Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute held a special dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Nov. 6 for the college’s new intramural sports field located on Roy Coffey Drive adjacent to the Caldwell Campus in Hudson.
The new facility features a regulation-size athletic field, field house, and bathrooms and will be utilized for a variety of college activities including intramural sports, physical education courses and other student activities.
The new facility was named in honor of Mr. Larry Taylor, former Chairman of the CCC&TI Board of Trustees. Taylor served on the Board for more than 32 years, and served as Chairman for 25 years, earning him the distinction of being the longest-serving chairman in CCC&TI Board of Trustees history.
Taylor, a Caldwell County native and graduate of Lenoir High School, is a local business owner and contractor and an active member of the community. He was appointed to the CCC&TI Board in July 1992 and was elected Chairman of the Board in 1999.
In addition to his service to the college, Taylor has also served as a volunteer with several other local organizations over the years including the Caldwell County Shelter Home, service as a Caldwell County Commissioner and Chairman of the Caldwell County Economic Development Commission. Taylor also coaches both mens and womens golf at Hibriten High School as a volunteer. He has earned multiple Coach of the Year and State Sportsman Awards and was also inducted into the Hibriten High School Hall of Fame in 2009.
Over the years, Taylor has been honored multiple times for his leadership and community involvement. He received the Herman Andersen Award from the Caldwell Economic Development Commission in 2003 and was named the L.A. Dysart Man of the Year in 2014 by the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce. He was inducted into the Caldwell County Schools Hall of Honor in 2019.
CCC&TI President, Dr. Mark Poarch, opened the ceremony by welcoming all those in attendance. “On behalf of the college’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and students, I want to welcome you to this very special day in the history of Caldwell Community College and
Technical Institute,” said Poarch. “Today we honor a man who has meant so much to this college, to our community and to me personally, as we dedicate this intramural sports field to Mr. Larry W. Taylor. This facility will carry his name and his legacy forever. Thank you for being here and sharing in this wonderful celebration.”
Several speakers were on hand for the ceremony including Mrs. Janet Winkler, Mayor of Hudson and Mr. Dale Hamby, Vice-Chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees.
“We have partnered with the college on so many projects in the past and are so proud to have CCC&TI in Hudson. The investment and the improvements they keep making to our community are amazing and we could not be happier to partner with them,” said Mayor Winkler. “On behalf of my fellow commissioners and all the people of Hudson, we say thank you for your partnership. This facility is absolutely amazing and to have it named in honor of our friend, Larry Taylor, is very close to my heart.”
Mr. Hamby also offered up remarks and shared just a few of the many milestones that the college reached under Chairman Taylor’s leadership including unprecedented growth in students served and credentials awarded, as well as the addition of new facilities and expanded athletic offerings for students. “I’m so happy to be here to honor Chairman Taylor and honor his years of service to the college,” said Hamby.
Hamby, along with CCC&TI President Dr. Mark Poarch and President Emeritus, Dr. Ken Boham presented Chairman Taylor with a plaque and the gavel used to call meetings to order during his time as Chairman of the Board. “On behalf of the College’s Board of Trustees, I want to present to you, Mr. Taylor, your gavel, well-used, and say thank you for your many years of service to CCC&TI and the community.”
Taylor also offered brief remarks during the ceremony and thanked his family, friends, and colleagues for attending the event. Taylor also thanked the board members and administrators for their hard work and support of the college during his time as a trustee.
Taylor also shared a brief history of Cobra Athletics and spoke about the success of CCC&TI’s student-athletes both in the classroom and on the field. “As you can see, CCC&TI and it’s student athletes have had much success over the years. This new field will give the college the opportunity to consider additional sports in the years to come and allow the college to offer additional physical education courses to the students,” said Taylor. “And that’s what we’re here for – the students. Thank you everyone who had a hand in creating this beautiful facility.”
Following the remarks, Chairman Taylor, his family, members of the college’s Board of Trustees, Presidents Poarch and Boham, college administrators, and community leaders gathered to cut the ribbon on the new facility and officially open CCC&TI’s Larry W. Taylor Intramural Athletic Field.