TownTalk: Rebuilding Hope’s Mission

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Rebuilding Hope, Inc. will have a barbecued chicken plate fundraiser on Friday, April 29, and RHI Director Randolph Wilson said volunteers will team up to cook, plate distribute and deliver plates until they sell out. The event begins at 11 a.m. and by the time it’s over, Wilson said he hopes all 1,500 plates will be sold.

The plates are $8 each and Wilson said folks can eat in or drive through. Volunteers will deliver to area businesses with a minimum five-plate order, he said.

“This time, we decided to do it without selling tickets,” Wilson told John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk, and he invites the public to help make the fundraiser a success.

Volunteers are in charge of everything from bringing grills to the 414 Raleigh Road location to preparing, cooking and getting the chicken and sides on plates for pick up, dining in or delivery.

“It’s a great time of fellowship,” Wilson said. It’s been a couple of years since the last chicken plate fundraiser because of COVID-19 safety protocols, but this year, Wilson said he’s looking forward to getting back in the swing of things.

“It’s exciting to see people come together for one day,” he said. In addition to the team of grillers outside, Wilson said there would be 20-30 people inside packing the plates and getting them out the door.

To place a delivery order, call RHI at 252.438.5132.

Despite the two-year delay, Wilson said churches, individuals and businesses have continued to financially support RHI and the work it does in the community. “We’re blessed that people have supported this ministry,” he said.

Teams work together to construct wheelchair ramps for greater accessibility. Last year, even during COVID-19 restrictions, RHI teams build more than 45 ramps to help those in need.

And this summer, the Servants on Site program will continue home repairs in the area.

The weeklong event is scheduled for June 18-25, and will send groups of young people out into the community to go out and work on houses. So far, several local groups have committed to the event, as well as one group from Franklin, NC and another group from Alabama.

Wilson said they put roofs on 12 houses last summer; that SOS program looked a bit different than it had in previous years to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols.

This year, however, Wilson said the plan is to get back to normal, which means housing all the youth together and dividing them into different teams to do the home repairs.

The deadline to register and pay the $125 cost is May 1. Wilson said scholarships may be available if an individual needs help paying the registration fee.

“If they want to come and don’t have the funds to do that – we don’t want anybody to miss out because of funds,” Wilson said. “It’s so exciting to see these young people go out on a job site,” he said. “They build friends that last a lifetime.”

The groups don’t simply make a repair and move on, he said. “They put the roof on, then walk through the neighborhood and pray with people,” building relationships along the way.

“That’s what we do it for – not for building a ramp or putting a roof on the house – this is just our avenue to share the love of Christ.”

To register for SOS, email sossec@rebuildinghopeinc.org.

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TownTalk: A Look Back At Saturday’s Embrace Henderson Event

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Embrace Henderson returned over the weekend at Saddlerock Farms.

Please enjoy.

TownTalk: Walker And Brame Discuss Candidacy For Sheriff

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See full text and audio at the bottom of the post for complete details.

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Sterlin M. Walker, Jr.

Sterlin M. Walker Jr., a Democratic candidate for Vance County Sheriff, said he would strive to to offer transparency and accountability to the citizens of Vance County if he is elected sheriff, and would focus on recruitment and retention of officers, increased quality of training, better pay, and streamlining the functions of the sheriff’s office.

In addition, he would like to explore developing a mentorship program for the youth in the community, focus on cybercrime and said he would “definitely…concentrate on cultural diversity and inclusion of everyone in our law enforcement community. I want to look at hiring more Hispanics, more minorities,” he said during a recorded interview with John C. Rose that aired on Thursday’s Town Talk.

Walker is challenging incumbent Curtis R. Brame in the May 17 primary election. The winner will face the Republican challenger in the November 2022 election.

Walker talked about his career in law enforcement and how his experiences have shaped him personally and professionally.

He said the people of Vance County should trust the sheriff’s office and the officers who serve them. “We are all servants of this county and it’s our duty to serve them,” he said.

He joined the Henderson Police Department in 1996 and rose to the rank of sergeant.

“When I first came to Henderson… in 1996, my first assignment was working undercover in narcotics division,” Walker said. From there, he went to the patrol division and eventually promoted to detective – just as cases he’d worked on when he was in narcotics were coming to trial.

“I’ve worked everything from larceny to homicides to bank robberies,” Walker said, adding that he is the only candidate who can claim a 100 percent conviction rate on every homicide for which he was lead investigator.

Officer recruitment, retention

“The first issue that I want to look at is recruitment and retention of officers in the Vance County Sheriff’s Office,” Walker said. “We can hire them, but we seem not to keep them.”

He said officers often can supplement their primary pay with off-duty security assignments. There also are opportunities for local officers to become instructors at the community college; Walker was an instructor for more than 20 years at Vance-Granville Community College, teaching in the basic law enforcement training and in specialty areas of pursuit and precision driving, Taser and active shooter training.

“The opportunities are out there,” he said, “you just have to avail yourself to the training and to those opportunities.”

His experience being an instructor allowed him to network with other agencies, department heads and other recruits, Walker noted.

“They know what I look for in a recruit – I’m looking for honesty and integrity.

It’s ok to make a mistake, as long as you learn from your mistake and keep pushing on,” he said.

Pay options

Better pay for officers is something that he would work with county government and elected officials on, too. He said there are many state and federal grants that may be available to compensate officers for overtime pay for particular programs or targeted issues.

Recruits should know that “you can come to Vance County  and you can bring your skills and your mindset and we welcome that. We also have something to offer,” he said. “It’s more than just a paycheck.”

Detention Facility

“We do need a new jail. The jail needs to be modernized – it needs to be brought into the 21st century,” Walker said.

Accountability

“We want your best effort at all times, even if you make a mistake. As long as you acknowledge that mistake and it’s an honest mistake, we can work around that. That’s not a problem. We’re all human.”

Walker said the sheriff ultimately has the responsibility for his officers’ actions, “I can’t control what the deputies do, but I can control how I administer the application of disciplinary action of the sheriff’s office.” He said anyone indicted for a crime, especially one that involved the sheriff’s office, would be suspended without pay. “It’s not fair to have someone being paid and not doing their job,” he said.

“I believe you’re innocent until proven guilty…if you’re charged, it doesn’t mean you’re guilty…you will have your day in court. It’s not my job to judge you, but I’m not going to have you in a position that you could possibly influence people who may be involved in this case one way or another. The scales of justice are supposed to be blind,” he said.

“Nobody should be putting their fingers on the scales of justice to tip it one way or the other. If there’s enough information out there for you to be indicted, then we put it before your peers and the citizens of Vance County to judge whether you are innocent or guilty. I will stand by that until the day I meet my Maker.”

Walker had to take a medical retirement in 2017 as a result of injuries received in a motor vehicle accident – an impaired driver going 100 mph struck his car as he was on the way to the office to check evening reports.

Now, after several years of physical therapy, Walker said “I’m back, I’m strong and I’m able…ready to come out of retirement and offer my skill set to the citizens of Vance County.”

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Curtis R. Brame

Curtis R. Brame is running for a second term as sheriff of Vance County. He faces Democrat Sterlin M. Walker, Jr. in the May 17 primary. In an interview that aired Thursday on Town Talk, Brame spoke with John C. Rose about his first term and what his hopes to continue working on if re-elected.

The 37-year-veteran of law enforcement said he is the only candidate who currently is a sworn officer of the law. “I’m experienced, honest, trustworthy and approachable.”

Brame has had to deal with several incidences involving sheriff’s officer personnel, and he said that each incident was dealt with in a transparent manner. He has called the SBI in for help with investigations and other outside agencies “to be fair and impartial.”

As for the issues facing the sheriff’s office and the citizens of Vance County, Brame said the opioid epidemic and gun violence are top concerns.

He said parents come to talk to him and ask what can be done about the opioid problem; “I feel for them, I really do,” he said. But the death by distribution is a hard case to charge and a hard case to prove, he added. “I will continue to work hard to make sure that people are brought to justice for selling narcotics in this county,” Brame said.

He implored people to get involved and to report incidents they see in the community. “Report it. Call 911,” he said.

Brame said part of his job as sheriff is to build rapport within the community, and he said that work is going great. “I have an open door policy,” he said, adding that citizens are welcome to call, email, text or meet with him to discuss issues. “I personally call that person back and see what’s going on and try to meet those needs,” he said.

“I go to the churches and civic organizations – I try to go to any meeting that I’m invited to and talk,” Brame added.

The sheriff is viewed as the chief law enforcement officer of the county, and Brame said he tries not to confuse power with authority. His job gives him authority to enforce the laws of the country, but the power belongs only to God.

Pay options

Brame said he has had many conversations with county commissioners and with the county manager about pay options for officers. The sheriff’s office has multiple openings, and he says his office is not alone. “Now we have jobs and people are just not applying for them,” he said. “I  hope this pay study goes into effect the first of July and attracts new employees to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office,” he said.

Detention Center

The detention center is “antiquated and outdated,” Brame said, adding that he will continue to push for a new facility as long as he is sheriff. The current facility is unsafe for employees and for inmates. Brame acknowledges that a new facility will be costly, but he said a new facility could cut staffing costs. “I want the people to understand there’s a desperate need for a new detention facility,” Brame said.

Administration

The role of sheriff is a 24/7 commitment, Brame said. He deals with 110 fulltime employees, dozens of part-time employees and more than 100 inmates at any given time – not to mention the safety and welfare of the county’s 47,000 residents. “The administrative part is very, very important,” Brame said. He has a $10 million budget to work with and administer, and then there’s the court system, enforcement and corrections.

It’s not for the faint of heart,” Brame said.

When asked what he would do if he were king for a day, Brame didn’t hesitate with an answer: “I would make sure that all of Vance County employees are well compensated.” He said the detention staff is equally important as sworn officers and he considers all employees of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office as part of the same team.

Personnel challenges

Brame addressed several incidences involving sheriff’s office employees.

A School Resource Officer (SRO) at the middle school was involved in an incident. “I think it was handled appropriately,” he said. The school board attorney notified Brame on a Friday and the SRO was first suspended and then fired the following Monday. The SBI came in, he was formally charged, came to court and pled guilty, Brame recalled.

A second incident involved a deputy who was charged with inappropriately touching a person in his custody. Again, the SBI was called in, the deputy was fired and charged. His case is pending in the Vance County Courts.

As for the third incident that has resulted in the indictment of three sheriff’s office employees, Brame said he is bound by a gag order issued by the state of North Carolina. “I know the DA went before the grand jury and they were indicted,” Brame said. The three were suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the proceedings.

“In the state of North Carolina, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Brame said. “I have not found those facts yet to say those officers are guilty. What information I had on my investigation proves different and contradictory to the state’s evidence.”

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Click Play for Full and Unedited Audio of Both Candidates

TownTalk: Kerr Tar Regional Council Of Governments To Hold Employment Events

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Whether you’re a high school senior looking for that first job after graduation or looking for a new career, upcoming events sponsored by the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments could be just place to begin.

Business Services Manager Desiree Brooks and Youth Programs Coordinator & Equal Opportunity Officer Sharon Thomas discussed several resource and job fairs and other ongoing programs in the area designed to help people find employment.

D.N. Hix Gym in Oxford is the site of a resource and re-entry fair on April 12. In addition to Legal Aid representatives available to help individuals understand how to get their criminal records expunged, Department of Services representatives will be on hand, as well as GRRO, FGW Opportunities, the Family Resource Center, and Gang Free, Inc., public health officials and other programs designed to help with housing, transportation and food assistance.

Brooks said plans “are coming together very nicely” for this event, which is free and open to the public.

The Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre is the site for an all-day hiring event targeting young adults on April 29. Brooks said 10 businesses have confirmed their participation. “We’re shooting for about 40 businesses and our business services team is working diligently to connect” with additional businesses,” Brooks said. They should have a complete list by the end of the week, she added.

“The morning is reserved for the region’s high school seniors,” Thomas explained. High school counselors and CTE teachers are helping to spread the word at their schools and get students registered to attend the event. The time exclusively for students is from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.; the public is welcome to attend from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., although the target audience is the 16-24 age group.

Visit www.kerrtarworks.com to learn more.

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West End Baptist

TownTalk: Collecting Food, Paper Products, Household Items And Gift Cards In The Month Of April

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A lot of cars and trucks drive past West End Baptist Church each day as drivers make their way up and down a very busy Dabney Drive. The church gets visitors who are in town to enjoy Kerr Lake and from others who travel along I-85.

The congregation is active in local outreach, and support organizations like Rebuilding Hope, ACTS, Grace Ministries and Lifeline Ministries. Their regular 220 Fish Fry fundraisers help in these efforts, and Jerry Parrish is helping to organize an outreach project that will help folks a little farther away.

The church is participating again this year in a Food Roundup for the N.C. Baptist Children’s Homes. Volunteers will be on hand beginning April 11 to accept donations of food, non-perishable household items and gift cards that will be delivered to the N.C. Baptist Children’s Homes located in Kinston.

“We’d love to rent a big box truck and take the food down,” Parrish told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk. Church members have sent letters to more than 25 area churches, many of which used to belong to the former Cullen Baptist Association, to join in the project.

He said several churches have responded so far.

Last year, the church was able to collect about 40 boxes of food items and more than $2,500 in gift cards. That was a good start, despite COVID-19, Parrish said, and he said he hopes this year will be even more successful.

Anyone can make a donation to the Food Roundup, he said. Volunteers will be at the church, located at 619 Dabney Drive, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each weekday beginning Monday, Apr. 11 through Wednesday, Apr. 18.

Contact the church at 252.438.6306, Will Flowers at 252.432.0787, or Parrish at 252.492.6353 for more information.

Visit https://www.bchfamily.org/ to view a complete list of items that are needed.

 

 

TownTalk: Fisher Dredges Up Gold

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Anyone interested in learning how prospectors once set up camp in the northeast corner of Franklin County in search of gold will feel like they hit the mother lode when talking with Tim Fisher.

Fisher is a wealth of information about the Gold Run Branch gold mine, often called the Portis Mine by locals. And he spoke with Bill Harris on Monday’s Town Talk to give an update on another project that he and some dedicated volunteers have been working on – excavating a 94-foot-long bucket-line dredge that was found on the property.

The previous owner of the land had speculated that it was probably just a dam left over from when the gold mine was in full operation, Fisher said. But a couple of years ago, thanks to a couple of long, dry spells and the work of some pesky beavers along the branch, Fisher discovered something else entirely.

He got busy on the computer and found some mining journals with photos of the dredge, which is a floating vessel that used buckets on the front to scoop from the waterway floor, allowing the heavy gold to sink to the bottom of the dredge. The culled material would go off the back of the dredge, leaving the valuable gold inside.

Now that the dredge is partially excavated, Fisher said they’ve made some neat discoveries, like an old smelter in an assay lab. A smelter is like an oven or kiln that was used to melt the gold to test its purity. “It’s a cool, cool, rare piece of history,” Fisher said.

“We’ve figured out how to reconstruct it,” he said of the giant relic, adding that the plans are to make it totally safe for people. “We’re not planning to float it again,” Fisher said, but they do plan to restore it so others can see what it looked like when it was in use.

One by-product of the excavation is all the dirt and silt that has washed through the dredge over the years that it was abandoned. There are big bags of that excavated dirt that are ripe for modern-day prospectors to sift through in search of gold.

Any gold heavy enough would have sunk to the floor of the dredge, he explained. “There’s gold in it,” he said of the dirt they’ve pulled out so far. “When we pull the dirt out, there’s gold in it,” he said.

Some folks came out recently and said they’d like to try their hand at panning for gold in the creek. After a quick clinic to learn some techniques, Fisher said they had no trouble finding gold, which they took home in a small vial.

“It’s an unbelievable situation up here,” Fisher said with enthusiasm. He said he hopes he can play even a small role in attracting more tourism up his way.

“There’s so much to see and to learn – I want to teach the younger generation how things used to be,” Fisher said. He’s also filming the dredge excavation project, and the end result is either going to be a documentary or a series that chronicles the project.

“I can’t even tell you how intensive this job is going to be,” he said, undaunted. The site is a little tricky to get to and the heavy equipment can’t get too close, so volunteers alongside Fisher are literally placing the dirt in the bucket of the excavator shovelful by shovelful.

“There is no quick way to do it…you don’t want to destroy, damage or crush stuff,” he said.

Visit Eastern Outdoor Expedition’s Facebook page to see videos of the progress and to learn more about making a trip to the location.

Fisher’s son, Ross, operates NC Treasure Hunters Campground and there are sites available for weekend campers who want to reserve an adult-size tepee or stay in a converted prospector’s cabin. There also are primitive camping facilities that have fire pits and picnic table. It’s a family-oriented recreation area, Fisher said. Contact them via their Facebook page or call 252.245.1197.

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TownTalk: Caring For Historic Cemeteries And Tombstones

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Imagine this scenario: You’re a property owner in rural North Carolina – say, Vance County – and you come across what you think may be an old cemetery, unmarked and long-neglected. What’s a landowner to do?

Your first call could be to the N.C. Office of State Archaeology. A chat with staff archaeologist and historic cemetery specialist Melissa Timo may help.

Timo has been with the OSA since 2019, and she told Bill Harris and Mark Pace on the tri-weekly history segment of Town Talk that the state office has a couple of major goals: one is to create as complete a record as possible of cemeteries in the state; the second is to answer people’s questions about cemeteries, such as the proper process for gaining access to family cemeteries that may be on someone else’s property.

As genealogy has become more and more popular, individuals are seeking out family histories to help provide information to fill in gaps like births – and deaths – of ancestors.

Sometimes, the information is readily available. And sometimes, it takes a little more investigating, she said.

Back in the 1930’s, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted a survey of cemeteries and that is a good place to start, Timo said, to see if a newly discovered cemetery had been previously recorded.

Although its purpose may have been to create a comprehensive list of cemeteries, it’s known that many were left off the WPA survey, Timo said. “We want to make sure we know where they are in the landscape,” she said, so they can be protected from development.

Landowners are not required by law to care for a cemetery, but keeping the grass trimmed or otherwise maintaining the property shows a respect for those buried there. They may not be your ancestors, but they are someone’s family, and descendants DO have the right to reasonably access a cemetery.

It’s a good idea to create a plan for visits to the cemetery, she said, including how family will gain access and specifying convenient times to do so.

And while landowners are required to maintain the cemetery, they are not allowed to dump yard waste or pull up stones, she said. Cemeteries are protected on both public and private land.

Sometimes cemeteries have marked graves and sometimes they do not. Gravesites used to be marked with fieldstone or with wooden markers, and often those either were unknowingly moved or gave way to the elements.

And even stone markers deteriorate over time, Timo said. The best way to try to read the words or names on an old tombstone is to use water and a soft-bristled brush to clean away the lichen, dirt and moss that may be obscuring what’s etched on the stone. Other tricks of the trade include wooden skewers and toothbrushes, but nothing metal. And definitely no power washers.

She said chemicals in cleaners are harmful to the old stone and should not be used. “Bleach is awful…it etches the stone really badly.” Any type of residue on the stone only invites microbial growth that causes further degrading.

“Sometimes, it’s just too late,” Timo said, to decipher what had been written on the stone. The combination of time, weathering and over-zealous cleaning efforts are a triple whammy.

The National Parks Service offers tips for preserving grave markers at https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/48-preserving-grave-markers.htm

Timo said the N.C. Site File is a registry that collects information about archaeology sites, structures and cemeteries. While not an exhaustive list, it does contain information that has been reported. The reporting form asks basic information like who is buried in the cemetery, or who you think is buried there.

“The one thing we’re firm on is getting a good location,” Timo said, so her office can pinpoint precisely where the gravesites are so they can be protected from being disturbed.

Timo said such precise information has helped in cases involving development of property.

“We’re able to warn people off, saying, ‘hey, there’s a cemetery here,’” she explained. “We can’t do that if we don’t have a pretty good location of where it is.”

Timo cited one case in Warren County that involved a family cemetery on a former plantation and a solar panel installation. The descendants estimated between 60 and 75 enslaved people were buried on the site. When the company hired experts to come in to determine exactly the size of the burial area, close to 300 gravesites were discovered.

The installation was able to continue, but the gravesites were not disturbed, she added.

Once an individual contacts OSA about a cemetery, Timo said the cemetery is assigned a file number and a pushpin on a map. She also shares the file number with the local contact so additional information can be provided in the future simply by referring to the file number.

“I will slip that right in,” Timo said, “so that there’s a permanent record…the state doesn’t throw anything away.”

 

 

Melissa Elliott Gang Free

TownTalk: Melissa Elliott Helps Those Recently Released from Prison

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It’s hard enough to find a job that offers a liveable wage – Melissa Elliott defines that job as one that pays at least $20 an hour. But that search becomes exponentially more difficult for those men and women who have been incarcerated and are looking to get back on their feet.

Gainful employment and affordable housing are two of the biggest challenges that Elliott identifies for the “justice-involved population” that she works with as Vance County’s case manager for the Family Resource Center for South Atlantic, a Raleigh-based agency that supports people as they transition from jail or prison back into society.

The goal of the agency is to help individuals become self-sufficient and to reduce rescividism, which she said is about 40 percent. That means that 40 percent of those who were convicted of a crime will re-offend and return to jail.

“Job placement assistance…is one of the biggest things we do,” Elliott told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

Elliott invited anyone interested to attend a re-entry resource fair and expungement clinic on Tuesday, April 12 at D.N. Hix Gym in Oxford. There will be employers on site who are looking for workers – some will be prepared to interview prospective employees on the spot, she said.

Last year, Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington proclaimed that the city of Henderson would join the observance of April as National Re-Entry Month.

When individuals return to their families after serving sentences in jail or prison, it’s important that they receive support from the community so they can become productive members of society again. Elliott said everyone deserves a second chance, and part of her job as case manager is to “make sure that second chance is there for those who need it most…and to help the justice-involved population be as successful as they can be.”

Elliott said there are more resources for re-entry now than there have been in the past. If you have a family member or loved one scheduled for release from jail or prison in the next four months, now is the time to contact South Atlantic’s Family Resource Center to find out how they can help.

The phone number is 919.740.7950.

As for the April 12 event, Elliott said it will be a full-service resource fair, with everything from a presentation by Legal Aid of North Carolina about record expungement to financial literacy classes. There will be a food distribution, outreach services and much more.

“We want to make sure that everyone understands they can get a second chance,” Elliott said. While not condoning the offenses that may have occurred in a person’s past, Elliott said there are resources to assist those who want to start fresh and be successful.

 

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Mark Pace

TownTalk: Mark Pace Named Granville Citizen Of The Year

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Mark Pace said he is scheduled for ten appearances in which he portrays the historical figure John Penn – a signer of the Declaration of Independence with ties to Granville County. No doubt Pace has done his fair share of research into Penn’s life, which was lived in relative obscurity after he signed that historic document. There were no awards given to those original signers – no acceptance speeches or thank you’s to be found.

Too bad, because Pace could have drawn upon Penn’s reactions when he himself was called to the dais to receive the John Penn Citizen of the Year award at Monday’s Granville County Chamber of Commerce banquet.

Annette Myers presented Pace with the award, and in comments leading up to announcing his name, she talked about the many hats that individuals wear in the community. Just before the announced his name, Myers put on the hat that Pace wears as part of the Penn costume.

Lauren Roberson, executive director of the Granville Chamber, told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk that the John Penn winner is one of the highlights of the annual banquet.

Pace is well-known as a local historian and North Carolina Room specialist at the Richard Thornton library in Oxford. Roberson said he spreads his knowledge across the county – and beyond, and his genuine enthusiasm for history shines through

“He never turns down a request from the community” to provide assistance or research information, she said.

The annual banquet is usually held in January, but this year’s event was rescheduled because of COVID-19 safety protocols. Roberson said the evening went off without a hitch, which she said is a result of wonderful collaboration.

Outgoing president Cecilia Wheeler presided over the evening’s events. “She is such a trouper and an amazing woman,” Roberson said. Dan DeCarlo, general manager of Creedmoor Forest Products, is incoming president. “The board is excited for his leadership and vision,” she added.

UNC basketball legend Phil Ford was the evening’s keynote speaker.

“He gave an amazing keynote speech,” Roberson said. He talked about everything from his childhood to playing ball at Carolina and then in the NBA, with a focus on faith and where he is now, she said, which was both inspirational and motivational.

In a phone interview with WIZS News Tuesday afternoon, Ford said it was an honor to be at the banquet. There were “a lot of nice people, very welcoming. I was amazed at the camaraderie among the people there –  everybody seemed like one big family, everybody seemed to know each other…everybody seemed to be pulling for each other,” he said.

“It was an amazing evening and I was happy to be a small part of it.”

There was a good amount of Carolina blue among the attendees, too, and Ford graciously spoke to fans before and after the event, signing programs and taking pictures.

 

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TownTalk: Fore! VGCC 38th Annual Golf Tournament Ready To Tee Off

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In her new role as executive director of the Vance Granville Community College Foundation, Tanya Weary is preparing for the annual golf tournament, which has raised more than $1.3 million for the college over 37 years.

This year marks the 38th annual event, and Weary told John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk that registration is open now until April 15. Visit www.vgcc@edu/golf to sign up to play or to become an event sponsor. The tournament takes place on the afternoons of May 9 and May 10 at Henderson Country Club.

Weary, previously VGCC’s dean of business and industry solutions, said the biggest adjustment for her in her new role is that she no longer is overseeing programs and developing new programs for VGCC.

Now, as the Foundation’s executive director, her role involves making sure that VGCC has the money to continue offering programs to students and in the larger community.

When the college recently transitioned its endowment program to a nonprofit foundation, it opened up doors that allow VGCC to apply for grants, she said.

Providing scholarships for students is just one way that fundraisers like the golf tournament contribute to the success of the college.

“Our sponsors say they want to be supportive and see our students do well,” Weary said, adding that sponsors help “make college a reality for some of our students who may not be able to afford it without the support of the foundation. Sponsors make that happen.”

Sometimes, the financial needs go beyond the traditional tuition and books, she said. VGCC has funds that can help students in emergency situations, too. “It’s only because of sponsors that we can do that,” she said.

It’s not too late to sign up for sponsorship opportunities, Weary noted. Gupton’s Services is the presenting sponsor again this year, Weary said.

Other sponsors include:

 

  • Charles Boyd Chevrolet
  • Food Lion
  • Glen Raven Mills
  • Golden Skillet
  • Kilian Engineering
  • Mast Drug
  • R. Williams
  • Oxford Prepatory School
  • Select Products

Phone 252.738.3264 or email foundation@vgcc.edu to learn more.

 

 

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