Preparations – Relay for Life of Vance Co. June 23
Difficult to believe Relay for Life of Vance County is just five months away. Right now, teams are hard at work including the overall committee of people organizing this year’s event, with hearts and souls being pouring into the preparations.
One Relay for Life of Vance County chairperson, Christy Bennett, appeared on WIZS TownTalk today for the first 25 minutes of the show, and you can listen in by clicking here.
Bennett said, “Vance County has done exceptionally well over the years. When we first started Relay for Life, I think we raised about $56,000. By 2002, we had raised $313,000.00, which is a large amount for a small county that we are. I think it’s an amazing amount. We have not been as high. We did meet our goal this past year of $75,000, which is still a good amount, but we don’t want to see Relay for Life go away. It is something that people who fight everyday, who are fighting cancer, need that help. They need people to work, to volunteer, to want to have hope as they have hope to have another day. So, we’re working towards an ultimate goal, and, you know, sometimes the money may not be as high as we would like it to be, but every little bit helps. And when we’re out in the community asking people for help and to volunteer, it doesn’t matter how small, people say I can’t contribute but so much. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter how little it is, it still helps. We’re still fighting for the same goal.”
Vance Relay 2018 will be changed some, moving to downtown Henderson on Breckenridge Street and lasting for 12 hours from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on June 23.
Bennett said the event was moved to hopefully increase participation, and she said it was a rain or shine event, that Relay is about fighting cancer no matter what just like a cancer patient does everyday.
She said a successful Relay was like trying to plan a successful wedding. “You’ve got your entertainment. You’ve got your food. You’ve got you walk. You’ve got all the things you need to have to bring all this positive energy, so that these people who are fighting (cancer) feel like they’re being embraced by their community, and you’re doing this for them. So, it takes a lot people. Right now, we have about 25 people who are really working at trying to plan this event, and we need more. If we don’t get more, and things don’t change, there won’t be a Relay for Life in years to come. And I don’t want that to happen. I want people to embrace it and want to help with it just like any other fundraising that we have in our community,” Bennett said.
To hear more of Bennett’s interview on TownTalk, click here, and start at about the 9 minute mark.
Know the Facts on cancer in the United States:
- In 2017, more than 1.6 million people in the U.S. are expected to be newly diagnosed with cancer, and estimated 600,920 people will die as a result of the disease.
- Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S. exceeded only by heart disease and accounts for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths
- Thanks in part to the work of American Cancer Society, more than 2.1 million deaths from cancer have been averted in the past two decades a – 25% drop in cancer mortality during that time period.
- The Five-Year relative survival rate for all cancers diagnosed between 2007 and 2013 is 69%. This is up from 49% from 1975 to 1977.
#VANCECoProud – School Consolidation Feasibility Meeting Times
— from Vance County Schools
REMINDER:
Our first community conversations to get input on the feasibility of consolidating our middle and high schools are Thursday, January 25, at 10 a.m. in our Administrative Services Center at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson, and at 6 p.m. at Henderson Middle School.
We need to hear from our community! Everyone is welcome!
EARLIER UPDATE:
The Vance County Board of Education is gathering input on the feasibility of consolidating middle and high schools. The proposal includes the possibility of consolidating Henderson and Eaton-Johnson Middle Schools for the 2018-2019 school year and Northern Vance and Southern Vance High Schools for the 2019-2020 school year.
We need your input. Please plan to attend one of the meetings below. We need to hear from you!
Note that the dates for three of the meetings have changed from what we previously announced.
For those who cannot attend any of the meetings but still want to provide their input, you may send your email responses to consolidationfeedback@vcs.k12.nc.us.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
- January 25 — 10:00 a.m. — Administrative Services Center
- January 25 — 6:00 p.m. — Henderson Middle School
- January 30 — 10:00 a.m. — Administrative Services Center
- January 31 — 6:30 p.m. — Northern Vance High School
- February 19 — 6:00 p.m. — Southern Vance High School
- February 26 — 6:00 p.m. — Eaton-Johnson Middle School
#VANCECoProud – Kedecia Stewart Regional Teacher of Year
For immediate release
Jan. 12, 2018
NC Regional Teachers of the Year Named
Nine in the Running for State Title
Nine teachers from across North Carolina have been selected as the state’s regional Teachers of the Year for their dedication, innovation and ability to inspire students to achieve.
These accomplished educators will now compete for the title of 2018 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. The winner succeeds the 2017 Teacher of the Year, Lisa Godwin, a kindergarten teacher at Dixon Elementary School in Onslow County.
The 2018 North Carolina Regional Teachers of the Year are:
- Northeast: Kaley Kiffner, Perquimans County Middle (Perquimans County Schools);
- Southeast: Cameron Gupton, Greene Early College High (Greene County Schools);
- North Central: Kedecia Stewart, Pinkston Street Elementary School (Vance County Schools);
- Sandhills: Lindsey Sise, West Hoke Middle (Hoke County Schools);
- Piedmont-Triad: Bryan McKinney, Walter M. Williams High (Alamance-Burlington Schools);
- Southwest: Samone Graham, Mooresville High (Mooresville Graded School District);
- Northwest: Lisa Wall, Burke Middle College (Burke County Public Schools);
- Western: Julie Pittman, R-S Central High (Rutherford County Schools); and
- Charter Schools: Courtney Samuelson, The Capitol Encore Academy (Fayetteville)
The 2018 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year will be announced April 20 at an awards ceremony in Cary. North Carolina has recognized outstanding teachers through its Teacher of the Year program since 1970.
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Vance County Water and Properties Committee Meetings 1-25-18
— from Kelly Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst. Vance County
Please be informed of the following county committee meetings. They will be held in the administrative conference room.
Water Committee (Wilder, Brummitt, Taylor)
Thursday, January 25 – 3:00 p.m.
To discuss incentives for availability customers.
Properties Committee (Brummitt, Taylor, Wilder)
Thursday, January 25 – 3:30 p.m. or immediately after the water committee meeting
To discuss future social services facility.
Note: all commissioners are invited to attend.
FGV Smart Start to Enroll Kids in Dolly Parton Imagination Library
Franklin-Granville-Vance Partnership For Children will soon begin enrolling kids in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. F-G-V Development Coordinator Garry Daeke told WIZS News that the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) is distributing $10.5 million statewide over two years.
Daeke said, “The NC Legislature during its last biennial budget allocated $3.5 million in fiscal year 17-18, and $7 million for fiscal year 18-19, for Dolly Parton Imagination Library program expansion throughout NC…Each local partnership then applies for funds to serve the number of children they believe they can enroll.
“We are in process of setting up our contract with the Dolly Parton Foundation, and will be announcing where and how to enroll very shortly. Initially, we will set up an announced enrollment day in each county, probably at local libraries, where parents can enroll children.”
You should look for enrollment forms at convenient locations like the hospital, health department and in pediatricians’ offices.
Daeke said, “Once we are up and running, there will also be on-line enrollment link for us on Dolly Parton’s web page, as well as our local webpage, www.fgvsmartstart.org.”
He said, “With the increased recognition that an important part of brain development occurs within the first three years of a child’s life, and that reading to children enhances vocabulary and other important communication skills, the American Academy of Pediatrics, which represents 62,000 pediatricians across the country, is asking its members to become powerful advocates for reading aloud, every time a baby visits the doctor.”
Daeke quoted Dr. Pamela High, who wrote the new policy. He said, “It should be there each time we touch bases with children.” The policy recommends that doctors tell parents they should be “reading together as a daily fun family activity” from infancy.
#VANCECoProud School Board 2018 Standing Committees Set
— courtesy Vance County Schools
At Monday night’s Vance County School Board meeting, the board’s Standing Committees for 2018 were set. The committees for 2018 include: Building and Grounds, Ruth Hartness as chairperson, with Dorothy Gooche and Ed Wilson as members; Community and Business Relations, Gooche as chairperson, with Margaret Ellis and Clementine Hunter as members; Curriculum, Wilson as chairperson, with Gooche and Gloria J. White as members; Finance, White as chairperson, with Hunter and Darlynn Oxendine as members; Personnel, Ellis as chairperson, with Hartness and Wilson as members; and Policy, Oxendine as chairperson, with Hunter and White as members.