The Inspiration Center

12/31/2025

Whether you’ll spend this evening at home, with an intimate gathering of friends, at church or at a party; we wish you a safe and blessed passage into the New Year! Tonight, The Inspiration Center is excited to be the location for New Years In The Country hosted by Krystal Michelle Hawkins and her organization, Made In The Country.

From community days to family reunions, to private events to dance parties reminiscent of the vibe and atmosphere of Historic Meljo’s; our venue shines as a center of Black culture and community gathering.

12/13/2025

Book your
✅corporate outing
💒wedding
🎉reception
🥳birthday party
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒family reunion
🪩30+ dance party
🎤musical performance or
🌳outdoor festival today!

The Inspiration Center (Historic Meljo’s) is the perfect place for events!

A recently remodeled event and performance venue, this extraordinary property boasts

✔️nearly 7,000 sq ft of indoor space,
✔️including a commercial size kitchen, and
✔️7+ acres of outdoor space.

📍Centrally located on Highway 58 in Southside Virginia - 10 miles West of Emporia, 10 miles East of Lawrenceville, and just 45 miles South of Petersburg.

12/13/2025

The founding story of The Inspiration Center is rich with education. We enjoy sharing our history and
holding space for educational opportunities and community learning. ♥️

December 12, 1899: Dr. George Grant of Boston, was issued patent #638920 for his invention of the 1st wooden golf tee.
George Franklin Grant was the 1st African-American professor at Harvard. He was also a Boston dentist, and an inventor of a wooden golf tee.
Dr. Grant was a founding member and later the president of the Harvard Odontological Society and was a member of the Harvard Dental Alumni Association where he was elected president in 1881.
LEGACY:
⛳In 1991, the USGA recognized him as the inventor of the wooden tee. A modification of Percy Ellis' "Perfectum" tee.

12/13/2025

We’re hosting a small, private family gathering on Sunday afternoon. Some of the family will be in town on Saturday. We’re definitely going to share this lovely event with them! ♥️

12/13/2025

Shelby Brown - WTVR CBS 6 and The Story Cafe are providing an excellent opportunity for giving and sharing on Christmas Day! ♥️

🎄SPREADING HOLIDAY LOVE🎄

Simone De’Nea’s Catering is taking over The Story Cafe in Town of Lawrenceville, Virginia on Christmas day for a powerful community giveback. Free hot meals, open doors, and holiday love for anyone who needs it.

We’ve already received donations of ham, turkey, and some sides, and we’re grateful!! ❤️.

If you want to help us feed even more families at my coffee shop, we could use donations of canned sodas, to go containers and holiday paper products and utensils.

Be part of something good.
Donate. Share. Spread the word.
Let’s make Christmas warm for everyone in Brunswick and Southside Virginia.

12/12/2025

Book your

✅corporate outing
💒wedding
🎉reception
🥳birthday party
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒family reunion
🪩30+ dance party
🎤musical performance or
🌳outdoor festival today!

The Inspiration Center (Historic Meljo’s) is the perfect place for events!

A recently remodeled event and performance venue, this extraordinary property boasts

✔️nearly 7,000 sq ft of indoor space,
✔️including a commercial size kitchen, and
✔️7+ acres of outdoor space.

📍Centrally located on Highway 58 in Southside Virginia - 10 miles West of Emporia, 10 miles East of Lawrenceville, and just 45 miles South of Petersburg.