Community
A Civic-Minded Culture… It’s Who We Are
Taking time to volunteer in the community is something our Firm highly values. Our staff serve on boards, donate time and money, and organize group activities for various charities including:
- United Way
- Habitat for Humanity
- March of Dimes
- Catawba Humane Society
- Catawba County Parenting Network
- Catawba Medical Center Foundation
- VITA tax preparation services for low income households
- Various religious organizations and educational institutions
- Medical Access for Catawba County (MACC)
- Legal Aid
Coping with Stress
The busy season for our audit staff is approaching fast and with that comes the onset of stress. High amounts of stress can truly take a toll on our bodies in the form of headaches, sleeplessness, weight changes, and irritability. There are many ways to cope with stress, but one of the best stress relievers is exercise.
Exercise provides a healthy outlet for stress relief. The best form of exercise to relieve stress is a type of exercise that you personally enjoy and that does not feel like "work." Choosing to play a favorite sport, dancing, swimming, jogging, or even simply going for a walk can be fun ways to relieve the stress felt at work.
So, when busy season is in full-swing and stress starts to build up from added responsibilities and deadlines, remember to take time to get the exercise that you enjoy. As a result, your stress levels will decline, your health will improve, and you will be better able to focus on the work that needs to be done. Some of our staff members enjoy cycling, running, zumba, and playing golf to relieve their stress and have fun. See the attached pictures provided by some of our staff.
CPA Inauguration
On Tuesday night, June 21st, employees from Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs, P.A. attended the 2011 CPA Inauguration celebration at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, NC. MSA employees in attendance were Matt Braswell, accompanied by his spouse, Lindsey, and Kari Warlick, accompanied by her family members. Vickie Martin was also in attendance as a representative of the firm and as a member of the NCACPA Board of Directors. State Auditor, Beth Wood, was there to lead the newly inducted CPA's in the oath of membership. There were 751 candidates licensed in the state of North Carolina during 2010. It was a night of recognition in which Matt and Kari were both very happy to celebrate their hard work and dedication in becoming a CPA.
Greater Hickory Classic Golf Tournament
There were a lot of opportunities to volunteer for the golf tournament. It takes a great deal of coordinating, planning and volunteers to make this a successful event. MSA's staff was challenged to volunteer their time the week of the tournament and they certainly came through. We had 26 people volunteer. Over half of our employees volunteered their time and talents to the golf tournament. MSA was represented in player registration, finance, hospitality, Administration/Will Call and the driving range. Despite the heat, we had a great time. Our firm is very proud of our community and gives back as much in time and support as we can.
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Photo Source: Pat Appleson Studios, Inc
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Habitat for Humanity
Our accountants traded their calcluators for hammers and paint brushes to work on three houses for Habitat for Humanity. "Our firm is blessed to have such a caring group of professionals who came together for this cause - and we had a great time in the process!" says Vickie Martin, managing partner and fellow painter.
March of Dimes
We proudly support March of Dimes, who directly assisted one of our staff members when her twins were born premature. The support of our staff and clients will help other babies to have healthy lives.
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Hickory Community Theatre
Our firm’s belief in the support of all facets in our Community prompted our production of the play “All Shook Up” at the Hickory Community Theatre. For sharing the production with another local company, the cast performed the play for our employees and their spouses along with our clients at Producer’s Night. Who knew that supporting your local community could be so entertaining?
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