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Junius (left) and Pat Grimes

 A local couple has made a lasting gift to the new Wilma M. Sherrill Center at UNC Asheville — more than 800 tons of stone used in the construction of the center, which houses the N.C. Center for Heath & Wellness and Kimmel Arena.

Pat and Junius Grimes of Asheville provided the native North Carolina stone from their business, J.R. Stone Sales.  The stone was mined minutes from campus.

UNCA board Chairman Jim Buckner offered thanks to the Grimeses for their “tremendously generous” gift to the new Center, which is nearing completion and is expected to open this spring.
“We are so proud to have native North Carolina stone, a material that is beautiful and lasting, gracing the new facility’s exterior,” said Buckner.

In addition to the 800 tons of stone, the Grimeses also made a $50,000 contribution to the university and have pledged to provide additional stone for the renovation of the track that is adjacent to the new center.

The Sherrill Center is located near the heart of the UNCA campus. The 133,500-square-foot facility will house classrooms, research and teaching labs; strength training and aerobics rooms; offices, meeting rooms and seminar space; and a dance studio, wellness cafe and demonstration kitchen for use in nutrition courses.

The facility also includes Kimmel Arena, a multipurpose convocation center with seating for 4,000.  The arena will host commencement and convocation, health fairs, symposia and intercollegiate basketball games.