Gaston

Together

 

 

2003 ANNUAL REPORT

 

“Building a Positive Future for Gaston County”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by

Gaston Together

 

Gaston Together

 

2003 ANNUAL REPORT

“Building a Positive Future for Gaston County”

 

 

Gaston Together was formed in 1997 by the business community of Gaston County to unify common

efforts, to provide a forum to address quality of life issues and to provide leadership in directing our

county’s overall future.  The mission of Gaston Together is to bring people together to impact

community issues through collaboration, facilitation, promotion and the anticipation of possibilities.

 

 

Gaston 2012 Plan:  The Blueprint for Gaston County’s Future 

 

In 2003, Gaston Together and the Community Planning Alliance (CPA), a group of over 50 of

Gaston County’s top CEOs, combined their work on a county-wide visioning plan with the Gaston

Chamber of Commerce’s Comprehensive Economic Development Plan (CEDS) which had been

commissioned by US Representative Sue Myrick.  The outgrowth of these two strategic planning

efforts is the Gaston 2012 Plan, the blueprint for positive growth in Gaston County over the next

decade.  Gaston Together has been charged with coordinating the implementation of the Gaston 2012

Plan.  The Gaston 2012 Plan emphasizes both economic development and quality of life issues.

Based on the work of the CEDS project, citizen led Action Teams have been established around the

areas of Economic Development, Entrepreneurial Development, Infrastructure/ Transportation

Development, Workforce Development and Marketing/ Communications.  In November and

December, Gaston Together organized and facilitated four Gaston 2012 Community Meetings

involving over 250 citizens from across Gaston County. The Community Meetings were held in four different locations throughout the county in order to provide easy access for participants from all locales.  Based on the citizen input gathered from these town meetings, additional Action Teams will be formed around Education, Recreation and Quality of Life.  Gaston Together also created an advisory board of 40 citizen leaders from across Gaston County, the Gaston 2012 Strategic Council, and provides administrative support for their work.  Implementing the Gaston 2012 Plan provides Gaston Together the opportunity to collaborate the efforts of the Action Teams and numerous groups working on different elements of the Gaston 2012 Plan: Gaston County government, the municipalities, Gaston Chamber of Commerce, etc.  Gaston Together is in the process of seeking funding for the next steps of the Gaston 2012 Plan: the production and distribution of Visual Displays, Maps and Brochures which will offer tangible means of exhibiting the initiatives of the Action Teams and Leadership Training sessions for current and future leaders of Gaston County to name a few.

 

“Strategic Alliance” with the Gaston Chamber of Commerce

 

In 2003, Gaston Together entered a strategic alliance with the Gaston Chamber of Commerce.  This alliance has offered reciprocal opportunities for both Gaston Together and the Gaston Chamber of Commerce.  Gaston Together is working closely with the Chamber of Commerce on the implementation of the Gaston 2012 Plan the blueprint for the future growth of Gaston County.  The Chamber of Commerce naturally brings an economic development focus to this plan of work.  Gaston Together brings a quality of life focus to the overall plan which together provide a strong foundation for attracting future positive growth to Gaston County.  This alliance also allowed for Gaston Together to move their offices to the Gaston Chamber of Commerce Building.

 

 

Community Leadership Awards

 

Gaston Together held its fourth annual Community Leadership Awards in April, 2003 honoring the Junior League of Gaston County.  More than 200 people were in attendance as Henry Massey, Chairman of the event, recognized the Junior League for their Woodhill Elementary School Project, a three year signature project to assist this school located in a disadvantaged neighborhood with much of the support of a traditional parents’ association.  Assistance provided by Junior League members has ranged from raising $29,000 (including a $7,000 gift from the East Gastonia Rotary Club) to install a playground, donating the marquee sign for the front of the school, providing Teachers’ Breakfasts, Luncheons and Dinners, providing math boxes of tools for instruction to providing “grade mother” style birthday parties.  This partnership between The Junior League of Gaston County and Woodhill Elementary was a “win-win” for everyone involved.

 

The Community Leadership Award is the only award in Gaston County that honors an organization or group as opposed to an individual.  The criteria for the award is as follows:  The Gaston Together Community Leadership Award will recognize organization(s) in our community including government, human services, arts, grassroots, religious, etc., that have developed a project which has made a significant impact on the betterment of our community during the previous year.  The project should meet the following criteria:  leads positive change for the betterment of Gaston County, contributing to the overall quality of life enjoyed by Gaston County citizens; demonstrates collaborative efforts among diverse individuals or groups; has provided creative leadership by utilizing a unique, non-silo thinking approach to community improvement or problem-solving; contributes to the long-term growth of the community; and strives for a process of continuous improvement.

 

“Pride in Gaston” Traveling Tour” & “Proudest Kid in Gaston County” Essay Contest:

Building Community Pride in Gaston County’s Schoolchildren

 

The “Pride in Gaston” Traveling Tour project reaches over 2800 students in Gaston County and includes both public and private schools.  The 2003 program was the fourth annual year of this project and has been made possible all four years through support provided by Choice USA, Inc.  This year’s Traveling Tour visited the James Lynn Planetarium at the Schiele Museum, the Gaston County Courthouse and the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.  The tour builds on the third grade study of the “Community.”  This program has been designed to teach a sense of community pride and history of Gaston County in our school children that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.  Children who are proud of Gaston County as their home will grow into adults who choose to live, work and raise their own families right here in Gaston County.  This element is the vision behind the “Pride in Gaston” Traveling Tour.

 

In 2003, the “Proudest Kid in Gaston County” Essay Contest completed its third year.  The 2003 program was made possible through the support of the Education Foundation of Gaston County.  All third grade students in our county were invited to participate in the contest writing about what makes them proud to live in Gaston County.  All students who participated in the Traveling Tour and/or the Essay Contest were given a copy of the “Pride in Gaston” Coloring/ Activity book which showcases 12 sites in Gaston County.  Each school that participates in the contest submits one winning essay to represent their school.  From all of the school winners, one overall county winner is selected by a panel of judges chaired by a Gaston Together Council Member.  The 2003 Chairman was Regina Moody.  The overall winner receives a trip to Raleigh where he/she is given a tour of the Legislature by Senator David Hoyle.  The highlight of the trip is being introduced on the floor of the NC Senate as the “Proudest Kid in Gaston County.”  The 2003 winner was Courtney Jordan representing Robinson Elementary School.

 

“Help Me Graduate”:  Dropout Prevention Program

 

Gaston Together and its Ministers’ Association partnered with the Gaston County School System, the Gaston Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance for Children & Youth to facilitate a community based initiative to increase graduation rates in Gaston County.  Mr. Bill Milliken, founder of Communities in Schools the nation’s largest stay in school network, was the keynote speaker at an event held at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Gastonia on January 16th.  In spite of snowy weather, approximately 150 people attended the kickoff session for this county-wide program.  Gaston Together provided the funding for brochures outlining the program and listing available resources as well as for artwork for billboards located across the county.

 

Community Foundation’s “Run For the Money” Campaign

 

The Community Foundation of Gaston County offered a unique opportunity to local non-profit organizations whereby funds raised by the non-profits could be matched (ultimately at 80%) by the Community Foundation.  This campaign, the “Run For the Money”, provided matching opportunities for any funds raised up to a maximum cap of $10,000.  Gaston Together through the support of many faithful contributors raised over the $10,000 cap and thus was granted an $8,000 match in the campaign.  The funds raised during this campaign went to support several of the ongoing projects of Gaston Together.

 

Gaston Community Healthcare Commission & the Healthy Carolinian Partnership

 

Gaston Together completed its first full year administering the program of work for the Gaston Community Healthcare Commission (GCHC).  Including the work of the seven project groups of the Healthy Carolinian Partnership, some of the 2003 activity highlights were:  a Planning Retreat for the GCHC Advisory Board – the first in several years, managed the Micro-Grant program for community based organizations as provided by the NC Healthy Carolinian Office, held the first county-wide SAFE KIDS car seat check sponsored by Childhood Health Promotion & Protection project group, raised funds to purchase training videos for school staff in recognizing the signs of depression in teenagers sponsored by the Community Wellness Education project group, secured funding for a physical fitness information sign on the Gastonia Greenway sponsored by the Fitness & Nutrition Council, secured funding for an Outdoor Retreat Day for most of the Quest Students and funding for the Outdoor Learning Center at Warlick School sponsored by the Healthy Choices project group.  Dr. Van Stitt, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Gaston Memorial Hospital, has served as the Chairman of the GCHC for 2003.  Robert Spencer, Executive Director of Gaston Family Health Services, served as Vice-Chair.

 

“Self Care Health Books”:  A Gaston Community Healthcare Commission Project

 

Operating under their partnership with the Gaston Community Healthcare Commission, Gaston Together secured grant funding from the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation for “Self Care Health Books” for the uninsured and underinsured residents of Gaston County.  The project provides for a project manager who will manage the distribution of the healthcare books.  A train-the-trainer model will allow for distribution through social service agencies throughout the county such as the Health Department, the Department of Social Services, the Gastonia Housing Authority, etc.  There will be some books printed in Spanish in order to address Gaston County’s ever growing Hispanic population.  The project has a two-fold goal:  providing healthcare information for citizens of Gaston County as well as working to reduce unnecessary visits to the emergency room of our local hospital, Gaston Memorial Hospital.  It is hoped that this project will serve as a model project for ultimately providing each household in Gaston County with a “Self Care Health Book.”

 

Gaston Clergy & Citizens’ Coalition

 

The Gaston County Clergy & Citizens’ Coalition (GC3) is the longest running collaborative group organized by Gaston Together.  This group of ministers and lay people was designed to bring members of Gaston County’s diverse clergy together.  Ministers as a group are very influential with citizens of the county particularly in the minority neighborhoods.  It was felt that building bonds among the county’s ministers would provide a strong coalition to address potential social problems.  The GC3 meets monthly throughout the year to discuss issues and to work on projects.  The group continued with their pulpit swaps among black and white churches.  In most cases, the ministers and choirs of churches will swap for a designated Sunday in February to build on Black History Month.  Through these efforts, close relationships have developed among the partnerships that were formed.  The ministers’ coalition has also targeted education as an ongoing project area.  Churches have continued to partner with neighborhood schools providing such things as school supplies to clothes for the needy to landscaping the school grounds as well as after school tutoring.  In 2003, the GC3 culminated a three year effort with the establishment of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Bridge and Plaza in downtown Gastonia.  The Gastonia City Council and the Gaston County Commissioners each approved the designation of these sites.  Signs and banners will mark the boundaries of the Plaza area.  In addition, an annual Gaston County MLK, Jr. Award has been established to recognize a citizen(s) who have worked to build bridges of unity in Gaston County.  The name(s) of the honoree(s) will be permanently displayed on a plaque erected in the center of the MLK, Jr. Plaza.

 

Facilitation Services

 

A cornerstone of Gaston Together’s mission statement is its facilitation service.  This service is exemplified in two ways.  First, Gaston Together seeks to equip the citizens of Gaston County with the skills necessary to address root causes of community issues.  Facilitation skills workshops are held annually providing participants with classroom instruction, role playing and workbooks which can be used for future reference.  These workshops are offered free of charge to the public.  The workshops are directed to community volunteers, business professionals, church groups, municipal workers, etc.  The course material is based on business programs which are specifically adapted to target community needs.

 

The second arm of Gaston Together’s facilitation service is to actually provide trained facilitators for

organizations or groups in the county.  This service is targeted towards other non-profits or groups

who might not have the means to pay for professional consultants.  Among the many groups who

have used trained facilitators provided by Gaston Together are:  Keep Gastonia Beautiful, the

Gaston County Pre-School Task Force, the Community Planning Alliance, the City of Gastonia,

Gaston  County Literacy Council, the Unity Place Board of Directors, Cornerstone Christian, the

Community Forum on Homelessness, St. Stephens AME Zion Church, the Rotary Youth Leadership

Conference, the United Way, and the Gaston 2012 Community Meetings.  Gaston Together has also

been asked by the Gaston County Manager to lead Continuous Process Improvement workshops for

various Gaston County Government Departments.

 

The facilitation services provided by Gaston Together are ongoing within the county.  Specifically,

the 2003 Basic Facilitation Skills Training Workshop was held in June.  An advanced facilitation

workshop on Continuous Process Improvement was also held in the summer.  In September and

October, special training sessions were conducted for the work of the Gaston 2012 Community

Meetings.  Approximately 30 facilitators were trained for this particular program.  Four Gaston 2012

Community Meetings were held involving approximately 250 citizens from across Gaston County.

 

Gaston Together’s Leadership

 

John Corbett, a charter member of the Gaston Together Council, has served as the Chairman of Gaston Together in 2003.  Dr. Pat Skinner served as Vice-Chair; Bill Seabrook as Secretary; Craig Kluttz as Treasurer.  The Council meets monthly to discuss and make determinations on impending business.  The Executive Committee usually meets on a monthly basis as well.  Four Charter members of the Gaston Together Council rotated off of the Board in 2003.  They were Henry Massey, John Corbett, Bill Seabrook and Dr. Ed Sadler.  Two members moved during the year and were unable to complete their terms:  Dr. Jody Seymour and Scott Fletcher.  Katie Gregory resigned upon the birth of her first child.  New members on the Council in 2003 were George Ratchford, Jan Winters, Mary Vaughn, and Craig Kluttz.

 

Gaston Together also has a pool of volunteers who serve on the Leadership Team.  The Leadership Team has a core membership of approximately 30 members, many of whom are trained facilitators, and regularly volunteer on behalf of the organization.  Gaston Together seeks to recruit new members to its Leadership Team regularly.  The Leadership Team was chaired by Ms. Cathy Kenzig, Assistant Director of the Alliance for Children & Youth.  Ms. Kenzig is also a member of the Gaston Together Council and the Executive Committee.  In 2003, the Leadership Team was very instrumental in the success of the Gaston 2012 Community Meetings.  This energetic group attended special training sessions to prepare for the day long Community Meeting Planning sessions.  Then they provided all of the facilitator support for the four Community Meetings. The Leadership Team meets bi-annually or on an as needed basis. 

 

Budget

 

Gaston Together experienced some unexpected expenses in 2003 due to the legal work required to create the strategic alliance with the Chamber of Commerce while protecting Gaston Together’s

501 © 3 tax exempt status.  Under the guidance of John Corbett, Chairman of Gaston Together and the Finance Committee, Gaston Together completed 2003 with cash on hand of approximately $72,979.  The audit for 2003 will be conducted in early 2004.

 

2004:  Looking Ahead

 

Gaston Together enters 2004 with a primary focus on the continued implementation of the Gaston 2012 Plan and the work of the Gaston Community Healthcare Commission.  Both of these programs provide Gaston Together with viable opportunities to impact the future growth of Gaston County in a positive way.  Most importantly, both initiatives fit well within Gaston Together’s mission to work alongside our fellow citizens to build a stronger, more vibrant Gaston County for us all.