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Bristol Herald Courier
Published: May 6, 2009

BRISTOL, Va. – On what he is calling an education tour, Virginia lieutenant governor hopeful Jon Bowerbank paid a visit to Girls Inc. on Tuesday.
The local facility was honored with the “National Outstanding Affiliate of the Year” award, marking it as the top Girls Inc. in the country, out of 1,400 affiliates nationwide.

Touring the facility with the organization’s executive director, Amy Barker, Bowerbank said he wants the state to provide money for programs such as Girls Inc. as well for primary schools in what he calls a “portfolio approach” to funding Virginia’s education system.

“It’s going to take a team effort to fund these places,” Bowerbank said.

By giving money to quality programs such as Girls Inc., Bowerbank said, Virginia can improve the education system statewide.

A Russell County businessman, Bowerbank is one three Democrats seeking his party’s nomination for the lieutenant governor’s post. The lieutenant governor’s official duty is to serve as president of the state Senate in the General Assembly.

Democrats Jody Wagner of Virginia Beach and Michael Signer of Richmond also are seeking the job. Democrats will pick their candidate during a June 9 primary.

Two Republicans are seeking the post: Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling is seeking another term in the office; he is being challenged by Patrick Muldoon, a farmer and lawyer who splits his time between Wise County and Northern Virginia.

Republicans will pick their candidate for lieutenant governor during a statewide convention May 28 and 29.

The general election is Nov. 3.

On Tuesday, Bowerbank, who serves as an at-large member of the Russell County Board of Supervisors, said it’s important to get government funding for better school programs, but also to generate interest from people in the private sector.

“How can you come to a place like this and not want to help,” he said of Girls Inc., an education and advocacy program for girls ages 5 to 18 who live in low-income communities.

Bryan J. Scrafford, Bowerbank’s media consultant, said Tuesday that throughout his business career, Bowerbank has donated $2.5 million to programs similar to Girls Inc.

Bowerbank owns an energy services company that employs about 220 people, mostly in Southwest Virginia. On his Web site, he calls himself a “progressive pragmatist who believes in helping others.”

On Tuesday, Barker said her facility could use money from the state to further its mission, by providing an even better environment for the girls in its program, from adding mulch to the playground to strengthening educational outreach.

The facility’s programs include drug abuse prevention and an economic literacy class that teaches girls about handling money, particularly in tough economic times.
The state money, Barker said, would go, “straight to our programs for the girls.”