Royster retires from VGCC endowment board
— courtesy VGCC
T.S. “Sam” Royster, Jr., of Oxford, recently retired from the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund Board of Directors.
Royster has served on the board since 1998. Among his numerous contributions to the Endowment Fund, he and his law partners established the Royster, Cross & Hensley, LLP, Academic Achievement Scholarship in 2007. He helped to arrange for another scholarship, the Harold & Helen Sherman Presidential Scholar Award. Royster is also a longtime participant in, and sponsor of, the annual VGCC Endowment Fund Golf Tournament.
The board of directors oversees the Endowment Fund Corporation, a nonprofit organization established in 1976 to seek and receive scholarship funds and other contributions for the college. Current board members include Robert L. Hubbard (the vice-chair), Rev. Dr. Richard M. Henderson, Julius Banzet, III, Sarah Baskerville, Rep. James W. Crawford, Jr., Dr. Ben F. Currin,
Sam Royster, seated, is honored for his contributions to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund at an Endowment Board meeting. Standing behind him, from left, are VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson, board members Opie Frazier and James Crawford, VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams and board members Danny Wright and Donald Seifert. (VGCC photo)
Tanya Evans, Clay Frazier, L. Opie Frazier, Jr., Ronnie Goswick, Katharine Macon Horner, Darryl Moss, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., Marshall Tanner, Josh Towne and Todd Wemyss. As president of VGCC, Dr. Stelfanie Williams chairs the board, and Danny Wright, chair of the VGCC Board of Trustees, serves on the board ex-officio.
Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,100 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information about the Endowment Fund, call (252) 738-3409.
–VGCC–
(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)
Public Returns Record Number of Potentially Dangerous Prescription Drugs
— courtesy U.S. Department of Justice
DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION COLLECTS RECORD NUMBER OF UNUSED PILLS AS PART OF ITS 14TH PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY
Public Returns Record Number of Potentially Dangerous Prescription Drugs
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina and William F. Baxley, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Charlotte District Office announce that Americans nationwide did their part to reduce the opioid crisis by bringing the DEA and its more than 4,200 local and tribal law enforcement partners a record-setting 912,305 pounds—456 tons—of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for disposal at more than 5,300 collection sites. That is almost six tons more than was collected at last spring’s event. This brings the total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the fall of 2010 to 9,015,668 pounds, or 4,508 tons.
The Eastern District of North Carolina collected the following amount of dosage units of prescription drugs: Raleigh 8,500, Jacksonville 4,000, and Greenville 1,108. All were collected at return sites set up by the DEA in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Now in its 14th year, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events continue to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they could be stolen and abused by family members and visitors, including children and teens. The DEA action comes just days after President Donald J. Trump announced the mobilization of his entire Administration to address drug addiction and opioid abuse by directing the declaration of a Nationwide Public Health Emergency to address the opioids crisis.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. DEA launched its prescription drug take back program when both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advised the public that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—posed potential safety and health hazards.
Helping people to dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is just one way DEA is working to reduce the addiction and overdose deaths plaguing this country due to opioid medications.
Visit Fort Lauderdale rehab to get help to remove the influence of drugs.
DEA’s next Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 28, 2018.
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Sat, Nov 18, Handcrafted Holiday Market
This Saturday, November 18th, the Vance County Regional Farmers Market will enjoy it’s annual Handcrafted Holiday Market. Hours will be 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Vendors include:
1. Jackie Glover – Glover’s Gifts – Crocheted Items & Bird, Bat and Butterfly Houses
2. Payton Holland – – Perler Bead Art
3. Marco Haloburdo – Slumped Glass Spoon Rests & Trays
4. Suzanne Chiotakis – 5 Crows at Lickskillet – Jewelry
5. Louis Sachs – Sachs Woodcrafts LLC – Hand Turned Wooden Bowls & More
6. Cakes Delish – Cupcakes
7. Alimentaire – Artisan Breads
8. Ed Cottle -Kerr Lake Candles – Candles & Melts
9. Sherri Matthews – Wreaths
10. Heidi Owens – Junk Drawer Designs – Vinyl Decals, Signs & More
11. Sidney Evans – Jewelry
12. Terry Wooten – Mill Creek Alpaca Farm – Stained Glass
13. Franklin Brothers Nursery – Plants & Flowers
14. Angelique Clay-The Eclectic Peacock – Soaps, Crocheted & Home sewed items
15. Donna Rose -Two Roses – Crocheted Animals, Scarves, Hats & Painted Glass
16. Kim Boyles & Carrie Slaughter-Happiest Dandelion-Door Hangers & Cards
17. Judy Scott – Quonset Crafts – Wooden Watches, Puzzles, Lamps & More
18. Peggy Trutt – Threads Connected – Sewn Bags, Coasters, & More
19. Wendy Walker – Wooden American Flags
20. Thomas Cale – Creative Crafts – Wooden Baskets
21. Pamela Moon – 4 Moon Designs – Fabric & Paper Creations
22. Dianne Slaughter – Dee-Zigns – Glass Block Art
23. Theresa Hlava- Grey Heart Designs – Hand Painted Ornaments & More
24. Kenneth Fuller – Maul-N-Wedge – Barnwood Furniture
25. Vance Quilts R Us – Quilted Items
26. Christina Henthorn-Wuerker Bee Apiary-Honey, Beeswax & Tobacco Stick Items
27. Kimberly Watkins – Then Sings My Soul – Floral Arrangements
28. Kissy Robertson – Kissy’s Kreations – Wood Signs
29. Jerri Jones – Jerri’s Things – Crocheted Scarves, Hats, Shawls & More
30. Cindy Graham – Boundary Waters Farm – Cards & Prints from Original Artwork
31. Tammy Atkinson – Atkinson Creations – Hand Painted Wine Glasses & More
32. Chris Nicholson – Rainbow Studios – Original Artwork
33. Copper Rain – Rain2Earth – Pottery
34. Bessie Vann – Jams & Jellies
35. Short’s Family Farm – Produce
36. JW Creek Farm – Beef & Eggs
37. Henderson Natural Farm – Mushrooms
38. Roy Brown – Orelly’s Curry-Q Sauce – Sauces, Marinades & Honey
39. Mrs. Ada – Ada’s Goodies – Baked Goods
40. Laureen Wilkins – Laureen’s Creations -Wreaths
41. Bill & Camille Graves – Stone Bridge Farm – Produce
42. Faulkner Family Farm – Pork
43. Deborah Price -Backroad Farm & Vineyard – Wine & Muscadine Juice/Cider
44. Magnolia Williams -LouMag Enterprises – Produce
45. Calvin Adcock – Jams, Canned Veggies & Produce
46. Niki – Soap
Vendor list may change due to scheduling.
(The VCRFM is an advertising client of WIZS.)
Gospel Songs of Hope
— courtesy McGregor Hall
Grammy & Dove Award Winning Gospel Artist Jason Crabb To Fill McGregor Hall With Songs Of Hope During New-Album Tour Stop This Sunday
Grammy and Dove Award winning Gospel Artist Jason Crabb performs Sunday, November 12, 2017, at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson, N.C., while on a national tour following the release of his newest album “Whatever The Road.”
Crabb is the first act of the Joy! performance series package at McGregor Hall, which features a total of three shows with five well-known Christian artists and groups. Karen Peck with New River will perform on Feb. 23 and the Talleys with Tribute on April 7. With a regular ticket price of $75, the three-show Joy! package is reduced to $50.
Crabb’s performance on Sunday starts at 7 p.m. and the doors open at 6.
In recording his fifth solo album, Crabb said he poured himself into his songwriting and explored the things that matter most and the greatness of the God he serves. “You have to reach in deeper places to write music, and with songwriting you have to stay there for a little bit,” said Crabb, who co-wrote seven of the album’s 10 songs.
Working with producers Jason Ingram (who has worked with Chris Tomlin, Tenth Avenue North, Kari Jobe), and Paul Mabury (Lauren Daigle, One Sonic Society), Crabb takes a bold new step forward, not just lyrically but stylistically, and has finely honed a collection of anthems for the church that have sophisticated pop sensibilities as well as deep, substantive lyrics.
“I’ve never wanted to be pigeon-holed. I just wanted to make music,” he said. “I finally found that if you’re part of the creative process of the song, then it becomes you. With this record, I feel like it’s a little more of who I am than what I’ve been. It’s where I want to be and it’s wonderful.”
This Sunday, Crabb will unleash his passionate voice through songs that offer a strong current of hope, particularly with the song, “He Won’t Leave You There.” In the chorus, Crabb sings, “When the darkness overwhelms you and the fear just won’t subside, when your questions outweigh answers on those long and lonely nights, when you’ve got to keep on moving, He is with you in the valley of despair, and He won’t leave you there.”
Crabb explains, “I just want to encourage people and give them hope. The album is titled ‘Whatever The Road,’ and I want people to know that whichever direction or whatever road you’re headed down, God is going to walk with you.”
Crabb also doesn’t shy away from tackling tough topics such as the album’s first single, “He Knows What He’s Doing,” which was inspired by an 11-year-old fan named Lily. “Lily showed up at a concert and wanted to sing ‘Love is Stronger’ with me on stage,” Crabb recalls, smiling as he remembers their duet. “So this song is about her. She was battling cancer when we first met and she’s gone home to be with the Lord now.”
Another poignant moment on the album is the tender ballad, “Home,” which was written by Jason’s father, Gerald Crabb, a Dove Award-winning songwriter. “I had already recorded it and then grandma passed,” he says of losing his maternal grandmother, Billie Richardson, in early 2015. “When I recorded it, I didn’t know that that was going to be my song for her at that moment, but you know? I’m thankful. When I sing it, I just close my eyes and think of her in her little blue house, fixin’ everybody something to eat, but I’m not going to see her ever again like that, and that’s a big chapter closed.”
Though the album has a few heart-tugging moments, ‘Whatever The Road’ also includes the buoyant tune, “It’s a Good Life.” Stylistically, the song is reminiscent of Tom Petty’s earthy anthems, but lyrically, it’s strictly autobiographical. “If I Shout” is a vibrant celebration of how Jesus can change a life.
From inspiring ballads to jubilant, up-tempo tunes, the common denominator in every song is the passion and authenticity Crabb brings to every vocal performance. It’s a gift he’s cultivated from a young age. A native of tiny Beaver Dam, KY, Crabb rose to prominence singing with his siblings as the Crabb Family.
The talented, musically progressive family band broadened the scope of Southern Gospel music and became one of the most successful groups in the genre. When his siblings decided to pursue separate ministries, Jason released his first solo album in 2009, and it earned him his first Grammy the following year. Since then, he’s amassed numerous industry accolades, among them 21 Dove Awards, including wins in the “Artist,” “Male Vocalist,” and “Song of the Year” categories.
Crabb said he is looking forward to coming to Henderson to share his music with the area. “I love making music. I love singing. I love throwin’ down and having a blast on stage,” he said, “but what an honor it is to get to share my life in these songs.”
Tickets are on sale for $25 or $22 plus sales tax. Group and student rates are available. Tickets can be purchased directly at the McGregor Hall Box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Box Office is located at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. The Box Office can also be reached by phone by calling (252) 598-0662. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.McGregorHall.org by using the secure and trusted purchasing platform, eTix. Online fees apply.
Those purchasing the Joy! series before the Sunday night show can also add on the Christmas Wonderland show, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 5, at McGregor Hall for a reduced price of $20.
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(McGregor Hall is an advertising client of WIZS.)
@VanceCoSchools Youth Empowerment Academy
— courtesy Vance County Schools — VCS Photo
Randall Q. Bullock, a Vance County native now living in New Jersey and mentoring young men, spoke to male students in the school system’s Youth Empowerment Academy on November 3.
Bullock talked with the six students, who are in the academy on long-term suspension from their middle schools, about their focus on the important things in life and about making good decisions.
He explained to the students that he moved to Vance County at an early age and attended school at New Hope Elementary, Eaton-Johnson Middle and the former Vance Senior High School, now Northern Vance. Bullock stressed to the students that he wanted to tell them his story to help them for their futures. He said he always loved playing football in school and continued playing football when he completed high school at Ravenscroft, a private school in Raleigh. After graduating from high school in 1984, he attended the University of Virginia where he played on the varsity football team.
“I enjoyed my time playing football,” he explained. “I was a wide receiver in college and I played, but I think back even now on what I could have done more at that time to improve and be better. Would it have made a difference in my future? Could I have actually played in the NFL?”
Bullock admitted he didn’t work as hard as he should have in college. After completing his time at Virginia, Bullock moved to New Jersey where his father lived.
He said he eventually realized he needed a plan for his life and that he needed to “look at the big picture.”
“That’s what I want you to do,” he told the students. “Look at the macro, your big picture for your life and where you want to go. You can also look at the micro, which is what you want to do for right now.”
He emphasized to the students that they need to make good decisions now and work to get back on track with their school work and their behavior.
“You are hurting your life resume,” he said. “You must get an education to be successful and you must stay out of trouble.”
Bullock talked with the students about Booker T. Washington, who transformed himself from a former slave to a successful businessman and is known today as one of the most influential African-Americans in our history. He also told the students the story of Ben Carson, a national leader among brain surgeons who ran for U.S. President in the 2016 election. Carson was raised in poverty by his mother, but with her always pushing him and his brother to do well in school and get a good education he overcame many obstacles and is a very success African-American today, Bullock added.
Bullock was brought to the academy by Dr. Ralphel Holloman, coordinator of the academy, to mentor the young male students. He plans to visit the students each month and continue to work with them as a positive, adult role model. Bullock said he is in Henderson about every three weeks visiting and assisting his mother who still lives here. He also plans to bring additional speakers with him when he visits with the students.
