1986
Klan March planned for Tryon; members of the community banded together to demonstrate against the Klan
1986Friendship Council is formed; first community picnic held to demonstrate racial unity, 325 people attend
1987July - Friendship Council entertained students from Bangalore, India
November - LIli Hahn proposed dinners at each other's homes
Between 1986 and 1988, nine community dinners took place
1988January 16: Family potluck supper held at Roseland Community Center. Over 70 individuals attended the
community outreach to celebrate Dr. King's birthday
1989Community outreach dinner at the Tryon Youth Center
Bowling parties, organized by Rev. Ralph Bonacker, at Tar Heel Lanes, Hendersonville, NC
Friendship Council played host to individuals from the Soviet Union at Roseland Community Center
1990January: The first MLK, Jr. celebration, Congregational Church of Tryon; Warren Carson guest speaker;
music provided by Don and Pam McMahon
1991Establishment of annual MLK, Jr. celebrations to be held at various venues during upcoming years
1992Christmas dinner held at Roseland Community Center; Hispanic community from Hendersonville, NC,
invited guests
1993Friendship Council began workshops entitled "Breaking Down the Walls;" program of the Baha'i Race
Unity Project introduced by Ron Mosseller
1994Artie Hamilton became president of FC; MLK, Jr. celebration held at Roseland Community Center
1995May 6 - The Peter Hahn Memorial Fire Doors dedicated at Roseland with a potluck dinner
June 10 - Skit written and directed by Ron Mosseller performed at the annual picnic
December - First annual Christmas carolling at White Oak Nursing Center, Tryon
1997President Artie Hamilton inducted into the Second Wind Hall of Fame during a Friendship Council meeting
1998A grill was presented to Harmon Field by the Friendship Council as a gift from member Werner Muller
1999James E. Talley, Mayor of Spartanburg, SC, keynote speaker at the MLK, Jr. celebration
Monthly luncheons at local restaurants began to show racial unity in the community
2000Darcel Grimes, news anchor at WLOS, keynote speaker at the MLK, Jr. celebration
2001Dinner hosted for students from Willamette, Illinois, Habitat project
September - Party for Lili Hahn at Roseland Community Center to celebrate her move to Atlanta, GA
2003Oil painting of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Nan Cooper donated to the Polk County Public Library
Reception held for Virginia Perrenod induction to Second Wind Hall of Fame
2004First year of the MLK, Jr. celebration held at the Tryon Fine Arts Center
Notification received from the Governor of NC of the FC's Outstanding Volunteer Service Award
2005Darcel Grimes, keynote speaker, MLK, Jr. celebration
2007Terry Bellamy, keynote speaker, MLK, Jr. celebration
June 21 - Annual community picnic drew large crowd
Artie Hamilton, president for 13 years, unable to attend; Dr. Joseph Fox elected president at fall meeting
2008Larry Williams, keynote speaker, MLK, Jr. celebration
2009Alan Richmond, keynote speaker, MLK, Jr. celebration
Race relations meeting drew large crowd
Meeting locations rotated to increase participation
Youth Summit planning begun
Roseland chosen as monthly meeting location, rather than rotating
2010January - Scott Young, keynote speaker, MLK, Jr. celebration
June 5 - Annual community picnic - drummers main musical event - drew large crowd
2011January 14 & 15 - Collaboration with Tryon Fine Arts Center to produce a community play, "We Are the
Dream" for MLK, Jr. celebration - the event drew hundreds and the TFAC was filled each performance.
February 26 - "Soundtrack for a Revolution" DVD showing and luncheon at Tryon Congregational Church
June 4 - Annual coummunity picnic
December 16 - Annual caroling at White Oak, followed by potluck dinner at Good Shepherd Church
2012 January 14 - Annual MLK, Jr. celebration - Monolgues by Michelle Miller as Fannie Lou Hamer; Rev.
Eleanor Miller as Dorothy Height, and Tamiea Brown. Performances by Eternity Dancers and Bunton
Institutional CME Church Mime Team, presentation of scholarship winner Kari Malkki.
June 2 - Annual Community Picnic
June 16 - Resource Fair, Roseland Community Center
