Douglass/V.O. Dobbins Renovations About to Ramp Up

In just a few days, it will be full speed ahead for renovations at the V.O. Dobbins Community Center in Riverview.


Beginning this week and during the month of July, all the work on every part of the building designated for construction will begin. There will be simultaneous construction, work going on in all of the areas all at the same time. It took quite a bit to get to this point.

"All the demolition work is finished," says Dineen West of Cain-Rash-West Architects, designer of the massive project. "For the past few weeks, we have been hauling away unsuitable soil from the site of the 3-story tower and the adjacent area (the site of the former Douglass Auditorium, James Street, and the homes that used to sit nearby). "The foundations are now being poured, and then we'll drill the pit for the elevator shaft. It will sit in the center of what will be the tower. We're also putting in underground utilities, stormwater, water lines. The power company is moving power poles and getting the power switched over. Visitors will also notice an asphalt binder coat, to be used as a staging area for the contractor, employee vehicles, etc."


"We've entered a phase where we're trying to do a snapshot of a month or two ahead," she says. "We meet every two weeks and update where we are from there. Right now, we're seeing everything start in July, and in August we'll see where we are."

Uncovering the soil has revealed something Riverview residents have known for years.. it is unsuitable for building sustainable buildings that are designed to last a long time.


"The unsuitable soil does not meet the bearing capacity that we need for the new building," says Mrs. West. "It was sandy and will not support the steel structure, so we have to haul that soil out and bring in a clay-shell mixtue as a base. We've had an independent testing firm there overseeing the new soil that's going in, which has to be compacted. It has to reach a certain compaction level, and so they've been monitoring that for the past several weeks. The new clay-shell mixture should be able to support a 3-story building."

All plans have to start somewhere, and with the Dobbins/Douglass renovations, they begin with the 3-story tower.


"We are concentrating on the non-profit building first, where the old auditorium used to be," says Mrs. West. "Construction workers will also begin re-roofing the existing building during the summer, beginning in July. Also beginning in July, will be the renovation of the first floor where the headquarters will be for the Douglass Alumni Association, and the Carver Resource Center."

The new retention pond is a new source of consternation for local residents. It's located right off Louis Street, next door to the old Bowditch house.



"Everybody was concerned about not having enough parking," says Mrs. West, "so we tried to solve the parking issue and the soil that water doesn't go through very well. We were trying to get as many parking spaces as we could and the new city codes say, if you've got a project where you disturb more an acre of ground, you have to hold any stormwater runoff on your site for a period, before letting it run off. The Riverview community has always had an issue with stormwater runoff and ponding in the streets, and this retention pond will hold a certain amount of runoff before letting it run into the nearest stormwater drain. The resulting retention pond had to be put where it is, because you're not allowed to let storm water flow into the streets.. you have to hold it in an area, until it has time to filter into the drain system."







"We will get the first steel on site for the new tower in July, and erecting it sometime in mid-July," she says. "That is the first construction. From there, we will sort of, flow into the Douglass Alumni offices and the Resource Center around the first of July, but no exact date has been set. The building feels like that should be the sequence. After that, we will segue over into the new classroom wing construction for Headstart where the Dobbins tennis courts are, and the new gymnasium will be last."




"The Douglass Alumni offices will be an open area with most of the walls on the first floor knocked down," Mrs. West says. "In the Douglass room, we're taking out four classrooms and turning them into one big room. There will also be a seating area with tables for community and non-profit meetings, along with a kitchen area and storage. The Carver Resource Center will actually be an existing room that will be renovated, with no walls torn down."

"The men doing the foundations for the non-profit tower will finish that work at the end of June," she says. "They'll then move around to the classroom wing for Headstart on the back side of the building around the first of July. Other trades will move in after they move out. They have the new classroom construction projected to start around the first of July. The new gym will be the last new construction to begin and we're projecting that to start around the end of July."

"There'll be like three mini-jobs all going on at the same time, the non-profit tower, the Douglass/Carver improvements, the new classrooms, and the new gym all starting, then proceeding all in sequence. There will be lots of activities going on, all at once."


And then.. the fruits of so much labor will be completed. The wonderings and concerns of a neighborhood, the future of the cornerstone of one of Kingsport's first communities will be finished.

"The entire project should be finished by July 1, 2010," says Mrs. West. "One year to the day that most of the major construction begins, and weather permitting, the renovations to the building should be finished one year after it started, and the Douglass Alumni Association, and the other non-profits can move into their new homes."



Kingsport has long had a project going on, with various statutes and sculptures around town, catching the eyes and the minds of residents and visitors alike. "They will also be part of the Douglass/V.O. Dobbins Center renovations," she says. "We're looking at different medias that we haven't done before.. some will be photography, some will be oil paintings, others will be wall hangings, murals and scultures. We haven't determined exactly what will be involved, but we do have a subcommittee headed by Bonnie McDonald with the Kingsport Arts Council working on that right now. She is looking for community involvement, with residents helping to choose the various medias, murals, the photos, the scultures, the art work. If anyone knows of an artist in the community who'd like to be involved, please let us know. The artwork will have to be of good quality, so please come forward and make their contribution felt.. Also, if there are any local neighborhood tradesmen who want to contribute and get paid for it, the laying of ceramic tile, mosaics, anything will be considered."


Unfortunately, conspicuously absent from the sculpture displays, will be one of the Douglass School's most historic, memorable and mysterious items.

The historic spiral staircase was not saved by the demolition contractor, and from what we have learned, the specific saving of one of Douglass' most mystical features was not as important to the demolition crew, as it was to most Douglass alumni and Riverview residents. Turns out, the demolition crew was over-anxious to get their job done, as other items requested by the Douglass Alumni Association were also not salvaged, among them, auditorium seats.



(EDITORS NOTE: After first being told that no seats were available, then just one set was saved, this reporter went over and discovered many seats underneath debris and rubble bound for the landfill, and salvaged them. About 30 seats are now being stored in a safe area).

"Unfortunately, we were not able to save the historic spiral staircase," Mrs. West says. "The demolition people told us they had to cut that out, that it was bolted into the concrete, and in the process of making their deadline, it was destroyed. That's all they said. On the other hand, we were elated to find out that you were able to save many seats from the Douglass Auditorium and secured them for us."


"We will use the seats again around the Douglass Alumni room, along with the photographic memorabilia," says Mrs. West. "We'll try to save some of the character of the building with those items. I'm sorry the staircase did not work out, but we'll try to make it up in other ways."

Dairy Closing News Triggers Memories for Riverview's Jack Pierce, Pet Blacksmith’s Son

THIS STORY COURTESY VINCE STATEN AND THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

Tuesday’s headline about the closing of Pet Dairy got Jack Pierce thinking about his dad. “You know my dad was the first blacksmith for Pet Dairy. Anytime one of those horses threw a shoe, it was just like if your car had a flat. They’d come and get him.”

Jack was the youngest of 13 children, and when his mother died in 1932 when Jack was 3, it was left to his father, Albert Pierce, to raise the family by himself, on a part-time blacksmith’s pay. “If everything went well he worked just once a week.” The rest of his time he farmed.
Because the blacksmith’s job was part time, Jack says, “We never had any money. But we always had plenty of food.”
And plenty of love.
Jack grew up in Old Kingsport on a street with five other families. “None of us had any electricity. We used kerosene lamps. And no phones. I was pretty old when we finally got a phone.”
That meant that when one of the horses that pulled the old milk wagons threw a shoe, someone from the dairy would have to drive to the Pierce home, rouse Albert and take him down to the dairy stable downtown.
And “rouse” is the operative word. The milk men were out well before dawn delivering their bottles of milk and cream, so any shoeing would have to be done in the early light of dawn.
Occasionally when school was out, young Jack would go and watch his dad shoe a horse. “They were big foot Belgian horses, big horses, not like ordinary farm horses we got around here. I used to sometimes hand him the nails.”
That was as close as Jack got to being a blacksmith. He spent his working life at Eastman.
“Dad and the Pierce family were teamsters. They used to haul Kodak work for Eastman. My granddad and his boys, that’s what they did for a while.”
His grandfather Jerome had been born into slavery in 1844, went off to serve in the Union Army, then came back to the Bays Mountain area. “The old house where my dad was raised is still there.”
Jerome Pierce had five boys and a girl, including Jack’s dad, Albert.
Albert married Lena Fitzgerald around the turn of the century, when the only Kingsport was Old Kingsport, and together they had 13 kids, including the youngest boy, Jack.
Albert and Lena lived on the family farm for a time before moving to a street near the Netherland Inn. That’s where Jack was raised. “We were the only black family in the neighborhood but everyone got along. All the kids played together.”
Then Jack’s mother died in 1932. “Dad had to raise us and that’s what made us so close-knit.”
It worked like a typical big family at the time. “The oldest one looked out for the youngest one. Everybody helped everyb o d y. ”
During the Depression, two of Jack’s older brothers went off to work in CC Camps. CC Camps — Civilian Conservation Corps — were a Depression relief program for young unmarried males. The two boys would send money home. “That made the financial a little better. My dad would sell horses and trade horses. We lived pretty good compared to some folks.”
There was always ham and bacon and all the staples of a farm. “We grew corn and took it to the Gibson Mill and traded it for flour. And Sunday was chicken day. We’d go out in the yard and say, ‘That one looks good.’ ”
Jack always ate well at Douglass School, Kingsport’s pre-integration black school. “I would take jelly biscuits and ham sandwiches. Sometimes I would trade my baloney sandwich to another little boy for his jelly bread. I didn’t know he was getting the best of me.”
As the years passed, the Pierce children left home, one for Connecticut, another for New York, a third for Washington. Soon Jack, the baby of the family, was the only one left at home.
He stayed because his dad was getting older and needed help.
“I remember when he brought his new wife home. I moved out shortly after that because I knew he had somebody to take care of him.”

Contact Vince Staten at vincestaten@timesnews.net or via mail in care of this newspaper. Voicemail may be left at 723-1483. His blog can be found at vincestaten.blogspot.com.

Douglass Alumni Association Trustee Board Meeting Minutes: 6/19/09

MEMBERS PRESENT:
Douglass Releford, Andra Watterson, Sandra Wilmer, Thelma Watterson, Linda Bly, Ozine Bly, Lillian Leeper, Ethel Russell, Pamela Sensabaugh, Louetta Hall, Judy Phillips, Wallace W. Ross, Jr.
QUORUM MET

Meeting was called to order by President Douglas Releford.

Prayer by Chaplin Ethel Russell

Everyone was asked to look over the minutes of the last meeting. Motion to accept the minutes were made by Louetta Hall, second by Pamela Sensabaugh with the necessary corrections. Motion carried.

Old Business:

Louetta Hall talked about the tent for field day, she asked for permission from the board to carry through. She also stated that the pens are in and the cost was $195.32including shipping. Sandra Wilmer wrote Louetta a check for the balance.

The final print for the Souvenir Booklet is June 27, 2009.

Sandra Wilmer asked if all the vehicles were lined up for the 4th of July Parade. She wanted to know if time has been set aside to decorate the vehicles.

Douglas Releford asked Louetta if she could set aside a time to meet and go over the finalities.

Financial Report by Treasurer Sandra Wilmer. She stated that she deposited $1,225 that brings the total to $7,437.64. Motion to accept the financial report was made by Andra Watterson second by Pamela Sensabaugh. Motion carried.

Linda Bly gave an update on the Ad-Booklet. Ricky Hancock was unable to attend due to other obligations. She stated that she has received nineteen-full page ads, seven- ¼ page ads, eleven -½ page ads and six- 1/8 page ads. She did not have a total amount of the ads she has received.

Douglas Releford stated that Ricky Hancock needs to have a copy of the booklet June 27, 2009.

Wallace W. Ross, JR. stated that people were asking him if they could pay $60 and only come to the banquet; he was told that if they are non-alumni members they can only pay for the banquet.

Ethel Russell asked if there were any vacancies left at the convention center. Andra Watterson stated that 35 rooms were reserved and they have all been taken.

Lillian Leeper stated that there was 4 scholarship applications.
One applicant received $500 and the remaining three received $300 each. She also stated that the Scholarship Committee was in the process of setting up new guidelines.

Douglas Releford stated that George Smith hasn't received any applications for the Golf Tournament therefore, the Golf Tournament has been cancelled.

Adjournment was made by Linda Bly second by Pamela Sensabaugh.

Next meeting will be June 27, 2009 at St. Mark United Methodist Church @1:00pm.

Respectfully Submitted

Thelma Watterson, Recording Secretary

Ebony Club Update

A message to all members of The Kingsport Ebony Club Alumni Association

Hey, gang:

Today is Friday, June 18th. Eight (8) days before the end of the pre-registration period (slated for Friday, June 26th), and 15 days before the social event of the decade (i.e., Ebony Club Alumni Association's 2009 Reunion Weekend). If you have yet to mail in your completed registration form and full payment, I encourage you to do so now.

With this being our first year, we're going to honor Elizabeth "Coach" Dudney and Dawnella Ellis, our Ebony Club sponsors, during our Saturday, July 4th banquet. Consequently, we want to have a greater turnout for this event. Close to 50 people have already advised us of their intent to be present for the weekend festivities, but I know without a doubt that we can get our numbers closer to 100 attendees. This tribute to Ms. Dudney and Ms. Ellis is long overdue. Ms. Ellis devoted 29 years of her teaching tenure to the Ebony Club (1976-2005). Ms. Dudney played an integral role in getting the club started (1972-1976).

If you are unable to mail in your completed registration form and full payment by Friday, June 26th, you will be afforded a chance to do so during the Friday, July 3rd Welcome Reception, which will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Dobyns-Bennett High School Field House/Alumni Center. INDIVIDUALS SUBMITTING PAYMENTS AFTER 5:00 P.M. ON THAT DAY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE JULY 4TH BANQUET.

More information about the banquet to come.

Be blessed, and continue to be a blessing.

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

Visit The Kingsport Ebony Club Alumni Association at: http://kingsportebonyclub.ning.com

Ebony Club Update

A message to all members of The Kingsport Ebony Club Alumni Association

Hey, gang:

First off, I'd like to welcome our newest members to the site. I look forward to reading your contributions and catching up. I also want to encourage you to get your completed registration forms and full payments to me by Friday, June 29th. Over 40 people have already registered for the upcoming Reunion Weekend, which is now less than 19 days away.

Call me if you have questions.

Be blessed, and continue to be a blessing.

Jeff "Pac-Man" Faulkerson
DBHS Class of 1986
jfaulk28@nc.rr.com
(919) 604-4585

Douglass Alumni Trustee Board Meeting Minutes: 6/13/09

DOUGLASS ALUMNI TRUSTEE BOARD MEETING, JUNE 13, 2009

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: President Doug Releford, Vice-President Andra Watterson, Treasurer Sandy Wilmer, Sergeant-at-arms Wallace Ross, Jr., Website Manager Calvin Sneed, Ozine Bly, Shelia Leeper, Van Dobbins, Jr., Pam Sensabaugh, Virginia Hankins, Judy Phillips, Lillian Leeper, James Bly.
QUORUM MET


OLD BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS: Board Sets A Reunion Expense Budget of $10,000.

NEW BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS: Alumni Association to Participate in Kohl's Employees-In-Action Program And Will Get Donation.. Board Votes to Amend By-Laws to Change Time for New Alumni Board Officer Selection..

INVOCATION BY LILLIAN LEEPER

Reading of previous meeting minutes.

Motion by Calvin Sneed to approve previous minutes, seconded by Pam Sensabaugh.. MOTION CARRIED.


Financial Report: Current Balance: $6,262.64. Since last meeting, treasurer Sandy Wilmer deposited $1,037.00 ($885.00 checks, $152.00 cash) into Douglass account. Scholarship Account: Sandy deposited $250 from alumni Samuel Floyd Perry in the name of "Calvin Sneed." Total balance $1.822.71. Wallace Ross questioned whether receipts for alumni payments can be mailed out by treasurer Sandy..Sandy said the plan is to save the postage by putting receipts in the alumni's folders when they arrive, and the receipts for ads will be mailed to the people who took them out. Wallace said he's heard from someone out of them who wants their receipts. He did not want to give their names, so Sandy is giving their receipts to Wallace and he will be responsible for getting it to them.

Motion to accept the Financial Report by Virginia Hankins, seconded by James Blye. MOTION CARRIED.


OLD BUSINESS:

Andra Watterson reports 40 Douglass Alumni mugs left, 4 medium tee-shirts, 6 extra large, one 4-X, one 2-X, and 2 large left from previous sales.


Ozine Bly wanted to get a reading on the board's expenditures for the Reunion, weighed against what the treasurer is taking in, to see what the break-even point is. The board will owe the D-J $500.00 after the down payment of $100.00, and will owe Rick Hancock and Latech Solutions $1,200.00 after the down payment of $200.00.. The balance of paying for Meadowview facilities will not be known until the day the Reunion starts, but based on two years ago, the final payment was around $5,500.00. Renting the tent for Field Day was around $150.00. The cost of 200 ink pens will be figured in when the board hears from Louetta Hall, who was absent from the meeting, and money was paid to Van Dobbins for various items. Doug suggested a donation also to St. Mark's for the use of the Fellowship Hall for meetings. 2 years ago, the Board spent around $9608.00.

Motion by Ozine Bly to set a 2009 Reunion budget of $10,000.00, seconded by Pam Sensabaugh. MOTION CARRIED.

Wallace Ross wanted to know how many people had paid their registration and dues, and treasurer Sandy Wilmer said about 40 alumni so far.

Wallace also suggested he be given a list of vendors so he can take a proper count for Field Day. He will be provided a final list on that day..
So far, no one has registered as a vendor. The fee is $25.00.

Sandy has 2 ads to be given to Ricky.. she gave them to Calvin to send to Rick Hancock, as Linda Bly was absent from the meeting.


NEW BUSINESS:

Virginia Hankins told the Board of a program from Kohl's Stores, that if they get 5 of their employees to donate 3 hours to a non-profit organization, the Douglass Alumni Association would receive a $500 dollar donation from the company. The Board can apply for the program as many times a year as it wants to. For example, since the Board uses St. Mark's Methodist Church occasionally for meetings, the kids could come in and clean the church, on behalf of the Alumni Association. The work could include clean-up, planting flowers, pick up trash. Each time the work is performed by the Kohl's employees, the Alumni would receive a donation of 500 dollars. Virginia says the program has been quite successful for New Vision Youth, Weed & Seed and others. She has talked with Michelle Hankins at Kohl's, to get the ball rolling for the Board. All we need is a date for the employees to work. The Board was enthusiastic about the program, perhaps an October participation.


Lillian Leeper suggested some guidelines be studied, for prospective Douglass Memorial scholarship applicants to be held to, when they send in their requests. She proposed that the Scholarship Committee meet to set down rules, and then report back to the Board what the rules would be. The Board had previously voted to allocate 500 dollars per scholarship applicant. Virginia also proposed that the Board revisit a previous suggestion that scholarships be awared in "off years"--years there is no Reunion, to be fair. She suggested the Kohl's program be directed towards awarding scholarship money in those off years.

In the absence of Souvenir Book Committee chairperson Linda Bly from the meeting, Doug asked committee member Shelia Leeper how the book was coming along. Shelia said Linda told her that she was picking out pictures. James Bly said she was emailing things to Rick Hancock to be in the book using his computer because hers was not working.

Wallace suggested that in the future, the Douglass Alumni Association have a computer in its new office in the renovated V.O. Dobbins Community Center, to speed things along. He was told that matter had already been discussed and decided last year.

Doug asked the Board about the possibility of having a general Business Meeting of the Board on Saturday, July 4th for the selection of new officers. Virginia reminded board members of previous processes, where the new officers were earlier elected among themselves, and then, just presented during the Business Meeting.

Motion by Virginia Hankins to amend the Alumni Association by-laws (Article 5, Section 2) to allow the election of new officers by the existing board members prior to the Reunion within the Body of the Board itself, and then present the new officers to the Alumni at the Memorial Service on Sunday, seconded by Pam Sensabaugh. MOTION CARRIED, Wallace Ross abstained.

The Nomination Committee for new officers will be Judy Phillips, Andra Watterson, Pam Sensabaugh and Van Dobbins, Jr. Their report will be presented at the June 27th meeting.

Calvin reported that, after discussions for a story, he has learned that the Douglass Ball Field will be open for Field Day, despite the heavy construction work that will be going on at the V.O. Dobbins Community Center next door.

Motion by Virginia Hankins to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Shelia Leeper. MOTION CARRIED.

NEXT MEETINGS: FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH 6 PM, AT BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH
SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH, 1 PM, AT BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH

Camp helps kids DEFY the odds

PICTURES COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

South Central Kingsport Weed and Seed is holding its 2nd annual Drug Education for Youth (DEFY) Camp at the Sullivan Holston Baptist Retreat Center. Left, one group of campers practices for a march competition against other teams from the camp. Below, K-9 Macho, a Belgian Malinois, puts the bite on Officer David Johnson during a demonstration by the Kingsport Police Department.

New Vision Youth Prom: The Chance to be a Grown-up!

The New Vision Youth of Kingsport got the chance to "strut their stuff" at the annual Youth Prom, sponsored by New Vision Youth, the Brothers of the Clinch Mountain Lodge #531, and the Daughters of Elks, #344.

To see pictures of the event, please click 2009 New Vision Youth Prom. To also access the pictures from Rev. Mills, please click Prom Pictures--Rev. Mills

The prom was held Saturday June 13, 2009 in the Banquet Room at the Elks Lodge in Riverview.

The theme this year was "Aloha--Kids With Smiling Faces," and those faces were in abundance during the event, as the kids were treated to pizza, punch, Capri-Suns and plenty of excitement.





"The prom is a huge success this year," says New Vision Director Johnnie Mae Swaggerty, because of our partners, Brothers of the Clinch Mountain Lodge, the Daughters of Elks, friends of the community and the New Vision parents."

As all proms usually feature, the kids were all dressed up in their Sunday best, with the young ladies adorned in evening dresses, prom dresses, and party dresses. Their gentlemen escorts were decked out in tuxedo's and suits. Elegance and poise, from the child's point of view, was the order of the day.



"Today, they get the chance to act as grown-up as they want to, the young men pulling the chair out for their dates, going and getting a kid's drink for them, and showing them the respect that any prom demands," says Johnnie Mae. "The young ladies on the other hand, got the chance to see that these scruffy, bundles of energy they go to school with, can actually have manners and respect for them. They all also get the chance to have fun with their friends, and even make new ones."




A special highlight was the taking of pictures by the Reverend H. Roger Mills, professional-style pictures that the kids will always have as memories of the event. "A special thanks to Rev. Mills and Douglass Website photographer Calvin Sneed for giving the kids the feeling that they are special," says Johnnie Mae.

"This is really a safe and healthy environment that we're trying to do for the kids," she says. "It's something they can come out to, and enjoy, just like the adults would. It's a 'safe haven' envionment, thanks to Stan Treece and the Brothers of the Clinch Mountain Lodge 531.. every Saturday, I try and plan a little something for the kids, and they are always here for us. I really appreciate them."



Probably, the biggest highlight of the event was the naming of the New Vision Prom King and Queen. Patty Hoard served as the judge, observing the kids having fun, and being courteous to each other, and based her decision on the attitudes and manners of the children. The 2009 New Vision Youth Queen is Miss Kaylee Wells, a five-year-old kindergartner from Johnson City, and the 2009 New Vision Youth King is 11-year-old Charles Casey. Charles goes to Jefferson School in Kingsport.





The kids also got to kick up their heels to the music from deejay B.T. and the kids proved they are excellent dancers. Many of the adults lamented on the dance skills they used to have, now long gone, that the kids now seem to have in abundance. Many of their favorite tunes kept them busy, in between eating, resting and socializing.



"This kind of program is a unifying event for the Riverview Community," says Johnnie Mae. "It gives the young ones a chance to 'kick up their heels,' who can't go to the big proms their older brothers, sisters and relatives go to, yet they get to experience the pomp and circumstance the big kids get to do. The 5 and 6 year olds have been excited about this for weeks now, and parents tell me the older youth have had their fancy wear laid out for days."





"Was that really ME?.. that doesn't look like me. Years from now, they'll look back
at these pictures and remember the good time they had. They'll see the fun they had, and know that this is a wonderful community we live in. This shows them that they can be SOMEBODY, that they ARE somebody.. that they can be whomever and whatever they want to be. It starts with character and respect, and this Prom is one of the building blocks that gets that started."

Kingsport Residents Save More Than A Half-Million Dollars!

Many Riverview residents are among the total number of 2008 income tax filers, who saved more than a half-million dollars, by doing their taxes with the assistance of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, sponsored by the South Central Kingsport Weed and Seed program.

Weed and Seed coordinatator Mary Alexander says, $515,336 dollars was returned to tax filers at VITA's two processing centers, the Fresh Start Foundation on Lincoln/ML King and the Kingsport Public Library. Folks who qualified for the Earned Income Credit (EIC) accounted for $169,314 dollars.

The VITA program was provided through a grant from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Eastman Chemical Corporation, TriSummitt Bank and the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority. VITA is a free tax return service for low-income and elderly residents in Kingsport.

"We'll try to get another VITA grant for the 2009 tax filing season next year," says Mrs. Alexander. "The program has been extremely popular, and we are also looking for volunteers to help us next year. The volunteers will be trained by IRS staff members to get residents the best refund possible."

If you are interested, please contact Mary Alexander, South Central Weed and Seed Coordinator at (423) 392-2578 or Jack VandeVate, VITA Coordinator at (423) 245-3642.

9th Annual Shiloh Women's Fellowship Conference

9th Annual Shiloh Baptist Church
Women's Fellowship Conference
Kingsport, Tennessee
.

WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP CONFERENCE AT SHILOH


Friday, June 12, 2009: Registration - 5:15 PM
Worship Service - 6 PM

Saturday, June 13, 2009: Prayer Breakfast - 9 AM

Sunday, June 14, 2009: Praise & Worship - 10:45 AM
Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta
Choir Concert - 3:30 PM

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS: Reverend Mildred Thompson
Reverend Helen Styles

Music by Various Choirs

"Bring a friend and come join us as we gather together in Fellowship, Worship, Discipleship"

Elks Lodge #531 & Daughters #344: "Stepping Out In White"

It was a fancy evening, during which members of the Elks Lodge #531 and the Daughters of the Elks #344, "stepped out in white" to raise money for community projects and events.

To see more pictures of the event, please click Stepping Out in White


"Most of the things we do are fundraisers for our programs," says Stanford (Stan) Treece, Exalted Ruler of the Clinch Mountain Order of Elks #531. "This particular event we do for the Daughters of Elks #344. The Daughters always wear white, because their mission is pure, and the Brothers of Elks honor them by dressing in white, to show unity for their purpose."

"Just about every year, we try to have an event like this one, always working together. They are an auxillary of our lodge, and we always support them under the same umbrella," says Mr. Treece.



One thing that moves the theme of unity, is that the "Stepping Out in White" event also unites Elks Lodges from Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Oak Ridge with their Kingsport brothers. They arrived in style to the Kingsport function.

"For years, long before I joined, we'd do things separately," says new Elks member Phillip Trammel, Jr. "Even though we were brother organizations.. we did our thing and they did theirs. It feels good to see this many people coming out from Knoxville and Oak Ridge to celebrate something that we're having up here. It's a good time to be an Elk right now, with everybody trying to help each other. We always return the favor and travel to some of the brother Elks' functions, too to show our support to them, just like they do for us."


One thing most Elks Lodges are facing these days, is attrition.. not by member resignation or members just wearing out. Many of them are simply passing away, leaving the ranks of the Elks thinning out at an alarming rate.

"It's important to have the camraderie right now," says longtime Elks member Lonnie Cox. "We're losing our members right and left. We've got a membership campaign going right now, and this 'Stepping Out in White' event is a positive thing that shows new prospective member, how we keep the friendships going, the relationships we have with other lodges, and how we support the Daughters of Elks in their various community projects."

"We also brought in eight new brothers, which is good for the Clinh Mountain Lodge," says Mr. Treece. "At the convention in Knoxville, Kingsport was well represented. The emphasis right now for us is memberships, unity and fellowships."


"Stepping Out in White is just one of the events we are promoting," says Lonnie. "We helped sponsor the Easter Egg Hunt, the Martin Luther King event, and the New Vision Youth Prom. It's good for Riverview, too. They'll be building the new HOPE VI houses soon and fixing up the Dobbins Center. For a long time, blacks could only socialize here in the neighborhood, and then places opened up and folks started going away to socialize. We're trying to do things that will bring them back to the community."

"Some people thought we were gone as an organization," says Mr. Treece, "but we are still here on our mission. This night, we've got great camraderie from our brothers from Chattanooga, Oak Ridge, Knoxville. It's wonderful to get all these people together, with the idea of doing for the community."



"The Elks is one of the biggest civic organizations in the world, founded in 1898 by Benjamin Franklin Howard," he says. "Oprah Winfrey won one of our oratorical contests.. Thurgood Marshall won one of them, Martin Luther King Junior won one of our oratical contests. We're proud of the tradition of the Elks, and want to continue our service to our communities, especially this one in Riverview."

Two Riverview Residents Receive Commendations

Congradulations to two Riverview-South Central residents for their accomplishments and achievements..


Dr. Linda Calvert had the honor of having May 20th named "Linda Calvert Day" in Kingsport, to honor the contributions she has made, as Chairperson of the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board of Commissioners. Dr. Calvert has the distinction of serving two one-year terms as Board Chairperson. She has been on the Board since 2005, and was asked to serve another term while the K.H.R.A is implementing the HOPE VI Revitilization project at Sherwood-Hiwassee and in the Riverview Neighborhood. She is also the chairperson of the South Central Kingsport Weed & Seed Iniative, the neighborhood anti-drug program that started in 2004.



"I believe, as the Scripture says, 'to whom much is given, much is required," says Dr. Calvert. "We should all be servant-leaders in our communities, and our service should not be limited to the church, or just around people that we know. The improvements in our community that come from the HOPE VI grant, and the renovation work at the V.O. Dobbins Center are exciting times for all of South Central Kingsport."

"Dr. Calvert's dedication and loyalty carried the day in securing Weed and Seed and HOPE VI projects that are bringing new opportunities, quality housing under affordable terms, and real, long-term change to the community," says Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips.

"I appreciate the honor of Mayor Phillip's proclamation," says Dr. Calvert, wife of Rev. Kenneth Calvert, pastor at the Shiloh Baptist Church. "I was pleasantly surprised when told about the award, and I'm very proud of what the programs have accomplished in Kingsport."


Also honored by the City of Kingsport in a proclamation is Louetta Hall, who volunteers her time during income tax season, for the federal government's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The program helps low-income, elderly, disabled and folks with limited-English skills, receive the maximum refund amount they can get back from their income tax filings. For several years, Louetta has donated her time in this yearly project.



In the proclamation, Mayor Phillips notes that "Louetta's assistance, along with other volunteers, has helped countless people claim the Earned Income Tax Credit refund, resulting in thousands of dollars in tax credits and hundreds of thousands in federal refund checks." Louetta donates many hours helping tax files sift through their documents, then applying those papers to the IRS tax code, and putting many smiles on peoples' faces, as they wade through the tax system.

Shiloh Kids Carnival: No Charge for Awesomeness!

It was Kids' Day at the Shiloh Baptist Church's annual carnival. The festival is held every year on the grounds of the church on East Sevier Avenue in Kingsport.

To see more pictures from the Shiloh Kids' Carnival, please click Shiloh Carnival Pictures


"This is now an extension of our WOW (Worship on Wednesday) service," says Shiloh Pastor Kenneth Calvert. "It's an outreach ministry for the young folks in the community, and it's open to everybody, not just blacks and whites, but the Hispanics who are part of the community now, and the other ethnic groups that live in Kingsport."






The carnival featured several new "inflatables," those big air-filled balloons that kids can actually be on. "From the basketball hoops, to the big slide, to the familiar jumping castle, there was an activity for every child to enjoy," says Pastor Calvert. "There's gonna be some tired kids tonight."








There were the other usual items that kids enjoy at the carnival.. the bean toss, similar to horse shoes (that was there, too), the train that seemed to attract more adults than kids, because it created a breeze, face painting for both kids and adults, and of course Bingo.






"One thing we added this year," says Pastor Calvert, "we had women of the church who wanted to clean out their attics and closets, so we had a free yard sale. Everything from clothes, to toys, to household items were all free. We had a lot of people come out and get free items for the home, many things they might not be able to afford."







The event was topped off with a lunch of hot dogs, soft drinks and chips. The line went rather smoothly, with the food all prepared by women of the church. Many folks camped out on the grounds and had lunch with their children, in a picnic setting.




"The Kids Carnival is always a great family ministry," says Pastor Calvert, "especially in these tough times. We have a wonderful community, wonderful people in our neighborhood, and this carnival is an extension of what we want for the community."

Lu-wow!

PHOTOS COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

New Vision Youth community will be holding its prom this Saturday. Left, from left to right: Charles Casey, 11, Briesha Camp, 12, Tayla Smith, 11, and James Upchurch, 12, get into the spirit of the islands in preparation for the event. Below, from left to right: Camp, Casey, Smith and Upchurch show off some of the decorations that will be used to put the prom-goers in an appropriate luau frame of mind. Kids from 5 to 13 years of age are welcome at the prom, which is scheduled to get under way at 5 p.m.

Elks Lodge Pig Roast

Many Riverview residents happily "got on the pig" on Saturday, May 30th..

SEE MORE PICTURES BY CLICKING Elks Pig Roast


The Clinch Mountain Elks Lodge #531 united the community by hosting a pig roast at the lodge on Lincoln/Martin Luther King Drive in Kingsport, featuring Arnold the Pig.. well, maybe not Arnold THE Pig, but a roasted one reminiscent of the old, down-home pig roast festivals of times past.






"This pig roast is one of several fundraisers we have in the community," says Phillip Trammell, Jr., one of the 531's newest members. "We helped with the Easter Egg Hunt this year.. tonight, we're bringing our members to fellowship with our brothers from Chattanooga, Knoxville and Oak Ridge at the 'Stepping Out In White' Banquet (more on that coming up in a separate story), and next Saturday, we're hosting the Graduation Prom for the New Vision Youth and neighborhood teenagers."





There was a steady stream of traffic at the lodge all day.. folks coming by and getting a barbeque plate. Phillip and his father Phillip Senior of Rogersville, served up tender, pulled pork straight off the bones. Along with cole slaw and baked beans, you couldn't beat a dinner for 8 bucks, plus the money is really a donation to the various programs the local Elks Lodge do in the Riverview-South Central community.






And late word, brings good news! If you missed out on the Pig Roast, not to worry. The Elks did not sell out of barbeque (it WAS a pretty big pig, and what was left was frozen for near-future sales). You'll still get a chance to sample some great barbeque and help out our neighbors the Elks, in the near future, when the Pig Roast is continued.

Watch for the new barbeque schedule in an update right here in the NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS section of your Douglass Website!

Douglass Alumni Board Beats Back Challenge to Reporting/Webcasting

After sometimes heated discussion, the Douglass Alumni Board of Trustees has agreed to continue allowing the reporting of information from Board meetings, and the live webcasting of the meetings themselves. The affirmation during this past Saturday's board meeting, beats back a challenge to that authority that has been brewing over a month now, and has now laid that objection to rest.


Information from the Board meetings and live webcasting of those meetings will continue to the relief of many Douglass Alumni, who emailed Board President Doug Releford with their support to keep the information public, and the live webcasts televised. It took an amendment to the Association by-laws to maintain the free flow of information from the meetings.

"We fought off the challenge to keep the media and the website from reporting on our meetings and events," said Doug, "because it was time that the by-laws reflected what the Board and the alumni really thought about the issue. Our by-laws hadn't been changed since they were written, and this is a great addition to them, to allow the media to continue being present. This is a new day and time, and things are being done live via webcams to people watching on the internet.. more and more people have that access and capability now, and we need to adapt ourselves to that modern service."


"By putting this positive step in the by-laws in writing," Doug continued, "there will no longer be a question about the media and the website's access to what we do, can things be televised, can we or can't we have the media present? This makes our organization very open. It lets everybody know that the Douglass Alumni Association has nothing to hide, that we do things by the book just like everybody else.. anybody can come to our meetings and our events, and not just the news media. Anybody with an interest in who we are, and what we do, can come to the Alumni meetings and events. We are a non-profit organization and therefore, are open to the public."

Alumni Board President Releford continued "I think it is great that the Board members present, felt that our by-laws needed to be changed to have this addition put in, so that there would be no question about the media and the website being present. I applaud them for standing up for what they believe to be the right thing to do, and not to bow to pressure."


"I had a tremendous amount of Alumni members who emailed me, after reading the previous minutes about some people not wanting our meetings televised or reported. The alumni felt like these methods (live webcasts and website reports) were the only way they could actually be at the meetings by them being televised and reported on, and they definitely did not want it to stop. By being members of the Douglass Alumni Association, this was their way of attending the meetings, although they live out of the city or out of state, They were very disappointed to think that maybe we would discontinue having the meetings and events televised. Some members even questioned what we as a Board have to hide from them.. were we doing something illegal, why did we need the secrecy if the meetings were not televised.. I was just amazed to be sent so many emails from Douglass Alumni, questioning why some board members were apparently trying to hide something from them, and why we might be wanting to have our minutes hidden."

"If this action had failed," Doug said, "we would have probably been one of the only non-profit, if not THE single, only non-profit association in Tennessee that prohibited the news media from broadcasting or relaying information from our board meetings and events. As president of the Douglass Alumni Association, I would not have been a part of ANY organization that felt like they had to hide something from the public. I would have left my position as president had that happened, and was ready to step down immediately, had the Board vote gone the other way. I feel that every decision we made and every direction we take, is above board, and we have nothing to hide. We need to give alumni who don't live in our area, and even those who do, but cannot attend the meetings for whatever reason, the chance to see what is going on, and make them feel like they are, at the very least, a part of what we do as a Board."


Recalling the somewhat heated and often passionate discussion during Saturday's Board meeting, Doug said "every board member did finally realize that we really are not trying to hide anything, but the perception might be out there. Some Board members were apparently misinformed that if they had something that was private and needed to be discussed, the board can go into executive session for that discussion. They simply were not aware that conducting an executive session, certain information could be talked about, without mentioning it in public."

But he warned, "Board members do need to be aware though, that they cannot just rush in and say, 'I want to go into executive session' just because they want to talk about something in private. Any decision that is reached in executive session, that requires the Board to spend money, enact policy, schedule events, discuss non-profit activities, or involve the Alumni or the public at large, will eventually have to be talked about during the regular meeting which is open to the news media and the website for reporting. The executive session is NOT permission to take EVERYTHING private, and our board members will need to brush up on that. As president, I have sole discretion on what to take into executive session, or what should be discussed in public. That's the way the Roberts Rules of Order are written. Some of our board members will need to brush up on Roberts Rules of Order, because if there is no justifiable reason for the 'executive session,' I cannot grant it."