Dear Board Members,
I have scheduled a meeting for Saturday, February 23rd and the Eastman Board room has been confirmed for that date at 1:00 p.m. I would like for everyone to please make an effort to attend. I know that many of us have been sick and some are still incapacitated but if the weather allows we need to meet. Please bring in your unsold pancake tickets and the money for the ones that you did sell. We need to get a count on that fund raiser.
Since this is our first meeting of the year, let's make it a covered dish event. I look forward to seeing you all at the next meeting.
Mark your calendars for the meeting date.
JennyH.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Former D-B classmates join forces for leukemia fundraiser
THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
By JESSICA FISCHER
jfischer@timesnews.net
A shared love of basketball bonded Brad Blackwell and Coty Sensabaugh, who became fast friends when they were students at Lincoln Elementary School in Kingsport.
They remained close through middle and high school, with many an afternoon spent shooting hoops together on the court behind Blackwell’s house.
Blackwell and Sensabaugh drifted apart after graduating from Dobyns-Bennett in 2007, with Blackwell moving to Knoxville to earn an advertising degree from the University of Tennessee and launch his career as a country music singer. Sensabaugh went on to play football at Clemson University before being selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He just wrapped up his rookie season with the team.
The two reconnected through Twitter a few months ago and finally caught up face-to-face over dinner in November, when Blackwell was in Nashville on business. That’s when Blackwell suggested that they team up on a fundraising concert that would let both men share their good fortunes and give back to a cause near and dear to both their hearts.
Proceeds from Blackwell’s “Combustible” EP release show Feb. 22 at Knoxville’s Bijou Theatre, which Sensabaugh is helping promote, will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Sensabaugh’s older brother, Jamaar, died of leukemia in 2000 within a week of being diagnosed with the disease. He was just 16 years old. Coty, who was 11 at the time, credits Jamaar’s life — and sudden death — for molding and shaping him into the man he’s become.
“It had a major impact on me,” Sensabaugh said of his brother’s death. “I feel it made me grow up overnight. That was the driving force in a lot of the obstacles I faced throughout my life. It was an unfortunate situation, but it helped turn me into the person that I am today.”
Blackwell’s fiancee also has two uncles currently battling leukemia, so supporting an organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services was a perfect fit.
“I love seeing people chasing their dreams,” Sensabaugh said, “and I told (Brad), anything I can do to help, even besides this concert, I’m going to do it to help him. It’s just two friends getting together and supporting a good cause.”
Opening for Blackwell at the Bijou show will be Troy Suggs. Show time is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Blackwell sold out the Bijou last June at a release concert for his second studio EP, “Fresh.” On hand to introduce him was former University of Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulm e r.
“From the second I moved to Knoxville, I said I want to do the Bijou Theatre,” said Blackwell, who won Best Singer in the Knoxville News Sentinel’s 2010 East Tennessee’s Best Reader’s Poll. “Every step along the way you just try and grow with every show. ‘Blue Sky’ was my first CD. We released that in 2010 at the Brown Cup of Coffee in Lenoir City, and there was like 20 people there. Then we did the ‘Brad Blackwell’ EP at a place called The Orangery in Knoxville, and there’s no reason you should be doing a show there, but we talked it up a bit and had like 200 people there, then did a show at another place in downtown Knoxville and had 350 there. We released ‘Fresh’ and had 500 there.”
“Combustible” features three songs Blackwell co-wrote with Wade Kirby, who penned George Strait’s No. 1 single, “I Saw God Today,” which garnered Grammy, ACM and CMA nominations.
Blackwell believes the project has helped focus his musical style.
“(The songs) are a little more country, and that was kind of a strategic move,” he said. “I’m from East Tennessee, it’s all Nashville players, I’m in Nashville all the time, I wrote it with Nashville guys, it’s like, why even try to fight it? Kind of the second we said we’re country, it’s almost like it enhanced that focus even more. If you can’t define yourself, it’s hard for people to go out and define you, so it’s a more focused step in the right direction and hopefully makes making that next step easier because you know who you are. That’s kind of what we feel like we’ve done with this.”
Now that his friend is an up-andcoming country singer, Sensabaugh said he’s going to have to brush up on his catalogue of country tunes.
“I know a few country songs, but now that one of my good friends is a country singer, I’m going to learn a few more so when I hear somebody singing country, I can argue my point with them about why my friend is better,” Sensabaugh said, laughing.
As for Sensabaugh, he’s settling into his new life of NFL stardom and looking forward to building on the Titans’ momentum in the latter part of the 2012 season.
“The toughest thing for this season was our record. I don’t feel our record really showed how good we were, but sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, so all we can do is go back to working and build on what we did this year,” said Sensabaugh, a cornerback. “We started off kind of slow, but as the season went on, we got better and better. Our record may not have shown it, but we got better, so I’m excited at the direction the Titans are going and I’m happy to be a part of it.
“The biggest thing you have to adjust to is the business side of it. The football aspect of it doesn’t really change. The biggest change from the football aspect is you may be playing against somebody that you grew up watching as a kid. ... The first preseason game when we were out in Seattle, I was out there warming up and I seen Terrell Owens out there warming up. He was with the Seahawks, then, and I was like, man, I remember growing up watching him, I should go say something to him, then I was like, no. I stopped myself and I was like, I don’t think I can do that because I may be guarding him and I don’t want him to have one up on me, so I just kind of kept that to myself. Then when the regular season started, we started off with the Patriots and I seen Tom Brady out there warming up. I’ve grown up watching him, and he’s one of the best quarterbacks to play the game. After the first few games, though, it became the norm. It wasn’t as shocking.”
Sensabaugh is also focused on hosting his first free football camp — to be held June 15 at J. Fred Johnson Stadium in Kingsport for boys and girls ages 6-17 — and starting a nonprofit foundation in memory of his brother, Jamaar.
“That’s what it’s all about for me, giving back and just helping people any way I can,” Sensabaugh said. “The football thing, I don’t even look at it as a career. I just look at it as a short opportunity because I can’t do it forever, so while I’m here and I have the platform, I just want to help people as much as possible because that’s what people will remember about me when I’m dead and gone — what you did to help people. They won’t remember how many tackles you made.”
For tickets to the Feb. 22 concert, log onto www.knoxbijou.com . To find out more about Blackwell, visit his website at www.bradblackwellmusic.com .
By JESSICA FISCHER
jfischer@timesnews.net
A shared love of basketball bonded Brad Blackwell and Coty Sensabaugh, who became fast friends when they were students at Lincoln Elementary School in Kingsport.
They remained close through middle and high school, with many an afternoon spent shooting hoops together on the court behind Blackwell’s house.
Blackwell and Sensabaugh drifted apart after graduating from Dobyns-Bennett in 2007, with Blackwell moving to Knoxville to earn an advertising degree from the University of Tennessee and launch his career as a country music singer. Sensabaugh went on to play football at Clemson University before being selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He just wrapped up his rookie season with the team.
The two reconnected through Twitter a few months ago and finally caught up face-to-face over dinner in November, when Blackwell was in Nashville on business. That’s when Blackwell suggested that they team up on a fundraising concert that would let both men share their good fortunes and give back to a cause near and dear to both their hearts.
Proceeds from Blackwell’s “Combustible” EP release show Feb. 22 at Knoxville’s Bijou Theatre, which Sensabaugh is helping promote, will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Sensabaugh’s older brother, Jamaar, died of leukemia in 2000 within a week of being diagnosed with the disease. He was just 16 years old. Coty, who was 11 at the time, credits Jamaar’s life — and sudden death — for molding and shaping him into the man he’s become.
“It had a major impact on me,” Sensabaugh said of his brother’s death. “I feel it made me grow up overnight. That was the driving force in a lot of the obstacles I faced throughout my life. It was an unfortunate situation, but it helped turn me into the person that I am today.”
Blackwell’s fiancee also has two uncles currently battling leukemia, so supporting an organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services was a perfect fit.
“I love seeing people chasing their dreams,” Sensabaugh said, “and I told (Brad), anything I can do to help, even besides this concert, I’m going to do it to help him. It’s just two friends getting together and supporting a good cause.”
Opening for Blackwell at the Bijou show will be Troy Suggs. Show time is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Blackwell sold out the Bijou last June at a release concert for his second studio EP, “Fresh.” On hand to introduce him was former University of Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulm e r.
“From the second I moved to Knoxville, I said I want to do the Bijou Theatre,” said Blackwell, who won Best Singer in the Knoxville News Sentinel’s 2010 East Tennessee’s Best Reader’s Poll. “Every step along the way you just try and grow with every show. ‘Blue Sky’ was my first CD. We released that in 2010 at the Brown Cup of Coffee in Lenoir City, and there was like 20 people there. Then we did the ‘Brad Blackwell’ EP at a place called The Orangery in Knoxville, and there’s no reason you should be doing a show there, but we talked it up a bit and had like 200 people there, then did a show at another place in downtown Knoxville and had 350 there. We released ‘Fresh’ and had 500 there.”
“Combustible” features three songs Blackwell co-wrote with Wade Kirby, who penned George Strait’s No. 1 single, “I Saw God Today,” which garnered Grammy, ACM and CMA nominations.
Blackwell believes the project has helped focus his musical style.
“(The songs) are a little more country, and that was kind of a strategic move,” he said. “I’m from East Tennessee, it’s all Nashville players, I’m in Nashville all the time, I wrote it with Nashville guys, it’s like, why even try to fight it? Kind of the second we said we’re country, it’s almost like it enhanced that focus even more. If you can’t define yourself, it’s hard for people to go out and define you, so it’s a more focused step in the right direction and hopefully makes making that next step easier because you know who you are. That’s kind of what we feel like we’ve done with this.”
Now that his friend is an up-andcoming country singer, Sensabaugh said he’s going to have to brush up on his catalogue of country tunes.
“I know a few country songs, but now that one of my good friends is a country singer, I’m going to learn a few more so when I hear somebody singing country, I can argue my point with them about why my friend is better,” Sensabaugh said, laughing.
As for Sensabaugh, he’s settling into his new life of NFL stardom and looking forward to building on the Titans’ momentum in the latter part of the 2012 season.
“The toughest thing for this season was our record. I don’t feel our record really showed how good we were, but sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, so all we can do is go back to working and build on what we did this year,” said Sensabaugh, a cornerback. “We started off kind of slow, but as the season went on, we got better and better. Our record may not have shown it, but we got better, so I’m excited at the direction the Titans are going and I’m happy to be a part of it.
“The biggest thing you have to adjust to is the business side of it. The football aspect of it doesn’t really change. The biggest change from the football aspect is you may be playing against somebody that you grew up watching as a kid. ... The first preseason game when we were out in Seattle, I was out there warming up and I seen Terrell Owens out there warming up. He was with the Seahawks, then, and I was like, man, I remember growing up watching him, I should go say something to him, then I was like, no. I stopped myself and I was like, I don’t think I can do that because I may be guarding him and I don’t want him to have one up on me, so I just kind of kept that to myself. Then when the regular season started, we started off with the Patriots and I seen Tom Brady out there warming up. I’ve grown up watching him, and he’s one of the best quarterbacks to play the game. After the first few games, though, it became the norm. It wasn’t as shocking.”
Sensabaugh is also focused on hosting his first free football camp — to be held June 15 at J. Fred Johnson Stadium in Kingsport for boys and girls ages 6-17 — and starting a nonprofit foundation in memory of his brother, Jamaar.
“That’s what it’s all about for me, giving back and just helping people any way I can,” Sensabaugh said. “The football thing, I don’t even look at it as a career. I just look at it as a short opportunity because I can’t do it forever, so while I’m here and I have the platform, I just want to help people as much as possible because that’s what people will remember about me when I’m dead and gone — what you did to help people. They won’t remember how many tackles you made.”
For tickets to the Feb. 22 concert, log onto www.knoxbijou.com . To find out more about Blackwell, visit his website at www.bradblackwellmusic.com .
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Black History Month - Kingsport: 2013 Black History Program
Everyone invited to attend the annual Black History Program in Kingsport.
Location: Ebenezer Baptist Church, Rev. James Whiteside, Pastor, 1026 Maple Street, Kingsport
Date: February 17, 2013
Time: 4 PM
Speaker: Marion Smith, Jr., Atlanta, GA.
Subject: Commemorating 150 years of the Emancipation Proclamation, and 50 years since the 1963 March on Washington.
Sponsored by the New Vision Youth.
Black History Month - 2013 Annual Soul Food Gathering
Bring your appetites to the annual New Vision Youth Soul Food Gathering, on Friday, February 15th at 4:30 PM, until the food is gone.
The gathering will be held at 4 PM at the Riverview Community Room in the KHRA Building on Louis Street.
On the menu are soul food favorites like fried chicken, fried chitlins', venison, smoked neckbones, pig feet, meatloaf and fiferent casseroles. Also served will be soup beans, mac-n-cheese, greens, green beans, corn, cole slaw, fried cornbread and corn muffins.
If that doesn tickle your taste buds, from cabbage, ckicken and dumplins, rolls, baked beans, smoked barbeque, sliced chicken, sweet potatos, veggie tray, drinks and desserts.
The annual Soul Food gathering is free of charge.
The event is sponsored by New Vision Youth, the South Central Kingsport Community Development Corportion, Inc., and Friends of Distinction.
The gathering will be held at 4 PM at the Riverview Community Room in the KHRA Building on Louis Street.
On the menu are soul food favorites like fried chicken, fried chitlins', venison, smoked neckbones, pig feet, meatloaf and fiferent casseroles. Also served will be soup beans, mac-n-cheese, greens, green beans, corn, cole slaw, fried cornbread and corn muffins.
If that doesn tickle your taste buds, from cabbage, ckicken and dumplins, rolls, baked beans, smoked barbeque, sliced chicken, sweet potatos, veggie tray, drinks and desserts.
The annual Soul Food gathering is free of charge.
The event is sponsored by New Vision Youth, the South Central Kingsport Community Development Corportion, Inc., and Friends of Distinction.
Black History Month - Kingsport: Field Trip to Swift Memorial - Price Public School
On Saturday, February 16th, the New Vision Youth of Kingsport and Riverview community leaders visited the Swift Memorial - Price Public School Museum in Historic Rogersville, Tennessee.
In 1868, a group of black community leaders purchased a plot of land on Hasson Street "for the purpose of building a schoolhouse for the education of colored children." In 1870, a two-room log school was erected and was used until 1922 when construction of this modern facility was begun. It is constructed of hand-fired bricks. The School was placed on the National Historical Register in 1988. One of the schoolrooms is devoted to a museum of Swift College and Price School memorabilia.
Swift Memorial College was a historically black college that operated in East Tennessee from 1883 to 1952. It was founded in Rogersville by the , a graduate of Maryville College and the African American pastor of a local Presbyterian congregation. Like many early black colleges, the institution focused on high school and normal school (teacher education) curriculum.
BELOW IS A SLIDESHOW OF THE VISIT:
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Swafford, Foreman bound for UT
From Rev. Ricardo Dorcean
THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
By GEORGE THWAITES
gthwaites@timesnews.net
KINGSPORT — Dobyns-Bennett’s Malik Foreman said receiving a football scholarship offer from the University of Tennessee in late December was like “Christmas, birthdays, everything” all rolled into one.
A roomful of coaches, family and friends gathered at Dobyns-Bennett’s Alumni Field House Wednesday afternoon to belatedly share his elation.
Foreman, who started out playing wide receiver and defensive back for the Indians and ended up leading D-B to the state quarterfinals at quarterback, signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Vols next fall.
Earlier in the day, Volunteer High School observed its first-ever Division I football scholarship when offensive lineman Conner Trent signed to play for Middle Tennessee State.
Upstairs at Dobyns-Bennett’s “Taj Mahal” overlooking J. Fred Johnson Stadium, ceremonies were conducted for seven college-bound athletes, including five football players.
It was a big deal for all. In Foreman’s case, it was a Big Orange Deal.
“I’’d been watching UT football ever since I was a little kid. It has always been my dream to play there. So when they offered I just jumped right on it,” said Foreman, who de-committed from Vanderbilt in order to accept Tennessee’s bid.
Also recognized Wednesday was Devaun Swafford, who will enroll at Tennessee next fall. Swafford has been promised a football scholarship as part of the 2014 recruiting class, possibly sooner.
Swafford was working out with Foreman when UT running backs coach Jay Graham called the D-B field house. Graham is the lone Derek Dooley staffer retained by new Tennessee head coach Butch Jones.
“It came out of nowhere. He offered us both. He offered me a gray shirt and he offered (Foreman) a full scholarship. It was pretty exciting,” said Swafford, who received offers from seven NCAA Football Championship Series programs, including Furman, Liberty and Tennessee-Chattanooga.
During the 2012 season, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Foreman rushed for 1,269 yards and 17 touchdowns, also passing for 464 yards and four scores. He also had 14 catches for 278 yards and four TDs.
The Indians MVP and Big 8 Player of the Year had three punt returns for touchdowns and returned one kickoff for a score. He could show up as a either a defensive back or receiver at UT. He had six interceptions, seven pass breakups and forced seven fumbles for the Indians in 2012.
The 5-11, 176-pound Swafford rushed for 1,242 yards and 26 touchdowns as a running back. He had 16 pass receptions for 289 yards and four TDs. As a defensive back, he garnered Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year honors with 125 tackles, two pass breakups and five interceptions.
D-B coach Graham Clark noted that Tennessee showed no interest in either player until several weeks after Foreman had committed to Vanderbilt. Foreman was unmoved.
After Dooley’s departure, however, it quickly became obvious that positive changes were afoot in Knoxville. Finding a way to keep Foreman and Swafford on the same team was a smart recruiting move on Tennessee’s part, Clark said.
“They’re best friends. They’re workout partners. You’ll come down here on a Sunday afternoon and you’ll see them down in the stadium. I don’t know which one of them has to climb the fence,” quipped Clark.
Dobyns-Bennett offensive lineman Thomas Edwards was certainly impressed by the new shade of orange. He said he turned down opportunities FCS programs including Tennessee-Chattanooga and Austin Peay in order to join Tennessee next fall as a preferred walk-on. He’ll get a chance to compete for a scholarship as part of the squad.
Another big man having a big day Wednesday was Volunteer’s Trent, a surefooted offensive and defensive lineman who made a powerful impression on several Indians during the Falcons’ otherwise ill-fated Big 8 game at D-B last fall.
Trent’s signing ceremony was moved to the gymnasium due to testing in the library. The change of venue accommodated a significant contingent of appreciative Volunteer students in addition to coaches, family and friends.
“I always felt like I’d have the opportunity to play somewhere. I’m just excited about the opportunity and blessed,” said the 6-5, 300-pound Trent, who was courted by several schools, including Appalachian State.
The youngster’s early commitment to the Blue Raiders never wavered.
“No way. They were after me from the spring time. I want to go somewhere I’m wanted and they wanted me the most and I feel like that’s the place I want to be,” said Trent, who said all the recent media focus on Appalachian State alumnus Daniel Kilgore has motivated him to continue excelling.
“Every kid’s dream is to play in the NFL and if he did it, I figure I have just as good a chance. Right now I just need to focus on playing college football and getting stronger for that,” Trent said.
Other Dobyns-Bennett football players participating in Wednesday's signing ceremony included 6-2, 250-pound defensive lineman Trevor Gilliam, who'll play Division II ball for the University of Charleston (WVa.) and 6-3, 300-pound defensive lineman Jacob Weisman, who'll play for Division III Maryville College.
THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
By GEORGE THWAITES
gthwaites@timesnews.net
KINGSPORT — Dobyns-Bennett’s Malik Foreman said receiving a football scholarship offer from the University of Tennessee in late December was like “Christmas, birthdays, everything” all rolled into one.
A roomful of coaches, family and friends gathered at Dobyns-Bennett’s Alumni Field House Wednesday afternoon to belatedly share his elation.
Foreman, who started out playing wide receiver and defensive back for the Indians and ended up leading D-B to the state quarterfinals at quarterback, signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Vols next fall.
Earlier in the day, Volunteer High School observed its first-ever Division I football scholarship when offensive lineman Conner Trent signed to play for Middle Tennessee State.
Upstairs at Dobyns-Bennett’s “Taj Mahal” overlooking J. Fred Johnson Stadium, ceremonies were conducted for seven college-bound athletes, including five football players.
It was a big deal for all. In Foreman’s case, it was a Big Orange Deal.
“I’’d been watching UT football ever since I was a little kid. It has always been my dream to play there. So when they offered I just jumped right on it,” said Foreman, who de-committed from Vanderbilt in order to accept Tennessee’s bid.
Also recognized Wednesday was Devaun Swafford, who will enroll at Tennessee next fall. Swafford has been promised a football scholarship as part of the 2014 recruiting class, possibly sooner.
Swafford was working out with Foreman when UT running backs coach Jay Graham called the D-B field house. Graham is the lone Derek Dooley staffer retained by new Tennessee head coach Butch Jones.
“It came out of nowhere. He offered us both. He offered me a gray shirt and he offered (Foreman) a full scholarship. It was pretty exciting,” said Swafford, who received offers from seven NCAA Football Championship Series programs, including Furman, Liberty and Tennessee-Chattanooga.
During the 2012 season, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Foreman rushed for 1,269 yards and 17 touchdowns, also passing for 464 yards and four scores. He also had 14 catches for 278 yards and four TDs.
The Indians MVP and Big 8 Player of the Year had three punt returns for touchdowns and returned one kickoff for a score. He could show up as a either a defensive back or receiver at UT. He had six interceptions, seven pass breakups and forced seven fumbles for the Indians in 2012.
The 5-11, 176-pound Swafford rushed for 1,242 yards and 26 touchdowns as a running back. He had 16 pass receptions for 289 yards and four TDs. As a defensive back, he garnered Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year honors with 125 tackles, two pass breakups and five interceptions.
D-B coach Graham Clark noted that Tennessee showed no interest in either player until several weeks after Foreman had committed to Vanderbilt. Foreman was unmoved.
After Dooley’s departure, however, it quickly became obvious that positive changes were afoot in Knoxville. Finding a way to keep Foreman and Swafford on the same team was a smart recruiting move on Tennessee’s part, Clark said.
“They’re best friends. They’re workout partners. You’ll come down here on a Sunday afternoon and you’ll see them down in the stadium. I don’t know which one of them has to climb the fence,” quipped Clark.
Dobyns-Bennett offensive lineman Thomas Edwards was certainly impressed by the new shade of orange. He said he turned down opportunities FCS programs including Tennessee-Chattanooga and Austin Peay in order to join Tennessee next fall as a preferred walk-on. He’ll get a chance to compete for a scholarship as part of the squad.
Another big man having a big day Wednesday was Volunteer’s Trent, a surefooted offensive and defensive lineman who made a powerful impression on several Indians during the Falcons’ otherwise ill-fated Big 8 game at D-B last fall.
Trent’s signing ceremony was moved to the gymnasium due to testing in the library. The change of venue accommodated a significant contingent of appreciative Volunteer students in addition to coaches, family and friends.
“I always felt like I’d have the opportunity to play somewhere. I’m just excited about the opportunity and blessed,” said the 6-5, 300-pound Trent, who was courted by several schools, including Appalachian State.
The youngster’s early commitment to the Blue Raiders never wavered.
“No way. They were after me from the spring time. I want to go somewhere I’m wanted and they wanted me the most and I feel like that’s the place I want to be,” said Trent, who said all the recent media focus on Appalachian State alumnus Daniel Kilgore has motivated him to continue excelling.
“Every kid’s dream is to play in the NFL and if he did it, I figure I have just as good a chance. Right now I just need to focus on playing college football and getting stronger for that,” Trent said.
Other Dobyns-Bennett football players participating in Wednesday's signing ceremony included 6-2, 250-pound defensive lineman Trevor Gilliam, who'll play Division II ball for the University of Charleston (WVa.) and 6-3, 300-pound defensive lineman Jacob Weisman, who'll play for Division III Maryville College.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Happy Birthday, Malachi Hale!
Folks, you have just got to see the "happy birthday" video that Dimingo Hale made for his son Malachi.
It's posted at the "Riverview Random Reactions" link on the Douglass website's main page.
It's one of the best ones around!
It's posted at the "Riverview Random Reactions" link on the Douglass website's main page.
It's one of the best ones around!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Price Public - Swift Museum Celebrates Black History Month
Please see the announcement of Black History Month events at the Price Public School - Swift Museum in Rogersville. The posting is at the Price Public - Swift Museum link on the Douglass main page.
Happy 60th Birthday, Kitten Bond!
Here's a slideshow of pictures from the surprise birthday party for Ellen "Kitten" Bond held in Shelby, North Carolina.
These pictures are from Jenny Hankins.
These pictures are from Jenny Hankins.
Monday, January 28, 2013
"An Evening with Blake Leeper"
"Having Kingsport come out and support me during the holidays to support me and my charity group, means a lot because I'm sure they all had something else to do tonight."
"But they came here... that means a lot."
SEE THE SLIDESHOW FROM "AN EVENING WITH BLAKE LEEPER"
Kingsport's Blake Leeper has a lot to be thankful about going into the new year. His training for the Paralympics is about to continue in Southern California, but before he left, he paused for a moment to sit down with his friends in the Model City, and reflect on his whirlwind life.
"There is so much more I want to do," he told an overflow group of supporters who gathered at the Meadowview Conference and Convention Center on Saturday, December 22nd. "Years ago, doctors told my parents I would never walk and now look where I am. I want to get out there and inspire more kids to go after their dreams. I feel like my mission will never be over, as my goal is to inspire as many kids and even adults as I can.
Adding to the celebration is the special recognition that Blake received from Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips. The mayor, who just announced his bid for re-election to a third term in the Model City's top job, admitted to the group that he had only given away 4 "Keys to the City" in his entire political career.
The fifth one, went to Blake Leeper on this night.
"Yeah, that shocked me," he says. "I got chills down my back. When he presented the key to me, it was a total surprise. I just sat there and said 'wow.'
With Blake on this historic night was his friend and fellow teammate, Lex Gillette.
Elexis "Lex" Gillette is a blind Paralympic athlete from North Carolina in the United States competing in T11 (track) and F11 (field) events.
Gillette, who proved himself an accomplished singer during Leeper's visit, has won several silver medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Paralympics. As of now, his Long Jump world record for F11 classified athletes with a leap of 6.73m in 2011 still stands.
"People say I inspire him, but it's the other way around," Blake says. "Not only is he a good athlete, but he's also an amazing person. We both train at the paralympics facility. We're on the same mission, and we're accomplishing it together."
Where does Blake Leeper go from here? An easy question, with a quick answer.
"Keep training," he says. "I want more. I feel like there is so much more that I can do, not only on the track, but off the track, too. Training for everything, track, life, begins in the classroom.. get out there and keep taling to more people and inspire more kids."
"I feel like my mission will never be over, as my goal is to inspire as many kids and adults as I can every day."
Friday, January 25, 2013
Model City Sports Link
If you love D-B sports, be sure and check out Model City Sports. The link is to the left.
The site has a new look, but the same great coverage of the Dobyns-Bennett Indians and other area sports.
EDITOR
The site has a new look, but the same great coverage of the Dobyns-Bennett Indians and other area sports.
EDITOR
Gospel caroling event canceled
• KINGSPORT — The inaugural New Vision Youth Martin Luther King Jr. Gospel Caroling, which was to have been held Saturday, has been canceled because of the winter storm that is expected to move through the region on Friday.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
2013 Inaugural Address to the Nation from President Barack H. Obama
FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., PICTURES BY YOUR DOUGLASS ALUMNI WEBSITE REPORTER ON THE SCENE, JANUARY 21, 2013
SEE THE SLIDESHOW OF THE 2013 INAUGURATION HERE, BEGINNING AT 2 PM SUNDAY AFTERNOON PICKING UP THE ADMISSION TICKETS, THEN FROM 2 AM MONDAY MORNING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LINE AT THE U.S. CAPITOL GREEN ADMISSION GATE, ON THROUGH 1 PM MONDAY AFTERNOON, 21ST JANUARY
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:
Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.
For more than two hundred years, we have.
Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.
PRESIDENTIAL MOTORCADE ARRIVING AT U.S. CAPITOL
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.
We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.
PRESIDENT OBAMA APPROACHING THE MASSES
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
SINGER JAMES TAYLOR
We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.
THE PRESIDENT TAKING THE PUBLIC OATH OF OFFICE, ON THE KING BIBLE (TOP) AND THE LINCOLN BIBLE
We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.
THE MOMENT THE OATH WAS ADMINISTERED, THE MASSES BROKE INTO LOUD APPLAUSE
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.
It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.
That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.
For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.
My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.
They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope. You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.
You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.
Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.
Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.
EDITOR'S NOTE: It was my pleasure to attend the 2nd inauguration of the President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama. When I attended the 1st inauguration 4 years ago in 2009, I felt I was standing on the shoulders of all of those African-American brothers and sisters who had come before me, who were hosed by law enforcement, set upon by police dogs, shot at, spit upon, assaulted, humiliated, prevented from the schoolhouse door, called the "N" word, even killed over the many years, who could not be there to witness the pinnacle of the Black Struggle -- to see the first black man take the oath of office to be president of ALL of the United States of America. I felt pride and peaceful solace, for standing on their shoulders, I could reach up and touch the sky for them, because for years, society had only permitted them to look up and dream of embracing it.
Four years later in 2013, with the 2nd inauguration and the determination of the Republican Party to make sure that Mr. Obama would be "a one-term president," that pride swelled again when we as African--Americans stood on our lost brethern's strong shoulders and reached up and once again, touched the sky and their hopes and dreams. It was fitting that President Obama's second term began on the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observance -- the quintessimal spiritual leader and spokesman for peace and tolerance, whose teachings still motivate us today. Although we have accomplished a lot, unfortunately, we as a society and we as a people have many more miles to go before our journey to equality is ended. Sadly, it is my belief that the end of the journey will not come in our lifetimes, but happily, our children and our children's children will remember these current days of accomplishment, by remembering the one campaign promise of President Obama -- FORWARD! We will meet our brethren one day with memories of these presidential days, rejoicing in what we have seen on their behalf.
Calvin Sneed, Douglass Website Editor
SEE THE SLIDESHOW OF THE 2013 INAUGURATION HERE, BEGINNING AT 2 PM SUNDAY AFTERNOON PICKING UP THE ADMISSION TICKETS, THEN FROM 2 AM MONDAY MORNING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LINE AT THE U.S. CAPITOL GREEN ADMISSION GATE, ON THROUGH 1 PM MONDAY AFTERNOON, 21ST JANUARY
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:
Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.
For more than two hundred years, we have.
Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.
Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.
Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.
Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.
Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.
PRESIDENTIAL MOTORCADE ARRIVING AT U.S. CAPITOL
But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.
This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.
We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.
We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.
PRESIDENT OBAMA APPROACHING THE MASSES
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
SINGER JAMES TAYLOR
We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.
THE PRESIDENT TAKING THE PUBLIC OATH OF OFFICE, ON THE KING BIBLE (TOP) AND THE LINCOLN BIBLE
We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.
THE MOMENT THE OATH WAS ADMINISTERED, THE MASSES BROKE INTO LOUD APPLAUSE
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.
It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.
That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.
For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.
My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.
They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope. You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.
You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.
Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.
Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.
EDITOR'S NOTE: It was my pleasure to attend the 2nd inauguration of the President of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama. When I attended the 1st inauguration 4 years ago in 2009, I felt I was standing on the shoulders of all of those African-American brothers and sisters who had come before me, who were hosed by law enforcement, set upon by police dogs, shot at, spit upon, assaulted, humiliated, prevented from the schoolhouse door, called the "N" word, even killed over the many years, who could not be there to witness the pinnacle of the Black Struggle -- to see the first black man take the oath of office to be president of ALL of the United States of America. I felt pride and peaceful solace, for standing on their shoulders, I could reach up and touch the sky for them, because for years, society had only permitted them to look up and dream of embracing it.
Four years later in 2013, with the 2nd inauguration and the determination of the Republican Party to make sure that Mr. Obama would be "a one-term president," that pride swelled again when we as African--Americans stood on our lost brethern's strong shoulders and reached up and once again, touched the sky and their hopes and dreams. It was fitting that President Obama's second term began on the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observance -- the quintessimal spiritual leader and spokesman for peace and tolerance, whose teachings still motivate us today. Although we have accomplished a lot, unfortunately, we as a society and we as a people have many more miles to go before our journey to equality is ended. Sadly, it is my belief that the end of the journey will not come in our lifetimes, but happily, our children and our children's children will remember these current days of accomplishment, by remembering the one campaign promise of President Obama -- FORWARD! We will meet our brethren one day with memories of these presidential days, rejoicing in what we have seen on their behalf.
Calvin Sneed, Douglass Website Editor
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Message of Sympathy
Got this from Samantha Campbell:
I want to give my condolences to Evangelist Willie B. Evans Bond.. she was and is a very nice lady and she will be missed dearly.
Please see PASSINGS AND OBITUARIES
I want to give my condolences to Evangelist Willie B. Evans Bond.. she was and is a very nice lady and she will be missed dearly.
Please see PASSINGS AND OBITUARIES
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Riverview Snow Pictures - January 16, 2012
RIVERVIEW SNOW, JAN. 16, 2012 - Thanks to Shelia Leeper, Jenny Hankins, Tina Gaines Stokley and Jeff Fleming for these pictures from Facebook
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
2013 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March in Kingsport
The 13th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March will be held on Monday, January 21, 2013 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Coincidentally, this year's event coincides with the inauguration of President Barack Obama, also at 12 Noon in Washington, D.C.
Parade participants will need to assemble at 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of E. Sevier & Center Street (Rikki Rhoton Allstate Insurance Co.'s Parking Lot).
The parade route will follow Center Street and end on Shelby Street (City Parking Lot between Kingsport City Hall & The Justice Center).
For more information, and to enter a car, float, church/business van, bus, truck, other exhibits or take a 20 minute walk during lunch in the parade, please contact Rev. Ronnie Collins at (423) 956-0675 or email: rcollins_316@vzw.blackberry.net.
2013 MLK Day Luncheon In Riverview
The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Luncheon will be held on Monday, January 21, 2013, in the Riverview Community Room at K.H.R.A., Wheatley Street, Kingsport.
The luncheon begins at 1:15 PM, right after the MLK Day March, and is free to the public.
The event is sponsored by the New Vision Youth, in partnership with Kingsport Parks and Recreation Community Services Division and South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation.
This year's menu consists of homemade chili beans, soup beans, cornbread, crdackers, cole slaw, drinks and dessert.
2013 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Candlelight Vigil
Please bring a candle and lots of love and hugs to the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Candlelight Vigil on Monday, January 21, 2013.
The theme of this year's Candlelight Vigil is "Shouldering Our Homeless," and coincidentally, happens on Inauguration Day of President Barack Obama's second term of office in Washington, D.C.
The Candlelight Vigil will be held in the Central Baptist Church parking lot, 301 Carver Street, Kingsport, Rev. Ricardo Dorcean, pastor. It begins at 6 PM, and in case of rain, the event will be held inside the church.
The event is sponsored by the New Vision Youth. Everyone is welcome to come out and remember loved ones lost over the past year, as we celebrate the life and times of Dr. King.
For more information, contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty, 423-429-7553.
Fish Fry Fundraiser for New Vision Youth Trip
There will be a fish fry fundraiser for the New Vision Youth, on Saturday, January 12, 2013. The event will be held at the Dale Street Park in Kingsport, beginning at 12 Noon.
The fundraiser will be raising money for the Youth's upcoming trip to DisneyWorld in Florida. The group will be performing at one of the Disney theme parks from July 20th to 28th, 2013.
The fundraiser begins at 12 Nooon on Saturday, and will feature fish sandwiches for 3 dollars apiece, hot dogs for 1 dollar each, drinks for a dollar, and also baked goods at various prices.
Also at the event will be a clothing and handbag sale by Pete's Fashions of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Proceeds from that sale will also go to the New Vision Youth trip.
For more information, contact Johnnie Mae Swagerty, 423-429-7553.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Douglass Alumni Pancake Breakfast
DOUGLASS ALUMNI PANCAKE BREAKFAST
LOCATION: Sagebrush Steakhouse, 1600 E. Stone Drive, Kingsport
January 19, 2013
8 AM to 10 AM
Donation: $7.00
Menu: pancakes with syrup, scrambled eggs and sausage, and coffee.
PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE OPERATION OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF DOUGLASS PROGRAMS
Obama Inauguration Ball
January 21, 2013
6-10 P.M.
Holiday Inn - Johnson City, TN
Join Us As We Celebrate
The Inauguration Of Our President, Barack Obama
DEMOCRATS MOVING FORWARD
TWO GREAT DEALS - ONE SPECTACULAR EVENING
This event is a fundraiser for the Northeast Tennessee Democrat Resource Center and is hosted
by our incredible volunteers.
Special Rate for Attendees - $77.00
Holiday Inn
101 West Springbrook Drive, Johnson City, TN 37604
Phone:(423) 282-4611
JOIN US FOR A TERRIFIC NIGHT OF FRIENDSHIP AND ENTERTAINMENT
Dinner-Music-Outstanding Entertainment-Dancing-Silent Auction-Memorabilia
$25.00 Per Person
Over 700 people attended this event in 2009….This is one night you do not want to miss!
Order your tickets now by calling 423-282-2081 or email:
drcdems@gmail.com.
Order using a credit card at:
http://www.actblue.com/page/moving-forward
$25.00 Per Person
Tickets available at the DRC January 2nd
The Democrat Resource is a Political Action Committee,
Bill Jones, Treasurer
Thursday, January 3, 2013
"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master" - President Abraham Lincoln
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, UPON THE 150TH OBSERVANCE OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAIMATION
CLICK ON THE DOCUMENT AND USE THE PLUS (+) ARROW TO ENLARGE IT
"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."
President Abraham Lincoln
CLICK ON THE DOCUMENT AND USE THE PLUS (+) ARROW TO ENLARGE IT
"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."
President Abraham Lincoln
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
New Vision Youth Work Hard Year-round
THIS STORY COURTESY THE KINGSPORT TIMES-NEWS
Each year, the Times-News and the INK Advisory Board invites area residents to nominate individuals or groups of “Students Who Make a Difference” to be honored in a holiday edition of INK ... news for teens.
The criteria is simple — tell us about a student or group of students who you believe make a difference in their community, school, church or the world at large.
And each year, we get letters from readers telling us about students who have brought about change in their community, stood up for a great cause, moved their school or families forward, or who have gone above and beyond in their service to others.
This year, one group made such a difference that they were nominated twice. Two different readers helped shine a light on the vast impact these young people are making in their community and our city — leaving little doubt that they are, in fact, Students Who Make a Difference.
“As I read over the qualifications for nominating students or groups who make a difference in our community, I was compelled to nominate the members of the New Vision Youth of Kingsport,” wrote Calvin Sneed.
“I cover their activities for the Douglass-Riverview community website, www.son sanddaughtersofdouglass.org , in the course of covering news in the community, and I am touched and amazed at the things these youth do for Riverview and for Kingsport.”
Wellness coordinator Kevin Lytle couldn’t agree more. He’s seen the group in action as well.
New Vision Youth currently has 47 members ranging in age from elementary school to college. However, the majority of members are in middle school or attend Dobyns-Bennett High School.
The group has a special connection to the elders of the Kingsport community — partnering with them on several events and providing many hours of service in their honor.
Each year, the New Vision Youth partner with the Kingsport Senior Citizens organization to sponsor an annual Easter Egg Hunt for both children and seniors. In addition, through that partnership, the youth celebrate Fun Fest with area senior citizens, accompanying them and assisting them at Fun Fest events.
Their annual Grandparents Day Luncheon, held in cooperation and through partnerships with the South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Community Services Division, is one of the highlights of the year — as is the annual “Gents to Gentlemen” Pageant, the proceeds of which go to non-profits each year.
The New Vision Youth also do programs at nursing homes, singing Christmas carols and praise dancing during the holidays. Even when the holidays are over, the group regularly visits Kingsport area nursing homes — singing to residents and performing.
Twice a month, the youth of New Vision set aside time to participate in area cleanups for Keep Kingsport Beautiful, targeting specific areas around Kingsport prone for trash and litter. Among the areas where they pick up trash on a regular basis are downtown Kingsport, the V.O. Dobbins playground and park, and the Dale Street Children’s Park. They are also part of the Fun Fest “Trash Busters,” cleaning up litter and helping to empty the various painted trash receptacles at Fun Fest events on an annual basis.
Members also volunteer their time to give out gifts on the Santa Train, to work with the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, and help hand out gift baskets of food at Thanksgiving and Christmas to a family in need for an area school, Lytle said.
Each year, the New Vision Youth also sponsor and participate in numerous educational programs and initiatives designed to enrich the communities in which they live. They present annual programs for Black History Month, including a full program at various churches, and sponsor trips to museums in Bristol, Greeneville and Rogersville highlighting African-Americans who contributed to the history of East Tennessee.
Led by their director, Johnnie Mae Swagerty, the New Vision Youth also participate in occasional drug intervention initiatives, sponsored by the Kingsport Police Department, and the “Take Back Our Streets” program — holding marches every year to emphasize those initiatives. Those programs are also done in Bristol and Johnson City.
“For the past eight years, the New Vision Youth have performed singing, praise dancing and drama programs at the Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church every third Sunday of the month,” Sneed wrote. “Bethel reports an increase in attendance on those days, because parishioners apparently love to see the children praising the Lord.”
Every two years, youth members of New Vision participate in the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Youth Conference, which teaches teenagers of driving age the rules of the road and driver safety. The conference is held in Nashville. In addition, youth members have also attended the Tennessee Teen Institute, which teaches kids how to be role models. The institute is held at the Tennessee Air National Guard Base at Smyrna.
All of the activities are organized and directed by Swagerty, who keeps the kids on a strict schedule — emphasizing homework and school activities, as well as the service, performance and fun of New Vision on weekends and after school.
“The Kingsport community and the Riverview neighborhood are a better society because of the New Vision Youth,” Sneed wrote, “and I personally feel that people who come in contact with these future adult leaders are enriched by the activities and programs that they participate in.”
Each year, the Times-News and the INK Advisory Board invites area residents to nominate individuals or groups of “Students Who Make a Difference” to be honored in a holiday edition of INK ... news for teens.
The criteria is simple — tell us about a student or group of students who you believe make a difference in their community, school, church or the world at large.
And each year, we get letters from readers telling us about students who have brought about change in their community, stood up for a great cause, moved their school or families forward, or who have gone above and beyond in their service to others.
This year, one group made such a difference that they were nominated twice. Two different readers helped shine a light on the vast impact these young people are making in their community and our city — leaving little doubt that they are, in fact, Students Who Make a Difference.
“As I read over the qualifications for nominating students or groups who make a difference in our community, I was compelled to nominate the members of the New Vision Youth of Kingsport,” wrote Calvin Sneed.
“I cover their activities for the Douglass-Riverview community website, www.son sanddaughtersofdouglass.org , in the course of covering news in the community, and I am touched and amazed at the things these youth do for Riverview and for Kingsport.”
Wellness coordinator Kevin Lytle couldn’t agree more. He’s seen the group in action as well.
New Vision Youth currently has 47 members ranging in age from elementary school to college. However, the majority of members are in middle school or attend Dobyns-Bennett High School.
The group has a special connection to the elders of the Kingsport community — partnering with them on several events and providing many hours of service in their honor.
Each year, the New Vision Youth partner with the Kingsport Senior Citizens organization to sponsor an annual Easter Egg Hunt for both children and seniors. In addition, through that partnership, the youth celebrate Fun Fest with area senior citizens, accompanying them and assisting them at Fun Fest events.
Their annual Grandparents Day Luncheon, held in cooperation and through partnerships with the South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation and the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Community Services Division, is one of the highlights of the year — as is the annual “Gents to Gentlemen” Pageant, the proceeds of which go to non-profits each year.
The New Vision Youth also do programs at nursing homes, singing Christmas carols and praise dancing during the holidays. Even when the holidays are over, the group regularly visits Kingsport area nursing homes — singing to residents and performing.
Twice a month, the youth of New Vision set aside time to participate in area cleanups for Keep Kingsport Beautiful, targeting specific areas around Kingsport prone for trash and litter. Among the areas where they pick up trash on a regular basis are downtown Kingsport, the V.O. Dobbins playground and park, and the Dale Street Children’s Park. They are also part of the Fun Fest “Trash Busters,” cleaning up litter and helping to empty the various painted trash receptacles at Fun Fest events on an annual basis.
Members also volunteer their time to give out gifts on the Santa Train, to work with the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, and help hand out gift baskets of food at Thanksgiving and Christmas to a family in need for an area school, Lytle said.
Each year, the New Vision Youth also sponsor and participate in numerous educational programs and initiatives designed to enrich the communities in which they live. They present annual programs for Black History Month, including a full program at various churches, and sponsor trips to museums in Bristol, Greeneville and Rogersville highlighting African-Americans who contributed to the history of East Tennessee.
Led by their director, Johnnie Mae Swagerty, the New Vision Youth also participate in occasional drug intervention initiatives, sponsored by the Kingsport Police Department, and the “Take Back Our Streets” program — holding marches every year to emphasize those initiatives. Those programs are also done in Bristol and Johnson City.
“For the past eight years, the New Vision Youth have performed singing, praise dancing and drama programs at the Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church every third Sunday of the month,” Sneed wrote. “Bethel reports an increase in attendance on those days, because parishioners apparently love to see the children praising the Lord.”
Every two years, youth members of New Vision participate in the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Youth Conference, which teaches teenagers of driving age the rules of the road and driver safety. The conference is held in Nashville. In addition, youth members have also attended the Tennessee Teen Institute, which teaches kids how to be role models. The institute is held at the Tennessee Air National Guard Base at Smyrna.
All of the activities are organized and directed by Swagerty, who keeps the kids on a strict schedule — emphasizing homework and school activities, as well as the service, performance and fun of New Vision on weekends and after school.
“The Kingsport community and the Riverview neighborhood are a better society because of the New Vision Youth,” Sneed wrote, “and I personally feel that people who come in contact with these future adult leaders are enriched by the activities and programs that they participate in.”
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