News and Photos

On November 10, 2011 Mandy Pitts, Communications Director for the City of Hickory, spoke to the club about the new comprehensive branding and marketing campaign for the City of Hickory: Life, Well Crafted. Mandy was recently appointed as the Brand Manager for the City of Hickory and will work to lead implementation of this marketing program. The campaign outlines steps for implementing the brand in Hickory in the first and second year. The Business Development Committee will work with the City Manager’s office, the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and other agencies to implement the brand in all aspects of community life. Specifically, the program provides guidance on economic development strategies to attract new business, young professionals and live anywhere entrepreneurs. The plan provides a new core message that can be expanded to existing EDC and CVB initiatives and is expandable to the broader regional partners and assets to grow Hickory’s population and spur economic development in the region.

 

 
On September 22, 2011, Western Carolina University Chancellor Dr. David Belcher spoke to the club about the exciting changes taking place on the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. In addition to academic enhancements to WCU curriculums, the university has recently acquired property which will allow WCU to continue the growth necessary to keep pace with growing demand in Western North Carolina for a college education in the coming years. He also discussed WCU's desire to work with other area universities, community colleges and businesses to meet the educational challenges necessary to provide area students the opportunity to study and work in Western North Carolina.
 
 
On September 1, 2011 

 

“Fräulein Maria” (2010 Rotarian Idol first place winner – Carol Anne Hartman) sang The Sound of Music to promote the Hickory Community Theater’s production of The Sound of Music.  Ms. Hartman has the lead role in the musical which is scheduled to run September 9-25, 2011.

Earle Fincher spoke to the club regarding an effort that is underway to recruit 75 to 100 good men and women to serve as mentors for a new Lunch Buddy mentoring program. Mentoring programs like Lunch Buddy have been statistically proven to improve grades and self-esteem, promote success in the classroom, and build accountability and responsibility while at the same time decrease the dropout rate, absenteeism, and suspensions. Young People of Integrity, in partnership with Champions of Education, Catawba County Social Services and Catawba County United Way, will be piloting the program at three middle schools during the 2011-2012 school year.

 
On August 25, 2011 District 7670 Governor William G. Parker spoke to the club. .
   

Pictured (L-R) is Hickory Rotary Club President Rich Brown, DG Bill Parker and his wife Barbara.

On the lighter side of the news, the circus came to town.

 
On August 11, 2011 Linda Hill, Director of Public Relations for the Hickory Aviation Museum, spoke to the club about the museum. The Hickory Aviation Museum, operated by the Sabre Society of North Carolina, is located at the airport in Hickory, North Carolina. Static aircraft displays are located on the former terminal ramp, and the visitor center is in the former passenger terminal. The Sabre Society has been dedicated to the preservation of aviation history for more than 16 years, but is perhaps best known for organizing some of the best air shows in the Eastern United States. Linda stressed one of the Hickory Aviation Museum most important missions involves local veterans of all branches of service. This mission has three main goals:

1 - Honor and express our gratitude to veterans for the sacrifices they have made
2 - Increase and education about those sacrifices for all citizens of the Hickory area
3- Preserve the stories, experiences, and artifacts that veterans can share, so that we can all understand those experiences in the context of our own lives for many more years to come.
 
 
 
A collection of old Hickory, NC postcards featuring many of Hickory's prominent old buildings may be found at Old Hickory, NC Postcards.  Included in the slideshow is Hotel Huffry where the organizational meeting for the Hickory Rotary Club was held on February 11, 1921. The club continued to meet there for five years. Hotel Hickory, where the Hickory Rotary Club met from 1926-1970, is also featured. 
   
   
A  performance by the Lost Jewels of the Ghawazee  highlighted the July 14, 2011 program . Rosalie De Fini Outlaw, Trish Stultz and Lisa De Pauw of the Lost Jewels took those in attendance on an exotic journey through dance.  The Lost Jewels of the Ghawazee ethnic fusion belly dance troupe’s inspiration is taken from the traditional and modern dances of a variety of cultures. Their belly dance style is flavored with the spices of movements and costumes from India, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Latin America and the MiddleEast. For more information about the Lost Jewels of the Ghawazee, visit their website at www.lostjewelsbellydance.com.

  
Installation of Officers and Directors highlighted the June 30, 2011 meeting.  The Hickory Rotary Club's officers for the 2011-2012 Rotary year may be found at Club Leadership.

 

Awards Day highlighted the club’s meeting, June 23, 2011. A number of checks to benefit area educational initiatives were distributed. The recipients included:

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - Kim Salyards, the Executive Director for the Catawba County Partnership for Children, accepted the donation. CCPC is the agency responsible for administering this free book subscription for children 0-5. Families can sign up their children by calling the Partnership at 828-695-6505, or go to www.imaginationlibrary.com and enter their zip code to access the Partnership's page and enrollment form. The cost of sponsoring a single child for one year's subscription of books is $25. Imagination Library will be our club's signature education project for the next several years. 

  • Catawba Science Center - Executive Director Alan Barnhardt accepted the check which will be used to sponsor one of the Science Center's Free Fridays, which open the center to its services and activities to families that would otherwise not be able to afford it.
  • Family Care Center - Executive Director Camille Grumman accepted the check, which will be used for tutoring services with the families the agency serves and their children. This will facilitate crucial family involvement skills in education for low income and high risk families.
  • Girls on the Run - Bob Conklin, YMCA President and fellow Hickory Rotarian accepted the check. The donation sponsors one girl's enrollment in this girl fitness and empowerment program.  
  • Girl Scouts – Our donation will sponsor one girl's enrollment in the Camp Sunshine program for low income and at risk girls during the summer.
  • Hickory Landmarks Society - A check was presented to Executive Director Patrick Daily and will go toward the support of the organization's annual Heritage Days event that is geared toward elementary students who get to learn firsthand about the history of this community.
  • Little Read and LRU's Visiting Writer's Series - These checks were presented to program coordinator Dr. Rand Brandes. The Little Read support will go toward the purchase of next year's Little Read title. The Visiting Writers Series support will go toward the purchase of the books by author Wes Moore (The Other Wes Moore) for a book discussion with students at Hickory High School. Wes Moore will be appearing in Hickory as part of the Visiting Writers Series in September.
  • Western Piedmont Symphony - A check was presented to Executive Director Chris Brown, and the donation will be used to support WSP's Side-by-Side concerts which combine the Western Piedmont Symphony with the Western Piedmont Youth Symphony.
  • YMCA Children's Fund - The check was presented to Bob Conklin and will be in support of the fund that makes it possible for low income families to participate in much needed YMCA programs, especially preschool. 

Also two club members received special recognition for their service.

Clarence Pugh received the Heart of Rotary award for his many years of dedicated service to the club and community. The award was presented by outgoing President Lynn Loehr.

 

 

 

 

 

John Rambo was recognized as Rotarian of the Year for his extraordinary efforts and guidance, helping to facilitate the club’s successful annual fundraiser for educational initiatives, Rotarian Idol. The award was presented by outgoing President Lynn Loehr.

ReSource Warehouse and Gallery

Debbie Haynes, Executive Director of Safe Harbor Rescue Mission, spoke to the club on June 16, 2011. ReSource Warehouse and Gallery, a new social enterprise of Safe Harbor Rescue Mission. Safe Harbor provides shelter, housing and programming for women experiencing homelessness or needing a structured environment to rebuild their lives. ReSource is one of only 46 creative reuse centers in the United States. They receive industrial and domestic discards and re-sell them for creative purposes.

Service Above Self Scholarships awarded May 19, 2011

For decades, Hickory Rotary Club has emphasized the importance of a good education. On May 19, 2011 the club recognized the best and the brightest of Hickory High School. The Hickory Rotary Club’s Service Above Self Scholarship recognizes students who excel in the classroom, are recognized by teachers as leaders and who go the extra mile to serve others through community service, church activities and more.

To qualify for a Service Above Self Scholarship, candidates must consistently demonstrate their service to others, be in the top 20% of their class, and lead by example.

This year’s Service Above Self Scholarship winners from Hickory  HighSchool’s Class of 2011 will receive Rotary’s help toward their college expenses. This year’s winners are (below L-R): Diana Nguyen, Hiep Nguyen,  Meredith Carson.  

Wilmer Jenkins 2011 Teacher of the Year Award

Hickory Rotary Club has been presenting its annual Wilmer Jenkins Teacher of the Year award to a teacher in the Hickory Public Schools for over thirty-five years. The late Wilmer Jenkins was Superintendent of Schools for the Hickory City Schools and was also a member of the Hickory Rotary Club. There is one nominee from each of the nine schools in the Hickory Public School system. On May 12, 2011, the Hickory Rotary Club honored teachers from the Hickory City Schools at the club's annual Teacher of the Year luncheon.

Nominees pictured L-R are: Donna Hill - Hickory High School, Samantha Jahn - Hickory Career Arts, Rebecca Gaffney - Northview Middle, Phyllis Toms - Grandview Middle, Courtney Russell - Viewmont Elementary, Anna Shook - Southwest Elementary, Amy Phillips - Oakwood Elementary, Tomeka Graves-Gore - Longview Elementary, and Kathryn Fisher - Jenkins Elementary.

And the winner is...

 

Rebecca Gaffney - Northview Middle

The annual Blood Drive held May 5, 2011 collected 61 units

Davidson College Basketball Coach Bob McKillop Speaks to the Hickory Rotary Club

 Davidson College Coach Bob McKillop

On October 28, 2010 Davidson College head men's basketball coach, Bob McKillop, spoke to the Hickory Rotary Club. Coach McKillop was the 2008 NABC national coach of the year. He received the Coach Clair Bee Award which honors the active men's NCAA Division I basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contributions to his sport during the preceding year.   Under coach McKillop’s leadership, Davidson has won 10 Southern Conference division titles, five Southern Conference tournament championships, and participated in five NCAA tournaments and four postseason NIT tournaments. In 2008, led by two-time All America Stephen Curry, Davidson advanced to the “elite eight” of the NCAA tournament with wins over # 2 seed Georgetown, # 3 seed Wisconsin before falling to # 1 seed and eventual national Champion Kansas 59-57.