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

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-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

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

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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.

News 05/13/19

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Local Chambers Recognize 2018 Small Business of the Year Recipients

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The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Franklin, Granville and Warren County Chambers and the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, hosted the seventeenth annual Small Business Luncheon at the Henderson Country Club on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

The 2018 Small Business of the Year award recipients included Holland Industrial, Vance County; US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC, Granville County; Focus Design Builders, Franklin County; and Hardware Café, Warren County.

Holland Industrial receives the 2018 Vance County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Patrick Brame, Bobby Powell, Charles “Charlie” Brown and Vanessa Jones, interim president, Henderson-Vance Chamber. (WIZS photo)

Duke Energy was once again the presenting sponsor for this event. Tanya Evans, district manager for Duke Energy, thanked the small business owners and staff members for their contributions to the community and for their level of commitment.

“As a small business owner, you don’t get to turn it off at 5 p.m. and go home. This is a way of life for you and takes dedication and commitment,” Evans said.

Keynote speaker John Alston, owner of A&S Pest Control and winner of the Warren County Chamber’s 2008 Small Business of the Year award, spoke on his 42 years of success as a local small business owner.

“Success is not about how much money you make, it’s about the relationships you form and your enjoyment of the job you are doing,” Alston explained.

Alston said he felt blessed to have started a company that allows him to do what he enjoys while also providing financially for other families.

After hearing from Alston, Vanessa Jones, interim president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber, presented the 2018 Vance County award to electric motor and mechanical repair facility Holland Industrial.

Focus Design Builders receives the 2018 Greater Franklin County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Jonathan Williams, Paul Eitel and John Barnes, executive director, Greater Franklin Chamber. (WIZS photo)

Located on West Montgomery Street in Henderson, the “employee-owned” company was started by Charles S. Holland, Sr. in 1952 and has expanded to include 35 employees and a 150-mile sales territory today.

Now in its third generation of management, Holland President Charles “Charlie” Brown thanked the Chamber for their support and said he hopes Holland will be around to celebrate their 100th anniversary in a few decades.

John Barnes, executive director for the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, presented the Franklin County award to Focus Design Builders, a construction-based company offering a single point of contact for design and construction services.

Founded in 2010 during an ebb in the construction industry, CEO Paul Eitel said it was faith that prompted him and his two business partners to start a construction business.

Three months into the business with $8 million in sales, Eitel said that faith paid off. The company now estimates 300-400 families benefit from the revenue generated by their small business alone.

Jonathan Williams, project developer for Focus Design Builders, also mentioned the education he received at Vance-Granville Community College before transferring to a four-year university.

US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC receives the 2018 Franklin County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Aurora Birch, Tom Birch and Sandra Dean Pruitt, president of Granville Insurance Agency. (WIZS Photo)

“I’m proof that you can receive a quality education here locally,” Williams said in support of VGCC.

Granville County’s award recipient, US 98.3/Lakes Media LLC was presented their award by Sandra Dean Pruitt, president of Granville Insurance Agency.

Tom Birch, president, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. Launched in Oxford in 2005 and expanding to South Boston in 2006, Birch said the station has approximately 45,000 listeners today.

Birch also proclaimed that “radio is alive and well” and is still the most effective medium of all reach platforms, including television, in the constantly-evolving communications game.

Warren County Chamber Chair Kathleen Derring presented the Warren County award to Hardware Café manager Haley Paynter.

Hardware Cafe receives the 2018 Warren County Small Business of the Year award. Left to right: Haley Paynter and Kathleen Derring, chair of Warren Chamber. (WIZS Photo).

Located in downtown Warrenton, the previous hardware store, now affectionately known by locals as the “red and black” café, has quite the history, including a recent change in management with Paynter at the helm.

Derring said this award was “a long time coming” for the Hardware Café and explained that as a small business owner herself, she knew that loving what you do is essential for success.

Held in conjunction with National Small Business Week, the annual luncheon highlighted and supported what Henderson-Vance Chamber Chair Nancy Wykle referred to as “the backbone of our community and our economy both nationally and locally, small business.”

Community Voices Leadership Program Announces Remaining Session Dates

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Community Voices Leadership Development Training for Vance County

This training series is designed for:

  • People who want to be trained to help others to discuss critical community issues.
  • People who want to create a shared vision for their community’s future.
  • People who are interested in learning good listening and communication skills.
  • People who are willing to volunteer their time to implement a community action plan in support of this community effort.

The training session began with a tremendous kick-off session on April 9, 2019, and we want to keep the momentum going. The sessions will be held nearly once a week and will run through late-June over the next 7 to 8 weeks. Members of our community who have been trained to serve as facilitators for this program will be running the sessions. We plan to conclude the training program with an Action Forum & Graduation in June after the holiday season.

Sessions are held at the Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market, 210 Southpark Drive in Henderson at 6 p.m. on the scheduled dates below.  Some adjustments may be made to the schedule as needed.

April 9:

Kick-Off Session

 Working Together to Build a Strong Community

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

April 30:

Session 1

 Creating a Shared Vision of Community’s Future

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

May 7:

Session 2

 Connecting Our Vision to Community Strengths & Resources

  Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

May 14:

Session 3

 Communicating as a Group to Reach Our Vision & Making Shared Decisions as a Group

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable  
May 21:

Session 4

 Learning to Solve Our Community Problems, Step by Step & Selecting Community Problems from our Vision

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

May 28:

Session 5

 Seeking More Information about Our Problems and Determining Solutions for Our Problems

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

June 4:

Session 6

 Determining Solutions to Our Community Problems

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

June 11:

Session 7

 Part 1: Making a Shared Community Action Plan & Planning to Continue Our Work

Facilitators:  Niki Alston and Angela Venable

June 18:

Session 8

 To prepare for action forum
June 25 (tentative): Action Forum & Graduation

Facilitators:  TBD
National Weather Service

Hurricane Preparedness Week: Complete Your Written Hurricane Plan

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-Information courtesy Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations

THIS WEEK IS NORTH CAROLINA’S HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK

All week long, the National Weather Service has issued informative messages to help you prepare for the hurricane season. Today’s topic, the final in the series for this year’s hurricane preparedness week, is complete your written hurricane plan.

The time to prepare for a hurricane is before the season begins – when you have the time and are not under pressure. If you wait until a hurricane is on your doorstep, the odds are that you will be under duress and will make the wrong decisions. Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan. Know where you will ride out the storm and get your supplies now. You don’t want to be standing in long lines when a hurricane warning is issued. Those supplies that you need will probably be sold out by the time you reach the front of the line.

Being prepared, before a hurricane threatens, makes you resilient to the hurricane impacts of wind and water. It will mean the difference between being a hurricane victim and a hurricane survivor.

Here are some things to know about completing a written hurricane plan:

• Writing down your plan will ensure you don’t make mistakes when faced with an emergency.

• Document all of your valuables and possessions with a camera or video camera well before the storm.

• Gather all vital documents, like passports and medical records, and put them somewhere that you can quickly access.

• Make planning and preparedness a family affair to ensure everyone knows what to do.

• Don’t forget to include your pets in your plan.

• Every plan should include gathering non-perishable emergency supplies and assembling a disaster supply kit.

• Share your plan with others in your family, and have an out-of-state friend as a family contact who knows your plan and where you will go during a disaster, so all your family members have a single point of contact.

To make developing your family emergency plan easy, be sure to download a free template that is available online at https://readync.org.

For more information about hurricane preparedness, please visit the following web sites:

• https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare

• https://www.readync.org