Former Judge Quon Bridges speaks at VGCC South Campus

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Attorney and former N.C. District Court Judge S. Quon Bridges spoke to students, faculty and staff at Vance-Granville Community College’s South Campus as part of a speakers’ series sponsored by the college’s Male Mentoring Success Initiative (MMSI), as the spring semester drew to a close. Among those in the audience were Granville Early College High School students.

Bridges recalled his mother, who had recently passed away at the time he spoke to students. She had encouraged her 11 children to read and to stay out of gangs, he told the audience. Bridges then recalled a harrowing incident from his childhood when he found his mother, injured and bleeding, at home one night.

“She told me that some young men had beaten and robbed her,” Bridges said. “I picked up my baseball bat. I wanted to go look for these guys. But my mother grabbed my arm and said, ‘Son, I can get back what was robbed, but if you go out to get revenge, and you get hurt or get in trouble, I can’t replace you. Don’t be like those young men who did this to me. Make something of your life.’” He added, “I try to encourage all young people to do the same.”

Bridges said that young people need to “feel good about themselves” and avoid illegal drug activity. “You all have potential to do great things in life,” he told his audience. “You’re responsible for yourself. No more excuses! Get out there and do the very best you can do.”

Success, Bridges advised them, will not happen overnight. He talked about how, when he was a child, he and each of his siblings were given a wall in their house, on which they could post what they wanted. He would cut out pictures of courtrooms, lawyers and judges to post on his wall as a way of visualizing his future.

Bridges received his bachelor’s degree from the College of Wooster and his Juris Doctorate from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. He was appointed by former Governor Mike Easley as a district court judge for the 9th Judicial District in 2007. Prior to this appointment, he served as an Assistant District Attorney for 17 years. He began his career working for the North Central Legal Assistance Program before becoming a private practice lawyer. Bridges also is currently a member of the Oxford board of commissioners.

He encouraged students to continue their education, keep working hard and believe in themselves.

Supported by a grant from the North Carolina Community College System, the MMSI at VGCC works to help male students stay in school and on track to graduate or transfer to a four-year university. For more information on the mentoring initiative, contact Anthony Pope at popea@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3395.

–VGCC–

Spence Bailey named VGCC Director of Admissions

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Spence Bailey has been named the director of admissions at Vance-Granville Community College. As part of the college’s Enrollment and Outreach division, Bailey will lead a department that develops and maintains a student-centered process of admission, from engaging and recruiting prospective students to welcoming them to VGCC.

Bailey has been a member of the VGCC staff, as College Recruiter, since 2006. A resident of Oxford, he graduated from J.F. Webb High School and then started his higher education at VGCC. He then transferred to East Carolina University, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in communications. Bailey then worked for WCTI-TV, the local ABC affiliate in the New Bern-Greenville area, first as a creative services producer and later as a news photographer before joining the staff at VGCC. He has since completed a web design certificate at VGCC and will soon complete a master’s degree in network technology at ECU. 

Bailey is a graduate of Leadership Granville, a program sponsored by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with VGCC and Granville County Schools, and now serves on the program’s steering committee.

“A VGCC alumnus, Spence has been a dedicated, innovative member of our staff for more than a decade, collaborating with other faculty and staff, as well as community partners, to recruit students and inform them about all the opportunities available at the college,” VGCC Dean of Enrollment & Outreach Jeffrey Allen said. “We look forward to his leadership as our Admissions team continues to inspire and support new Vanguards who are joining our diverse community of learners.”

Bailey and his team are currently enrolling students for the fall semester, which begins Aug. 14. For more information, apply for admission online at www.vgcc.edu or call (252) 738-3234.

–VGCC–

Troxler encourages horse owners to vaccinate against EEE

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RALEIGH – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging North Carolina horse owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis.

“Triple E is a mosquito-borne disease that causes inflammation or swelling of the brain and spinal cord in equine and is usually fatal,” Troxler said. “The disease is preventable by vaccination.”

There were nine recorded cases of EEE in horses in North Carolina in 2016, but the mild winter could cause that number to go up this year, State Veterinarian Doug Meckes said.

Symptoms of EEE include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions and death. Once a horse has been bitten by an infected mosquito, it may take three to 10 days for symptoms to appear.

“If your horses or other equine animals exhibit any symptoms of EEE, contact your veterinarian immediately,” Meckes said.

Meckes recommends that equine owners talk to their veterinarians about an effective vaccination protocol to protect horses from EEE and another mosquito-borne disease, West Nile virus. The combo vaccination initially requires two shots, 30 days apart, for horses, mules and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history. Meckes recommends a booster shot every six months.

Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days, so removing any source of standing water can reduce the chance of exposing animals to WNV or EEE. Keeping horses in stalls at night, using insect screens and fans and turning off lights after dusk can also help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Insect repellants can be effective if used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

People, horses and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases, but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the viruses to other horses, birds or people through direct contact.

Creedmoor attorney speaks to Vance County Early College students

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Shortly before the recent spring semester ended, attorney Roderick Allison of Creedmoor spoke to Vance County Early College High School students as part of a spring speakers’ series sponsored by the Vance-Granville Community College Male Mentoring Success Initiative (MMSI). VGCC staff member Anthony Pope, co-coordinator of the MMSI, introduced Allison as a “triple threat,” not only an attorney but also a comedian and a musician. Allison has performed comedy and made motivational presentations to groups across the country.

Allison talked with the students, who were joined by some faculty and staff from both the high school and the college, about their dreams and the need for hard work to achieve those dreams. 

“Find out what you’re good at, and focus on that,” Allison advised the students. “Also, know what you’re not good at. Personally, I’m not good at math.” He recalled that in high school, “I made all A’s in math because I’m funny. I made the math teachers laugh and I was creative, and they gave me good grades for the effort!”

Everyone has potential, he emphasized. “In school, I was smart, but mostly, I worked hard and I developed my talents. I ended up being the valedictorian of my graduating class at North Carolina Central University, even though others were smarter than me.” Allison put that same work ethic to practice in comedy, repeatedly practicing a routine in his basement as a young man. He told the young students that they cannot wait until later to develop their talents and skills. “Prepare now for what you want to be,” he said.

Supported by a grant from the North Carolina Community College System, the MMSI at VGCC works to help male students stay in school and on track to graduate or transfer to a four-year university. For more information on the mentoring initiative, contact Anthony Pope at popea@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3395.

–VGCC–

The Castaways Coming to Downtown Oxford

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s 1st Alive After Five of 2017, which was scheduled for May 11th, was postponed until Thursday, June 29th, due to inclement weather.  The evening will proceed with the same plans as were made earlier.

The evening’s entertainers will be “THE CASTAWAYS” Band.  This band is “the premier party band in the Carolinas and Virginia.  A reputable band known throughout the South, The Castaways possess over fifty-five years of experience in the beach music industry.  Since beginning in Durham in 1961, The Castaways have been pleasing audiences with their unique flavor of Beach, Soul and Rock ‘n Roll for generations of fans.

The Castaways name has a long heritage and is known throughout the beach music community.  With Karen Clayton on lead vocals, backed by veteran musicians and singers, The Castaways bring a full sound with a 3-piece horn section covering a variety of music.  No tricks or gadgets – what you see is what you hear!

As recipients of Carolina Beach Music Awards in 2006, 2009 and 2012, The Castaways have proven to be a favorite among fans both young and old!”

Make plans to be a part of the opening concert for the Chamber’s 2017 AA5 events.  Enjoy concessions from Chamber members vendors, listen and dance to an incredible band and “officially” break-in the spring and summer seasons!  See you there!

VGCC Pharmacy Technology students serve community

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Students in the Pharmacy Technology program at Vance-Granville Community College have been participating in a unique “community pharmacy practice” clinical rotation at a Granville County nonprofit organization.

Under the supervision of Pharmacy Technology Program Head Dr. Erica Fleming, students completed part of their clinical rotation at Area Congregations in Ministry (ACIM) in Oxford on Fridays during the spring semester. The students provided health services for ACIM clients such as blood pressure checks, diabetes risk assessments and medication therapy services, while also providing information on vital health issues, stroke awareness and chronic disease state management.

The mission of ACIM, an organization made up of Granville County churches and faith-based organizations, is to provide food and other resources and services to Granville County citizens in need. In addition to food items, ACIM is able to provide financial assistance for housing and utilities to clients who meet certain eligibility requirements.

This marked the fourth semester that VGCC students have worked with clients at ACIM. Sue Hinman, ACIM’s executive director, said the partnership with the college is the first of its kind for her organization. “This partnership is awesome,” Hinman said. “My clients are getting to know the students, and it makes a huge difference that our clients know that there is someone they can talk to and get information about medications, so that they can take better care of themselves.” She added that by collaborating with the Pharmacy Technology students and faculty, she and her volunteers have also gained a better understanding of the medications that their clients are taking.

Fleming said that the partnership is helping not only the community, but also the students. “Rotating here is an example of community pharmacy practice,” she said. “We want to expose our students to this area in the field of pharmacy and expand their perspective. This experience gives students another way to apply what they learn in class. It’s a good way to learn about various diseases, because we never know what we are going to encounter.” Fleming said students sometimes need to research problems that clients have and come back the next week to offer them possible solutions. “We screen people for diabetes and high blood pressure and counsel them on their medications,” she said. “We also provide them with information about services that can help them pay for prescriptions, like NC MedAssist.”

Fleming added that through her program’s “Rx 4 Life” project, her students give each ACIM client a handy medication card that they can keep in their pocket. On the card, clients can make a list of all their medications, the reasons they use them and when to take them. The card also has spaces for important phone numbers and other information.

“The purpose of the project is to empower patients to take an active role in managing their medications, to increase patient medication knowledge, to optimize medication use to improve therapeutic outcomes for patients and to provide patients with a portable medication record,” Fleming said. Another card that students created and distributed to clients has information on the signs of stroke, as well as the client’s target weight, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood glucose. Awareness of the targets for these major risk factors of stroke gives patients specific areas to focus on when setting health care goals. Spaces on the card allow them to track their actual data over time.

Fleming said that overall, the ACIM partnership has helped her program “to develop community ties and promote awareness of us as a resource.” She estimated that her students have seen almost 400 clients to date.

Tamika Everett of Creedmoor, one of the spring semester students, recalled one remarkable incident. “We had a client who lived by herself,” Everett said. “She came in to receive services from ACIM, not intending to visit us, but she saw us and came over.” The students checked her blood pressure and were shocked to find that her systolic blood pressure number was over 220, which generally indicates a life-threatening hypertensive crisis.

Fleming notified the client’s primary care provider and immediate family members, and then took her to a nearby emergency room for monitoring and treatment. “We’re glad we were able to help her, because who knows what would have happened?” Everett wondered. Fleming said that is just one dramatic example of how area residents visit ACIM because of one particular need but end up receiving help with other needs, including health and medication management issues.

For information on volunteering at ACIM, call (919) 690-0961. For more information on the VGCC Pharmacy Technology program, call Dr. Fleming at (252) 738-3482.

–VGCC–

VGCC students excel at SkillsUSA state competition

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Vance-Granville Community College students recently earned several awards at the 52nd annual SkillsUSA North Carolina State Leadership and Skills Conference, which was held in Greensboro. A record 2,600 participants competed in 110 contests at the conference, billed as the largest showcase of career and technical education in the state.

VGCC Culinary Arts student Shirley Bennett of Durham took home second place in commercial baking, while her classmate, Marcus Brown of Henderson, placed third in the same competition, in which students had to produce cookies, bread and muffins on a large scale.

Two other Culinary Arts students, Hayya Wright of Louisburg and Tyneshia Brackett of Creedmoor, placed third and fifth, respectively, in the culinary arts competition. The contest challenged participants to think on their feet in a “mystery box” format, in which each student was given a box of ingredients and asked to prepare a soup and an entree in a limited amount of time.

Tonisha Chavis of Oxford, a Cosmetology student, placed fifth in the SkillsUSA nail care competition, which was held at the Greensboro Coliseum. The culinary and baking contests were held at Guilford Technical Community College.

VGCC students were accompanied to Greensboro by Culinary Arts instructor Jillian Whitlow and Cosmetology Program Head/instructor Tomeka Moss.

SkillsUSA is a national partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. With 18,000 chapters and more than 335,000 active members, SkillsUSA is a national membership organization serving middle-school, high-school and college/post-secondary students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Among the benefits to VGCC students are opportunities to participate in competitions, which are designed by industry experts and showcase the nation’s top career and technical education students.

“We are very proud of our students for demonstrating that they are among the best in North Carolina,” said Steve Hargrove, VGCC’s Public Services department chair and lead advisor for the SkillsUSA chapter.

For more information on SkillsUSA at VGCC, contact Steve Hargrove at hargroves@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3467.

–VGCC–

News 06/08/17

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Animal Kingdom Show 06/07/17

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Tammy Care Takes Home Maria Parham Health’s 2017 Mercy Award

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Maria Parham Health recently announced that Tammy Care has been recognized as the hospital’s 2017 Mercy Award winner. The Mercy Award recognizes one employee from each of LifePoint Health’s hospitals who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded.

The Mercy Award is an annual recognition program established in 2002 to honor the life of Scott Mercy, LifePoint’s founding chairman and chief executive officer. The award is considered the highest honor a LifePoint employee can receive.

“At Maria Parham Health, we share LifePoint’s commitment to Making Communities Healthier, and we recognize this is supported by the good work and service of our employees on and off the job,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “We are extremely proud to recognize Tammy Care for her efforts on behalf of our patients and our community. She goes above and beyond each and every day to ensure that every person she encounters receives the highest level of care and compassion.”

Tammy and her family moved to Henderson in 1999. She has been employed at Maria Parham Health for ten years and is an active member on many committees in the hospital including Sepsis, Infection Prevention, Emergency Management and Cardiac/Stroke Accreditation. Giving back to her community and volunteering for the betterment of others are two very important components to her lifestyle. Care prepares and serves meals the 2nd Sunday of every month to those in need, and every summer her and her husband take a week to work with middle and high school students on annual mission trips. Care is also active in many organizations in the community including the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, Llocal high school swim teams, and the local men’s shelter.

Each hospital winner, including Care, will be considered for LifePoint’s 2017 company-wide Mercy Award. The company-wide winner will be announced this summer and honored during a ceremony in Nashville, Tenn., in August, to which Care and all hospital winners are invited to attend.