SERCAP is celebrating 56 years of providing programs and services to help low-income rural communities throughout the Southeast United States. The Water Is Life! Banquet & Celebration will be held on Thursday, April 10th, 2025, at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. A reception will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $85. All proceeds from Water Is Life! benefit SERCAP’s Annual Fund.
When SERCAP began in 1969, most of its programs and services focused on water/wastewater facilities and systems for low-income rural communities. “As we worked with rural communities, we learned there was a great need for additional programs and services,” said Hope F. Cupit, President & CEO. “Today, SERCAP provides rural communities throughout the Southeastern United States with hope for a better life through small business loans, housing counseling, community development, lead hazard reduction programs, water/wastewater systems, and more.”
Water Is Life! allows SERCAP to celebrate and honor our partnering organizations, Board of Directors, donors, vendors, staff, and our community,” says Lauren Mason, SERCAP’s Director of Planning and Development. “It’s also an opportunity for all Water Is Life! attendees to hear live testimonials of the people we serve. The individuals sharing their personal stories show our stakeholders and the community at large what their support and dedication allows us to do.”
This year’s event will feature a live testimonial from Dusty Beal, General Manager of Clay County, NC’s Water & Sewer District. “SERCAP has a long history with Dusty,” said Tony Dvorak, Technical Assistance Provider (TAP) in SERCAP, NC. “We completed a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, a computer-based tool that allows field crews to view and collect data with their mobile devices. If Clay County has an issue with their water/wastewater systems, GIS mapping is an enormous time saver to serve the community’s public health needs more efficiently.”
Reginald Speight, the USDA’s State Director of North Carolina, will be the keynote speaker for Water Is Life! Mr. Speight is part of the Rural Partners Network and serves as a community liaison to underserved rural areas that have historically faced challenges accessing and managing federal grants and resources.
Tickets for Water Is Life! are $85 and include a full dinner and dessert created by the Hotel Roanoke’s finest chefs, libations, an opportunity to win one of seven State Raffle Baskets, and great conversations while supporting SERCAP’s Annual Fund Campaign. Visit www.sercap.org to purchase tickets.
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) serves seven states throughout the Southeast United States to improve the quality of life for low-income individuals, families, and small towns through technical assistance and programs that promote affordable water and wastewater facilities, community development, environmental health, and economic self-sufficiency. www.sercap.org
