PEMBROKE — On July 14, 2025, the National Association of Development Organizations announced the winners of the 2025 NADO Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards.
The NADO Impact Awards recognize creative approaches to the advancement of regional economic development and the improvement of quality of life. This year, only 90 projects from across the country were recognized, with the Lumber River Council of Governments receiving three of these awards.
The Lumber River Council of Governments received awards for its Lumber River ARPA – Chore and Chore-Enhanced Services, Lumber River Digital Champion, and Lumber River Financial Administration Assistance.
David Richardson, executive director of the Lumber River Council of Governments, stated, “The Lumber River Council of Governments is delighted to be recognized for the sixth consecutive year by the National Association of Development Organizations for the creative approaches that our agency is taking to impact our member governments and the citizens of our five-county region, including Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson, and Scotland counties.”
The Lumber River Council of Governments’ Aging Division was recognized for its Chore and Chore-Enhanced Services. The program provided basic housekeeping, deep house cleaning services, or grass cutting to older adults who are unable to perform these themselves to ensure that older adults are able to live in a healthy and safe environment. The program has provided services to more than 150 older adults in the region.
The Lumber River Council of Governments’ Local Governments Services Division was recognized for its Lumber River Digital Champion program. This work supported the distribution of laptop computers and internet hotspots across Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson, and Scotland counties. In addition, the program is providing a digital educator to provide digital literacy classes in town halls, community centers, senior centers, and public libraries across the region having provided educational services to more than 200 individuals since May 2025.
The Lumber River Council of Governments’ Local Governments Services Division was also recognized for its Lumber River Financial Administration Assistance. This program has provided tailored financial services support to multiple small local governments across the region.
The LRCOG provides an array of programs and services to the member governments located within its region: Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson, and Scotland counties. It serves as an administrative and service delivery arm for federal, state, regional, and local programs of its member governments.
