W. TERRY SMITH
The Associated Press
TARBORO —
The Tarboro-Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce is entering a busy fall season.
An annual meeting complete with a keynote speaker featuring awards to local businesses is planned for Oct. 21 at Mobley Atrium and a Classic Car Show is planned for Nov. 13 at Riverside Plaza.
“Our meeting will be a sit-down dinner with a speaker and focus on business,” Chairman Sam Noble said.
Retired Gen. Hugh Shelton, the Speed native who spent two two-year terms as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be the speaker. The Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg recently honored Shelton with a statue. In 2002, Congress bestowed the Congressional Gold Medal on Shelton for his exemplary service to his country.
Nominations are being accepted for awards to the Small Business of the Year, Medium Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year.
The meal will be catered by Myrtle Grove.
Tickets are $50 per person.
The car show will include classic cars and vendors selling food and automotive accessories.
“We’re getting a lot of help from Bud Woolard of the Born Again Classic Car Club, Brad Perkins at Norris Auto Sales & Service and Sammy Edmondson, who used to own Sammy’s Wrecker,” said Bobbie Martin, Chamber president.
Martin, who became president March 1, is enthused.
“I look forward to coming to work,” she said. “I absolutely love it.”
A successful TECC time last month is one reason. The Chamber’s main fund-raising event brought in $14,988.
Volunteer Loretta Lautzenheiser comes in on Wednesday afternoons to answer the phone. Otherwise Martin is as close as her cell phone, which is posted on the Chamber’s front door at 509 Trade St.
“I am visiting the membership,” she explained, “and visiting potential members.
Martin has added 19 new members since she started, bringing the membership total to 215.
In December, the Chamber and the county Extension Service put on the annual Farm-City Breakfast. The Christmas Parade is Dec. 12.
