Membership in the Catawba 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 who grew up in Salisbury broadcasting Catawba Athletic events along with American Legion baseball games. Brennaman has served as the play-by-play sportscaster for the Cincinnati Reds since 1974, and recently announced he would retire at the end of the 2019 season. 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.
Board of Directors
Jeff Childress, director of the Chiefs Club, explained how the organization’s membership it tallied. “What makes me so very proud of our Chiefs Club membership reaching the 500 membership level is that all our Chiefs Club members are dues paying members. 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 Chiefs Club is set up for Chiefs Club memberships only and that makes our 500 membership even more impressive."
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 serves a Vice President and will take over as the Chiefs Club President 2019-2020. Jeff Childress, Catawba’s associate athletic director for athletic development, serves as director of the Catawba Chiefs Club. Other members on the organization’s board of directors include in the Class of 2019: Gary Blabon ’91; Roy Campbell; Jim Duncan; Bill Godley ’76; Charlie Graeber ’90; John Graham ’62; John Hartpence ’64; and David Patterson; in the Class of 2020: Donald “DonDon” C. Clement, IV; Bucky Cline; Joe Crapster ’87; Lindsay Lambert Dietrich ’74; Keith Knight ’97; Rhonda Martin; Johnny Munday; Tommy Readling ’10; Bob Setzer ’73; Stuart Smith ’77; Paige Haverty Stalcup ’06; and James Taylor ’76; in the Class of 2021: Forrest Anderson; Trent Bradshaw ’95; Billy Butts ’82; Julie Chamberlain; Kelly Dulkoski; Wes Graham; Bill Hall ’66; Richard Hill ’89; and Kent Rabon ’76.
The Chiefs Club 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, the 1998 Catawba Women’s Soccer Reunion, and the First Pitch Dinner. More special events are planned for spring 2019 including:
- 1998 Men’s Basketball – Saturday, Feb. 16
- CLASS Act luncheon – Friday, March 15
- Silent Auction – Saturday, April 6
- Baseball Alumni Day – Saturday, April 6
- Men’s Lacrosse 25th Anniversary – Saturday, April 13
- Senior Student-Athlete Dinner – Tuesday, April 16
- Catawba Golf Alumni Tournament – Saturday, April 26
- Football Golf Classic – Friday, May 10
“The purpose of The Catawba Chiefs Club is to help raise money to offset the cost of the 117 athletic scholarships. Those athletic 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 Chiefs Club 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. Our success with the Catawba 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.”
Chiefs Club memberships directly offset the rising cost of higher education and athletic opportunities for Catawba’s student-athletes. The purpose of the Chiefs Club is to provide financial support for athletic grants-in-aid for Catawba’s student athletes, to promote the welfare of the college through the athletic program, and to foster the ideals of good sportsmanship and good scholarship.” Along with your support, your gift toward the Catawba Chiefs Club is tax deductible, and will also place you on the weekly Catawba Chiefs Club e –newsletter that goes out each Monday with schedules, results, highlights, special events, athletic projects, and some very good pictures.
If you are interested in any of the special events listed below or would like to help support our Chiefs Club by joining, contact Jeff Childress at (704) 637-4265 or jchildre@catawba.edu, or visit www.catawba.edu/chiefsclub.
