Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 15, 1997, edition 1 / Page 26
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http://www.thepost.mindspring.com 10B York/tCIje Cljarlotte ^osit/Rowan REGIONAL THURSDAY, May 15, 1997 Black spending power up in South Carolina THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBIA, S.C. - Black consumers are becoming a market force. The question remains, however, whether they have gained business’ respect. Margaret Rush, president of the state’s Black Chamber of Commerce, says she notices companies responding differ ently to blacks. “A lot of business entities are beginning to recognize the spending powers of black con sumers,” Rush said. “For example, in the field of cosmet ics, places like Sears have developed strong ethnic lines.” But J.T. McLawhom, execu tive director of the Columbia Urban League, says some com panies don’t respond to loyalty from their black customers with corporate donations to black organizations or employ ment of black executives. “Go to the malls. Take a peripheral view. African- Americans are great con sumers,” McLawhom said. “If it wasn’t for African American consumers and the buying power of African Americans, our economy would be in a dis astrous state.” And some companies still do not employ blacks even though many of their customers are hlack, he said. The hackdrop for the debate is a recently released University of Georgia study that says blacks in South Carolina have more disposable income than ever before. By the end of this year they should account for 18 percent of the state’s overall spending power, which is defined as income after taxes, the study said. Since Jeff Humphreys, the university’s economic forecast ing director, began doing the study in 1991, spending power has increased for blacks in South Carolina by 52 percent, slightly helow the national average. The study forecasts the • state’s blacks will have more than $12 billion in disposable income in 1997 — the fiflh- largest concentration of black spending clout in any state. Nationvride, blacks will have $469 billion in disposable income in 1997, a 54 percent increase since 1990. During the same period, the spending power of all See SPENDING on page 11B Friends of the YMCA PHOTO/SALISBURY YMCA Charles R. Street and Fred Hoshiyama share a desire to help the YMCA through their volunteer efforts. Volunteers share stories By Sandy Flowers SPECIAL TO THE POST SALISBURY - Charles R. Street, outreach director of the Rowan County YMCA’s Adopt-A-Youth program, recently met the YMCAs No. 1 volunteer. Fred Y. Hoshiyama has the distinction of being the national YMCA model vol unteer. Street recently met Hoshiyama at the “Practice and Principles” workshop of the National YMCA of the USA at the Blue Ridge YMCA in Black Mountain. Hoshiyama has heen with the YMCA since 1941. The 83-year-old resident of Culver City, Calif is just as affable, knowledgeable and proud of his culture as his mission of volunteering indi cates. “I tell people that this my hobby, volunteerism is my hobby,” Hoshiyama said. “I do a lot of talking to differ ent groups and usually I talk about my volunteerism. 'This is something that any one can do, and there is no way money can pay for this.” In 1914, Hoshiyama was bom in Yamato County, a colony formed by immigrant Japanese farm workers near the central California town of Livingston. The family moved to San Francisco in 1929, after his father’s death. ’This was the year he had his first experience with the YMCA. “When I went to San Francisco, these people took care of us. I joined the YMCA and that became my second home.” He would eventually make his career with the organi zation, starting almost immediately after his grad uation from UC-Berkeley in May 1941. It was the only job he could find. “In those days, civil service was closed to all Asian backgrounds, there was such a strong sen timent of prejudice,” he said. Six months after getting his job at the YMCA, World War 11 started, and many people of Japanese ancestry were sent to detention camps, including Hoshiyama. 'The family was eventually sent to Topaz, Utah. Hoshiyama only stayed there for a year before he was allowed to leave to study at Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he got his master’s degree. Hoshiyama retired in 1980. He was home for about three months when his wife asked him to go out and play tennis, or gold, or fish, or swim.... He got the message. He volunteered at the YMCA in 1986 and was asked to help with fund raising. “I knew what it took to do because of my national YMCA experience,” he said. Street said that it was an honor and privilege to have met a man of Hoshiyama’s character. “Mr. Hoshiyama epito mizes the very nature of vol unteerism,” Street said. “1 See YMCA on page 11B Rowan abuzz over changes in local area codes Some say splitting county would create hardships By Brian Powe FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST SALISBURY - Rowan County officials and residents are out raged at the state’s attempt to incorporate three different area codes in the county. Rowan residents, officials and businesses believe that the split ting of area codes will be confusing, senseless and bad for area businesses. The Chamber of Commerce and county commissioners have rec- ^ ommended that the N.C. Utilities Commission cancel the propos- ^ al. The Utilities Commission came up with the idea when local | phone companies like BellSouth, Concord Telephone and Alltel ' asked for two new calling zones in the area only leaving South Rowan in the 704 area code. Chamber leaders, in a letter to the commission, wrote that they would be at great risk if the area codes changed from the current 704. It read, “Because of our ties, business, social and otherwise to the Charlotte area, we greatly prefer to be aligned with Charlotte \ in the 704 area code. We represent some 700 members and Uter- allj' thousands of jobs...Please look at the big picture when delib- . erating on this most importaiit issue.” BellSouth spokesman Paul Chambers explained that individuals or companies disputing the new phone codes do not understand ' See AREA CODE on page 11B Rev. John Cherry keynotes graduation at Livingstone By Brian Powe FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST SALISBURY - Livingstone College and Hood Theological Seminary celebrated its 130th commencement ceremony last week in Varick Auditorium. Livingstone College President Burnett Joiner, presided over commencement, which eventually became so crowded that some visiting family members and support ers had to be turned away. Livingstone and Hood sur passed the number of gradu ates of any class in over a decade, a feat that certainly uplifted Joiner. “This marks the first class to graduate under my leader ship,” he said. “It makes me proud to have shared in such a great day where a huge and vibrant class started their individual journeys into the career world.” Commencement speaker was the Rev. John A. Cherry, pastor of the Full Gospel AME Zion Church of Temple Hills, Md. Cynthia McCullough Russell and Madie Simpson Cherry received honorary doctorates of Humane Letters. After the honoraiy doctor- See GRADUATES on page 11B Church of God Apostohc convention EVENTS May 13-16 • 7:30 p.m. - District Convention of the Church of God Apostolic, Inc., Love Christian Center, 102 N. Long St., E. Spencer. Pastor: Bishop Ronald Hask. Keynote speak er: Bishop Arthur West of Arabi, Ga. For information call 638-0360. May 15 • 7:30 p.m. - Anniversary services for Bishop Harvey L. Rice, Mt. Calvary Holy Church, 1400 Standish St., Salisbury. Guest speaker: Bishop J. Roberts, Pastor of Mt. Calvary Holy Church, Greensboro. May 16 • 7 p.m. - Bible study, Jerusalem Baptist Church, N. Long St., Spencer. • 7:30 p.m. - Anniversary Services for Bishop Harvey L. Rice, Mt. Calvary Holy Church, 1400 Standish St., Salisbury. Guest speaker: Bishop Arthur Linder, Danville, Va. May 17 • 9:30 a.m. — Missionary edu cation day and mass meeting. New Hope AME Zion Church, 1470 N. Long St., E. Spencer. • 10 a.m. - Family Involvement Day, Paul Laurence Dunbar Family Resource Center, 820 S. Long St., E. Spencer. Entertainment, storytellers. See EVENTSon page 11B Committe honors community friends By Brian Powe SPECIAL TO THE POST SALISBURY - The Friends of Our Community Committee recently paid homage to indi viduals, organizations, and businesses in Salisbury who’ve had a positive effect on the AMcan American community in the past year. The Community Committee honored 42 persons and/or establishments for the better ment of the African American community. Keynote speaker Delroy Tulloch challenged the audience to take advantage of the opportunities offered in America. The Jamaica native said necessities are neither abundant nor are they accessi ble. In many parts of Jamaica, citizens live below U.S. stan dards, lacking running water and indoor toilets. He told the audience to imagine life where families take turns going down to the river to take baths. “Even in my native land today, most people don’t invest in the younger generations the way they do in America,” he said. “Whereas, people over here go to school for free in public schools, children in Jamaica have to pay for school like they’re attending college.” Tulloch urged the youth in attendance to get the most out See COMMITTEE on page 11B
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