It's by popular demand.
"Selling dish cloths has been very popular for us in our fundraising efforts," says Alumni Board President Douglas Releford, and a number of board members agreed at the meeting of the Board on October 19th. Towards those efforts, Vicki Smith told the group that folks have been asking about the Southland Mills dish cloths previously sold during fundraisers.
Southland Mills of Moyock, N.C. requires a minimum count of 10 dozen dish cloths to be purchased by the group, to which the Alumni Association will sell individual ones for $2.00. The company offers them in various colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow are the basic colors. Often there are variations such as light green, light blue, etc.
Among their strengths, each individual dish cloth also has the following attributes:
•Cotton Cloth
• Made in the USA
• Sanitary and ravel free
• Size is Approx. 10" x 13"
• Manufacturer Located in the U.S. Since 1884
Not to mention the fact that the money raised, will help the Sons and Daughters of Douglass in its various fundraising efforts.
President Releford related a plea from D-B Band Director Lafe Cook.. the renown Dobyns-Bennett Band, has been invited to perform in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasedena, California on New Year's Day. Cook wants to take all of the members of the band to Pasedena, and the trip organizers are struggling to raise money, $2,000 dollars per band member. Doug suggested to the board that the Alumni Association consider cutting the scholarship award next year, in order to give the D-B band $500 dollars so that our black band members can make the trip. A motion was made and seconded, and with the discussion centering about what a great experience the trip would be for our students, the motion was passed unanimously.
Board member Wallace Ross, Jr. also suggested that the plea go out to all Douglass Alumni for financial support, recalling memories of the Douglass High School Band, led by our beloved Dr. Howard Young.
Speaking of fundraising, bring your empty stomachs and your donations to a fish fry, sponsored by the New Vision Youth the day after Thanksgiving, November 29th. The youth will be selling fish sandwiches and fish dinners, with proceeds going to the Dobyns-Bennett Band to support their trip to the Rose Bowl on New Years Day. The location is the Riverview Community Room, rain or shine from 12 Noon until the food is gone. Please come out and support the young people and the Alumni Association.
The annual Kingsport Chamber of Commerce Dinner is fast approaching (your Alumni Association is a member of the Chamber in good standing). At the Board meeting, members discussed attending the dinner again, based on the wonderful time and the ability to network with other area Chamber members. Tickets go on sale in January, and are $100 dollars apiece. Our table seats 10, and so far 8 board members are on the list to attend.
It's been several years since the beloved Douglass athletic trophies were returned to their home in the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, formerly the Douglass High School. President Releford brought to the meeting a long lost plaque, that acknowledges the V.O. Dobbins Scholastic Memorial Award. The award was dedicated to the memory of former Douglass principal V.O. Dobbins, Sr., and beginning in 1982, scholarships in Professor Dobbins' name were awarded to African-American students at Dobyns-Bennett High School. The scholarships began in 1982 with Byron Williamson, Angela Maxwell in 1983, Delbert Davis in 1986, Rhonda Kincaid in 1987, Shana Wright in 1988, Deeya Dobbins in 1989, and when the funds ran out, Chad Machen received the last scholarship in 1990. President Releford asked the board members if they wanted to add the name of the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association to the scholarship plaque. The names would not change, but would share the same plaque to be called "The V.O. Dobbins Sr./Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Scholarship Award." A motion was made, seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Final item on the October agenda, was the unveiling of a replica of a recent Kingsport Times-News article, which featured board treasurer Shelia Leeper's grandson Brenton, and how his Douglass scholarship helped him get started in his college career. The company who offered the replica, "In The News," is offering the mounting for sale for $140 dollars. After a motion was made, seconded and passed unanimously to purchase it, Calvin Sneed offered $20.00 to start off the fundraising effort to purchase it.
The board decided to take November and December off for the holidays, noting there will be a called meeting when the ordered dish cloths come in.
