I
dents should give essays and p
t’s been over a year since the renovations started at the old Staunton train station. statements the energy they d
the University of California-Da
Now, the space has opened as a new wedding and event venue. ❚ Renovations . These components are a cha
began in the summer of 2018, after former Pullman restaurant had been sitting va- students to explain how life
stances have impacted their a
cant for nearly a decade. The renovations have totaled nearly a half million dollars — ics for better or worse and to s
with potentially more to come. ❚ The old muted lime green painted walls have been their personalities and acco
ments.
replaced with a soft cream. The floors changed from a red, burgundy tile to virgin maple A wide range of scholarsh
hardwood. The inside is light, airy and modern with a historic twist — a stark contrast from available to students in Staunt
gusta County and Waynesbor
the dark and somewhat dingy atmosphere in the beginning of the process. ❚ To cut local scholarships through th
munity Foundation of the Cent
down on the echoes bouncing off the incredibly high ceilings, acoustic tiles in the form of
Ridge to statewide grant pro
large photos of architecture in Staunton have been placed in the main room. It adds a Check out this list of resources
historic wall border that ties in the history of the space. ❚ Kay Shirey knew the place Local scholarships
had potential and she saw it all come together this past weekend when the space held its
❚ Steven W. Short Me
first event — a wedding. Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
See VENUE, Page 3A This scholarship “seeks to
nize a student who has overcom
adversaries in hopes of achievi
educational goals” and is open
uates of Staunton, Augusta
and Waynesboro high schoo
website says. The scholarship c
tee will consider applicants’ ac
achievements, extracurricula
leadership
Online: https://bit.ly/2YUqq
❚ Community Foundation
Central Blue Ridge Scholarsh
Amount: varies
Only one application is nece
apply to most of the Communit
dation’s 30 scholarship fund
program is open to Staunto
The dining area at the Stelle Rose. The venue is suitable for The Stelle Rose hosted its first wedding last weekend. It
up to 150 people and potentially 180 people, depending on has another six events scheduled before the end of this
the setup. year and six weddings already scheduled for 2020. See STUDENTS, Page 3A
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Staunton News Leader - 08/09/2019 Copy Reduced to 74% from original to fit letter page Page : A03
NEWSLEADER.COM ❚ FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 ❚ 3A

Venue
Continued from Page 1A

Shirey, the co-owner of Rachel’s

Quilt Patch, started Stelle Rose at
Staunton Station, an event and book-
ing service that will operate in the
space, aptly named Staunton Station.
She hopes to bring not only weddings
to the space, but other events like mu-
sic, dances, gatherings and more.
Owner Richard Macher purchased
the property on Middlebrook Avenue
just above Staunton’s historic Wharf
district right around the time the Pull-
man closed in 2008. The entire proper-
ty includes the train platform all the
way down to the Depot Grille.
The building, which served as the
train station for the city, was built in
1857. The current structure is actually
the third station to be there — the first
was burned by Union Troops in 1864
and the second was destroyed by a
runaway train in 1890, according to the
Amtrak history project called the Great
American Stations.
The current structure was built in
1902 by architect Thomas Jasper Col-
lins in the Bungalow style and was Stelle Rose officially opened at the beginning of August after almost a year of renovations. Located in the old Staunton
used into the 1960s. In 1989, the station train station, it is now an event and wedding venue. PHOTOS BY LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER
property was renovated with assis-
tance from the Historic Staunton
Foundation, the history said.
Macher was trying to bring a Maca-
do’s into the building in 2010, but was ... you can tell that this
held up due to problems with the Sears
Hill Bridge. means so much to the
The station’s renovation work has
been done by Mark McConnel of Sum- community,” she said.
mit Studio out of Roanoke, who also
did the renovations to the Stonewall
“This beautiful building is
Jackson Hotel and Conference Center to share with the
in 2005. McConnel’s firm specializes in
historic renovations. community. It’s being able
The 6,000-square-foot space fea-
tures a bridal suite (which feature to have a space that is this
pieces from the old “judges booths” beautiful and restored, in
from the Pullman restaurant), three
grand rooms, kitchen, bathrooms and a town that loves
the surrounding platform area near the
station. restoring things.”
The anticipated groom’s lounge in Kay Shirey
the old signal house wasn’t pulled to- who started Stelle Rose at Staunton Station
gether — Shirey said Amtrak wasn’t on
board with them using it. Instead, they The Stelle Rose’s renovation was done by Mark McConnel of Summit Studio out “That right there ... you can tell that
are now rehabbing an old train caboose of Roanoke. McConnel’s firm specializes in historic renovations. this means so much to the community,”
behind the quilt shop and Appalachian she said. “This beautiful building is to
Piecework Antiques & Textile Studio. share with the community. It’s being
The caboose has been outfitted with able to have a space that is this beauti-
seating, new painting, mini-fridge, ful and restored, in a town that loves
mirror and more. They are working to restoring things.”
get electrical and air conditioning and Stelle Rose has six more bookings
heating into the space soon, Shirey for the rest of the year, which include a
said. wedding and several events (Pride ga-
Shirey said events can be held in- la, bridal show and Queen City Mis-
door or outdoor — there’s enough area chief and Magic). She also has six wed-
on the platforms by the train tracks to dings booked so far in 2020 and one
hold happy hours, small events or spill- event.
over from weddings between the cere- One thing that really resonated with
mony and reception times. The space Shirey this past weekend was the love
is suitable for up to 150 people and po- that she felt from her clients.
tentially 180, depending on the setup. “I went to take a picture of the
For the wedding last Saturday, Shi- greenery wall with the couple and they
rey said everything was pulled togeth- were like, ‘Come on Kay!’ It was dear, it
er at the very last minute, but it was sweet,” she said. “That’s the kind
worked. She credits the amazing com- of venue I want to have. When people
munity of other local business owners are here they feel a part of the family.”
coming to her aid when she was down For more information about the ven-
to crunch time. The kitchen wasn’t ue visit StelleRose.com.
completely finished so she had the ca- The building was built in 1857 but the current structure is the third station to be You can reach Laura Peters at
terers set up next to Leslie Boden’s hair there — the first was burned by Union Troops in 1864 and the second was lpeters@newsleader.com. Follow her
salon LeeLee. Her husband, The Shack destroyed by a runaway train in 1890. The current structure was built in 1902 by @peterslaura.
owner Ian Boden, even came by to help architect Thomas Jasper Collins in the Bungalow style. In 1989, the station was
Shirey. renovated with assistance from the Historic Staunton Foundation.
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