The Tiger Trophies Have Come Home!

The Tigers are now back in their lair.

The Douglass Tigers, that is.

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

BOBBY JOE JOHNSON, DOUGLASS TIGER, 1948

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

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

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


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

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

A DOUGLASS TROPHY, WITHIN THE DOBYNS-BENNETT TROPHY CASE

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

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





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




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




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






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

Vernell took that last one to heart.

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

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


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



THE FORMER CONSTANCE HALL, DOUGLASS TIGERETTE

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

After that, came a special presentation.


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



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



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



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




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




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

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

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

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

Created with flickr slideshow.

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

What a wonderful event.

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

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


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





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

Truly an historic moment.







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


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


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


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


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

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


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

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

Here is a slideshow of the outdoor ceremony

Created with flickr slideshow.

New life in these old halls

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS



V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex dedicated

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


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



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

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



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

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

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

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

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





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

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

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


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

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

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

Please help us get the word out.


Thanks,

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

Kingsport, TN 37660

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

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

Literally, as well as athletically and figuratively.

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

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

Or did they?

PICTURES COURTESY BILLY BOWEN, CENTER

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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



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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

Boone's Creek won the game 27 to 6.


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

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



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

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

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

To all members of Ebony Club Alumni Association:

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

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

Ebony Club Alumni Association Conference Call

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

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

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

Seabolt propels D-B to win against Boone

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

From staff reports


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

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

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


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

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

MICHAEL RELEFORD, SON OF MICHAEL & JOANN RELEFORD

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

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

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

Water Main Break

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

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

Douglass Alumni Working Board Meeting Minutes

September 11, 2010



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

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

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

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



Old Business:

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

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



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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Respectfully Submitted,

Thelma Watterson, Recording Secretary


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

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

Going Back in Time: Douglass Alumni Issue Appeal for Memorabilia

Display cases in the newly renovated V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex will feature items that recall the spirit and times of the old Douglass School and the Riverview community.

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By MATTHEW LANE
mlane@timesnews.net


KINGSPORT — The Douglass Alumni Association (DAA) wants people to go through their attics, basements and closets and look for memorabilia they may have from their days at Douglass High School or their time in the Riverview community — the goal being to collect items for possible display in the newly renovated and expanded V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE TO MAKE IT BIGGER

V.O. Dobbins is a city-owned community center located in the Riverview neighborhood. The building served as Kingsport’s “blacks only” school from 1951 to 1966 and was named Douglass High School.
Today, the complex is primarily home to the Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency — a social service agency that offers programs for low-income, elderly, homeless and disabled people in the region.
A multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion project at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex is winding down and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 24 at 4 p.m.
Calvin Sneed attended Douglass for six years before the school closed; he now lives in Chattanooga and oversees the DAA Web site (douglassalumni.blogspot.com). Sneed posted a message earlier this month asking members of the community to donate old neighborhood items for one of the three display cases at V.O. Dobbins.
Items sought include pictures of activities at Douglass, mementos such as band uniforms, football and basketball jerseys, and band instruments, sporting event programs or family and church items from the Riverview community. Sneed said the response so far has been good.
“A lot of people are looking into things, digging into closets, up in attics and family heirloom boxes,” Sneed said. “We’re looking for whatever conveys the mood and the sentiment of the community and the school. We want to share that with the rest of the community and not just Riverview.
“The idea is to take you back to the time and situation of the piece of memorabilia. If it’s a football, it may take you back to a certain game (that) was played or it may take you back to a time you may have forgotten about.”
Sneed said some of the items collected thus far include old annuals, grade cards, pictures, a doctor’s excuse and a chemistry report. The alumni association would love to have an old band uniform, football jersey or school pennant. To donate items contact Sneed at douglassriverview@ gmail.com.
The memorabilia will go in one of three trophy cases in the complex; the second will likely have rotating displays, while the third case — located in the new DAA room — will hold around 40 Douglass High School trophies from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The DAA now has a space in the newly renovated building — a meeting room area located between the old building and the non-profit wing.

PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE TO MAKE IT BIGGER

“We always wanted to have (the trophies) back. When I was growing up I noticed some of our trophies in the big case at Dobyns-Bennett. That’s where they were when they left Douglass. Nobody paid much attention to them until they turned up at D-B,” Sneed said.
The Douglass trophies were eventually removed from the display cases and stored in a back room in the D-B dome; during an inventory a few years ago, the trophies were rediscovered, Sneed said.
“They were in bad shape. They were dusty, some were broken and had missing parts. The bronze-colored basketball from one of the large championship trophies was missing. They had just been sitting there, out of commission for about 40 years,” Sneed said. “(Board of Education President) Wally Boyd arranged to have us take possession of them and obtained funds to have them repaired.”
The Sept. 24 ribbon-cutting ceremony will include a number of special guests and speakers, including ex-Douglass athletes, community residents and the children of Professor V.O. Dobbins Sr. — daughters Maxie and Melrose, and son Van O. Dobbins Jr. and their families. Kingsport also plans to unveil the Douglass Historical Marker from the Tennessee Historical Commission — the Model City’s 10th such marker.

Chris McCartt, assistant to the city manager, said the total V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex renovation and expansion project came in at $8.27 million — around $200,000 under the original cost. A $1 million Riverview community room, funded by the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority, is to be finished by October.
The original 46,000-square-foot facility received new paint, carpet and tile, windows, bathrooms and a renovated gym. Kingsport added around 50,000 square feet of space, including another gym, an education wing and three-story nonprofit wing.

Happy Grandparents Day in Kingsport!

New Vision Youth and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Community Services Division held the 3rd annual Grandparents Day Luncheon this past Saturday, September 11th.

The free event was held from noon to 2 p.m. at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium after the rains cleared out.

There were door prizes to the oldest and youngest grandparents and to the grandparents with the most grandchildren.

The menu will include homemade soups, salad, fruit cup, crackers, corn muffins and drinks, and those grandparents that came out, were escorted by the New Vision Youth to and from their tables.

PLease click here to see a slideshow of the Grandparents Day Celebration at the Civic Auditorium.

Tribe fights back, beats Bears 28-14

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By JOHN MOOREHOUSE
jmoorehouse@timesnews.net


SEVIERVILLE — From the very first play of the game, it became obvious Sevier County was not going to let Dobyns-Bennett star running back Chris Sensabaugh beat the Smoky Bears.
And so, other players like Sean Seabolt and Derrick Steele stepped up, and the Indians rallied to beat Sevier County 28-14 on Friday night to remain undefeated.
The outcome made Tribe coach Graham Clark look like a soothsayer. With his team trailing 14-7 heading into the half, Clark gave the Indians a message.
“I told them, ‘You guys, we’re going to win this thing 28-14,’ ” he said. “A couple of them asked me toward the end of the game if I’d give them the lottery numbers tomorrow.”
Luck isn’t quite as big a factor with some of the talented skill personnel D-B (4-0) possesses. Seabolt, the quarterback for D-B, ran for 97 yards and a touchdown, and threw for 91 yards and another score on a 53-yard bomb to Steele. That TD catch and Craig Diminick’s extra point tied the score again at 14.
“The TD catch was not an easy catch. It’s not one I would’ve made. Of course, I was a guard and there was a reason for that,” Clark said. “So, just a great comeback by our players against a good football team.”
“I thought we were going to end up throwing it more in the first half, but we came out in the second half and started opening it up with passing plays,” said Steele, who also hauled in a 29-yard grab on a halfback pass thrown by Seth Barger. “Once we got ahead, we kept running it down their throats.”
D-B trailed 7-0 after one quarter and 14-7 at the break — its first halftime deficit all season. But the Indians outscored Sevier County 21-0 after the break and held the Smoky Bears to 60 offensive yards in the final two quarters. The Bears made some things happen in the passing game in the first son sealed off that avenue for Sevier County by shifting from man coverage back to a zone.
Indeed, after Steele’s game-tying touchdown, the Indians did not attempt another pass. And Seabolt — not Sensabaugh — did most of the running.
“It wasn’t as easy as it looked because they were stacking down on Chris a lot and no one was on me,” the senior quarterback said. “They based their defense on stopping him. People were tackling him every play. I was just getting out in the open to see what I could get.”
“Seabolt needs to go to Vegas, man. He made play after play — gambling,” Clark added.
It also helped that the Indians’ interior offensive line — comprised of Michael Meece, Ty Hayworth and Brenton Leeper — was able to better block Sevier County’s defensive tackles in the second half.
Robb Cross led the Indians in total tackles with seven, also forcing a fumble.
Sensabaugh did make a 14-yard touchdown run late to finish with 46 yards on 20 carries.
D-B plays Daniel Boone, which defeated the Indians last year, next week.
“We’re looking forward to it. I’m sure that every living human being in Washington County will be there. And, you know, it’ll be quite an event,” Clark said. “They got us last year. We’ve got to get ready to play them.”

A message to all members of Ebony Club Alumni Association

Kingsport Ebony Club Members:

As many of you know, the next Ebony Club Reunion Weekend has been scheduled for Friday, July 1-3, 2011 in Kingsport, Tennessee. But in order for this event to be memorable, we need to develop an agenda that motivates a majority of us to return to Kingsport. We had a great time in 2009, as over 80 former Dobyns-Bennett Ebony Club members returned to Kingsport to get reacquainted with old friends, but I would like to see us take our game to the next level.

I have scheduled the first of many planning committee conference calls for Sunday, September 19th at 9:00 p.m. These conference calls are designed for those individuals serving on the 2011 Reunion Weekend Planning Committee (but we won't turn you away if you just want to listen in).

The call-in number for Sunday's call is:

(646) 716-5918

If you have questions, feel free to give me a call at (919) 604-4585 (cell).

Pretrial diversion denied for man in graffiti case

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By KACIE DINGUS BREEDING
kdingus@timesnews.net


KINGSPORT — A 19-year-old Kingsport man has been denied pretrial diversion on a vandalism charge alleging he spray painted graffiti that police have described as “racist, obscene and threatening to President Obama” on an I-26 overpass.
Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Gene Perrin announced his decision to deny pretrial diversion for Andy B. Frye, 1608 Seaver Road, on Friday afternoon in Blountville court.

Frye did not ask the judge to review Perrin’s decision, which would be the usual request to follow such a denial. Perrin said afterward that he did not know why Frye opted not to make the request.
Frye’s presentencing report was still under seal Friday afternoon, so it was not possible to determine what factors went into Perrin’s decision not to grant pretrial diversion.
Frye had asked for pretrial diversion in January following his arraignment on a charge of vandalism over $500 in Blountville court. Frye was indicted on the charge in September 2009.
According to a Kingsport Police Department news release issued after Frye’s arrest, the vandalism on the Meadowview Parkway I-26 overpass was reported on April 19. Some of the graffiti referred to Obama as “the modern Hitler,” while other beams on the underpass read “all blacks must die” and “KKK.”
Photos of the graffiti are posted on the Web site of the Douglass Alumni Association, a community group based in the Riverview section of Kingsport.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: To see the graffiti that was found spray-painted on the I-26 underpass at Meadowview a year ago, click here.

Detective Chris Tincher said Frye was developed as a suspect following a report on the vandalism that was aired by WCYB-TV. Anonymous tipsters then contacted Kingsport police and implicated Frye.
Tipsters said Frye had also posted racist and anti-Obama comments on the Internet, but authorities were unable to verify those claims, Tincher said.
After pretrial diversion was denied, Frye was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to his charge. He is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 16.

Douglass Alumni Board Meeting

The Executive and Working Boards of the Douglass Alumni Association will meet for their scheduled meeting on Saturday, September 11th, at 1 PM.

The meeting will be held in the Douglass Community Room in the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Center, 301 Louis Street in Riverview.

All board members and interested alumni are pleased asked to attend.

REMEMBER THE TIGERS

FROM VINCE STATEN'S COLUMN IN THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS, FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2010


The Douglass Alumni Association is in search of memorabilia from the old Douglass School and from the Riverview-South Central Kingsport neighborhood. The items will be put on permanent display in the case outside the Douglass Community Room at the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex when it has its official reopening in two weeks.
Calvin Sneed says that in particular the Association is looking for old pictures of activities at Douglass High School; mementos of the school; old band uniforms, football and basketball jerseys, football and basketball equipment and band instruments.
Calvin says the group wants items that “reflect the mood of the neighborhood, the pulse of the community, and of course, the Douglass Tiger school spirit!”
If you have any items, contact the Association at douglassriverview@gmail.com.

Douglass Class of '68's 2010 Reunion

The Douglass Class of 1968 held its annual Reunion on Saturday, September 4th, 2010 with their guests at the Golden Corral in Kingsport. It's becoming a tradition for this class, freshmen when Douglass closed as a school in 1966.

The freshmen went on to other schools, including Dobyns-Bennett, when Douglass integrated, but always consider themselves Douglass Tigers.

Along with a celebration cake, the Reunion gathering and guests featured stories and memories of going to Douglass School, and living in the Riverview neighborhood.

Below are pictures among the Class of 68's humble beginnings at the Douglass Elementary School in 1958 (Second Grade), and then, their freshmen class pictures from 1965.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE THEM BIGGER











Click here to see a slideshow of the Douglass Class of 1968's Reunion gathering on September 4, 2010.

Thank You, Carolyn

PHOTOS AND PICTURES COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

Sullivan County School Resource Officer Carolyn Gudger (left) hugs Sullivan Central High School Principal Melanie Riden prior to Central's game at Dobyns-Bennett on Friday after being honored on the field in front of the crowd at J. Fred Johnson Stadium. At left is Sheriff Wayne Anderson. The school honored Gudger and fellow Sullivan County Officers Lt. Steve Williams and Patrolman Sam Matney, below, for their swift, effective response to last Monday’s emergency, in which an armed man held Riden at gunpoint in the school until Gudger deflected him and he was shot and killed by the officers.

Sensabaugh, Indians race by Cougars

Senior Sensabaugh Scores 4 T-D's in Limited Action For Dobyns-Bennett

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By JACK GOODSON
jgoodson@timesnews.net


KINGSPORT — An elixir was needed a season ago at this stage. Dobyns-Bennett found it in a decisive win over Sullivan Central.
A similar result on Friday represented more of what the Tribe faithful have grown accustomed to. These Indians have their eyes set on football’s postseason.


Erica Yoon — eyoon@timesnews.net
Sullivan Central’s Mitchell Carter (50) takes down Dobyns-Bennett’s Austin Straley (15) during Friday night’s game at J. Fred Johnson Stadium in Kingsport.



Chris Sensabaugh scored four touchdowns, including a bulldozing 63-yard jaunt on the opening play of the second half, and D-B remained perfect in 2010 with an impressive 61-7 victory against the Cougars.
“Trust me, this is much better than being 1-2,” said Indians coach Graham Clark, referring to last season’s start through three games. “The comparison is like comparing me singing country music to George Jones singing country music. “It’s a little bit different.” The Tribe (3-0, 1-0 Big 8 Conference) stuttered on its opening drive of the night — a missed field goal — but was razor sharp in the efficiency department thereafter. The Indians owned a 34-0 lead at halftime. They added 21 points in the fourth period playing mostly reserves. D-B finished with 417 yards of total offense, 323 of those coming on the ground. Sensabaugh amassed 103 yards on just nine carries. The senior back shunned four or more tackles on his signature run of the night before breaking upfield untouched to end his — and the rest of the first-team offense’s — participation early. “A couple of teammates were mad at me because we didn’t stay on the field longer,” Sensabaugh joked. “I asked them if they would rather be sitting out letting the young kids get some reps or on the field struggling. “They said they would rather let the young kids get some time, so ...” Visiting Central (0-3,0-1), meanwhile, pieced together an impressive opening 12 or so minutes, but could not maintain that level. It has been a difficult week for the Blountville school. A gunman was killed at Central on Monday morning after a lengthy standoff with school officials and police. Many of those involved in subduing the man were honored prior to Friday’s game. All received standing ovations. Clark was among those on his feet. He also expressed plenty of sympathy following the game. “It’s been a tough week for Sullivan Central,” Clark said. “A very tough week. We feel for them. “They did a great job getting us stopped early, but you have to think they were emotionally and physically spent. They’ve got to be proud of their young men — just like we are proud of ours.” The Cougars managed just 134 yards for the game, a meager 47 in the first half. Senior quarterback Taylor Winchell was not his usual self, completing 9 of 27 passes for 69 yards. He threw three interceptions — the last of which was returned for a touchdown by Sam Taylor early in the fourth. “It has been a tough week,” Central coach Jeff Fox said. “It’s been very stressful on the kids. “We’re still taking steps (as a football team). All we can do is go back to work next week.”

We Need Your Douglass. Riverview and South Central Kingsport Artifacts and Mementos

We are looking for your old neighborhood items to put on permanent display in the large display case in the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex.

If you've got:

An old picture of activities at Douglass High School;
Mementos of the school;
Band uniforms
Football and basketball jerseys
Football and basketball equipment and gear;
Band instruments;
Old sculptures that you may have made in a school class;
An old program from a Douglass event;
Or any other physical item from the Riverview neighborhood, including family items, church items and home items.

Please contact me ASAP. We want to have several items that you wouldn't mind donating for the permanent display. It's important to have several items to choose from, that reflect the mood of the neighborhood, the pulse of the community, and of course, the Douglass Tiger school spirit!

Let us know what you have, and please be generous. Also, do not be offended if something you want to contribute may not be the right kind of item. Remember, it needs to be something that appeals to the school and the neighborhood atmosphere. Dig into your attics and closets and let's create a display that will ring nostalgic, and remind us of our school and neighborhood togetherness.

Please contact us as soon as possible with your item (s) at:

douglassriverview@gmail.com


Thank you!

Grandparents Day Luncheon planned

• KINGSPORT — New Vision Youth and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Community Services Division will hold the third annual Grandparents Day Luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 11. This free event will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium. There will be door prizes to the oldest and youngest grandparents and to the grandparents with the most grandchildren. The menu will include homemade soups, salad, fruit cup, crackers, corn muffins and drinks. For more information contact Swagerty at 429-7553 or the Civic Auditorium at 229-9457.

Home Reunion Planned for Next Year, As Well as a Reunion Cruise

Douglass alumni will have lots to do next year, traditionally a reunion year for the former Douglass High School in Kingsport.

They will have a Reunion cruise to the Caribbean, as well as a traditional Home Reunion in the Riverview community, with the Douglass Community Room as the center of activity.

At the regularly scheduled meeting of the Douglass Board of Directors on Saturday, September 11th, it's planned for a representative of the travel agency working on the cruise to be present, to answer questions of those alumni about the cruise. The meeting will be at 1 PM in the Douglass Community Room of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex, and interested folks are asked to attend.

Meanwhile, the Douglass Alumni Event/Planning Committee, established by the Douglass Alumni Board of Directors in August of last year, held a meeting this past Saturday, to discuss plans for the Home Reunion, and the minutes of that meeting are published below:



Douglass High School

Event/Planning Committee Meeting

2:30 p.m.

1065 North Union Grove Rd.

Friendsville, TN

August 28, 2010



Attendees: Frank Horton, Virginia Hankins, Joy Hankins, James “Moose” Henry, Donald Hickman, Calvin Sneed, Roberta Lanauze, Dee Dee Horton

The meeting was called to order by Frank Horton. An inspirational reading was offered by Horton.

Horton reviewed the purpose of the committee as outlined in the bylaws. Horton also enlightened us on the names and purposes of the other standing committees.

According to the bylaws, the Event/Planning Committee’s main purposes are to 1) select a banquet site, and 2) select the menu/catering service for the reunion. A group discussion of our role ensued.

Hickman moved (and it was seconded) that we support the planned cruise, along with a reunion in 2011. The motion was passed.

(From here forward, all suggestions from the committee were made in the form of a motion and passed by a majority.)

The committee recommends that the date for the Douglass Reunion in 2011 be
July 1,2, and 3, 2011.

The committee asked James “Moose” Henry to join this committee. Henry has a unique association with the V.O. Dobbins center and can be a valuable asset to this committee. Henry accepted.

It was also recommended that we secure the Douglass Community room for the reunion activities. This move will potentially save the alumni association a lot of money, thus allowing us to give more money for scholarships. There was a discussion of various activities. It was suggested that we have a reunion CD for sale (after the reunion) to include pictures of the 2011 activities. Because of the income generated at the last reunion, it was recommended that we have another reunion booklet.

Henry was asked to secure the room for the suggested reunion dates as soon as it becomes possible to do so. He was also asked to see if alcohol can be consumed in the building.

Themes were suggested for the reunion: 1) Rebirth of Riverview.2) Revival of Riverview.

We recommend that the Saturday field day activities be continued; and involve the community; however, raise the price of the vendor rental to $35- $50. Calvin Sneed will ask Jeannie Hodge about the liability we would incur if we secured the children’s’ inflatable jump toys.

Henry suggested that we have a place set up (at Field Day) for people to buy ads for the next reunion.

Suggested activities: 1) Friday night sock hop;
2) Friday night (Welcoming Reception) – registration, meet and greet – light hors d’oeuvres,
3) Saturday night reception (Reunion Reception) with heavy hors d’oeuvres
4) Fashion show (vintage clothing) – i.e.: “What the Teachers Wore”
5) We are still thinking of other forms of entertainment for the Saturday night reception.

We will still have a “price” for the reunion; however, Saturday night can be “a la carte: for those that want to only attend that affair.

It was suggested that, instead of hiring a DJ for Friday night, we download music to an Ipod/speakers, thus saving money.

It was suggested that we get sponsors for the Saturday night affair. It was also noted that we need to contact sponsors by November 1, 2010.

Frank Horton and Donald Hickman volunteered to chair the golf outing on Saturday morning.

It was suggested that after the board meets to consider the enclosed outline of the reunion activities, we send out some “save the date” cards or create any needed poll on the website.

It was also suggested that the board appoint a marketing/fundraising committee. Some suggested members were Calvin Sneed, Dee Dee Horton, Jeannie Hodge (anyone who wants to volunteer, especially if they have expertise in this area).

Sneed gave us a synopsis of the planned activities for the August 24th ribbon-cutting ceremony at Douglass. The committee thought that what has already been planned was sufficient.

The next meeting of the Events committee will be October 2, 2010 (in Knoxville) at 2 p.m. We will discuss food and entertainment for Friday and Saturday nights.

Lunch was served by Dee Dee Horton and the meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.


Minutes submitted by:

Bert Webb Lanauze