Contributed by Julia Meder

As Holly Springs celebrates its 150th anniversary, I find myself reflecting on the early days of a place that gave me my start: the Holly Springs Cultural Center. I joined the Town's team just before the building at 300 West Ballentine Street was completed in late 2006, serving as an assistant and program manager. It was my first full-time job out of college, and I was immediately thrown into planning an entire year of programming and hiring our very first staff.

To understand why the Center was so important, you have to remember what Holly Springs was like back then. We were a small Town of only about 18,000 people, and we had maybe two or three lunch options in the whole area. Before the Center opened, our residents did not have access to these types of resources nearby. The Town needed a "third space"—a community hub where people could connect outside of work or home. We saw that need filled the moment we opened; the lobby became a place where parents would grab a coffee and work on their laptops while their kids were next door in a theater class or visiting the library.

I still vividly remember our grand opening, which we timed to coincide with the holiday parade. It was so hectic! I remember running from Town Hall to the Center, and a co-worker told me I looked like a "deer in headlights" because I had so much to do.

When the parade ended, and (what seemed like) the whole community flooded into the new space to see the 184-seat theater and classrooms, the excitement was electric. People were just so thrilled to finally have something like the Cultural Center right here in Town.

We worked hard to make sure there was something for everyone. We hosted a local jazz orchestra, a "clean comedy" series, and puppet shows that were like a "mommy’s morning" for local parents.

One of my favorite—and funniest—memories was managing the art gallery. I was scheduled to hang a youth art show for a local club, and I expected to do it myself. Instead, I walked in to find 25 passionate women already there, debating exactly where every piece should go. It was a wonderful lesson in how much this community cared about its youth and the arts; they were so involved and passionate about their Town.

Even after I moved into a departmental administrator role, I stayed tied to the Center because it was my starting point. It’s amazing to see where the original crew is today. My first manager now runs a major regional performing arts center, and other former colleagues have become movie costume designers, university professors, and professional event managers!

The Center remains a "gem" of Holly Springs, and I am so proud to have been part of its story from the very beginning.