The Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County recognized long time supporters of the Club by naming the Boys & Girls Club's gymnasium in honor of Joe & Nell Harand Thursday, May 28th. Attending the ceremony were the Harand's three daughters Susan Young, Lynn Hankins, and Dian Smith as well as their grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
During remarks about Joe & Nell Harand, Jack Weller, Board President, shared that Joe is no stranger to being in a gym. He played basketball in the Navy during WWII. When the war was over, he headed to NC State to earn a degree in a textile related field. He played on the first NC State team coached by Everett Case in 1946. After graduating he started his own company and Joe and Nell moved to Shelby to be close to the textile industry in the area.
Since the 1980's Joe and Nell have been two caring, sharing individuals who made things happen at the Club. Harand served on the Board of Directors of the Boys Club from 1987 to 1996. During that time, Joe enjoyed working with the Back A Boy fundraiser and the Annual Car Raffle and Auction. Even though not on the Board, Joe has continued to sell car raffle tickets. His enthusiasm for the Boys Club was recognized by the North Carolina Area Leadership Council when he was named Volunteer of the Year in 1994.
Harand and Ruth Schweppe, a Board member, were instrumental in creating the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County Endowment Fund. Over the years the fund has grown to a little more than ninety-five thousand dollars. In 2012, Joe and Nell made the largest single cash gift to the Club which made them members of the Boys & Girls Club of America's Jeremiah Millbank Society. The Society recognizes individuals and families that donate more then ten thousand unrestricted dollars to a Boys & Girls Club.
Perhaps the highlight of the afternoon was when a group of Club Kids sang "Thanks for Being a Friend" to the Harands and other guests.
The ceremony ended when Joe, Nell and their daughters unveiled the sign naming the gym forever more as the Joe & Nell Harand Gymnasium.
Following the ceremony, the Board of Directors hosted a reception for the family and guests.

Pictured: The Gym at the Boys & Girls Club was renamed in recognition of long time supporters of the Club. The Harand family participates in the unveiling of the sign dedicating the gym in honor of Joe and Nell Harand (l to r) Daughter Dian Smith, Nell & Joe Harand, and other daughters Susan Young, and Lynn Hankins with their granddaughter Katherine Davis.