Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Local Nonprofit Sponsoring Christmas Toy Drive

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Those donation boxes at Vance Family Medicine and the fire station in downtown Henderson are part of the inaugural toy drive sponsored by Blk Sista Productions, a local nonprofit organization with a mission to support local families facing financial challenges.

“Let’s come together to make this Christmas unforgettable,” is the message from Blk Sista Productions Founder and CEO Bessie Williams, who uses the moniker Diamond Unique.

“Drop off a new toy and help us bring joy to a child’s life this holiday. Spread the word, share the love, and let’s make this first year one to remember,” she said in information provided to WIZS about the toy drive.

In an effort to reach as many community members as possible, Williams said she hopes donations will fill up those boxes with toys for children to make a positive impact locally during the upcoming holiday season.

Toy pickup is scheduled for Dec. 20 between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The location will be announced the week prior to pick up, Williams said.

To learn more, contact Williams at blksistaproductions@icloud.com or by phone at 252-432-9683.

Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Elliott Looks Back On Vipers Season

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SportsTalk on WIZS 12:30 p.m. M-Th 

Although Vance County fell in this year’s playoffs, Vance County Football Head Coach Aaron Elliott says that there are a lot of good things to take away from the 2024 football season, as well as a lot of good things to look forward to next season, Coach said on WIZS’s SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and George Hoyle.

Vance County lost to Western Alamance 36-31 in the first round of the North Carolina 3A State Playoffs. It was still a fantastic football season from the Vipers in which they went 9-2, the second year in a row in which Vance County won nine games. This season marks the third 9-win season since consolidation.

Head Coach Aaron Elliott said at the beginning of the season that triangle football is more than just Raleigh and Durham he said that includes Henderson too and the Vipers proved that this season. Vance County went two and one against team specifically from Raleigh and Durham, and when seven and one versus teams from the Research Triangle area.

When talking about this season, Head Coach Aaron Elliott spoke highly of his 14 seniors. Rightfully so! This senior class has a combined record of 19-3 over the past 2 years. This is a special senior class that has broken many records this season. Between 2023 and 2024, this team has reached new heights that Vance County hasn’t seen in a while. A 10-1 season in 2023, the first 10-win season by a team from Vance County since Southern Vance achieved that mark in 2007, when the Raiders went 13-2.

Changes are coming though, in more ways than one. Coach Elliott says that he is excited for what is to come when the new kids move up to Varsity from JV. Coach Elliott also states that new coaches are looking to be on his staff next year. But there is one major change coming next year and not just for Vance County but for the state of North Carolina. High School athletics are changing from four to eight classifications. Admission numbers were released and finalized earlier this week and Vance County will be a 6A school going forward. Head Coach Aaron Elliott is excited for what’s to come and has already had conversations with the Vance County Athletic Director about realignment, “Philip Weil and I have had talks about realignment but really we are going to have to wait and see as to where we are placed in terms of what conference we will be in.”

In the meantime though, we want to thank Vance County High School for allowing WIZS to broadcast their football games this season. We will be right back next season for more Vance County Friday Night Football on WIZS. Until then, GO VIPERS!

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YMCA

Remember Henderson Family YMCA On ‘Giving Tuesday’ Dec.3

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The days following Thanksgiving are a retailer’s dream – slash – nightmare – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday.

But then comes Giving Tuesday, where the emphasis is not on retail so much as on ways to support local organizations. It’s a global day of giving that has come into its own as a way to provide support to causes that matter to you, the giver.

This year, the leadership at the Henderson Family YMCA invite its neighbors and community partners to donate on Giving Tuesday – Dec. 3, 2024 – to support the Y’s mission to provide programs and services that help individuals and families across Vance County and the surrounding area.

Director of Marketing and Operations Christina Miceli said, “Many people feel compelled to support an organization that provides vital services to all, especially in their local communities. The YMCA’s ability to create a sense of belonging and a healthy connected community – through afterschool care, summer camps, swimming lessons, fitness classes, or senior wellness – appeals to donors who want to make a tangible difference.”

A $100 donation, for example, equates to three swim lessons for a young person. A donation of $230 provides a family one month of after-school care for a child. And a $582 gift provides one adult a year-long membership with full access to all facility amenities, including the fitness center and the pool.

So whether it’s swim lessons, a workout in the weight room or water aerobics for senior adults, Miceli said the Y provides a wide assortment of programs and activities.

“When people see how their contributions can directly enhance lives and strengthen the community, the YMCA stands out as a truly worthy cause,” Miceli said.
“The YMCA means something different to everyone; it is truly what you make of it.”

For many, the Y is a place where young people learn how to swim, but also a place where they gain confidence, Miceli said. “For others, it’s a place where children can experience summer camp and embrace the gift of adventure. The Y is also a welcoming space for widows and widowers, providing the gift of connection and community during challenging times,” she said.

Teens can play basketball after school, strengthening their passion for sports and the value of teamwork.

“For our members, it’s a space to exercise and receive the gift of activity and health. And for those looking to make a difference, it’s a place to volunteer and participate, giving the gift of purpose and fulfillment,” Miceli added.

Through a variety of programs and partnerships, the local YMCA strives to create an inclusive environment that supports the health and well-being of all community members, Miceli said. That makes the Y a welcoming place for everyone.

With a focus on affordability, inclusivity and community outreach, the Y can be a place for the whole community to use and enjoy.

  • Financial Assistance: The Y offers financial assistance and discounted rates for youth programs, ensuring that low-income individuals and families can participate in memberships without financial barriers. This commitment allows more people to access the amenities and benefits of the Y.
  • Diverse Programming: The Y offers swim lessons for all ages and skill levels, ensuring everyone can learn to swim safely. But there’s also a wide range of  fitness classes for people of all abilities, from beginners to advanced. The Y tailors programming for older adults, too, which includes social activities and educational workshops to promote healthy aging.
  • Community Collaboration: The Y collaborates with schools, nonprofits and community groups to expand its outreach. Free programs like the Diabetes Prevention Program, for example, helps participants lower their risk of type 2 diabetes, and the Y’s Safety Around Water initiative targets second graders in Vance County how to be safe around water.

Visit https://www.hendersonymca.org/ and click on the link to donate.

 

TownTalk: Arts Council Getting In The Christmas Spirit

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Anyone who may need a jumpstart into feeling that holiday spirit need only chat for a moment with Dr. Alice Sallins with the Vance County Arts Council. Whether she’s promoting the upcoming Tidings of Comfort and Joy concert at McGregor Hall or talking up the Henderson Christmas parade, Sallins exudes that excitement and anticipation that comes along with the holiday season.

The concert takes place on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m., Sallins said on Thursday’s TownTalk. The show is free to attend, and Sallins said the audience is in for a real treat.

Clearview Church pastor Dr. Abidan Shah will emcee the he first portion of the show which will feature sacred music and then he’ll pass the mic to Mixmaster James Williams who’ll emcee the second portion of the show that features secular music.

The concert features recording artists Lynn Cooper,  Spencer Alston and Tia “Catillia” Cheek, and Sallins said there will be other local musicians and groups lined up to perform as well.

“We give you the best that we can offer,” Sallins said. “We look forward to packing the house.”

Other musical and dance performers include Clearview Church Praise Team, vocalist Evelyn C. Couch, Davida Lewis, Sequoia Epps Hargrove, St. Mary’s Praise Dancers, Work In Progress, Holy Temple Praise Dancers,  Brotherhood  and Jimmy & the Sound Barriers.

Sallins said she wants the show to be something that makes people feel good. People feel sad during the holidays, especially if they’ve lost loved ones. “We want to do something to help cheer people up,” she said.

Spreading that holiday cheer continues on Saturday, Dec. 7 when the Christmas Parade makes its way up Raleigh Road toward Garnett Street to the delight of onlookers along the parade route.

Over the years, Sallins and her Arts Council team have promoted the parade “to build it up to something great, ‘cause I love, love, love Christmas,” she exclaimed. “The highlight of my holiday is standing at the beginning of that parade line, flagging that first car down the road.”

This year’s parade features seven professional floats, but there are plenty of locally made floats that are sure to delight the crowds as well.

“Maria Parham goes all out of the way to build these phenomenal floats,” Sallins said, calling out the hospital team for its creativity in years past. And although throwing candy from floats is strictly a no-no, she said it’s perfectly fine for folks to walk alongside the floats to distribute sweet treats to folks along the parade route.

“Everyone has stepped up their game,” Sallins said of the local parade entries. “Each year the parade gets bigger and better…more elaborate scenery.”

Time is tight to get your parade entry form in, however. Technically, today is the deadline, but Sallins said as long as she gets the completed form by next Saturday, it should be ok.

One piece of information is non-negotiable, however. All vehicle drivers must provide a copy of his or her insurance, Sallins said.

And please just put the forms and entry fees – checks made out to the Vance County Arts Council – in the mail. Last Thanksgiving, she said folks were calling her all day and late into the night to ask how to get their entry forms to her.

Visit https://vanceartscouncil.com/ and click on Henderson, NC Christmas Parade to read rules and download the entry form.

Mail entries to:

Vance County Arts Council

P.O. Box 34

Henderson, NC 27536

 

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The Local Skinny! GRACE Ministries Prepares Big Thanksgiving Meal

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Bobby West said Saturday’s early Thanksgiving meal that GRACE Ministries and volunteers will be dishing up for the community is a way to feed people and nourish souls.

It will take “an army of volunteers,” West said, to prepare 2,000 plates at the 215 Crozier St. location, as well as deliver them to seven other sites across the county.

There will be pork loin and gravy, with all the trimmings, West said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! But those plates also come with a “side” of prayer, he added.

“Our goal is to pray with every meal delivered,” West said, whether those meals are getting picked up and delivered to shut-ins or just enjoyed by families who need a hot meal. “Prayer is shared with every plate,” he added.

“The most important thing is prayer,” West said, adding that it’s that prayer component the nourishes peoples’ souls. But he’s done this before, so he also knows that “the biggest thing is getting all that food ready” to be picked up by 11 a.m.

In addition to the GRACE Ministries location, plates will be available for pickup at the following locations:

  • West End Baptist Church, 619 Dabney Dr.
  • Room at the Cross, 235 Booth Ave.
  • Norlina Baptist Church, 402 Divison St., Norlina
  • Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd.
  • Old Aycock gym, 2663 Vicksboro Rd.
  • Corner of Andrews Avenue and Water Street, near the standpipe
  • Grace Baptist Church, 1820 S. Clearview Dr.

The team of volunteers will fill 1,600 plates in about two hours’ time. “We couldn’t do it without the prayers and support” from across the community, he said. “We’ll get eight lines of people packing plates – it goes fast, too,” he added.

Working alongside other volunteers, whether old friends or new acquaintances, creates a humbling atmosphere for West and others at GRACE Ministries.

“You’re humbled and thankful that you can be a part of helping others,” he said. “We want to serve God any way we can.”

 

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Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Shadow Father Archetype

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Cooperative Extension 

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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Home And Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Saturdays 8am-1pm.
  • The Vance and Warren County Beekeepers Association will meet on December 9th, at 7pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Take your soil samples to the Vance County Cooperative Extension. Do it as soon as possible.
  • You need to have your frost protection measures ready.
  • Now is a good time to take a photo of what is in your garden now. It will be a good guide of how to rotate your different vegetables in your garden in the 2025 growing season.
  • Remember to use personal protective equipment when doing chores in the fall. Eye and ear protection. Even sunscreen. Use a good pair of gloves.
  • Leaf collection season is upon us. Compost your leaves. Don’t burn them.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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TownTalk: NC House 32 Contest Update

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Vance and Granville counties are in the middle of a recount in the too-close-to-call contest for House District 32, which has Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn leading incumbent Republican Frank Sossamon by 233 votes.

Cohn led by 185 votes on Nov. 5, but that number grew to 233 following the Nov. 15 canvass to include provisional and absentee ballots.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles said Tuesday her team would begin the recount process at 8:30 this morning (Wednesday); information from the N.C. Board of Elections indicated that the Granville County recount would commence at 12 noon today, with an estimated time of 1-2 days for completion.

In a telephone interview Tuesday, Cohn said he was pleased with the overall process and said he has been pleased with the way both counties’ boards of elections have handled things.

“Given all the changes this year, staffing issues, all the normal hurdles…I could be more pleased with the effort they’ve put into this election cycle,” he said.

“You find out who you are as a person,” Cohn notes, “going through a highly competitive and highly scrutinized campaign like Frank and I went through.”

Cohn commended his campaign staff for knowing exactly what needed to be done, a heavy focus on the city of Oxford – where Cohn is a city commissioner – as well as Creedmoor, Butner and all of Vance County that sits within the boundaries of District 32.

Through outreach, engagement and “good old-fashioned door knocking,” Cohn said he was able to get his message to constituents.

The Republican majority in the House hangs in the balance, pending the outcome of this contest, but Cohn said he is focused on “governing from the middle.”

“The (Democratic) Party has to tack back toward the center because that’s where the bulk of the American people and North Carolinians are at – they’re more centrist than partisan on one side or the other,” he said.

“We have to co-govern with our GOP colleagues and find common ground,” he said, adding that if he goes to Raleigh to represent District 32, he’ll focus on “governing from a place of mutual understanding and try to work together, as opposed to throwing roadblocks.”

In his role as a city commissioner, Cohn said he has a new-found understanding of “how much we can’t do at the local level.” Municipalities have less and less control over things like zoning and planning, he said. Those changes have to come at the state level, he said. “In order to advance the things that we need in Vance County and in Granville County with infrastructure upgrades, we need to have more representation at the state level in order to get some of those initiatives passed if we want to continue to grow in both counties.”

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