The 26th annual Hospice/ACC benefit luncheon will take place Tuesday, Oct. 27 in the fellowship hall of First Presbyterian Church in Lenoir at noon.

John Swofford, commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference, will be the featured speaker at the 26th annual luncheon, which serves as Hospice's largest fundraiser of the year. Swofford has been ACC commissioner since 1997. Prior to assuming those duties, he was the director of athletics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Swofford has been ACC commissioner for 12 years and has seen the league expand from nine teams to 12 during his tenure.

The Hospice luncheon tends to be quite a success year after year in raising funds to support Hospice and its ministry.

Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care provides services for terminally ill patients and their families. Since opening its doors in 1982, Hospice has served nearly 5,800 patients and their families and has more than 400 active volunteers who assist in providing various services.

Hospice also is in the final phases of construction of a new facility in Hudson that will add to the service it provides, giving a presence in the southern end of Caldwell County to go with that already established in Lenoir.

In addition to a catered meal and address by Swofford, the luncheon will provide opportunities for more fundraising through a mini-auction that features contributions from Bob Timberlake, William Mangum and a number of local artists like Mary Dobbin Long and Judy Rider, as well as packages offered by other prominent businesses.

Sponsorships are sold for the event, and a number of individuals make substantial contributions to assist Hospice in its effort to provide quality end-of-life care to patients.

Sports Hall of Fame inductions will be Monday

The Caldwell County Sports Hall of Fame will induct four people during ceremonies Monday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir.

Wilford Beane, Ted Crowe, Gary Laws and Jay Knight (posthumously) will be inducted to the Hall during the 21st annual ceremony, which follows a catered meal. Their induction increases the members in the Hall of Fame to 86.

The Sports Hall of Fame is a community service project of the Caldwell Rotary Club.