TownTalk: Ducky Derby Coming September 21

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When you bring the family down to this year’s annual Ducky Derby in downtown Henderson, Kimiko Williams suggests you bring a change of clothes for the kiddos – at least a towel – because the water flowing down Garnett Street acts just like a magnet, figuratively speaking, of course.

“When they see that water, the first thing they want to do is dive in,” Williams told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Tuesday’s TownTalk. “They can’t resist getting in that water.”

The 15th annual Ducky Derby takes place on Saturday, Sept. 21 and it’s a fun event for a serious cause, said Williams, who is the program research and development coordinator for FGV Smart Start.

Tickets are $5 per rubber ducky and can be purchased in a variety of ways – online, via QR code, or by contacting or visiting the FGV office.

Of course, the number of ducks that will be poured out of the official cement mixer to float down the 2 ½ block course along Garnett Street depends on the number of tickets that are purchased. Pre-derby activities begin at 1 p.m. at the corner of Breckenridge and Garnett streets. The race begins at 2 p.m.

The first duck to cross the finish line wins for its ticketholder a $1,000 cash prize, Williams said. The second-place finisher gets Chick fil A for a year and the third-place winner gets a $250 Sheetz gas card.

Not to worry, the last duck that crosses the finish line doesn’t go away empty-handed; there’s a $100 cash award as a consolation prize.

Families currently paying for a child or children to be in day care can put their name in the bucket for a chance to win a free month of childcare at a local DCDEE licensed childcare facility.

Organizations or individuals may also be sponsors of the event – become a SuperDuck for $1,000, a Quacker Backer for $500 or a Feathered Friend for $250.

Proceeds from the fundraiser help FGV Smart Start provide supplemental support to families and children.

Williams said state and local dollars have restrictions for their use, but there are needs that those funds can’t be used for.

One program sends teachers into homes to help children gain skills that prepare them for entering school. And when those teachers learn about additional needs – diapers, transportation and more – they want to help.

“A lot of times, we need those unrestricted funds to provide that service,” she said.

Contact Williams at 252.572.0339 or visit (https://fgvsmartstart.org/community/ducky-derby) to learn more.

Call the FGV Smart Start office at 252.433.9110 (x230), purchase ducks online at fgvsmartstart.org or
(https://my.cheddarup.com/c/fgvss-ducky-derby/items?cart

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Perry Memorial Library

Perry Library To Celebrate 100th Birthday

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Perry Library has had several locations during its 99 years and 11 months of providing book-lending services to the area. And now, as library staff and the community prepare to celebrate 100 years, Youth Services Director Melody Peters says she’s weaving a birthday theme into a number of programs leading up to a very special celebration.

Some residents may remember visiting H. Leslie Perry Library when it occupied the columned building across from the old courthouse; others may have gone to the library when it was on Rose Avenue. But 205 Breckenridge Street has been the home of Perry Memorial Library since 2006, and Peters said it will be the site of a 100th birthday party on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will be a bounce house, circus performers, food trucks, and a DJ and live music. The community is invited to come out to celebrate a century of having a library to enjoy, she said.

Other children’s programs leading up to that centennial celebration, however, will include a birthday theme.

Pre-school aged children will get to make pom pom launchers at the kickoff event of a STEM program geared toward kids not yet in school. Participants also will be decorating Play-Doh cupcakes at the first of a monthly gathering that includes hands-on activities for youngsters, Peters said.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn about its programs and services and to view a calendar of events.

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TownTalk: Bobby West – Grace Ministries

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Grace Ministries has a busy weekend on tap, with an outdoor concert on Friday evening and its annual Family Fun Day on Saturday.

Bobby West invites the community to join in the festivities for both events. The weather forecast is calling for nice weather each day, making conditions just right for what West and others at Grace Ministries has planned.

Texas-based Seventh Day Slumber will bring its Christian rock to the Friday event, West said on Monday’s TownTalk. The gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Proceeds from the food and beverage concessions will benefit Rushing Water Outreach in Oxford; there is no charge for admission, but donations will be accepted at the gate, West said.

You should bring a lawn chair, but please don’t bring any outside food or beverages, he added.

Seating is first come, first served.

Then on Saturday, come back to Grace Ministries, located on Crozier Street, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to take part in the Family Fun Day. There will be lots of water games, including a slip n’ slide, for the kids to enjoy and hotdogs, watermelon, corn on the cob and more available throughout the day.

Backpacks filled with school supplies will be distributed, and West said he hoped to be able to give away between 150 and 200 by the end of the afternoon’s activities.

This weekend is just the beginning of a busy fall and holiday season for Grace Ministries, West said. They have plans to be at the Show, Shine, Shag and Dine in mid-October, and West said it would be a time for he and others to give out supplies and to pray with those who attend the car show.

They’ll be distributing meals across the area the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and then it’s on to the toy giveaway for Christmas.

“It’ll be here before you know it,” he said.

Grace Ministries helps people and families with its program called New Beginnings, designed to provide support for those struggling with addiction or substance abuse.

Whether facing those struggles or other types of challenges, including financial ones, West said it is the mission of Grace Ministries to offer support.

Eleven women recently completed GED programs at Grace Ministries, and West said the new graduates wore caps and gowns to the ceremony to mark the achievement.

There are 49 people enrolled in the next GED program that will begin soon.

Visitwww.graceofhenderson.org to learn more.

 

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The Local Skinny! John Mattocks – Vance Recovery

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John Mattocks, program director at Vance Recovery, told county commissioners the opioid treatment center’s marketing campaign can be a little tough: individuals who are in recovery and beating the addiction odds aren’t usually the ones giving testimonials.

“Our successes are invisible,” Mattocks told commissioners at the Aug. 5 meeting. “All of my failures come with red and blue lights,” he said, referring to involvement with law enforcement and medical personnel.

“We are the gold standard for treatment,” Mattocks said, adding that the 50 percent success rate is “crazy good.”

But Mattocks and his staff at Vance Recovery want to better educate the public about the facility and the programs it offers. Currently operating at its location on Dabney Drive, plans are well underway to move to a state-of-the-art facility at 932 W. Andrews Ave.

“We’re hoping to move by Oct. 1,” Mattocks told WIZS Monday. They’re waiting for one last checkoff from the DEA to make sure the new location is safe and secure for clients and for the community.

As soon as that last inspection is completed, Mattocks said, “we’ll be moving with gangbusters.”

The clinic is moving because it needs more space to provide treatment to clients, he said, adding that Vance Recovery is the only opioid treatment program in the area. They work with other agencies, like Rural Health Group, and Vision Behavioral Health to help connect services to the people who need them.

Vance Recovery is a for-profit business, and just one of numerous clinics owned by Dr. Eric Morse, a nationally acclaimed leader in the field of opioid treatment and recovery programs.

“Every day we are fighting the twin epidemics of opioid use and opioid overdose and death,” he said.

One of the goals is to avoid emergency room visits and legal interventions for people who are in crisis, he said.

He said that without the diversion services that RHA provides, he knows there would be individuals who would have had to be sent to an emergency room for help.

“Right now, it’s a real blessing to our community” to have RHA, he said.

Visit https://www.morseclinics.com/locations/vance-recovery to learn more.

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Back-To-School Review Of Safety Tips For Students, Motorists

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– information courtesy of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

As schools get back in session over the next couple of weeks, Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame reminds the public of some basic safety tips that will help keep schoolchildren safe as they make their way to and from school, whether walking, riding a bike, or by car or school bus.

“I hope that our students have enjoyed their summer vacation, but it is now time to hit the books once again for the school year,” Brame said in a written statement. One way to get the new school year off right is by sharing with young people potential dangers and how to avoid unsafe situations.

Brame also suggests parents check the location sharing settings on their children’s electronic devices before sending them off to school to make sure that their location is not being shared with any unwanted applications. “This is also a great time to remind students of the dangers of sharing personal information on social media. It is important to teach young people that sharing certain information, especially their location, may put them and their classmates at risk,” Brame said.

Other safety tips that parents can share with their children include:

  • Do not talk to strangers! A stranger is anyone that you or your parents do not know well. If a stranger has approached you, tell a trusted adult about what happened.
  • When walking to and from school, always stay with a friend. Two minds are better than one, especially if there is an emergency.
  • If you think you are in danger, yell for help and run to the nearest business, school, crossing guard, or law enforcement officer.
  • Try establishing a family “code word.” If a stranger claims to know your family but does not know the code word, do not go with them.
  • Strangers may use a variety of tricky tactics to get you to come with them, such as:
    • Asking to show you something,
    • Asking for you to help them find a missing pet or person, or
    • Telling you that a family member is hurt and offering to take you to them.
  • If you do not know the person, absolutely do not go with them!
  • Never take things like candy or medicine from a stranger. It could contain a dangerous substance that can harm you.
  • Don’t wear headphones or earbuds while walking so you can hear your surroundings and know if someone is approaching you.

Those big yellow buses will be making their way across the county soon, and motorists should be mindful of the multiple stops that buses make as they pick children up in the morning and drop them off again in the afternoon.

Traffic laws concerning school buses haven’t changed, but it’s always a good idea to refresh your memory to avoid crashes, injury and the citations that come with infractions.

The N.C. Sheriff’s Association reminds drivers to:

  • learn and obey the laws about school buses
  • never pass a stopped school bus – from either direction – when the red light is flashing or the arm is extended
  • children can be unpredictable! always look twice before proceeding
  • be alert to the possibility of children walking in the roadway
  • obey speed limits in school zones

Children who may walk to school should always walk FACING traffic; those who get to and from school on a bicycle, however, should travel with the flow of traffic – wearing a helmet and with no passengers!