Hickory, NC

Great news for Hickory North Carolina and Hickory NC Real Estate

Covation LLC based in Atlanta is a customer support center for business telecommunications services announced that its Hickory operation will open in April. The company plans to hire 544 people by the end of 2009, and to employ 913 within three years.

The Covation customer service support center will occupy a 60,000-square-foot building off Tate Boulevard and the McDonald Parkway adjacent to the new Graystone Eye campus in McDonald Crossing Professional Park.

This is the fifth major economic development announcement made in Hickory in 2008. Other companies planning projects that will create jobs are Williams-Sonoma, FedEx, Convergys and Merchants Distributors Inc. Together, the five companies are expected to bring more than 2,300 new jobs to Hickory during the next five years.

For more information about Hickory NC visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

For more information about Covation you can check out their website ar www.Covation.com

I am so happy to read in the Hickory Daily Record that this week's edition of the USA Weekend magazine on Sunday will feature a cover story about Bethlehem, N.C., The magazine is circulated to about 23 million readers in 623 papers.

This great article will shed a light on just some of the great things about the Bethlehem community. As a proud resident of Bethlehem I am delighted to see such a postitive article about the area being written.

Bethlehem is a wonderful place to live, work, raise a family, retire. or just get away from the stress of everyday life. Located in the foothills of North Carolina it features great schools, a beautiful recreational lake for fishing, boating, and swimming, and best of all a caring and giving spirit that is highlighted the most at Christmas.

For more information about Bethlehem NC or the surrounding towns please visit my website at http://www.mikekellyjr.com/

To read the article in USA Magazine follow this link: http://www.usaweekend.com/08_issues/081221/081221bethlehem.html

Everyone is invited downtown to Union Square, tonight from 5:30 - 7:30 to shop and visit the wonderful shops that are decorated for Christmas. This evening is sponsored by the Downtown Hickory Development Association. They will be hosting this event again on Thursday December 18.

Events will include: wagon rides around Union Square sponsored by BB&T, Suzuki School of the Arts adult ensemble performing inside Shoppes on the Square, interactive motor skills development through a fun obstacle course sponsored by the Little Gym, carolers, and of course Santa will be there.

Convergys Coproration is hiring customer service representatives for its Hickory call center. They expect to employ 500 people by late 2009. The call center that is in the former Joann Fabrics building, on 7th Street SE (behind Home Depot), already employs 300 people. They provide customer care and billing services. Most of the customer service positions are full time and the average pay is about $9.50 per hour. Once hired, Convergys provides five weeks of training in a classroom.

For more information you can call 1-888-484-4473 or check out their website www.convergys.greatjob.net

For more information about Hickory NC check out my blog and website at www.MikeKellyJr.com

Catawba County Animal Services staff will hold a "Home For The Holidays" Adopt-athon at the Animal Shelter, located adjacent to and behind the Justice Center off Highway 321 Business in Newton, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Animal Services staff will spotlight animals that are suitable for adoption, and provide the public with an opportunity to have pets vaccinated for rabies and a chance to learn more about training for dogs.

Highlights of the December 13 Animal Adopt-athon will include:

• A rabies vaccination clinic

• Basic obedience dog training class from 11 a.m. until 12 Noon

• A visit from McGruff The Crime Dog

• A raffle for gift certificates to local restaurants and dog gift baskets with such items as shampoo, collars, combs and treats, with funds raised to go to an Animal Shelter Expansion Fund.

• Free leashes to those who adopt a pet, and "treat bags" with animal-related information inside, measuring cups for food and toys

• Displays by different vendors of products for pets.

The County is also continuing a shelter volunteer program, and will be asking anyone who is interested in volunteering to work at the shelter to indicate their interest during the event.

For more information on the December 13 Animal Adopt-athon at the Catawba County Animal Shelter, you may call Catawba County Animal Services at 828-464-7686.

You can also visit their website http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/es/animal.asp for more information about helping animals in Catawba Valley.

For more information about Hickory NC visit my website at www.MikeKellyJr.com