News and Updates

Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County Executive Director Mary Harris (center left) with Gaston Jaycees President Andrea Schrift, Montcross Area Chember President Ted Hall (left) and Gaston Regional Chamber Interim CEO Reeves McGlohon. 

Newcombe Center available for booking holiday events 

Members of the Montcross Area Chamber and Gaston Regional Chamber came together for a joint networking event in the The Johan Newcombe Event Center at Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County at 1840 E. Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia. The Newcombe Center, which seats more than 300 for dinner and accommodates many more for a reception, was decorated for the holidays so guests could visualize celebrating their corporate, club or family holiday event in that space. H&M Catering provided refreshments for the event, and Gaston County Jaycees were the beverage sponsors. 

The Johan Newcombe Event Center, the Johan Newcombe Meeting Room, and the Jon B. Closson Board Room rentals are available for use by contacting Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County. Rental Fees directly benefit Habitat Gaston’s building program. For more on Habitat for Humanity or the Newcombe Center, call 704.874.0499, or visit www.habitatgaston.org.

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Owners Andy and Kirby Crotts cut the ribbon to open their new showroom on South New Hope Road, with members of their Budget Blinds staff and MACC Board members Dick Cromlish of School Resources (left) and Greg Beal of the City of Mount Holly (right).

Budget Blinds of Gaston is one of the top performers in the nation

Budget Blinds of Gaston County has a new office and showroom in the business center at 3826 S. New Hope Road, Suite 10, Gastonia, NC 28056. Owners Andy and Kirby Crotts invited Chamber members and friends, customers and the public to their open house and ribbon-cutting. One of the top performing Budget Blinds franchises in the nation, Budget Blinds of Gaston County has been in the top 20 of more than 1,100 other operations in each of the past three years. Products and services offered for homes and offices include blinds, shutters, drapes, rugs and more. For more on Budget Blinds, call 704.864.8778, or visit www.budgetblinds.com/southgastonia.

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Andy May and staff at Dignity Memorial and Hillcrest Gardens cut ribbon with Chamber members. 

Hillcrest Gardens celebrates more than 50 years of service

Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery in Mount Holly has been serving Gaston County residents for more than 50 years.The Dignity Memorial and Hillcrest Gardens staff, along with Montcross Area and Gaston Regional Chamber members, paused today to honor that tradition and to celebrate recent renovations to the offices and grounds of the cemetery. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted, a catered lunch provided and many prizes awarded.

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Office and grounds improvements celebrated at Hillcrest Gardens on Highway 27 in Mount Holly.

The Gaston Outside GO MONTH observance concludes on October 30, with a GOTOBER FEST in downtown Mount Holly, with food trucks, craft beer, music, street festival activities, bounce houses, drum line and Gaston Dance performances, open house at Discover You and much more. Volunteer recognition and a short program planned about 6 p.m. During each week of October Gaston Outside focused on a different aspect of life in Gaston County, including, business and industry, education and workforce development, restaurants and retail businesses, and cultural and recreation opportunities. For more details, go to www.gastonoutside.com/gomonth  ... 

GO MONTH concludes with a GOTOBER Festival on October 30.  

October 1 - 7 ... Buiness & Economic Development 

October 8 - 14 ... Education & Workforce

October 15 - 21 ... Restaurants & Retail

October 22 - 28 ... Culture & Recreation

October 30 ... GOtober Festival, Downtown Mount Holly, 4:30 - 8:30 p.m., with music, food and fun

At top, Harris Teeter Belmont Store Director Charley Toothman is addressing the large crowd before cutting the ribbon, with Belmont Mayor Charlie Martin, Montcross Area Chamber President Ted Hall and Gaston Regional Chamber Board Chair Brad Drury.

Many grand-opening specials in effect for a limited time

A decade of anticipation resulted in much of the population of Belmont turning out for the grand opening of a new Harris Teeter store on South Point Road Tuesday. The 53,000-square-foot store, which is the anchor for the commercial and residential Belmont Town Center project, opened after a 5 p.m. ribbon-cutting. The address is 905 South Point Road. Hours are 6 a.m. until midnight seven days a week. Store Director Charley Toothman cut a ribbon and along with his team invited hundreds (maybe thousands) of eager shoppers to check out the store, which includes a Starbucks, a pharmacy, a butcher’s market, a farmer’s market, fuel center and much more. Be sure to check out the limited-time grand opening discounts, including one on gasoline at the fuel center.

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Jeff and Kelly Davenport gave away big prizes each time the "Prize Shark" took flight.

The frightening theme from "Jaws" and a flying prize shark were just part of the fun when Jeff and Kelly Davenport of Davenport Design & Print hosted Chamber members and friends for Network After Work in downtown Mount Holly. Every time the theme played and the shark took flight, someone won a fantastic door prize. Guests had to tear themselves away from a table loaded with H&M Catering food to see if they were taking home wireless bluetooth headphones, a phone sanitizer and charger, an insulated backpack or other great gift. The event was in a beautiful second floor space made available through Coldwell Banker Commercial MECA. Davenport Design & Print helps customers develop and obtain all types of promotional items and printed materials. For more information, call 443.414.4199, or visit www.davdesign.biz. 

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Jeff and Kelly Davenport cut the ribbon with Mount Holly Mayor Bryan Hough. Holding the ribbon, are Greg Beal (left) of the City of Mount Holly and Jeff Lee of The Vintage Nest.

At center court in the Tug Deason Gym in Stanley, 24 members of 12 Amazing Race teams were full of confidence and ready to be called to the starting line. In the smaller photo below, are 1st-place team winners Brad Wruble and Jerry Liska, in costume, at the finish line. Their prize is a $500 contribution to the Gaston County Boy's & Girl's Club. 

Amazing racers learned a lot about businesses and communities

Through all of the cities and towns of the Montcross area (Stanley, Mount Holly, McAdenville, Lowell, Cramerton and Belmont) and through many shops, restaurants and other businesses, 12 teams of Amazing racers competed to follow clues and solve challenges in the first MACC Amazing Race Challenge. Bragging rights and contributions to winning teams' selected charities provided the motivation.

After a BBQ lunch provided by the Town of Stanley at the Tug Deason Gym, teams went head to head in a basketball-shooting competition to determine starting order. Leaving from center court in 45-second intervals, the race was on, first to Mount Holly and an interactive competition at Discover You and shopping challenges in downtown shops. Next, it was on to McAdenville (aka Christmastown, USA) and a contest to untangle strands of Christmas lights and insert bulbs in McAdenville's prescribed color order.

The Lowell Fire Department provided the next challenge site, with racers competing to don firefighter gear correctly, carry a life-size mannequin and unroll a fire hose. On Goat Island in Cramerton, there were physical challenges in the fitness area. Surprises awaited in Belmont where racers had to find Amazing Race painted rocks in the 5-acre Stowe Park, complete a lengthy scavenger hunt list through downtown shops, and finally don a costume and do jumping jacks in view of the Chamber webcam before dashing for the finish line at 10 Catawba.

Click Here for a list of all teams and sponsors.

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 The Start - The Challenges - The Celebration 

The top three teams in the MACC Amazing Race are shown here (top to bottom) at the starting line in Stanley, the finish line and the awards presentation in Belmont with Chamber Member Services Director Andrea Schrift, who coordinated the event. 

(Click Here to enlarge a printable version of the winning team photos.)