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Thursday, March 11, 2021
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• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Bradley Martin named Belmont Firefighter of the Year 2021 By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
An abundance of energy and passion for his career are just two of the reasons the Belmont Fire Department has named Bradley Martin its Firefighter of the Year. “Since joining the Belmont Fire Department as a full-time career firefighter, Firefighter\EMT Bradley
Martin has carried the Belmont Fire Department patch with pride and honor,” said. Division Captain Craig Austin. “Rookie firefighters are a challenging breed in the fire service to tame. From day one, Martin wanted nothing but to soak up all the knowledge from his instructors, fire officers, and senior firefighters. He continues in his endeavors and shows the rest of
the fire service what it looks like to be an eager and willing servant of his community. Priding himself in stellar customer service and continual sharpening of his training, we are proud to boast him as part of the Belmont Fire Department family.” Martin, 25, lives just across the Catawba River in Charlotte. He had an idea of See FIREFIGHTER, Page 4
Belmont Firefighter of the Year Bradley Martin knew from an early age what his career path would be. Photo by Alan Hodge
These are some of the Girl Scouts that had a hand in creating the wonderful Blessing Box at First United Methodist Church in Mt. Holly. From left- Sarah Burlinski, Sierra Russell, Sarah Helms, Tila Kravis. Photo by Alan Hodge
178-year-old St. Joseph’s Catholic Church is a link to our local Irish past By Alan Hodge
Mt. Holly Girl Scouts build Blessing Box By Glenda Painter Late in 2019 the Cadette scouts of Girl Scout Troop 20036 in Mount Holly were deciding on a project for their Silver Award which is
the highest achievement for Cadette Girl Scouts. This is a project that can be done individually or as a group. Since this group worked so well together, they decided to make it a team project.
The girls had to choose a project that they cared about. Then they had to study the community and determine what would be required to complete the project. Once See BLESSING BOX, Page 4
alan@cfmedia.info
March is Irish American Heritage Month and a Mt. Holly landmark gives people a chance to step back in time at a place with strong connections to Ireland. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church is the oldest still standing original Catholic church in North Carolina and the fourth Catholic house of worship built in the state. The 178-year-old church,
originally constructed in 1843 to serve local Irish Catholic miners and their families, holds services twice a year- on St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day. It’s located on NC273 just past the Freightliner factory. Even though the 1841 St. Paul’s Catholic Church in New Bern was the first church Catholic church built in North Carolina, a fire destroyed much of the original building in 1947. The fact that St. Joseph’s is nearly all
the same as it was in 1843 lets it claim the title as the oldest original Catholic church in the state. The Irish miners who were in Gaston County were looking for gold. They had come here to work for an Italian gent named Chevalier Riva de Finola and prior to the church’s construction had used his home as a place of worship. After de Finola met with financial setbacks, he moved out of the Gaston See ST. JOSEPH’S, Pages 6 & 7
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