2025 Duke RAM Clinic Provides 305 Patients With Free Dental, Vision, Medical Care

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This year’s Duke Remote Area Medical pop-up clinic served 305 patients in what amounts to more than $200,000 in free dental, medical and vision care.

This is the fourth year for the clinic, which set up shop most recently on Mar. 1-2 at Vance Charter School.

Over the course of two days, Duke RAM Co-Presidents Anvi Charvu and Lara Kendall said the patients had a total of 476 encounters with health care professionals – each patient could have more than one service if they needed it.

Since it first came to Henderson, the Duke RAM clinic has provided medical, dental and vision care to 1,020 patients that is valued at more than $926,000.

In this most recent clinic, more than 80 percent of the patients were seeking care from Duke RAM for the first time. Eight patients traveled more than 100 miles. The Duke RAM clinic does not ask for proof of insurance or other documentation in order to receive care.

A few statistics from the 2025 clinic’s 305 patients:

  • no dental insurance – 62 percent
  • no vision insurance – 65 percent
  • no health insurance – 43 percent
  • unemployed – 24 percent
  • Black – 38 percent
  • Hispanic – 30 percent

A total of 383 volunteers came together to provide a wide range of services. Doctors, optometrists and dentists, hygienists, nurses and other volunteers gave of their time to make the clinic a success.

A few facts from the 2025 clinic:

  • Dentists, hygienists and assistants performed 70 cleanings/fillings, 55 dental x-rays, and 90 tooth extractions.
  • Optometrists performed 163 eye exams, and volunteers created 195 unique pairs of prescription eyeglasses.
  • Physicians and nurses completed 84 general adult exams and 12 child wellness exams.

Numerous groups also provided support and organizers expressed gratitude for all the help they provided:

  • First Baptist Church
  • Sunrise Biscuit Co.
  • Granville-Vance Public Health Department
  • Sunflower Direct Primary Care
  • NC MedAssist
  • Medical Arts Pharmacy
  • AmeriHealth Caritas NC
  • Backpack Project
  • Edmonds Tennis & Educational Foundation

“We are so grateful for our Durham and Henderson partners who support our clinic efforts with such a strong sense of service. Our clinic could not be possible without such support,” the co-presidents stated in a written report shared with WIZS News.

The Local Skinny! Community Listening Event Analysis from Jayden Watkins

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Among the more than 175 folks who came to Monday’s “Breaking the Cycle” community listening session sponsored by the Pathways to Peace Coalition for Vance County was Jayden Watkins.

Watkins wears a lot of hats – he’s an author, a pastor, an entrepreneur, a leader of the Empowered youth group, among other things.

His comments during that listening session, however, came from his unique perspective as a teenager. Watkins, 16, said it’s important that teenagers’ voices be heard in discussions like this one, where the talk centered around how to combat growing violence in the community.

Another hat Watkins wears – mostly when he’s on a break from school – is that of part-time employee at WIZS Radio. And he spoke Thursday about the listening session held earlier in the week and possible outcomes that could result from so many people coming out to talk and listen to one another.

“It was important to me that my perspective as a teenager was heard,” Watkins said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! Despite the fact that some teens are indeed involved in the senseless violence present in Vance County and elsewhere, Watkins said it’s not all teens. “Not all teenagers are lost or headed down a negative path—many are looking for ways to grow, lead, and contribute positively to society,” he said.

His youth mentorship organization, Empowered, has quickly grown from about 40 to more than 120 active members. They have “meet-ups” and talk about real stuff, Watkins said – mental health, trauma brought on by violence and more.

These teens are not “out on the street causing nonsense,” Watkins said. They’re in a safe space inspiring each other to grow stronger – empowering each other to make a difference.

Call Watkins at 252.425.0354 to sign up for Empowered or to make a donation to the nonprofit organization.

And while he sees the value in talking about the challenges this community faces, talking and listening alone aren’t going to solve the problems. “It’s equally important that we take action to bring those changes to life,” Watkins said. Change begins with action, he said.

Part of the change can come by making this a normal conversation, not just a group of people coming together for a couple of hours on one day and then having the community talk about it for a week before enthusiasm wanes.

Watkins called for adults – especially those in leadership roles who can implement policies and create roadmaps for change – to be consistent advocates.

“One person can start a movement,” he said, “but for a movement to grow, there has to be collective unity.”

And sometimes, just sometimes, it’s teenagers themselves who can come up with solutions. Watkins said, however, that “we aren’t recognized or our cry is not being heard” when grownups are talking about how to fix problems or address challenges that affect young people.

Involving youth in the discussions and decision-making can create possible solutions that may just work.

“I pray that those who attended the session don’t just walk away from the conversation with complaints or ideas of what needs to change,” Watkins wrote in remarks he prepared in advance of the radio program. He shared those remarks and we include some of them here:

“I hope we, as a city, will unite and take real action to spark…change. Progress will only happen if we work together to break down the limiting beliefs that hold us back. It all starts with changing our mindset.”

He said he encourages teens to stay in Henderson and be one of the changemakers the city needs. “We have the power to make a difference, but it starts with us—and with you,” he wrote.

“I encourage the adults in our community not to dismiss the dreams and visions of youth like me. Instead, do everything in your power to uplift and support us. If you hold a position of leadership, seek out a young person to mentor. Teach them not only how to lead, but how to lead better than you. If we don’t invest in us, Henderson will remain stagnant.”

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Vance County Logo

Vance County Animal Services Provides Assistance To Residents For More Than Strays

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Suppose you’ve seen a couple of unfamiliar dogs roaming in your neighborhood. They’ve been hanging around for a few days, no collars, looking kind of skinny. If you pick up the phone and dial 252.492.3136 to reach Animal Services, you’ve made the right call.

William Coker, Animal Services director, and his staff are available to help residents with domesticated animals – from dogs and cats to horses, cows and chickens.

But what about wildlife like deer or bats?

Well, it just depends, Coker said on a recent TownTalk segment.

“When we cross over is when a citizen needs our assistance,” Coker explained.

When a vehicle hits a deer, for example. Or someone calls to say a bat is in their house.

Both cases for Animal Services, Coker said. A 911 dispatcher will route such calls to Animal Services rather than Wildlife Management.

“If anybody uses the word ‘rabies,’ that’s Animal Services,” Coker said. “We take care of that.”

A recent report of a raccoon “acting funny” brought Animal Services out to observe just that – a raccoon “in a ditch in broad daylight. It was alive but it was acting mighty strange,” Coker said.

They handled the situation, but did not send the raccoon out to be tested for rabies because it hadn’t come into contact with any person or a person’s pet.

And as for coyotes, which Coker said are plentiful in Vance County, increased sightings during the day or noticing that a coyote is hanging around and not just passing through tells him a couple of things.

This time of year, he said, it could be a female that’s got some pups nearby. Females often go outside their normal range in search of food for their young. Second possibility: rabies.

Anyone who observes an animal acting strange or out of character should report the sighting to Animal Services during normal business hours.

If something occurs after hours, Coker asks that folks be thoughtful about whether it’s a true emergency before calling 911.

If those stray dogs have been hanging around for a few days, call Animal Services during business hours. If those stray dogs are exhibiting aggressive behavior or being a menace to other pets or otherwise acting strangely, it may be wise to call 911.

TownTalk: N.C. District 32 Rep. Bryan Cohn Introduces HB 269

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Just a couple of months into his term in the N.C. House representing District 32, Bryan Cohn has introduced a bill and co-sponsored another. In between crafting bills and acclimating himself to the workings of state government, Cohn has been crisscrossing the district to talk with constituents.

House Bill 269 is called the Workforce Freedom and Protection Act, which Cohn introduced just a couple of weeks ago. He said so far, it’s gotten some bipartisan compliments – from none other than the newly elected Speaker of the House Destin Hall.

The bill, briefly described as a workers’ rights bill, focuses on removing some restrictions on employees in jobs with salaries under $75,000. Those restrictions could include non-compete clauses, for example, that could affect an employee’s ability to move within their industry.

“They should have the freedom to do so,” Cohn said on Wednesday’s segment of TownTalk.

He said non-competes might be expected in a high-income, high-impact field for doctors or lawyers or company executives.

But the practice has begun to creep into everyday jobs, he said, and that could limit an employee’s freedom to find a better paying job within the same industry.

If the bill is signed into law, Cohn said it would make existing non-competes null and void for workers who make less than $75,000.

“It would immediately give that worker the ability, if they choose, to seek employment that best suits them,” he said.

Another Bill that Cohn has co-sponsored calls for raising the minimum wage to $18 an hour.

North Carolina follows the federal government’s minimum wage, which has been $7.25 since July 2009.

Cohn advocates for having a stairstep increase over a period of time “to reach an agreeable and reasonable” level.

“You can’t shock the system,” he said. “I strongly believe in a tapered minimum wage.” Workers who earn minimum wage often have multiple jobs just to make ends meet. North Carolina’s minimum wage is “not even close to being a livable wage.”

The idea is to put more money in the pockets of workers, of course, but also to invigorate the economy. Right now, many workers in lower pay bands, Cohn said, don’t have extra money left to put into the economy after they’ve paid for rent and groceries.

They’re spending less money because of inflationary pressure, he asserted, which doesn’t do local economies and local businesses any good.

During his visits throughout the district, Cohn said he’s been particularly pleased to learn more about a key community partner – Vance-Granville Community College.

The trades program, for example, Cohn said, is “phenomenal.” He said until he visited the campus recently, he wasn’t aware of just how successful the college’s trades programs have been.

With District 32 positioned so close to the burgeoning Triangle area, Cohn said the growth will continue.

“I’m excited for the growth that this region is going to see over the coming years and decades,” he said.

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Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Home and Garden Show: VCRFM Gardens

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The beautiful memorial garden that greets visitors as they drive into the parking area at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market once was a triangular plot of grass.

Eileen Novak, president of the Vance Warren Master Gardeners said it not only serves to beautify the farmers market campus, but it also is a place for gardeners of all sorts to get ideas about what may grow in their own home landscapes.

Novak and N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent Michael Ellington talked about the existing garden and another that is under construction at the farmers market on Wednesday’s Home and Garden Show.

“We started with a plan,” Novak explained. “And we have kept to that plan…we started it bit by bit,” she said. Over time, the garden’s focus has narrowed to native plants that support pollinators.

“We’ve got a huge variety of plants that will feed the insects in most of the seasons,” she said.

The garden has even contributed to an N.C. State University study to provide information about overwintering insects.

The garden requires regular maintenance and care, and you’ll find a core group of Master Gardeners most Fridays – when the weather allows – weeding, pruning, dividing and generally caring for a garden space for the whole community to enjoy.

One of the perks of gardening is sharing plants with friends, so when bulbs need dividing or bushes need thinning, Novak said the “extra” plants can help improve the environment in other places as well as the market garden.

Ellington said he takes calls from people who have visited the farmers market and are interested in achieving the same look as the memorial garden.

“They want that look at home, but they want easy plants that they don’t have to maintain,” he said.

That’s where native selections are perfect fits, Novak said. “Natives grew up here, they are familiar with the soil, familiar with the environment, the weather,” she said. “Rose bushes are finicky because they’re not natives.”

Novak said members of the Master Gardeners are regularly stationed at the farmers market to answer questions from the public.

“We’re like librarians,” she said. “We don’t know everything, but we know where to look for the answers.” They can help make suggestions, provide information about native plants and how to support pollinators in their own yards and landscapes.

One piece of advice Novak offers to novice gardeners: Start small.

A 4 x 8 foot garden is a perfect size to get started, she said. And that just happens to be the size of the raised beds that will be part of a community garden that is being installed at the farmers market.

Ellington said the raised beds will be rented out for $40 each during the growing season and it’s the perfect way for people who either don’t have space for a garden or who want to get a little extra support from experienced gardeners and from Extension agents.

There are upcoming workdays to come out to help with the garden installation – come out to volunteer on Mar. 21, Mar. 29 or Apr. 11.

Can’t volunteer? No problem. Plans are in the works to offer sponsorship opportunities as well, Ellington said.

If all goes according to plan, the community garden will be ready just about the time the market opens for the season on Saturday, May 3.

By that time, said Novak, gardeners can plant lettuce slips and tomato slips, as well as beet seeds and carrot seeds.

Learn more at the following sites:

Community Garden Volunteer Form (March 21st, 29th, April 11th)

https://go.ncsu.edu/vcrfmgarden

Planting: A Spring Vegetable Planting Guide (March 31st)

http://go.ncsu.edu/vancespringgarden

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“Breaking The Cycle” Listening Session Draws Community Together To Find Solutions To Violence

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Participants in Monday’s “Breaking the Cycle” community listening session hosted by Pathways to Peace Coalition for Vance County!” got a chance to create a storyboard that reflects concerns, challenges, hopes and a vision for Vance County as a place known for something gun violence and crime.

Charles Turrentine, Jr. is one of the event organizers and a member of the coalition. Other coalition members include Gregory Kelly Michele Walker, Dwayne Russell, Laura Perkinson Roy Brown, Adriane Anderson, Darius Pitt and Matthew Todd. Joanne Evans and Kenia Gomez-Jimenez were moderators for Monday’s gathering at Southern Charm Event Center in downtown Henderson. Turrentine estimated that more than 175 people came out to participate in the listening session to offer their voices and their sentiments against senseless violence.

The storyboard created a visual representation to capture sentiments from the group as a way to generate ideas and possible solutions to challenges. Next steps, Turrentine said, will be to review the information gathered and to form an action plan – that could be as early as next week, he told WIZS News.

During the roughly two-hour session, various individuals spoke of personal experiences and provided insight to share how they had been affected by violence.

A local barber talked about gun violence and the grief it inflicts on survivors of those killed by gun violence. People look for revenge instead of resolution, he said, and added that having hope is a first step to changing the narrative.

Jonathan Pulley is a UNC Air Care Flight paramedic and he said he’s seen the whole range of situations – good and bad – in his line of work. Pulley said heart-wrenching situations like hearing a victim utter the words “Am I going to die?” or telling a mother her child is dead are awful situations to be in. He said as a first responder, part of his job is to show empathy.

One man said the county has a bad reputation that needs to be addressed. A cousin of his was killed, a niece and sister also have been wounded by gunfire, both of which are result of existing problems in the community. But if you have a problem, he said, bring a solution, too. The answer can’t be just building a new, bigger jail. There needs to be thought given to more opportunities for youth, like a youth apprenticeship program to partner with local tradespeople to give young people a chance to learn job skills.

Jamon Glover works at the N.C. Cooperative Extension and said his father was strict about curfews and staying out of trouble. Glover, a 1995 graduate of Northern Vance High School, just dropped his own son off to join the U.S. Army. Glover said having a strong parental figure – in this case, a father – remains a vital piece of the puzzle. One of the extension programs he runs supports a father’s involvement in child-rearing. Even if parents aren’t together in the same household, fathers can still co-parent and be involved in their children’s lives.

Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott shared her story as well. Her younger brother was shot six times more than three decades ago, Elliott said. “Thirty-one years later, and we’re having the same conversation.” At the end of the day, marching and meeting doesn’t work, she said. She implored the audience “to stop talking and do something.”

There are many organizations in the community doing great work, Elliott said. Having a resource map with details of available services and programs that people can access would be one way to help connect programs with those who need them.

“The violence is senseless,” she said.

One woman who spoke said she moved from Baltimore, MD, where 400 murders a year is considered “normal.” Residents there have become desensitized to the violence, she said. She has a daughter and would love to see a youth organization that doubles as a mentorship program. Parents must take back their position as heads of households and give children the security and safety they need, she said.

She said that she’s glad to see the community pulling together. “I really think something good is going to come out of this,” she said of the meeting.

Caroline Farmer, executive director of the Governor’s Crime Commission was in attendance and said her commission gives grants to groups and organizations to combat problems like gun violence.

Gun violence is a public health issue, Farmer told the audience. And that storyboard that was created during the listening session is the road map to address the issues in Vance County.

“It’s not just about giving out the money,” she said. It’s about having a plan and different groups working together in the community.

“It involves coordination. If you want the money, you work together.” Grant funding could be used to fund proposals that help bridge the gap between services that are already in place, she explained, or the money could be used for a brand-new program.

The Governor’s Crime Commission currently is accepting grant proposals through the end of April. There will be another grant opportunity in the fall, she said.

TownTalk: Maria Parham Health Wall Breaking Ceremony and Staff Recognition

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Maria Parham Health has embarked on a construction project that will make trips to the Emergency Department safer and more efficient, especially for individuals with behavioral health challenges or substance abuse issues.

The project to transform the ED area will take months to complete, but the hospital can’t just shut down while construction is going on, so officials and staff have had to make some adjustments to precisely how folks in the community access the Emergency Department area.

With directional signs in place, staff and other community leaders took part in a “Wall Breaking” ceremony on Monday. Typical ground-breaking ceremonies may call for officials turning over small piles of dirt with a golden shovel, but Monday’s wall-breaking involved gloves, hammers and protective eyewear. MPH Chief Executive Officer Bert Beard welcomed participants to take a swing at a wall inside the hospital that is marked for demolition.

The lead-up to the actual renovation has taken a few years. What began as a roundtable discussion with stakeholders that included law enforcement officials, mental health and public health leaders, the District Attorney and our state representatives has been translated into a multi-million-dollar project to reshape the ED’s physical setup to better and more safely care for patients that come in seeking help, Beard said in remarks to those gathered on Monday morning.

As the MPH hospital chaplain for 36 years, Pastor Frank Sossamon shares a unique perspective on the project. As N.C. State Representative Sossamon, he helped secure $5 million in state funding to make the project a reality.

The renovation will create designated spaces within the ED specifically designed to meet the needs of behavioral health patients and patients facing social challenges.

Sossamon called the project a “win” for patients, staff and the community.

Although the hospital’s Emergency Department area is undergoing a significant transformation, the day-to-day activities that go on behind the scenes remain in place and hospital officials used the occasion on Monday to recognize several individuals for their exemplary work that keeps the hospital humming and patient care top-of-mind.

Kim Smith, chair of the Maria Parham Resilience Committee, announced the winner of the Employee of the Year and called James Boyd up to receive the honor.

Smith said Boyd always goes above and beyond what is expected and offers his considerable expertise – along with a positive attitude and with humility – that creates a true collaborative effort.

The 2025 Clinical Director of the Year is Crystal Hobgood, director of Surgical Services.

Dr. Darius Divina read some of the comments about Hobgood, including “champion of patient care,” “example of integrity to all” and “encourages team camaraderie.”

The 2025 Ancillary Director of the Year is Tracy Moseley, Market Director, Materials Management.

Moseley is a key member at both the Henderson hospital and the Person County hospital, Divina said. She demonstrates leadership qualities and comes in and covers at either hospital when someone calls out and she steps in to receive and deliver supplies where they are needed. And she does her job “with excellence and integrity,” Divina said.

CLICK PLAY for TownTalk which includes audio from the event!

 

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Author Talks About Writing Books At Next Kids Connect Program

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A published author with local ties is visiting Perry Memorial Library to share her book and what it takes to be a writer at the upcoming Kids Connect program, Tuesday, Mar. 25 at 4 p.m.

The Kids Connect program is geared to children in elementary school – grades K-5, and Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters said she’s excited to be able to let young people hear from a real, live author about writing books.

Kristen Mann lives in New York, but she’ll be visiting family in the area and is planning to stop by the library.

“I love when authors reach out to me,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! “Kids love to learn hands-on,” she said. They ask questions to learn about the nuts and bolts of writing, illustrating and publishing a book.

Mann latest book is called “Legendary Lessons: We Use Our Hands,” Peters said.

Mann will bring her book and talk about it, which Peters said is a great way to connect the act and art of writing a book with a child who may be developing a passion for writing, too.

“They like to think, ‘I can do that,’” Peters said.

She’s had a couple of other authors come to speak to children’s groups and said it’s hard to tell who has more fun – the kids or the grownups.

Often, authors have other jobs and writing is their passion.

“It’s so important for kids to understand that (writing) doesn’t have to be your only job,” Peters said.

She wants young people to find their passion – what they enjoy doing – that doesn’t always have to do with a device like a phone, a tablet or a computer.

Learn more about the programs the library offers at www.perrylibrary.org.

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