Reminder: First ‘Meet Me in the Street’ of 2019 Set for Thursday!

-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce’s March/April 2019 Focus newsletter

The 2019 “Meet Me in the Street” series begins with a Thursday, May 16 concert featuring The Castaways. This year’s concert events are presented to the local community by Presenting Sponsor NC Towing & Recovery.

Bring the kids out to enjoy the Kids Zone sponsored by Country Snacks Manufacturing and Wise Snacks. There will be a variety of food vendors to enjoy – Frostbites, Da Real Deal, Jerry’s Footlong, Chewly Delicious, Next Door Bistro, and J D Tacos. Adult beverages will also be available.

A reputable band known throughout the South, The Castaways possess over fifty years of experience in the beach music industry. From it’s beginning in Durham, NC in 1961, The Castaways have been pleasing audiences with their unique flavor of Beach, Soul, and Rock N’ Roll for generations of fans. With eight members on stage, The Castaways bring a full sound that includes live horns, versatile vocals covering a variety of music and high energy. Don’t be surprised if you hear some current country, Top-40, or a little southern-rock as well!

The second and final concert for 2019 is set for Thursday, June 13 and will host “The Konnection Band.” This band is a local favorite and is one of the East Coast’s premiere party bands, specializing in a variety of music including Top 40, Rock, Country, R & B, Beach and Oldies.

Presenting sponsor for this year’s concerts is NC Towing & Recovery. Other sponsors for the 2019 series are Duke Energy and Maria Parham Health – Gold Sponsors; Wake Electric Membership Corporation and Walmart DC #6091 – Silver Sponsors; 3HC, BB&T, Benchmark Community Bank, Carolina Sunrock, Express Employment Professionals, MARS Petcare and Waste Industries – Bronze Sponsors.

Contributing Sponsors are Auto Connection, Brewer Cycles, Franklin Brothers Nursery, Planet Fitness, TCS/Thermo King, United Sports Automotive & Tire Shops #1 & 2, and Woodforest Bank.

Advocate Sponsors are Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission and Union Bank. Promotional Sponsor is Servpro.

All concerts are free to the public and will be held at the corner of North Garnett and Breckenridge Streets from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting the Chamber at (252) 438-8414 or email jay@hendersonvance.org.

Breakfast Event Aims to Educate Community on Homeownership

Sherenia Branche, local realtor, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the upcoming Home Buyers Breakfast event being held Friday, May 17, 2019, at Golden Corral, 103 N. Cooper Dr. in Henderson.

Taking place from 9:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., the event aims to educate the public on the home buying process, including discussions on available resources and developing solid action plans to make owning a home a reality.

Branche, who received her real estate license in 2016, said this event was born from the need she saw in the local area. “Meeting with people in the community and seeing different situations, my heart was fixed on being a local resource and a help to my community by bringing more information about obtaining homeownership.”

Speakers for the breakfast event include Rashia Cox, credit consultant; Margier White, mortgage and insurance specialist with State Farm; and Jonte Hawkins, home inspector and contractor.

According to Branche, the speakers will cover topics ranging from credit to final closing.

The event is free to the public; however, pre-registration is required and seating is limited. To register, visit www.eventbrite.com and search for “the home buyer breakfast event.”

This is a private event and not associated with Golden Corral. With additional questions or to register over the phone, please contact Branche at (252) 430-4045.

To hear the Town Talk interview with Sherenia Branche in its entirety, click here.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

NC Artist to Donate Kerr Lake Prints, Conduct Auction for Fundraiser

-Press Release, Shutter Art Gallery

On Saturday, May 18, 2019, at 6 p.m., Granville County native R F Timberlake will call bids and will auction off two, first edition art prints of Kerr Lake at a fundraiser for the Grassy Creek Community Building.

Myrtle Reams, the coordinator for the fundraiser said, “Frank Timberlake will deliver a double whammy to help out his native Grassy Creek! First, he agreed to be the auctioneer for our fundraising event. Second, and we could hardly believe it, Frank, who I went through school with, agreed to donate two of his Kerr Lake prints that are from a new collection that’s never been seen. He’s putting the new collection of prints together this spring and summer.”

On Saturday, May 18, 2019, at 6 p.m., Granville County native R F Timberlake will call bids and will auction off two, first edition art prints of Kerr Lake at a fundraiser for the Grassy Creek Community Building. (Photo courtesy R F Timberlake and Shutter Art Gallery)

Timberlake, who rarely calls bids anymore, and then only for charities, won the 1990 North Carolina Rookie Auctioneering Championship. The former radio broadcaster turned ad agency executive hails from Stovall and Grassy Creek and operates an almost thirty-year-old advertising and PR firm that is renowned for client success and winning national awards and recognition.

In 2016, after attempting to learn to paint realism and even with advice and help from a famous cousin artist, Timberlake introduced his patented creation of a slightly different art form, PhoArt®.  The term PhoArt® tells the story of the process: taking a photograph in the raw and then turning up some or all of its aspects, and finally running it through proprietary software which Timberlake helped finesse.

“It will be great to spend a few days at home, see a lot of old friends, watch their reactions to some of my new artwork, and then at the auction, to actually pick their pockets for a good cause,” remarked the jovial artist and entrepreneur. The retail value of the two Kerr Lake prints is over $300.

The auction, touted to have something of interest for everyone, will start at the Grassy Creek Community Building at 6 p.m. Hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, snacks, desserts and soft drinks will be on sale. Assisting Timberlake with auctioneering will be Harry Jones and Marty Ayscue.

VGCC Honors Radiography Graduates at Pinning Ceremony 

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Twenty-two new graduates of Vance-Granville Community College’s two-year Radiography program were honored in a May 6 pinning ceremony in the college’s Civic Center.

The Radiography Class of 2019 included Frantz Alexis, Jr., of Chapel Hill; Shanice D. Alleyne, Karene Anderson, Matthew Battistel, Kristen Bowman, Starsha M. Hargrove and Dwayne Huneycutt, all of Creedmoor; Allison Weaver Wiggins of Franklinton; Samantha Pierce and Paige Snider, both of Garner; Brooklyn Rooker and Ashley Bobbitt Ward, both of Henderson; Angela Basili of Hillsborough; Shayla A. Cash and Dulce Santillan, both of Louisburg; Megan Irene Proctor of Macon; Crystal Sorrell and Megan Whitman, both of Oxford; Rubi Judith Coyote Baizabal, Celeste Evans and Treva Gordan, all of Roxboro; and Marina Rombout of Stem.

Above: members of the 2019 Radiography graduating class at Vance-Granville Community College who received their pins May 6 included, on the front row, from left: Marina Rombout, Megan Whitman, Angela Basili, Shanice Alleyne, Shayla Cash, Treva Gordan and Brooklyn Rooker; second row, from left: Ashley Ward, Paige Snider, Samantha Pierce, Dulce Santillan, Crystal Sorrell and Rubi Coyote; third row, from left: Karene Anderson, Matthew Battistel, Dwayne Huneycutt, Allison Wiggins and Kristen Bowman; back row, from left: Megan Proctor, Starsha Hargrove, Frantz Alexis and Celeste Evans. (VGCC Photo)

Angela M. Thomas, the Dean of Health Sciences/ Interim Program Head for Radiography, presided over the ceremony. She encouraged students to “love what you do or you will not give it your best; enhance your passion for giving and dream bigger than Disney World.” The ceremony featured live entertainment by Detroit Yancey, an Oxford native, who sang “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Lewis Daughtry, Jr., one of the instructors for the program. He advised the students, “Do not think future opportunities are going to stop and wait for you. You must be ready.”

Rubi Judith Coyote Baizabal gave an address in response on behalf of her classmates. A Dean’s List student and Phi Theta Kappa inductee, she has served as one of her program’s representatives in the VGCC Student Government Association.

“Remember, do not bury your failures, let them inspire you,” Baizabal told her fellow students.

Lindsay Hinkle from the VA Medical Center in Durham was chosen by the graduating students to receive the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) Certificate of Excellence for Clinical Educators. The students voted for Tabitha Owens from EmergeOrtho William Penn Plaza in Durham as the top technologist at the clinical sites in which they received their 900 hours of practical training, while the Clinical Affiliate Award of Excellence went to the EmergeOrtho William Penn Plaza in Durham.

Receiving the JRCERT Certificate of Excellence for Students was Megan Whitman, who also received the VGCC Radiography Academic Award. In a first-ever tie, the VGCC Radiography Clinical Excellence Award was presented to two students, Megan Proctor and Brooklyn Rooker.

Instructor Anthony Twisdale shared the history of the Radiographer’s Pin before he and Angela Thomas awarded the pins to each graduate. Thomas led the graduates in reciting the Radiographer’s Pledge as the ceremonies concluded.

Master Gardener Volunteers of Vance & Warren Co. to Hold Open House

-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

The Master Gardener volunteers of Warren and Vance County will hold an Open House on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at the NC Cooperative Extension office (158 Rafters Lane, Warrenton). Those who are interested in joining the volunteer program are invited to attend.

The Open House will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and information will be available about the upcoming training program. The training program consists of approximately 40 hours of classes and will be offered on Tuesday mornings beginning in late July.

Upon completion of training, participants are required to contribute 40 hours of volunteer service toward various Master Gardener projects and outreach activities.

For more information about the Open House or the upcoming training class, please contact Paul McKenzie at 252-257-3640 or paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

News 05/14/19

Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers to Perform at McGregor Hall – June 9

-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will feature The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Show starts at 2 p.m.

A Part of the Music at McGregor Series

The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers, founded in 1998 by Joel F. Reed, promote choral artistry by modeling the highest quality choral standard and performing a breadth of literature, including music from the southern Appalachian region.

The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will feature The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Show starts at 2 p.m. Photo courtesy the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center.

The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers are currently 25 singers who rehearse monthly in preparation for the ensemble’s performances. Many of the members are professional musicians, working in public and private schools, colleges and churches. Others are professionals from the business and medical communities who reside in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and are, for the most part, alumni and retired faculty of Mars Hill University.

The ensemble has performed regularly in the North and South Carolina areas including conferences of North Carolina American Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education.

Tickets may be purchased by:

DROP IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m

CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org  (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)

(This is not a paid advertisement)

West End Baptist

West End Community Watch to Hear From Local Historian at May Meeting

-Information courtesy Claire Catherwood, West End Community Watch

West End Community Watch will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at 6:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall of West End Baptist Church on Dabney Drive.

The speaker will be Mark Pace, local historian, who will discuss Henderson’s history. Law enforcement will be present for reports and to hear concerns.

Please mark your calendar and join us! All are welcome!

Register Now for H-V Rec & Parks Youth Summer Camp

-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

Looking for a great place for summer activities for youth ages 5-13? Register for the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Summer Camp 2019. Camp will be held from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday from June 10 – August 9, 2019, at the Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson.

Lunch will be provided weeks 2-8. Cost is $50 a week per child. Registration is underway; preregistration and pre-payment required.

5-year-old participants must have completed Kindergarten.

If you have any questions, please contact Tara Goolsby at 252.438.3948 or tgoolsby@ci.henderson.nc.us.

 

Make Plans to Attend the Got to Be NC Festival, May 17-19

-Press Release, NCDA&CS

With more than 100 tractors, North Carolina food and beverages, music, a carnival and kids’ activities, the Got to Be NC Festival promises to be a not-to-be-missed event at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, May 17-19, 2019.

“The antique tractor and farm equipment display, featuring a daily tractor parade, and the Food Lion Local Goodness Marketplace are two of the unique highlights of the festival,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We have one of the largest antique tractor displays in the Southeast, and the marketplace features around 80 North Carolina companies offering the opportunity to sample the delicious food and beverage products they offer.”

Hours for the Food Lion Local Goodness Marketplace are Friday from noon to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3.

Visitors can see and hear tractors parade around the fairgrounds each day at 1 p.m., with all makes, ages and restorations of tractors featured.

New entertainment this year includes Danny Grant’s Cowboy Circus & The Soap Bubble Circus, both roving grounds acts; and a Feeder Pig display at the Pig Patch Birthing Center. Returning favorites are the racing pigs of the Hogway Speedway, Lauryn Zepeda with Gringo the Trick Pony, Ready, Set, Grow! Agri-tainment Magic Show, the Pig Patch birthing center, Agri-plaza, tractor pulls and the Kidz Corral activity area.

Tractor pull events are planned for Saturday and Sunday. A Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the Antique Tractor Pull later from 2 to 8 p.m. A Garden Tractor and Lawnmower Pull will be held Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m.

The carnival features one price, ride-all-day wristbands on Friday and Sunday. Cost is $20 for wristbands. In addition, a fireworks show will be held Friday and Saturday at 9:15 p.m.

On May 18, the festival will host the Carolina Bluegrass Battle. Traditional and contemporary bluegrass bands will compete for bragging rights and prizes. Also on May 18, the 14th Annual Masonic Carolina Pig Jig BBQ Cook-off will be held, with more than 20 Masonic chapters competing for top honors. At 11 a.m., the event opens to the public for an all-you-care-to-eat barbecue buffet. Guests make their way through the line-up of competition cookers to sample different styles and vote for their favorite. Cost is $15 for adults, $5 for ages 7-10 and free for kids 6 and under. Proceeds from the cookoff benefit the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.

If you are planning to attend the 2019 State Fair, you can take advantage of the Casey’s Big Ticket Weekend offer and buy 2019 State Fair tickets for 2018 prices. Tickets are being sold at the Waterfall ticket booth. Cost is $8 for adults and $3 for children. Prices at the gate for 2019 will be $13 for adults and $7 for kids.

Festival hours are Friday, May 17, from noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission and parking are free. More information is available at www.gottobencfestival.com.