Housing Visions: A Continuum of Care is seeking donations for its annual Point in Time Count of homeless persons in Catawba County.
The project is a U.S. Census effort to document how many homeless persons live in the area.
Each homeless person participating in the count receives an 8-by-10-foot tarp, alcohol-free mouth wash, new or gently used full size backpack, blankets, can opener, pop top canned fruit, pop top canned meat, comb or brush, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, flashlight and batteries, gloves, hand wipes, large or extra-large heavy sweatshirt, single serving bottled water, razors and shaving cream, shampoo, socks, knit cap, toothbrush and toothpaste, towel and washcloth.
Donations of items and money to buy items are needed by Friday. Volunteers will distribute items to homeless persons on Jan. 25.
Monetary donations can be mailed to Catawba County United Way/Backpacks for Homeless, P.O. Boxes 2425, Hickory, NC 28603. Make out checks to “Catawba County United Way” and write “Backpacks for Homeless” in the memo line.
Donated items may be dropped off at one of the following locations: Catawba County United Way, 800 17th St. N.W., Suite UW, Hickory; Mental Health Partners, 1985 Tate Blvd. S.E., Suite 259, Hickory or Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, 245 East N St., Newton.
For details or to volunteer with the Point in Time Count, contact Teena Willis at Mental Health Partners at 828-323-8084.
Housing Visions is a consortium of human service agencies that deal with issues of poverty and homelessness. For details, visit housingvisionscatawba.org or look for “Housing-Visions-Continuum-of-Care” on Facebook.
Full Circle Arts will accept art work for the exhibition, “Art About Women,” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at the gallery’s new location, 29 Second St. N.W., Hickory. This is Full Circle Arts’ first major exhibition at the location, where it has begun a partnership with Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse.
“Art About Women” is open to visual artists in all media, featuring works about women and women’s issues. Proceeds from the event benefit the First Step program for victims of domestic violence of the Family Guidance Center.
The exhibition will be on display Feb. 2-March 10. An opening reception will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. Feb. 2. A total of $600 in prizes will be awarded.
Full Circle Arts is a nonprofit artists’ cooperative. For details, contact the gallery at 828-322-7545 or or visit fullcirclearts.org.
Palliative CareCenter and Hospice of Catawba Valley is seeking volunteers in Catawba, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Iredell and Lincoln counties to offer support for patients and their families. A two-day volunteer training session will be held 8:15 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 4 and noon-5 p.m. Feb. 5.
Topics will include: how to communicate with patients and families, an overview of hospice and the role of hospice volunteers. Volunteers are needed for administrative support, to provide respite for caregivers, to offer companionship to the patient and more.
For details and to register, contact the volunteer department at 828-466-0466 or
William Burns Jr. earned his Eagle Scout Rank and received his Eagle Scout badge and certificate on Dec. 5 during an outdoor ceremony at McComb Park in Hickory.
For his Eagle Scout project, Burns created and implemented a recycling program at Hickory High School. The project also included landscaping work and installation of a solar-powered trash compactor on the high school’s grounds.
William will graduate from Hickory High School this month and plans to attend Warren Wilson College near Asheville.
The city of Newton will offer free mulch from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday at the city’s facility on Boston Road, off N.C. 10 West.
The mulch is free to residents, nonresidents and contractors. For details, contact the city of Newton Public Works and Utilities Department at 828-695-4310.
The Newton Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a Senior Citizens Sweetheart Dance for those ages 55 and older, 7-10 p.m. Feb. 9 on the lower level of the Newton Recreation Department, 23 S. Brady Ave., Newton.
Local band “Midnight Flyers” will provide music. Tickets are $8 at the door. Attendees are asked to bring finger foods share. Soft drinks will be provided.
For details contact the Newton Recreation Department at 828-695-4317.
Director and playwright Molly Bass has announced a cast of 14 for the Hickory Community Theatre revival of her original comedy, “By a Flared Nostril.”
The cast includes: Kelly Dowless, Michael Woody, Jackson Sigmon, Leslie Ferrell Middleton, Amy Beane, Connie Bools, Lianna Young, Kim Whitley, Katie Herfurth, Tim Rapp, Daniel Breuer, John Rambo, Lawson Cross and Caroline Peters.
“By a Flared Nostril” will be performed Feb. 10-26 in the Jeffers Theatre at Hickory Community Theatre, 30 Third St. N.W., Hickory.
Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $7 for students or youth ages 18 and younger. For tickets, visithct.org, call 828-328-2283 or visit the box office noon-5 p.m. Tuesday – Friday.
Auditions for the Hickory Community Theatre’s RugBug Theatre children’s production “The New Adventures of Goldilocks and Her Pals” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 23 and 24 in the Hickory Community Theatre complex at 30 Third St. N.W., Hickory.
The cast calls for nine boys and girls ages ranging from 1stgrade reading level to age 17. The play will be presented March 3-4 and 10-11. For details call 828-328-2283.
Magician and illusionist Sammy Cortino will perform at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Old Post Office Playhouse, 10 S. Main Ave., Newton.
The show will include classic illusions incorporated into drama, music, dance and comedy.
Tickets are $15. To reserve tickets, call 828-464-6128 or visit the Old Post Office box office 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. For details about the show, visit sammycortino.com or the-green-room.org or call 828-464-6583.
A reception for a new exhibit of pencil, pastel and charcoal drawings by artist Joseph Eck, “People, Places, and Pets,” will take place 3-4:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the Lucas Mansion at the Hiddenite Center, 316 Hiddenite Church Road, Hiddenite.
The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served and the artist will be available to discuss his work with visitors. The exhibit will remain in the Hiddenite Center’s Lucas Mansion Gallery through the end of February. Admission to the Lucas Mansion Gallery is free. The gallery is open to the public 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays.
For details, visit hiddenitecenter.com , search “Friends of the Hiddenite Center” on Facebook, or call 828-632-6966.
The von Drehle Corp. has been named by Business North Carolina magazine as a “Mid-Market Fast 40″ company.
The list names companies in North Carolina that have experienced the greatest growth in employees and revenues within the last three years. The von Drehle Corporation experienced 45 percent employee growth and a 44 percent increase in revenue and was ranked 15th among mid-level companies in the list.
The von Drehle Corporation is a national manufacturer of towel and tissue products. Its national headquarters are in Hickory.
Joel Shaw, vice president of Facilities Management for United Church Homes and Services, recently celebrated 35 years of continuous service to the organization.
Shaw started at Abernethy Laurels, a retirement community in Newton operated by United Church Homes and Services, as a maintenance technician in 1977.
During the Dec. 7 annual meeting of the Hickory Downtown Development Association, the organization recognized retiring members of its board of directors.
Russel Coley, Julia Rush and Constance Snyder completed their three-year terms.
The group elected new members to the board of directors for three-year terms. New members include Margaret Jackson, The Jackson Group; Betty Mahoney, Bisque n Beads; Edgar Nucamendi, Taste Full Beans; Tim Phillips, Josh’s on Union Square and Jason Yates, Olde Hickory Brewery and Tap Room.
The membership also elected the officers for 2012. Officers include President Brenda Taylor, RPM Wood Finishes Group; President-Elect Jason Yates, Olde Hickory Brewery and Tap Room; Secretary/Treasurer Cheryl Sherrill, BB&T; Past President Gavin Mitchell, Boyd-Hassell Commercial-Industrial Real Estate.
On Jan. 4, Hickory Fire Department held a ceremony for Hickory firefighters Bryan Edwards and John Warren, who were promoted to the rank of captain.
Edwards joined the Hickory Fire Department as a firefighter in 2003. He has served as a volunteer firefighter with Grace Chapel Fire Department for the past 19 years. On his days off, Edwards works as a full-time paramedic with Piedmont Urgent Care.
Warren was hired as a firefighter with the Hickory Fire Department in 2002. He served as a volunteer firefighter with the Startown/Newton Fire Department 1999-2011. He specializing as a driver-operator, is certified in aerial operations and is a specialty instructor in pumps and aerial operations. Compiled by Gina Smith