Click HERE to download a 2009 schedule of Chamber meetings and events!

Hot Rooster Chosen as Featured Performer for 2009 Hog Day

Hillsborough, NC -- On Saturday, April 25, the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce held its First EVER Battle of the Bands competition at the Hillsborough Moose Lodge Family Center. Ten local bands competed, battling for the opportunity to be the featured performer at the 27th Annual Hillsborough Hog Day festival in June. Though competition was fierce, and the amount of talent in the room was enormous, a panel of judges declared the Hillsborough-based band, Hot Rooster, as the winner.

“The talent was awesome,” said Margaret Wood Cannell, Chamber Executive Director. “We had four bands who were all under 18 and they just ROCKED. It was very difficult to narrow it down to just one group, but our judges did it!” The Battle was so successful, Cannell continued, that the Chamber will definitely host another one in 2010, and may consider presenting a Battle of the Bands during a future Hog Day.

Hot Rooster is an all-original, homegrown "funk-and-roll" band and features the talents of Rodney "The Rooster" Dixon (guitar, vocals), Leland Little (guitar, vocals), Kevin Murphy (bass, vocals), Vernon Little (drums), Paul Coleman (percussion, vocals), and Joe Waddell (keyboards, vocals). Hot Rooster recently released their third full-length album, "It's In The Cards," which is available online (www.myspace.com/hotrooster) and at their live performances.

Hot Rooster will perform as the featured musical act Saturday, June 20th, at the 27th Annual Hillsborough Hog Day festival. Additional information regarding the festival can be found online at www.hogdays.com, or by calling (919) 732-8156.

The Chamber wishes to thank the Hillsborough Moose Lodge Family Center for hosting the Battle of the Bands, and Andy’s Restaurant for providing food to attendees. Thanks also to the bands who entered and performed: Rivera, Moonfisher, Didact, Under the Atmosphere, The Verge, Lori T and NRG, The Cliches, The Cadillacs, and Red Rhythm.

Hillsborough’s Gold Park and Portion of Riverwalk to Open April 18

HILLSBOROUGH — The Town of Hillsborough will open its first community park and a portion of Riverwalk with a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. April 18.

“Many people have dreamed, planned and worked diligently to create Riverwalk, and with the opening of this park we are crossing a major milestone,” Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said. “What a beautiful place for our community to gather, to play, to picnic and to celebrate the river and natural environment that distinguishes our corner of the world.”

The 24-acre Gold Park on Dimmocks Mill Road includes a multi-purpose field, playground equipment, picnic structures, a fenced dog park and a little less than half a mile of Riverwalk.

Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile greenway that will connect downtown Hillsborough with Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, off Orange Grove Road in western Hillsborough.

Hillsborough’s mayor, as well as representatives of the Hillsborough Parks and Recreation Board and the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Authority, will speak briefly at the ribbon-cutting. Then Gold Park will be opened for play before 10:30 a.m.

The park was made possible through the donation of land from the Gold family and a $500,000 grant from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

The park is located at 415 Dimmocks Mill Road, just west of Nash Street. It is in the sharp curve of Dimmocks Mill Road, just south of the railroad trestle.

HILLSBOROUGH CHAMBER NAMES RECIPIENTS OF BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AND HELPING HAND AWARDS

At its holiday gathering, held in Hillsborough on Wednesday, December 17, the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce announced the recipients of its Business of the Year, Business Person of the Year and Helping Hand Awards.

The Business of the Year Award recipient is Cardinal State Bank. Cardinal State Bank is a relative newcomer to Hillsborough and was originally opened by former CCB employees and is now owned by Yadkin Valley Bank and Trust Company. Danny Lloyd, City Executive and First Vice President of the Hillsborough Branch, said “We are committed to being good citizens of the communities we serve. We’re proud to be in our new location on South Churton Street, and very happy to be affiliated with the Hillsborough Chamber.” Cardinal State Bank consistently supports Chamber events, providing a mobile ATM for Hog Day and volunteers for various events, and also is a major supporter of the Duke Home Care and Hospice and it’s “Oh What a Night” gala fundraiser.

The Chamber’s Business Person of the Year award goes to Dave Gephart of Gephart Marketing Solutions. Dave is a member of the Board of the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s representative to the Board of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, where he serves as Treasurer. Dave is also an active member of the Hillsborough Exchange Club. He is also a member of the Hog Day Planning committee and has acted as the Industrial Row Coordinator on Hog Day for the past several years. In addition to working hard to represent the Chamber, Dave’s company, Gephart Marketing Solutions, has introduced two new lines this year, Gephart Green, featuring environmentally friendly items and Gephart Pink, supporting breast cancer research.

The 2008 Helping Hand Award will be awarded to both an individual and a group.

The Helping Hand Award - Individual - Mary Ellen Petrin. Mary Ellen is incoming president of the Hillsborough Exchange Club, and has been active with Orange County Schools and their PTSOs and Sports Booster Clubs. Mary Ellen can always be counted on to provide assistance where it is needed, whether it’s putting the finishing touches on a house minutes before the Candlelight Tour, recruiting other volunteers (including her family members), selling tickets for the Exchange Club’s reverse raffle, or serving as the Hog Day Crafts coordinator. “Mary Ellen is such a valuable asset to this community,” said Margaret Wood Cannell, Chamber Executive Director. “She is so enthusiastic about so many causes and very dedicated to making Hillsborough a better place.”

Helping Hand Award - Group - The Kiwanis Club of Hillsborough. This roughly 30-member service organization provides support to Orange County Schools as well as individual students, recognizing their achievements through scholarships and through its Terrific Kids program. In 2008, Kiwanis was able to extend the Terrific Kids program to all seven elementary schools in the county.

Other nominees for Business of the Year included The Saratoga Grill, Telesis Construction Management and Home Helpers. Other nominees for Business Person of the Year were George Horton of Telesis Construction Management, Beverly Blythe of the Hillsborough Farmers Market Group, Tom York of Hillsborough Sign and Trophy, and Kathy Lawrence of Home Helpers. Other nominees for the Helping Hand Award were The Orange County Campus of Durham Technical Community College, Neighbor House of Hillsborough and the Torains, Beverly Blythe and Barbara Descisciolo. “The Board wanted to recognize all the nominees this year,” said Cannell. “We are fortunate in Orange County to have companies, individuals, and organizations that are willing to be involved in the community and be good corporate citizens. Our recipients are in good company and we welcome the opportunity to recognize these fine folks.”

Nominations Sought for the 2008 Pauli Murray Human Relations Award - The Orange County Human Relations Commission is currently soliciting nominations for the 2008 Pauli Murray Human Relations Awards. The Pauli Murray Award is presented annually by the Orange County Human Relations Commission to an Orange County youth, an Orange County adult, and an Orange County business that have served the community with distinction in the pursuit of equality, justice, and human rights for all citizens.

Deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, January 23, 2009. For applications or more information please visit website address: http://www.co.orange.nc.us/hrr/events.asp or contact the Orange County Office of Human Rights & Relations at 919 960-3875.

The awards will be made during the Annual Pauli Murray Awards Ceremony on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Hillsborough Farmers’ Market Moves to Home Depot - For the past 12 years, SunTrust Bank has allowed the Hillsborough Farmers Market the use of their parking lot in the center of town for their market. Beginning in 2009, they’ll be moving to the Home Depot on NC 86 and I-85.

Paul Reil, a member of the HFM Leadership Team, said “While the HFM doesn’t want to leave its long-time home in the downtown historic district, we realize that we are continually growing and need more space for vendors as well as well as customers.”

The HFM Winter Market will be held the first and third Saturdays from 10 am to noon, beginning January 3, 2009. The Saturday market will be held from 8 am to noon beginning on March 21 and the Wednesday market, 4 pm to 7 pm, will begin in May. As in the past, there will be musical entertainment, activities for kids, special event days, and appearances by guest chefs at the Saturday market.

The Hillsborough Farmers Market had its beginning in 1987 in the Southern States parking lot and since that time held their market on various County and private properties with Historic Downtown Hillsborough. If anyone is interested in being a vendor for 2009, the application and guidelines are available online at www.hillsoroughfarmersmarket.org or by calling 732-8315.

Click HERE to read Dist. 23 Senator Ellie Kinnaird's report from each week of the Legislature's session.

Click HERE to read Dist. 50 Representative Bill Faison's report from each week of the Legislature's session.