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Volume 84 • Issue 41
News from a neighbor!
Thursday, October 11, 2018
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Belmont Fire Dept. celebrates 100 years By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
The Belmont Fire Dept. celebrated 100 years of service to the city last Sunday with a gathering at the headquarters station on Keener Blvd. A large number of firefighters past and present, dignitaries, friends, and family attended the event where they shared memories and remarks of the department’s past and present. “Look at all these folks,” said fire chief George Altice. “They are the foundation of the Belmont Fire Dept. There’s a million dollars worth of equipment here, but it’s nothing without the people.” The exact date the Belmont Fire Dept. got going is lost to memory, but the best account puts it at December 12, 1918. William Crawford was the first chief, followed by C.P. Lineberger. The first volunteers were H.B. Gaston Sr., Prep Hall, Dave Hall, Wayne Fite, and several others. City of Belmont firefighters past and present gathered Sunday for the department’s 100th anniversary celebration. Photo by Alan Hodge
See BELMONT FIRE page 2
Mt. Holly to Kids pitch in to create public art receive a $25,000 in Belmont and Cramerton State Farm grant By Alan Hodge
alan.bannernews@gmail.com
edited by Alan Hodge The City of Mt. Holly has received the exciting news it will be getting a $25,000 grant from State Farm Insurance to help pay for costs associated with construction of a Veterans Healing Garden. In just 10 days in August, 167,000 people cast 4.5 Million votes in support of their favorite causes. As a result, 40 communities, in 19 states, including Mt. Holly, will be getting help from State Farm Neighborhood Assist, a crowd-sourced philanthropic program that empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods. Non-profits affiliated with each of the top 40 causes receive grants to address them. Mount Holly’s State Farm agent Adam Lee, in conjunction with Leigh Brinkley of the Mount Holly Farmers Market, submitted the grant application this spring. The project, a Veterans Healing Garden Program, connects local veterans and therapeutic resources to community and enhances support of Mount Holly's veterans and their families by bridging veterans' sense of isolation to the community. The veteran population in NC is over 775k, ranking 8th highest in the nation. Each year nearly 1,000 veterans from the city of Mount Holly are recognized at a Veterans Day event hosted by the local historical society. Mt. Holly is also a Purple Heart Community, and there is a strong commitment to its veteran citizens. The current Veterans Park offers green space and playground area but is underutilized due to limited connectivity See GRANT page 3
Right now, the chain link fence around the city owned parking lot on Mill St. behind Sammy's Neighborhood Pub in downtown Belmont is a rather industrial looking eyesore. However, through the efforts of the city and students from Belmont Central Elementary, in a few weeks it's going to be transformed into an eye celebration. The idea is to fill the chain links with about 2,000 colorful plastic flowers- all hand crafted by the kids. Dr. Jim Dobies was on the design committee for the Downtown Belmont Development Committee when the idea of having the students make a new piece of public art was floated. “We wanted to bring more public art to downtown Belmont,” Dr. Dobies said. “The committee looked at several different projects and this one had the most potential.”
Official Liver Mush Festival of North Carolina
Mutts
Shelby, NC
NC BREW FEST & CHILI COOK-OFF
These Belmont Central Elementary students have been hard at work making 2,000 plastic flowers for Belmont’s newest piece of public art. The kids are seen with art teach Anna Smith and Dr. Jim Dobies of the city’s Downtown Belmont Development Committee. Photo by Alan Hodge Once the flower fence was decided upon, the next step was getting the school on board.
“City council member Ron Foulk put our committee in touch with art teacher Anna Smith at Belmont Cen-
tral,” Dr. Dobies said. “Her students will be making the flowers.” See PUBLIC ART page 5
October 19th
October 20th
NC Brew Festival & Chili Cook-Off
The Official NC Liver Mush Festival
6:00-9:30 pm
8am - 4pm
VIP entrance
5:00 PM
Court Square in Uptown Shelby, NC
MUSHMUSICANDMUTTS.COM i
Festival Admission FREE!
See details inside pages 12 & 13