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Volume 82 • Issue 43

Thursday, October 27, 2016

News From a Neighbor

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Thursday, October 27, 2016

• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley

American Revolutionary War Patriots honored By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com

Fans of the Revolutionary War were revved up recently when the graves of two local Patriot fighters, Matthew Leeper and Matthew Armstrong, were marked with special plaques honoring their service. The Rev War warriors are buried in Smith Cemetery on Belwood Dr. off South Point Rd. The event was organized by Leigh Ford and his wife Melanie. “We were pleased to have so many supporters to come together, to share the overdue acknowledgment to these two American Patriots.” Leigh said. The ceremony to honor Leeper and Armstrong drew a number of members of several Revolutionary War organizations including National Society Sons of the American Revolution Mecklenburg Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Major William Chronicle Chapter, and National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century Catawba Chapter.The SAR group came dressed in Rev War military garb and acted as honor guard. “We are thankful to help with this ceremony,” said SAR member and reenactor Ken Luckey. After some speeches, SAR members sprang a surprise on Ford by making him a member of their organization and presenting him with a pin and certificate. “I was completely surprised and pleased to be sworn into the SAR and presented with my official SAR Membership Certificate!” Ford said. See WAR PATRIOTS page 2

These members of the Mecklenburg Chapter National Society Sons of the American Revolution acted as Honor Guard for the American Patriot grave marking ceremony held on Oct. 15 at Smith Cemetery near Belmont. From left Jim Tatum, David Alls, Jay Joyce, Ken Luckey, Joh Allen, Guy Higgins. Photo by Alan Hodge

Osprey nest platform erected near Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park

Nine-year-old raising funds for school swingset

by Alan Hodge

By Alan Hodge

alan.bannernews@gmail.com

alan.bannernews@gmail.com

A new “attraction” was added to Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park last week and it's for the birds- literally. Not long after sunrise last Thursday, a pile driver equipped barge carrying a large phone pole and aluminum platform chugged from South Carolina up Lake Wylie and the Catawba River and anchored near the island just offshore from the park. After stabilizing the barge, crewmen from Wilkins Pile Driving Co. began the interesting and intricate process of hooking the nesting platform pole to the on-board crane, lifting it high in the air, and driving it deep into the riverbed mud. After that, a crewman bolted a metal framework on top, attached reflectors and a metal Piedmont Area Wildlife Stewards (PAWS) officer Larry Capps is seen on the piledriving barge that installed an osprey nesting structure last week in the Catawba See OSPREY page 3 River near Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park. Photo by Alan Hodge

When Belmont Central Elementary 4th grader Lilly Floyd, 9, noticed that the 2nd and 3rd grade class playground lacked a swingset she decided to do something about it and that something was to start a fundraising campaing to come up with the $5,000 it will take to buy the rig. “A swingset is great exercise and you feel like you are flying,” Lilly said. “It's not fair that the older children have a swingset and the others don't.” Lilly and her parents Rob Floyd and Anne Gray Wilson, have been looking into the logistics of the swingset situation. “We have seen some commercial grade ones that go for $5,000 including installation,” Rob said. That's a lot of money for a 9-year-old to rustle up, but Fourth grader Lilly Floyd is seen on the Lilly has been busy in that re- Belmont Central 2nd and 3rd grade class jungle gym. There's no swingset and she's gard. raising funds to get one for her “underSee SWINGSET page 2 classmen”. Photo by Alan Hodge

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