By Gerald M. Berry,
DHSF Chairman
The Dillon Historic School Foundation met on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, at 7 o’clock p.m. in the conference room of the Dillon County Chamber of Commerce. There were 11 members in attendance, along with four visitors.
Chairman Gerald Berry called the meeting to order, followed immediately by the roll call. Vice-Chairman Terry Morris offered an invocation.
Secretary Mary Miller read the minutes of the June meeting, and these were approved as read by the members.
Due to the absence of Treasurer Barbara C. Herring, Terry Morris gave the Treasurer’s Report which included contributions made to DHSF since June and membership dues that had been received by the treasurer.
On the agenda were items of Unfinished Business. Most prominent of these items were reports  made by the following: four DHSF representatives who attended the meeting of the Dillon City Council on Monday, July 18;   Mary Miller, discussing her conversation with Dillon City Manager, Glen Wagner; Gerald Berry, discussing his conversation with Jamie Calhoun Estes, Dillon County Treasurer; Lloyd Brown and Gerald Berry, discussing  the Auditorium Roofing Project, and Terry Morris discussing his conference with financial officers of Anderson Brothers Bank.  Gerald Berry then presented an update on the roofing project and explained the proposed cost of a partial roof repair, a proposal that was accepted by the members present. The roof-repair job awarded to Chris Barfield, a certified roofing contractor, and his crew will begin on August 22 and will be completed by August 31.  Finally, Betty Lou Barclay presented an update on responses to her numerous grant requests.
The most important topic of New Business was a general discussion of fund-raising opportunities. Many ideas were expressed by various members, and these generated productive discussions. To allow more time to closely examine these ideas and to discover the best methods for fund-raising, a special workshop (interim) session was planned for Wednesday, August 18 at 7 o’clock in the Chamber of Commerce conference room.  This workshop will focus primarily on making initial plans for an event sponsored by DHSF and featuring James Stephens III, a professional entertainer from Dillon County.
Chairman Berry presented as his monthly topic “Sweat Equity,” heavily emphasizing the fact that DHSF MUST begin a concerted effort to work in order to achieve its published, predetermined goals. In Berry’s words, “DHSF must WORK to re-collect the ‘lost or forgotten pieces’ of a once artistic mosaic, to reassemble them with the utmost care, to frame them within the historical site, and to present this finished ‘portrait’ as a lasting cultural gift to our hometown, reclaiming the past and proclaiming the future for everyone and for all the years to come.” “Our dreams can become realities only through our foresight to PLAN and by the WORK of our hands.”
In his closing remarks, Chairman Berry informed the members of the 2016-2017 Season at GPAC (Givens Performing Arts Center), located on the campus of UNC-Pembroke. He encouraged them to take advantage of professional, Broadway-quality productions being staged within a “stone’s throw” of our community. Berry then adjourned the meeting.
The next meeting of DHSF will be on Tuesday, September 6 at 7 o’clock in the conference room of The Dillon Chamber of Commerce. Please plan to attend and help DHSF “Reclaim the Past. Proclaim the Future.”