TownTalk: Keeping Pets Safe Over The Holidays

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The advice could be coming from your family doctor about how to manage the upcoming holiday season: Limit treats, avoid fatty foods, get regular exercise and stay calm when there’s a houseful of company.

Humans would do well to follow these suggestions, but this advice actually comes from Bridget Waters, DVM. She’s talking about caring for our dogs and cats as we prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Our pets may get anxious when guests arrive for a holiday gathering, Waters said in a TownTalk conversation Thursday with John C. Rose. Waters operates Dabney Drive Animal Hospital in Henderson.

There are some chews that have natural calming agents – like the tryptophan in turkeys that makes us all want to nap after our Thanksgiving meal, she said. Some pets, however, get so anxious they may need a prescription medication.

And although humans may feel compelled to feed pets foods from the table, Waters said it’s not always a good idea.

“Don’t feed them the foods we eat over the holidays,” she said, because some of them may be too rich or too high in fat content. It’s not a great idea for humans to over-indulge, and that holds true for our pets as well.

She suggested that pet owners have pet-friendly treats on hand for those who can’t resist slipping that furry friend an extra morsel. In addition to grapes and raisins – both no-no’s for dogs, Waters listed as “not dog-friendly” onions, garlic, currants and chocolate,

As cold weather sets in, it’s important to remember to keep things like anti-freeze and ice melt granules out of the way, too. While sprinkling ice melt on driveways and sidewalks can help human navigation, when a dog or cat walks on it, it may stay on their paws and cause a problem.

It’s a good idea to wipe the animal’s paws when they come back inside. “Clear the paw pads of anything they might pick up outside,” she said.

Don’t let your pets be couch – or carpet – potatoes in the wintertime, which could bring on weight gain.

“Get them out for a little 5- or 10-minute walk instead of letting them lie around,” she said.

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TownTalk: Election Recap

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A look back at yesterday’s election results.

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TownTalk: Kettle Drive Underway For Salvation Army

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It’s sort of like being asked to throw out the first pitch at a baseball game or to join the teams at midfield for the traditional coin toss. Dollar bills don’t make much noise as they land softly in the Big Red Kettle, but when they heard the familiar tinkling sound, the crowd assembled in front of Belk department store broke out in applause.

It’s the kickoff of the Salvation Army’s annual Kettle Campaign, y’all.

And Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington had the honor of depositing the first contribution, adding with a chuckle, that “it’s the first of many.”

The husband-and-wife team that leads the local Salvation Army, Capt. Josh and Capt. Amanda Keaton, were on hand to officially start the holiday season of giving to the Salvation Army.

This year’s goal is $75,000, Capt. Josh Keaton told the group of local officials and others assembled Wednesday morning.

“Families are facing hard choices,” he added. Ringing the bell and standing by the kettle is a way for volunteers to pitch in as a community so that others don’t have to make the choice to either pay the light bill or buy food to put on the table.

Those cheery bell ringers give of their time, he said, “while giving a little bit of hope and cheer to others.”

Belk store manager Chris Tilley said he was happy to be able to partner with the Salvation Army. In addition to having the bell ringers outside the store, patrons inside will have the opportunity at check-out to make an additional donation to the Salvation Army.

The store also will sponsor a toy drive that will begin in early December.

“This is just another great way to partner with a great organization to help children,” Tilley said.

John Metzger chairs the Salvation Army advisory committee and he said that all the money collected in the local kettles is given to the local Salvation Army and it is all used to help local residents in need.

Three local Walmarts – Henderson, Oxford and Louisburg – will have Angel Trees set up for shoppers to choose tags from and purchase toys for children.

This year’s theme is “Love Beyond,” Keaton said.

“We’re going to do our part in the community to make sure somebody else in the community has a Christmas.”

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TownTalk: “Hidden Helpers” Program Assists Veterans’ Families

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Men and women who serve in the military have equipment to support the work they are called to do, whether they are participating in training exercises or whether they are deployed to battle.

But their families – especially children – sometimes need some special support when their parent returns home and family members find themselves in a caregiver role.

Melissa Comeau knows firsthand the importance of linking these “hidden helpers” with resources to help them as they provide care for their loved ones.

Comeau is the director of the Military Veteran Caregiver Network of the American Red Cross. This network offers peer-based support and services to those who are caring for injured, wounded or aging service members or veterans.

She and Phyllis Maynard talked about how the support network got started and how to access help Tuesday on TownTalk’s recurring segment “Former Active Duty, Still Boots on the Ground.”

The term “resiliency” has been batted around a lot lately, especially in light of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

Children are resilient.

And first responders are resilient, too.

Someone is resilient when he or she lives through a challenging time and comes out the other end, as good or better than before.

The Hidden Helpers project is a collaboration of several prominent organizations – the Wounded Warrior Project, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation among them – that provides a way for those caregivers “to come together and learn that they’re not alone,” Comeau said. Through Hidden Helpers, participants build relationships and find resources, she added.

Those relationships and resources were not so easy to identify when she was searching for help, however.

“I didn’t know I was a caregiver,” she acknowledged. A nurse who was caring for Comeau’s husband, himself a wounded Marine, who gave her that label.
“It opened up a new identity,” Comeau said, “but also a new idea of the support that I needed.”

She started looking around, “in all the usual places,” but wasn’t finding what the support she needed for someone who was the spouse – and caregiver – of someone with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress.

Her husband was able to get a medical retirement, through her efforts.

“This journey is so personal to me,” Comeau said. Not only does it offer another support stream for veterans, but also for the children growing up in these households as well.

Her son, just a toddler when she began this journey, is 11 now.

Children, though resilient, can suffer adversely when one parent is a caregiver to the other parent.

Whether it’s missing out on opportunities to interact with their peers, or experiencing anxiety or depression, the children sometimes suffer silently.

Through peer support and sharing, Hidden Helpers provides a platform for young people to express their feelings and share their own experiences with others who face similar circumstances.

The Hidden Helpers resiliency workshop is “aimed directly at children in caregiver homes,” Comeau said. “We took our best practices and lessons learned and built a resiliency workshop, all led by professionals licensed with mental health credentials.

The workshops are capped at 12 participants, who are grouped by age, she said. And all participants receive follow-up care, a critical ingredient in the process.

Whether in deployment, transition back to civilian life or needing a caregiver, Red Cross partners with other agencies to provide resources that aid service men and women and their families.

Hearing the stories and experiences of others plays a vital role in helping others find their voice and understand their own journeys.

The Hidden Helpers framework takes a holistic approach to “build supports that will help everyone, without them burning out,” she said.

“That creates a better outcome for everyone involved.”

The Hidden Helpers has an online community presence that is available 24/7, Comeau said.

To learn more, visit www.redcross.org/caregivers.

 

Additional links:

https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/2022-07-11-Wounded-Warrior-Project-Announces-Latest-Grants-to-Support-Veterans-Service-Organization-Partners

 

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/blog/2021/11/10/joining-forces-and-hidden-helpers-coalition-pledge-support-to-military-and-veteran-children-in-caregiving-families/

 

https://hiddenheroes.org/news/hiddenhelperslaunch/

 

https://www.mathematica.org/publications/hidden-helpers-at-the-frontlines-of-caregiving-supporting-the-healthy-development-of-children

 

https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/family-caregiving/

 

 

 

TownTalk: ‘Clearview Today’ Show Airs On WIZS M-F At 10 A.M.

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One of the team members at Clearview Church describes pastor Dr. Abidan Shah as a scholar with a pastor’s heart. That’s a winning combination, to be sure. And the Henderson church has launched a new show called Clearview Today to share his insights and message to others.

John Galantis and Ryan Hill are two members of the Clearview team who help produce the programs that emanate from Clearview, and they spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s TownTalk to shed a little light on the origins of the new show, which can be found Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. right here on WIZS.

Both said they were excited about the new platform, which also gives listeners a chance to interact with Shah each week.

There’s a dedicated phone line – 252.582.5028 – for listeners to make comments or to ask questions. The Friday show answers those questions from listeners, Hill said. “We (will) read and respond as best we can,” he added.

One of the biggest things that drives the Gospel, Galantis said, is God’s call to his people to take the Gospel into the world. “It’s very important that the conversation doesn’t die,” he said.

Hill said the show is another way to take the Gospel into the world. “We build a partnership with the people who are listening,” he said.

Shah and the half dozen or so team members at the church regularly sit down over lunch to discuss important topics, but the team routinely left with valuable life lessons. The podcasts arose from such meetings, and then, Galantis explained, they took it a step further:

What would happen if, instead of five or six people benefitting from Shah’s talks, “it were radically elevated to hundreds of people?”

From there the group created a daily show, related to the Bible, but also relevant to current situations and today’s issues.

The Clearview Today show’s signature line is “engages the mind and heart for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

There are deep truths to be found in the Bible, and Galantis said Shah’s insights are powerful.

“But you don’t need a PhD. to grasp some of these truths,” he said. Shah translates those deep truths that a layperson can understand, all the while enjoying the learning that is taking place.

Both men attribute having a strong collaborative team that engages and strategizes to achieve the common goal of bringing the Word to others.

“We trace God’s hand through all of that,” Hill said.

Galantis agreed. “Sometimes it’s difficult to see God’s hand when it’s happening,” he said. Most of life is looking back and coming to God. When he looks back at where the church was one year, five years, 10 years ago – “that’s how I’ve seen how God has worked.”

Visit www.clearviewtodayshow.com

TownTalk: Preparing For Open Enrollment For Medicare

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The Open Enrollment for Medicare is now underway, and it is the time for those enrolled in Medicare to do a little research and decide if they need to make any changes in their current plans. The open enrollment period for Medicare ends Dec. 7.

Lisa Barker is the Northeast regional manager for SHIIP – Seniors Health Insurance Information Program – a consumer information division of the N.C. Department of Insurance. Barker told WIZS recently that there are SHIIP coordinators in each of the state’s 100 counties. Theirs is an assist-only mode, however.

“We are not insurance agents and we don’t sell insurance,” Barker said, but they can help people compare plans and help to navigate through an insurance system that can seem complicated at times.

Rather, SHIIP counselors assist people who do receive Medicare with questions they may have, whether it’s Medicare, Medicare Part B, supplements or understanding long-term care insurance.

With 2.3 million Medicare beneficiaries in the state, Barker said it’s important to understand that it’s important to review plans and coverage each year. Here is a list of phone numbers for coordinating sites in the four-county area:

  • Vance County – 252.430.0257
  • Granville County – 919.693.1930
  • Warren County – 252.257-3111
  • Franklin County – 919.496.1131

By sitting down with a SHIIP counselor, Barker said individuals can review their current medications and physicians to make sure they don’t need to switch to a different plan.

“Medicare beneficiaries can compare all the plans and determine if they want to switch for the new year,” she explained.

“We can assist enrolling them in a new plan,” Barker continued. “Even if they’re happy with their current plan, it’s just a good idea to come in and talk – just so you know your money is being spent in the best way possible.”

Changes must be made by Dec. 7 to guarantee coverage continues without interruption on Jan. 1, 2023.

“Medicare plans and prices change, N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said. “It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of the Open Enrollment period by contacting local SHIIP counselors to save money, improve your coverage or both.”

Make sure you contact your local SHIIP counselor before deciding about coverage because you may be able to receive more affordable and better Medicare health and/or drug plan options in your area. For example, even if you are satisfied with your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, there may be another plan in your area that covers your health care and/or drugs at a better price.

Barker said she’s been involved in SHIIP in one way or another since 1998. She recalled an older couple who came to her a few years ago to review their plans. Plans had changed since they were initially enrolled in Medicaid, and their monthly premiums were going from $17 to $60.

Upon review of medications and copays, Barker said, the couple could continue with their current plan, but it would be much more expensive. Barker helped them find a new plan, which saved them more than $6,000 a year – and had lower copays.

“I tell this story often because, for them, it comes down to the cost of insurance versus food and electricity…the hugs from them and the relief on their face was priceless,” she added.

Making an appointment with a SHIIP counselor is one way to stay updated and educated on the changes in Medicare and the all the other pieces of the insurance puzzle.

But Barker cautioned individuals about sharing their personal information with others who claim to be working on your behalf, but who may really be trying to gain that personal information to be used in fraudulent ways.

“You want to make sure you’re protecting yourself,” she said. “If they’re asking you for too much personal identifying information,” be wary.

“The North Carolina Department of Insurance or SHIIP is never going to go door-to-door asking for information,” she said. Make sure you’re not giving out that information to someone who contacts you – whether by phone, personal visit, email, text or other written correspondence.

“If you have questions about something you received that is questionable, that’s a really good time to reach out to SHIIP, 855.408.1212.

Roughly $68 billion is lost each year to Medicare fraud.

Individuals also should regularly review their Medicare Summary Notices to verify that all charged listed are actually for the services that were provided by your healthcare professionals.  Ask questions if you think something looks suspicious.  It doesn’t hurt to question a charge.  Also, simple mistakes can happen.  When typing the number 10 someone could accidently hit the zero a second time and make the charge 100.  SHIIP can help individuals file a Medicare fraud claim.

Visit www.ncshiip.com to learn more.

 

TownTalk: Local Heroes To Be Honored Through Food And Fellowship

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This Saturday, Amanda Riggan and a team of helpers and volunteers is hosting a Hungry Heroes event to celebrate first responders and military veterans.

Hungry Heroes is Riggan’s brainchild that she started a few years ago as a way to show support after the tragic death of a law enforcement officer in her community.

But all her family is from right here in Henderson, so Riggan told John C. Rose Tuesday that hosting an event here at the Vance County Rescue Squad was an easy decision to make.

The goal is 500 plates of Hungry Heroes BBQ and all the fixin’s. First responders and veterans enjoy a free meal, and the public is invited to come in and eat for a donation of $10.

Members of the rescue squad have done a lot of the legwork for Saturday’s event, which will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the rescue squad, 1735 Maynard Rd.

Riggan said that the local community has really stepped up to the plate. “People want to give back and help,” she said.

In addition to the food, there will be two bouncy houses for children to enjoy, a Kona Ice truck, as well as numerous items that will be raffled, including a Traeger Pro 34 grill, a Yeti cooler and a BBQ gift basket.

She’s also bringing new Hungry Heroes-branded clothing, from hats to hooded sweatshirts.

It will be a fun event for the whole family, but Riggan said she hopes that folks just take a moment “to sit down and see the men and women behind the badge” and to let them know that “we relate to them and appreciate them.”

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TownTalk: Webb Boosters Raise Funds, Brick By Brick

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A pile of bricks has sat outside the J.F. Webb High School gym for the last couple of years, but they’ll soon serve their purpose, according to Webb Booster Club member Caroline Burnette.

That pile of bricks is becoming the foundation for a fundraiser that had been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burnette spoke with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk to explain the project, which involves the purchase of engraved bricks.

The booster club is raising money for the school’s athletic teams and Burnette encourages Webb alumni, businesses and others in the community to be a part of the project.

Visit polarengraving.com/jfwebb to learn more or contact the booster club at jfwebbboosterclub@gmail.com.

Webb’s masonry students are going to install the donated red bricks outside the gymnasium. As the gray-colored bricks are purchased and engraved, a red brick will be taken up and replaced with the engraved brick, Burnette said.

“We can sell as many as we want,” she said, adding that once the first space is full, the plan is to move to areas near the football field and the baseball field on campus.

“This is a lasting opportunity – it’s going to be there for a really long time,” she said.

There are three price levels, depending on the size of brick purchased, she explained.

A 4 x 8 brick is $100, an 8 x 8 brick is $150 and the largest size brick is $225. In addition to having names engraved, there are hundreds of different images to choose from as well.

Burnette said some of the school’s sports teams are in dire need of new equipment and uniforms and this fundraiser will help to address some of those needs.

“It’s time to really support our kids,” Burnette said. “Please support our students at J.F. Webb.”

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TownTalk: Hauntings Of Old Granville

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One of the reasons the stately old home known as Cedar Walk in Williamsboro fell into disrepair was because of the ghost that inhabited the premises.

And the Neal House in Epsom rode the poltergeist wave right in the early ‘80s, about the time the movie of the same name was popular – you know, objects flying around, dishes flung from their shelves.

And then there’s the legend of “Hatchet Man,” who wanders the general area of Oxford Road near the local country club.

Mark Pace and Bill Harris talked about these phenomena – and more – during Thursday’s tri-weekly history show on TownTalk.

Did prominent physician Hutchins Burton really haunt Cedar Walk? Who knows. But according to the writings of local historian S.T. Peace, Burton was hanged in the house, Pace said. And members of families who later lived in the house reported hearing all kinds of strange noise over the years, and seeing a ghost in the hallway downstairs.

“It got to the point,” Pace said, “that nobody wanted to rent the house.” And, unoccupied, it fell into ruin.

Whether you’re one who believes in the supernatural or chooses to find logical explanations for the seemingly inexplicable, the stories you hear – especially around Halloween – are interesting, to say the least.

The house known as Pleasant Hill in Middleburg, later called Rivenoak, was purchased by a young couple who moved in and set about restoration work, which including wiring it for electricity for the first time.

Joel Holloman Carroll was born in that home and lived his entire life there. He was a real creature of habit, and was known to strike a match against the same door frame near the kitchen each evening to light a lamp before before bedtime.

Carroll died there, and during the restoration, passersby would swear they saw a light shining through his bedroom window. The young couple’s ebullient Golden Retriever refused to cross the area that led to that same bedroom. And the couple’s young child would remark about a man standing nearby when there was nobody there.

  1. You could possibly explain those away – the light was a reflection from something, the dog was just being, well, a dog. And a child can have a vivid imagination.

And Hatchet Man?  The story goes that if you go over to the country club section of town into a particular area that once had been a dead end, dirt road, and cut off your car, Hatchet Man would show up, Pace said.

  1. Maybe that’s someone’s overactive imagination or maybe that was a story created to keep pesky teenagers off manicured greens.

But what about the poltergeist of Neal House?

“Dishes move, things fly off the table – literally fly-through-the-air kind of stuff,” Pace said. He was a student at ECU when he read a story in the student paper about the home.

“It was really active stuff,” he said, recalling some of the stories being told about that house.

 

Hear more stories in the full interview at wizs.com

 

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