Board of Directors keep the Neuse II on course
Gary Kennedy, a native of Deep Run, serves as the CSS Neuse Foundation President. He has worked as the owner/operator of the Sawdust Shop from 1984 to the present. He was served 51 years as a volunteer firefighter, 20 years as an EMT, and 25 years as a Boy Scout leader. Gary serves as a docent and member of the Galley Crew.
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Chris Raines, a native of Lenoir County and a graduate of LCC, is the foundation's Vice President. Chris began performing on stage at age eight, and for the past 34 years, he has been starring in, producing, and directing shows in and around the community.
He is a Logistics Coordinator at Caswell Developmental Center. |
Chadwick Stokes, a middle school history teacher at E.B. Frink Middle School, serves as the foundations Treasurer. In additional to serving as a docent on the CSS Neuse II, Chadwick is also a Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactor. He has won statewide recognition for his innovations at making instruction in history more hands-on, He was named the Wheat Swamp Ruritan Club "Citizen of the Year" and has received several statewide awards. He recently too part in a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party in Boston.
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Mike Parker, retired English instructor from East Carolina, has both a personal and academic interest in the history of the War Between the States. He serves as the foundation's Secretary.
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Joe Dawson is a native of Lenoir County and a retired postal worker. He is well known in the Kinston-Lenoir County area for his work with Salute! and a host of productions with his wife, Mary Beth Dawson. He has been an active volunteer with the CSS Neuse Foundation.
Jimmy Hill, a longtime member of the North Lenoir Volunteer Fire Department, has served on the Galley Crew of the CSS Neuse Foundation. At present, he is the Grill Master and oversees both Wings Over the Neuse and Breakfast on the Boat. Jimmy is known across this county and beyond for cooking for fund-raisers.
Michael H. "Mike" Byrd is a Lenoir County resident and lifelong student of the War Between the States and American Revolutionary War history. His emphasis is on Confederate guerilla warfare, 19th century weapons, and the history of dueling.
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Carol Ipock Cantu is a real estate agent and is active in assisting veterans at G.I. Joe's Living History Museum on NC 11 S. She also serves as a docent on the CSS Neuse II.
Ray has more than a quarter-century of experience in designing and delivering training in basic mathematics, vocational trade skills, and ESL.
He and his wife served in the Peace Corps as a vocational instructor in Marrakesh, Morocco. He delivered pre-apprenticeship training in electrical wiring to at-risk youth for the Ministry of Social Services vocational school program. He has been on the board of directors for several years and enjoys serving as a docent aboard the Neuse II.
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Doug Williams grew up swimming around and fishing from the original CSS Ram Neuse. He also was present when the gunboat was removed from the Neuse River. He combines personal experience with historical knowledge.
Gary Riggs is the Interpretative Programs Coordinator at Tyron Palace in New Bern. He has always had a love for history and started reenacting for 19th Century programs as a teenager. More recently, he has been interested in 18th century history and started building his soldier's impression several years ago. His knowledge of history comes from researching the life of a soldier via documentaries, diaries, historic accounts, and visiting museums. He enjoys creating programs that bring the subject matter to life.
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Joe Hargitt, owner and manager of the historic King's Restaurant in Kinston, brings his organizational skills to the board for its fund-raising efforts. Joe was named the Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" for 2018.
John Nix, a licensed Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) and co-owner of a Kinston surveying firm, became President of the CSS Neuse Foundation in 2010 and has been with this project since its inception in 2002. He currently serves as the foundation's vice-president.
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