Catawba College release

SALISBURY — Membership in the Chiefs Club, Catawba College’s athletics booster organization, has crossed the 500-member mark for the second straight year.

One hundred new members helped the organization meet the membership goal first attained in 2018 and retain its moniker, the “Catawba 500.”
This year, the organization’s 500th member was Marty Brennaman, a legendary broadcaster and radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds since 1974. One of Brennaman’s first jobs was broadcasting Catawba events and Rowan County American Legion baseball games for WSTP.

Last year, the 500th Chiefs Club member was Mark Stout of Stout Heating and Air in Salisbury.
Chiefs Club members have been actively involved in Catawba’s recently launched Mind, Body, Soul Campaign, focusing their efforts on raising money to fund several “Body” projects designated for athletics. Those projects include lights for the softball field; turf for the football/lacrosse game field; restroom/concession area for shared used by soccer, softball, and lacrosse; a three-stage renovation of
the baseball field and stadium; completion of the gym locker room projects; and renovations of coaches’ office spaces.
This year’s Chiefs Club drive for members began in the summer with the organization’s board members helping with the renewal mailing as well as soliciting new members.

Donald “Don Don” C. Clement IV serves as Chiefs Club president. Bucky Cline is vice president and will take over as president for 2019-2020. Jeff Childress, Catawba’s associate athletic director for athletic development,
serves as director of the Chiefs Club.

Other members on the organization’s board of directors include, in the class of 2019: Gary Blabon, Roy Campbell, Jim Duncan and Bill Godley, Charlie Graeber, John Graham, John Hartpence and David Patterson; in the class of 2020: Clement, Cline, Joe Crapster, Lindsay Lambert Dietrich, Keith Knight, Rhonda Martin, Johnny Munday, Tommy Readling, Bob Setzer, Stuart Smith, Paige Haverty Stalcup and James Taylor; in the class of 2021: Forrest Anderson, Trent Bradshaw, Bill Butts, Julie Chamberlain, Kelly Dulkoski, Wes Graham, Bill Hall, Richard Hill and Kent Rabon.
Childress explained how the organization’s membership is tallied.
“What makes me so very proud of our Chiefs Club membership reaching the 500 membership level is that all our members are dues paying members,” he said. “We do not have anyone listed except those who have actually joined our Chiefs Club. We do not count any of the sponsors for our 14 special fundraiser events for Catawba athletics or the capital campaign among our members. We sure do
appreciate those sponsors’ support, but our club is set up for Chiefs Club memberships only and that makes our 500 membership even more impressive.”

The organization has been involved in several special events thus far this year including Chiefs Club Cookout, Catawba 100 Golf Marathon, 1988 Catawba Football Reunion; Volleyball Alumni Game; 1998 Catawba Men’s Soccer Reunion, 1998 Catawba Women’s Soccer Reunion, and the First Pitch Dinner.

More special events are planned for spring 2019 including:

Feb. 16 — 1998 Men’s Basketball Reunion

Mar. 15 — CLASS Act luncheon

April 6 — Silent Auction

April 6 — Baseball Alumni Day

April 13 — Men’s Lacrosse 25th Anniversary

April 16 — Senior Student-Athlete Dinner

April 26 — Catawba Golf Alumni Tournament

May 10 – Football Golf Classic

“The purpose of the Catawba Chiefs Club is to help raise money to offset the cost of the 117 athletic scholarships. Those scholarships helped many former student-athletes attend and graduate from Catawba,” Childress said. “It’s nice to see our former student-athletes giving back to help support our Chiefs Club. Adding over 100 new members to our Chiefs Club this year was very impressive and
most of the credit goes directly back to our Chiefs Club board that has become more involved with our membership and spend a lot of time to make sure our 14 special events are successful.
“We are also delighted with the increased involvement we have received from the Rowan-Salisbury community, our current Catawba coaching staff, and athletic administration,” continued Childress. “Our success with the
Chiefs Club would not have happened without everyone working together. Just imagine where our Chiefs Club could be if each current member would help find two other individuals willing to join.”

Childress added at a gift toward the Catawba Chiefs Club is tax deductible and members will also receive a weekly e-newsletter, which goes out each Monday with schedules, results, highlights, special events, athletic projects and photos.

For further information, contact Jeff Childress at (704) 637-4265 or jchildre@catawba.edu, or visit www.catawba.edu/chiefsclub.