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The Kings Mountain Herald
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
KMLT kicks off drive for new seats in Joy
By ELIZABETH STEWART
Staff writer
Kings Mountain Little
Theatre is bringing "comfort
to the Joy" in a big fund
drive kicking off this week
to replace the existing 60-
year-old Joy Theatre seats
with 266 plush seats, the first
phase of a major renovation
project.
Alliance Bank & Trust
got the campaign rolling this
week as the first downtown
business to contribute to the
drive. Executive Vice-Presi-
dent Dan Ayscue made the
presentation to KMLT Presi-
dent Jim Champion and
Treasurer Andy Neisler.
"Alliance . has been a
community bank in down-
town Kings Mountain for
two years and we are sup-
porting the Little Theatre be-
cause we feel it is an
example of revitalization
downtown," said Ayscue. He
said the theatre will draw
more people to the down-
town area and he encourages
other businesses to support
the project.
Champion sees the Joy
s "a downtown treasure."
He said the new seats and
other planned renovations
will ensure that the Joy will
continue to grow and attract
more visitors and attractions
Library needs
volunteers to
help ‘Make a
Splash’ this
summer
Attention all 8th-12th
graders: Mauney Memo-
rial Library needs you
help.
The library is seaking
young volunteers to help
them "Make a Splash"
with this year's summer
reading program. The pro-
gram is designed to en-
courage children to
continue reading during
summer break so that
valuable reading skills
won't be lost.
Mauney = Memorial
hopes to offer a variety of
activities for children this
year. Programs for youth
are scheduled on week-
days in the morning
hours.
This year's summer
reading program is titled -
"Make a Splash - READ!"
If you are interested in
helping the library, and
will be a rising eighth-
12th grader this summer,
complete an application
and return to the library
* no later than April 30th.
Volunteer applications
are available at Kings
Mountain Middle School,
Mountain High
School and the Mauney
Memorial Library. All ap-
plicants will be inter-
being
scheduled to volunteer.
For more information, call
704-739-2371 ext. 2.
RIDERS I LE DAVY LE
in the years to come. "On be-
half of our officers and di-
rectors we appreciate the
support of Alliance Bank and
welcome them as our first
downtown corporate sponsor
in this project we hope will
jumpstart more activity in
coming ° attractions," said
Champion.
A commemorative
plaque will be attached to the -
arm of each chair purchased
at $350. The chairs are de-
scribed as being "more up-
right and comfortable" of
plush foam with pleasing
fabric cover, wooden backs
and wooden armrest, same
sized seats but with narrow-
ing of the wide aisles means
more rows of seats in the
main auditorium. Champion
said that a master design
plan for the theatre is in the
works including not only re-
furbishing of the inside, but
the facade of the building as
well.
Currently Joy Perform-
ance Center offers four plays
per season along with a sum-
mer drama camp for chil-
dren, provides a venue for
art performances, and rents
the building to pay for utili-
ties and other expenses of
running the shows. Outside
season events have included
piano recitals, two weddings
and receptions, class re-
unions, birthday parties and
-school groups. The Reel to
Reel Film Festival is a
poplar four day event in July
and-because of rain-several
city-wide celebrations have
been held inside the theatre,
Veteran's Day and Martin
Luther King Day, and others.
Free movies, popcorn and
drinks are offered fourth Sat-
urdays'at 10 a.m. by KMLT
and Central United
Methodist Church. Cham-
pion said the theatre is
equipped with projectors and
screen for seminars and civic
groups are welcome for.
meetings and programs.
Two performances re-
cently by comedian James
Gregory drew sell-out
crowds of over 500 people.
In January 2011 Gregory re-
turns to the Joy and The
Woods Tea Company, also a
LIB STEWART photo
Andy Neisler, KMLT Treasurer, Dan Ayscue, Alliance Bank & Trust Execu-
tive Officer, KMLT President Jim Champion, and Ronnie Franks, Alliance VP
and Marketing Director, left to right are pictured presenting a check from Al-
liance, the first downtown business to purchase a seat in RMLs Soy The-
atre refurbishing project.
crowd pleaser, returns to the
Joy in March 2011. One of
the long-range goals of
KMLT is to present a histor-
ical drama about Kings
Mountain at the Joy.
The late Charlie and
David Cash opened the Joy
in 1949, a state-of-the-art
movie theatre on Railroad
Avenue which they operated
until the late 1980s.
In 2001 the Kings Moun-
tain Little Theatre acquired
the property from The
Gospel Assembly Church
and conducted a $300,000
fund drive culminating in the
present day Joy Performance
Center. KMLT began as a
reader theatre in the 1940s.
Champion joined KMLT
in 1971, worked behind the
scenes for three years and
got his first role on stage as
the sheriff in "Bus Stop". A
"Jim of all trades" in the the-
atre, he has served as presi-
dent a number of times,
directed numerous plays,
and starred in a number of
roles, including his favorite
as Elwood P. Dowd i in "Har-
vey."
"Our = members were
vagabonds for. a while, re-
hearsing and performing on
many stages in the commu-
nity," said Champion who
encouragesimore volunteers,
more members and more
membership in the joy they
have in finding a home at the
Joy, the first real home of
KMLT he envisions as a
‘community showplace.
Contributions may be
mailed to KMLT, PO Box
1022, Kings Mountain, NC
28086. Record specific ded--
“ication wording, using 30
spaces (characters) for each
of three lines for each Seat
people to try out for the donated.
shows. He said he joins the
Rameys inducted into Bluegrass Hall of Fame
By ELIZABETH STEWART
© Staff writer
Like father like son!
That's what avid bluegrass
fans say about James
Ramey, Sr., 83, and his
son, Keith Ramey.
The Kings Mountain
musicians were recently
inducted in the Carolinas
Country Bluegrass and
Gospel Hall of Fame,
Keith Ramey also re-
ceived the 2009 Legends
award and the band he co-
founded, Timberidge, re-
ceived 2009 Band of the
Year.
"I started picking and
singing in the 1940s," said
James Ramey, who organ-
ized his own band,
Melody Drifters-Country
and Mountain Drifters-
Bluegrass. Now, he oper-
ates the sound system for
Timberidge and leaves the
mandolin picking to his
son and other musicians in
the five-member group.
Keith and = Roger
Owens organized Tim-
beridge in 1994. Keith
also builds mandolins and
dobros, similar to a steel
guitar. His daughter,
Kayla, 15, agcompanies
the ‘band to various
fundraising, July 4th and
- other events they play and
is in charge of CD sales.
- Their next concert is April
17 at the Jerry Johnson
Bluegrass Festival at
Cross Country Camp-
ground.
Keith Ramsey formerly
worked at Parker Hy-
draulics before suffering a
bout with cancer. But
music is his love and his
DS AT A BETTER PRICI
TIMBERIDGE BAND - Pictured are members of the Timberidge Band. From left, Keith Ramey, Robert
Wells, Roger Owens, Jerome Carson and Don Armstrong.
life, he said.
"Keith is the only one
of my five children who
got hooked on bluegrass
and country," said James.
Other members of the
family are James Jr., Den-
nis, Brenda Childers and
Teresa Camp; eight grand-
children and four great-
grandchildren. James
Ramey's wife, Evelyn
Thrift Ramey, died in
1994. The Timberidge
players are Keith Ramey,
on mandolin; Robert
Wells, bass; Roger Owens,
dobro; Jerome Carson,
banjo; and Don Arm-
strong, guitar.
"In 1947 my band was
the first bluegrass band on
the air at WLTC, Gasto-
nia, and we also played
WGNC in Gastonia ‘and
WOHS in Shelby," said
the senior Ramey. His
band could be heard every
Saturday on WGNC, he
said, and he also played on
three radio stations in
Rock Hill, SC. He recalled
that well-known musician
Jimmy Wayne's grandfa-
ther, Colford Stewart,
played in his band at one
time during the early
years. James Ramey is a
retired employee of
Burlington Industries.
"We love to play and
sing and have been in de-
mand at several special
events in Kings Mountain
and the surrounding
areas," said Keith.
With arthritis in his fin-
gers, James Ramey put up
his instruments but he re-
members the good ole
days of picking and
singing and he's a valuable
member of the five-piece
band since he handles the
i
J
photo by LIB STEWART
James Ramey, Sr. and his son, Keith, like blue-
grass music and are a popular picking duo re-
cently inducted in the Carolinas Country
Bluegrass Gospel Hall of Fame.
sound.
""Have bus, will travel,’
that's us,"
grin.
he says with a
GROVER
From Page 1
council members mentioned they would like to see and will
get the information to Corry to help draft the new ordinance.
By choice
Councilman J.D. Ledford, who heads the town’s Beauti-
fication Committee, passed around a mock-up design he cre-
ated that showed how the Main Street business sector might
look with a few facade improvements.
Ledford, a graphic designer, showed the council what a
little color or a few layers of paint might do to revive down-
town’s appearance.
“That makes a big difference,” Bennett said, looking at
the design.
He asked the council if they would consider making some
facade improvements with some of the money budgeted for
the beautification committee.
Corry advised members that they also might consider
starting a fagade grant program, through which funds might
be offered to help offSet the costs to downtown property own-
ers interested in reviving storefront appearance.
Ledford also announced that, last week, he had attended
a meeting of the NC Small Main Street Program, required of
those who plan to apply. The town applied last year and Led-
ford said that he plans to apply this year for the program that
will provide guidance in reviving downtown.
The state’s Small Main Street Program, focuses on mu-
nicipalities with populations of 7,500 or fewer. Unlike the
larger-city Main Street Program that Kings Mountain is en-
‘rolled in, this one will not provide financial support, but can
provide guidance (for up to two years) on how to grow and
revive downtowns.
Ledford said that representatives from 15- 16 different
towns attended the meeting.
“It’s going to be a very competitive process,” he said.
“They’re only taking two for this year.”
But Ledford added that if they could show more commu-
nity support, it may help.
In other action, the council voted to amend the town’s or-
dinance to include the license fees and taxes for the sale of
malt beverage, unfortified and fortified wine, as mandated
by state law. The sale and consumption of beer and wine in
the town were approved by majority votes in last Novem-
ber’s general election.
The council also talked about selling a plot of land, the
old Gene Putnam Lane well site, the town owns but currently
does not use.