On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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The “mitten tree” at Perry Memorial Library will be up soon, providing some holiday cheer as a wintertime decoration as well as a resource for those in need of mittens and hats during the cold months ahead.
Last year’s tree was a success, but it was also funded with a “Kindness” grant, said Melody Peters, Youth Services director at the library. “We gave away over 200 items,” she said on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny!
“This is the first year we’ve asked for donations,” Peters added. Patrons are invited to drop of new or even gently used mittens, gloves and hats at any of the desks in the library.
If you’re shopping for yourself, consider grabbing an extra pair to donate, she said.
Peters said she’ll enlist the help of local knitters to whip up a few pairs as well when they’re at the library for their regular club gathering.
And who knows, maybe the newly formed Crochet group will help, too. The group of a dozen or more tweens and teens who are learning how to create with hook and yarn will meet again on Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. as part of the Survival Skills series.
“We have room for extras,” Peters said. “We have room to grow…we can open the doors to the Makerspace…(and we) can spill out into the teen area.” The library provides the crochet hooks and the yarn that the participants can take home to practice with.
Another program for youth is the Life Hacks series. The Nov. 14 program is titled “Fun With Finance,” and Peters said a local bank representative will be on hand to share some practical information that teens should know about money. The program, designed for high school students, begins at 4 p.m.
Not everything can be done with a swipe or a tap on your phone, Peters said, and she wants young people to know about things like rent, mortgages, checking accounts and more.
This program helps get them started on the path to financial literacy by “just getting them to understand the basics,” she said.
Learn more about Perry Memorial Library and its programs and services at https://www.perrylibrary.org/
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It may be hard to believe, but the Henderson Christmas parade is less than one month away.
The parade will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2 beginning at 2 p.m., according to parade organizers. And groups that want to be in the parade have until Nov. 24 – the day after Thanksgiving – to submit an entry form.
The entry form can be found at www.hendersonncdowntown.org.
Entries will line up on Raleigh Road near the light at Burger King, and then will proceed down Raleigh Road before turning right onto Garnett Street. The parade route continues down Garnett Street and concludes at Rose Avenue, near First United Methodist Church and Sunrise Biscuit.
The parade is sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission and the Vance County Arts Council.
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The 7th annual Grace Ministries Thanksgiving meal giveaway is taking shape and organizer Bobby West said the plan is to provide 3,000 meals to folks in the community on Saturday, Nov. 18.
In addition to the Grace Ministries location at 215 Crozier St., West said there are a number of locations where individuals across Vance, Granville and Warren counties can go to pick up to-go plates, filled with pork loin, vegetables, stuffing and a dessert.
The event gets underway at 11 a.m., but there’s a lot of preparation that goes in to making that happen, West said on Monday’s The Local Skinny!
He said he expects to feed 1,000 at the Crozier Street location – folks can dine there or pick up a takeout plate.
All the other locations are takeout only, and West said they could use some volunteers to help, beginning at 8:30 on the morning of Nov. 18. “We’re going to need 2,000 plates ready to go by 11 o’clock,” he said.
It’ll probably take 100 or so volunteers that morning, West said, adding that there will be six or seven lines set up to pack all the plates. “We’ll pack them up fast, get them out the door and to the locations,” he said.
It’s their biggest outreach effort of the year, and West said he’s grateful to the churches in the area that help out each year. “We couldn’t without support of the community and other churches,” he said. “God has been so good to us…we just do it as an act of kindness – the world can use some more kindness.”
And cakes. They need cakes – 160, truth be told, West said, for each of those 3,000 plates. If you can help out, give him a call at 252.432.7124.
Monetary donations may be sent to Grace Ministries, P.O. Box 316, Henderson, NC 27536.
Following is the list of satellite locations that will have plates ready for distribution:
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For our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.
Don’t you just hate it when you get just a little too close to the mailbox with your car and you hear “that” sound – that metal on metal sound, just as you’re lowering your window to pick up the mail?
Even the most careful drivers can probably remember a similar experience, from a drive-thru bank or fast-food restaurant, or even a runaway grocery cart that came to a stop against your car’s side panel, leaving a little dent or ding.
How hard could it be to buff out a scratch, fill a ding or pop out a dent?
The folks at Advance Auto Parts can help you decide the materials you need to tackle the project yourself.
WIZS’s John Stevenson and Bill Harris discussed some how-to’s during the Pop The Hood segment of Thursday’s The Local Skinny!
“It’s not terribly hard,” Stevenson said of doing cosmetic work on your vehicle. “It’s just time-consuming. The more time you take, the better your results are going to be.”
A shallow scratch may be able to be buffed out, for example, but a deeper scrape could require some sanding before you add body filler and then paint.
Did you know that the sticker inside your vehicle’s door jamb is the place to look to find paint codes? The friendly staff at Advance Auto can find the paint to match the code and fix you up with the other items you need to tackle the job yourself.
Armed with a few items and a little bit of patience, you’ll have your vehicle looking great in a jiffy
Until the next time you get too close to the mailbox.
The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS. Safety First! Always seek proper help. This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.
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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
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Vance County Schools shines its October Student Spotlight on three students who are making a meaningful difference in their schools. The program, sponsored by the school system and the Vance County Public School Foundation, identifies students who demonstrate excellence in their academics and who also exhibit traits like kindness, dedication and a commitment to personal growth.
Tia Lewis, 6th Grader, Advance Academy
Tia is a caring and loving student who extends kindness to others, according to school staff. Her
favorite subject is science, and she values the engaging projects and teaching
methods used in science instruction. Tia aspires to become a pediatric nurse, driven by
her passion for helping people – especially children.
In addition to her academic interests, Tia enjoys reading “Junie B. Jones” books and
has a strong love for R&B music. Her role model is her grandmother, who has
imparted valuable life lessons to her.
Tia’s advice to others is to stay focused, avoid distractions, and go with the flow.
She actively helps her fellow students understand
their coursework and contributes to classroom cleanup.
If she could visit anywhere in the world, Tia would choose a yacht trip in Miami. Her friends and supportive teachers are her motivation for attending school daily. She admires her kind teacher, who provides assistance, and her friends’ ability to make her laugh. Tia’s favorite color is blue, and she enjoys dancing.
Devontae’ Ragland, 8th Grader, STEM Early High
Devontae’ is known for his caring and dedicated nature, always looking out for the well-being of his classmates and assisting both friends and teachers. Devontae’ excels in Social Studies and is actively involved in school activities, such as the Microgravity Project and the Beta Club. He is also team captain of the Vance County Middle Jaguar soccer team. In his free time, Devontae’ enjoys reading fiction and has a keen interest in history, particularly the Columbian Exchange and the Aztec Empire. He aspires to play soccer professionally in the future.
His advice to his peers: Follow your passions and don’t be influenced by the opinions of others. Devontae’ dreams of visiting Spain to explore famous soccer clubs. His motivation for attending school daily is his parents, who share his commitment to education. His parents expressed that Devontae’ always puts forth consistent effort and has a positive attitude.
Jaryk Harris, 5th Grader, Vance Virtual Village Academy
Jaryk is known for his infectious positivity and dedication to learning. His favorite subject is math, and he enjoys spending time with his younger brother. He aspires to be a quarterback and an architect and has a penchant for horror movies – “Halloween” is his favorite.
His strong interpersonal skills foster a supportive and inclusive community among his peers, his teachers say. His role models are his hard-working
parents, and he has recently found joy in learning about the weather and the water
cycle in Science. If he had a superpower, he would choose to stop time to remain a
child. If given a magic wand, he would wish for financial prosperity and actively help
his mom around the house.
Jaryk’s advice to other students is to never stop working. He highly values the amazing teachers at Vance Virtual Village Academy. His motivation for attending school every day stems from his mother, who encourages him to seize the available learning opportunities. Jaryk’s dream is to visit New York City and Legoland.
These students are exemplary representatives of Vance County Schools and the Student Spotlight program. They embody the values of kindness, dedication, and a commitment to learning, serving as an inspiration to their peers and a source of pride for their school communities and the district as a whole.
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Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 18 and make plans to attend the special Hand Crafted Holiday Market at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
There will be plenty of vendors on hand for the market, which will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Market Manager Pat Ayscue.
“Our very talented crafters have been planning and working overtime on unique gift ideas and
décor for the home or office,” Ayscue said. “Thanks to our farmers who have scheduled the planting and harvesting of our fall crops.”
There should be plenty of leafy greens and pumpkins available to create some delicious Thanksgiving dishes – all the things that make the holiday special. Sweet Inspirations will be well stocked with fresh baked goods and will be available to take special orders.
But Ayscue said folks can expect to find some special handcrafted items, too. The holiday market is sure to help you with gift-giving ideas.
From local honey, pickles, jams and pasture-raised meats, the Holiday Market will have something for everyone.
Contact Ayscue at payscue@vancecounty.org or text 252.425.2092.
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The Vance County High School football team marched through the 2023-24 season, tackling opponents one after the other and coming out with wins each time. The Vipers hope to build on that 10-0 record later this week in the opening round of the state playoffs.
Head Coach Aaron Elliott said he and his staff have been preaching consistency to the team, and that is paying dividends.
The Vipers host the Terry Sanford Bulldogs Friday night at 7 p.m. and Elliott said he hopes the community will come out to support the local team.
“This year has been a little different than last year,” Elliott said on Monday’s The Local Skinny! Last year, he said, the coaching staff was working to build that culture of consistency to the football program that had been missing.
Elliott played football here and remembers how Northern Vance and Southern Vance fans got behind their teams. “There was a big deal for Friday night” games, he said.
And he’s looking to get that momentum going again.
“Having a 10-win season,” Elliott said, shows that the kids have bought in to what coaches have been saying. Those wins – one by a whopping 76 points – shows that the players are enjoying the process.
Elliott said he and the team appreciate all the community support that businesses, churches and others have shown, whether by providing meals or sending congratulatory emails, phone calls or text messages.
“That’s been real important,” he said.
He said he’s proud of the way the staff has worked to instill that sense of consistency to the players, and it’s what has contributed to their success this season.
“These kids really feed off the community’s energy,” Elliott said.
The 6th-seed Vipers face the Bulldogs in the first round, and Elliott said if they get the W Friday, they’ll stay at home for the next round – and possibly for a third game at home, depending on how the bracket shapes up.
He said the Bulldogs, like the Vipers, have a good quarterback who can run and throw the football. “We’re going to have to play good and not take them lightly,” he said. But they’ve got a good defense, too, and Elliott’s been watching a lot of film to be ready for Friday.
“I feel real confident on what we can do on offense,” he said. “We’ve gotten really good at executing plays on offense.”
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The atrium of Maria Parham Health was filled with dozens of county leaders, hospital staff and members from the community Wednesday afternoon to witness a big check presentation by N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon.
The oversized check was appropriate, too, because it needed to accommodate a lot of zeroes – the check was written out for $5 million.
Sossamon, freshman representative for District 32, was flanked by fellow legislator Rep. Matthew Winslow, along with Maria Parham CEO Bert Beard and District Attorney Mike Waters for the presentation.
Sossamon called the General Assembly’s $5 million appropriation establishes a “milestone,” for the hospital, the local health department and for the larger community. Plans for the money include creating secure space within the hospital’s Emergency Department for patients in mental health crisis.
“I’m thankful we were able to bring this home,” Sossamon told the gathering assembled for the presentation.
The money will come through Granville Vance Public Health, and Director Lisa Harrison said the dollars will help to create a modern ER with “cutting-edge care and paying attention to modern-day practices that keep people safe in the emergency room.”
MPH CEO Beard said some of the funds would be used at the MPH behavioral health facility in Franklin County for intensive outpatient services.
Right now, law enforcement officers must remain with patients who come to the ER in a mental health crisis until those patients can be safely placed.
The “Safe Spaces” concept for the ER will allow law enforcement officers to get back to work more quickly, and also will put in place proper safeguards for hospital staff and patients alike.
“We’re working to try to help employees be safe,” Sossamon said.
District Attorney Mike Waters said the courts system is “downstream” from other areas in the community, including education and health care. In meeting with representatives from across the community over the past few years, one thing was clear: it’s important to intervene before an individual ends up in the courts system.
Waters said this project serves to address needs in the community, but it also gets law enforcement officers back to work quicker, which is key to keeping communities safer.
Beard said this ER rebuild is “forward-thinking in how we look at emergency care in this state,” and said he hopes what happens here at Maria Parham can be a model for others looking for ways to protect staff and patients in mental health crisis.
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