Twenty-three Thermal Belt volunteers recently became the newest inductees into the Second Wind Hall of Fame. They were welcomed into fellowship by more than 100 attendees at a delicious luncheon in the dining room at Tryon Estates.

Established in 1974, the Second Wind Hall of Fame is a unique Thermal Belt organization whose mission is to give recognition of retiree volunteers in the community whose services bring so many benefits to the quality of life in our area.

This recognition is to encourage them and to create incentives for others to do likewise. The objective is to help retirees to realize that retirement is an opportunity for continued, and even greater, service to the community and to mankind.

The inductees and their sponsoring organizations include: Lee Barry, Columbus Lions Club; Ann S. Carswell, Pea Ridge Baptist Church; Betty Chamberlain, Tryon Estates Retirement Community; Fran Creasy, Tryon Presbyterian Church; Jim Dorsett, Columbus Fire Department; Dorcas Epley, Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry; Stuart Evans, Tryon Fine Arts Center; Mike Greata, Community Chorus; Pat Grimwood, Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry; Brevard Henry, Foothills Humane Society; Ronald Hettinger, Tryon Congregational Church; Susan Hettinger, Tryon Little Theater; Robert Holycross, St. Luke’s Hospital; Susan Kelly, Tryon Garden Club; Judith Anne Lair, Community Chorus; Elizabeth Laughridge, Tryon Garden Club; Donald Lyons, Rotary Club of Tryon; Charles McKeller, Rotary Club of Tryon; Elizabeth McKeller, Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry; Jane Templeton, Tryon Garden Club; Marybeth Trunk, Hospice of the Carolina Foothills; Marianna Whalley, White Oak Community; and Priscilla Yeager, Daffy Jills Garden Club.

To qualify for induction, an outstanding retired volunteer, 60 or over, will have given volunteer service in three or more local non-profit organizations for at least three years, and be sponsored by one of them.

To inquire about initiating a nomination for a devoted volunteer you know, call Larry Poe at 828-894-6159 or email larry.poe@windstream.net to obtain an application form. The current membership has grown to 193 of the community’s most active volunteers.