TownTalk: Turning Point CDC Kicks Off Summer Meal Distribution Program

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Turning Point Community Development Corporation kicked off a summer meal distribution program today that will continue providing meals for children daily through mid-August.

Chalis Henderson, Turning Point’s director, invites the community to drive through and pick up hot meals for children Monday through Friday between noon and 1 p.m.

The meal program is a collaboration with the N.C. Food Bank, Henderson told John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk. It will be located at the Oasis of Hope Ministries and Turning Point CDC, 2495 Hwy 158, near the intersection of Norlina and Warrenton roads.

Hot, nutritious meals will be prepared and delivered each day, Henderson said. She has a team of volunteers who will load the meals into vehicles – it’s set up to be a “grab and go” event, she added.

Henderson said folks can just show up to pick up food – there is no need to register or to show any identification – but it is a first come, first served event. The hot meals will be served Monday through Friday, and extra food will be given on Fridays to help over the weekend.

Turning Point CDC is 20 years old this year, Henderson said, an organization started by her parents. It moved to Henderson from Oxford in 2012 and Henderson has been the director since 2018. She said Turning Point’s vision is that “rural communities can thrive and flourish,” and she is committed to continuing her parents’ mission and vision to serve rural communities.

Transportation and limited internet connectivity sometimes hinder access to community resources, she said. That is one reason Turning Point is putting a computer lab on wheels – to bring the resources to those who live in more rural areas. Henderson will be hiring a program director soon to launch the Creating Success Mobile Learning Lab, which is a former school bus upfitted to house a bank of computers for adults and children to use.

The bus is undergoing final inspections to get it road-worthy, she said, and the new program director will be in charge of scheduling and logistics for when and where the bus will be visiting. She hopes the mobile learning lab will be up and running as early as July.

“It’s a unique position,” Henderson said, adding that the perfect candidate would be someone with innovative ideas who isn’t afraid to try new things. She hopes to host as many as 20 community events in the next year with the mobile learning lab.

To learn more, call 252.621.5190. Visit www.turningpoint.org to learn how to become a volunteer or to donate.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

Aycock Rec Center To Host ‘Crafty Kids’ Workshop July 1

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Think “patriotic” on Thursday, July 1 at 6 p.m. when Aycock Recreation Center hosts an Independence Day Crafty Kids workshop for children ages 4 to 8.

This event is open to the first 12 participants to register.

The cost is $5.00 per participant.

Register online at https://hvrpd.recdesk.com/ or in person at Aycock Recreation Center, 307 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson. An adult (over 18 years of age) must stay with the child to help complete the crafts. Contact Lauren Newlin at 252.438.3160 or lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us to learn more.

(This is not a paid ad.)

Grill Safety Before, During, After Cookouts To Avoid Accidents

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Many folks associate summer with cookouts – and cookouts usually involve grills. Whether it’s fueled by gas or charcoal, there are a few safety precautions to remember as grillmasters work their magic to create that perfect meal.

Local SERVPRO disaster remediation specialist William Paul shared some pre-grilling safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association and the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association:

  • READY: Clean grill racks and grease trays. For gas grills, check the gas tank hose for leaks at the beginning of the season.
  • SET: Choose a safe, firm, level spot for the grill away from coolers, people and pets. Grill outside, never in a garage or under the awning on a deck, the eaves of your home, or low-hanging branches.
  • GO: Prepare the grill for cooking carefully. For charcoal grills, use a charcoal chimney with newspaper, a charcoal starter fluid, or an electric charcoal starter plugged into an outdoor-rated extension cord. For gas grills, open the lid before turning the grill on. If you smell gas after the grill is lit, do not try to move the grill. Get away from the grill and call the fire department.

While grilling:

  • SAFE ZONE: Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the hot grill, both while you are cooking and after you serve the food. Grill surfaces can remain hot for an hour or more.
  • SAFE TOOLS: Use long-handled grill utensils in good condition; avoid loose, flowing clothing; and wear flame-retardant mitts to adjust vents to help prevent burns.
  • SAFE COOKING: Keep the fire under control. Manage flareups by adjusting grill height, using grill controls, or spreading out the coal bed. Keep baking soda within reach to control grease fires. Watch for blowing embers and have a fire extinguisher, a garden hose or a bucket of sand handy to extinguish spark-triggered fires. Never attempt to move a hot grill.

“Charcoal and gas grills, barbeques and the like are involved in an average of more than 5,000 structure fires each year and almost 5,000 additional outdoor fires,” Paul stated. Grilling accidents result in 19,700 trips to the hospital annually, almost half of which are burns. Children under the age of 5 account or 39 percent of those burns, he said, citing National Fire Protection Association statistics.

(SERVPRO of Franklin, Vance & Granville Counties is an advertising client of WIZS Radio and WIZS.com.  This is not a paid ad.)

VGCC’s CDL Class Cranks Out Certified Drivers

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In just more than a year, Vance-Granville Community College’s truck driver training class has held three graduations, a fourth class is underway and a fifth is scheduled to begin soon.

The class prepares students to become eligible for a Class A Commercial Driver’s License, which is what drivers need to become truck drivers.

“VGCC continues to be extremely proud of all of our CDL program graduates and their continued success in finding gainful employment in the trucking industry,” said Kyle Burwell, VGCC’s director of occupational extension.

The program includes a combination of classroom instruction, range driving and road driving, and culminates in taking the exams required by the Department of Transportation (DOT).

One of the 14 graduates in the most recent class is Sherell Smothers of Franklinton. According to VGCC, Smothers said she enrolled in the program because she had long dreamed of starting her own small business with multiple commercial vehicles. “My first day on the range, shifting gears, I wanted to give up, but I thank God for my instructors – encouraging me to continue to push forward,” Smothers recalled. “Every day I attended class, I knew that something would be rewarding at the end.” Now, Smothers has her reward. She is now her own “boss,” as owner and operator of Legacy Tranzport, LLC.

The next orientation session on Monday, July 19, at 10 a.m. and all students enrolled in the program must attend this session. The nine-week program will run from Aug. 9 through Oct. 12.

To enroll in the program, students must be at least 18 years old, have a valid North Carolina driver’s license, and be able to read and speak English well enough to take instructions from highway signs, to converse with officials, and to complete the required reports.

The program, certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), is considered essential to meeting the needs of many companies who need drivers to move goods across the country. Local employers have shown strong support for VGCC’s program and have spoken to students about job opportunities. The college offers the program in collaboration with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI).

For more information on the Truck Driver Training Program, visit www.vgcc.edu/cdl/ or contact Burwell at 252.738.3276 or burwellk@vgcc.edu.

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS Radio and WIZS.com. This is not a paid ad.)

Free Outdoor Wi-Fi Available in Downtown Henderson and Kittrell

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– courtesy of Vance County –

Vance County and the City of Henderson have partnered with Open Broadband to provide free public Wi-Fi in downtown Henderson. Service is available outdoors along Garnett Street from Rose Avenue to Orange Street. Service is also available surrounding the County Courthouse, City Hall, the Police Station, McGregor Hall and Perry Memorial Library. The network name is Open Henderson and can be accessed free of charge!

Additionally, Vance County has partnered with Open Broadband and has provided free public Wi-Fi in Kittrell. Service in Kittrell is available in the Dollar General, Kittrell Grocery, Shell Gas Station and Post Office parking lots along US 1 South. The network name is Open Kittrell and can be accessed free of charge!

The Local Skinny! VCS Recognizes School-Community Partnerships For 2021

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Vance County Schools gave special thanks to the community partners of the schools in the district during end-of-year recognitions.

Each school in the district identified a particular partner – business, church or individual – that has made contributions to support the school.

A district committee reviews all the partnerships and awards one as the district partnership of the year. This year’s partnership award goes to TechTerra for its support of STEM Early High School.

TechTerra founder Susan Wells worked with STEM and donated a class set of 3D doodler pens, along with project kits. “This generous contribution allows for students to be afforded innovative opportunities and learning experiences,” VCS public information officer Aarika Sandlin said.

Students can extend their knowledge through use and application with the items from TechTerra.

STEM Principal Gradesa Lockhart expressed her gratitude to TechTerra for “the ongoing efforts in providing our students with innovative equipment and experiences.” The partnership makes an impact on the students and the school, Lockhart said.

District leaders expressed gratitude not only to the partners of the individual schools, but also the support that comes from civic organizations, churches, businesses and the Vance County Public School Foundation.

“We are grateful for each and every partnership, as they find ways to support our students and staff through impact, innovation and outreach,” according to a press release from Sandlin.

Below is a list of schools and the community partners that were recognized:

Advance Academy – Melissa Elliott

Aycock Elementary – Lowe’s of Henderson

Carver Elementary – Cokesbury United Methodist Church

Clarke Elementary – First Baptist Church of Henderson

Dabney Elementary – First United Methodist Church

Early College High – AIS Carolinas

E.M. Rollins Elementary – First Baptist Church

E.O. Young Elementary – Middleburg United Methodist Church

L.B. Yancey Elementary – Rowland Chapel Christian Church

New Hope Elementary – Rock Spring Baptist Church

Pinkston St. Elementary – First United Methodist Church

STEM Early High – TechTerra Education

Vance County High – Gill Clopton

Vance County Middle – Sean Alston

Vance Virtual Village – Poe Center for Health Education

Zeb Vance Elementary – Clearview Baptist

150K Doses of Heroin Seized in Traffic Stop

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In an email to WIZS News, Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow wrote, “On the morning of June 9, 2021 officers from the Henderson Police Department conducted a traffic stop on I-85, resulting in the seizure of 150,000 doses of heroin, two containers of marijuana, and $742.00 in US Currency. The estimated street value of the seizure is around one million dollars.

“The vehicle’s operator, 25-year-old Niamani Faith Dantzler-Sneed, was arrested and charged with 3 counts of Trafficking in Heroin, Possession with Intent to Sell Manufacture and Deliver Heroin, Maintaining a Vehicle to Keep Controlled Substances, and Misdemeanor Possession of a Schedule VI Controlled Substance. She received $231,000 secured bond.”