Clarion
Publication Date: January 10, 2006
Volume 57, Issue 4
Marvin Zerden Named a George F. Hixson Fellow
Wendell Cramer, who has spearheaded the club’s efforts over the years to promote George F. Hixson Fellowships, had the honor of presenting Marvin Zerden, a 37-year veteran member of the Hickory Club, with his certificate of award and other credentials of the office.
The Hixson Fellowships established in 1983 are Kiwanis International’s major initiative to help fund the united effort to control and virtually eradicate Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) throughout the world. These efforts were primarily targeted to developing countries where the lack of iodized salt in the diet jeopardized their children’s mental health. For the most part, the effort has been highly successful and is now virtually completed.
Members of Marvin’s family who were present for the occasion were his wife Elaine, his daughter Lizzy and her husband Jim Correll.
Congratulations, Marvin!
Recent Programs
December 13–Our in-house Christmas Party began with Rev. Stanley Stiver’s Christmas story about the Shepard's Staff. He spoke before an excited group of children (nine boys and two girls, thanks, in part, to the Barkley’s for the disproportionate numbers).
Danny Seaver and his Helpers played authentic and enthusiastic roles as Santa Claus and other traditional characters. The Helpers were Tigger (Helen Devlin), Pooh (Teresa Foster), Micky Mouse (Mark Vollinger) and Eeyor (Linda Baker).
Next, Margaret Sorrell, J. C. Epting (at the piano), Wendell Cramer, Mark Walters and Brad Saine led the group in singing traditional Christmas Carols.
Our thanks to all the members and guests who planned, led and/or participated in this great party.
December 21–This was another in-house program featuring the most memorable or unusual Christmas stories by our members, who had been forewarned that they may be chosen by lot to relate their stories.
Regrettably, space does not permit even a thumbnail sketch of their various stories, but our thanks to Helen Devlin, Tom Shields, Dr. Grimes Byerly, Bruce Blackburn, Dick Washer, Tom Devlin, Bill Barkley and Dr. Bill Straka for their moving, passionate and sometimes humorous stories. They were outstanding!
January 3–The first program of the new year featured a delightful and talented young vocalist Uratel “Skip” Thao, a first-generation Hmong and a 2000 graduate of Hickory High School. He has performed in Hickory Community Theater productions and other civic endeavors.
Introduced by President-Elect Dave Kozak, Skip treated us with selections from The Music Man, Fantasy of the Opera and numbers made famous by Josh Grogan. He will soon be entering Gardner-Webb University as a music major with Christian studies as a minor. He expressed his appreciation for the help his family and particularly his sister has received from Kiwanis.
We also express our appreciation to Dave’s daughter Lindsay for assisting Skip with his recorded accompaniments.
January 10–Wendell Cramer, President of W. M. Cramer Lumber Company and highly active in the industry’s National Hardwood Lumber Association, presented through commentary and PowerPoint slides the dramatic changes that have taken place in his company and the industry over the past four decades.
Entitling his presentation “Who Moved My Trees?”, Wendell showed a number of graphs depicting the rise and fall within certain segments of the industry. Of particular local interest is Cramer Lumber’s 67 percent of its product sales going to the furniture industry (approximately ten years ago) versus today’s percentage of less than ten percent. To meet this challenge, Wendell has ratcheted up sales to other segments–kitchen cabinets, hardwood flooring, pallets and export markets–generating fantastic sales volumes, but with slim profit margins.
Speaking to the causes for the dramatic downfall of the domestic furniture manufacturing industries, Wendell cited unbelievably lower off-shore manufacturing costs, virtually no environmental and government regulations and complacency within the management of local companies. However, he mentioned the names of a number of prominent local and nearby manufacturers who have ceased all manufacturing operations, relying solely on imported product and rolling in higher profits than they’ve ever experienced.
On the domestic lumber manufacturing scene, the mentioned the long-term problems and cost increases associated with the Katrina storms and similar disasters as well as the unrealistic demands of environmental organizations to “protect” the forests.
Wendell was introduced by Rick Foster, who has long held Wendell as his role model.
Thank you, Wendell, for the industry insight which you have given us.
Announcements
Landon Lane gave a preliminary Foundation report for last year indicating $35,000 was expended for scholarships benefiting 20/21 students.
Frank Willis introduced Jim Crook, recently promoted Boy Scout Finance Director, who was present to receive a $1500 club check to assist with his organization’s Learning for Life program.
President Helen has recently had contact with Kirk Gilliam, great nephew of Baxter Gilliam, who lost his life in the 1920’s while playing football for Lenoir-Rhyne College. Subsequently, the club established the Baxter Gilliam Memorial Scholarship to honor him. His nephew is now seeking any information or documentation concerning his uncle’s legacy. If any of you can provide these details, please see Helen.
For the club’s Christmas gift to Long View School children, the $377 contributed for this purpose will be used to provide paper-back dictionaries to all third grade students.
T. J. Lassiter, a former recipient of a Kiwanis scholarship, recently visited President Helen to present a gift to the club as a token of his appreciation. The gift is a Kiwanis motif in a leaded-glass plaque, which T. J. and his fiancé hand-crafted as a hobby. T. J. is now studying nuclear medicine at the Medical College of Georgia.
Shortly before Christmas and thanks to Wendell Cramer and Ken Kleva, the club acquired an alternative product to sell along with the peanuts. The product is bagged pecan halves, which sell for $6.50 per bag. If you can use or sell some, see Ken. Ken hopes with your help to windup this year’s sale within the next week or two.
Congratulations to Helen and Tom Devlin for their surviving during the ice storm and holidays with up to l5 family members under one roof. Also, for son Patrick’s virtually completing his course work at ECU and capturing a real job with the Pitt Co. Hospital.
Our best wishes to Helen Tillman, who will be undergoing hip replacement surgery on Thursday and to Dr. Harrison Jahn who continues to satisfactorily recuperate from similar surgery.
Our thanks to the Reverends Stanley Stiver and John Woodard for their efforts in leading this year’s Bell Ringing campaign, and especially to John, who did the bulk of the leg work because of Stanley’s recuperation from a fall.
Congratulations to Diane and Richard Thompson on their 42nd wedding anniversary.
TAKE NOTE:
Board Meeting following next Tuesday’s (January 17’s) meeting. President Helen asks all directors, especially, to attend, but others are welcome.
Upcoming Programs and Other Events
January17–David Marriam(?) speaking on the Catawba River Keepers
January 24–Headmaster Colin Stevens of Patterson School
January 31–To be announced
February 3-4–Mid-Year District Conference, Kingston Plantation, Myrtle Beach, SC
February 7–To be announced
May 15–(a Monday)–15th Annual Kiwanis-sponsored Golf Tournament at Lake Hickory CC’s Catawba Springs Course–PM Play Only