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Local Foods Celebration & Forums in Warrenton/Lake Gaston

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Are you one of the early birds at the farmers market or someone who pulls over to support the many roadside farm stands scattered across Warren County? Are you a proponent of local foods and supporting family farms and local businesses? If you answered yes, then the Warren County Local Foods Celebration and Public Forums are the events for you!

These events are being hosted by the Warren County Local Foods Promotion Council on two dates: Tuesday, May 15, 2018, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Warren County Senior Center and Thursday, May 31, 2018, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Buck Spring Park. The purpose of these Forums is to show how Warren County citizens can get involved with the LFPC, to spread the knowledge of local food and farm leaders, and to collect ideas from the public about what kind of local food system they would like to see in Warren County. Refreshments will be provided along with live music and door prizes. 

The Forums are free and open to the public but attendance is limited! Please RSVP by calling 252-257-0205 or register online at https://go.ncsu.edu/warrenfoodforum. If you cannot attend but would like to stay connected through our email listserv, please email paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

The Warren County Senior Center is located at 435 W Franklin St, Warrenton, NC; Buck Spring Park is located at 217 Nathaniel Macon Dr, Warrenton, NC.

Photo provided and taken by Paul McKenzie, NC Cooperative Extension Agent

Health Sciences Dean Honored For Leadership At VGCC

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-VGCC Press Release

Angela M. Thomas, dean of health sciences at Vance-Granville Community College, was recently honored with the President’s Leadership Award from Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of the college.

The honor is one of three Glen Raven Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Awards presented to VGCC employees during each academic year. The others, the Faculty Member of the Year and Staff Member of the Year awards, are presented in the fall semester. Glen Raven, Inc., the manufacturer with a site in Norlina, is a longtime VGCC partner. The company’s support includes sponsoring the annual stipends to recognize outstanding VGCC instructors and staff members and endowing many scholarships for students.

President Williams praised Thomas for her dedication and commitment. “Under the leadership of Dean Thomas, our Health Sciences division has continued to demonstrate excellence in preparing students for successful careers, while also growing with the addition of three new credential offerings, including the associate degree in Histotechnology, as well as new partnerships with four-year universities,” she said. The president added that Thomas had directly led two departments during the past year, along with her duties as dean. In one case, she obtained a certification outside of her discipline (Radiography) in order to take on such a responsibility.

In accepting the award, Thomas gave credit to her Health Sciences team and thanked them for their support of her efforts to provide leadership and to assist them with their growth.  

A resident of Hillsborough, Thomas graduated with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Radiologic Technology from Pitt Community College and a bachelor of arts in Forensic Science from Guilford College, before completing a master’s degree in Health Care Management from Ashworth College. Thomas continues to work as a radiologic technologist at UNC Hospitals.

She started her association with VGCC in 1997 as a part-time Radiography instructor, later becoming the program’s full-time clinical coordinator and then head of the program. Thomas was named VGCC’s Faculty Member of the Year in 2011. As dean of health sciences since 2013, she leads a division that includes the Histotechnology, Nursing, Human Services Technology, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technology and Radiography programs. Thomas is a graduate of the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program and completed the Executive Leadership Program through the College of Education at N.C. State University.

                                                                                                                                       Angela Thomas holds her plaque for the leadership award. (VGCC photo) 

                                                                               

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

Audition Date Announced for Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat

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–Submitted by Crystal Allen, Henderson-Vance Recreation Program Supervisor

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat

Sponsored By: Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks

Audition Date: Saturday, May 5, 2018

Where: First Baptist Church – 205 W. Winder St. in Henderson (Orange St. entrance)

Time: 10 a.m.

Directed by: Jo Ellen Nowell

Contact: Crystal Allen at (252) 431-6091 or email callen@ci.henderson.nc.us for more information

Town Talk 04/27/18

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News 04/27/18

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Salvation Army Kettle Bell

New Salvation Army Facility to Focus on Local Youth

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The Salvation Army is in the planning phase of building a new facility on Ross Mill Road in Henderson with a focus on serving youth in the five-county area.

The facility will be located on a 40-acre lot near the new Mako Medical Laboratories facility and new Vance Charter School location.

Captain Rick Langley with the Salvation Army, who was recently on air, said a sizeable trust is allowing this dream to become a reality.

“My wife and I came to this area from South Carolina in 2012,” said Langley. “Thanks to a sizeable trust that the Salvation Army received, things have been topsy-turvy in a positive way since then. It has allowed for a lot of growth.”

With architects finalizing building plans now, the goal is to break ground this June with completion expected by summer 2019.

The facility will include a community center, gym, full-size commercial kitchen and two ball fields – baseball and soccer. “The ball fields will help youth become more involved in sports and can be used as a playing field for Vance Charter School’s home games,” said Langley.

According to Langley, the facility will also offer band lessons, drama classes, cooking lessons and Christian dance classes.

To help meet the transportation needs of those interested in using the facility, the Salvation Army has already purchased a 12-passenger van and a bus with the option to purchase up to five additional buses if the need arises.

With a focus on providing youth with fun, productive activities, the organization’s goal is to provide better options than turning to a life of crime. “We can give options,” Langley said. “The options they have now are to join a gang or do nothing. We want to give them the option to do something productive like playing an instrument or play baseball.”

While the Salvation Army is low on volunteer opportunities at the moment, plenty of volunteers will be needed when the new facility opens next year. “Lots of volunteers will be needed when the building is completed,” said Langley. “We’ll need coaches, mentors, umpires, refs and plenty more.”

Langley is certain that the new facility will uphold the Salvation Army’s mission to “preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs without discrimination.”

Mother’s Day Weekend Concert at McGregor Hall

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-Information courtesy of the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

Mother’s Day weekend concert with Terrance & Tiffany Brown at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center.

Friday, May 11, 2018, at 8 p.m.

Tickets on sale for $20 (before tax)

Dr. Terrance Brown, baritone, and Dr. Tiffany Bostic-Brown, soprano, are versatile, world-class vocalists who will present a program of Art Songs, German Lieder, Gospel and Broadway.

A native of Alabama, Dr. Brown holds a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts, and currently serves as the Chair for the Department of Music and Director of Opera at the University of North Alabama (UNA).

Dr. Bostic-Brown, originally of Virginia, currently serves on the faculty at UNA and holds a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts. She also serves as Vice President for the Walk with Me Foundation, which works to preserve culture through the visual and performing arts.

Tickets may be purchased in-person at the box office of the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson or by calling (252) 598-0662. The box office is open Monday – Friday from 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Tickets may also be purchased online by visiting www.McGregorHall.org  (use the eTix official site, online fees apply).

Doors open one hour prior to showtime. Group and student discounts are available.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Oxford’s Second Annual Multicultural Festival – Saturday, May 12

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-Information courtesy of Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The public is invited to attend the second annual Multicultural Festival on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at the Central Children’s Home and Gym located at 211 West Antioch Drive in Oxford.

The event is sponsored by the John Chavis Historical Society and festivities will go from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Vendors and food trucks will be on site and door prizes will be given to lucky winners.

The festival will feature the Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble, the Haliwa-Saponi Native American Dancers and Latin American Vocalist and Guitarist Juan Gomez.

Come enjoy a fun-filled, cultural and inspiring day!

The highlight of the festival will be the Instoolment of Dr. Helen Chavis Othow as Queen Mother with Chief Omotolokun Omokunde presiding.

Tickets: Adults – $10.00; Family Group of 5 – $35; Students and Seniors – $5; Ages 7 and under – FREE.

Tickets can be purchased by calling (919) 693-9133 or emailing hdothow@embarqmail.com. Please send a cashier’s check or money order payable to The John Chavis Historical Society.  Contributions to the John Chavis Historical Society may be mailed to P.O. Box 1737, Oxford, NC 27565.  Your donation is tax-deductible.

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BIG DAY in Warren County 4-28-18

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

— by Craig Hahn

April 28th is Going to be a BIG DAY Here in Warren County!
9 Events For You To Enjoy

As I’m sure you’re no doubt aware, there aren’t too many weeks here in Warren County where we can honestly say, “There’s nothing to do!” Well, just a preview, that on Saturday 28 April, this will be even more true than ever! Allow me to briefly plan a full day for you and your family…

First…start your day at the corner of Macon & Bragg Streets in the BB&T parking lot for the Warren Growers Association Warren County Farmers Market. This local market runs from mid-April thru mid-October with local fruits, vegetables, eggs, baked goods, preserves, herbs, flowers, dog biscuits, mushrooms and plenty of handmade crafts. They’ll be open from 8am until Noon to start your day.

Then…just a ½ block stroll to Main Street to watch the start of the Run Warrenton 5K Race in front of the Historic Warren County Courthouse. The Town of Warrenton, in association with Cedric King, is hosting the 6th Annual Run Warrenton 5K. This USATF Certified 5K run is through downtown Warrenton. Proceeds will support Achilles International and college scholarships for deserving students. Find out more at runwarrenton.itsyourrace.com.

Then…shortly after the final runners cross the finish line you can spend some time on the grounds of our Historic Warren County Courthouse for Spring Fest 2018. Presented by the Warrenton Revitalization Committee and sponsored by Duke Energy & Maria Parham Health, this year’s event features your favorite crafts, artisans, exhibits, fresh local vegetables, food and more! Live entertainment features the TranZition Band and GrassStreet Bluegrass Band. To stay up to date on Spring Fest and other downtown Warrenton events, like them on Facebook at Warrenton Festivals. Festivities continue from 10am until 4pm.

Then…when you need a short break from funnel cakes and delicious BBQ, head two short blocks away to the Warren County Memorial Library for the Annual Warrenton Archaeology Day from 10am until 3pm. See Native American artifacts, tools and weapons and learn about the prehistory of the region spanning over 12,000 years into the past. Free Admission for all!

Then…to explore a little more recent collection of archaeological treasure in downtown Warrenton, join the The Jacob Holt House Foundation for their first-ever “Building Warrenton: A Vacant Properties Tour.” See 9 vacant properties just waiting for the right person and a little TLC to bring even more life to downtown Warrenton.

Then…need a little time away in the country? Head north on Main Street for the day-long Warren County Junior Firefighters’ Competition at the Warren County Recreation Complex on the Highway 158 bypass. Kicking off at 8:30 with events all day until 5:00pm, see dozens of teams of Jr. Firefighters from across the country competing in firefighting skills contests. Duke LifeFlight helicopter is scheduled to make an appearance at 11:30am.

Then…back to town and a visit to the newly renovated Old Cotton Gin at the corner of Hall and Franklin Streets in downtown Warrenton. Anne & Tommy will be open from 10am until 4pm so that you can tour this new event facility and see their mini-museum inside.

Then…a short trip back to Main Street and the Main Street Kitchen at 108 South Main Street for Working Landscape’s learning event. The front of the cafe will be open that day for the duration of Springfest from 10am – 4pm with a variety of self-guided activities for kids to enjoy. There will be a community garden art project, a “book nook” with lots of books about food, plants, and farming to read, and a “Do You Know What’s In Season?” activity. There will also be a small healthy snack for kids to take with them.

And finally…to wrap up your day, buy your tickets now for the annual Inez Volunteer Fire Department Dinner & Auction at 6:00pm at the Warren County Armory Community Center. Tickets are just $50 per person and include a delicious Prime Rib dinner, open bar, DJ and dancing, a silent/live auction and the chance to help support the wonderful volunteers from Inez VFD who keep us safe 365 days a year. For tickets, see any Inez VFD member or call Linda McSwain at (919) 210-2968.

How’s that for an action-packed day! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at multiple events on 28 April!

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It’s Warren County Map Time!

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-Courtesy of Chamber Connections, the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County’s weekly newsletter

It’s Warren County Map Time Again! Two Years Since Our Last Update!

It’s hard to believe, but it was two years ago this month that we began compiling our first new Warren County map in several years…and now, it’s time to update those maps! These new maps will be released in early summer for our residents and visitors to Warren County.

As before, the support for this map will come from our great sponsoring businesses. This week, I’ll be contacting previous and new sponsors along with our representative from SouthEast Map Solutions. Once published, we’ll have more than 5,000 maps to distribute promoting our wonderful county.

We plan to include the following features in this year’s map: detailed street maps of Warrenton, Norlina & Macon – detailed road map of all roads within Warren County – update locations of more than 40 sites in the Preservation Warrenton Driving Tour of the County – update locations of the 50+ homes and businesses in the Preservation Warrenton Walking Tour of Warrenton as well as the African American Walking Tour of Warrenton – include 16 additional Rosenwald Schools identified since the last map – designation of the Haliwa-Saponi official State of NC area within Warren County.

If your business is interested in becoming a sponsor, we have a limited number of ad positions available. Each sponsor receives a minimum of 50 maps for distribution in addition to the on-map ad. Please email info@warren-chamber.org or call 252-257-2657 if you’d like to be included in this countywide project.

(This is not a paid advertisement)