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In an effort to bring as many
Hamilton Rosenwald Alumni together as possible, we planned a reunion
event. It was a great opportunity for the community to come together
to share the story that we had gathered so far and to celebrate the
success of the project. Since the school was still under
construction, this event was held in the Hamilton Fire Station. The
reunion was a catered affair which was professionally videotaped and
photographed. The flowers for the event were homegrown and were
generously donated by Deanie Edmondson. All Hamilton Rosenwald
Alumni in attendance were honored with a special yellow ribbon on
their nametags. Everyone who attended received Rosenwald River
Center fans, tote bags and pencils as souvenirs of the occasion.
This event as well as the larger oral/written history research
project of our Hamilton School was made possible by a Creating New
Economies Fund grant from The Conservation Fund.
As it turned out, over 100 folks from 9 counties came out to join in
the celebration. Among those in attendance were: Representative
Edith Warren; representatives from The Conservation Fund, NC
Cultural Resources, Preservation NC, Historic Hamilton Commission &
Hamilton Beautification Committee, Martin County Historical Society
& Arts Council, and Fort Branch; Martin County and Hamilton
Commissioners; mayors from Oak City, Hassell and Williamston; lots
of authentic Hamilton Rosenwald Alumni (our target audience and
honored guests for the event); Rosenwald Alumni from surrounding
communities; representatives from partnering organizations like
Mid-East RC&D and lots of other interested and supportive community
folks. It was a remarkable cross-section of the community and
region.
Upon its completion, we envision The Hamilton Rosenwald School
serving as an interpretive center to tell the “Rosenwald Story”; as
a River/Visitor Center for paddlers, campers, and visitors to the
area; as a community center for meetings and functions; and as a
stimulus for economic development throughout the Roanoke River
region.
For more information about this oral/written history project,
contact Carol Shields at (252) 826-5719 or
cjshields@touchnc.net. |
