Pamlico chamber plans events, new officers

GRANTSBORO - More than three months after its president was charged with embezzlement, the Pamlico County Chamber of Commerce is rebounding.

It has a new executive director and plans to install a new president and vice president at a membership dinner meeting June 16.

In mid-February, David Eugene Kitchen was jailed for felony embezzlement of more than $6,000 from the 200-member chamber. His wife, LaTriche Kitchen, was not implicated in the theft, but resigned her job as the chamber's director.

Pamlico County native Joyce Swimm has since been hired as the executive director. She said Thursday that the chamber is active, with the planned installation of new president Ben Hollowell and vice president Beth Bucksot.

Former president Carla Byrnes of Vandemere returned as the interim president following Kitchen's arrest.

The membership dinner meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Pamlico County Heritage Center, where the chamber shares offices with the Pamlico County Historical Association.

The two groups are hosting an American Red Cross blood drive Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Grantsboro Town Hall. Door prizes will be awarded and the Grantsboro/Silverhill Volunteer Fire Department is scheduled to have a fire truck for viewing.

Swimm said the chamber has moved forward since the embezzlement incident to reassure area businesses and members of its role in the community.

"I've really enjoyed the job," said Swimm. "I'm a people person. One of the things I've tried to do is reconnect with people. There was a lot of backward work that had to be done in order to catch us back to where we need to be."

She said visiting communities and chamber members has been part of her schedule.

"I've visited businesses just to stop in and say hello and let them know we're here and that we're moving forward," she said. "We've tried to gain some ground and I think we have done pretty well considering what we've gone through in the last while."

The chamber meets at 7:30 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Heritage Center.

For information about the Pamlico chamber, call 745-3008, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Charlie Hall can be reached at (252) 635-5667 or chall@freedomenc.com.