Holly Commercial Club Elects New President, Donates to Ambulance Service

The Holly Commercial Club met in regular session the first Wednesday of the month at the Holly Methodist Church. As the executive committee had no volunteers to serve as officers in 2015, the floor ws opened for nominations with Ralph Plummer stating that he is stepping down as president after having served for seven years.  John Golden was nominated for the position which carried unanimously.  A motion to carry the remaining positions into the 2015 year was carried with no opposition.

The annual Christmas Light Contest will have three categories of entries with 1^st and 2^nd prizes given in each of the three.  Chantel Fuller suggested holding a story hour for children at the library and it has been scheduled on the Saturday evening following Thanksgiving on November 29.

Presentations to the club were made by Teri Hetrick of the Holly Ambulance Service who described the need for new defibrillators in the town’s two ambulances. The current models were purchased in 1998 for $12,000 each and with some proper care, she said they may continue to be used for a while.  Current models cost $31,245 apiece.  Hetrick said the Service can get a state matching grant of 50% along with a discount on a future purchase and receive a $2,500 trade-in credit on the old models.  That leaves a need of $24,015 for the basic purchase price and the Service has raised $18,500 from donations and fundraisers.  The Club voted to donate $1,000 towards the purchase price of the two new units.

Lamar Community College Foundation Director, Anne-Marie Crampton, said the college has raised $170,000 to fund construction of a new dorm which will house 30 students, as well as for the nursing and the welding program at LCC. The estimated cost of the new residence is $1,200,000 and it will be the first of three new dorms planned for the college.  The new living quarters will help aid student enrollment numbers at LCC.  Crampton also introduced Kristin Lubbers as the college’s new marketing director who told the Club members that spring registration is now underway.  LCC will also host it’s 40^th Annual Craft and Food Fair at the Wellness Center, Saturday, November 15.

The next Commercial Club meeting is set for Wednesday December 3 at noon at the Methodist Church.

The synopsis was made possible through meeting minutes supplied by Darlene Bruce for Club Secretary, Meadow Casey.