SPENCER — Creative fundraising — that’s what the Spencer Hometown Holidays Committee would call their latest project.
The small volunteer committee reached out to the community to collect a variety of old photographs that are featured in the current 2011 calendar. The old photographs serve a dual purpose in the calendar: they evoke fond memories and preserve Spencer’s history. And that’s just what the Hometown Holidays Committee wanted.
Besides being historic in nature, the calendars also serve as a place to keep up with appointments and feature a list of scheduled events which will take place throughout town.
Susan Goodman Sides, author of Historic Salisbury and Rowan County in Vintage Postcards, shared several of her photographs with the Spencer Hometown Holidays Committee. Her collection has been featured in the 2010 and 2011 calendars. Sides is an advocate for preserving history thorough postcards and photographs in and around Rowan County.
The 18-page calendar is arranged in a casual collage style. Some photos highlighted are nearly 100 years old. There are also pictures of old Spencer High School activities, as well as North Rowan events. The rare and vintage photos of the old watch-making school that was located in Spencer following the war, the Oakdale Inn, the Old 97 Corner, the Spencer Shops at the turn of the century, Melba Motor Court, and the 1952 Christmas Parade have been some of the favorites.
The calendar is definitely a keepsake and represents many hours of research and scanning of old high school yearbooks and pictures. In most cases, the names of citizens are labeled under the pictures.
The original 2010 calendar was well received by the community and sold out. The 2011 calendars are almost gone. Spencer Hometown Holidays members expect to have the 2012 calendars available by October.
The calendars cost $10 each and are available at Debbie Barnhardt’s Jewelry Store, Stoudemire Furniture, Green Goat Gallery and The Rowan County Visitors Bureau. All proceeds support the continued expansion of Spencer’s holiday events.
For more information contact Beth Nance at 704-239-3729 or bethmnance@gmail.com