Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

TownTalk: Resource Fair At VGCC April 27

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Organizers for an upcoming community resource fair are pleased with how planning is going so far, and they are predicting a win-win situation for all involved – for those who provide resources and for those who are seeking information.

Huff Consulting of Oxford, along with partners Vance-Granville Community College and the Henderson-Vance and Granville County Chambers of Commerce have been planning for months.

Michele Walker, Huff Consulting’s sales and account manager, said there are 65 vendors – nonprofits, for-profit companies, churches and more – lined up to participate in the April 27 event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the VGCC Civic Center on the Main Campus in Henderson.

“We’re very fortunate to have the community coming together for this,” Walker said on TownTalk.

Huff Consulting is a recruiting firm that works with a wide range of employees – from day laborers to corporate executives, Walker said, adding that her company has recognized the struggles that face many in the community. “Everybody has a need,” she said. And this resource festival is a way to bridge the gap between available resources and the folks who are looking for them.

Sandra Wilkerson, president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber, said this coordinated effort across county lines fits perfectly with the local Chamber’s 2023 theme “Year of Collaboration.”

The resource fair participants not only will be able to provide information to attendees, but they’ll also have the chance to build collaborations among themselves.

Having so many different segments of the community and region under one roof for the day is sure to create connections, said Lauren Roberson, director of the Granville County Chamber.

“We’re super excited to be a part of it and help in any way we can,” Roberson said.

In addition to sharing information with the community, Roberson said another goal is to shine a light on all the opportunities within the whole Kerr-Tar region, which includes Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties.

“You’re going to get way more done collaborating than working against each other,” she said. “We’re going to succeed by all working together.”

If people can live and work in the same area, that means there’s a greater chance that they’ll spend more time – and dollars – in that same area.

“We want to keep people in the Kerr-Tar region,” Roberson noted.

Don’t fret if you’re interested in coming out to the festival but have young children in tow – VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel said you’re in luck: VGCC’s Science Department is having an event that day as part of the NC Science Festival. There will be a Kid’s Corner where children can “come in and have fun with science,” Cissel noted.

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The Local Skinny! Upcoming Events In Granville County

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Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen has a heap of activities lined up for spring all across the county, from barbecue competitions to gardening expos. Find one – or more – that suit your interests.

Jimbo’s Backyard BBQ Competition takes place Saturday, April 8 at The Barn at Vino in Stem. General admission is $10. There will be all different types of activities taking place during the competition for visitors to enjoy, including live music, food trucks and a multitude of vendors. Allen spoke with Bill Harris on The Local Skinny! to spotlight a few of the events taking place.

Here’s a snapshot of upcoming events:

Saturday, April 22 – the 2nd annual Gardeners Expo, sponsored by The Granville Gardeners. More than 1,200 people attended last year’s free event, and Allen said this year’s event could be even bigger. Visit www.thegranvillegardeners.org to learn more. The event will be held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, Highway 15, Oxford from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thursday, April 27 – Alive After Five kicks off the 2023 season with the Konnection Band in downtown Oxford from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Head on down to Littlejohn Street and enjoy the first of three concerts sponsored by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce.

Saturday, April 29 – Oxford Main Street Arts & Wine Festival, downtown Oxford from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This free event will feature live demonstrations by a number of artists, as well as food vendors and activities for the kids. Tickets for the wine-tasting are available for purchase at The Hub on Main. Visit their Facebook page to learn how.

Saturday, April 29 – Central Highland Games, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Central Children’s Home, Oxford. It’s all things Scottish throughout the day, as kilted athletes demonstrate just a few of the unique Highland games. There will be bagpipe bands, Highland dance demonstrations and food vendors. The cost is $20 for parking, with all proceeds going to the children’s home. And for a $10 donation, you can try your hand at some of the games yourself.

Check out www.visitgranvillenc.com for a complete schedule of events.

 

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Smart Start

FGV Partnership For Children Announces ‘Week Of The Young Child’ Activities April 1-7

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Since 1971, early childhood education proponents have celebrated The Week of the Young Child. The FGV Partnership for Children invites the community to help mark the special week – April 1-7 – by participating in numerous activities, all with children in mind.

FGV Partnership for Children’s Development Coordinator Garry Daeke will be a guest on Monday’s TownTalk, and he shared the schedule of events that will take place, including one that will be held Saturday, April 1.

A virtual kindergarten transition forum will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Tanya Daniels, M.Ed. will present “Belonging, Believing and Becoming of Tomorrow’s Children.” Register at www.fgvsmartstart.org.

Additional activities include:

  • Monday, April 3—Pinwheels, kick off April Prevent Child Abuse NC.  Childcare programs (New Beginnings and Teach-A-Tot) will visit FGV Smart Start and ‘plant’ a pinwheel garden, along with indoor activities and snacks.  Time: 10 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 4—Health and Fitness Day will organize healthy snacks and outdoor play for children at What A Blessing Child Care and Franklinton United Methodist Church Day Care in Franklin County. Time: 10 a.m.
  • Wednesday, April 5—Literacy Day will set up Imagination Library enrollments at Wal Mart in each county and will be enrolling children from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
  • Thursday, April 6–Safe Kids Day (Vance County) Safe Kids will set up at Dabney Drive Fire station from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and provide child safety seat inspections and installation.

The purpose of The Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

Granville Chamber Taking Nominations For 2022 Small Business Of The Year Through April 17

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The Granville Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2022 Small Business of the Year through April 17.

There are a few criteria to keep in mind about the business being nominated:

  • Has a maximum of 50 employees
  • Is a member of the Chamber
  • Is in operation two or more years and have grown or remained stable during its operation
  • Provides a critical service or product, fill a void in the business community or have a unique approach to deliver of goods and services
  • Is supportive of community growth sustainability
  • Is NOT a governmental agency or municipality
  • May have overcome extraordinary circumstances to remain open

Any individual can nominate a business that they feel deserves recognition and companies may self-nominate.

All nominated companies will be required to submit a written application and return it to the Chamber office no later than April 17. All applications will remain confidential.

Visit https://granville-chamber.com/ to download the nomination form.

Forms should be returned to the Chamber office no later than 5 p.m. on April 17 via email, U.S. mail or hand-delivered.

Send completed nomination forms to lauren@granville-chamber.com; mail to Granville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 820, Oxford, NC 27565 or hand deliver to the office, located at 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford.

The Local Skinny! “Paws For Granville” At The Barn At Vino

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There’s still a sliver of time left to purchase a ticket for the upcoming fundraiser event sponsored by the Humane Society of Granville County. “Paws for Granville” takes place Saturday, April 1 from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $35, but Humane Society President Anne Crews said there’s little time to waste.

“Ticket sales have been brisk,” Crews said on Tuesday’s Pets and People segment of The Local Skinny! If you’d like to purchase a ticket, find Humane Society of Granville County on Facebook before Wednesday, Mar. 29.

The dinner and silent auction event at the Barn at Vino I Stem is the group’s major fundraiser, and the proceeds are split between the Humane Society and the Granville Animal Shelter, both of which use the money to spay and neuter dogs and cats.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun,” Crews said. This year’s selection of silent auction items includes a yearlong pass to any N.C. state park, jewelry from Diamonds Direct, Durham Bulls tickets and a VIP 4-pack to see ‘Six’ at DPAC, just to name a few.

The Humane Society partners with the shelter to help provide services, including spay/neuter programs for low-income pet owners and support of several feral cat colonies across the county.

Cats can have several litters of about kittens a year, Crews explained, so trapping and returning feral cats helps to reduce the cat population. “Before you know it you’ve gone from two feral cats to 40 in one year. We believe in getting in there and spay and neuter” the cats, remove those who are candidates for adoption. A small snip made in the neutered cat’s ear indicates that the animal is “feral but sterile,” she said.

 

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Granville County Emergency Management

Granville County To Host SKYWARN Training April 11 At Expo Center

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Learn how to become a volunteer weatherspotter for the National Weather Service at a training in Oxford, Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Granville County Emergency Management is hosting a SKYWARN Severe Weather Spotter Training at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center. This is a free event and open to the public. Registration is not required – just show up at 6:30 p.m. to learn about SKYWARN.

SKYWARN volunteers support their local community by providing the NWS with timely and accurate severe weather reports. These reports, when integrated with modern NWS technology, are used to inform communities of the proper actions to take as severe weather threatens. The key focus of the program is to save lives and property through the use of the observations and reports of trained volunteers.

For more information, contact Granville County Emergency Management at 919.603.1310.

Granville Tourism Authority Offers Mini-Grants To Help Local Groups With Events

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The Granville Tourism Development Authority is accepting grant applications for the upcoming fiscal year through April 21.

This mini-grant program helps Granville County organizations and agencies promote and market events and activities, all of which encourage tourism and bring visitor dollars to the community, explained TDA Director Angela Allen. The idea is to provide some direct funding up front for an organization to have an event that can grow and become sustainable in the future. Any approved funding should be considered as a supplemental resource only, Allen said.

Eligible organizations include Granville County-based community groups, nonprofit organizations, municipalities or recognized communities located within Granville County.

A for-profit group may apply for grant funding only if the event’s proceeds go to a community-supported organization, Allen said.

“Priority will be given to products that encourage out-of-county visitors, with primary consideration given to those that promote the Granville TDA’s mission of marketing the area as a travel destination,” Allen said in a statement. A “visitor” is defined as someone who travels from more than 50 miles away to attend an event or activity by the tourism industry.  Events planned for off-peak times may receive higher priority.

The maximum request is $5,000 and any request may not be greater than 25 percent of the total project budget. Included with the request can be a one-time artist/entertainment allowance of up to  $1,000.

The Granville TDA board of directors will review applications and will make recommendations for approval during their June board meeting. Award recipients will be notified after July 1, 2023, when the new fiscal year begins.

Applications are available online (www.granvillecounty.org/visitors/tda-mini-grant-2023-2024) or through the Granville County Tourism Development office, 124 Hillsboro St. in Oxford. Contact For more information, contact Angela Allen at 919.693.6125 or angela.allen@granvillecounty.org

Upcoming Blood Drives – Sign Up To Donate And Get A $10 Gift Card

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There are several blood drives coming up in the area, and the American Red Cross is asking individuals to “spring” into action to donate life-saving blood, plasma and platelets.

As an extra incentive, all those who register for one of the upcoming drives will receive a $10 Visa prepaid card as well as a chance at winning a $3,000 Visa card, which five lucky donors in March will receive.

Blood and platelets remain at risk of running low, and donors are crucial to helping the Red Cross avoid a blood shortage in the weeks to come.

Donors of all blood types, especially type O donors and platelet donors, are encouraged to make and keep appointments to donate. Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

When donors lend an arm this month, the Red Cross will lend a hand. All who come to give blood, platelets or plasma during March will receive a $10 Visa® Prepaid Card by email. Plus, they’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a $3,000 Visa Prepaid Card – which could help toward expenses like gas or groceries. There will be five lucky winners. Details are available at rcblood.org/help.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities March 16-31:

Vance:

 

3/28/2023: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Rd.

3/30/2023: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd.

 

Granville:

 

3/24/2023: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Ave., Creedmoor

 

Franklin:

 

3/28/2023: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Rock Spring Baptist Church, 34 Rock Springs Church Rd., Louisburg

3/31/2023: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., State Employees Credit Union, 28 Burke Blvd., Louisburg

 

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

 

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

West End Baptist

West End Baptist Collection Point For Baptist Children’s Homes Food Roundup Through Mar. 27

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The North Carolina Baptist Children’s Homes Annual Food Roundup is officially underway, and organizers invite churches and individuals to participate again this year by purchasing food and gift cards to support the drive.

West End Baptist Church, 619 Dabney Dr., is again identified as a collection point for Vance, Granville and Warren counties, according to information from Jerry Parrish.

Volunteers will be on hand at the church between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to accept donations.

A letter containing details of the food drive, as well as a list of needed items, has been sent to local churches, Parrish said. The food list also will be posted on the group’s Facebook site and on the website for the Baptist Children’s Home. Visit www.bchfamily.org/events and scroll down to Food Roundup.

The list is below as well, or copies also are available for pickup at West End Baptist.

The drive concludes on Monday, Mar. 27, so there’s still plenty of time to drop off donations.

“When children go into the Baptist Children’s Homes, it is obvious they have gone without food, without love and without hope,” Parrish said. “One of the first ways (the) children learn that they are loved is when their cottage parents serve them the regular meals they could not count on before arriving. By filling their plates, you fill their hearts,” he said.

Rosalyn Green: 2022 John Penn Citizen Of The Year

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She grew up in Granville County, and like so many other young people, Rosalyn Green flew the coop when she had the chance. But chickens, they say, always come home to roost. And that’s just what Green did. Granville County is better for her return.

Green was surprised last week when she was named the John Penn Citizen of the Year during the annual Granville Chamber of Commerce banquet at The Barn at Vino in Stem.

“I was so shocked,” Green said in an interview with WIZS News. “I had no idea (they) were giving me an award.”

In fact, she was almost a no-show for the awards ceremony. See, one of her sisters had been in hospital and there was just a lot to deal with.

But Chamber Director Lauren Roberson pulled out all the stops. It’s not every day that Rosalyn Green can be surprised. No subterfuge was involved, but suffice it to say that Roberson wanted to make sure the honoree was going to show up.

In hindsight, Green said, it was a little suspicious: Roberson had asked her to represent Leadership Granville at the annual Chamber meeting. Anybody could have done that, Green recounted during an interview with WIZS News. And then another friend had called her, inquiring about her plans. Dubious, as Green would later remark.

But she was still in the dark about being the center of attention until 2021 recipient Mark Pace stood at the podium to introduce the 2022 award winner and said something about “writing grants” for the Shaw Museum in Oxford.

“I don’t think she realizes how much she does and how much of an impact she has on people,” Roberson said in an interview following the event. “It’s very endearing. She is such a genuine and kind person. She truly loves her community and wants to be involved in making it a better place.”

 To be honest, Green prefers to work “under the radar,” whether it’s collecting food from local grocery stores to deliver to Area Congregations In Ministry -Granville County’s food bank – or writing grants for the G.C. Shaw Museum in Oxford.

When she returned to Granville County n 2008, following a successful career in Washington, DC as a computer programmer with the U.S. Census Bureau, Green jumped in – feet first – to give back to the community.

At the urging of a fellow Leadership Granville colleague, she began working with the bookstore associated with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. When the Rev. Harrison Simons suggested that she be added to the payroll, she reminded him that she was retired. “I get to come in and leave when I want to,” she recalled saying to him, adding: “I had a good time.”

And the bookstore enjoyed increased sales from all of her friends coming in to buy books, she added.

To this day, Green enjoys doing that behind-the-scenes work that serves to propel her community forward. She’d have it no other way.