The Local Skinny! Lunch And Learn With Maria Parham Health

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Maria Parham Health will host a Lunch and Learn program on Thursday, Mar. 21 to talk about colorectal cancer early detection and prevention.

Register online at mariaparham.com/event/50 or by calling 252.436.1605. The program will be from 12 noon to 1 p.m. and will be held in the classroom of the hospital, located at 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

Although colorectal cancer is a significant health concern, health experts say awareness and early detection make it highly preventable and treatable.

“We are committed to raising awareness about colorectal cancer and providing our community with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health,” said Kimberly Smith, Director of the Maria Parham Cancer Center.

“Through events like this, we hope to highlight the importance of early detection and screening in preventing colorectal cancer, ultimately saving lives,” Smith said.

The Lunch and Learn Event will feature board-certified gastroenterologist Varnita Tahiliani, MD, who will discuss various aspects of colorectal cancer, including risk factors, symptoms, screening options, treatment modalities, and lifestyle modifications for prevention. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with healthcare professionals in an interactive setting.

Lunch will be provided. Due to space restrictions, registrations will be limited to the first 30 attendees that register.

For more information about the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Lunch and Learn Event, please visit www.mariaparham.com.

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MPH, South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Team Up For May 3 Cancer Survivor Dinner

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Maria Parham Health Cancer Center is planning a Cancer Survivor Dinner on Friday, May 3 to honor the strength and resilience of community members who have been affected by the disease.

The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. at South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church, located at 905 American Rd., Henderson, according to information from hospital officials.

The dinner will be a celebration of life, courage and hope and serves as a tribute to the unwavering spirit of individuals who have faced the challenges of cancer with bravery and determination.

“We are honored to host this special event to recognize the incredible journey of cancer survivors in our community,” said Kimberly Smith, Director of Maria Parham Health Cancer Center. “This dinner is a heartfelt expression of gratitude and admiration for their courage and resilience.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring along one guest to share in the celebration. Please register to attend by calling 252.436.6485.

The Cancer Survivor Dinner promises to be an evening of fellowship, joy and reflection. It provides an opportunity for survivors and their loved ones to come together, share their stories, and draw strength from one another.

“We believe that by standing united, we can inspire and uplift each other in our journey towards healing and recovery,” Smith stated.. “Together, let us embrace the spirit of solidarity and resilience that defines the cancer survivor community.”

Maria Parham Health Cancer Center is committed to supporting cancer survivors and their families throughout their journey. The Cancer Survivor Dinner is just one of the many initiatives aimed at providing comprehensive care and support to individuals affected by cancer.

For more information or to RSVP, please call 252.436.6485.

 

Vance County Logo

Vance Commissioner Sean Alston Participates In UNC School Of Government Leadership Program

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Vance County Commissioner Sean Alston has completed the Advanced Leadership Corps training offered each year to select local elected officials by the UNC-CH School of Government in Chapel Hill.

The ALC is described as an intensive leadership development program designed by the School’s Center for Public Leadership and Governance. The weeklong residential program is a dynamic experience that helps participants learn about their own leadership styles, inspire others to work toward a shared vision and gain insights into how to work together to build better relationships and achieve far-reaching results.

More than 200 local elected leaders from across North Carolina have completed this selective program since it began in 2013.

“I don’t try to compete with anyone and I never try to be better than anyone,” Alston said in a press statement. “I simply try to be better than I was yesterday. Look, listen and learn! Small steps make giant waves.”

Alston said he ran for office to make a difference in his district and in the county. “I wanted to be able to make the best decisions for our citizens because they matter the most. I am developing myself professionally so that I can give back to my community. I see true growth on the horizon and I am here for the long run. I believe Vance County is situated perfectly and ready for much needed change.”

The leadership program, through support by the N.C. Association of County Commissioners and Empower Retirement, allows elected officials from across the state to attend with only a modest cost to the local unit of government.

For more information about the Advanced Leadership Corps and other programming for elected officials offered by the Center for Public Leadership and Governance at the UNC School of Government, contact Patrice Roesler at 919.843.4167 or proesler@sog.unc.edu.

NC Forest Service

N.C. Forest Service: Safety First To Prevent Wildfires

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The N.C. Forest Service reminds everyone to use extreme caution with all outdoor fires, especially yard debris burns, as thoughts turn to spring and tidying up landscapes. And don’t forget:  You need a valid burn permit before you start a fire.

In 2023, the Forest Service responded to more than 5,300 wildfires across the state. The main culprit: Escaped burn debris, according to information from fire service officials.

“Last year, 99 percent of wildfires in our state were directly related to human activity,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This means that most of our wildfires could have been prevented. Before choosing to burn yard debris, make sure you have a valid burn permit, check the weather and avoid burning on dry, windy days. You are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing wildfires.”

Spring weather tends to draw people outdoors to work in their yards and many choose burning as a method to dispose of leaves, limbs and other yard debris.

“During the spring season, fires can spread quickly,” said State Forester David Lane. “Your N.C. Forest Service county ranger is a resource and can provide guidance about when, where and how to burn safely outdoors. Contact your local NCFS county ranger’s office before starting an outdoor fire.”

Rob Montague is the ranger for Vance and Granville counties. His email is Vance.ncfs@ncagr.gov and his phone is 919.693.3154.

Brian Champion is the ranger for Franklin County. His email is Franklin.ncfs@ncagr.gov and his phone is 919.496.3665.

Jim Short serves Warren County; reach him via Franklin.ncfs@ncar.gov or 252.257.5960.

The N.C. Forest Service also offers the following tips:

  • Check local burning laws. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours. Others forbid it entirely.
  • Make sure you have a valid permit. You can obtain a burn permit at any Forest Service office or authorized permitting agent, or online at www.ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit.
  • Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days.
  • Local fire officials can recommend a safe way to burn debris. Don’t pile vegetation on the ground. Instead, place it in a cleared area and contain it in a screened receptacle away from overhead branches and wires.
  • Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Keep a phone nearby, too.
  • Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed up debris burning.
  • Stay with your fire until it is completely out.

 

To learn more about fire safety and preventing wildfires and loss of property, refer to Fire Safety Outdoors. For information about creating defensible space and a fire-resistant landscape around your home and property, visit www.resistwildfirenc.org.

Kerr-Tar COG Schedules Info Sessions On Local Food Systems

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What do you think about when you hear or read the phrase “food chain?”

Some folks may think back to elementary school Science lessons that talked about little fish getting gobbled up by bigger and bigger fish. But the Kerr-Tar region Council of Government is scheduling a series of meetings – one in each of the five counties it represents – for regional policymakers to hear from folks in the community about what’s working and what’s needed when it comes to our local “food chain.”

One of the outcomes of the meetings is the development of a food policy council, according to information publicizing the events.

If you think about it, we’re all part of the “food chain” whether we grow and market vegetables locally or simply prepare meals for ourselves and our families.

Everyone is welcome to share experiences, successes and challenges – from the consumer to producer, as well as food pantry partners and other agencies in the community.

The meetings begin next week in Roxboro and continue through March. Each session will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  To register for one of the meetings, email crobinette@kerrtarcog.org or phone 980.389.3446.

Here’s the list of meetings:

  • Wednesday, Mar. 6 in Roxboro, Person County Cooperative Extension Center
  • Wednesday, Mar. 13 in Louisburg, Franklin County Cooperative Extension Center
  • Tuesday, Mar. 19 in Warrenton, Warren County Library
  • Tuesday, Mar. 26 in Henderson, Vance County Regional Farmers Market
  • Wednesday, Mar. 27 in Oxford, Richard Thornton Public Library

 

 

 

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Drug Stores

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Today’s pharmacies just don’t have the same feel as those “drug stores” from days gone by. Nowadays, it’s all business, filling prescriptions and answering questions at a special window marked “consultation.”

That’s not all bad, by the way. We can thank a fellow originally from New Bern who moved to Oxford back in 1884 for standardizing the drug industry.

Local historian Mark Pace called Franklin Wills Hancock “the father of pharmacies in North Carolina.”

Hancock started at drug store in Oxford and enjoyed a 68-year career. When he died at age 92, he was the oldest licensed pharmacist in the country. His almost seven decades was the longest tenure as a druggist.

In fact, he was the first licensed druggist, Pace said.

Before licensing was required, there was little standardization among drug stores, apothecaries and other establishments.

Henderson is home to two independent pharmacies – Mast Drug and Medical Arts Pharmacy, and both have been around for decades. Bill Mast started Mast Drug in 1962 and Chocky White started Medical Arts in 1971. Their presence in the community has not faded, despite the existence of larger chain stores.

If you’ve lived in the area long enough, you remember Parker’s, Page’s and Woolard’s. Even the Florida-based chain store Eckerd’s had a front-row seat at the Henderson Mall, complete with a lunch counter and grill in its heyday.

In Granville County, there was Puckett’s up in Stovall that was in business from 1934-1984 and Jones Drug in downtown Oxford. Charlie Jones returned to his hometown and ran his drug store from 1955 to 2009. He continued working part-time well into his 90s at one of the chain stores in Oxford.

The best information Pace can find notes that John G. Hall opened the first drug store in Oxford in 1879. When it closed in 2000, it could claim being in operation over three centuries – the 19th, 20th and 21st, Pace said.

It opened just more than a decade after the Civil War ended, when folks used home remedies concocted from roots and bark and other materials found in nature.

“In the early days of drug stores and pharmacies, basically they were winging it,” Pace said. “They had their own cures, their own method of doing things.”

And many of those early pharmacists touted patented medicines, including Owen Davis, a Henderson pharmacist who formulated “Atlas Celery Phosphate Vitalizer” at Atlas Medicine Company in town.

At 50 cents a bottle, it claimed to cure everything from “general debility” to virility problems.

 

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Project “Roll On” Continues At Rebuilding Hope

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Randolph Wilson hopes that monetary donations will pick back up so the parking lot and driveway at Rebuilding Hope can be repaved.

It’s called Project “Roll On” and the goal is a lofty one – it’s going to cost about $100,000 to complete.

Right now, the fund is sitting at $12,000, and Wilson, founder of the non-profit located on Raleigh Road, hopes the community will help.

 The fundraising campaign launched in late September, and the hope was to get started on the worst areas by springtime.

 In a letter to volunteers and to other supporters last fall, Wilson said he hopes to “gain support in acquiring much needed funds to repair the damaged pavement around our building.  The parking lot and driveways are in real need of resurfacing to prevent damage to vehicles and also (to) allow proper drainage away from the building,” he stated.

 Rebuilding Hope, Wilson said, has always been funded solely from individuals, churches, and business entities. “We must ask our faithful community once again to help us continue this good work.  These are very difficult times for many people simply trying to afford housing, food and basic needs.  We need to secure this ministry’s ability to respond to people with hope, by repairing this damage.”

 The Rebuilding Hope ministry was founded in 2006 following a deployment to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

There are a variety of ways to make donations to Project ‘ROLL ON’:

 Visit the website rebuildinghopeinc.org and select Donate to make an online contribution, mail donations to 414 Raleigh Rd., Henderson, NC 27536 or drop donations off in person at the office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.