South Point Athletes Honored 7A
Serving Belmont, Mount Holly, Stanley, Cramerton, and McAdenville | Volume 79 • Issue 13 • Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Ella Brooke Bowen, 4, of Belmont was enjoying some quality time with daffodils and a wooly worm on a recent warm day. She’s the daughter of James and Courtney Bowen, granddaughter of Chris and Connie Atkins.
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Celebrating St. Joseph’s By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Photo by Alan Hodge
Erick Euler of Troop 56 FUMC Belmont, is seen being presented his Eagle Scout plaque by Police Chief Charles Franklin. Euler built bridges at Rocky Branch Park for his project.
Euler earns rank of Eagle By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
“He took on a man-sized project and did a man-sized job,” That’s what Belmont police Cpl. Doug Huffstetler had to say about 17-year-old Erick Euler and his Eagle Scout project building bridges at the new Rocky Branch Park biking and hik-
ing trail on Woodrow Ave. A member of Troop 56 based at First United Methodist Church in Belmont and a student at South Point High, Euler and his helpers hauled sections of phone pole weighing hundreds of pounds into the forest to make the basis for the bridges. They faced swarms of ‘skeeters, mud, and heat to do the work. See EULER, 8A
Good news as cases of TB decline in county, state By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
One of man’s oldest diseases, tuberculosis, is still with us today, and even though the number of Gaston and Cleveland county cases have fallen over the years, other places on the planet still suffer terribly from it. Tuberculosis is a communicable, potentially deadly disease that usually affects the lungs but can attack other parts of the body as well. It is spread when a person with an active case of TB exhales the diseasecausing bacteria, which is in turn inhaled by someone else. In 1980, the state was third highest in the nation for its TB case rate. By 2012 it had dropped to 29th highest. March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch told a small group of scientists at the
University of Berlin’s Institute of Hygiene that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. It was called a “turningpoint in the story of a virulent human infectious disease.” At the time of Koch’s announcement, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Today tuberculosis causes the deaths of about 1.7 million people each year, mostly in the Third World. Remembering this, World Tuberculosis Day was marked on Monday, March 24, to build public awareness about the global problem of tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate it. World Tuberculosis Day began In 1982, on the onehundredth anniversary of Koch’s presentation, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that March 24 be proclaimed an official World TB Day. This was part of a year-long centennial effort by the IUATLD and the World Health Organization (WHO) under the theme “Defeat TB: Now and Forever.” World TB Day was not officially
Worshippers got not one but two chances to step back in time last week in Mount Holly. The events were services held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church- the oldest still standing original Catholic church in North Carolina and the fourth Catholic house of worship built in the state. The 171-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. Last week, these days were on Monday and Wednesday. On Monday, a group of members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians attended a ceremony that honored the original 19th century parishioners as well as the first priest there, Father T.J. Cronin. Though Cronin died of yellow fever
Photo by Alan Hodge
Father David Kessinger OSB from Belmont Abbey conducted the St. Joseph's Day Mass last Wednesday at the 1843 St. Joseph's Church in Mount Holly. Father Kessinger is seen at the church's original altar. before the building was completed, he is buried in the church cemetery out front.
Wednesday saw St. Joseph’s Day Mass held at the church. Despite dreary weather, a capacity crowd of
several dozen folks filled the church’s original pews. Heavy coats were the See St. JOSEPH’S, 8A
Annual ‘Walk for AIDS’ is April 5 By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Saturday, April 5 the 21st Annual Walk for AIDS will step off in Belmont at 10am from the Sisters of Mercy campus. Registration begins at 9:30am. The event raises funds for House of Mercy as well as awareness of AIDS. Located on the Sisters of Mercy grounds, House of Mercy was started in 1991 and has provided care to over 300 low-income men and women with AIDS who are unable to care for themselves and face homelessness. The annual Walk for AIDS event raises over 80 percent of House of Mercy operating expenses. The Sisters of Mercy support House of Mercy administrative costs, but other expenses such as food, medication, and 24-hour compassionate care is paid for by Walk for AIDS contributions. Last year, over 350 participants walked the event’s three-mile route through downtown Belmont. The goal for 2014 is to raise $36,750. Participants can walk singly or raise teams. A Walk for AIDS t-shirt will be
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Team (top fundraising team) led approximately 350 participants during last year's House of Mercy 20th Annual Walk for AIDS. Banner News file photo given to the first 300 participants who raise $50 or more. Donations are taxdeductible and need to be turned in by April 5. Make checks out to House of Mercy and mail to House of Mercy, PO Box 808, Belmont, NC 28012. Note “Walk for AIDS” on the memo line. New this year is a “Virtual AIDS Run” open until April 1.
House of Mercy will announce fundraising totals for the 2014 Walk for AIDS and Virtual AIDS Run at the picnic following the event. For more details and to get forms or make donations online visit www.houseofmercy.org. or www.Facebook.com/houseofmercync or call 704825-4711 ext. 3.
Scouting out the (Banner) News This group of Cub Scouts from Pack 503 based at Christ United Methodist Church in Gastonia paid a visit to the BannerNews office last week to see how a community, weekly newspaper is created. From left: Tristan Peyton, Grayson Harrington, Michael Sparks, Tristan Blair, Jack Holeman, Joshua Sells. Photo by Alan Hodge
See TB, 5A
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