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Robin's Nest opens elevator in Lenoir, expanding access to second-floor services
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Summary
Robin's Nest held a ribbon-cutting in Lenoir to mark completion of an elevator installation that makes the center's second-floor services—now named the McQuery Response Center—fully accessible; local officials and major donors were recognized at the ceremony.
Robin's Nest formally opened an elevator at its Lenoir facility in a ceremony attended by local officials, donors and partner agencies, the nonprofit announced.
"I am Brian Moore, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce," said Brian Moore as he opened the event and welcomed attendees. Board chair Karen Isabel recounted the center's development since 2010 and said the newly accessible second floor is now named the McQuery Response Center, a space intended for services for children and families.
Karen Isabel emphasized the organization's mission and the need to protect children, saying the center renews its commitment to "justice, hope and healing" and stressing a zero-tolerance stance toward child abuse. Michael Oberoz, vice chairman of the county commissioners, thanked volunteers and municipal partners and said Caldwell County is proud to support Robin's Nest's work.
Rebecca Dellinger, introduced as an assistant director at Robin's Nest, said Congresswoman Virginia Fox sent congratulations and asked Dellinger to extend the congresswoman's praise for the project's completion. Joe Gibbons, mayor of Lenoir, reflected that he was present at the facility's opening in 2010 and said the center is an important community resource even as he expressed the wish that such services were not needed.
Shelley Mullen, introduced at the ceremony as executive director for AutoPress, described how major donors—including the Granite Insurance Foundation—committed to raising funds for the elevator. Mullen said donors discussed a target (the transcript references both $100,000 and $150,000) and that the community completed the needed fundraising in about a year: "They said, we're gonna get you your elevator... $150,000, and we're gonna do it in 2 years. They did it in 1 year," she said.
Mullen also recognized an individual donor, identified in the program as Bob McCreery, for matching gifts and encouraging broader support. She called out partner agencies that collaborate with Robin's Nest—local police departments, the sheriff's office, the district attorney's office, the school system, and the Department of Social Services—and honored former leaders who helped establish the center.
Angie Brown, representing the Children's Advocacy Centers of North Carolina, was present as a state chapter representative. Speakers repeatedly thanked volunteers, advocates and the community for their financial and volunteer support and described the elevator as an improvement that will let grandparents and other family members access second-floor services alongside children.
The event concluded with a ceremonial countdown and ribbon cutting led by organizers and local officials. No formal votes or policy actions were recorded at the ceremony; the gathering functioned as a community celebration and donor recognition for the completed accessibility project.
