Legend learned early about community

Thursday, Sep. 24, 2009

Growing up on a Catawba County farm, future NASCAR legend Ned Jarrett learned how a community cares for its own.

Neighbors helped each other at wheat threshings and corn shuckings.

In a colorful career that's put him on the list of 25 nominees for NASCAR's first Hall of Fame class, Jarrett has never lost the community connection.

On Oct. 12, his 77th birthday, he'll be in Newton at the 25th annual Ned Jarrett American Cancer Society Golf Classic. And he recently became honorary chairman of a fundraiser for a nonprofit mental health agency serving about 5,000 people in Catawba and Burke counties. His name and photo will be used in brochures for the fundraiser and new endowment for the organization

Facing budget cuts and growing patient loads, Catawba Valley Behavioral Healthcare is trying to raise $500,000 and boost public recognition of its mission. Officials looked to Jarrett for help.

“He's caring and compassionate and that's the kind of person we wanted,” said the agency's Executive Director John Waters. “He can help put a face on the needs in the county.”

Established under state mental health reform on Jan. 1, 2005, the nonprofit CVBH serves people with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

During the last eight months, Waters said, there's been a 30 percent increase in outpatients, brought on in part by depression and anxieties over the loss of jobs and insurance.

Waters expects the cuts in state and federal money to range from $300,000 to $500,000. With the exception of emergency services, all other programs – from outpatient to psychiatric care – would be affected.

Meanwhile, he said that by Dec. 31 or early 2010 CVBH will have to move from a county-owned building the agency rents into the former Duke Energy offices in downtown Hickory. Waters said the county needs the space, and the nonprofit has the chance to buy the downtown property, which will be cheaper than renting in the long run.

As a committee began searching for an honorary chairman for the fundraiser, Jarrett topped the list. Committee member Edith Grimes had lived near Jarrett in Conover during the 1970s and gave him a call.

Jarrett agreed to meet with Grimes, Waters and CVBH staff member Gail Henson to hear about the organization's work.

“He listened very intently,” Grimes said. “He was deeply engrossed.”

On the farm, Jarrett dreamed of being a race car driver, but his dad advised him against it.

In 1953, Jarrett drove a '39 Ford coupe at the new Hickory Speedway for a friend who was sick. He used the friend's name in that race and in two or three more races. When his dad found out, he told his son: If you believe in it, use your name.

Now, Jarrett is doing the same thing, using his name for something he believes in.

The appeal from a community-based program touched Jarrett. As a child, he'd gone to fall corn shuckings where neighbors shared work while socializing.

He'd seen farmers with wheat threshers help neighbors who couldn't afford to buy or rent the machines at harvest time.

“I'm so thankful I grew up in that lifestyle,” Jarrett said. “It taught me you can do anything you want to do if you work hard.”

As he nears 77, Jarrett doesn't endorse every public cause that comes his way.

“I can't be all things for all people,” he said. “There's a limit to what you can or even want to do.”

But he recognized the special needs of a struggling mental health agency in his home county.

“I had no idea they did as much as this,” said Jarrett, who still lives a few miles from where he grew up. “They're doing a lot more for the community than most people realize. Thank God there's an organization out there to fight and do what they have to do to make things happen. If I can give any guidance, I will.”

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