Downtown Kingsport’s Kitchen of Hope Struggling To Stay Afloat

‘When someone sits down, and they eat so fast they can’t get the plate quick enough, you know people are hungry.’
— Geraldine Swagerty

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By KEVIN CASTLE
kcastle@timesnews.net


Erica Yoon —eyoon@timesnews.net
In photo above, Chris Terry and Judy Weinhold of St. Dominic’s Church serve patrons at the Kitchen of Hope on Tuesday.


KINGSPORT — From trying to keep everyone who walks into her soup kitchen fed, to allowing a homeless man to use her church’s front stoop as a bed, Geraldine Swagerty is fighting for the people she says are being forgotten.
“This has been the toughest I’ve seen in a long time for us,” said the founder of the Kitchen of Hope in downtown Kingsport, a project of her Full Gospel Mission Church.
Food supplies for the Kitchen of Hope are razor thin, Swagerty said. And donations from companies and individuals are also down.
“(A local dairy) that usually gave us about 20 gallons of milk a week has had to cut us down to 12 a week because of their costs. I tell you, I just don’t know what to think at this point about our future,” said Swagerty.
“We get ahead in some ways, and then with regulations we have to follow, those costs eat us up and that leaves us with a bare-bones budget to try and buy food with. Those churches around town still help us out with donations, but with prices the way they are now for the food, that dollar doesn’t go as far.”
A series of loans obtained through banks and other agencies have kept the Kitchen of Hope afloat, but Swagerty has taken that financial step so much over the years another loan is not feasible at this time.
But Swagerty isn’t ready to close the kitchen doors, she’s hoping that some caring organizations or private individuals can help her get through the coming winter months.


Erica Yoon —eyoon@timesnews.net
In photo above, Kelly Miller feeds her son Jesurun, 2, as Shiree Hutchinson eats in the background Tuesday afternoon at the Kitchen of Hope. The three have eaten at the center three or four times a week for the past two years.


“It seems like we see more people when it starts getting colder, but the way things are nowadays, we are seeing people of all ages who need something to eat,” said Swagerty of her clients, who sometimes start lining up an hour before the kitchen opens at 3:30 p.m. each afternoon.
“When someone sits down, and they eat so fast they can’t get the plate quick enough, you know people are hungry. These are elderly people, and even little ones, some as young as 2 and 3. You can’t let them starve.
“I’ve got to keep going, though. The Lord put me here to help these people out, and if all I have to serve is green beans and a slice of bread, I’ll do that and tell people that we’ll try and get more.”
The kitchen can accept monetary donations at this address: Full Gospel Mission, c/o Kitchen of Hope, 740 E. Sevier Ave., Kingsport, TN 37660.
Other organizations that help the needy are also seeing increased numbers of people seeking help.
Cindy Risk, who heads up Hunger First on Myrtle Street, said people who never before had to ask for help are asking n o w.
“People are being laid off. Jobs are just not as available as they used to be,” Risk said.
“The need is increasing, and it’s going to be greater as we get into the holidays.”
Risk said the organization is called Hunger First, but the services it provides go beyond providing meals. Risk and others at Hunger First provide clothing as well.
“For me it’s difficult to walk away from any of these situations. I’ve been homeless. I’ve been a single mom,” said Risk, who has been with the organization since it was formed in 1998 as the Tennessee Hunger Coalition.
People who would like to help can take donations of food or clothing to Hunger First at 829 Myrtle St.
“Our biggest need right now is boys clothes and adult males of all sizes. We need teenage clothing for boys and girls too,” Risk said.
Monetary donations can be mailed to: Hunger First, 829 Myrtle St., Kingsport, TN 37660.
Hunger First will host a holiday celebration on Nov. 22 at Cloud Recreation Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
Risk said a meal will be served, and there will be presents for children, entertainment and door prizes.

Letter To The Editor: Accept the Election And Move On....Please

READERS: Since the presidential election and for the past few days, many Letters to the Editor to the Kingsport Times-News have been profoundly negative concerning the election of Barack Obama as president. One of our Riverview neighbors sent this letter in response:



Gary Oliver complained that America died on Nov. 4, 2008. I think what he really meant to say is that Tennessee and a few other states got their wings clipped, for the betterment of all 50 states. Being proud of Tennessee at this time is not something to be boastful about. The only thing I can see is Tennessee is still behind. Being a Christian is one thing, and being narrow-minded is really something else. I cannot understand how anyone would compare the two. It is painful to some that a black man could be president of the United States. That is a fact, so all I can say is get used to it. Rosa Parks sat so that Dr. Martin Luther King could stand, so that Barack Obama could run. And our next generation can fly.
Cecilia Henderson
Kingsport

Plans For Obama Inauguration: Will You Be There?

PORTIONS OF THIS STORY FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE AND THE LOS ANGELES TIMES


For Riverview, South Central Kingsport and Upper East Tennessee residents wanting to see history in the making, at the historic inauguration of America's first African-American president, we want to go along with you.


If you are planning to go to the swearing-in ceremony on January 20th, 2009, please let me know by sending an email to: douglassriverview@gmail.com. With gas prices now at low levels, the trip of 343 miles between Kingsport and Washington, D.C. is much closer and easier to budget for.

The theme of the 2009 inauguration will be “A New Birth of Freedom.”


TICKET BASICS

The events. There are many — the parade, the swearing-in ceremony, the balls, etc. — and different committees (some of which haven’t even been formed yet) plan different aspects of the inauguration and issue and distribute tickets differently. Most people would settle for just attending the swearing-in ceremony during this historic occasion.


The tickets: Anyone selling a ticket to the swearing-in ceremony, simply doesn’t have the goods. The 240,000 tickets that have been printed for this event “are in a secure location,” according to the committee, and have not been released yet.

“Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth,” Howard Gantman, staff director for the inaugural committee, said in a release. “Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism.”


The truth: Tickets to the swearing-in ceremony are free — but you have to request them from your U.S. representative or senator. Best to call his or her Washington office if you haven’t already. Demand will be high, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get tickets if they run out.

For the convenience of our Riverview, South-Central and Douglass Alumni residents, I have already put in requests for tickets from several local and national congressmen, but there is no guarantee at this point. I will let you know if and when I hear back, but if you would like to request tickets, you certainly can on your own.


SCALPERS

Apparently, tickets are required for most of the main events and news reports indicate that prices for those tickets are skyrocketing, asthose seeking to profit from the historic event are revving into high gear. The hottest ticket of 2009, the swearing-in ceremony, can't be reserved yet, hasn't been distributed and is supposed to be free.

But on Monday, tickets for President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural events were selling for as much as $10,858 apiece.


Ticket brokers wouldn't say where the tickets were coming from, and the committee in charge of the main event emphasized that none has been sent out yet. All 240,000 tickets to the swearing-in are sitting in a locked room.

In effect, the brokers are selling a promise of tickets, banking on their ability to acquire tickets at a lower price than they charge for them.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, said she was drafting a bill to ban sales of inauguration tickets, which would make scalping them a misdemeanor.

"These tickets are given for free to people," Feinstein said in an interview with the Associated Press. "This is a major civic event of the time, and no one pays for their tickets, and we believe no one should be required to pay for their tickets."

She said her Senate office received 8,000 ticket requests the first day after the election.

An inaugural committee spokeswoman, Carole Florman, said: "Any member of Congress is prohibited from profiting by their position. A letter is going out to them reminding them of that. Soon."

The individual committees organizing events including parades and inaugural galas haven't even formed yet, Florman said.

With so much up in the air about the Jan. 20 festivities, there seemed to be only two certainties Monday:

Inaugurating the first African American U.S. president will be historic.

And everyone wants a ticket.


TICKETS TO A "FREE" EVENT?

GreatSeats.com offered spots at the yet-to-be-planned inaugural parade for $495 to $1,815, with caveats that none are available now.

StubHub offered parade tickets for $681 to $1,025, with a money-back guarantee. Spokeswoman Vanessa Daniele said the site has already sold several, plus a pair of tickets for the swearing-in ceremony that together cost $21,716.

Basically, they'll sell you "a ticket to nothing" because they didn't have any tickets yet.

Only members of Congress can dole them out, and they get them Jan. 19, a day before the event.


OTHER EVENTS

Tickets to inaugural events are free of charge and distributed through members of the incoming Congress. The ceremonies are coordinated by different committees, and the tickets to the events are distributed differently. Events include a morning worship service, a procession to the Capitol, a swearing-in ceremony, an address, a parade and balls.


Residents should beware of anyone claiming to sell tickets, inaugural officials said, because tickets will not be distributed until January and the members of the House and Senate do not know how many they will receive. It's not illegal for recipients to resell tickets, but it is strongly discouraged.

Jason Tai, a spokesman for Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.), said, "We have not calculated final numbers, but it's safe to say there's been a lot of demand."

At the office of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), officials are adjusting their Web site to handle the demand because the volume of calls has been so overwhelming.

"Constituents want to be in Washington and witness history," said Kenneth Edmonds, a spokesman for Jackson. "No one should be surprised. It's a reflection of the extraordinary enthusiasm President Obama's candidacy has unleased."

SEE YOU AT THE INAUGURATION, KINGSPORT!

Edmonds said he hopes organizers will consider accommodating many more people than they have in the past.

Here's hoping that everyone that can get here and get the time off from work can be at this historic event. Anyone who wants to be a witness to history, will try to get to Washington, D.C. Just be aware, that somewhere, somebody is trying to make money off this free event.

One Giant Step Forward Nationwide, But Two Steps Back in Upper East Tennessee

Shipley upsets Vaughn

Challenger Tony Shipley received 12,858 votes to incumbent Nathan Vaughn’s 12,532 votes — a margin of about 1 percent.

THIS ARTICLE COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By HANK HAYES
hhayes@timesnews.net


A bitter political campaign in Tennessee’s 2nd House District ended Tuesday with GOP challenger Tony Shipley of Colonial Heights narrowly upsetting Democratic incumbent state Rep. Nathan Vaughn of Kingsport.



Unofficial Sullivan County Election Commission results showed Shipley receiving 12,858 votes to Vaughn’s 12,532 votes — a margin of about 1 percent.
Shipley said his win was one of four Republican pickups for House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower of Bristol — who apparently has achieved his goal of winning a narrow Republican majority in the state House.
“This is tremendously historic,” Shipley said.
Mumpower said late Tuesday night that Republicans had won 50 of 99 seats in the state House.
“We’re waiting for confirmation, but we’re very excited and ready to lead,” Mumpower said. “We have always known that House Republicans and Tennessee voters are in the same place.”
Shipley credited his volunteers with the win.
“We worked so hard to identify the differences between the two of us,” Shipley said. “But my volunteers were tremendously energetic. They ranged from 18 years old to 82 years old. They worked their hind ends off. The grassroots organization was the difference.”
Vaughn, a former Kingsport alderman and insurance agent, became the first African-American state lawmaker from Northeast Tennessee when he was elected in 2002. He was unopposed in 2006 and rode GOP votes to victory when he defeated Republican challenger Neal Kerney in 2004.
Vaughn was not available for comment after the results were tallied.
Shipley, a retired Air Force veteran, stayed on offense for much of the campaign by attacking Vaughn’s voting record on everything from illegal immigration to raising taxes on cigarettes to fund education reform.
Shipley was also the beneficiary of thousands of robocalls made to district residents — with some paid for by Mumpower’s political action committee.
In one robocall paid for by Mumpower’s PAC, a voice asked voters to reject Vaughn as well as Barack Obama.
The Tennessee Republican Party also sent district residents a direct mail piece that electronically pasted a picture of Vaughn’s head onto a blackbird. The heads of Democratic presidential candidate Obama and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were also electronically pasted in similar fashion to show that Vaughn was “part of the liberal, big government flock.”
Vaughn, who debated Shipley three times during the campaign, tried to convince voters they needed a steady presence in Nashville. Vaughn sent out direct mail pieces indicating he was “getting things done for Sullivan County families,” including upgrading deadly State Route 126.
Vaughn, as an incumbent, received scores of political action committee campaign contributions in the waning days of the race, according to the Registry of Election Finance. Other contributions included $10,000 from Democratic House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh’s leadership PAC.
But Vaughn’s pre-election filing with the registry showed him with having cash on hand of more than $95,000 — unspent money in his campaign account.
The 2nd House District includes parts of Kingsport, Colonial Heights, Sullivan Gardens and Indian Springs.
Tuesday’s election is scheduled to be certified by the Sullivan County Election Commission on Nov. 14.

Obama Crushes McCain In An Historic Landslide!

YES, WE CAN!








YES, WE DID!








President-Elect Barack Obama visited Bristol, Virginia during his campaign several weeks ago, and many folks from Kingsport went to see him. Please drop me a note if you attended his rally in Bristol. Tell me your thoughts and send me your pictures on his historic visit, and this historic occasion! Please send them to: douglassriverview@yahoo.com

Margaret Miller Anderson Passing

KINGSPORT — Margaret Miller Anderson, 54, of Kingsport, passed away Thursday (Oct. 30, 2008) in Blountville.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James Willard and Ruth Miller; sisters, Cora Lee Roderick, Letha Miller, Linda Miller; two brothers, William H. Miller and Bobby M. Miller; grandparents, William and Nellie Rogers and Joe and Bessie Miller.
Survivors are her husband, Larry Anderson, Victoria, Va.; daughter, Jesssie Miller of Yonkers, N.Y.; two grandchildren, Lisa Grays and Makenzie Miller; four brothers, David F. Miller of New York City, N.Y., James Miller, Jr. of Charlotte, N.C., Grover Miller of Kingsport, Archie Miller, of Kingsport; three sisters, Shirley Gudger of Greeneville, Bessie Miles of Yonkers, N.Y., Nancy Jones of Yonkers, N.Y.; two special aunts Mary Lee Miller of Greeneville and Freddie Upton of Sweetwater, Tenn.; several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 12 to 2 p.m. Sunday at Jeffers Funeral & Cremation Service.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 2, 2008) at Jeffers Funeral Chapel.
Interment will be at Zion Cemetery at Baileyton with Ministers, Elder Martin L.K. Lister, Elder J.L. Gudger officiating.
Jeffers Funeral & Cremation Service 208 N. College St. Greeneville, Tenn., 37745. (423)639-2141, is in charge of arrangements

John "Sonny Boy" Campbell Passing

John “Sonny Boy” Campbell passed away this past Saturday November 1st. At his request, graveside services will be held this Wednesday at 11:00 at the East Lawn Cemetery in Kingsport.
The family is receiving friends at 330 Louis Street, the former home of his Mother "Aunt Ruth" Campbell
Also at Sonny Boy's request, no announcement will be in the paper.

Sprucing up Riverview for Spring, Starts in the Fall

One of Kingsport's newest parks, is one of the first to get the makeover treatment, and dozens of volunteers helped get it started.

The Jalissa Ferguson Park in the Douglass Ballfield was mulched with fresh clippings, and Kingsport Parks and Recreation says, fall is the time to do it.

MORE PICTURES IN THE PHOTO GALLERY

"This is the time of year when it's cool, and you can mulch and plant seasonal flowers, like you would do in your own garden," says James "Moose" Henry with Parks and Recreation. "If you cover up the bulbs with mulch, they'll grow through the winter and poke out with flowers in the early spring. The mulch under the swings and jungle gym sets will settle and keep the dirt underneath from spreading and forming holes in the ground when it rains."



The job of spreading bags of mulch was bourne on the backs of about 40 to 50 volunteers, who helped Parks and Rec employees get the job done. "We've got young kids and old kids all out here helping," says Moose. "They furnish coffee, doughnuts and snacks for everybody, and it's a pretty festive atmosphere. With so many folks helping, it gets the job done a lot faster and we're thankful for the volunteers to take their own time and come out to help us. Without them, it would take a lot longer to get finished."



"It's colder today, and there's some people sweating and their noses running, but they're staying well and the mulch is getting spread," he says.

Every Kingsport city park gets mulched and planted twice a year, and the Jalissa Ferguson Park and the Dale Street Park are on the second-year cycle.



The Kingsport Rotary Club, who also had some of its members out spreading mulch, is donating more playground equipment to the Riverview park. Their members are donating the concrete work and the labor, and right now, they are waiting on two pieces of equipment to arrive, so they can install it. "The Rotary Club has been great," Moose says, "and we are really blessed that they've been willing to come out, see what we need, and help us get it done for the neighborhood. They've donated money, and helped us really get the park fixed up."


"The mulch and the plantings beautify everything," Moose says. "When they closed up the (Riverview) Apartments, we thought everything was just going to be left behind, an old vacant lot, with nothing done to keep it up. This effort really shows that somebody's willing to come in and help us keep it going. It really makes it look nice."






News about the great things happening in the Douglass Ballfield is really getting around, with the Splash Pad, the playground and the new shelters that are now up. Moose says, "We've had folks come down here from Virginia who say they've heard about it, and they wanted to experience the calm of the neighborhood and the excitement of the Splash Pad. Then, there are the other things going on, the new homes going up for HOPE VI, the renovation of the V.O. Dobbins Center."

"We're going to have a lot of good things, and they'll be great for the neighborhood."

SPECIAL NOTE: Nov. 7 — Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Keep Kingsport Beautiful and the city of Kingsport will plant trees in honor or memory of area residents at noon at the Riverview Splash Pad, 1101 Martin Luther King Drive (formerly 1101 Lincoln St.).

Help Your Local Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport

VOTE FOR OUR LOCAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB!

Log on to the website at left and click on the link to Wells Fargo Someday Stories website.


Vote for one person who you think should be awarded a Someday Story scholarship and then vote for the Boys & Girls Club as your pick for a nonprofit to receive Someday Story Funds.

If our club generates the most votes we could be awarded up to $10,000.00 and it will only take a min. of your time.

Be sure to enter our zip code when voting (37662) because that is how the votes are tracked.

Hurry the voting ends on November 10. Please forward this on to everyone you know.

This also benefits our local Riverview Boys and Girls Club in the historic Central Baptist Church sanctuary!


Katherine Carrico
Resource Development Director
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kingsport
1 Positive Place
P.O. Box 784
Kingsport, TN 37662

Phone 423-230-4160

GOT THIS FROM JEFF FLEMING:
PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY AS YOU VISIT OUR NEIGHBORS AT HOLSTON VALLEY!


On Monday, Project Platinum construction crews will begin demolition of the concrete canopy above the hospital's main entrance as part of a complete renovation that will provide a new, redesigned entrance to the facility. During this project phase, several changes will be instituted to ensure safety and facilitate patient services, which will continue uninterrupted. Changes will be marked with clear signage and will include:

The main entrance drive will be used only for drop-off of patients at the same day services/heart center/emergency department entrance.

The upper level of the two-story parking garage that is located across from the emergency department entrance will be available for short-term and handicapped parking only.

The current downhill exit drive will become two-way access for drop-off of patients at the outpatient entrance and pick-up of patients being discharged from the hospital. The upper level on this side of the two-story parking garage will be used for outpatient parking and longer-term parking.

Due to demolition of the canopy, through traffic will not be permitted along the main entrance drive to ensure the safety of visitors and employees.

Project Platinum is a $110 million investment by Wellmont Health System in Kingsport's largest hospital, a project of such sweeping scope that the city will be served by essentially a new hospital when all new construction and renovations are completed. Blaine Douglas, president of Holston Valley, expressed his gratitude for the patience and understanding visitors have demonstrated as the pace of construction has picked up.

"We appreciate everyone's understanding of some minor inconveniences so we can move steadily toward what will essentially be a new hospital," Douglas said. "These new construction phases of Project Platinum and changes in traffic flow make it more important than ever for visitors and employees to use sidewalks to ensure safety."

Also Monday, new bridge and roadway projects “which are joint projects between Holston Valley and the City of Kingsport“ will get under way and portions of Cassell Drive will be closed for approximately the next 10 to 12 months. Construction on those projects will lead to changing traffic patterns, including:

All traffic to the main hospital entrances must gain access from Ravine Road, as access to the front of the hospital from Holston Valley Drive and Cassell Drive will not be possible.

Access to Holston Valley's nine-story parking garage and the ETSU Family Physicians building will only be possible from Gibson Mill Road.

2008 Women of Excellence in Upper East Tennessee

It's a celebration of distinguished women in upper East Tennessee, and their acoomplishments read like a Who's Who of integrity.

MORE PHOTOS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ATTENDED, IN THE PHOTO GALLERY

It was the annual Women of Excellence celebration, sponsored by the Psi Omega Omega chapter of the national Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. The event was held at the Quality Inn, Kingsport on Saturday, October 25, 2008.

"We recognize African-American women who have made contributions to the communities in six different areas," says Pi Omega Omega local chapter president Linda Calvert. "Those areas are primarily religion, community service, lifetime achievement, education and business, as well as the pop political arena."



This year's winners are Mrs. Gail Charles, in the area of Business... Dr. Ivy McQuirter, Business and Service... Ms. Edwina Morris, the 2008 Scholarship Recipient... Ms. Shirley Johnson, for Religious and Community Service... Ms. Vicki Smith, also for Religious and Community Service... Chapter President Mrs. Calvert is also pictured. Not pictured, but present at the event was Mrs. Jenora Wade, the Lifetime Achievement award winner.

Mrs. Charles is the owner-operator of Sista Act Styling, now in its eighth year of cosmetology in the Johnson City area, also serving Kingsport..

Dr. McQuirter is with Blue Ridge Internal Medicine, and has been described by one of her patients as a doctor with intelligence, patience and understanding with a genuine concern for her patients.. She and her husband, Dr. Julian McQuirter are members of the Shiloh Baptist Church, Kingsport.

Ms. Smith is an occupational registered nurse, who is known for carrying her love for God to the various health awareness committees, and also serves as a trustee with the Douglass High School Alumni Association.. She attends the Central Baptist Church in Kingsport.

Mrs. Johnson is a Board Member with the Appalachian Girl Scouts, whose youthful influence is seen with the Teen Girls Sleepover and the Teen Devotional Team at the Thankful Baptist Church in Johnson City, where she and her husband Keith attend.

Mrs. Jenora Wade is known in the Johnson City area for her work with the Health Information Service of Northeast Tennessee, and also has served as chair of the NAACP Freedom Banquet, member of the Carrie Moragne Missionary and director of the Bethel District Sunshine Band. She is a member of the Friendship Baptist Church in Johnson City.



"As primarily an association of educated African-American women, the Women of Excellence event allows us to recognize these individuals on whose shoulders we now stand," says Mrs. Calvert. "We recognize the lifetime achievement person, because we know they have struggled and put forth a lot of effort to be where they are. We also like to recognize the upstarts, the younger ones as they are coming along, to give them encouragement and let them know that what they have done in the community does not go unrecognized."


"For the community as a whole," she continued, "it tells our people, particularly in the African-American community, that even though you might not be recognized by civic groups like the Junior League or the YWCA, the community still appreciates what you do. Hopefully, through this recognition process, it is also encouragement to others to give of themselves to their community, and/or to continue making contributions to their professions."





The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is the first sorority for African-American women, started in 1908, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. This year, the sorority is in its 100th year. There are chapters throughout all 50 states, as well as AFrican, Europe and the Carribean. The Psi Omega Omega chapter of upper East Tennessee is eight years old, and serves all of the Tri-Cities area, reaching down to Morristown. A new recently-chartered chapter has now formed to serve the area from Morristown on down into Knoxville.

New Canton Fall Festival 2008

When you think of fall festivals, you usually think of lots of music and entertainment, great food with most of the items homemade and homegrown, and enough fellowship to make you think friends are more like family.

MORE PHOTOS IN THE PHOTO GALLERY


Welcome to the New Canton Fall Festival in eastern Hawkins County, Tennessee. The event this past Saturday, October 25, 2008 was all of the above, and more.

"The weather acted like it did not want to cooperate," says New Canton resident Billy Lyons. "Cold, cloudy and damp in the morning.. but by noon, everything started to clear out and warm up, and then the people came out."




And came out, they did.

The main community gathering area was the covered area beside the Lyons Chapel AME Church on New Canton Road, and it quickly became a hubbub of activity. "We had fried fish (and it was wonderful--Calvin), ole-timey brown beans seasoned with hogmeat (also good), corn bread, coleslaw, all types of baked goods, carmel cakes, chess pies, cherry pies, you name it," says Billy. "The ladies down here in New Canton really know how to cook it up real good, cakes made with real butter and Swan's Flour.. just the best of stuff, you know."

It wouldn't be a fall festival without many homegrown items, grown over the spring and summer, and harvested for the fall.. even specialty items like pear relish.



Pear relish?

New Canton's Bobby Cox specializes in a topping called "pear relish." "The pears he uses, come from the tree in my yard," says Billy. "He slices them very fine, and then takes hot peppers and green peppers, to taste. You can have it hot, very hot, and also mild. Then, you season it down, and it'll sorta remind you of chow-chow that you can buy most any place to eat with brown beans, backbone, ribs and potatoes. The pear gives it a unique flavor all unto itself, and folks just cannot get enough of it." (it was indeed good, chow-chow like, with a sweet flavor and smell--Calvin).

No festival is complete without music. The New Canton Fall Festival featured Ozine Bly's daughter Lynette, an accomplished gospel singer, whose rich vocals have inspired many people with faith. Other singers also moved the festival goers with wonderful music, and lended a calming, moving atmosphere to the gathering.

And then there was Elvis.


Of course, not the real one, but an Elvis Presley tribute by local musician Ronnie Blake of Mendota, Virginia (for folks who don't know where Mendota is, it's a small community nestled into a bend of the Holston River North Fork at the foot of Clinch Mountain, between Gate City and Bristol.. only a couple of miles northeast of the Carter Family Fold at Maces Spring, Virginia). Ronnie's interpretation of "The King" was masterful, to say the least. He held folks spellbound with his close reemblance to Elvis while singing hit hits.




Ronnie was indeed a hit to the crowds of visitors to the fall festival. "We just met him in church one Sunday," says Billy. "One of the girls works with his girlfriend, and they came to church at Lyons Chapel, and he sang religious songs for us. The people really enjoyed it, and then we found out he has a tribute to Elvis, so we invited him back. His singing was one of the highlights of the day."





The only casualty of the day, was the cancellation of planned hayrides, a move mourned by kids at the New Canton Fall Festival. "There had been so much rain on Friday, and some of that lingered on into Saturday, that we just did not want to risk getting the wagons bogged down in the muddy fields," says Billy. "It was also kinda cool and damp, and so many colds and flu are going around that we didn't want anybody to catch them. The kids were disappointed and so were some of the adults, but next year, we'll try to plan a little better to get around the rain."




"Just to see the community come together is a blessing," says Billy. "The festival, along with the recent New Canton Family Reunion, proves that there is a lot of interest in folks returning to their roots. We're going to use both events as a springboard to renovating our old school, the New Canton School across from Lyons Chapel. We hope to fix it up into a community civic center for eastern Hawkins County, where we can have events all the time. We'll have a work day where everybody can come out and help clear out the grounds. I have a friend with excavation equipment, and he's volunteered to bring some of it out to help clear out debris."



"We could have at least four things in the building at one time, the way we see it," he says. "There are four large classrooms for meetings, plus the gymnasium-cafeteria multi-purpose room, and then there are also the grounds outside, for outdoor events. We've already filled up a couple of those huge dumpsters twice, getting debris out. Another of our long-range goals is to have flea markets at the site, too."

Keep your eye on New Canton. Those folks are getting their act together, and gaining momentum towards revitilizing one of East Tennessee's first African-American communities. We should all reach out, come out and support our friends and neighbors in eastern Hawkins County, because THEIR roots are the roots of us all.

Douglass Alumni Rummage-Bake Sale & 3rd School Book Sale

Bargains, bargains, bargains..

In these tough economic times, folks in Kingsport found lots of good deals on gently used clothes, at the Alumni Rummage Sale held at Bethel AME Church on Saturday, October 25, 2008.

MORE PHOTOS IN THE PHOTO GALLERY


Just before dawn Saturday, the good started coming in for sale, and by 8 AM, people were already stopping by. Together with the Bethel AME choir practicing for Sunday service upstairs, it made for a warm, joyous, festive atmosphere.

Just about every clothing item you could imagine was for sale. Women's blouses, pants, pant suits, and slacks of all styles could be found, as well as work-around-the-house clothes for sale. The colorful designs were tempting for many people, as they perused the various items. Among the men's clothing were pants and shirts, and even some hardware knick-knacks.

The rummage sale also included a bake sale, with delicious bakery bars, cakes and other delicacies. Some of the bakery items were so tempting, they did not make it home from the sale.


The 3rd Douglass Alumni Book Sale was also a huge success, bringing in people browsing for a new book to read, to former Douglass alumni and their families, eager to reunite with the school books of their past. Some alumni saw books of their former classmates, and purchased them to give to those friends who were not there. Other book fairs are to come in the future.

The Book Fair and Rummage Sale event was streamed live on the Douglass Alumni Website, and a special thing happened during the streaming.. the camera was taken around, showcasing all of the items for sale, and that prompted many sales by people watching, who called those present at the event and made purchases right then and there! One viewer wanted to see the neckties for sale, and when Pam Sensabaugh held them up each and modeled them to the webcam, the viewer bought every single necktie there.


It was so good to see everybody come out to support the Douglass Alumni Association, in its efforts to raise money for its philantropic events, along with the Class of 68's generous donation to the Scholarship Fund last Saturday.

Stay tuned for more events of this type in the future!

HOPE VI Homes Votes So Far

Riverview Place (8)

Riverview Estates (4)

The Gates at Riverview (with the spirit of a new gateway of change) (1)

Riverview Crossing (with the spirit of crossing over to a new era) (1)

Riverview Legacy Homes (1)

Douglass Village (Using Douglass retains heritage but also gives fresh spirit to the community) (1)

Riverview-Douglass Legacy Homes (1)

The Legacy Homes @ Riverview (1)

Riverview - "A Good Place To Come Home" (1)

Memory View Estates (1)

Youth Halloween Extraveganza

Friday, October 31, 2008 - 3:00-7:00 PM
V.O. Dobbins Center
Free Admission - Food - Haunted House-
Inflatables - Trick or Treat-Surprises!

Sponsored by: South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation, Kingsport Parks & Recreation, Riverview Boys and Girls Club, New Vision Youth, KOHL'S, and the Riverview Elks Lodge

For more information call: 224-2489, 571-0191, 246-6809 or 246-6623

Riverview Residents, Current and Former, Can Pick the Name of the HOPE VI Homes

No doubt, in the proposed Riverview re-zoning article below, you saw the new HOPE VI development referred to as the "Village Edge."

Not to panic. That is not the final name of the development.

It is called that right now, because the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority has to call it something, whenever the HOPE VI people talk to the federal government about the project.

The KHRA is still giving the people of Riverview the opportunity to name the new HOPE VI homes development that will be built where the Historic Rivervew Apartments once stood.


The name "Riverview Apartments" has stood for many years, and many people have made it known that they believe the word "Riverview" needs to be part of the new name. At several meetings in the past, they have cited the history and heritage of that name, that stretches from the time Ms. Bessie Hipps first suggested it back in the late 1930's, through good times and bad, to now, because it is a name that held the community together for many years.

Several weeks ago, I sent out a request for names from people in the neighborhood, people who formerly lived in the Apartments, and people who are moving back when the new homes are built. This is not a final list, and the KHRA is still open to suggestion. If you'd like to vote for one of the names below, or if you have a name you'd like to suggest, please send it to: douglassriverview@gmail.com

Submitted names are, with the number of votes:


Riverview Place (9)

Riverview Estates (4)

The Gates at Riverview (with the spirit of a new gateway of change) (1)

Riverview Crossing (with the spirit of crossing over to a new era) (1)

Riverview Legacy Homes (1)

Douglass Village (Using Douglass retains heritage, but also gives fresh spirit to the community) (1)

Riverview-Douglass Legacy Homes (1)

The Legacy Homes @ Riverview (1)

Riverview - "A Good Place To Come Home" (1)

Riverview Village (1)

Riverview Commons (1)

The View (1)

Riverview Douglass Homes (1)


THE EMPTY LOT THAT FORMERLY HELD THE HISTORIC RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS--PICTURE FROM ATOP THE V.O. DOBBINS COMMUNITY CENTER

Please be a part of the heritage and legacy of our community.
Vote for one of the above, or send me a name that we can circulate.
The email again is: douglassriverview@gmail.com

City Planners Recommend Zoning Change for Riverview

Planning Commission also voted to vacate two roads in the Riverview community — James Street and Booker Street.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By MATTHEW LANE
mlane@timesnews.net




KINGSPORT — The Kingsport Regional Planning Commission is recommending a section of the Riverview community be rezoned to Planned Village District — a relatively new zone that allows for mixed-use development including office space, residential and commercial space.



The move is being done in connection with the HOPE VI project, which includes the redevelopment of the Riverview community — 32 new homes built on the old Riverview Apartments site and an expansion at the V.O. Dobbins Community Center.
The Planning Commission also approved the Riverview Master Plan for the project, which serves as a guide for the types of development in the respective sections of the community — the Village Green (the splash pad and park), the Village Center (V.O. Dobbins and the businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive) and the Village Edge (the new housing development).
The Kingsport Landing area of town received a similar zoning designation, and city planners say the new zone will help with redevelopment in the Riverview community.

DOUGLASS AUDITORIUM AT LEFT, JAMES STREET IN MIDDLE, NOW CLEARED LOT ON RIGHT


THE FORMER BOOKER STREET

The Planning Commission voted Thursday night to also vacate two roads in the Riverview community — James Street and Booker Street. James Street is located behind V.O. Dobbins and will be used as an access road to a new parking lot, while Booker Street ran between the old Riverview Apartments site.
City planners expect to meet with the entire Riverview community next month to discuss the project.
All of these recommendations are expected to go before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen next month.

The 2nd Douglass School Book Fair: More Classroom Memories

MORE PHOTOS IN THE PHOTO GALLERY

"It's such a treat to find my mom's old library book."

Those words from Teresa Delaney DeWald of Dayton, Ohio, when she located an old book from the former Douglass High School library with the name of her mom, Ellen Hemphill on the sign-out card. The book is "Alexander's Christmas Eve," a classic book of the holiday season.




The book was one of many for sale at the Second Douglass School Book Fair, held in the historic Douglass High School Auditorium. It was fitting that the fair was held in the auditorium, because it is scheduled to be demolished in the renovation of the Douglass/V.O. Dobbins Community Center. Many former students flocked to pick up their old school books, and remember the good times they all had, during school assemblies. The event was also streamed live on the Douglass Website for about 2 hours (if you tried to see the live streaming and could not get through, please drop us a line at: douglassriverview@gmail.com)




"I've been explaining to Max, my eight-year-old, about how schools were segregated back then," says Teresa. "When I started explaining it to him, he just had this look on his face.. it was just out of his scope or realm of knowledge that people were actually separated like that. When he goes to school in Dayton, everybody's together, black, white, Hispanic. It didn't seem like recent history to him, it was almost like ancient.. he just couldn't believe that his grandparents went to a segregated school. To him, it was just inconceivable, even allowed, or seen as normal."

"I have a lot of history to teach him."



So many former students and book lovers found the alphabetized system the Douglass Alumni Association came up with, a much easier way to find their beloved books, and the whole process seemed like fun. Laughs, recognition, and tall tales accompanied the finding of each book, and smiles were evident as folks recognized their own handwriting from generations ago.

"When I worked at Southwest Publishing in Cincinnati," says Teresa, "i found one of the eidtions of their accounting book that I used to work on. That was neat.. my accounting books involved computers, instead of ledgers."



Also at the School Book Fair, Alumni Association Vice President Andra Watterson sold the Douglass High School tall coffee mugs, and Alumni Association Trustee Kathy Evans Bradford sold the extremely popular dish clothes. Association Treasurer Sandy Wilmer reports a total of $221.00 was raised for the Douglass Alumni Association's General Fund.

Not only were the books in alphabetical order, books that did not have the names of students in them, were put in the categories of what they were.. Health-Science, Math, English, Social Studies, and several miscellaneous books were also for sale. There were also vocational how-to and do-it-yourself books, too.



This was the first time Pam Rutledge Sensabaugh has been back in the auditorium since she graduated Douglass High School in 1965. "I can still see us coming down the aisles to take our seats during assembly," said Pam. "Just to be able to stand in here again, is wonderful." "It just brings back many memories," said Sandy Wilmer, "of the devotions and chapel we came to in here. You'd be on stage, and aeverybody sitting out there, looking at you." "I remember the Elks used to sponsor concerts and pageants inside this old building," says Ethel Ruth Russell.

The Douglass School Book Fair is one of the last public events, the old auditorium will see before it's torn down.



Folks were waiting for the fair to open, and they were there long after it closed. We also had a lot of reservations, with folks sending in their money for the books and to have them shipped to them.

The next School Book Fair will be next Saturday during the Alumni Association's Rummage Sale and Bake Sale at the Bethel AME Zion Church on Mapleoak Lane in Kingsport. The Book Fair runs from 7 AM to 2 PM, and the Rummage Sale is from 7 AM to 4 PM. Please spread the word to everybody so they can stop by and purchase many gently-used items, plus delicious pies and cakes. It's also a good chance for those who have not done it yet, to stop by and purchase their old Douglass school book. If you know of someone who may not know their school book is available, now's a good chance to purchase it, or reserve it for pickup later.