Community celebrates anniversary of Veterans Social Center: Four receive recognitions of honor
Published 12:10 am Sunday, April 14, 2024
Lvvi McCombs with the Essie Academy Drill Team knelt and presented the folded flag to Kenneth Hardin. — Karen Kistler
Members of the Salisbury High School Marching Band performed for the crowd during the anniversary celebration. — Karen Kistler
The West Rowan High School ROTC presented the colors followed by the playing of the National Anthem. — Karen Kistler
The Essie Academy Drill Team provided a flag folding ceremony during the event with the flag to be presented to Kenneth Hardin. — Karen Kistler
Kinsleigh Norman, a student at Triple Threat Dance & Charm Academy performed a dance and lyrical routine to the song “Every Heart.”
Kenneth Hardin gave a tour to the elected officials following the ceremony.
The band, The Music Machine, provided music prior to the event.
Franklin McCombs with the VA Medical Center volunteer department, shared a few comments. — Karen Kistler
Sharlyn Tabaco, High Road Inc. marketing and communications manager, welcomed all to the celebration. — Karen Kistler
Veterans Center volunteers were recognized during the special ceremony.
Commissioner Craig Pierce was presented a plaque of recognition for his contributions to the center.
Senator Carl Ford opened the event with prayer and was later recognized for his help with the Veterans Social Center. — Karen Kistler
David Whisenant was honored during the ceremony for his contributions to the center. — Karen Kistler
Rowan County employee Willie Wilkes, right was honored for his dedication to the center. He was presented a plaque by Kenneth Hardin, founder.. — Karen Kistler
A big community-wide party was held April 6 at the West End Plaza to celebrate the second anniversary of the Veterans Social Center.
The mission of the center, which is a nonprofit that offers free services to veterans, is to serve as a safe place of respite and relaxation for veterans. It was founded in 2022 by Kenneth Hardin, a United States Air Force veteran, who likewise serves as the board executive chairman of its parent nonprofit organization, The HG High Road, Inc.
In an email from Hardin, it was shared the veterans have access to pool and ping pong tables, television, games, an area to eat and more.
They also have a medical facility and counselors and work with those suffering from PTSD, depression, loneliness and more and are provided with clothes and haircuts.
The celebration featured a variety of music for the guests beginning first with the band, The Music Machine, performing as people arrived and visiting, finding a place to sit or stand and watch the special event followed by members of the Salisbury High School marching band playing, led by band director Will Smith.
As the band marched out, the West Rowan High School ROTC entered, presenting the colors as the national anthem was played.
Later in the program, a special performance was provided by young Kinsleigh Norman, a student at North Rowan Elementary School and Triple Threat Dance and Charm Academy as she performed a dance and lyrical routine to the song “Every Heart.”
A special presentation was made by the members of the Essie Academy Drill Team to Hardin.
The students marched in and following their routines, they lined up in formation for a flag folding ceremony. The area was quiet during the folding process and as Levi McCombs solemnly marched to Hardin, knelt down and presented the flag to him and saluted.
Interspersed throughout the celebration, a number of individuals provided remarks including Sharlyn Tabaco, the marketing and communications manager for the nonprofit HG High Road Inc., who began working at the center in January of this year, telling the crowd that in that short time, she has seen the “impressive mission in action” and that their social media presence has grown, having now 350,000 viewers and followers from all over the United States and 13 other countries.
Sen. Carl Ford provided an opening prayer and blessing for the meal that would be served at the conclusion of the party, along with thanks for Hardin as he said, “Kenny is something special. He’s a great guy” as well as for Commissioner Craig Pierce, who he said “has been the driving force” and who let him know of all that was going on there for the veterans. He also gave thanks for all veterans, which was met with lots of applause.
“I know they will continue to do good and great things for the veterans of our area,” Ford said of all at the center as he concluded his remarks.
Franklin McCombs with the VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement spoke of various needs they have including the need for volunteers “helping veterans, to make their stay or visit a lot easier” and to help get them to places they need to be, and he said they also take donations, ranging from shoes to hair products.
Hardin took the stage last, beginning with the poem by Edgar Albert Guest entitled “It Couldn’t Be Done,” and concluded by saying, “I did it” which was met with cheers and applause.
He said he wanted to begin with that poem because “there’s a lot of challenges and uphill battles that I faced when I had this dream and this vision.”
Hardin said he had been asked how this center came about and he said it began when he went to bed one night and woke up and said, “I want to do something for veterans” and he called Pierce and they talked it over and “Pierce was onboard 100 percent,” he said.
He then recognized his youngest son Bryson who helped him get the facility ready, working 10-11 hours, 6-7 days a week.
With emotion, he told his son before the crowd, “I can’t thank you enough.”
Hardin then thanked everyone who participated in the ceremony, honored the volunteers who show up everyday, recognized both event donors and businesses and organizations who support the center’s mission, recognized elected officials and the police officer in attendance and shared about the center.
He also encouraged attendees to visit the Daimler Freightliner Ride of Pride Truck before leaving.
Hardin then concluded the ceremony by making four special presentations of honor to recognize these individuals for what they have done for the center during these two years.
Plaques and words of thanks were given to Rowan County employee Willie Wilkes, Commissioner Craig Pierce, State Sen. Carl Ford and David Whisenant, WBTV (retired).
The Rowan County Maintenance Department was presented a certificate of appreciation for its dedication, but Hardin wanted to thank Wilkes personally for his “willingness to assist the Veterans Social Center in maintaining its operational efficiency and contributing to its success.”
Whisenant was recognized, Hardin shared, “for being a catalyst and instrumental in the growth of the Veterans Social Center for your genuine and heartfelt reporting of our facility and caring about Rowan County veterans.”
Ford was called up next by Hardin and presented a plaque for your “continued support of the Veterans Social Center since the first day of operation by leveraging resources and promoting our facility as a representative of our North Carolina State Senate. We appreciate and honor you.”
Pierce was honored by Hardin as he shared from the plaque saying it is “in recognition of your unwavering commitment to Rowan County veterans and the continuous support you have given the Veterans Social Center since the first day of operation. We honor you.”
When the ceremony concluded, Hardin said he felt the event went really well.
“It was nice to see a lot of people, some faces I recognized and some I didn’t. The outpouring of love and appreciation and support, I was about to cry a couple times,” he said with a big grin. “You never know the impact you have until you take a breath and slow down.”
He said that he never does what he does for awards and doesn’t focus on that appreciation but it is fueling for all he went through he said.
Guided tours were provided by volunteers and Hardin following the meal and they pointed out the various items inside the museum area and the different areas in the facility.
When showing a group around the veterans room, Hardin could be heard to say, “we have a lot of fun in here.”
