Cramerton residents observed Black History Month with a program featuring three speakers at the Cramerton Historical Society Museum on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
Cramerton natives Minerva Hardy and Fred Glenn were joined on the program by Dot Guthrie, founder and curator of the African-American Museum of History and Culture in Gastonia and member of the Gaston County Board of Education. Gastonia Mayor Walker E. Reid, III introduced the speakers.
Town of Cramerton Mayor Nelson Wills and Historical Society President Jeff Ramsey welcomed guests. Cramerton Historical Museum Chairman Richard Atkinson also made  comments.
Dot Guthrie opened the program by displaying a quilt depicting 175 years of African-American history, which is on exhibit at the African-American Museum of History and Culture at the Loray Mill in Gastonia. Mrs. Guthrie is a life-long educator, serving more than 40 years as a teacher, school librarian, media specialist, central office staff member and member of the Gaston County Board of Education. She also is an author and is associate pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gastonia. Among her many awards is the prestigious Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Minerva Hardy has been an outstanding citizen of Cramerton for many years, and she received Cramerton’s Lifetime Citizen Award in 2021. She served on the town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for six years and as chief judge for the Gaston County Board of Election’s Cramerton Precinct for four years. She is active in encouraging residents to register to vote and instructing new voters in how to get involved in local issues. In 1982, she was recognized by the Gaston County NAACP and Gaston County Concerned Citizens for successfully working to obtain home mail delivery in the Baltimore community.
United States Army and Vietnam War veteran Fred Glenn was born in Cramerton and graduated from Reid High School in Belmont. He attended NCA&T State University before enlisting in the army. After serving in Vietnam as a door gunner with the 118th Assault Helicopter Unit, and later as a drill sergeant at Fort Bragg, NC, he attended
Gaston College to pursue becoming a tool and die maker and later owned and operated his own machine shop. He retired from Phillip Morris after 20 years as a technician.
The Cramerton Historical Society was formed in 2015, and the Museum opened in 2021. Members receive invitations to special events, discounts in the museum store and discounts on rentals. For more information, visit Cramertonhistoricalsociety.org, see the Cramerton Historical Society on Facebook, or call Richard Atkinson at 704.906.5339.
 

By Alan Hodge and Jamie Campbell
alan@cfmedia.info

When folks stream into downtown Belmont for special events like the award winning Moonlight on Main, or Red, White, and Belmont, or Garibaldifest, or Boofest, or the Friday night concert series it’s a safe bet few if any of them wonder just what goes on behind the scenes to make those things happen.
Read on to find out.
“It all starts with an idea.”
That’s what Belmont’s downtown director Phil Boggan says is the spark that kicks the logistical wheels in motion to make the events become a reality of light, color, sound, fun, and financial boon for downtown businesses.
Once the idea for an event is seized upon, Boggan, along with his co-workers Cassidy Lackey and Morgan Abernathy, spring into action.
“We think through things such as how much it will cost to have the event as well as how many volunteers it will take to make it happen,” Boggan said.
But that’s just the start.
“We work with the police and public works to close the streets where the event will be taking place,” he said. “We also contact the ABC commission if alcohol will be served.”
The planning for an event has a long lead time.
“We do it well in advance so the ball does not gets dropped,” said Boggan. “Ideally, planning begins a year in advance.”
Music is a big part of many downtown Belmont happenings.
“We also book bands a year ahead,” said Boggan. “You have to do that if   you want the best ones. We contact booking agents to find out what the hottest bands are.”
Other event attractions such as carnival rides and carriage rides need to be booked well ahead too.
“There are not many companies left that do those so we need to make sure we have them lined up,” he said.
Boggan says he and his staff strive to use local talent but go where they need to get the job done.
Funding for events is important too.
“Among other things, we write grants for funding,” said Boggan. “We research the grants and staff and volunteers write for them. It’s not always easy to get money. I lay awake at night thinking about money.”
Downtown businesses always get a heads up before events.
“We notify them so the crowd impact will be positive rather than negative,” Boggan said.
Boggan, Lackey, and Abernathy are deeply dedicated to their mission of putting on the very best events that folks will find anywhere.
“It’s not an eight to five job,” Boggan said. “Sometimes we work sixty or more hours a week making sure everything is ready.”
In a sense, Boggan is like a musical conductor or military general in charge of seeing the event goes off smoothly.
“I connect the dots,” he said.
For her part, Abernathy spends countless hours reading emails, keeping an electronic calendar, taking and reviewing vendor applications, and communicating with potential participants. Lackey runs the Main St. program and works with volunteers and businesses.
Besides fun, the events fulfill another goal.
“It’s not just about amusement,” Boggan said. “It’s about people eating, shopping, and supporting our downtown businesses.”
So, what drives Boggan, Lackey, and Abernathy to give their all for downtown Belmont?
“We do it for the community,” Boggan said. “At the end of the day we may be burned out but we get to enjoy the validation seeing the big crowds brings.”
All the work that the trio does for the city recently brought them well deserved recognition.
On January 31, 2022 the City of Belmont Main Street staff attended North Carolina Association of Festivals and Events 2022 ShowFest, an event innovators conference in Charlotte where they were presented with four awards associated with the Moonlight on Main event held in Downtown Belmont in fall 2021.
The conference concludes each year with an Excellence Awards Program, where the City of Belmont Main Street staff was presented with four awards for the Moonlight on Main festival held in late 2021. The event won: Best Brochure for the GOBO Art Walk Brochure, Best Event Photo, Best Event Associated with an Event for the GOBO Projection Art Gallery, and Event of the Year for Moonlight on Main.
 Moonlight on Main was a three-week arts and culture experience in Downtown Belmont where downtown was turned into a lunar-inspired, outdoor art gallery with GOBO artwork projected onto buildings around downtown.  The event centered around an international touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram, an exhibit of an internally lit replica of the moon measuring 23 meters in diameter and features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. The event also featured art installations in downtown and throughout Stowe Park from local students and other groups.  The original GOBO artworks were sold in various downtown galleries and businesses throughout the event.
 The ShowFest Awards are part of the industry’s reward and recognition programs. The ShowFest Excellence Awards are a long-standing tradition of highlighting the best and brightest of festivals, events and associates across the Carolinas. Their membership is dedicated to identifying the professionals that raise the bar and providing outstanding examples. They also use this program to set new goals and standards for the event planning profession. The annual conference and awards are a way industry professionals can learn from each other and give a hardy round of applause to those who distinguish themselves with great work.
Boggan expressed an immense “thank you” to the Main Street and Downtown Belmont Development Association boards, committees, volunteers, community partners, artists, participating local businesses, and those who simply came out to enjoy the event for helping to make this recognition possible.
“We were honored to take home these awards on behalf of everyone that made this three-week festival such a huge success,” he said.
 When asked about the awards recognition, Mayor Charlie Martin stated, “We couldn’t be prouder of our staff, board members, volunteers, and community organizations for putting on such an unforgettable three-week festival in Downtown Belmont.  This festival brought people to Belmont from not only cities in our region, but from all over America.  This is a perfect example of how our staff and community work together to make Belmont such a special community to be a part of.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

“Our children will be remembered here.”
That’s what Southern Piedmont Chapter of the Compassionate Friends leader Candace Hulsey has to say about the new garden that group is having built on the grounds of CaroMont Health’s Robin Johnson Hospice House, 5005 Shepherds Way, near Dallas.
The idea behind the garden is for it to be a quiet, reflective place of natural beauty that folks can visit when they need to take a deep breath and think about things. Its official name is the “Southern Piedmont Chapter of the Compassionate Fiends Children’s Memorial Garden”.
“The garden will provide a place where our children, grandchildren, and siblings can be remembered,” Hulsey said. “It will also be a place of solitude and beauty for the patients and their families along with the staff at Robin Johnson Hospice House.”
Construction of the garden is well under way and plans are for it to be done by April. The general layout is a winding path of large flagstones flanked by flower gardens and other plantings. Three large arbors arch over the walkway. Small boulders offer places to sit and reflect. A focal point is a wild cherry tree whose moss covered trunk dips low, then twists and turns back skyward.
Other features the garden will have includes memorial pavers, a small amphitheater, benches, sculptures of children at play, and a small natural meadow.
The garden was laid out by Tiz Johnston of Garden Design. QLM (Quality Landscape Materials) provided the ingredients.
According to Hulsey, the garden has been in the dreaming and planning stages for six years. Compassionate Friends is footing the bill.

“The money came from fundraisers, the Community Foundation, and grants,” Hulsey said.
When it’s done, the garden will be gifted to CaroMont and Robin Johnson Hospice House.
Hulsey has a personal interest in the garden. She lost her son Steven on July 24, 2004 at age 33 in an auto accident.
“When you lose a child the fear is they will be forgotten,” Hulsey said. “Steven may not be here but the garden will be long after I am gone. I feel so blessed to be a part of this garden. It is a wonderful thing.”
During this interview, Hulsey stood by the twisted cherry tree and looked at it thoughtfully.
“This tree said to me, I am broken but I still live,” she said. “That is us.”
More about The Compassionate Friends 
The Compassionate Friends was founded over 50 years ago when a chaplain at the Warwickshire Hospital in England brought together two sets of grieving parents and realized that the support they gave each other was better than anything he, as a chaplain, could ever say or provide. Meeting around a kitchen table, the Lawleys and the Hendersons were joined by a bereaved mother and the chaplain, Simon Stephens, and The Society of the Compassionate Friends was born. The Compassionate Friends jumped across the ocean and was established in the United States and incorporated in 1978 in Illinois.
Each chapter, along with the supporting National Office, is committed to helping every bereaved parent, sibling, or grandparent who may walk through our doors or contact us.
Today TCF has over 600 chapters serving all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam, that offer friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members during the natural grieving process after a child has died. Around the world more than 30 countries have a Compassionate Friends presence, encircling the globe with support so desperately needed when the worst has happened.
The Southern Piedmont Chapter was started by John and Rose Stanley who lost their daughter Susan in a single car accident on May 29, 1984. The chapter was chartered in 1986 and meets monthly at First Presbyterian Church Gastonia.
Interested in learning more about how to join or contribute? Contact Hulsey at 704-678-6537 or email cdhulsey@gmail.com.

By Sean Corcoran
Gaston County Schools

What’s going on in classrooms at three elementary schools in Gaston County has captured the attention of educators from Colorado.
W.A. Bess Elementary, Pinewood Elementary, and Rankin Elementary earned the prestigious North Carolina A+ School distinction, which is presented by the N.C. Arts Council.  W.A. Bess joined the program in 2019, and Pinewood and Rankin followed in 2020.  As an A+ School, Bess, Pinewood, and Rankin have added the arts across the curriculum.
Word spread, and a group of 24 educators from the Colorado Springs School District visited Gaston County Schools to learn more about our North Carolina A+ Schools.  What they saw were creative and inspiring ways that teachers are incorporating aspects of art, music, dance, and theater into their daily lessons and activities.
“It is great for them to see the amazing work being done in Gaston County Schools and find out more about the benefits of A+ learning and how children are engaged in this type of unique school environment,” said Michelle Burrows, the North Carolina A+ Schools director who arranged the visit.
The Colorado educators had the opportunity to observe teachers and students using the arts to focus on critical thinking skills.  For example, in Taylor Helms’ third grade class at Pinewood, students were asked to draw a city using arrays, which is the arrangement of objects, pictures, or numbers in rows and columns.
“The purpose of an array city is to inspire students to use creativity to make the buildings,” explained Helms.  “They cut out squares as windows, put them in rows and columns, and then wrote matching multiplication equations for each building.”
By integrating art into the assignment, children gain a better understanding of their multiplication skills, said Helms.  “They love the hands-on approach to learning.”
In Amanda Humphries’ classroom, third graders performed a skit using “The Tortoise and the Hare” story to demonstrate their reading comprehension skills.
“After reading a variety of folktales and discussing character traits, motives, and moral lessons in the stories, students had the opportunity to showcase a folktale through dramatization,” explained Humphries. “In groups, one student was the narrator of a fable while the other students did a pantomime, acting out key vocabulary words for actions and feelings of the characters.”
The hallways at W.A. Bess Elementary are lined with colorful and creative art projects with written explanations.  First grade teacher Ashley McGinnis used jack-o-lanterns for her students to learn about two dimensional shapes.
“Some students used triangles and rectangles for teeth, and others used different shapes such as ovals and circles to represent the pumpkin,” said McGinnis. “It’s one of the many ways our children are using their imagination to learn the curriculum.”
 This is what an A+ North Carolina School looks like on a typical day – integrating the arts into the curriculum and viewing the arts as a foundation for teaching and learning.
Research indicates that students who are engaged in the arts achieve at a higher level and also develop an understanding of and appreciation for the arts.  Through their visit to Gaston County, the Colorado educators were able to see how the arts are linked to positive academic outcomes and learn strategies and techniques to use in their own classrooms.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Site work has started on the Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County Dixon Village project on Lee Rd. off Hickory Grove Rd. in North Belmont. The development will contain 28 homes and will occupy 7.5 acres.
Crews have started working clearing the property of trees and underbrush and an official groundbreaking took place last Monday.
Habitat Gaston completed its Phase One fundraising by meeting a goal of $1.5 million dedicated to the neighborhood’s infrastructure.  The start of Phase Two fundraising also began following Monday’s groundbreaking. The $1.2 million goal will go directly toward the construction of the Habitat homes. Each Habitat residence will cost an estimated $150,000.
“We are elated to get this innovative project off the ground and build beautiful homes where families can thrive,” said Kay Peninger, executive director of Habitat Gaston. “Dixon Village will provide more than just a house; this neighborhood will offer a community, a sturdy foundation and a homeownership dream fulfilled for many Gaston families.”
Plans are for the site work to be done by late April.
“We have contracted with Site Works to perform the horizontal work for the Dixon Village project,” Penninger said.  “They began working December 6, 2021 and are targeting April 25, 2022 for completion.  We do hope that we can begin pouring pads for two to four homes before
then.  It is very exciting to see this starting to take shape and form!”
According to Peninger, Habitat has updated the ratios of homeowners.  One-third will be Habitat homes. One-third will go to “hometown heroes” – police officers, firefighters, health care workers, teachers, veterans, etc. One-third will be market-rate entry-level buyers.
The housing will be a mix of single story 3-bedroom houses and two story 4-bedroom houses.  The architectural design of the houses will be in the style of a Craftsman bungalow.  Design elements such as shingles and material accents will be used to add variation, visual interest, and color to the exteriors.  The neighborhood will feature community building amenities such as front porches, sidewalks, and a park-like green space with a playground, picnic tables, and a walking path.
 “Homeownership is the foundation of healthy families and communities,” Peninger said.  “We are excited to be able to provide affordable housing – housing that families can afford based on their income – in Belmont.  When families have a safe and stable home it provides many benefits such as a stable home life, their children do better in school, and they have improved health.  Homeownership also contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty as families have the opportunity to build equity in their home. Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County is committed to accomplishing this project and serving more families.  We have a strong project team in place that will result in a charming and attractive neighborhood.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

One of Belmont’s most innovative and interesting small businesses, as well as a tourism destination, Muddy River Distillery, is growing at a prodigious rate. But it may not be in town much longer.
Muddy River was started back in 2011 by husband and wife team Robbie and Caroline Delaney.
The idea to start a rum distillery- the first in North Carolina- came to Robbie when he spotted a magazine article on the subject while flying back to Charlotte from a construction job in Texas. Work in the construction industry was drying up and he was casting about, looking for another career. Not only that, but the constant travel was making spending time with Caroline logistically problematic.
“I got excited when I read the magazine article,” Robbie said. “I started doing research on what it would take to build a still and to begin distilling.”
chat with friend Scott Huff, a rum connoisseur, led to the decision to make rum rather than bourbon or some other type of libation. Once the decision to distill legal rum was made, the Delaney’s found a space at the former Piedmont Processing plant.  Robbie used his construction skills to build his first still. The basis of the still was a stainless steel milk tank he got from his father’s farm in Greensboro. Muddy River became the first modern era rum distillery in North Carolina.
From the very beginning, the Delaney’s worked night and day at the distillery. They often slept in the building on a tent in sleeping bags on the concrete floor. The rum began to flow and sales rose.
By 2013 the distillery had two large stills operating. The rum was being sold at ABC stores across North Carolina. In 2017, a 450 gallon still named “Independence” came on line. Caroline began giving guided tours of the distillery.
Just when things were taking off, Covid came around. Bars and restaurant sales of rum slowed to a trickle. The Delaney’s shifted gears and began making alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It was an instant hit and the sales helped carry them through the worst of the pandemic lockdown.
Now that things are getting back to normal, rum sales are soaring and tour group visitors are lining  up again with folks eager to see Muddy River’s inner workings, taste rum samples, and buy bottles of the distillery’s award winning product.
Currently, the distillery has racks of rum aging in oak barrels. Thousands of bottles are in cases ready for shipment. Rum-making supplies are stacked on pallets everywhere including 30,000 lbs. of sugar and a tank with 2,000 gallons of fermenting molasses.
“We have to shuffle stuff around to get to the shipping dock door,” said Robbie.
Current production is 1,200 bottles of rum per day. The first rum runs of ten years ago made 35 bottles per day.
“Bottle sales grew 30 percent last year,” said Robbie.
The Delaneys have also hired two full time employees.
All that growth had led to a need for more room not just for rum making, but also to have a nice space where folks can come in and linger while they enjoy a rum cocktail or sip shots.
“We want to sell an experience like craft breweries do,” said Robbie.
Future plans for Muddy River include marketing to a multi-state area and becoming a rum distiller on the national level.
But Robbie is frustrated.
“We’ve been looking for a larger space for over a year,” he said. “We need at least 20,000 sq. ft. of room.”
Right now, the distillery has only about 6,000 sq. ft.
Thoughts of staying in Belmont are currently somewhat dim.
“Belmont is geared more towards residential development and real estate,” Robbie said.
However, the Delaneys have several irons in the fire.
“We are looking at a place in Mt. Holly that used to be a textile mill,” Robbie said.
The structure he referred to is the circa 1875 mill located at Alsace Avenue and N. Main. The building served as the Austrian Consulate for several years.
Another possibility Robbie mentioned is the Top Golf building on I-485 near Charlotte.
“We are also interested in the area of Gastonia near the new ball park,” said Robbie.
The bottom line?
“We are growing and we will move where we have to,” Robbie says. “We are probably going to leaving Belmont.”
For more information visit muddyriverdistillery.com.
 

One in a series of  Black History Month stories remembering prominent African-American people and places in our area.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Ransom Hunter rose from the bonds of slavery to become one of Mt. Holly’s leading businessmen and citizens and though he died a century ago, his name is still remembered to this day.
Hunter was born a slave on a plantation near Charleston circa 1825. As a boy he was sold to the Hoyle family who owned a large farm near Dallas and Stanley in Gaston County.
Just before the Civil War broke out in 1861, Hunter’s owner set him free and gave him a plot of land near the Catawba River that Hunter named “Freedom”. It is believed that Hunter was the first free black in Gaston to own property.
Though the land was rugged, Hunter pitched in and through his sweat and sinew created a prosperous farm.
During Reconstruction following the war, Hunter’s hard work enabled him to purchase additional land in what is today’s appropriately named Freedom neighborhood in Mt. Holly. He operated a livery stable on Main St. and ran a general store for the local African-American populace making him one of the first black business owners in the area. He also helped recently freed slaves find jobs and housing.
 Hunter was a strong believer in education. He learned to read, write, and do math. He also learned carpentry and blacksmithing. He served on the Public School Committee of District No. 12, which at the time was called the “colored” school district, and deeded land to what became Rollins School in 1887.
Hunter also had strong faith. He was the founder of two Mount Holly churches still in existence today: Rock Grove Methodist Church, which became Burge Memorial United Methodist Church, and Mt. Sinai Baptist Church.
Hunter sold land to Abel Peterson Rhyne and Daniel Efird Rhyne to build the area’s first cotton mill in 1875. The Mount Holly Manufacturing Mill was constructed on the land which Hunter purchased in 1874 from R.C.G. Love. It was the fourth mill to be built in Gaston County and is the oldest surviving cotton mill today. The name of the mill was derived from the famed yarn mill in Mount Holly, New Jersey, in hopes of taking after their success. The mill’s success and the prosperity of the area led local residents to petition the North Carolina General Assembly for the incorporation of Mount Holly in 1879.
 In 1913, Hunter sold the Mayes Manufacturing Company a stretch of land near the South Fork Catawba River and the Southern Railroad, where they built a cotton textile mill.[8]
Hunter died in 1918 at the age of 93 in Mt. Holly. He’s buried near a large oak in the cemetery at the corner of Hawthorne and West Catawba  Ave. in Mt. Holly.
Hunter is still remembered for his many contributions to Mt. Holly.
In July 2014, his descendants held a family reunion and a new headstone was placed under the big tree near his grave.  In 2017, Hunter was named as the very first Mt. Holly Historic Person of the Year by the Mt. Holly Historical Society.

By Alan Hodge
Alan.bannernews@gmail.com

One of Belmont’s most iconic architectural, educational, historical, and whatever else you want to call it buildings is officially for sale.
Bids for the former Belmont High School, and later Middle School, building at 110 N. Central Avenue opened January 26. The building is owned by Gaston County.
 “We will not set an initial minimum bid for the property,” said Ray Maxwell, infrastructure and asset manager for Gaston County.  “We do expect bidders to submit reasonable offers though.  The final bid will go back to the Commission to be accepted or rejected.”
*See bottom of story for complete information on the bidding process.
The building has a history going back over 80 years. It was built in 1938 by local contractor Will Hand. The school was state of the art for its time. It had a spacious auditorium, a superb gym, science rooms, music rooms, a library, and textile vocational classes. When South Point High was built in 1964, the building became Belmont Middle School. Last year, when the new Belmont Middle School on South Point Rd. was opened, the building was closed and its furniture and other equipment auctioned off.  
A tour of the facility was given last week by Rebecca Edison, contracts coordinator for Gaston County. About a dozen interested parties showed up. The group included business folks, local municipal officials, interested citizens, and this reporter.
The overall impression of the building is one of space. It has over 105,000 sq. ft. That’s enough to equal 100 hotel rooms. The auditorium can seat 840 people. The gym has 7,800 sq. ft. of space. The cafeteria has 4,000 sq. ft. There are 65 parking spots right now. The school sits on 4.5 acres of prime real estate. One note- the field behind the school is part of Stowe Park and owned by the City of Belmont.
The school is just a couple of miles from US74 and I85. It’s about 15 minutes from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
Belmont businessman and former city council member Richard Cromlish was one of the tour takers.
“I want to see this done right,” he said of the building’s future. “There is huge potential here. It could be a hotel, or a senior living facility, or apartments.”
Cramerton town commissioner Richard Atkinson also took the tour.
“The auditorium could be used as an entertainment venue like the Don Gibson Theater in Shelby,” Atkinson said. “It could also be a senior living place like the former Mayworth School we have in Cramerton.”
Any and all repairs, upgrades, etc. are the responsibility of the buyer.
“It is being sold as is where is,” said Maxwell.
*Interested? Here’s how to bid.
This website below contains all the particulars concerning the bidding process. It also has information on the building’s structural condition as well as photos.
https://www.gastongov.com/government/departments/public_works/belmont_middle_school_property.php
 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

One of Belmont’s most venerable and respected organizations- the Auten-Stowe American Legion Post 144- is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
Post 144 got its start on March 20, 1921 when a group of WWI Belmont veterans decided to form an American Legion Post. It was decided to name it after two Belmont lads who had been killed in the war-  William Auten and Charles Stowe. A year later, March 29, 1922, Post 144 received its charter.
For many years, Post 144 members met at a building called the “Community Center”. In 1952, the headquarters were located to its current location on Park Dr. near Davis Park.
Over the decades, Post 144 has been active in many civic affairs. In 1922, it organized the first volunteer fire dept. in Belmont. The group was instrumental in seeing that a memorial was built in Greenwood Cemetery honoring local WWI soldiers who had been killed in action.  This monument was dedicated on August 15, 1922. Post 144 has also made it possible each year since the 1960s for local students to attend the one-week Boys and Girls State seminar held at Catawba College. This program allows the students to study politics and government during their stay.
Post 144 was also active in the campaign that saw the Spirit of the Fighting Yank WWII memorial statue moved from its former location at Belmont Middle School to front and center at Stowe Park. Seeing the statue in its current location is a highlight of any visit to downtown Belmont.
Each Memorial Day, Post 144 places American flags on veteran graves in Greenwood Cemetery and other locations. It also organizes Memorial Day and Veterans Day events.
Baseball has been a big part of Post 144’s legacy. It has sponsored teams since the 1930s and is still active in baseball to this day.
Each year Post 144 holds a gala Christmas celebration. Traditionally, an outstanding local citizen receives the Community Service Award at the event.
Currently, Post 144 has over 200 members who share a strong bond of comradeship and camaraderie.
Post 144 member Art Shoemaker summed it up.
“Post 144 has been a vital part of Belmont for 100 years now,” he said. “It’s an amazing feat to have been here this long. Post 144 gives veterans a place to gather and to plan and do good works for the city of Belmont. It also gives young men a place to play baseball.”
All of this is wonderful, but there are some gaps in Post 144’s history that need filling in. Therefore, Post 144 is reaching out to the community for any information, news clips, photos, etc. that might flesh out its long and distinguished history.
“One thing we would like to know is where members met from 1922 to 1941,” said post commander Barry Smith. “Any other information is also greatly appreciated.”
Do you know more about the past of Post 144? If so, email at POST144BELMONT@GMAIL.COM.
Also, here’s a list of upcoming Post 144 events
March 29th - 100th year Anniversary of Post 144 1st meeting - Special Event in Planning.
Memorial Day Weekend - put out flags and breakfast.
Gun Raffle tickets begin sales in June - Drawing TBD.
August 27 - 100th year of Post 144 receiving charter from National American Legion,
September 17th - Fish Fry.
October 8th - SAL Golf Tournament (this date is tentative).
November 11th - Veterans Day.
December 10th - Army/Navy football game.
Also remember that regular meetings are the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM, but do not meet in July or December.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Everyone knows that thanks to its spectacular holiday lights and events, McAdenville has acquired the name Christmas Town USA. In a similar vein of specialness, as of last week Belmont has now acquired not one, not two, but three vintage trolley cars that could give the city every right to call itself Trolley Town USA.
OK so that’s just a fanciful suggestion, but the true fact is now the CityWorks building on E. Catawba is where three trolleys are snugly situated awaiting finishing touches  and deployment on the tracks that run from downtown Belmont towards Wilkinson Blvd.
Last week saw two trolleys brought to Belmont from Charlotte. These cars, No. 1 and No. 85, join the 1913 Brill trolley that has called the CityWorks garage home for six years while it is undergoing a complete refurbishment.
The two Charlotte trolleys arrived on flatbed trucks. Monday saw No.85 pulled through downtown Belmont and parked for a while near Stowe Park before finally being delivered to CityWorks. The spectacle drew quite a crowd. Tuesday witnessed car No. 1 delivered straight to CityWorks. Flatbeds from Advantage Machinery did the delivering.  The cars were owned by the Charlotte Historic Landmarks Commission and had been housed since 2018 at the Sabona Mill in West Charlotte.
Belmont Trolley, Inc. co-vice president Nathan Wells was with the trolleys every mile of the way to their new home.
 “There’s kind of this little kid kind of tingle like a Christmas Eve sort of feeling waiting for Santa,” Wells said of the delivery. “Then there’s a more overriding sense of calm and satisfaction of a job well done. So though the project is not done, there’s still the sense of accomplishment knowing that it’s getting closer. It’s another plateau reached. And the buzz from others around the arrival of these two cars is palpable. Very cool!”
Wells explained the significance of having three trolleys in Belmont.
“What’s important about these cars is that it gives us two operable cars immediately and once we get our car (1913 Brill) operational that’ll be a third car. Other than Memphis and a museum around Washington DC, there are not three operating cars anywhere else that I know of in the southeast.  More importantly, is that now that the tracks are ready and we have two operable cars, there’s less pressure on us to complete the restoration of our car in the coming months.  This segues into another part of the project.”
The three cars run on electric motors. Since live overhead wires of the original type are not really an option, Wells says his group is working to obtain propulsion in another way.
“We are working with UNCC’s engineering department to design a battery pack that will provide power to the cars,” he said.  “There’s a group of seven young engineers, or soon to be, from the Electrical, Civil, and Mechanical departments designing this cart as their Senior Design project.  This battery pack will be on a cart that is towed behind the trolleys.  The battery pack itself will also be self-powered to drive down the tracks, switch tracks, and back up to another car when we choose to run another car.  Over the next few years, this will save us from having to provide power to each car separately.  It’ll be controlled with a remote and I think it will be a hit, even among the non-trolley fans, with the young and old kids alike.  The battery project is supposed to be completed this spring and ideally we would like to demonstrate it to the public, and the students design peers and mentors. So having those two operational trolley cars will give us an opportunity to potentially demo the entire trolley project this spring.  It’s unlikely our current car would have been ready by this spring.”
The future looks bright for the trolley scene in Belmont.
“What’s the big picture for 2022?” said Wells.  “So we will spend the bulk of this year trying to complete our capital campaign for the restoration of our car and to provide funding to build a car barn.  Ideally, we would like to begin construction on the car barn by the fall of 2022 with construction completed by the spring of 2023.  It will be a fairly large capital campaign, but we believe with the arrival of the two Charlotte cars and the progress we are making on the restoration of our own car and the battery cart to supply power to each car, it’ll help energize our campaign significantly.  That affectively summarizes our plans for 2022. Our vision looking out three, five, ten years, etc:  We’ll start to refine that vision as the capital campaign takes off and we look towards implementation of the project sometime hopefully in the spring of 2023.”

About the new trolleys 
Number 1 The Red One
Trolley No. 1 was originally built in Philadelphia by J.G. Brill in 1907 for Athens, Greece. The trolley’s restoration was complete in 1989 by trolley restorer Bruce Thain of Guilford, Connecticut.

Number 85 The Green One
Car 85, built in 1927, was the last electric streetcar to run in Charlotte on March 14, 1938. Alexander Garfield Collie, Sr. supervised the drivers when the streetcars were retired. His son, Alexander Garfield Collie, Jr. was driving car 85 for its final run in 1938. In his personal diary, Collie Sr. wrote of the car’s final run into the barn. Directing his son, Collie, Jr. to “move over,” he took the controls of number 85 for its final run. After retirement it was sold for $100, along with all the remaining cars. Following the system closure, Charlotte would rely solely on bus transit to serve its citizens until the opening of the Blue Line in 2007.
Car 85 was subsequently sold, stripped of its motors and seats, and sold to the N.C. Air National Guard, which used it for office space at the Charlotte airport. In 1939-1940, it was again sold and converted into a diner/concession stand at Caldwell Station, N.C., being used in this role until the early 1950s. Around late 1951, it was purchased for $125-150 by Daisy Mae Trapp Moore, a Huntersville resident, who moved it into her backyard and converted it into a mobile home to house relatives. The car was subsequently occupied by various renters. Its last occupant, construction worker Clay Thompson, lived in the former Car 85 from approximately 1972 to late 1987, when the town of Huntersville condemned the makeshift residence as it lacked indoor plumbing. Though Moore had intended to use the former streetcar as a storage shed, she sold it to the Emergency Properties Fund of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Properties Commission for $1,000 on April 12, 1988.
Following the streetcar’s discovery, the Charlotte Historic Landmarks Commission led the charge in its restoration. On May 6, 1988, the streetcar was returned by road to Charlotte and stored behind the Discovery Place Museum for preservation and restoration. Original drivers’ stools from the Charlotte streetcars and a period trolley bell were located and donated to the project. By the end of 1989, the streetcar had been moved to a former city bus barn, where restoration continued. Motors, trucks, wheels and electrics were sourced from retired streetcars in Melbourne, Australia. Initially named “Trolley Car No. 2” but unofficially called “Car 85” the streetcar was conclusively identified as Car 85 when surviving interior identifying numbers were revealed during restoration work in 1990. Its restoration was completed in 1991 at a cost of just over $100,000.

The 31st annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Celebration sponsored by the City of Belmont, the Belmont Coalition of Concerned Citizens, the Gaston County NAACP, the Gaston County Organization for Community Concerns, and Race Matters Community Conversation will take place Monday, January 17th, 7pm. For the second year the service will be held virtually and hosted by the City of Belmont on its website (www.cityobelmont.org/MLKUnity). While organizers regret not being able to gather safely in person, the virtual service allows participants from all over the county, state, and beyond to participate live or at a later time. Last year almost the celebration was viewed almost 1200 times.
Mayor Charlie Martin will offer the welcome. The lighting of the Unity Candle by approximately thirty area children and teens will again be a part of the service. Local choirs will provide music. And the Reverend William Mark Andrews will offer the message. The son of Methodist missionaries and later a “preacher’s kid,” Reverend Andrews spent his childhood in Brazil and later western North Carolina. He attended Greensboro College for his undergraduate education and Duke University, where he earned his Master of Divinity in 1986. For thirty-three years Mark and his wife Denise served churches in the Western NC Conference, including First United Methodist Church in Belmont, where he served for ten years. In his final appointment Mark served as the District Superintendent for the Charlotte Metro District of the United Methodist Church.
Mark treasures being husband to Denise, father to daughter Courtney and son-in-law Phillip Clapp; plus son Wilson, daughter-in-law Carol; and, best of all, grandfather to Avery Clapp. Now retired, he spends his time with family, cycling, kayaking, playing tennis, and working towards racial reconciliation.
The online offering will benefit Habitat for Humanity’s Dixon Village in North Belmont. To learn more about this ministry and donate, visit https://habitatgaston.org/dixon-village-neighborhood/. Please designate Dixon Village when you donate.
Please mark your calendars, and join us online Monday, January 17th, 7pm, to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy and our unity as a community.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info
Back in 1962 country music star Johnny Cash recorded a tune entitled “I’ve Been Everywhere”. That song pretty much sums up the life of 94-year-old Ailene Friday of Stanley.
Friday, who has lived in Stanley since she was a teenager, was faced with a serious situation in 1994 when her husband Charles passed away. She could sit at home or she could get out and see the country. Well, she chose the latter and over the past quarter century has seen the U.S.A. from stem to stern.
“I had never been anywhere before except Lake Lure and Chimney Rock,” Friday said. “So in 1997 I decided to get together with some friends, charter a bus, and start traveling.”
Over the years, Friday’s circle of traveling companions has expanded and the scope of the sojourns has too. Sometimes so many folks go with her that it takes two buses.
“I’ve been to every state except Hawaii,” she said. “I don’t like flying over water.”
The list of places Friday has visited reads like an atlas of America. Some of them are- Grand Canyon, Alaska, five trips to California, Salt Lake City, Oregon, and Kentucky. She’s also been to Nova Scotia in Canada. One of her favorite spots is Branson, Missouri.
“I’m planning a trip there again for a group in April,” she said. “I already have thirty people signed up, but there’s room for a few more.”
Friday, who organizes the jaunts and makes all the arrangements, doesn’t have a computer at home. So, how in the world does she book rooms and make other arrangements?
“I use an old fashioned desk phone and contact the chamber of commerce wherever we are going,” she says matter of factly.
S.T.I Charters bus driver John Benton has been carrying Friday and her groups across the nation for years. He spoke highly of her choices in lodging arrangements.
“She does not book dog bed hotels,” he said.
Seeing new sights is cool, but Friday really relishes meeting new people.
“I have made friends all over,” she said.  “You meet the nicest people on a tour.”
Covid cut into Friday’s travels the last couple of years, but whenever she travels precautions such as masks are part of the scenario.
“Covid knocked it down a bit,” she said. “But we are hoping to be back to normal.”
So, how much longer does Friday plan to hit the highways?
“I’m going keep going as long as I can,” she said. “The customers don’t want me to quit.”
Interested in going to Branson with Friday? Call her at 704- 263-2264 and get ready to ramble.
 

​​​​​By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The second half of 2021 saw folks continue to get their lives back to “normal” following 2020’s Covid restrictions. Festivals, high school football games, and Christmas parades all drew large crowds of folks happy to be able to mingle again.
July kicked off with Belmont’s Red, White, and Belmont July 4th street fest. A huge crowd crammed Stowe Park for music, fun, and fireworks. That same month saw Mt. Holly WWII veteran Willie Bert Rhyne celebrate his 100th birthday. On the school scene, Stuart Cramer High welcomed new principal Jessica Steiner.
August came in hot and the Mt. Holly PD was making good use of its new Mtn. Island Lake patrol boat making sure everyone was safe and sound on the water. August also saw ground broken for the MHPD Memorial Plaza next to the Municipal Center. Another August story covered the official opening of the new Belmont Middle School. In Stanley, Ashley Price was recognized as Gaston County Firefighter of the Year.
September rolled around and First Baptist Church Mt. Holly finally held its grand reopening event following five years of rebuild from the July 21, 2016 fire. The Cramerton Historical Society also held a ribbon cutting for its new museum. In Belmont, work continued at a rapid pace on the redevelopment of the 100 year old Chronicle Mill into luxury apartments and retail space. September also saw folks recall the 9/11/2001 attacks with memorial services including one at Community VFD 32 in North Belmont. Also in North Belmont, Centerview Baptist Church celebrated its 100th anniversary.
October brought cooler air to our region as well as a story recognizing cool Francina Burris who has been driving a school bus for Ida Rankin Mt. Holly students for over four decades. In Belmont, plans for the Moonlight on Main festival were in the final stages. The event in Stowe Park featured a 28’ in diameter inflatable moon. In Cramerton, members of the Women in Pink group held a fundraiser for Cancer Awareness Month at Cramer Mtn. Country Club. In Mt. Holly the fourth annual Lantern Parade took place. Downtown Mt. Holly was packed with people who were wowed by the amazing and creative lanterns that were carried by participants.
November brought Indian summer to our region and a Veterans Day story profiling Cramerton’s Larry Rick who served in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart. Another personality profile in November looked at Belmont’s Charlie Craig and his incredible collection of vintage autos and artifacts. In Mt. Holly, a stretch of NC Hwy. 273 was officially named in honor of MHPD officer Tyler Herndon who had lost his life on duty December 11, 2020. The municipal elections were held in November and the turnout was steady. Cramerton got a new mayor in Nelson Wills and Belmont mayoral incumbent Charles Martin was reelected.
December brought 2021 to a close with a plethora of Christmas parades and the 66th annual lighting up of the holiday decorations In McAdenville. All the events were attended by heavy masses of humanity who were happy as larks to be able to see real parades after the Covid cancellations of 2020. December also brought an important day to Mt. Holly on the 11th when the spectacular Mt. Holly Police Dept. Memorial Plaza was officially dedicated. The plaza honors not only Tyler Herndon but all members of law enforcement who lost their lives in the line of duty.  December also saw the 100th birthday of Belmont’s Minnie Grier and groundbreaking for the new Belmont Parks and Rec. facility.

See more photos on pages 6 & 7 in January 6, 2022 issue of Banner-News
 

By Shawn Flynn
A lot has changed in downtown Belmont the past quarter century. The one staple: the famous chicken salad served up by the Crew members at Cherubs Café.
 Cherubs Café officially opened the doors on Main Street in December, 1996. The business not only provided a meaningful employment opportunity for the differently able, but allowed Holy Angels to connect with the community.
 “Our whole goal is to serve the people we support, but also to serve our community,” said Holy Angels President/CEO Regina Moody. “Cherubs Café is our happy place (as the sign reads in the restaurant). This is a little piece of heaven.”
 Sr. Nancy Nance, Holy Angels vice president of community relations, helped to start Cherubs Café and managed it for the first decade. She called it her greatest mercy moment at Holy Angels.
 “I loved watching our crew members grow in their job skills,” said Sr. Nancy. “They were so proud of what they did because they knew people valued what they were doing. That was a major mercy moment for me.”
 She says the restaurant remains the longest business still open in downtown on Main Street. The late Belmont mayor, Kevin Loftin, even called Cherubs Café the anchor store.
 In 2017, Cherubs Café underwent extensive renovations giving the café a more modern look, to help draw in more people.
 Last year, all the businesses were closed for several months due to the pandemic, eventually reopened last fall. The Crew members returned in April 2021 to much fanfare and media attention.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info
Faith. Family. Farm. Those three words make up not only the name of the Stroot family spread near Stanley, they also spell out the philosophy of the place.
Faith Family Farm is the passion of thirty-eight-year-old Joel Stroot, his wife Andrea, and their daughters, one-year-old Joanna, three-year-old Leah, and six-year-old Claire.
The root of the story starts with Joel, who grew up on a 200-acre farm in Missouri. When he was just 16-years-old, Joel lost his father, Mike, in a car crash, but the farming gene was already firmly planted in his soul. With Faith Family Farm, Joel is paying homage in many ways to the agricultural lessons he learned at his dad’s side.
“I grew up with fire in my belly to be a farmer,” said Joel. “This whole journey is about getting back to farming and continuing dad’s legacy.”
The family moved to the 35-acre former horse ranch off Rhyne Rd. in 2015 and set about turning it into an organic oasis. Joel, who is a bundle of physical and intellectual energy, is a dentist by trade and constantly works the farm when he’s not in his office. He’s been known to be on his tractor in the dead of night.
“The neighbors say I’m the midnight farmer,” he says with a smile.
Currently, Joel is taking a sabbatical from dentistry and devoting his time to getting the farm ready for spring.
“I have a big backlog of projects to do,” he said.
One of the biggest jobs Joel does is soil preparation.
The farm is dotted with huge heaps of leaves that the Town of Stanley brought there and dumped. Joel takes the leaves and churns them into the soil.
“When we first got the farm the horses had packed the soil down and depleted it,” Joel said. “Tilling in the leaves helps build it back up again.”
The trick works. The former hardpan soil is now dark and rich with a wide variety of plants thriving in it. In addition to a vineyard, vegetables, and herbs, the farm also produces fruit trees such as peaches, nectarines, plums, apples, apricots, pears, and cherries. One of the farm’s best crops are the elderberries that Joel and Andrea use to make a type of health supplement syrup that they sell.
“By using nutrient dense soil, you can produce nutrient dense food,” Joel says.
Livestock currently calling the farm home includes a flock of chickens and turkeys. These well fed critters are not pets, they provide eggs and meat for the table. Joel also adds wild game to the menu. He makes his own beer and wine.  He estimates that between the garden, the flocks, and the field, about ninety percent of the family food needs are met.
“I plan to add a couple of cows and pigs come spring,” Joel said.
Joel and Andrea want to pass on the knowledge they’ve gained at Faith Family Farm to others. Future plans include giving farmstead lessons and tours to interested individuals or groups. In this way, Joel, who was the 2017 annual North Carolina Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award recipient, is carrying on his father’s legacy not only to his family’s benefit, but to the good of others as well.
“We are living out dad’s dreams,“ Joel said.
Interested in learning more about sustainable, organic, farming and Faith Family Farm? Text Joel at 704-689-0995 and prepare yourself for agricultural amazement. Oh, here’s the website https://www.faithfamilyfarmstead.com/.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Well, the weather was perfect for last week’s municipal elections in Gaston County and a fair number of folks took advantage and got out and voted.
Poll chief Tian Sagasi at Precinct 46 in Mt. Holly summed up the pace that was typical of other voting places in the BannerNews distribution area.
“By 11am we had 239 voters come in,” Sagasi said. “It was very busy.”
Ditto at the Belmont Central Elementary voting station.
“It has been a steady turnout,” said poll chief Delilah Winchester.
Anyway, countywide, 13,562 out of 97,883 registered voters cast their ballot. Don’t forget the election was for municipal seats and/or issues (like the Mt. Holly Parks Bond referendum).
In Belmont, mayoral incumbent Charles Martin defeated challenger Claudina Ghianni 957 to 619, followed by Jason Lyle with 124 votes. In the city council contest, two seats were up for grabs. Incumbent Richard Turner topped the slate with 1,056 votes, followed by Alex Szucs with 860 votes. Richard Cromlish came in third with 811 votes, followed by Joe Green with 284 votes.
In Cramerton, a new mayor was elected with Nelson Wills getting 612 votes and incumbent Will Cauthen getting 535. Will Weber got 19 votes. Two Town of Cramerton commissioner seats were on the ballot. Kathy Ramsey won with 770 votes and Scott Kincaid grabbed the other seat with 551 votes. Third place went to Brad Milton with 462 votes.
In Lowell, there were three council seats available. Travis Smith got the most votes at 361, followed by Phil Bonham with 294 and Ken Ervin with 289. Larry Simonds got 254 votes and John Cato got 172.
McAdenville voters elected three council members. Carrie Breyare Bailey got 42 votes, Greg Richardson 39, and Jay McCosh 37.
In Mt. Holly, the aforementioned Parks Bonds were defeated 1118 “no” to 887 “yes”. The Mt. Holly council race saw three seats available. Incumbents David Moore and Lauren Shoemaker got 968 and 867 votes respectively. Newcomer Ivory Craig, Jr. rounded out the three with 803 votes trailed by Charles McCorkle with 644 votes, Dennis Petro with 636 votes, Kenneth Reeves with 424 votes, Jesse Fields, Jr. with 413 votes, Scott Lilly with 410 votes, and Randi Moore with 231 votes.
In Stanley, Kathy Kirkland ran unopposed for her Ward 02 seat and got 266 votes. Ward 05 saw Chad Jones win with 211 votes and Caroline Reid follow with 124 votes.
 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Working at any career for three decades is a feat, and when a person adds passion for that work to the mix, well, it’s a formula for success.
That pretty much describes Belmont Central Elementary School Teacher of the Year Jennifer Ramsey.
Cramerton native Ramsey has been a school teacher since she graduated from Appalachian State University back in 1990. She started at Lowell Elementary, and from there she moved over to Holbrook Middle. That was followed by several years at the Gifted Services division of Gaston County Schools. About 17 years ago she landed at Belmont Central and has been there ever since.
“It’s been a long time,” Ramsey said.
At Belmont Central, Ramsey is an AIG teacher for fourth and fifth grade students. What the heck is that? An AIG teacher teaches academically and intelligent/gifted kids who are sometimes bored by the “regular” curriculum.
“The key is to keep them focused and busy,” she says. “I make sure they have work that challenges their giftedness.”
Techniques that Ramsey says she uses in that regard includes deductive reasoning, manipulative math, algebra mysteries, and non-fictional text.
“These are things not usually associated with elementary school,” she said. “They are designed to frustrate them a little bit.”
Ramsey’s students rise to the occasion and appreciate what she does.
“She is really nice and shows us how to do our equations,” said student Emmit Widner.
“Another student, Jayden Brown, appreciates Ramsey’s sense of humor in the classroom.
“She’s really funny,” he said.
 Student Virginia Brown says Ramsey is “great!”
Ramsey has some advice of her own for parents of not only gifted children but all students.
“Make sure you open them up to new things,” she said. “Take them to museums, concerts, historical places. Try to spark their curiosity.”
Belmont Central principal Phyllis Whitworth knows Ramsey’s value.
“Naming Mrs. Ramsey as Teacher of the Year is a well deserved honor,” she said. “She is outstanding and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure all students succeed not just her AIG ones.”
With 30 years under her belt, Ramsey is not far from retirement, but even when that date comes she plans to keep her hand in teaching.
“I will miss the kids,” she confesses, “I would like to come back as a substitute.”
She might also bring back the summer science camp she held for the past nine years in Cramerton.
“There’s plenty to do,” she said.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Members of the Cramerton Historical Society and special guests got together recently to discuss the game of golf- specifically as it relates to the town.
For nearly a century golf has been woven into Cramerton’s past as tightly as the weave of the famous military cloth once produced there. The first course was built on the banks of the South Fork River by Stuart Cramer back in 1922. The unnamed course was near Tenth St. and extended to Lincoln. St.
In 1927, a nine-hole course, Cramerton Golf Course, was constructed at the base of Cramer Mtn. near the Baltimore community. That course was said to be a “marvel of natural beauty and engineering”.
In 1954, Lakewood Golf Course was designed and built by Mike Michaels. The course was originally meant for Burlington Industries executives and workers. It was sold to Graham Bell in the early 1980s. Today, that property is the site of Stuart Cramer High School.
 In 1986, Cramer Mtn. Country Club was created on the slopes of Cramer Mtn. by Bell. The course was designed by world renowned Dan Maples who was also at the seminar.
Maples and Bell, as well as famed local golfer Joel Lineberger, shared their recollections on the past and present of golf in Cramerton at the seminar.
Now for the surprise. At the seminar, Bell was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for his decades of service to Cramerton and Gaston County. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is North Carolina’s top civilian honor. Recipients have included such luminaries as Andy Griffith, Charles Kuralt, Michael Jordan, Ted Hall, and even Art Shoemaker.
“I was totally surprised,” said Bell. “I had no clue this was going to happen. I am very honored and appreciative of the award.”
But wait, the story of golf in Cramerton is not over. Look for several special events to take place in 2022 to commemorate 100 years of knocking little white balls in holes in the ground in Cramerton.
For more information on the Cramerton Historical Society and upcoming events, visit Cramerton.org.
 

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Nov. 11 is Veteran’s Day, but every day is a good one to honor those who served our nation. Here’s the story of one local veteran.
It’s been half a century since America was embroiled in the Vietnam War. That fact might be hard to believe for many folks, but for some, like U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient Larry Rick of Cramerton, the memories of serving there are as vivid as yesterday.
The year was 1966 and the war in Vietnam was going full tilt. Rick was 20 years old when Selective Service came calling.
“I was drafted into the Army on October 13, 1966,” Rick said. I was in the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Division named Tropic Lightning.”
Quick as lightning, Rick was soon at Fort Bragg getting basic training, then he was shipped to Fort Jackson for advanced infantry training.
“They let us know at Fort Jackson that we would most likely be going to Vietnam,” said Rick.
Things moved along and in April, 1967 Rick found himself and his comrades on the ground at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam.
“We were marched to Cuchi base camp,” Rick said. “We went straight into the field and started doing night patrols and search and destroy missions.”
One day, Rick and his pals got on helicopters and were flown to a spot called the Black Virgin Mountains in the Mekong Delta and Tây Ninh Province of Vietnam.
“We slept in a graveyard and watched B-52 bombers and jets bomb the area,” he said. “On Saturday, April 8, 1967 we marched through some rice paddies then into a forested area. We came upon a Viet Cong hospital area and had a battle.”
At 3:30pm on that day, Rick was seriously wounded by an enemy hand grenade.
“I was wounded in the left arm, right leg, and stomach,” Rick says matter of factly.
Rick was airlifted from the fight and spent a week in a hospital in Saigon. That was followed by a four month stay at a hospital in Japan. He finished his enlistment at Fort Bragg and was discharged on October 11, 1968.
Rick reflected philosophically on his experience in the Vietnam War- one which was controversial at the time for many folks.
“It was something nobody wanted to do,” he said. “But we felt as if we were serving our country as best we could. It was also a learning experience and made us appreciate what we have in America. If I had to do it over again I would in a heartbeat.”
Like many Vietnam vets, Rick held his memories inside. He credits one organization for helping him cope with being wounded- the Military Order of the Purple Heart-a national group of wounded veterans that has a local chapter 634.  (PS Rick’s brother in law Ron Wade of N. Belmont is also a member).
“The group helped me adjust to many things by interacting with people who have gone through a similar experience. They are such a great group of people.”
These days, Rick is retired from USF Holland where he was a supervisor and spends time enjoying his quiet home on Woodlawn St. in his hometown of Cramerton. With Veteran’s Day coming up, he mused on what that holiday means to him and other folks who put on a military uniform.
“Veteran’s Day is a special time for anyone who served no matter what branch of service,” he said. “It’s an awesome time to be remembered by our country as a whole.”
Thanks for your service, Larry.
Interested in the Military Order of the Purple Heart local chapter? Call Rick at 704-813-4566.

By TODD HAGANS
Special to The Banner-News
 After being derailed last year because of the pandemic, the annual Miss Gastonia/Miss Gaston County/Miss Mount Holly competition is back on track and scheduled for Saturday, January 8.
The show will culminate with the crowning of Miss Gastonia, Miss Gaston County, and Miss Mount Holly for 2022 as well as the Outstanding Teen winners for Gastonia, Gaston County, and Mount Holly.  The six young women will go on to represent the Gaston region in next summer’s Miss North Carolina/Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen competition. 
Organizers are working now to recruit contestants who will vie for the coveted crowns, thousands of dollars in cash and in-kind scholarships, and the opportunity to connect with the community through public appearances and service projects.
The Miss division is for young women ages 19-26 who live, work, or attend college full-time in one of following counties: Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus, Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, or Rutherford.  The Teen division is for girls ages 13-18; it is open to North Carolina residents and not limited to particular counties.  The phases of competition are interview, talent, evening wear, on-stage question, and physical fitness (teens only).  There is no swimsuit competition.
To give potential contestants the chance to learn more about the pageant, virtual orientation sessions will be held on Thursday, October 28 and Wednesday, November 3 at 7:30 p.m.  Anyone interested in participating in a session should go to the Miss Gastonia website (missgastoniapageant.com) and complete the Candidate Interest Form to choose a session.  The deadline to submit all necessary paperwork is December 10.  For more information, call (704) 827-7277, send an e-mail to missgastoniapageant@gmail.com, or go to the Miss Gastonia Organization page on Facebook.
 When the current titleholders crown their successors in January, it will bring a two-year reign to an end for Miss Gastonia Julia DeSerio, Miss Gastonia’s Outstanding Teen Keelie Jones, Miss Gaston County Mariana Linares, Miss Gaston County’s Outstanding Teen Lexi Foy, and Miss Mount Holly Anne Marie Hagerty.  While they were crowned in 2020, pageantry was put on hold because of COVID-19, and they did not get to compete in the state pageant until this summer.
At Miss North Carolina in June, Jones finished as the third runner-up in the Teen division, DeSerio was named to the top 10, and Hagerty ended up as the first runner-up to Miss North Carolina.  It marked one of the most successful performances at the state level for Gaston’s representatives.  Collectively, they are walking away from the pageant experience with more than $30,000 in scholarship money.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

Last Monday a very special package arrived at the Mt. Holly Police Department office- a 2021, $35000, fully equipped Harley-Davidson police motorcycle. But the new piece of law enforcement equipment is more than a machine, it’s a rolling memorial to MHPD Officer Tyler Herndon who was killed in the line of duty Dec. 11, 2020.
The bike was given to MHPD by the Spokane, Washington-based Beyond the Call of Duty- End of Watch Ride to Remember group. The same non-profit organization that visited MHPD last July when they were touring the nation visiting police departments who had lost officers during 2020- a total of 339 men and women in uniform.
Since then, the group accepted letters from the police departments that had lost officers. The letters were applications for the bike. Nationwide, over 70 departments responded. MHPD assistant chief Brian Reagan and Sgt. Terry penned the Mt. Holly letter. After the letters were read and considered by a panel of five judges from various law enforcement agencies, Mt. Holly was chosen the winner.
“We are honored to have been chosen,” Reagan said. “It is a blessing to have something else to carry on Tyler’s memory.”
The bike is basically black and chrome with special graphics not only showing the MHPD logo but also carrying reminders of Herndon. The graphics were designed by Reagan and Terry and applied by ADI Graphics in Yakima, Washington.
“The Mt. Holly PD can keep the bike as long as they want it,” said Beyond the Call organizer Jagrut Shah.
The bike will go into service in a couple of weeks just as soon as a few more accessories arrive. It will be used for patrol duty and will be a prominent fixture in local parades and other events.
Who gets to ride it?
“Traffic officers McManus and Dunn will go to the NC Highway Patrol riding school in Raleigh for training,” said Reagan.
Chief Roper gave heartfelt thanks to Shah’s organization.
“Beyond the Call has been a major help in our healing process,” he said. “They have taken us in as family and we are forever grateful.”
In other MHPD news, Roper and six other members of the MHPD went to Washington, D.C. for the 40th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service held Oct. 14-16. The bike was also on display there before it was trailered to Mt. Holly.
“I think that would be correct to say the bike got national attention,” said Roper.  “The group was set up with the bike in front of the US Capital during the memorial week events, and agencies from across the country saw the bike and asked about MHPD and talked about Tyler. It got a lot of attention and recognition.”
While the MHPD contingent was in Washington, they attended various events, including an impressive candlelight vigil, honoring police officers nationwide who had lost their lives in the line of duty. One of the stops was a visit to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial where hundreds of names, including Herndon’s are engraved. The MHPD group also escorted Herndon’s family during the activities.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The William Gaston Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) recently honored Belmont’s Allen Millican with the Historic Preservation Medal and Certificate of Excellence. This award recognizes and honors a person who has done extraordinary work in their community over a long period of time in preserving objects of historic cultural significance. It is keeping with DAR’s own mission of historic preservation, education and patriotism.
The William Gaston Chapter has been active for over 108 years. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible to join NSDAR.
Millican is founder of the Allen Millican Pictorial History Museum at 35 E. Catawba St. in Belmont.
Chapter Regent Laura Laye Duncan presented Millican with the Historic Preservation Medal and Certificate of Excellence.
“While visiting the museum I found a 1915 Mountain Island mill photo whichincluded my great, great grandfather,” Duncan shared. “It was sheer joy to share this rare photo with my family. These photos are a treasure trove for genealogists and historians.”
In his usual self-effacing manner, Millican acknowledged the award.
“I was very surprised to have received it,” he said. “It is good to be appreciated.”
Created by Millican, the free museum is the third most popular tourist stop in the Belmont area according to TripAdvisor.
“People come from all over to see the photo collection,” Millican says. “I’ve had people from as far away as Paris, France and Puerto Rico stop by.”
What’s the attraction? An incredible array of old photos that Millican has restored and reproduced.
The main body of work consists of pictures taken in and around the Belmont area. Most of these span the years from the 1920s to the 1960s. Scenes the pictures reveal include textile mill villages and workers, schools, amusements such as Stowe Park, churches, sports teams and players, and local celebrities and civic leaders. More recently, Millican has expanded his photo collection to include early scenes from Charlotte and Gastonia. He has also built up a large number of photos showing movie stars from the golden age of films.
Many of the photos are donated by folks who don’t want to see them thrown in the trash, but rather, preserved with the Millican magic. A good example are the dozens of photos donated by Yates Abernethy showing a variety of scenes and people from North Belmont.
The photos are just part of the museum’s allure. Millican knows the history behind nearly every one of the pictures and can tell the stories to anyone interested in hearing them.
“There are so many stories it’s unbelievable,” he says.
In addition to the pictures, Millican also has a large number of historical, local city directories and high school annuals.
The museum is an outgrowth of Millican’s interest in photography. After a career in the auto parts industry, he found himself ready for a change and challenge. He opened a studio in Belmont back in 2003 and things grew from there.
“The Lord designed this job for me,” he says.
To learn more about the Millican Pictorial Museum, visit the website millicanpictorialhistorymuseum.com or email Millican at allenmillican45@gmail.com or call 704-825-5391.

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

In addition to the political personages to choose from on the Nov. 2 municipal elections ballot, there will also be a referendum on parks bonds for Mt. Holly.
As our area grows in population, the need for more and better parks is imperative. To face that challenge, the City of Mt. Holly hopes to enlarge and enhance its existing and future parks profile.
According to the City’s website-
“The proposed bond package includes $13,555,000 of bonds to pay capital costs of providing parks and recreation facilities, including without limitation the acquisition, construction and improvement of parks and recreation facilities, acquisition of land for current and future parks and recreation uses and development of greenways and pedestrian crossings.
If approved by the voters, the City expects to issue the general obligation bonds for the purposes described above in one or more series. The general obligation bonds, if and when issued, will be secured by the full faith and credit of the City, and the City will annual levy and collect an ad valorem tax sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on any such bonds. The City expects that the term of any series of bonds will be approximately 20 years. The interest rate on any series of bonds will depend on market conditions at the time such bonds are issues.”
One of the main parks projects would be expanding Veterans Park, currently a 1.75 acre pocket park that spans a grassy swale between Catawba and E. Glendale streets. The park features a small veteran’s memorial, a few pieces of playground equipment, and open space.
Design firm Kimley-Horn explored several options for a potential expansion and upgrade of Veteran’s Park.
Proposed areas for enlarging the park could include as many as  5.37 acres from a variety of surrounding city and privately owned (if they could be purchased) properties. The expanded park would be on both sides of Catawba Ave. It would provide an opportunity as a trail head for the Carolina Thread Trail, there would be a dedicated parking area, the existing stream could be improved, and it would provide a large, natural setting in the downtown area.
Phase 1 also includes an amphitheater, stage, band shell, trellis, small events lawn, restrooms, splash pad, shelters.
Other projects that the bonds could fund include bridges across Dutchman’s Creek and Fite Creek.
This project would connect River Street Park to Woodland Park neighborhood, creating over 7 miles of continuous Greenway.
But, how does the $13.5 million price tag translate into taxes?
It translates into an additional $0.075 / $100 valuation of taxable property (property tax).
The current tax rate is $0.485 / $100 valuation of taxable property. The average value of a home in Mount Holly is $172,300, and here is how to calculate the tax rate:
$172,300 / 100 = 1,723
$0.485 x 1,723 = $835.66 tax
If the referendum passes, the tax rate will increase $0.075 to $0.56 / $100 valuation of taxable property, so if you take that same $172,300 house...
$172,300 / 100 = 1,723
$0.56 x 1,723 = $964.88 tax
This totals to a $129.22 annual increase. That is the equivalent of $11 per month, or $2.50 per week.
For a property valued at $100,000, the increase is: $80/year, $6.67/month, $1.54/week
For a property valued at $250,000, the increase is: $187.5/year, $15.63/month, $3.61/week.
For a property valued at $500,000, the increase is: $375/year, $31.25/month, $7.21/week.
For a property valued at $1,000,000, the increase is: $750/year, $62.50/month, $14.42/week
Mt Holly mayor Bryan Hough feels strongly in favor of the bonds.
“It’s not just park improvements it’s a statement about improving the quality of life in Mt. Holly,” he said. “It will allow us to connect one end of the city with the other. It is vital that we move forward to meet the increasing demand for parks and recreation improvements. The bonds will allow us to do the most critical part.”
For more information on the bonds visit the City of Mt. Holly Facebook page and click on-   City of Mount Holly Park Bond 2021- An interactive Story Map about Mount Holly’s Park Bond 2021 initiative.

Fourteen teachers have been chosen for Gaston County Schools’ new partnership with Gardner-Webb University that will help develop the next generation of school leaders. Several are from the BannerNews area.
The teachers will be involved in a 20-month program of study, completing 36 credit hours and obtaining a master’s degree in school administration.  They will progress through the coursework together as a cohort with a blend of online classes and in-person meetings.  The classes focus on topics such as executive leadership, resource management, curriculum development, and research and assessment. 
More than 50 teachers applied for the opportunity.  The following teachers were chosen: Savanna Abernathy, Bessemer City Central Elementary School; Laura Benson, Grier Middle School; Woodrow Boyles, Highland School of Technology; Daphne Jordan, Carr Elementary School; Shylane Laing Jordan, Grier Middle School; Angie Molla, Catawba Heights Elementary School; Emily Morton, Lowell Elementary School; Wanda Reid, Warlick Academy; Monica Sherer, Costner Elementary School; Meghann Sneed, John Chavis Middle School; Paris Suttenfield, Lowell Elementary School; Jordan Wallace, Holbrook Middle School; Heather Ulep Waters, South Point High School; Marcia White, Robinson Elementary School.
With the degree in hand, the teachers will be candidates to take on administrative positions in Gaston County Schools such as assistant principal, dean of students, curriculum/academic facilitator, and lead/content teacher.  According to Superintendent of Schools W. Jeffrey Booker, the school district is taking steps now to prepare promising educators for leadership roles.
Dr. Booker said, “We estimate that more than two thirds of the school administrators in Gaston County Schools already have 20 or more years of service, which means they can retire sometime in the next 10 years.  This is why we must act now to identify, train, and develop school administrators.  We have to invest in our workforce today so our schools will have leaders tomorrow.”
The opportunity for teachers to earn a master’s degree from Gardner-Webb is offered through the Superintendent’s Leadership Academy.  Tuition is free for the teachers who are chosen for the program; participants have to pay for books, which will be about $200 a semester.  Through the partnership, Gardner-Webb and the school district will split the cost to pay for the participants’ tuition, which is estimated at $20,000 per teacher.
“Sometimes, teachers have an interest in becoming a school administrator and show promise of being an excellent one, but they do not have the financial resources to pay for a master’s degree,” explained Dr. Booker.  “This partnership takes the financial burden out of the equation so teachers can work toward fulfilling their educational career goals.” 
Dr. Booker concluded, “We are extremely grateful for Gardner-Webb University’s commitment to helping us train and develop future school leaders.  This new program is a win-win for Gaston County Schools and Gardner-Webb University, and we look forward to seeing how it benefits our teachers, our schools, and our community.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info

The Gaston County Museum on the historic square in beautiful downtown Dallas is one of our region’s most popular places for folks to get a look at area exhibits and artifacts going back literally hundreds of years.
However, a faulty HVAC system in the Hoffman Hotel where the museum is located put a lot of those priceless treasures at risk of destruction by mold and when that fact was revealed, museum staff and volunteers pitched in to not only save and clean the goodies but to relocate about 25,000 of them to a new and better environment.
Now, that new location, located at 1904 Dallas-Cherryville Highway (about a mile from the museum) is open to the public. The collections are owned by the Gaston County Museum’s 501c3 Board of Directors and are maintained by museum collections staff.
Museum assistant director Alexandrea Pizza explains in detail what happened.
“The museum’s main location is at 131 W Main St and is inside the Historic Hoffman Hotel, built in 1852,” she said. “The collections were previously stored inside the early 1900’s addition to the hotel which was once the Hoffman Store. The walls are made of plaster and brick and so were very porous and drawn to moisture build up—a dangerous combination for historic artifacts. Although the former collections space was temperature and humidity controlled, it was much more difficult to keep the environment stable, hence the mold outbreak after the air conditioning went out for 48 hours in the summer of 2018.”
The new home for the collection is a sturdy red brick structure owned by Gaston County. It was formerly the Mary Ellen Nelson Center, an education center for children. The portion where the museum archives are now located was totally renovated and has state of the art security and environmental controls.
“We are so thankful to have this new storage location and the ability to serve the public in a more direct way by sharing the art and history of Gaston County with the community,” Pizza said.
So, what’s available for the public to come see?
To name just a few of the vast amount of items- the collection includes pottery done by local artists, a huge number of vintage photos, painted portraits of local leaders, family documents, handwoven baskets, swords, textile related items, hats, vintage clothing, farm equipment, quilts, maps, Bibles, books, letters, and much, much more.
The “stuff” fills up five temperature and humidity controlled rooms.
How does one go about seeing the archives? Well, it’s not like a library where you can just go in and browse around.
“People who want to see items need to contact us and make an appointment,” Pizza said. “That also helps us know in advance what we need to collect and have ready for them.”
Once a visitor arrives, they will be seated in a special viewing room with a nice table to put the materials on. The room is also kept at a cool temperature for the safety of the items.
“They might want to bring a sweater,” said Pizza.
So far, the new location has had a number of calls regarding materials.
Interested in visiting the new Gaston Museum Collections and Archives location? It’s open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm. To make an appointment contact museum registrar Markecia Koulesser at Markecia.Koulesser@gastongov.com or call 704-922-7681 and be prepared to be amazed.

By Deborah Dunlap
In October of 2017, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Cramer Mountain Club Ladies’ Golf Association initiated an event that is dear to their hearts. That was the first year of their “Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer” event to benefit The Woman in Pink Boutique, a Gastonia wig boutique that provides free wigs and accessories to women facing breast cancer or other health issues. The LGA became aware of the wonderful work of two-time breast cancer survivor, Kim Beverly, along with family members, Paige Golding and Deborah Mull, when a member’s daughter, who was battling breast cancer, was provided not only a wig and accessories, but also the loving support of a woman who had faced the same journey. Because so many LGA members had either experienced breast cancer or had a friend or family member who had, they were determined to support The Woman in Pink.
With 100% of the profits going to the boutique, the golf event started small with a few hole sponsors, Ladies’ Golf Clinic, and members who played golf participating in the Closest to the Pin Challenge resulting in a check for $2,860. Gradually, more sponsors, In Honor/In Memory Hill, Raffle, and Putt-Putt Challenge were added.  As a result, this year, on the 5th anniversary of the event, the LGA was excited to present a check for $19,058 to The Woman in Pink Boutique to continue their mission “to give hope and encouragement  to women living with breast cancer.”
The LGA thanks the many people who supported them in making “Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer” a huge success: the Hole Sponsors, In Honor/In Memory Sponsors, Raffle Donors, including Harold Varner III, Golf Participants, Men’s Golf Association, the Cramer Mountain Club Pro Shop and Agronomy Department Staffs, members and neighbors who stopped by the event, and the many who gave direct donations. Also, much appreciation to Rick & Pat Stilwell, owners of Cardinal Graphics, for printing all of the signs.
They also want to give special recognition to their Founding Sponsor, Sandy Schultz MD, of CaroMont Breast Surgical Specialists. Not only is Dr. Schultz their very first hole sponsor, but every year she has also contributed her time to plan and work the event, while supporting it financially over and above the sponsorship amount.  She is truly a kind, generous professional!
For the first time, the LGA is excited to initiate the “Diamond Donors” recognition. This honors businesses or individuals who donate $1,000 or more. The first are CMC members and owners of One World Marketing, Vanessa and Brian Henry. They sponsored a hole, participated in the In Honor recognition, and also made a surprise additional donation. The second is Corrum Capital Management located in Charlotte. After an LGA member, who is an employee, asked them to match her $100 donation, her employee agreed to that and did much more!! The LGA greatly appreciates the generosity and support of the Diamond Donors.
The LGA is grateful to all who contributed to the success of their event as it was truly a team effort.  Your donations will help ease the financial burden that often comes with breast cancer while giving each Pink Warrior “a place to feel beautiful, special, and comfortable.”

By Alan Hodge
alan@cfmedia.info
“An experience like no other.”
“Never done before.”
“A cool way to display art outside.”
That’s how Belmont’s downtown director Phil Boggan describes the upcoming Gobo Art Walk that will be coming to Main St. as part of the Oct. 22 to Nov. 7 Moonlight On Main event.
The art show will feature original works that will be projected onto the sides of buildings in the heart of downtown Belmont. The means of projection is called a “gobo”. A gobo is a small disc or template made of glass, metal, or film that carries a logo design or other desired image. The gobo is placed into a gobo projector and when light passes through the lens, the image appears on the selected surface.
One gobo projector has been in place in front of the Main St. City Hall building for months. For the event, two dozen projectors will be rented.
The Belmont artworks were turned into gobos by Apollo Designs of Fort Wayne, Ind. who laser etched them onto hockey puck-sized slides of glass.
Boggan described how the art was acquired.
“We put out a call to local artists and got over seventy responses,” he said. “From that number a group of panelists selected the works that will be displayed.”
Artwork themes center around the moon and/or downtown Belmont scenes. The styles are varied and range from impressionistic to realistic.  Artists that submitted works came from a number of area locations including Belmont, Gastonia, Dallas, Charlotte, Mooresville, Stanley, and McAdenville to name a few.
To help folks find out what artworks will be projected onto what buildings, Boggan and his staff have created brochures that will be on Main St. racks as well as signage on sidewalks telling folks how to access the GO app that will also have directions and information.
Actual  artworks will be for sale at numerous locations including Magnolia and Main, Bliss Gallery, GiGi Boutique, Belmont Yoga, and Everyday Market.
Boggan is excited at the exposure the Gobo Art Walk will give downtown Belmont.
“It will fill the town with beautiful art and also highlight the historic building facades,” he said. “It will be a lunar inspired outdoor art gallery.”
For more information on the Moonlight on Main event go to www.moonlightonmain.org.