Hear the Good Ole Stories of Riverview!

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A message to all members of Ebony Club Alumni Association

Ebony Club Alumni Association
Restoring Linkages To Our Glorious Past


Kingsport Ebony Club Members:

Please start spreading the word about next year's Reunion Weekend. We're going to have a grand ole' time in K-Town. I also want you to increase your activities on the Kingsport Ebony Club's Ning site. We have grown to close to 200 members. I would like to add at least 100 more before July 2011.

If you ever have questions relative to the site, please don't hesitate to call me at 919-604-4585 (I know I owe you a call Lisa Williamson:). Just know that these Reunion Weekends have been, and continue to be, a team effort, and this team is committed to coming correct. We just need a little more direction from you, the membes .

I look forward to interacting with you in the coming months.

Be blessed, and continue to be a blessing.

Jeff "Pac-Man" Faulkerson
DBHS Class of 1986
Jfaulk28@nc.rr.com
(919) 604-4585

The Tiger Trophies Have Come Home!

The Tigers are now back in their lair.

The Douglass Tigers, that is.

As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex, the Douglass athletic trophies are now resting in their new display case in the Douglass Community Room of the building.

BOBBY JOE JOHNSON, DOUGLASS TIGER, 1948

"It's good to have the trophies back home," says Bobby Joe Johnson, a member of both the Douglass football teams that won the 1946 and 1948 Tennessee State Championship for Negroes. "They're good to have around for the kids to see. Their mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, they're all part of the history, too. Maybe the kids will recognize some of the accomplishments we have made, by seeing the trophies. Maybe they were told some of the things we did, and now they can see for themselves."

"It's something they can be proud of, too."

Honored guests during the dedication were Mr. and Mrs. Frank De Nobriga, Sr, Kingsport Times-News columnist Vince Staten, Kingsport School Board President Wally Boyd and School Superintendent Richard Kitzmiller.


The trophy dedication began with "Mama Jill" Ellis, former Douglass and D-B teacher, welcoming the enthusiastic group that filled the Douglass Community Room. "We were so proud of our football and basketball teams over there on Walnut Street (now Sevier Avenue) and Center Street," she told the group. "We had no money for equipment, we had no money for uniforms.. we had the hand-me-downs from Dobyns-Bennett. Since they were not our colors, we would dye them blue and gold. When the players started sweating, that dye would start running, and it'd be all over the floor."

Pastor Geraldine Swaggerty blessed the event with prayer, and Andra "Puddin" Watterson, former DHS basketball player, Class of '65, acknowledged the former Douglass athletes present in the audience.

A DOUGLASS TROPHY, WITHIN THE DOBYNS-BENNETT TROPHY CASE

When Douglass closed in 1966, all of the school's trophies were taken en masse to Dobyns-Bennett. About five or six of them were displayed in D-B's big trophy cases outside the Buck Van Huss Dome. The rest simply vanished into the equipment storerooms behind the D-B gymnasium.

For years, Douglass alumni had asked about the trophies... where they were, and were they safe and intact.





Calvin Sneed gave a history of how the trophies were discovered in a backroom, and how permission was granted from D-B and the Kingsport city school board to transfer ownership and possession of the trophies to the Douglass Alumni Association. Once plans were announced for the V.O. Dobbins Community Center renovation, it seemed a natural fit for the trophies to, one day, come back home where they were won.




Douglass Alumni president Douglass Releford, former DHS football player, Class of '63, then unveiled the trophies in their new home, which had been hidden behind a cloth until the right moment. All former Douglass athletes present at the re-dedication participated in pulling off the cloth. The unveiling brought forth a standing ovation.




The trophy case was custom-built for the Douglass Community Room, using specifications from the trophies' weights and heights, with some extra room built in for newspaper articles. The room was constructed so that the trophy case would be the main focal point.






Vernell Allen, introduced by Van Dobbins, Jr., was a player on the 1946 football and basketball teams at Douglass. Allen, the son of V.O. Dobbins, Sr.'s sister Leola Allen, and cousin to Van Jr., Melrose and Maxie Dobbins, told the audience of how, when his father passed away, he, his mother and 2 came to live with the Dobbins in Kingsport, and was immediately indoctrinated in the Dobbins ethic: to stay out of trouble, to be a positive example to the other Douglass students, and to excel at everything thing you do.

Vernell took that last one to heart.

Not only did he help the 1946 Douglass men's basketball team to win the state championship, he was also a Most Valuable Player on the team for that year. He travelled to Kingsport all the way from Detroit to attend the trophy re-dedication as its guest speaker.

"My father had passed away in 1945, and the Dobbins family sprang into action," Mr. Allen remembered. "My mother with 3 children were summoned to Kingsport to live with Uncle Van and Aunt Mae (Fannie Mae). We arrived on Friday and by Monday, Uncle Van already had me a job," said Mr. Allen, to the delight of the audience, most of whom knew V.O. Dobbins Sr. as a inspirational man who believed everybody should pull their own way. "That year (1946), we won the state basketball championship, and I made All-State." Mr. Allen went on to Tennessee State on basketball and boxing scholarships.


Before Mr. Allen sat back down, the Douglass Alumni Association had a surprise for him.. among the Douglass trophies recovered from Dobyns-Bennett, was his "Most Valuable Team Player" from 1945-46. In a symbolic moment, Mr. Allen was given the honor of placing his trophy back in with the rest of the Douglass trophies in the new display case.



THE FORMER CONSTANCE HALL, DOUGLASS TIGERETTE

Several former Douglass athletes told the group of their wonderful associations with teammates that resulted in regional and state championship trophies. Kathy Stewart mentioned her teammates Andra Watterson, Helen Watterson, Melrose Dobbins, and a few "hook" shots that many of the others had become famous for. The former Constance Hall saw some trophies from 1956 through 1960 and told the group, "many of these, I am responsible for." (The audience chuckled). Bobby Joe Johnson told the group that Vernell Allen had been his mentor while on the football and basketball teams of the 40's, and took some ribbing about his nickname during that time: "Egghead." (He says, a few folks from that time, still affectionately call him that).

After that, came a special presentation.


Many players from the 1946 state championship football team are no longer with us. The ones that are still here, incluing Nate Smith, Bobby Joe Johnson and Jack Pierce, all say they can not remember getting a championship trophy for that year. Maybe, it was just the society of the time. But since there was no trophy presented to Douglass for that year, only the newspaper articles remain. The headline picture proudly proclaims 1946 state football champions, while crowning Betsy Ann Summers as Miss Douglass High, 1946.



To honor those valiant Douglass players, the Douglass Alumni Association presented the community and the surviving team members a trophy commemorating that state football championship. The statue is that of a football, tilted to show its full elegance, along with a antique plaque with "State Football Champions 1946 - Douglass Tigers" on it. The commemorative trophy was quite a surprise for the audience and the former athletes, who all mentioned that they never thought for a moment after winning the championship, that they would ever get an acknowledgement for it.



Most of the players and alumni from 1948 (Bobby Joe Johnson and Jack Pierce) do remember the 1948 state football championship trophy. Unfortunately, that one disappeared from the D-B storage room after Douglass closed in '66. Newspaper articles from the year, mention Douglass playing and edging Knoxville Austin High School 14 to 13, and winning the crown, and after years of enjoying it in the trophy case in the hallway at Douglass, it is now gone.



The audience was equally as surprised when a new trophy was presented, to commemorate that 1948 football team. The trophy features a huge silver football player in the motion of kicking the ball, on a wooden base, with the plaque inscribed "1948 State Football Championships: Kingsport Douglass 14 vs. Knoxville Austin 13," and the date "November 13, 1948." Both trophies brought standing ovations from an appreciative crowd.




On Thursday, one more trip had been made through the dusty backrooms of the Dobyns-Bennett gymnasium before the Friday ribbon-cutting and trophy re-dedication. Surprisingly, that trip produced FOUR MORE Douglass trophies. As if waiting to be rescued and reunited with their bretheren, those were presented to the re-dedication audience in a round of surprise and applause.




After the ceremony, refreshments were served from luncheon platters furnished by local churches. Our thanks to:

Bethel AME Zion Church
Central Baptist Church
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Full Gospel Mission Church
Great Commission Church
Lyons Chapel AME Church
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Shiloh Baptist Church

The Douglass High School Trophy case is located prominently inside the Douglass Community Room of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex at 301 Louis Street in Riverview, Kingsport. They can be seen usually by appointment with the City of Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department. Call (423) 229-9457 to schedule a visit.

Here is a slideshow of the Douglass Trophies commemoration on the day the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex was dedicated

Created with flickr slideshow.

V.O. Dobbins Ribbon-Cutting, Douglass Historical Marker Dedication

What a wonderful event.

Folks who attended the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex ribbon-cutting in Riverview, witnessed history.

It was a history during which the little community of Riverview was reborn with reminders and reminiscences of the past, blending in with a positive look to the future.


It began with historic fanfire with a musical serenade from the Dobyns-Bennett Band. In collective memory, no one can ever remember D-B's band ever appearing on the grounds of the Douglass High School. It is regrettable that years of inherited differences kept our wonderful bands apart. One thing is for sure.. our former band director, Dr. Howard Young would have been proud.





When the D-B Band played the Douglass School Song, it was the first time a D-B Band had ever played the song. It brought tears to the aged eyes of those Douglass alumni, who had not heard the song played by a high school band in 46 years.

Truly an historic moment.







What a diverse audience welcomed by Doris Bush, outgoing leader of the United Way of Greater Kingsport. It was a cross section of Riverview, black and white, seniors and juniors, hourly blue collars and salaried white collars, indeed... a cross section of Kingsport. Included in the group were Riverview residents who were promised positive change, who have lived with the type of urban renewal that is supposed to transform neighborhoods into liveable, sustainable communities again... along with new tenants of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, excited about their new digs, and residents of Kingsport, eager to take advantage of the newest municipal builing on the block.


Smiles were in abundance and new fellowships were forged as the audience listened to inspired speeches by Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips. The mayor paid tribute to his predecessors, Mayor Jeanette Blazer and Mayor Hunter Wright, who shared the dream of building something in the Riverview Community that, after so many forgotten years, its residents could be proud of. He also acknowledged his right-hand team of City Manager John Campbell and Assistant City Manager Chris McCartt, who steadied the ship of V.O. Dobbins center renovation, and carefully guided it to a path of completion and acceptance.


Highlighting the event were inspirational words from Dr. Carroll Van West, director of the Center for Historical Preservation at MTSU, Murfressboro. Dr. West reminded the group of the importance of restoring our state's older buildings, while keeping an eye toward the historical significance of the structures themselves. Dr. West has been a frequent visitor to Kingsport, and has even visited Riverview and the former Douglass High School itself. After touring the building, he said that God Himself had a hand in the beautiful renovation of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, and ended his speech with "God bless all of you."


Because of his link to Tennessee's historic past, Dr. West himself unveiled the Tennessee Historical Marker that commemorates the history of Douglass High School, with several of its more significant points. The bringing up of the marker by the crew from the Tennessee Department of Transportation with specialist Michael Bare at the helm, brought ou's and ah's from the audience, many of whom had never been this close to history before. The marker was permanently mounted on a stationary pole on the Wheatley Street side of the building, and folks were urged to read the side that faces the Lincoln/MLK Street direction, then look to the back that faces the Industry Drive direction, to read the continuation of Douglass' distinguished history.


And then, the ribbon-cutting itself was the "icing on the cake." Assistant City Manager Chris McCartt representing the city, held one end of the blue ribbon, while Riverview resident Jack Pierce, representing the community, held the other, in a symbolic meeting of the City of Kingsport and the Riverview Community, while honored officials cut the ribbon to open the building.

History was made on a warm (in fact, HOT) 24th day of September, 2010, as friends, family, residents, tenants, city government officials, and even total strangers came together to welcome into being, Kingsport's latest crown jewel: The V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex.


After the ribbon-cutting and marker dedication, the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex was opened for tours of the individual offices and facilities.. leading up to the next big event of the day: the re-dedication of the Douglass Athletic Trophies inside their new home in the Douglass Community Room. That story is coming soon.

Riverview has been through a lot in its history, and in its 70th year, the community saw the Renaissance of its core, hopefully move back to family, faith and friendship.

Here is a slideshow of the outdoor ceremony

Created with flickr slideshow.

New life in these old halls

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS



V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex dedicated

‘My father would be so proud of this historic moment. It’s an emotional moment, it really is.’
— Van Dobbins Jr.


By MATTHEW LANE
mlane@timesnews.net
Photos by Erica Yoon — eyoon@timesnews.net, Calvin Sneed - douglassriverview@gmail.com, and Rev. Roger Mills - AHERN Magazine



KINGSPORT — The dedication of the newly renovated and expanded V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex on Friday brought forth much applause, many thanks and moments of nostalgia and emotion for those in attendance — an event years in the making and one some say was long overdue for the Riverview community.

Kingsport held a ribbon cutting for the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex Friday afternoon, essentially wrapping up an $8.2 million renovation and expansion project that has occurred at the facility during the past 15 months.
Built in 1951 and named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, the building served as Kingsport’s “blacks only” school — Douglass High School — until 1966 when students were assimilated into all-white schools throughout Kingsport. The city then turned the facility into a community center, renaming it after longtime Douglass Principal Van Dobbins Sr.
Today, the complex is home to the Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency, nine nonprofit agencies and the Douglass Alumni Association.



“My father would be so proud of this historic moment. It’s an emotional moment, it really is,” said Van Dobbins Jr., son of the notable Douglass principal. “I’m overwhelmed and elated with emotion when I think of how much has happened in such a short period of time. (The new complex) will address so many issues that are needed in this community.
“I see this transformation and to say I’ve been a part of helping this happen — it is so rewarding and a great blessing to be a part of this.”
City leaders for years have discussed renovating the V.O. Dobbins facility, but nothing came to pass until Kingsport put the project on its capital improvements list more than three years ago, earmarking $8.4 million toward the project.

“To say it needed repairs was an understatement,” said Mayor Dennis Phillips. “It’s hard to really believe this is finally happening. We’ve talked about it and talked about it and thought about doing repairs and get the building restored. I don’t think in the wildest dreams anyone thought it would be this way.”

The total V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex renovation and expansion project came in at $8.27 million — around $200,000 under the original cost. A $1 million Riverview community room, funded by the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority, is to be finished by October.
Overall, the interior of the original 46,000-square-foot facility received a fresh coat of paint, new drop ceilings, new windows, new carpet and tile, new and renovated showers and restrooms, a new elevator, and a repaved parking lot with new curbs and gutters. The original school colors of blue and gold are featured throughout the old facility.

Kingsport added around 50,000 square feet of space, including another gym, an education wing, a community room for the Douglass Alumni Association, and a three-story nonprofit wing. The floor of the old gym has been refinished with new air conditioning and Plexiglas on the side of the seating. A space has been created at the gym for a game room and fitness area, which could include foosball, air hockey and a pool table.
Earlier this month, the Douglass Alumni Association put the call out to the community to donate old Douglass and Riverview memorabilia for one of the three display cases in the complex. On Friday, that case contained many old pictures from the school and neighborhood, a couple of annuals, two albums, some classroom notes and school letters.
Calvin Sneed, administrator of the Douglass Alumni Association Web site, has worked behind the scenes for years in preserving the history and legacy of the school.
“To say this is a wonderful day, a big day ... that’s an understatement,” Sneed said. “You all have been the rock that I’ve leaned on to get here, and it’s been a long journey. Riverview has been through a lot.”

Following Friday’s event, the city unveiled the new Douglass Historical Marker from the Tennessee Historical Commission — the Model City’s 10th such marker. The marker was planted outside the complex and includes the history of the school on both sides — one of three such double-sided markers in East Tennessee.





The Douglass Alumni Association also held a dedication for the new trophy case in the Douglass Community Room. The case now holds about 40 of the old Douglass High School trophies from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The Douglass trophies had been stored in a back room in the Dobyns-Bennett High School dome until being rediscovered a few years ago.
Sneed made a surprise announcement to those in attendance for the trophy dedication, noting that four more Douglass trophies had been found this week and that two newly commissioned football championship trophies would be going into the display case, marking the state championships of 1946 and 1948.

Project: Drug Drop Zone ---- Clean Out your Medicine Cabinet

What: Project: Drug Drop Zone
When: Saturday, September 25, 2010
9:00 am until Noon
Where: Parking Lot of Rhoten Allstate Agency
1000 East Center Street
On the corner of Center and Sevier


Project: Drug Drop Zone is Kingsport’s inaugural medication take-back initiative. This Kingsport event is being conducted in participation with the nationally recognized drug take back program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. Similar programs are being held on the same day all over the country.

This program is designed to keep drugs off the street, prevent overdoses and accidental poisonings, and avoid environmental contamination. We encourage everyone to go through their medicine cabinets prior to the event and look for any unused, leftover, unwanted and/or expired medications. These can be prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or dietary supplements. Bring these items to Project: Drug Drop Zone at 1000 East Center Street on Saturday, September 25th between 9:00 am and noon. Follow the drop-off instructions at the site, and the Kingsport Police Department will properly and safely dispose of these items for you.

This program is completely anonymous. You will not be asked to reveal any personal information. This is a community-wide event being sponsored by the Kingsport Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University, South Central Weed and Seed, Kingsport Area Safety Council, Comfort Keepers, Medication Management Center, Sullivan County S.A.L.T. Council, New Vision Youth, Rhoten Allstate Agency, The Oaks, and Aid and Assist at Home.

Please help us get the word out.


Thanks,

Ptl. Thomas M. Patton
Community Relations and Crime Prevention Officer
D.A.R.E. Instructor
Kingsport Police Department Training Unit
200 Shelby Street
Kingsport, TN 37660
(423) 229-9433 (office)
(423) 224-2786 (fax)
ThomasMPatton@KingsportTN.gov

Kingsport, TN 37660

Old Douglass Football Equipment Lived to Fight Another Day, Long After School Was Put to Sleep

Despite the black-and-white pictures that represent the only images left from that wonderful era, the Blue and Gold of the Douglass Tigers took the football field, always standing out from the competition.

Literally, as well as athletically and figuratively.

People used to brag about the gold and blue uniforms worn by the team, as representing royalty over the years.

Intergration brought an end to the Douglass football program in 1966. The reign of royalty ended rather abruptly and unceremoniously, and the symbols of that storied royalty disappeared from the football fields of the area.

Or did they?

PICTURES COURTESY BILLY BOWEN, CENTER

"We knew the history of Douglass High School, and were honored to have their old football equipment."

On a cold, fall day back in 1966, then-coach Billy Bowen and his assistant coaches from Boone's Creek High School, drove up to Kingsport from the Boone's Creek community, on a mission.

They'd just made a deal to purchase the used football equipment which Douglass High School had used to win many a championship, and compete vigorously in other pigskin contests.

BILLY BOWEN, FORMER BOONE'S CREEK HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH

"I read an article in the newspaper that the old Douglass High School in Kingsport was going to close and they were phasing out their football program," Mr. Bowen, now a minister in Appalachia, Virginia says. "I got on the phone and spoke to Mr. V.O. Dobbins, the principal, and told him we were interesting in buying all his old equipment, which would save us quite a bit of money."

"He told me, 'Coach Bowen, you can have everything we have for 700 dollars," Reverend Bowen remembers. "He said 'that's what I paid to have everything refurbished."


As Coach Bowen remembers, Principal Dobbins had sent all of the football equipment to the old Knoxville Athletic Company to be repaired, anticipating that, after years of competition, the helmets, pads and other items could all be sold, to help with any debt the soon-to-be-closed school might still have.

"Gregg Hicky was the Knoxville Athletic sales rep that went to all the schools and gathered equipment to be repaired," Coach Bowen says, "then, he'd bring it back to the schools. The equipment for Douglass had already been brought back, and Mr. Dobbins had it there at the school in Riverview."


"All my coaches and myself jumped into our cars and Virgil Hall took a truck, and we all went to Kingsport," he says. "We got all the helmets, the shoes, pads, pants jerseys, even the blocking sled that Douglass used. We brought them back to Boone's Creek, and divied everything up, to get ready for our games that would begin the next year in '67."

The Douglass football equipment was put to good use.. by two different Boone's Creek teams. But they had no use for the Blue and Gold colors of the Tigers.



ACTUAL DOUGLASS FOOTBALL JERSEY (PHOTO COLOR HAS FADED OVER TIME)

"The pants and jerseys were gold, and the gold jerseys were used by our J-V team," remembers Coach Bowen. "Our varsity colors were black and red, and so I gave each boy a pair of gold pants, and gave them instructions to give to their mothers on how to dye them black."

"We wore them on the first game of the season."

"I always wondered if the uniforms had a touch of magic from the master's hand and the talent that the Douglass Football team exhibited on the field," a reference to former Douglass coach Bob Deering and his assistant Wilbur Hendricks. "I saw them play several games back in the 50's."


Coach Bowen remembers the Douglass uniforms as being better than anything they had at the time. He had the best-won loss record in twelve years at Boone's Creek, which was closed when Daniel Boone High School opened in 1971-1972.

Other former Tiger items helped the teams do well, says the veteran coach, who went on to stints at Church Hill, Johnson City South, Lynn View and Science Hill High Schools. "That old blocking sled that we got from Douglass, was a blessing to our team," he says.


But one prized possession from Douglass that rings in many memories for alumni was the single thing that had nothing to do with athletics.

"We also got the Douglass P.A. system," says Coach Bowen. "This was the first public address system that Boone's Creek High School had ever had. The highlight of our first season was our homecoming against Unaka High School, where we really used the P.A. system. The crowd loved the system from Douglass."

Boone's Creek won the game 27 to 6.


Coach Bowen's good luck experience with the Douglass was short-lived. He left Boone's Creek the next year and went to Johnson City, but he had the chance to develop good memories of the equipment that spanned several generations before.

"While at Boone's Creek," he reminisced, "I recruited a running back from Carter County. His senior year, he was the State of Tennessee scoring champion. He was a black athlete named Allen Bradley. Allen loved the gold jerseys from Douglass, but he never got to wear one. He was so good that we placed him on the varsity as a ninth grader. He was a great athlete and helped carry our team to victory."



EDITOR'S NOTE: It's great to hear that long after we retired the Blue and Gold of Douglass, the spirit of winning emblazioned in our uniforms went on to inspire other high schoolers, even though the pants were eventually dyed black.

This is why we would love to have any former Douglass equipment, class item, school memento, or Riverview-South Central item to show off, in our huge display case. Our tradition is special, and it lives on in whatever we have to remember it. KEEP THE DOUGLASS SPIRIT ALIVE for others.. please contact us at douglassriverview@gmail.com... dig into your closets, garages and boxes under the bed, and donate what you can, TODAY!

Ebony Club Alumni Association: Off to a Good Start for 2011 Reunion

To all members of Ebony Club Alumni Association:

Great conference call tonight. The ball is now rolling for Reunion Weekend
2011. A sincere thank you to those individuals who called in. We'll be
doing it again on Sunday, October 3rd at 9:00 p.m. EST. Call-in
number: (646) 716-5918.

Be blessed, and continue to be a blessing.
Jeff "Pac-Man" Faulkerson
DBHS Class of 1986
Jfaulk28@nc.rr.com

Ebony Club Alumni Association Conference Call

Don't forget that tonight (Sunday, Sept. 19th) is your chance to reconnect with old friends. Tonight's conference call is designed to gauge interest and begin planning for next year's Reunion Weekend, July 1-3, 2011. I can get up to 100 people on this call, so dial (646) 716-5918 at 9:00 p.m. EST to make sure your voices are heard.

Jeff "Pac-Man" Faulkerson
DBHS Class of 1986
Jfaulk28@nc.rr.com
(919) 604-4585 (cell)

Visit Ebony Club Alumni Association at: http://kingsportebonyclub.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Seabolt propels D-B to win against Boone

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

From staff reports


GRAY — Dobyns-Bennett’s Sean Seabolt ran for four touchdowns, and the Indians avenged last season’s loss to Daniel Boone with a 42-15 victory over the Trailblazers at Nathan Hale Stadium.
Seabolt finished with 177 yards on 10 rushes as part of 280 total yards of offense for D-B (5-0, 2-0 Big 8 Conference).
Boone (2-2, 0-2) beat the Tribe 17-14 at J. Fred Johnson Stadium last season.
“We want that Gray Ruritan sign to say, ‘Fish Fry Friday Night, $4.99’, instead of ‘The real DB, Daniel Boone, 17-14,’ ” D-B coach Graham Clark said. “I told them I wanted to get the fish fry back on there. I might get in on that fish fry next week.”
The Indians generated 353 of their 456 yards of offense on the ground.
DeVaun Swafford added 68 rushing yards with a TD on nine carries and Derrick Steele had four receptions for 97 yards.
Boone’s dual quarterbacks, Kevin Connell and Austin Reppart, combined for 155 passing yards. Connell and Tyler Shepherd ran for touchdowns.

Lynchburg (VA) College Men's Soccer drops close match to Emory University

WE HAVE A DOUGLASS DESCENDANT ON THIS TEAM - READ ON:


LYNCHBURG, VA - Despite plenty of offensive pressure, Lynchburg men's soccer (3-2) dropped a close match to Emory University by a score of 1-0 at Shellenberger Field on Sunday.

Emory sophomore Alex Scott netted the only goal of the match at 23:01 off of a corner kick for the Eagles. Despite 14 shots by Lynchburg, Emory turned away any scoring opportunity for the Hornets.

MICHAEL RELEFORD, SON OF MICHAEL & JOANN RELEFORD

The match did feature freshman goalie Michael Releford (Blacksburg, VA/Blacksburg) who relieved sophomore goalie Michael Henry (Virginia Beach, VA/Bayside) at halftime. Henry had three saves in the contest and Releford had two stops in his impressive Hornet debut.

Junior Emory goalie Trenton Spindler had six saves in the game.

Lynchburg men's soccer hosts Virginia Wesleyan Wednesday on Shellenberger Field at 7:00 p.

Water Main Break

Ryan McReynolds, Kingsport Public Works Director notified everybody at 6:35 a.m. to say there had been a major water break overnight (9/14/10). It was in a hard-to-find place and they finally located and repaired it at 5:30 a.m. Many customers in the core city of Kingsport, as well as Sullivan Gardens, were impacted. Colonial Heights and Indian Springs should NOT be impacted. He thanks everyone for their patience.

Douglass Alumni Working & Executive Board Meeting Minutes: 9/11/10

Douglass Alumni Working Board Meeting Minutes

September 11, 2010



Attendance: Ozine Bly, Sandra Wilmer, Virginia Hankins, Thelma Watterson, Calvin Sneed, Andra Watterson, Lillian Leeper, Dawnella Ellis, Louetta Hall, Wallace W. Ross, Jr. Quorum met.

Meeting was brought to order by V.P. Lillian Leeper, prayer by Chaplin Louetta Hall.

Minutes of the last meeting was read by Thelma Watterson, motion to accept the reading of the minutes was accepted by a show of hands. Motion carried.

Sandra Wilmer gave the financial report. Motion to accept the financial report was made by Virginia Hankins, second by Andra Watterson. Motion carried.



Old Business:

There was considerable discussion about the disapproval of the size of the room that was assigned to the alumni association. A question was asked if it was too late to ask for a lager room. The reply was that it probably was too late. The alumni have concerns that we have to reserve a conference room to have our meetings; it was the consensus of the majority that we would have a room big enough to have our meetings. Calvin Sneed stated that that is what the Community Room is for. Wallace Ross stated that if we address a letter to the City of Kingsport, stating our disapproval over the small room that was assigned to our alumni association would that help us to get a bigger one? Calvin Sneed stated probably not because the larger rooms are taken because they are being rented by the city. By a show of hands the motion was carried to draft a letter to the City of Kingsport with one abstention. Virginia Hankins volunteered to draft the letter.

The association discussed the appropriate procedure about when we should have close session discussions. Virginia Hankins and Louetta Hall stated that there are some things that we should not report (i.e., the amount of money we have in the treasure or if we have an idea that in the planning stages).



The association had discussions concerning the fact that we have two committees working on the reunion. It was the consensus of the majority of the people in Kingsport that the cruise would take the place of the normal reunion. Due to information not being communicated we have learned that there will be a cruise and a land reunion. But, due to the activities being on different dates there will not be a conflict. Calvin Sneed suggested that the land reunion is the perfect time to raise money.

Thelma Watterson read letters addressed to the alumni from The State of Tennessee Division of Charitable Solicitations & Gaming. One letter was a Request for Exemption from Registering under the Tennessee Charitable Solicitations and the other was a Refund of Overpayment.

Calvin Sneed read the minutes of Event Planning Committee held in Knoxville August 28, 2010. Calvin made a motion that the two committees (Event Planning Committee & Cruise Committee) should get together and discuss the land reunion and the cruise, Virginia Hankins second the motion. Meeting TBA.

The next meeting of The Event Planning Committee will be 10/02/2010 in Knoxville at 2:00pm.



The alumni association thought it would be a good idea to invite area schools (Slater & Langston) to cruise with us. Dawnella Ellis volunteered to draft those letters.

The Cruise Committee or interested parties will have a meeting 10/02/2010 at 1:00pm in the complex to prepare for the meeting with the schools.

The big cruise meeting is planned for 10/16/2010 at the complex with area schools to let them know about the cruise that Douglass is planning. At that time the Cruise Committee will contact the travel agent to see if she can be present to answer question that we may have.

The ceremony for the dedication of the Dobbins Complex will be September 24, 2010 at 4:00pm. Everyone is invited.

Motion for adjournment was made by Wallace W. Ross, Jr., second by Andra Watterson.

The association will meet 10/02/2010 to prepare for the 10/16/2010 meeting.

Next meeting will be 10/16/2010 at 1:00pm in the complex.



Respectfully Submitted,

Thelma Watterson, Recording Secretary


EDITOR'S NOTE: On a late-breaking question a board member brought up, concerning the absence of the Douglass Alumni Association Office name not being included in the directories right now in the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex....

The city says, those directories belong to UETHDA, directing people to their individual offices, so the Douglass Alumni Association would obviously not be on those. Our office listing will be on the building's master directories when the city puts them up. They have not yet.