Basketball court named in honor of Michelle Dula
The City of Hickory invites the public to attend the naming dedication of the basketball court at Brown Penn Recreation Center in honor of Michelle Dula. The ceremony will take place at the recreation center on Saturday, September 24, at 1 p.m.
The program will include comments from Hickory Mayor Hank Guess, Ward 4 Hickory City Councilman David Williams, Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Director Mark Seaman, and several family members and friends of Dula.
In memory of Michelle Dula and in recognition of her 35+ years of service and contributions to the Ridgeview community and the City of Hickory, the gymnasium floor at Brown Penn Recreation Center is being named Michelle Dula Court in her honor. This court offers recreational opportunities for area youth and provides space for various community gatherings and events.
A Catawba County native, Michelle Dula earned a bachelor’s degree from Elizabeth City State University, where she pledged in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She wore the sorority’s colors, pink and green, proudly, and cherished being a part of their sisterhood.
After college, Dula returned home to start her career. She briefly worked as a social worker, but quickly found her passion when she was hired by the City of Hickory Parks and Recreation Department. She quickly gained the trust of the community by organizing programs that strengthened the community, such as putting together basketball, softball, and flag football leagues. She organized programs such as Teen Up and the Support Our Students program giving the kids in the community a positive outlet; however, she enjoyed working with the senior citizens that lived in the Ridgeview area the most. She enjoyed picking them up, taking them shopping, playing bingo, and teaching them water aerobics.
Dula was dedicated to her career and served the citizens of Hickory in the Ridgeview community full-time from June 1977 through August 2007. In April 2008, she resumed her service to the community and continued working part-time until her retirement in February 2015.
After retiring, Dula remained an active community member and public servant, assisting many local seniors by taking them to doctors' visits or delivering them food. She touched countless lives through her recreation and outreach programs.
Brown Penn Recreation Center is located at 735 Third Street SW in Hickory and can be reached directly at 828-328-4890. The center is open for kids ages 15 and under Monday through Thursday from 3-7 p.m., Friday from 3-6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about Michelle Dula Court at Brown Penn Recreation Center and available recreation programs, please call 828-322-7046 or visit https://www.hickorync.gov/recreation-and-sports-tourism.