The local residents did not want to lose the collaborative efforts that they had established; therefore, they decided to plan the very first “Friendship Council” community picnic. The picnic was held the next month at Harmon Field with more than 325 black and white residents in attendance.

The Thermal Belt Friendship Council has continued the community picnic tradition in which local residents come together the first Saturday in June each year at Harmon Field in Tryon. Other annual events include Christmas caroling at White Oak Manor, a Christmas community potluck, and its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

The Thermal Belt Friendship Council meets at Roseland Community Center the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Roseland Community Center is the historic African American Community Center in Tryon. Members of the Friendship Council will  conduct a fundraising event to replace chairs and tables at Roseland on Saturday, Dec. 8. The “Deck the Holidays Fair” will consist of handmade crafts, a bake sale, silent auction, and Christmas music by harpist Liana Stadelmann.  The Fair will be held 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Roseland.

The Friendship Council is also planning its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration to be held Friday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m., at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. The program will consist of a tribute to the Freedom Riders, musical selections from the Unity Choir, and Keynote Speaker, Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe.

Dr. Bledsoe is founder and current CEO-President of the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) Organization – a national organization with more than 260 chapters in 40 states that endeavors to instill a “spirit of care” in, and enhance the experiences of, African American and Latino males in middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities.

Before transitioning to his current position with SAAB, Dr. Bledsoe served as vice president for student life and special assistant to the president at the University of Toledo. Dr. Bledsoe will share his personal knowledge of the Civil Rights struggle growing up in Grenada, Miss. The program will also include the announcement of the 2013 high school graduating student MLK Scholarship recipient selected each year by the Friendship Council. The student will receive a $500 college scholarship.

The organization does not charge a membership fee to join the Friendship Council.  It is an open organization to anyone in western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina wishing to promote equality, social justice, and inclusiveness. Members are seen each month having lunch together at local restaurants.

President Dr. Joseph Fox, said, “We have two goals for our monthly lunches. The first goal is to increase our visibility and to let others see black, white and Latino individuals sharing a good meal, fun and fellowship. Our second goal is to provide financial support to local small businesses.”

For more information about the Friendship Council, visit the website at http://friendshipcouncil.homestead.com, or contact Mrs. Lynnea Stadelmann, Friendship Council secretary, at rstadelmann@charter.net 864-457-2426.

– article submitted by Dr. Joseph Fox