The Badin Villager is a free monthly newsletter available on the first of the month at the Badin Post Office, the Badin Town Hall, the Badin Library and West Badin Community Center. It is also published online at www.visitbadin.com. For more information contact info@visitbadin.com

Alcoa razed a 120-foot water tower at its former aluminum smelting plant in Badin on Sunday, February 27, 2011 as part of the company’s aggressive plan to redevelop the site to attract new jobs to the community. When crews pulled the water tower to the ground at 8:05 a.m. it represented the latest effort by Alcoa to prepare the 123-acre site for new companies. Alcoa is spending more than $10 million this year to refurbish the buildings, remove old manufacturing equipment, and remove old buildings that have no use for the future tenants. “There is strong interest in the Badin site,” said Kevin Anton, Alcoa’s chief sustainability officer. “We have had productive talks with several companies and will continue preparing the site for new employers.” The water tower, built in the 1960’s to provide a backup water supply for the plant, is the first of more than a dozen structures on the site that will be demolished this year. Carefully observing safety and environmental regulations, crews made several strategic cuts to weaken the tower immediately before it was pulled down with 200-foot cables attached to the tower. The tower landed safely in an open space located inside the site’s fence. The steel structure will be cut into scraps and recycled. “This day represents a new beginning for the Badin site,” said Anton. “We are committed to bringing new jobs to the community.”

Lorraine Tucker, Badin Town Clerk, has served this community for 18 years although it took the town 12 years to bestow the title of Town Clerk on her. I’ve known her for 16 of those 18 years and have come to rely on her copy editing skills, her knowledge of Badin and her unfailing good humor. I take her the monthly Villager before I print it and she goes over it with a fine tooth comb, correcting typos and adding missing punctuation. Since I’m English, and even though we supposedly speak the same language, she often has to act as my translator, quick to pick up on my English idioms and tell me when my Badin readership won’t know what I’m talking about. These are some of the many small chores and favors she does voluntarily. She also does far more than run the Town Hall Office where she copes with payroll, minutes of meetings, taxes and insurance and all the other chores that go with running a business. She has trained a succession of Town Managers, keeps track of the whereabouts of the police and the Mayor and knows who to contact for any problem she can’t solve herself. She un-jams complex office machines, makes coffee, waters the plants and keeps the place neat and tidy. And she’s the town receptionist and visitor’s bureau rolled into one. Lorraine retires on February 28, 2011. I count her as a friend and will miss her daily presence at the Town Hall more than I can say. I know we all wish her the very best in her retirement.

When Badin’s David Summerlin moved to Valley Drive, he found a load of old bottles in his back yard. Intrigued, he asked friend Jerry Hall, a bottle collector, if there were any treasures among them. The answer was no, but Summerlin was hooked. These days, he and friend Hall attend bottle shows all over the southeastern United States, toting their sizeable collections to show and sell. Both men belong to the Uwharrie Bottle Club begun 5 years ago by Badin native Todd McSwain. On Saturday March 12, 2011, from 8am to 3 pm at the Badin Fire Department, the club will put on its 4th annual show and sale. Bottles date from the 1890’s and up. Top dollar can be as high as $40,000 and as low as $1. A Koca Nola bottle from New London, NC found at the Whitney Dam is one of Summerlin’s treasures. Drink bottles are best sellers and value depends on the town they’re from. Categories include soda, milk, whiskey and poison.

Badin Inn HappeningsThe following events are open to the public at no charge. Food and drink may be purchased on site. The popular Pickin’ on the Porch continues every Friday night from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. Next Friday features Brandon Snow . Every Wednesday is Trivia Night from 5:30 pm. Play as a team or an individual. The event is free and there are prizes for the winning team. Every Thursday is Karaoke Night from 7 pm until 11:30 pm. St. Patrick’s Day will see an Irish celebration. Check it out. The Sunshine ClubBadin’s inter-denominational seniors group meets at 10:30 am on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the fellowship hall of the Badin Baptist Church. Bring a covered dish and one dollar. Badin Garden ClubBadin Garden Club meets the first Thursday of each month at 6 pm in the 1913 Room at the Badin Inn. This month, Dianne Roberts, master gardener from Cabarrus Garden Club, will talk with the club about herbs, their care and cultivation. The public is invited. Badin VideoA promotional video of Badin can be viewed at www.visitbadin.com. The video was made possible by a grant from the Alcoa Foundation and pro- duced by John Westbrook of JS Media1.

Badin Pee Wee T-BallYouths aged 3-5 learn basic T-Ball skills and team membership skills. Registration on March 5 and March 12 from 9 am to 11 am at Badin Fire Department. Call 704-322-1143 or 704-245-9469 for more information.

School Calendar04/1/11 Professional Day 04/22/11 Holiday 04/25-29/11 Vacation 05/30/11 Holiday 06/09/11 Last Day

The Badin Villager is a free monthly newsletter available on the first of the month at the Badin Post Office, the Badin Town Hall, the Badin Library and West Badin Community Center. It is also published online at www.visitbadin.com. For more information contact info@visitbadin.com EDITORIAL A New Sponsor for the Villager For four years, under the sponsorship of the Town of Badin, I wrote the Badin Bulletin. I wrote the Badin Villager for over a year under the sponsorship of the Badin Inn. A year ago this January Anne and Bill Harwood asked me to reinstate the Badin Villager. Bill found an anonymous sponsor for the coming year and the town agreed to pick up the cost of paper and printing. Bill took it on himself to print up and distribute the newsletter. It was through Anne and Bill’s efforts and their understanding of the need for a newsletter that the residents of Badin could once again read about the happenings in their town. We owe them our thanks. Beginning this year the Badin Inn will once again sponsor the newsletter, this time in partnership with the Town of Badin. With their support, the town will continue to receive the monthly Badin Villager. Bridget Huckabee. Editor.

After a delay brought about by Mother Nature’s icy weather, Better Badin started the year with renewed vigor. The meeting took place on Monday, January 17, 2011 at Badin Town Hall.

The organization, which has been around since the 1980’s, had a full slate at the year’s first meeting. Elected officers are Karen Lowder, vice-president, Martha Garber, treasurer and Josie Cleghorn, secretary. As required by its non-profit status, the group also elected a 15 member board of directors.

Newly elected president, Bill Harwood, came up with a more structured agenda for this group of hard-working volunteers. The meeting still ran for over two hours, but Harwood believes the group is on the right track to accomplish more in a shorter period of time than was the case at last year’s meetings. The agenda for the year’s first meeting included forming a committee, headed by Vanessa Mullinix, to run the annual Best of Badin Festival.

Another committee was formed to put on the Poor Man’s Supper scheduled for Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 4 pm to 6:30 pm at the Badin Fire Station. The supper is free and open to the public, but donations are welcomed and will go to Badin neighborhood improvements.

Another committee will set up exterior events for the annual Triathlon.

Scholarships were discussed. Badin Mayor Pro tem Doloris Chambers requested $250 in matching funds for a scholarship for West Badin’s Teens making a Difference. The money will go towards college tuition.

It was agreed to set up a Centennial Committee initially as a separate entity from Better Badin. This committee will meet on a regular basis to plan events for Badin’s 100th birthday. The town was founded in 1913. “We hope to have an event every month throughout 2013,” says David Summerlin. This group will meet on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 7 pm at the Badin Town Hall. Officers will be elected and discussion will include fundraising efforts. The public is welcome.

Better Badin is dedicated to revitalizing Badin. It was instrumental in the town’s incorporation, initiated and continues to put on the annual Best of Badin Festival, formed the local museum and was active in the recent Small Town Main Street Project. Meetings are at 7pm on the second Monday of every month at Badin Town Hall. Friends of Badin are encouraged to attend.

Badin Inn Happenings The following events are open to the public at no charge. Food and drink may be purchased on site. The popular Pickin on the Porch continues every Friday night from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. Friday, February 7, 2011, is Super Bowl night featuring a big screen and food and drink specials on the menu. Monday, February 14, 2011 is a Valentines Day Couples Special evening. Wednesday, February 16, 2011 is Trivia Night. Attendees can test their general knowledge skills individually or working as a team. There is a $5 fee to take the pop quizzes and prizes for the winners. Poor Man’s Supper Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 4 pm to 6:30 pm at the Badin Fire Station. Enjoy good food and the good company of your fellow Badinites at this annual event , and make a donation to benefit the worthy cause of improving Badin’s neighborhoods. The Sunshine Club Badin’s inter-denominational seniors group meets at 10:30 am on the fourth Tuesdays in January—October in the fellowship hall of the Badin Baptist Church. The November and December meeting dates vary, so look for those dates as the time approaches. Bring a covered dish, one dollar and a friend and enjoy the programs and fellowship of this cheerful group. Badin Garden Club Badin Garden Club meets the first Thursday of each month at 6 pm in the 1913 Room at the Badin Inn. Badin Video A promotional video of Badin can be viewed at www.visitbadin.com. The video was made possible by a grant from the Alcoa Foundation and pro- duced by John Westbrook of JS Media1. School Calendar 01/17/11 Holiday 01/20-21/11 Professional Days 02/14/11 Professional Day 04/1/11 Professional Day 04/22/11 Holiday 04/25-29/11 Vacation 05/30/11 Holiday 06/09/11 Last Day Badin Centennial Committee Monday, February 28, 2011 at 7 pm at the Badin Town Hall. A committee will be formed at this meeting to begin plans for Badin’s centennial celebration in 2013. Twila’s Gifts and Thrifts Twila Radford’s shop on Falls Road is accepting donations of non-perishable goods to help Badin’s needy families. “When I began this before Christmas,” says Twila, “the response was wonderful. I want to thank Badin residents for their generosity.” Twila’s Gifts and Thrifts, located next to Legends Café, sells new and used gift items and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm. Main Street Conference Several Badin residents and officials attended a January one day Main Street Conference in Shelby, NC geared to preparing communities for economic success. Watch for… Something new in the works for the old Roger Thomas Gallery on Falls Road.

Badin Museum complex features the Historic Museum, the Firehouse Museum and the Quadruplex Museum. Hours are Tuesdays from 9 am to 12 am and 1pm to 3 pm, and Sundays from 2 pm to 5 pm. 60 Falls Road, P. O. Box 516, Badin NC 28009. Tel: 704-422-6900. www.badinmuseum.org