NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK

Red Hawk Alumni gather at the Crawdads’ Stadium to see old friends and make new memories.

The 2022 CVCC Night at the Ballpark and Alumni Homecoming was full of surprises!

Although the local weather report called for rain, the sky remained clear and blue, with a bit of fall wind swirling in the air. From the moment the Crawdads Stadium opened, people streamed inside, eager to watch one of the last home games of the season. You couldn’t go anywhere without running into a member of the CVCC team – staff, alumni, and students filled the ballpark.

Every alum who walked through the gates could come to the Alumni Association tent to sign up for membership and a chance to receive one of several raffle prizes: copies of Nimble and Tenacious, a framed landscape portrait shot by CVCC’s Director of Photographic Technology, Joe Young, or a cash gift card. CVCC Foundation, Red Hawk Communications, Red Hawk Publications, and other staff had the chance to meet alumni of all ages and backgrounds. It was fun to learn about the ways CVCC left an impact on them and prepared them for their career path. administrations may use as a self-assessment process. The hope is that more and more educators can implement IDD strategies to help develop or improve their programs. In addition, these workbooks incorporate resource pages to inform colleges about available assistive technologies and to list key contacts at the state and national levels. Once developed, the toolkits will be distributed to various community colleges to help them set up a successful vocational training program for the IDD adult population in their area.

When visitors weren’t at the tent, they joined the long line at concessions. SkillsUSA directors ran the concession stand, and members of the Bass Fishing Team showed off their culinary skills by helping in the kitchen.

The Crawdads ensured entertainment was a highlight of the game. After Ralph Mangum, WHKY host, sang the national anthem, CVCC’s Everette Campbell stood on the field to throw the first pitch – and he threw a strike across home base! “It was a bucketlist item”, Everette recalls of the moment.

“I’m so happy.” Momentum kicked off from there. Everyone gathered in the stadium seats to watch the Hickory Crawdads play against the Rome Braves in a challenging, intense night of baseball.

And as the game came to a close at the seventh inning, visitors had the chance to watch one of CVCC’s Music Department students, N. Messick, sing live at the stadium.

Alumni Homecoming is always more than a one-time event. It reminds us that our Red Hawk family is closer, stronger, and better when we come together.