Douglass Alumni Gifts to Lincoln School: More Than Just Pencils And Paper

"You'd never know to look at school kids, what their real needs are."

That was the message from Sons and Daughters of Alumni president Douglas Releford, as the alumni group presented gifts to the school children of Lincoln Elementary School in Kingsport.  The gifts were in the form of items purchased with a community block grant awarded from the city to the alumni association.

"Since we're a non-profit association," Releford says, "when the city received a community block grant, we applied for part of that and was awarded $2,500.  We decided to use that to give back to children in the community by providing school supplies like pencils, paper, crayons and things like that."

It wasn't until the school provided a list of items the children needed, that Releford was taken aback.

"I was surprised by what was on the list," he remembers.  "It included things like underwear, socks, sweat shirts and pants, gloves and coats.  Most of the time, you think kids need paper, pencils, markers, posters, notebooks, erasers, rulers, things like that.  Those were on the list, too.  But then, items needed that were for comfort, actually touched the heart.  Some of these kids come to school without the basic necessary items to make them comfortable.  Feeling good in your classroom is part of the learning process.  If the child is uncomfortable, has cold hands and feet during cold weather, or on the other hand, wears clothes that generate too much heat when it's warm, they're not comfortable.  It's difficult for families on a fixed income to provide absolutely everything for their child's comfort."

"We just knew we had to do something to help these children."

For 2015, Congress has allocated $2.8 billion dollars to go for community development block grants around the country.  Although that is a reduction of $230 million dollars from last year, Kingsport received $317,466 dollars to be distributed through block grants.

The Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association applied for and received $2,500 of that money.

"The way community block grants work is, the group that gets one targets a need in their community," Releford says.  "The group then makes the purchases for beneficial goods or services, disburses that in the community, then is reimbursed for what they have spent, through the block grant.  This was the first time the alumni association has ever received part of a grant, so we wanted to target a specific need."

"There's no doubt that we made a good choice."

Together with alumni board members Andra Watterson and Judy Phillips, necessary clothing items were purchased at both of Kingsport's Walmart stores.

"Everything we needed was there," Watterson says.  "We bought book bags, underclothes, shirts, socks, pants, tops, and sweat shirts, along with traditional school supplies.  We even bought deodorants and hand sanitizers for the kids.  The idea was to buy items that they could use at school as well as home.  We purchased a set number of each product to make sure that we didn't miss a needed item."

Releford and his committee worked with the Lincoln principal Mrs. Shelia Newland, the school maintenance employee, and a state social worker, to identify the school children felt to be in the most need and get the necessary items in their hands.

More than 50 children benefited from the items purchased by the Sons and Daughters Alumni Association, at a cost of more than 770 dollars.

"I feel that the school kids may not have gotten this kind of assistance if we hadn't applied for and received the block grant to help them out," Releford says.  "The school was just so grateful."

Why did the alumni association pick Lincoln Elementary?

"At one time, all of the minority children in Kingsport went to Lincoln," Releford says, "having gone to Washington Elementary at first.  When that school moved, Lincoln began receiving the minority and low-income children and today, that is still the case.  We just felt that those kids would need more assistance than other kids in the city.  That's not to say that the other schools don't need the help, too, but with more of the minority and lower-income children going to Lincoln, we felt like those kids could use our help more than some of the other schools could."

This won't be the last time Lincoln gets the help.  Releford says the alumni association will use the rest of its portion of the block grant elsewhere for the kids.  "This experience has taught us that, no matter what you see on the surface, some kids need more than just pencils and paper for reading, writing and arithmetic," he says.  "They also need comfortable clothes, personal hygiene items, even little energy snacks."

"All of that helps make the learning experience in elementary school a positive one."

And the help won't stop there.

"When the city receives another community block grant, we will definitely apply for a portion of it," says Releford.  "We'll be looking for other programs that need funding in our community, and once we find it, identify it, and research them, we will use the block grant to help them along, too."

Say No... To Tobacco!

CLICK ON THE POSTER TO MAKE IT LARGER

 

 

 

Coach Robert C. Deering: A Tribute from One of his Douglass Players

THIS TRIBUTE IS WRITTEN BY DON HICKMAN, DOUGLASS ALUMNUS '66 & FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN GRADUATE OF DOBYNS-BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL '67.  HICKMAN PLAYED BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL FOR THE DOUGLASS TIGERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN THE EARLY 60'S

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE THEM LARGER

Mr. Robert C. Deering was a terrific classroom teacher and an extraordinary basketball and football coach at Douglass.  Interestingly, the athletes never called him "Coach Deering."  I suppose it was out of respect for the things he did for us off the field.  I always marveled at how he stood before our biology class and rattled off information.  He never looked down at his notes or at the textbook.  And, when someone came up with a wild guess in response to one of his probing questions, he'd always come up with a philosophical statement.  No doubt, my former classmates will remember his remark to the late Jim Nash---"it's better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt."

A good portion of Mr. Deering's half-time speech to our team, can't be printed today.  His sizzling rhetoric fired us up (or scared us) into playing harder.  It always made us a good second half team.  I must say something about his trusted friend, sidekick and assistant Wilbur Hendricks.  'Fess' is what we called Mr. Hendricks behind his back because that's what Mr. Deering always called him.  'Fess' ' favorite line is one that I used a few times with the teams I coached at Oak Ridge High School:  "Sometimes you just can't make chicken salad out of chicken s#!*."  As an adult, I look back and realize that both Mr. Deering and Fess had coaching philosophies that were right for the times.  They didn't try to be someone that they were not.  Their lessons were simple.  "Be on time, accept responsibility for your actions, give your best effort, and be good citizens in the community."

I look at some of the old photographs and marvel at how young most of us were in the early and mid 60's.  As a member of the Douglass Tiger footballt team, I'll never forget two events at J. Fred Johnson Stadium ('J. Fred' as we called it).  Mr. Deering stood there by the dressing room door in the bowels of J. Fred Johnson Stadium... he was wearing those brown wing-tip brogue shoes, nervously clicking his heels together as he always did, and his dress pants leg rolled up just above his ankles.  That was his coaching attire.  (Many will recall that we played our games on either Thursday night or Saturday night.  DB had dibs on the stadium on Friday night.  Frequently, when we played on Saturday night, the stadium was overruning with fans, many of them white citizens.)

That night, frustrated by the play of one of my teammates, Mr. Deering threw his cup of hot coffee against a wall on the other side of the room.  Thirty or more players were in that room trying to regroup.  "Bug" Horton said it first, but anyone who was there that night, will confirm his statement.  Every one of us got wet when that small eight-ounce cup of coffee splashed against the wall!  Then, on a different night, it was my time to be chewed out for throwing a TD pass to James McMiller in the Bluefield game.  We scored, but I didn't run the play that Mr. Deering called from the sideline.  It made him even angrier when I admitted that 'Pookie' McMIller actually called the play in the huddle, demanded that I throw the ball to him, and I didn't have the guts to challenge him.  I learned what "controlling the huddle" meant that night

Some things stay with you forever.

How can I overlook the night against Elizabethton, when 'Pookie' caught a pass and outran the entire Elizabethton secondary.  At the 50-yard line, he made an abrupt left turn toward the sidelines and stepped out of bounds and handed the football to Mr. Deering.  He admitted afterwards--and Mr. Deering concurred--that Mr. Deering wanted to let some of the younger fellows play if we got the ball to midfield.  'Pookie' was merely following instructions.  The younger players played and scored.  That story can be found in a Times-News article if you don't believe my account.

 Mr. Deering always required us to run laps around the Douglass practice field before football practice, to loosen up each day.  I hated that and the 'duck walk' and the 'crab walk' too.  I never complained to him.... no one did.  No drinking water during practice either.  Boy, how things have changed.  Mr. Deering really liked my brother Jim.  I suppose he'd be called a 'team manager' today.  Mr. Deering allowed Jim to sneak water out on the practice field and gave it to players.


How can I forget that first year players had to demonstrate their toughness and desire to play football, by lining up in front of guys like Doug Releford, Ruben Adams, Clifford Lewis and Harry Truelove.  Doug is a really nice guy.. always has been.  But, boy how his demeanor changed in a football uniform!  I suppose that's one reason why he was always a leader of our team.  Poor Butch Hendricks was salivated during one of these drills.  But he never quit... I always admired him for that.

We often scrimmaged against the 'old Douglass vets' who would come by practice from time to time.  I hated playing against those ole timers.  They didn't have to prove anything to us.  We already admired most of them.  All that stopped in about 1964, when Varley Hickman hit one of the old timers and broke the guy's leg (even Skip's dad, Mr. Simp Brown would be out there giving advice.  Thank goodness he was too old to line up against us.  Many of the ole timers told us that Simp Brown may have been one of the best to ever wear a Douglass uniform.  No doubt he passed that on to Skip.)

DON HICKMAN'S TEAM BASKETBALL PICTURE, 1964

Mr. Deering allowed me to play quarterback for almost two years.  It was a humbling experience.  One I did not seek.  He made sure that I knew he selected me, not because of my ability.  He jokingly told me I was the only one scared enough to do what I was told and I could remember the plays he called.  I believe I can still tell you how to run a T-3, T-4 pass... and a T-7, T-8, H & E pass.... and an F-2-at-8 from the Douglass playbook.

And who can forget the memorable night  Mr. Deering ordered us out of the Langston High School locker room at halftime of the basketball game.  Some of the schools in the Tri-State Conference in which we played, invented the word 'home cooking."  I still remember the score at halftime that night---54 to 17.  The father of one of the Langston players was calling the game (that's the truth!)  At halftime, Douglass had 5 or 6 basketball players left on our team who had not fouled out.  We were sitting on the bus (the 'yellow hound') when the buzzer sounded for the start of the second half. Someone shouted from the front door "they're not in the dressing room, they are on the bus!"  I was genuinely afraid for my safety that night.  Some of the rowdy Langston fans came outside and started rocking the school bus we were on.  Thank goodness, we got out of there.

I guess you've figured out from my early comments... Mr. Deering hated losing!  He tried to instill that in us, too.  I'll admit that he did other things while he was our coach---but coaches are supposed to be legendary, aren't they?

As the years have passed, I realize he really impacted my life and the lives of many of my teammates and friends in a positive way.  He taught us how to compete.  He taught us how to respect the game. He made us tougher men.  He made us better people---more caring  and more respectful of others. Mr. Deering and 'Fess' were rough on all of us, but they were firm and fair.  Mr. Deering didn't have kids, so I guess that's why he treated us like we were all his children.  My teammates and friends loved and respected him and Fess.


I hope someone in the community is doing that same thing for this generation of young people in Kingsport.



                                                        ---DON HICKMAN

Brickyard Park Opening Postponed: Clay Hill Ballfields Weather Setback

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
PICTURES BY CALVIN

By Matthew Lane
mlane@timesnews.net


KINGSPORT — February was not kind to Brickyard Park and March hasn’t been much better.
As a result of two weeks of snow last month and days of rain this month, the Eastman Invitational tournament scheduled for the first weekend in April at Brickyard Park will have to be moved to other facilities.

Chris McCartt, assistant city manager for administration, said this was the message that came out of a recent meeting between city officials and Denark Construction, the Knoxville-based company that is building Brickyard Park.

SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW BLANKETED THE BALLFIELDS AT CLAY HILL IN BRICKYARD PARK SEVERAL WEEKS AGO

“A meeting took place last week and the consensus was, while they’re working as hard as they possibly can, the weather has left the fields extremely wet,” McCartt said. “We were hoping to be able to meet our goal of having the fields up and ready by the first of April. At this point, that apparently is not going to be realistic.”

Denark Construction has been working at a steady clip since last April to build Kingsport’s new ball field complex, Brickyard Park. The fields are located on a portion of the old General Shale property along Industry Drive and are a replacement for the now gone Eastman ball fields on Wilcox Drive.

Brickyard Park will have four ball fields in a wagon-wheel design, with a centrally located two-story building for scoring, concessions and restrooms, along with 245 parking spaces. Grading has been done for a future fifth field and the property has room for an additional 78 parking spaces if necessary.

Two of the fields will be 325 feet, one championship field will be 350 feet with terrace seating, while the fourth field comes in at 300 feet.

Other than some minor work done to the scoring tower, no earthmoving equipment was on site and in operation since Feb. 16, the day of the first major snowfall.

WILLIE HODGES, RIGHT, AND JACK PIERCE LOOK OVER THE BALLFIELDS THAT WILL BE NEXT DOOR TO THEM IN RIVERVIEW

“February was about a complete loss,” McCartt said. “We knew going into the month of February, if it was a carbon copy of January, we would not meet the objective we set for ourselves.”

Though the weather has not been kind, McCartt said Denark is staying within budget. The cost of the project (including site work and construction) is approximately $6.9 million.

In January, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen received an optimistic update on the project, how construction was moving at a strong and steady pace, and that city officials were holding out hope of meeting the April deadline.

Of course, the construction schedule from the start has been contingent upon the weather, especially given how much of it was to be done during the winter months.

 The fields have been graded and three are ready for sod, the poles around the fields have been installed and the two-story building is up. Kingsport needs about 30 days of good weather to allow the sod to take root and knit together.

Once the weather improves, the first thing Denark will do is the sod work, then the concrete work around the scoring tower and then pave the entrance road and parking lot.

In the meantime, the Eastman Invitational will have to be shuffled to other fields within town, mainly to nearby Domtar Park.

“We met with the tournament organizer and we’re working on some other options. Some games will be played at Domtar Park and we’re looking to move other games elsewhere,” McCartt said.

The Eastman Invitational is a girl’s high-school-aged softball tournament and is now in its 19th year. Brian Tate, an assistant principal at Dobyns-Bennett High School and organizer of the tournament, said he expects 40 teams to compete in this year’s event.

McCartt said the fields at Brickyard Park would likely be ready for a second tournament scheduled at the facility in late April.

Happy 87th Birthday "Mama Jill Ellis!

Happy birthday, Virgealia Ellis!

Of course, she's known to her family, which includes her sons and daughters and also hundreds of students, friends, neighbors and Riverview and Kingsport residents as "Mama Jill."

One of the matriachs of Riverview was celebrated at her 87th birthday party on February 28th.

But is it her 87th?

Mama Jill is a Leap Baby, having been born on February 29, 1928.

Since leap years only come every 4 years, that would make Mama Jill 21 years old this year.

Right now, there are about 4 million people in the world who were all born on Leap Day, and the chances of having a Leap Day birthday are 1 in 1,461.  Leap Day babies are considered to have special talents and abilities because of of their status.  And we all know, Mama Jill is one special lady!

Happy birthday, Mama Jill...... you don't look a day over 21!

BELOW IS A SLIDE SHOW AND VIDEOS OF MAMA JILL'S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE BETHEL A.M.E. ZION CHURCH, KINGSPORT, HELD ON FEBRUARY 28, 2015:





MAMA JILL ARRIVES FOR HER BIRTHDAY PARTY...CLICK ON THE ARROW TO PLAY:




A SPECIAL HAPPY BIRTHDAY SERENADE FROM 93 YEAR OLD JAMES B. HICKS, FATHER OF FLOSSIE MAXWELL AND RICHARD HICKS....CLICK ON THE ARROW TO PLAY:



A SPECIAL "THANK YOU" FROM MAMA JILL TO THE BIRTHDAY PARTY GOERS....CLICK ON THE ARROW TO PLAY:

New Vision Youth Visits Jonesborough: An African-American Adventure

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE 
THEM LARGER


We never knew this was here."

That was the universal reaction, as the New Vision Youth of Kingsport visited Tennessee's oldest town for Black History Month.

"Most of the kids did not know that Jonesborough was the oldest town in the state," says New Vision Director Johnnie Mae Swagerty.  "We had so much fun learning about Rogersville and the Price Public-Swift Museum and they saw the date Rogersville was founded and just thought Rogersville was the oldest.  It's wonderful that they can learn about both towns."


In Jonesborough, the group visited the jewel of Tennessee's oldest town.  The McKinney Center was renovated from the former Booker T. Washington Elementary School.

From Jonesborough's webpage:

"The McKinney Center is located in the historic Booker T. Washington School, at 103 Franklin Avenue.  The school was originally completed in 1939 as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program and opened its doors in 1940 for the purpose of instructing African-American children in grades first through eight.  The school operated until integration in 1965 and then sat dormant until 2010, when the Town of Jonesborough decided to restore the building."

From the Jonesborough, TN website:

"The building was renamed in honor of the McKinney Family, whose members have made great contributions to the town of Jonesborough.  Ernest L. McKinney served as principal of the Booker T. Washington School, and also served as the first African-American alderman in Jonesborough, voted into office on April 4, 1968.  McKinney's son Kevin McKinney, served as the first African-American Mayor in Jonesborough from April 1988 to April 1996."

"There was a play here about 5 years ago," says McKinney Center program director Pam Daniels.  "It was called 'I Am Home" that was the catalyst that raised community awareness of the building.  It was a wonderful play, with members of the community coming in and telling their own stores.  The town has been instrumental in its renovation and the building became occupied again in January 2014."

The New Vision Youth members toured the historic building, and were awed by little things, such as the two classrooms that Booker T. Washington students studied in, from grades one through eight.

"When the kids found out that all those grades were crowded into those two classrooms, they were astonished," says Swagerty.  "In an instant, they learned that what you have to get educated, is a lot different than what you don't have.  The quality of an education isn't so much about the big things in a school, but it's more about the smaller things.  You can get just as good an education in a two-room school as one that has 20."

"The kids that went to Booker T. Washington took something small and made their education big."

The New Vision Youth questions about detail, caught the attention of their host, who was quite impressed with the kids' discipline and stewardship.

"It was wonderful to have them here and for them to be so attentive," Daniels says.  "They really seemed to want to hear what I had to say about the school.  They wanted to participate.. they asked questions even as we walked through the classrooms."

"They wanted to learn about this place and wanted to understand what was the Booker T. Washington School."

"For that reason," she says..... "I feel like I was the blessed one today."

"I thought I was coming in today just to have a tour," she went on.  "But again, I'm the blessed one. "

"What a wonderful group of children."

Again, from the Jonesborough website:

"Today, the McKinney Center serves as a preserver of its historic building, and is committed to documenting and interpreting the history and stories from the Booker T. Washington School.  The McKinney Center is a devoted community space intended to welcome, and engage, and gring together, all members of its community.  The McKinney Center accomplishes these goals through Jonesborough's Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts.  The arts program is designed to sinpire area residents through appreciation for an participation in, the various forms of art and expression."

For more information about the McKinney Center and reserving its classrooms and banquet room for anniversaries, parties, reunions, corporate and award dinners, meetings, and other events, call the Special Programs Coordinator at 423-753-5097.

BELOW IS A SLIDE SHOW OF THE NEW VISION YOUTH VISIT TO THE MCKINNEY CENTER:

Snow This Week in Kingsport

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO MAKE THEM LARGER

THESE PICTURES OF DALE STREET FROM JOHNNIE MAE SWAGERTY

THESE PICTURES PLAYING IN THE SNOW FROM JAQUETTA HALE

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                     THANKS, Y'ALL!     EVERYBODY, PLEASE SEND YOUR PICTURES TO DOUGLASSRIVERVIEW@GMAIL.COM       SPRING:  THREE WEEKS AWAY!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Cold and Snowy

THE HOLSTON RIVER, NORTH FORK AT ROTHERWOOD HEIGHTS... THE WEST STONE DRIVE U.S. 11W BRIDGE IS IN THE BACKGROUND -- PHOTO COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS


Click on the picture to make it larger

Board Meeting Postponed

The meeting of the Sons and Daughters of Douglass scheduled for February 21, 2015 has been canceled because of impending weather.

We will reschedule it for a later date.


President Douglas Releford

Special Honor for Swift High School & College

The former Swift High School and College, Rogersville, TN is being honored in a special way.

Please click here to read about the honor for our neighbors and friends in Rogersville!

http://swiftmemorialcollege.blogspot.com/

Congratulations, Monica!

FROM MONICA LEWIS PATRICK, DETROIT:

Just a note to my Kingsport family that I, along with 4 of my community activist sisters, received the 2015 Undumg Heroes Award from the National Lawyers Guild of Detroit and Michigan.

 I definitely uplifted my family and my Kingsport roots! More information will be available on our organizational webste: www.wethepeopleofdetroit.com

The Delaney's are Golden!

   George H. and Phyllis (Brice) Delaney celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Feb. 6, 2105.

   The couple was married Feb. 6, 1965, in Kingsport by the late Rev. James Gaines.

   George retired from Holliston Mills after 39 years of service. Phyllis retired from the Hawkins County School System.

   The union was blessed with four children: Gregory Delaney, Tonya (Delaney) Collins, Naiesha (Delaney) Robinson; and sister Felicia (Brice) Powell.

   They have five precious grandchildren: Devin Collins, Christian Collins, Scotty Delaney, Jordan Powell and Jaxon Robinson.

   A second honeymoon trip to California is being planned by their children and grandchildren.

Foreman, Morrisette nab top Big 7 honors

 • Dobyns-Bennett’s Makale Foreman was named the Big 7 Conference boys basketball player of the year while D-B’s Sasha Morrisette earned co-player of the year honors on the girls’ squad. 

Both teams were released Saturday. 

Josh Holt joined Foreman on the boys’ first team while D-B coach Charlie Morgan was named the Big 7 coach of the year. Patrick Good of David Crockett joined Holt and Foreman on the first team, as did Science Hill’s Peyton Wingate and Tennessee High’s Garrett Crandell.

Morrisette shared player of the year honors with Science Hill’s Lakeisha Gregory. Both players made the first team along with Savannah Felgemacher of Volunteer, Taylor Carmichel of Daniel Boone and Kelsey Stoops of Tennessee High. Volunteer’s Josie Salyers was named the underclassman of the year. 

Black History Month Soul Food Dinner

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015

The annual Soul Food Gathering will be held at 5 PM in the Riverview Community Room of the V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex on Wheatley Street in Kingsport.

The event is sponsored by the New Vision Youth, in partnership with South Central Kingsport Community Development, Riverview Residents Association, the Riverview Boys and Girls Club and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department.

The menu includes fried chicken, meatloaf, chitlins, fried fish, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, crackling corn bread, corn, fried potatoes, roast, greens, oxtails, pigs feet, baked beans, cole slaw, chicken and dumplings, drinks and homemade desserts. Healthier options include salads, baked chicken, baked fish, rice, and trays of vegetables and fruit.

The meal is free, and there will also be door prizes. Food will be served until it’s all gone. There will be no carry outs.

Black History Month Field Trip

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015, It's "Get On The Bus."

New Vision Youth, in partnership with South Central Kingsport Community Development, Riverview Residents Association, and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department  are sponsoring a "Get on the Bus" Black History field trip to the historic McKinney Center in Jonesborough. 

The bus will leave from the V.O. Dobbins Center parking lot at 10:30 AM and will return by 3:30 PM.

Youth needing permission slips should go by the V.O. Dobbins Center and pick one up.  Participants are asked to bring money for lunch at the Olde Towne Dairy Mart. 

Black History Month Gospel Program

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2015, the New Vision Youth, in partnership with South Central Kingsport Community Development, the Riverview Residents Association, Lamplight Theatre and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, are sponsoring a gospel singing and drama community Black History program at Lamplight Theatre, 140 Broad St., Kingsport. 

Entertainment will be provided by Revelation Men's Gospel Choir, Annointed Grace, Full Gospel Mission Choir, Witness Men's Choir, Billy Wayne Arrington and Tattered Saints, Uncle Jesse Battle and Sands of Time, 3 Black Women, L3 Student Ministries (Preaching Christ Church), and saxophonist Casey McClintock.

For more information about any of these events, contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty at (423) 429-7553, Jaquetta Hale at (423) -579-4651 or Chassidy Smiley at (423) 224-2428.

Get Ready to Reunion, Douglass Alumni!

CLICK ON THE FLYER TO MAKE IT LARGER

          SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF DOUGLASS 2015 REUNION FLYER, KINGSPORT

Douglass Alumni Hob-Knobs with Kingsport's Movers & Shakers

It's the annual chance for members of the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni Association to meet and greet Kingsport's business community.

It's also the chance to shake some booty.

The Kingsport Chamber of Commerce held its 68th annual dinner at the Meadowview Conference Center, complete with awards, speeches, and dancing to the tunes of the acclaimed band "Party On The Moon," a crowd favorite.

Douglass alumni were among the 1,700 attendees at the banquet, that also touted many of the city's achievements during the past year.

"This was a great outlet for us to attend," says alumni president Douglas Releford.  "You get to meet a lot of people, and it also gives us the chance to mingle with the people whose businesses keep the city's economy going and growing.  It's a very prestigious event and we are glad to be here."

It's the third banquet for the alumni association, having been a member of the Chamber of Commerce that long.

"This helps us get our name and our community purpose out there as a non-profit organization," Releford says.  "Our attendance lets folks in the Kingsport business community know that the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Alumni are active participants in the Kingsport community.  We stand ready and able to support the community whenever and wherever necessary."

A SLIDESHOW OF THE CHAMBER DINNER IS BELOW




Attending on behalf of the Sons and Daughters of Douglass, were Releford, his wife Vivian, Andra Watterson, Thelma Watterson, Judy Phillips, Wallace Ross, Jr, Marvin and Cathy Bond, and Ethel Ruth Russell and her son, Scottie Russell.

Billed as "Kingsport's social event of the year," the chamber says the event is the largest chamber annual dinner in the United States.  "Kingsport is on a roll," incoming Chamber chairperson Isaac Webb, district manager with Appalachian Power.  "We're poised for even greater growth and more success this year and in the years to come."

Presented with the Chamber's Lifetime Member Award, was Betty DeVinney, a former Eastman vice-president.  She is the 27th recipient of the award.


Various community projects celebrated by the Chamber and dinner attendees, were Eastman Chemical's growth by acquiring Taminco, a global speciality chemical company in Allentown, PA.... the re-opening of ASG's former Blue Ridge glass plant and the 300 jobs it brings.... the arrival of IntelliHARTx, a health casre revenue cycle business locating 350 to 500 jobs to downtown Kingsport.... the opening of the Tennessee's newest Welcome Center, located on I-26 South between Wilcox Drive and Rock Springs Road.... breaking ground ground for the Kingsport Carousel, featuring 32 hard-carved animals downtown.... the relocating of the Eastman ballfields to "Brickyard Park," the General Shale property behind Dunbar Street in Riverview, known as "Clay Hill" to the local residents (the fields will be known as "The Clay Hill Ballfields").... and of course, the reason for that relocation:  construction of Eastman's new $74 million dollar global corporate business center on Wilcox Drive in Riverview, to house 300 new employees on the site of the old ballfields.  The building is the centerpiece of the company's $1.3 billion dollar "Project Inspire" project.

Kingsport Chamber president Miles Burdine, who also stopped by the Douglass Alumni table to say hello during the dinner, was named "Executive of the Year" by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  This is the first year the award has been bestowed.

And headlining a night of great entertainment, a familar name returned to the Chamber stage.  They’ve played at President Obama’s Inaugural…They’ve played for Eli Manning’s Wedding…They’ve played for Donald Trump’s New Year’s Eve Party for the past five years… …and now the Number One Party Band in the Nation came back again to play for the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce Dinner guests..





BELOW IS VIDEO OF ONE OF THE SONGS BY "PARTY ON THE MOON."  WE ACTUALLY GOT IN WITH KINGSPORT'S MOVERS & SHAKERS, WHILE THEY WERE "MOVING AND SHAKING!"

2015 Kingsport Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Below are pictures in slide shows of Kingsport's annual celebration of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.

THE MARCH IN DOWNTOWN KINGSPORT




THE DINNER, SERVED AT THE RIVERVIEW COMMUNITY ROOM, V.O. DOBBINS, SR. COMPLEX





THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO COMMEMORATE DR. KING, AT THE LAMPLIGHTER THEATER, DOWNTOWN KINGSPORT

Kingsport’s Blake Leeper invited to play in NBA’s Celebrity All-Star Game

THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS

By NICK SHEPHERD

   nshepherd@timesnews.net  

Blake Leeper will be moving from the track to the hardwood when he plays in the Celebrity All-Star Game during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, according to Sports Illustrated and other media outlets.

   Leeper, a Dobyns-Bennett High School alum, won the silver medal in the 400-meter dash during the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, setting the U.S. record. He also won the bronze medal in the 200 meters.

   Leeper is no stranger to basketball, playing both basketball and baseball during his time at Dobyns-Bennett. He was a part of the team that won D-B’s 2,000th game and later the District 1-AAA championship.

   Leeper was born with both legs missing below the knees because of a birth defect. He has worn prostheses since he was 16 months old.

   Leeper will be joining Mo’ne Davis, the Little League World Series phenom, comedian Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, rapper Common, Michael Rapport, Grizzlies owner Robert Pera, Ansel Elgort, Anthony Anderson, Knick assistant GM Allan Houston, Kristen Ledlow and WNBA stars Tina Charles, Skylar Diggins and Schoni Schimmel.

   He will be coached by either Carmelo Anthony and Spike Lee or by ESPN radio hosts Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg. The game will be played on Friday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m., in Madison Square Garden.