The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce’s 89th Annual Gala will be Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at Peeler Crystal Lounge on the campus of Catawba College.  Novant Health Rowan Medical Center is the title sponsor.

The Chamber will celebrate the community’s accomplishments of the past year and gear up for the business challenges of the new one. The gavel will pass from 2014 Chairman Mark Seifel of Schneider Electric to 2015 Chairwoman Dari Caldwell of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. Volunteers and outstanding businesses will be recognized.   

A few corporate sponsorship tables are available for $1,000 with eight seats. Individual tickets are available for $40 per person or $75 for a couple (two tickets) and will not be assigned seating (first come, first served).

The reservation deadline is Dec. 12. For more information, contact the Chamber at 704-633-4221 or info@rowanchamber.com.

Spalding named to board of chamber executives

Elaine Spalding, president of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, was recently named to the board of directors of the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Spalding’s term starts in January 2015 and runs through December 2017.

Spalding has been with the Rowan Chamber since May 2013. She has been in chamber work for over 25 years and is a certified chamber executive. Her previous chamber positions were in Paducah, Ky.; Beaverton, Ore.; Louisville, Ky.; and San Antonio, Texas.

Newlands Campbell, Food Lion donate meals to RHM shelter

Before Beth Newlands Campbell stepped down as president of Food Lion, the company donated 27,000 meals to Rowan Helping Ministries — 1,000 meals for each of Newlands Campbell’s 27 years with Delhaize America, parent company of Food Lion. Newlands Campbell and her family matched the donation.

This summer, under Newlands Campbell’s leadership, Food Lion launched Food Lion Feeds, a program to fight hunger.

Kyna Grubb, Rowan Helping Ministries executive director, said, “Beth’s personal match to this gift further illustrates her compassion and her heart for helping those who are hungry.

“Her resolve for helping her neighbors in need has been very evident in her work at Food Lion and in her involvement with Rowan Helping Ministries.”

Meg Ham, former president of Bottom Dollar Food, was named the new president of Food Lion.

SmartPower president to speak at Catawba

Brian Keane, president of SmartPower and author of “Green Is Good: Save Money, Make Money, and Help Your Community Profit From Clean Energy,” will speak at the Center for the Environment on Catawba College’s campus Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. SmartPower is partnering with the Center for the Environment on the Solarize Salisbury-Rowan initiative.

Visit www.centerfortheenvironment.org to register for the event.

WBTV News to host program about home foreclosures

Homeowners having difficulty making mortgage payments or facing possible foreclosure can learn more about the North Carolina Foreclosure Prevention Fund during a live phone bank on WBTV-Channel 3’s morning and evening news Thursday.

Watch Channel 3 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to talk to counselors who will answer questions about the fund, which helps make mortgage payments for eligible homeowners facing temporary financial difficulty. Information is also available online at www.ncmortgagehelp.gov or by calling 1-888-623-8631.

Southern States annual food drive starts Monday

The fourth annual Southern States Holiday Food Drive begins Monday. Southern States Cooperative will partner with local food banks in cities and communities throughout the Southeast to help feed disadvantaged families and individuals during the holiday season.

“The job of feeding our rapidly growing world population has never been more critical,” said Southern States President and CEO Tom Scribner. “Joining the effort to see that everyone has the food they need, especially during the holiday season, adds a community focus to this worldwide challenge.”

Participating Southern States locations will serve as collection centers for customers who bring in canned goods and non-perishable items, and Southern States will make regular deliveries of the donated items to the food banks.

Santa Claus coming
to Belk in Salisbury

Santa will greet kids at all Belk locations during this year’s SantaFest on Saturday, Nov. 15, from noon to 3 p.m.

Belk in Salisbury is located off Klumac Road near  Julian Road and I-85.

SantaFest will feature free photos with Santa, candy canes, holiday crafts and refreshments. There is also a Belkie Bear design contest. Kids ages 4 to 11 may enter by using markers and crayons to create their own Belkie Charity Bear design using a coloring sheet template provided during SantaFest.

Judges will select a grand prize winner who will receive 10 custom Belkie Charity Bears, created based on the winner’s design, along with a $500 Belk shopping spree. A Belkie Charity Bear and $500 Belk shopping spree will also be awarded to winners in each of three age categories: 4 to 6; 7 to 9 and 10 to 11.

The Belkie Bear Design Contest entry form and contest rules are available at www.belk.com/santafest.

Auto House to open new Mooresville

location in December

MOORESVILLE — Auto House will soon open a location in Mooresville. The dealership will have a selection of more than 500 certified used vehicles for sale and a 12-bay service department open to the public that specializes in servicing all makes and models and will employ licensed and certified technicians.

The new location is currently hiring and will employ 75 to 100 people, working in sales, finance, insurance, service, parts, paint and body, business development, reconditioning, administration, accounting, human resources, Internet and social media.

Plans are to open the Mooresville location between Dec. 1 and 14. Job seekers can apply at www.autohouse.com or send resumes to General Manager Bryan Beaver at bbeaver@autohouse.com.

New service for home care opens

Angels At Heart Home Care is a new home-care service located at 323 N. Main St. in Salisbury. It serves Rowan, Cabarrus, Davie, Davidson, Iredell and Stanly counties.

According to Director Laretta Angel, “We believe that care, compassion, and kindness should be at the heart of home care. We specialize in providing  companionship, sitter and respite services.”

Services offered by Angels at Heart include: companionship, respite care, housekeeping, sitter, incidental transportation and errand service. To learn more, visit www.angelsathearthomecare.com or call 704-762-9364.