Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews
Narcan Kits Distributed in Vance Co. to Help Battle Opioid Crisis
By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer/Editor for Hire
Earlier this week, community members and leaders gathered at the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library in Henderson for a Town Hall meeting and to assemble Narcan kits, the treatment used to counteract a life-threatening opioid overdose.
A total of 700 kits, including a dose of the Narcan intranasal spray, were distributed to first responders, health departments, schools and interested community members in Vance and surrounding counties.
According to Elliot Clark, senior community executive with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, the organization is “helping to distribute Narcan kits and get people resources to be able to literally help save lives and encourage people to enter into treatment for opioid dependence.”
Narcan, the only FDA-approved nasal form of naloxone, has been used to combat opioid overdoses, such as from heroin, for decades; however, it was previously available primarily through first responders. With the recent opioid crisis that has swept the nation, and proven especially hard-hitting in Vance County, the availability of the spray is becoming more wide-spread.
“Plenty of law enforcement agents are now carrying Narcan kits in their patrol cars,” said Clark. “They no longer have to wait for EMS to arrive in order to save a life.”
In addition to widely-distributing Narcan to prevent death from an opioid overdose, the local community is also ramping up efforts to promote prevention.
“It’s a community effort – not just one organization, not just first responders, or behavioral health professionals or schools; it’s all of us,” Clark said. “Education and awareness need to be at the forefront.”
According to Clark, County government is taking a very active role in addressing the health crisis. Multiple agencies have previously held, and continue to hold, community forums to discuss the crisis and educate the local area.
Initiatives such as Granville-Vance Public Health’s Project VIBRANT are focused on the opioid epidemic, specifically around the administration of Narcan. The Stepping Up Initiative that involves local law enforcement agents is also addressing the crisis.
“Prevention is hugely important and traditional methods of prevention need to revisited,” said Clark. “We need to start looking at prevention as a holistic health model and make it part of a conversation where even kids are comfortable talking about their mental health and how they are feeling.”
Cardinal Innovations is available by phone 24/7 for crisis support and treatment options. Those facing a crisis situation may call 1-800-939-5911 to speak with a licensed clinician.
(Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is an advertising client of WIZS Radio.)
Henderson-Vance Spring Litter Sweep 2018
Vance County Appearance Commission Press Release
The Vance County Appearance Commission again is sponsoring the annual Henderson-Vance Spring Litter Sweep Week, April 23-28, and encouraging local citizens to get involved in cleaning up and improving the appearance of our community.
Throughout the week, the commission is asking residents of neighborhoods and subdivisions to clean up around their homes, business owners to clean up around their businesses and church and school groups to join in extra efforts to clean up around their facilities.
Local N.C. Adopt-A-Highway groups are urged to clean up along the roadway areas they have committed to keeping litter free during Spring Litter Sweep Week.
N.C. DOT crews and other work crews will be out helping to clean up trash and debris along Vance County roadways. Local volunteer groups are urged to join the efforts.
The week will end on Saturday, April 28, with the annual Vance County Recycling Day event in the parking lot of the City Operations Center at 900 South Beckford Drive in Henderson. Volunteers and recycling agency representatives will be on hand to collect recyclables items from citizens free of charge. Items which will be collected for free include all types of old medications, household recyclables, computer equipment, televisions, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, plastic bottles and containers and metal and aluminum cans.
Representatives of Shred Ace will be on hand to securely shred important personal documents for citizens. Shredding will be limited to one cart per local citizen who participates.
No old paints will be accepted this year at the Recycling Day event.
Volunteers with the Vance County Appearance Commission and students from the Kittrell Job Corps Center will be assisting citizens in unloading recyclables as they bring them to the Recycling Day event.
All Spring Litter Sweep Week and Recycling Day volunteers are invited to attend a free hot dog lunch beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, in the City Operations Center. The lunch again is sponsored by the Wisdom for Life Foundation of Jason Brown and the Fruit of the Spirit community group.
Spring Litter Sweep Week supplies of gloves, bags and orange safety vests will be available for free beginning on Thursday, April 19, at the City Operations Center and at the Vance County Schools Administrative Services Center at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson.
Anyone seeking additional information about the Spring Litter Sweep Week or Recycling Day event may contact Terri Hedrick at 252-915-9420 or at thedrick@vcs.k12.nc.us.
United Way of Vance County Yard Sale 4-14-18
— submitted by Terri Hedrick
Support our United Way of Vance County Yard Sale this Saturday, April 14, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the United Way office location at 715 South Garnett Street in Henderson. Proceeds will support basic needs of local families. Adult and children’s clothing, children’s toys, bicycles, furniture, household goods and more will be for sale. Come out and get great items at low prices and support our community at the same time!
Please submit qualifying public service announcements for non-profit organizations, and WIZS will publish them online at wizs.com / Facebook / Twitter as well as on 1450 AM and on our live stream. You may use the online form at https://wizs.com/psas/.
Free Food Distribution Thurs, Apr 12, 2018
The First Baptist Church of Henderson, NC will coordinate a free food distribution on Thursday, April 12 from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. It will take place at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, located at 210 Southpark Drive, off Beckford Drive.
First Baptist volunteer Betty Boyd said, “In partnership with St. James Missionary Baptist Church, we are able to offer this distribution once a month! We are responsible for April, June, August, October, December, and February. St. James coordinates the other months. In February, we distributed 10,207 pounds of food.”
In an earlier article on WIZS.com, Boyd said, “This is the same distribution that St. James Missionary Baptist Church has organized and coordinated. They have been offering this service every other month. They asked First Baptist to partner with them to bring this food distribution to the area all year. We are excited about the opportunity to supplement food resources for around 200 families each month.”
The food distribution is open to anyone and is on a first come/first served basis. Citizens coming to the distribution are asked to remain in their car. Police and Sheriff’s Department personnel will direct traffic into the Farmer’s Market parking lot.
Boyd said, “The distributions that I have volunteered for with St. James Baptist have usually ended around 11:15 a.m. when they have given out all boxes. If a car has two adults, they will receive two boxes of food. We are very excited to be able to bring this supplement of fresh vegetables and fruits to our community!”
Henderson Kiwanis Club 2018 Annual Azalea Sale
— submitted by Arthur Falkner
Please come out and support the Kiwanis Annual Azalea Sale on Fri., April 13th 1-6 p.m. and Sat., April 14th 7 a.m. -4 p.m. Located on Dabney Drive in front of Wendy’s. We will have 1 and 3 gallon Azalea’s, Helleri Holly, Knock-out roses and Various Shrubs.