HFI history

Historic Fincastle, Inc. was incorporated in 1968 as a non-profit organization devoted to protecting and preserving the historic town of Fincastle, Virginia.

1969 – Applied and received designation for the Town of Fincastle as a historic district in both the state and national registers of Historic Places.

Early 1970’s -Coordinated the underground placement of utility wires around Court House Square with Appalachian Power Company, Roanoke & Botetourt Telephone Company, the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, and the Fincastle Town Council.

1979 – Built a reproduction Gazebo at the Big Spring Public Park at a cost of $ 3,500.

1981 – Purchased Hayth’s Hotel from County Board of Supervisors then sold it with protective covenants.

1982 – Received a $25,000 grant from the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission to restore the James Matten Early Cabin.

1983 – Purchased and restored the Saddler’s Shop on Church Street for $ 30,000.

Between 1984-5, Hopkins Laboratory of Bombay and Serum Institute of Pune started manufacturing Lyophilized Cryoprecipitate in 100/200 ml bottle available in 200 units.

Delhi chapter was the first chapter at local level formed in 1987 started functioning.

Calcutta chapter set up a blood bank with component manufacturing unit of its own, which started functioning in 1993.

Tarkel Anderson, a PWH and then President of Danish Hemophilia Society (DHS) who was also an executive council member of WFH, came to India in 1995 to attend the HFI’s AGM held in Bangalore.

The Helping Families Initiative started in 2003 as a school-community program in the District Attorney's Office of the 13th Judicial Circuit of Alabama (Mobile County) with the objective of identifying troubled youth in schools and connecting intervention services to their families.

2004 Huafu International Department (HFI) was founded, offering the International Foundation Year (IFY) program, accredited by the Northern Consortium UK (NCUK).

2006 Organized by NCUK, the Job Fair for IFY graduates specifically was held in the University of Manchester;

In 2007 the District Attorney of the 15th Judicial Circuit started the Helping Montgomery Families Initiative and the 19th Judicial Circuit began the Helping Families Initiative, direct outgrowths of the Mobile program.

2008 – held first Ladies Luncheon and Forum.

2009 – 2nd Heritage Days held in Fincastle.

2010 – placed historic plaque at James Matten Early Cabin in memory of Dottie and Harry Kessler.

2012 & beyond – Accepted the donation of the Dottie Kessler historical documents and began archiving these documents using PastPerfect software.

The first data release took place in March 2013, based on the intensity data from the nominal mission duration of 14 months.

2014-The Board of Directors voted to name the archives room in the James Matten Early Cabin in honor of Dorthy Simmons Kessler.

A second release completed by August 2015 encompassed all the collected data and had a first attempt at the analysis of the much weaker polarisation signal.

The scholarship will start in 2016 for local high school students.

2017 HHT&M Participants: Clear Dawn, Israel Christian Home, Broad Oaks, Rustic Lodge, Neighbors Farm, and Botetourt History Museum(Doll Collection).

2020 Bruce Zhang won three prizes at the Guangdong Adolescents Science & Technology Innovation Contest.