Nicole Martinez, co-owner of Silver Lake Construction accepts Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation from Mayor Mike Kondratick / Photo courtesy of the Town of Holly Springs

Holly Springs, NC, Sep. 2, 2026 — Holly Springs Town Council recognized two community causes during last night’s town council meeting, proclaiming Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day and Hispanic Heritage Month before turning later in the meeting to several events planned around town this fall.

Among those events is a September 11th memorial marking 25 years since the terrorist attacks, along with Compassion Day, Town Day at the Farmers Market, and the launch of a scavenger hunt celebrating Holly Springs’ 150th anniversary.

Council proclaimed September 15th as Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day, recognizing the work of Note in the Pocket (website), a local nonprofit that provides clothing to children and families in need.

Since 2020, the organization has clothed 1,102 people with help from 1,145 Holly Springs volunteers. Executive Director Megan Steinke-Chase, who accepted the proclamation, said clothing insecurity can be less obvious than needs such as food or housing, but can affect children in similar ways.

Megan Steinke-Chase, executive director for Note in the Pocket, accepts Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day proclamation from Mayor Mike Kondratick / Photo courtesy of the Town of Holly Springs

She pointed to easily missed signs, such as a child wearing shoes that don't fit or a sweater in 100-degree heat. Beyond meeting a basic need, she said having appropriate clothing can affect a child’s confidence, school attendance and ability to interact with classmates.

Note in the Pocket now works with families connected to several Holly Springs elementary, middle and high schools. When one member of a household is referred for assistance, Steinke-Chase said the organization works to provide clothing for the entire family.

Council also proclaimed September 15th through October 15th as Hispanic Heritage Month.

More than one million North Carolina residents identify as Hispanic, Latino or Latina, according to the proclamation, with Hispanic residents accounting for an estimated 7% of Holly Springs’ population. The national observance began in its current month-long form in 1988 and starts in mid-September to coincide with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries.

This year’s theme is “Together, We Are More. Unidos, Somos Más.”

Nicole Martinez, co-owner of Silver Lake Construction, accepted the proclamation. She spoke about her family’s experience building a business and a life in Holly Springs and thanked the community for its support.

The community “believed in us, gave us opportunities, and supported us along the way,” Martinez said.

Town officials also shared details about the upcoming observance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Fire Chief LeRoy Smith and Town Manager Randy Harrington invited residents to attend the memorial on Friday, September 11th at 9:00 a.m. at Fire Station #1 (directions), where the town displays a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center’s North Tower.

Several other community events and initiatives are coming up in September and October. Compassion Day is scheduled for September 12th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Holly Springs UCC (directions), with food, music, and community outreach. The town also plans to have a tent at Town Day at the Farmers Market on September 26th.

Later this week, the town expects to launch “Holly Quest,” a scavenger hunt-style app created as part of Holly Springs’ 150th anniversary celebration. Residents can use the app to explore local history and compete for prizes.

Holly Springs Update

Holly Springs (NC) Recognizes Community…