Showing posts with label Cherryville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cherryville. Show all posts

Welcoming 2013 with a bang

Cherryville Shooters 2013
The Cherryville New Years Shooters conclude their shooting tour of the town at Cherryville's football stadium on Tuesday January 1, 2013.
Cherryville Shooters 2013
Mark Britton holds a flashlight on Matt Friedell, from left, Spence Houser and a woman who's name could not be confirmed while another friend takes pictures as the Cherryville New Years Shooters conclude their shooting tour of the town at Cherryville's football stadium on Tuesday January 1, 2013. Houser injuried his trigger finger during the day of musket shooting.
Cherryville Shooters 2013
Smoke and flames burst from the barrel of Perry Franklin's musket as the Cherryville New Years Shooters conclude their shooting tour of the town at Cherryville's football stadium on Tuesday January 1, 2013.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom Fest
Katie Hoyle, facing, and Carley Norris, both 8, take a spin on a ride at the Cherry Blossom Festival in downtown Cherryville on Saturday April 28, 2012. 

Morgan Grindstaff

Morgan Grindstaff
Morgan Grindstaff, 21, poses with his guitar at his Cherryville home on Thursday February 23, 2012. Grindstaff was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a degenerative condition that gives him breathing trouble and requires him to use a therapy vest and a nebulizer several times a day.


Part of the reason I love what I do is that I get to meet lots of interesting people that I might not otherwise interact with. It's my job to tell their story.

In this case, I took some pictures of Morgan with medical equipment he uses to help him breath due to his Cystic Fibrosis. That was necessary for the assignment, but I think this photo, which says nothing of his condition, is more genuine and dignified.

He's a human being after all, not simply a victim of disease. On the contrary, one angle in the story this photo accompanied was his efforts to raise awareness and support charities for the ailment.

It's always humbling, though, when you have an assignment to photograph someone with a serious medical condition. Morgan described for me how Cystic Fibrosis will typically get worse over time.

"By the time I get to be about 30 I'll be looking at a lung transplant, you know, or dying."

Then he laughed it off.

More Horseshoes?

Lucky Horseshoe
Cherryville Post 100 pitcher Adam Benfield poses with his lucky horseshoe in the dugout at Buck Fraley Field in Cherryville on Sunday July 31, 2011. Benfield found the horseshoe and now brings it to games and keeps in the bull pen for good luck.
Lucky Horseshoe

Happy Independence Day!

Gastonia Fireworks

Here are a few of my favorite fireworks pictures from this long Fourth of July weekend. The top one is from Gastonia on Monday and the bottom two from Cherryville on Friday.

Cherryville  Fireworks

Cherryville  Fireworks

Touchdown Pass

Cherryville Touchdown Reception
Cherryville's Dashaun Brooks, left, makes a touchdown reception over Bessemer City defender Damian Scott to end the first half at Cherryville on Friday October 29, 2010.

Confererate Sons...and Daughters

Confederate Sons
Reenactors Jamie Sisk, above, and Linda Hoyle take part in the proceedings of a Confederate grave marker dedication service held by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Cherryville on Nov. 8. Sisk is dressed as a confederate soldier and Hoyle in the garb of a mourning widow.
Confederate Daughters

Football Season Rolls On

Grier middle school football players celebrate their 8-0 win over Southwest in the Gaston County middle school football championship game at Hunter Huss High School on Tuesday October 28.


I shot no less than three football games this week; two high school games that were rescheduled (due to rain that never came) and the Gaston County middle school football championship.

If I had gone to the Panthers NFL game on Sunday I could have made it four days straight, but that probably would've sent me to the nuthouse! Besides, I had a fun and better-paying assignment on Sunday--more on that later.

In any event, I thought I'd blog my favorite photo from each game. Enjoy.

A member of the Bessemer City High School color guard (above) performs during halftime in a game between Lincolnton and Bessemer City on Monday October 27. Below: Brandon Stamey looks to evade North Lincoln defender Pat Sykes (#26) as he returns a kick off for Cherryville High School during game action on Saturday October 25.

Softball Champs!

Softball Champs!

Chavis pitcher Paige Wyont, above on right embraces catcher Eli Warlick after Chavis defeated Cramerton to win the Gaston County middle school softball championship game at Cherryville High on Thursday. This was the last middle school game for the eighth-graders. 

Softball championship

Cramerton runner Haley Caskey is forced out at second base by Caroline Stroupe of Chavis to put up the final out in the game.