VGCC to hold Enrollment Day on Saturday, April 8

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Vance-Granville Community College will hold “Enrollment Day” on Saturday, April 8, from 9 a.m. until noon, in Building 8 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County.

During those hours, VGCC staff members will be ready to assist anyone who is interested in enrolling at the college for the summer term, which starts on May 30, or the fall semester, which starts in August. Prospective students are encouraged to pre-register at www.vgcc.edu/enrollment-day-registration. The deadline to pre-register is March 31. All who register in advance will receive a free VGCC T-shirt on Enrollment Day.

The April 8 event will include campus tours, an information session for future Vanguards, help with financial aid and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), along with assistance with choosing programs and registering for classes. Incoming students who have already completed applications for admission will also have the opportunity to take a placement test.

Breakfast items will be available, while supplies last.

VGCC’s Main Campus is located on Poplar Creek Road in Vance County (about midway between Henderson and Oxford) at the intersection with Interstate 85 (Exit 209).

Registration for classes at VGCC is ongoing. For more information, contact VGCC at studentsuccess@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3330, or visit any campus.

–VGCC–

Orange County Speedway Geared up for Season Opener this Saturday Night

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As Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Model racers from across the Carolinas prepare for the series long awaited return to Orange County Speedway on Saturday, March 25th, a great championship battle is heating up following the first two races of the season.   Heading into the upcoming “Original” Orange Blossom Special, points leader Bradley McCaskill and former PASS South champions, Matt Craig and Tate Fogleman, are only separated by two points.   As a matter of fact, the top 11 drivers in points only have 42 points between them.

Following his recent win in the Dogwood 150 at Southern National Motorsports Park, Matt Craig looks forward to the next stop for a number of reasons, including the opportunity to get a guaranteed starting spot in the 44th Annual Oxford 250 with a win and a shot at the $25,000 top prize come last weekend in August.

“It was good to win with the new style Hamke car and be the first one to win with it,” says Craig.   “We broke something at Dillon and we just nursed it to the finish, so we know we have good speed.”

After a tight battle throughout the season in 2016 with Kodie Conner, Craig was able to prevail and capture the championship.   But, he knows it will be no easy task to become the first two-time winner of the South’s oldest Super Late Model championship.

“Getting the PASS South championship was a big boost of confidence for all of us, but it’s a new year and we want more trophies,” said Craig.   “I hope that us, the 18 [McCaskill], Fogleman, Conner, and the 29 [Spencer Davis] can go at it all year and make it a good show, but we plan to run this well the whole season in PASS.”

In addition to the PASS South championship, the Orange Blossom Special will serve as the second race of the PASS National Championship Series.   4-time PASS National champion, Ben Rowe, is in contention once again, along with Davis, McCaskill, Sarah Cornett-Ching, and Fogleman, and fellow New Englanders Dave Farrington, Jr. and Derek Griffith.

Action gets under way on Friday, March 24 for the “Original” Orange Blossom Special with rotating practice from 3 – 6 PM for the PASS Super Late Models, Southern Modified Racing Series Tour Mods, and USAC Eastern Midgets.   On Saturday, March 25, pit gates open at 11 AM, with rotating practice for from 1 – 3:30 PM, qualifying at 4 PM, the Pit Party at 5:45 PM and feature racing set to begin at 7 PM.

Entry forms for the Orange Blossom Special, along with the 44th Annual Oxford 250 and upcoming events at Thompson Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Oxford Plains Speedway and Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.  The 2017 license forms for the PASS Super Late Models are also available at ProAllStarsSeries.com.   Drivers purchasing licenses for the 2017 season will receive bonus points for each race they are pre-registered for and will also save money towards any events that they enter early.

The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America’s premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as the Easter Bunny 150 and the Mason-Dixon MegaMeltdown 300 at Hickory Motor Speedway and the legendary Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway. For media or marketing questions, please contact Alan Dietz at 704-231-2039 or alandietzpass@live.com. Please visit ProAllStarsSeries.com for more information and don’t forget to “Like” the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 03/20/17

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*FOUND* 2017 Shamrock Contest *FOUND*

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Congratulations to Gary Daeke who found the Shamrock on Thursday 3/16/17. 

It was located at the Vance County Animal Shelter, at the tree line under a log. Listen to Town Talk on our website for Friday 3/17/17 to hear how he found it!

 

Can you help Cullen find his lucky Shamrock?

Cullen the merry little leprechaun lost his shamrock while traveling through Vance and Granville Counties and needs YOUR help to find it!

Each weekday, a new clue will be posted to the website and Facebook page. Bonus clues will also be given out over the air from time to time, so be sure to listen for your best chance to win. Bonus clues will only be given out once, so don’t miss them.  This year’s prize is $400 CASH. Good Luck!

Note: If you have won a prize within the last 30 days you will still be eligible to win the prize if you find the Shamrock.

Clues to find Cullen’s Shamrock: 

  1. Cullen the leprechaun has been traveling so long, he doesn’t know in which direction he’s gone.
  2. If you are getting started this early hour, walk due South from the Clock Tower.
  3. During your walk if you’ve come to the “line”, you may want to turn around to save some time.
  4. Going to see Benjamin won’t do you any good, but either Earl or Zeb may have a little something under the hood.
  5. The Shamrock may be ‘hard’ to find, but where it lays may not be…keep that in mind.
  6. Remember, if you’re on your knees, you may not see the forest before you see the trees.
  7. Careful traveling by the light of the moon, if you hear a howl you may see the Shamrock soon.
  8. If you’re in Vance County, you haven’t traveled too far; for where the Shamrock lies, you can hear cars.
  9. Once you find the Shamrock this year, be sure to say hi and thank our little friends who are near.

 

Town Talk 03/20/17

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Kenneth Bullock Named South Boston Speedway Race Director

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SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (March 20, 2017) – Veteran race official Kenneth Bullock has been named race director at South Boston Speedway, track officials announced today.

Bullock brings 27 years of experience working at weekly race tracks in many different capacities from his first job on a clean-up crew to almost three decades of experience as a technical inspector in many different divisions. He has also served as race director at other tracks.

“The new asphalt at South Boston provides a unique challenge to the competitors across all divisions this year,” said Bullock. “It is a huge honor to have this opportunity at one of the top weekly race tracks in the country. I will strive to be as fair and consistent as possible in my duties as race director.

Bullock, who is from Oxford, North Carolina, said over the years he “has had every job at South Boston but flagman, pace car driver and working the back gate.”

“We’re very excited to have Kenneth as our race director here at South Boston Speedway,” said Cathy Rice, the track’s general manager. “Kenneth has worked with us here so he is familiar with the track, our competitors and staff. With his knowledge and reputation, I think it’s going to be a great year for our competitors and the track.”

South Boston Speedway’s 60th season opens Saturday afternoon with the Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100s, featuring two 100-lap races for the Late Model Stock Division, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, a 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Budweiser Hornets race.

Grandstand gates open at 12:30 p.m. with qualifying set to start at 1 p.m. The green flag falls at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children seven to 12 and admission is free for children six and under.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Mike Smith
Relevant Public Relations
423.914.3009
msmith@southbostonspeedway
msmith@prrelevant.com

VGCC, Library partner for discussion of Tennessee Williams and “The Glass Menagerie”

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Vance-Granville Community College is partnering with the Granville County Library System to present a program on playwright Tennessee Williams and his classic drama, “The Glass Menagerie,” which the college is preparing to stage as a dinner theater event.

The educational program is scheduled for Wednesday, April 5, from 10:30 a.m. until noon at the Richard H. Thornton Library on Main Street in Oxford. The event is free and open to the public. Betsy Henderson, VGCC’s Department Chair/Instructor of Humanities and Fine Arts, will make a presentation and lead a discussion on Williams (1911–1983) and the play, including its poetic elements, in celebration of April as National Poetry Month.

Henderson will also talk about VGCC’s upcoming production of “The Glass Menagerie,” which she is directing. The college’s fifth annual Dinner Theater is scheduled for the evenings of Thursday, April 27, and Friday, April 28, in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County.

First staged in 1944, “The Glass Menagerie” is based in part on Tennessee Williams’s own memories of his family. In 1945, the play premiered on Broadway, won the prestigious New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for the best American play of the year, and launched Williams to fame.

Henderson has an MFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. She was VGCC’s 2005 Instructor of the Year. As an actress, Henderson has worked professionally with Raleigh Ensemble Players (REP), Deep Dish Theatre Company, Burning Coal Theatre Company, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Theatre of the American South, Hot Summer Nights @ the Kennedy, Temple Theatre, and Justice Theatre Project. Henderson has toured nationally with productions of “Miracle Worker,” portraying Annie Sullivan, and “Diary of Anne Frank,” portraying Mrs. Frank. Her performance in REP’s “Distracted” in 2011 was recognized by the Independent Weekly as one of the Best Lead Performances of the year. Henderson has served on local theatre boards of directors, and as a faculty member for Cary’s Applause Youth Theatre. She is currently vice-chair of the board of directors of Granville Little Theatre, as well as the chair of the GLT education committee. She has also been the Creative Director for the Broadway and Beyond/TeenWorks summer camps for 10 years.

For more information, contact Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu or Granville County Adult Services Librarian Carly Cox at Carly.Cox@granvillecounty.org.

–VGCC–

VGCC adds fully-online Associate in Science degree

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Adults interested in obtaining the first two years of a four-year degree completely online will have a new option this fall at Vance-Granville Community College.

The “Vanguard Online Learning through Technology” (VOLT) initiative at VGCC is entering its third year in operation and preparing to add the Associate in Science degree program to its offerings in August. VOLT courses are for adult learners who need an online-only educational experience.

VGCC already offers another College Transfer degree, the Associate in Arts, in VOLT, along with degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Medical Office Administration – Coding Specialist, and Global Logistics and Distribution Management Technology.

The Associate in Science (A.S.) program provides students with an excellent foundation for bachelor’s degrees in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and the natural sciences. Meanwhile, the Associate in Arts (A.A.) is ideal for students who want to pursue bachelor’s degrees in communication, education, humanities, fine arts, languages, and social and behavioral sciences.

Graduates of either degree who make a grade of “C” or better in every course are assured of admission into one of the 16 universities in the University of North Carolina system, usually transferring in with junior ranking.

In the past few years, the comprehensive articulation agreements between all North Carolina community colleges, the UNC System and the private N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities have been revised with clearer pathways, simplifying the transfer of credits for both A.A. and A.S. graduates.

Registration for the fall semester is currently ongoing, and ends on Aug. 10.

The planned program of study calls for VOLT Associate in Science students to take four college transfer courses during their first semester: one each in English and Math, plus Art Appreciation and Introduction to Computers. Students will complete the 61-credit-hour degree over six semesters under the plan, including two summer terms in which they will take one or two courses each.

Other courses in the degree come from disciplines such as Biology, Geology, Sociology, History, Humanities and Physics. These are the equivalents of the same required general education courses that students would take if they were freshmen or sophomores at most four-year universities.

“The VOLT Associate in Science program provides another opportunity to meet the educational needs of students who prefer to complete their entire degree online,” said Cynthia Young, VGCC’s dean of arts and sciences. “Our experienced, innovative Arts and Sciences instructors utilize a variety of instructional strategies to engage students. Graduates are well-prepared with an excellent educational foundation as they transfer to four-year institutions to earn bachelor’s degrees, because our programs are not only affordable and convenient but also high in quality.”

VOLT began with a small number of courses in 2015 and has grown steadily since then. Students are able to earn their associate’s degrees 100-percent online through VOLT. Advances in technology allow many of the courses to be more interactive than those offered in the past.

VOLT students enjoy several specific benefits, including priority registration and guaranteed course availability. They also have access to many online resources that are available to all VGCC students, such as library services, testing and the Bookstore. VOLT students also have an academic and career coach devoted to helping them, just as traditional on-campus students do.

Courses offered through VOLT have the same low tuition as all other VGCC courses, making them more affordable than their counterparts at for-profit institutions. In addition, Duke Energy, a longtime corporate supporter of VGCC, has provided funds for scholarships specifically for VOLT students.

Last year, Vance-Granville was recognized as the top two-year college in North Carolina for online programs by the national organization Accredited Schools Online (ASO).

For more information about VOLT, visit volt.vgcc.edu or call Evelyn Harris at (252) 738-3254 or Melanie Copeland at (252) 738-3271.

–VGCC–

Local Blood Donation Opportunities Coming in April

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RALEIGH, N.C. (Mar. 20, 2017) – The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood during National Volunteer Month this April. Donating blood is a simple way to make a profound difference in the lives of patients.

Nearly 2.8 million generous people donated blood through the Red Cross last year. The Red Cross salutes these volunteer blood donors who helped fulfill its lifesaving mission and invites others to roll up a sleeve and join them.

Bill Parr has been donating blood for more than 30 years. “I think it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do, knowing that such a simple act can have such a positive impact on another human being in a time of need,” he said.

Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for those in need of transfusions. Donors of all blood types are needed this spring.

Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

NC

Granville

Oxford

4/10/2017: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W McClanahan St

Stem

4/5/2017: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Granville Central High School, 2043 Sanders Rd

_______________

Person

Roxboro

4/13/2017: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Person Family Medical & Dental Center, 702 N. Main St.

_______________

Warren

Macon

4/7/2017: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Macon Baptist Church, 159 Church Street

How to help

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

Volunteers needed

Another way to support the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross is to become a volunteer transportation specialist and deliver lifesaving blood products to local area hospitals. Volunteer transportation specialists play a very important role in ensuring an ample blood supply for patients in need by transporting blood and blood products. For more information and to apply for a volunteer transportation specialist position, visit rdcrss.org/driver.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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News 03/20/17

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