Well-known Y employee moving up and moving on BY LAYLA FARMER THE CHRONICLE Winston-Salem native Spencer McCall Jr. expected to spend the rest of his life in his hometown. But last week, the long time employee of the YMCA of Northwest NC bid his family, friends and church members goodbye and head ed for greener pastures in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he will serve as executive director of one of the city's YMCA branches. "I never thought 1 would leave, and the funny thing was it felt so right," he said of the new position, which he was slated to begin Oct. II. "It was like, 'This is what you've been called to do," and things just fell into place, one after another." Sam Franklin, vice presi dent of Operations for the YMCA of Northwest NC, believes the new position will be a good fit for his col league and friend. "I'm very tickled for him; I think it's a great opportunity. I think they are getting a great staff person," he said of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga. "They do a lot of outreach there, and that's really Spencer's passion." McCall, 34. a lifelong resident of Winston-Salem, was studying to become a doctor at Wake Forest Photos b> Layla Farmer | Spencer McCall has led several successful youth programs for the YMCA. University when he took a summer job as a counselor at Camp Tangle Y in Tanglewood Park. i wanted to do a good deed. I thought. I've been so fortunate," McCall said of his initial motivation to pur sue the job. When he returned to school, McCall soon realized lhat his focus had shifted. "That experience kept - .mi ? 1 -i " caning mc use*, he said of work ing with the youth. McCall hails from a legacy of service to young people and a family connec tion to the Y His father. Spencer Sr.. had been raised under the wing of prolific YMCA mentor Mo I ucas. The elder McCall spent years volunteering as a basketball coach at the Y until his untimely death in 2002. just one day alter his son was officially hired as a Y camp director. Since that time, the younger Spencer McCall has held several different posi tions within the YMCA net work with considerable suc cess. Among his claims to local fame is the organiza tion's Christian Leadership Conference, which he volun teered to direct in 2005. That first year, McCall was forced to cancel the conference because he lacked the neces sary paperwork to pull it together in the tight timeline, but the complication was short lived. In 2006, the con ference blossomed. "The next year, we had the largest CLC in the nation. Since that time, they've used it as a training ground for other CLC direc tors," McCall related. "That was really a proud moment for me." "Keeping the 'C' in the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association)" has been one of his chief objec tives. said McCall. a member of First Baptist Church on Highland Avenue, and it was Franklin his faith that led him to make the move to Chattanooga. "Being at the YMCA where there's a Christian mission, you realize that you're working for God and not anybody else," he said. "1 always focus on what God's will is and being a change agent and carrying forth the mission of the YMCA. I think a lot of peo ple lose sight of that, and our mission is so powerful." M c C a 1 I has also led the organiza tion's Youth and Government and Black Achievers programs in recent years. Black Achievers focuses on academic achievement and career development for high school students. Housed at the Winston Lake Family YMCA, the countywide pro gram's enrollment has bal looned to nearly 200 active participants during his two year tenure at its helm, mak ing it the largest in the Southeast. McCall added more college tours and other outings to the group's sched ule. The program's success is a source of great satisfac tion for him, McCall said. "When I first came, my goal was for it to be a pre miere program for kids of color in our community, and I think we've accomplished that.'^he commented. "But the proudest moments are when you see kids achieve. The statistics and the news say these kids shouldn't achieve, but yet, they do." Franklin praised McCall for serving the Y well throughout his career in the Twin City. "Spencer was a great employee. He was always willing to go above and beyond," he declared. "He was always very giving of himself and his time to staff and volunteers. He always put the YMCA in a very good light." The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Ernest H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing Co. Inc., 617 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem. N.C. Annual subscription price is $30.72. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Chronicle. P.O. Box 1636 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636 News Clips Governor appoints Wake Forest doctor to NC Medical Board Dr. Karen Gerancher, a physician at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, has been appointed by Governor Beverly Perdue to serve on the North Carolina Medical Board. Gerancher is assistant professor, section head of gynecology and resi dency pro gram direc tor for the Department o f Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wake i Forest Dr. Gerancher Baptist. She also currently serves as medical director for the Forsyth County Health Department's Family Planning Clinic. "Appointment to this board is indeed a great honor," Gerancher said. "It has already helped make me not only a better physician for my patients and advo cate for public health con sumers. but a better col league for my peers as well." Gerancher is the recipi ent of numerous awards including the Resident Advocate Award, the Outstanding Clinical Teacher Award and the University Medical Guild Memorial Award for Excellence. The N.C. Medical Board was established April 15, 1859 by the General Assembly and grants the practice of medicine to physicians in the state. The board consists of 12 mem bers appointed by the gov ernor, eight of whom are licensed physicians, one of whom is either a licensed physician assistant or nurse practitioner and three who are members of the public with no financial or profes sional interest in a health service or profession. C ommunity Roots Day volunteers needed The Community Appearance Commission, Keep Winston-Salem Beautiful, and the ^.City of Winston-Salem are seeking volunteers to help plant almost 400 trees in the Happy Hill neighborhood on Saturday, Oct. 23, during the 18th annual Community Roots Day. Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to noon. The first 250 volunteers will receive free t-shirts and hats and all volunteers get a free lunch. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the William C. Sims Sr. Neighborhood Recreation Center, 1201 Alder St. To sign up or for more infor mation, go to www.kwsb.cityofws.org or call City Link at 336-727 8000. Celessia 0. Cannon com pletes bask- training Army Pvt. Celessia D. Cannon has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, SC. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map read ing, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice sys tem, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises. She is the daughter of Chinno Ingram Sr. of Kernersville and Trina Cannon of Winston-Salem Cannon is a 2009 graduate of East Forsyth High School . Tangle wood offers hay rides Pumpkin Pick Hayrides are being offered this month at Tanglewood Park . Park officials say that the hayrides are great for groups, families, friends, classes, or even business outings. Participants can take part in this 45 minute ride for $7 per person, which includes one self-picked pumpkin. The comfortable horse drawn wagon ride takes groups through the rolling hills, grassy lands and the most beautiful terrains Tanglewood Park has to offer. All services are avail able by reservations by call ing Mike Dowd at 336-766 9540, ' ? "T bavt bt#n proud to fight for you and our worUng families in Ralaigh, Togathar, wa can kaap North Carolina moving forward. I would graatly appraaata your support on Novambar 2nd! 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