The Rotary Club of Salisbury is more than tripling the value of its local scholarships over the next two years, thanks to the generosity of a club member.

With a boost from member Fred Stanback, the club is awarding $72,000 in scholarships this spring.

The sum covers 16 scholarships to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, worth $2,000 each, as well as two $10,000 scholarships to Catawba College and two $10,000 scholarships to Livingstone College.

That’s up from $19,600 in previous years, when the club gave eight $1,200 RCCC scholarships and one $5,000 scholarship each to Catawba and Livingstone.

Stanback donated $100,000 to boost proceeds from the club’s annual scholarship fundraiser, a raffle for a $10,000 grand prize.

President Elaine Spalding said club members are big believers in helping young people further their education.

“The Rotary Club of Salisbury is blessed with active members who are very generous to our community,” Spalding said. “We are especially grateful for Fred Stanback’s extra donation that will help us provide scholarships when the students need them the most.”

The gift was announced at the club’s May 11 meeting and prompted thanks from education leaders who were present. The presidents of Livingstone, Catawba, RCCC and Hood Theological Seminary are all members of the club, as is the superintendent of Rowan-Salisbury Schools.

RCCC President Carol Spalding said the scholarship increase is “quite significant.”

“This is a great investment, particularly for the people who want to go to community college,” Spalding said. “Every one of these students makes a big difference in their family’s life. They’re our neighbors.”

And they will forever have won a Rotary scholarship, a distinction that will not be lost on them in the long run, the RCCC president said.

“It makes them feel that someone who doesn’t actually know them is investing in them and believes in their future.”

The $2,000 RCCC scholarships will completely cover tuition and fees.

Education has been a high priority for the Rotary Club of Salisbury throughout its century-long history. The need for local school improvements spurred the club’s formation in 1920. Salisbury Rotary joined other civic clubs in supporting the $500,000 bond that funded construction of Salisbury High School, completed in 1925.

Since 1988, the club has awarded more than $450,000 in scholarships to college bound seniors graduating from Rowan-Salisbury high schools. After this spring’s round, that total will grow to $527,000.

For several years, those scholarships have gone where they most directly benefit the Salisbury-Rowan community — to students bound for local colleges.

The club raises money for its scholarship trust with an annual raffle, a project headed by Don Clement IV.

Member Brad Bost, who also works on the raffle, said the pandemic did not hurt this year’s fundraiser, held online.

“Thanks to all the Rotary Club members and the community, we had our most successful raffle ever,” Bost said. “I am very proud of our club and members for what we have been able to do the enhance the lives of Rowan County students.”

For more information about the Salisbury Rotary Club, contact president Elaine Spalding at 704-633-4221.

Hood Theological Seminary celebrates its 2021  commencement.

Hood Theological Seminary celebrated its virtual commencement ceremony on May 15.

Bishop Lawrence Reddick was the 2021 Commencement Speaker. Reddick is the Presiding Prelate of the Eighth Episcopal District and the Senior Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Family members and friends from all over tuned in to Facebook and YouTube to celebrate this special day through a virtual commencement with Hood graduates during the Seminary’s twentieth commencement exercises.

Reddick’s message was titled “The Measuring,” and recalled his experiences as a pastor, addressing the new graduates. The first part of his commencement address discussed the importance of listening beyond people’s words and the need to work at listening.

The second part of the address was about the importance of learning. Bishop Reddick stated that learning is “seeing through lens the eyes or the ears, hearing someone else…grasping through the experiences of others.”

He described the importance of hearing someone else during experiences encountered with other people, specifically in the church.

“The world is yet larger than all of us,” Reddick said. “And there are some fields we are probably ignorant about.”

He also discussed the importance of really living.

“I challenge you to live, knowing that each moment, not just this moment, is powerful and potentially important, even when you do not see it or do not know it or do not feel it as important at that moment,” Reddick told the graduates.

The highlight of the graduation service was the conferring of one master of theological studies degree, twenty-two master of divinity degrees, and six doctor of  ministry degrees.

Honorary degrees of Doctor of Humane Letters were conferred upon Dwight Ferrand Messinger and Mary S. Ponds by Hood President Vergel Lattimore, and Academic Dean, Dr. Trevor Eppehimer. 

Equipment company donates geothermal heat pumps to RCCC

SALISBURY–  AAON, a national manufacturer of heating and air conditioning equipment, recently donated 12 geothermal heat pumps to the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

Representatives of the company were on hand to make a formal presentation at the College’s recent Board of Trustees meeting.

“At AAON, we are dedicated to helping foster the highest quality training for students, and hands-on learning using the latest equipment is the best way to train,” said AAON Aftermarket Sales Director Tim Halbert. “We are pleased to be able to partner with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to provide this equipment so that graduates are well-prepared professionals who can contribute to the strength of our industry.”

Students in the Rowan-Cabarrus Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology program are recruited heavily by local companies, and many have jobs even before graduation. With the vast majority of today’s homes, schools and offices employing central heating and air conditioning, these highly technical systems require expert installation, repair and replacement by skilled professionals.

“We are grateful for this generous donation to help modernize our geothermal lab. AAON’s dedication to education will help us ensure that our students are able train on the latest equipment and that we can maintain the highest quality programs that lead to good jobs in this in-demand field,” RCCC President Carol Spalding said.

Yadkin Path Montessori hires as lead elementary guide

Yadkin Path Montessory has hired Angela Galloway as its new lead elementary guide. Galloway has been a teacher in public and private schools for eight years. Prior to her teaching career she was a home school mom, child care teacher and director.

Yadkin Path Montessori is a licensed private school and center offering education and care to students from infancy through the elementary years, with an emphasis on outdoor exploration through the lens of the Montessori philosophy.

For more information, visit https://www.yadkinpathmontessori.org/

For summer camp information, the admissions process, or to schedule a tour email yadkinpath@gmail.com or call 704-642-2211.