Tag Archive for: #towntalk

Salvation Army

TownTalk: Celebrating Salvation Army Week

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The local Salvation Army is celebrating National Salvation Army Week this week with lots of fun activities for the children in the Red Shield Club as the organization continues to provide valuable services and programs to the larger community.

Red Shield Club Director Gina Eaves said club members are participating in activities ranging from creating murals and poetry to learning what it’s like to be an officer in the Salvation Army from Capt. Derrick Smith, who, along with his wife, Capt. Odessa Smith, leads the local organization in Henderson.

And the children have been learning about Salvation Army history, which includes a connection with donuts, Eaves said in an interview on Wednesday’s Town Talk with Bill Harris. Capt. Derrick Smith joined his colleague to talk about some of the Salvation Army’s activities as it celebrates its centennial in Henderson.

“Donuts have a place in Salvation Army history,” she said. Volunteers were dispatched to provide emotional and spiritual support to soldiers in France during World War I. In addition to the moral support, the Salvation Army volunteers also provided – you guessed it – donuts to the troops.

The Red Shield club no doubt was filled with the aroma of freshly baked Krispy Kremes on Monday as the children learned a little history about the organization.

Smith said it’s that spiritual component that separates the Red Shield Club from other after-school programs. The youth ministries programs are Christ-focused and the children, who range in age from 5 to 15, learn about salvation through the club programs and devotions.

“We are enthused and excited about that,” Smith said.

Eaves said she values feedback from the youth as well and their input plays an integral role in programming. “If they’re having fun, we’re all having fun,” she said. It is important to meet the children’s needs on a spiritual level as well as physically, emotionally and educationally. Weaving the spiritual aspect into the programming is intentional, Eaves added.

The club has more than 100 members. Eaves said the club meets the needs of the children and the needs of the community.

But the Salvation Army’s focus also lies in meeting the human needs in the community, Smith said. There are several upcoming opportunities for area residents that are happening at or near the Salvation Army, located at 2292 Ross Mill Rd.

The monthly community food box distribution will take place tomorrow (Thursday, May 12) from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Salvation Army parking lot. Smith said there would probably be about 250 families who stop in for a box.

Many of these families may be facing food insecurity, Smith said, adding that more senior adults seem to be taking advantage of the monthly distribution.

“Our boxes are definitely made with love,” Smith said, adding that the donations of food that local individuals make help. “We appreciate those donations because they go a long way,” he said.

The Salvation Army will host another Medassist giveaway on June 17, which distributes over-the-counter medications at no charge to folks who drive up or place an online order in advance.

The mission of the Salvation Army is to meet human needs, Smith said. Whether people need baby formula or pet food, Smith and his Salvation Army volunteers strive to help however they can.

He said the local Schewels recently conducted a diaper drive and collected hundreds of diapers that the Salvation Army could then offer to families who needed them.

 

“If we have it, we certainly want to give it to those who need it the most,” Smith said.

This weekend marks a two-day event that will occur next door to the Salvation Army at Vance Charter School. The RAM Medical Clinic will set up shop and conduct free health, dental and vision exams and procedures free of charge.

See https://www.ramusa.org/clinic-schedule/ for more information about the clinic.

 

TownTalk: The Role Of Red Cross In Ukraine

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When disasters happen across the world, whether they are natural disasters like typhoons and tornados, or whether they are manmade like the war in Ukraine, the Red Cross steps into action.

The Red Cross organizations across the globe adhere to the same seven guiding principles, and a longtime volunteer and military veteran shared some insight on Town Talk’s recurring “former military, still boots on the ground” segment with co-host Phyllis Maynard.

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Charlie Brown recited those seven guiding principles that serve the Red Cross and Red Crescents across the world: Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, universality and unity.

Though largely self-explanatory, sometimes those principles are misunderstood, Brown told Maynard and John C. Rose.

The U.S. has pledged billions of dollars of relief to Ukraine as it defends itself from neighboring Russia’s advances, and Brown said the Red Cross has deployed volunteers to help, too. That’s the “humanity” principle kicking in, she said. The Red Cross is “responsible for alleviating and eliminating human suffering whenever possible.”

That being said, the “neutrality” principle is what some may have difficulty with. The Red Cross may not take sides or engage in controversies, Brown explained.

So while the Red Cross is sending people to help, they aren’t going into Ukraine, but to countries where displaced Ukrainians are re-locating.

Some of the volunteers have experience working with refugees; others are young people just out of college. The experienced volunteers can provide support for the younger volunteers.

“Most of us have been through all sorts of things, so we are here to be a sounding board for them. It can be a shock, she said, to see refugees fleeing their country with only the clothes on their backs and running from fighting.

“People who are deploying out for service to the armed forces have tended to be at both ends of the age and experience spectrum,” Brown said. She said other veterans, as well as military spouses are among those who volunteer for service.

The Red Cross volunteers keep in touch with families of deployed personnel – “we find out what’s needed and get things to them,” Brown said.

Visit https://www.redcross.org/ to learn more about the organization and the services it provides here and across the globe.

 

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TownTalk: Tennis Skills and Skills of Life and Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera

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Sports fans who watch tennis from Wimbledon or the U.S. Open each year may be surprised to learn that 70 percent of the nation’s tennis is played on public courts – in parks or other locations away from private clubs.

That’s according to a couple of tennis aficionados who were on Town Talk Monday to talk about an upcoming event that’s taking place at one such local public park.

Local youth have the chance to participate in a free “skills and drills” tennis clinic at Fox Pond Park in Vance County, one of those public spots where folks can use the courts to learn the game or to hone their skills.

The free clinic is Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to noon for youth ages 5 to 18 – the only requirement is to wear appropriate sneakers or tennis shoes, according to Jerry Edmonds, III, vice president of Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation.

That same morning, two of the courts will be dedicated in the memory of a Henderson junior tennis standout who played at the college level, racking up titles and championships along the way. She spent a lot of time on the Fox Pond courts, and the Henderson City Council last year approved naming courts 1 and 2 in memory of Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera.

ETEF is putting on the clinic in partnership with the City of Henderson and the N.C. Tennis Foundation and U.S. Tennis Association of North Carolina.

The ETEF was established in 2018 as a way to using tennis to provide academic and athletic opportunities for underserved youth in rural North Carolina.  It is based in Henderson.

Edmonds and N.C. Tennis Association Executive Director Kelly Gaines told John C. Rose about the event and the role tennis continues to play in their lives.

Gaines said Barbera was a little younger than she was, but they grew up playing tennis with and against each other in various tournaments and later at Peace College. Barbera was good enough, Gaines noted, that she’d often “play up,” which meant she competed against older players.

“She always knew how to put (the ball) past me,” Gaines said of her longtime friend and colleague with the NCTA. “It is my honor to shine a light on Mary Lloyd,” she said, adding that she is “thrilled” that the Fox Pond Park courts will bear her name.

Barbera died in 2015 at the age of 49.

The ETEF incorporates education when introducing young people to the sport of tennis. The sport supports development of the whole child, Edmonds said, because it incorporates qualities like honesty, fair play and integrity. It helps that players don’t need a lot of equipment to play – just a racquet, some tennis balls and, of course, the right type of shoe.

Gaines said tennis for younger children is like other sports – it’s scaled down to accommodate the youngsters and to allow them to have success early. Starting out, the kids may use a slower ball, a smaller racquet and a shorter court as they build their skill set.

“Tennis is a sport for a lifetime,” Gaines said. Pairing the sport with that education component is a perfect way to increase the possibility of young people continuing to play into adulthood.

“If they start out (playing tennis) as a child, even if they put the racquet down, they’re more likely to pick it back up as an adult,” Edmonds said.

The ETEF pays tribute to Edmonds’s parents, who moved to the area more than 30 years ago and probably taught more than 3,000 the game of tennis in his time here.

Now, Edmonds said through partnerships with agencies like The Salvation Army, Turning Point CDC, 4-H and the local Boys & Girls Club, youngsters can learn about tennis.

“Now they have that tennis component as part of their summer camps as well,” Edmonds said, which means there will be “more tennis racquets in youths’ hands for a longer period of time.”

“We feel a huge obligation to prepare the next generation to keep this legacy going,” he added.

Gaines said that anyone who knew Barbera – whether as a willowy tennis player hitting balls at Fox Pond or as an adult ambassador for the NCTA for 15 years – can recall that infectious smile.

“She believed that tennis was for everybody,” Gaines said, adding that her friend wanted everyone to give the game a try, no matter their ability level. “It is for all of us,” she said.

“The fact that kids will come along and play on those courts – she’ll be smiling at us and we’ll feel her presence.”

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TownTalk: Shriners To Hold 58th Annual Fish Fry

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It’s not too soon to think about the upcoming Shriners Fish Fry, which will take place on Wednesday, May 18.

This is the 58th fish fry and local Shriner Donald C. Seifert spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk about how the event has evolved over those almost six decades as it continues to raise money for local causes as well as for Shriner’s Children’s Hospitals.

The annual event has been held in numerous spots over the years, many of them at the old Henderson Armory. Patrons had a chance to eat in or take out, as well as visit with friends from across the community.

“It’s been reshaped a bit over the last several years,” Seifert said. The fish fry is held at what he called “the Slaughter building,” located between Mako Medical and Serv Pro on Industry Drive.

Local Shriner Sherby Slaughter provides the site for the fish fry, and Seifert said last year’s take-out option proved successful.

“We just don’t have the space inside to serve patrons,” he said, “and we miss that. We do have the drive-thru set up and it’s worked well.”

Lots of planning goes into the annual fundraiser, well in advance of the event date, which traditionally is the third Wednesday in May. The gates open at 11 a.m. and the goal is to sell about 2,000 plates by the time the fish fry is over about suppertime.

Thanks to some coordination with the nearby Salvation Army, Seifert said there should be no problems with having enough fish. “The Salvation Army has agreed to let us have some reserve product in their kitchen,” he said. “If we start to run low, we’ll have easy access and have plenty of fish.”

Like many organizations, the Shrine Club isn’t as large as it once was, and members rely on volunteers to help keep things rolling on fish fry day, whether it’s delivering plates of 10 or more to area businesses or cooking and packing the food into containers, volunteers play a key role, for which Seifert says his fellow Shriners are grateful.

“My hat’s off to our volunteers,” he said.

The fish fry is a highlight of the club’s year, and its proceeds help support local causes like First Responders and >> as well as the children’s hospitals that the Shriners are associated with.

“There are so many good causes around, especially local causes that we feel like we’d like to help,” Seifert said. “Of course, the hospitals get a nice donation…but we try to share as best we can.”

Tickets are $10, but you don’t have to have a ticket in advance – just follow the line of traffic out to Industry Drive, pull in, pick up a plate and get a great big “Thank You” from a Shriner.

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TownTalk: Powerful Tools For Caregivers

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Providing care to family members when they need it for a short-term recovery period is one thing, but being a caregiver for someone with a chronic health condition requires stamina and patience, with a generous done of humor thrown in for good measure.

And although caregivers can be really good at making sure they’re doing the very best for those in their care,  they may not be so great at taking care of their own needs. But a class offered through the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging may be just the thing to help caregivers take those all-important steps to learn how to be good to themselves, too.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week course offered via Zoom for caregivers to learn about self-care as they also learn about resources available in the community, said Susan Tucker, an administrative assistant at KTCOG who also has provided care to a family member. The class begins Tuesday, May 17 and continues on Tuesdays through June 21. The class is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Tucker told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk that she was unprepared for her role as a caregiver to her mother back in 2016. When she took this course she said she learned how to “not just survive, but to thrive as a caregiver.”

So much so, in fact, that she became an instructor for the course.

Michael Patterson, KTCOG’s family caregiver specialist, also is a course instructor. “It’s a six-week opportunity to learn not only about caregiving but to learn about themselves,” Patterson said. The course is designed for those who are actively caring for an aging adult. Each session builds on the previous session, so it’s important to try to carve out that 90 minutes each week to log in and participate, Tucker said.

In fact, that’s an important point for caregivers to remember, Tucker and Patterson said – making time to do things just for yourself. It’s not selfish; rather, it’s necessary to maintain a semblance of balance between daily life and being a caregiver.

Burnout is a real issue among caregivers, Patterson said. “It’s impossible to pour from an empty cup,” he said.

The class will help caregivers learn how to manage emotions, reduce stress and cope with the issues and demands that go along with providing care to someone with a chronic condition.

John and Linda Sigmon took the class and they said it helped them with feelings of being overwhelmed and frustrated while caring for a loved one.

“You’re fighting not only the disease but your inability to deal with it,” John said, adding that the course increased his understanding and helped him manage his emotions so he didn’t “get totally wiped out.”

Linda said she looked forward to the 90-minute sessions as “a little oasis of time” in her week, during which she learned things that she could adapt and apply to her own situation.

John said he found the instructors to be humorous and witty, but also compassionate. “They’ve been there, too,” he said; the class instructors also have been caregivers themselves, he said.

Patterson said the class teaches breathing techniques and meditation, as well as understanding emotional triggers.

“They learn what ways they can make a difference in their daily living to improve themselves – which will improve them as caregivers,” he added.

To register for the class, contact Tucker at 252.436.2040. Visit https://www.kerrtarcog.org/ to find more information.

 

 

TownTalk: Zeta Phi Beta Plans Charter Celebration

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The local chapter of an international sorority is living up to its founding principles with a flurry of activities this weekend to which the public is invited.

The guiding principles of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. are scholarship, service, sisterhood and finer womanhood, and the local chapter is checking all the boxes to fulfill those principles.

Nikeena Boyd-Kearsey represents the Phi Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and she spoke with John C. Rose about an event taking place on Friday, May 6 to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the local charter. Phi Zeta covers Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties.

The celebration will be held from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Tiffany’s of Henderson, located at 110 S. Garnett St. Tickets are $25 and attendees will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and the music of DJ MIC DUB.

“We are so looking forward to celebrating 72 years of being a chapter of Zeta Phi Beta,” Boyd-Kearsey said. The sorority was founded at Howard University in 1920; the local chapter received its charter on May 5, 1960.

The event is a time for dancing, fellowship and just being together, she said, as well as a time to remember the sorority’s founders and members. “We’re looking to have a good time with our community,” Boyd-Kearsey said. The event is sure to check the boxes of sisterhood and finer womanhood – the attire for the event is “dress to impress.”

This particular type of celebration is a first for the local chapter, which is active in volunteer efforts across the counties it serves. The women have participated in the March of Dimes, donated to Warren County Middle School to promote autism awareness and donated items to the Cancer Center at Maria Parham Health, among others, she said. The principle of service – check!

And on Saturday, May 7, the local chapter will join forces with the Fayetteville State University National Alumni Society to host a candidates’ forum for Vance County residents.

The forum will begin at 3 p.m. in the auditorium of E.M. Rollins Elementary on Rollins Ave.

Candidates will discuss important local issues like gun violence, crime and economic development and will have a chance to inform citizens of their platforms, Boyd-Kearsey said.

Organizers request that campaign materials – signs, brochures, shirts and the like –  be left outside the auditorium during the non-partisan forum. There will be a table for campaign materials located outside the auditorium for anyone interested in learning more about the candidates.

As for the principle of scholarship, the Phi Zeta chapter encourages any female who is graduating from a high school in the four-county area to apply for a $150 scholarship from the sorority. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 13. Boyd-Kearsey said winners would be notified by the end of May.

Tickets to the Friday celebration are available from any Phi Zeta member or through Paypal. Contact phizetapay@gmail.com to learn more.

Questions about any of the chapter’s events can be sent to phizetazpb@gmail.com.

 

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Judge Deems Swain Drive Property Eligible For “Nuisance Abatement”

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A superior court judge has signed a consent judgment for a Chapter 19 nuisance abatement for a property on Swain Drive.

After a long history of disturbances, drug violations and numerous calls to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Judge John Dunlow’s judgment was the final step in a civil nuisance abatement case brought by the County of Vance on behalf of the State of North Carolina, according to a press statement late last week from the Department of Public Safety. “Chapter 19 of the North Carolina General Statutes defines ‘nuisance’ activities and provides for a civil remedy to abate such criminal acts and their detrimental impacts on the community,” the statement read.

The property, located at 398 Swain Drive, has been a problem for years, “causing the community to live in fear and constantly draining emergency services and law enforcement resources,” according to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

“This remedy is a result of an outstanding investigation between Vance County officials, members of the ALE Nuisance Abatement Team and cooperation from the family members who owned this property,” Brame stated in the press release.

The property has been tied up in an estate with multiple heirs. The terms of the consent judgment relinquished the property deed to a family member, who in turn would remove all structures except the brick house.  All trash and debris would be removed from the property, and it may never be used for illegal activity again. The judgment ordered the property be vacated by April 1, and anyone on the property would be charged with trespassing.

Sheriff Brame expressed gratitude for the effort and outcome. “I appreciate the cooperation from the property owner as we worked to solve this problem and hope this successful resolution will ensure the community returns to a more peaceful life.”

“The nuisance abatement law provides a solution for citizens living in fear and for problem locations that strain law enforcement resources. These properties reduce the quality of life for community members.” said Scottie Shoaf, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Nuisance Abatement Team. “It was a pleasure to work with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office and members from this community to bring a permanent resolution to this problem and I look forward to the positive changes this judgment will facilitate.”

TownTalk: Early Voting

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More than 300 Vance County residents have cast their ballots in the first two days of early voting in advance of the May 17 primary.

Early voting continues this week and next, with the final day being Saturday, May 14, according to information from the Vance County Board of Elections office.

A total of 195 votes were cast on Thursday, Apr. 28 – the first day of early voting. A total of 139 voters turned out Friday to the city’s Dr. Andrea L. Harris operations center, located at 900 Beckford Dr., Henderson.

There are about 17,000 registered voters in the county.

Not registered to vote yet? No problem. Bring appropriate documentation and a photo ID to the operations center during the voting hours for same-day registration.

Except for the last day of early voting, which is Saturday, May 14, the voting hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Saturday voting hours are 8 a.m to 3 p.m.

 

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TownTalk: Pop Up Medical Clinic Coming To Henderson May 14 & 15

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The campus of Vance Charter School will be a beehive of activity in a couple of weekends when it hosts a pop-up clinic to provide free medical care to anyone in the community.

Yep, that’s right. Free medical care, ranging from general physical exams to dental and vision care. The clinic will see patients beginning at 6 a.m. on Saturday, May 14 and again at 6 a.m. on Sunday, May 15 at VCS, located at 2090 Ross Mill Rd.

Did we mention that it’s free? Patients who wish to get a tooth filled or get new glasses need only show up. Services are first come, first served, and two of the clinic organizers spoke with John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk to provide details.

The pop-up clinics help people from falling through the cracks in the medical system. No id? No problem. No insurance? No worries. The parking lot will open at midnight on Friday, May 13. The process is as simple as showing up and waiting in line.

That’s the message from Duke seniors Rishabh Jain and Rishi Dasgupta, who have worked for months with a team of dozens of other volunteers to bring the Remote Area Medical (RAM) to the Vance County area.

“It’s been absolutely incredible to get the level of support in the community,” Jain said. Capt. Derrick Smith with the local Salvation Army was instrumental in connecting the clinic organizers with Dr. Brian Mathis at VCS, who offered the campus as the site for the clinic.

RAM, a major nonprofit provider based in Tennessee, has been hosting pop-up medical clinics across the Southeast for four decades; this clinic marks the seventh clinic that the Duke organizers will have visited since they first got involved with RAM.

Originally planned to be held in Durham, the organizers switched gears when they realized that there were underserved areas – especially in the area of vision and dental care – so close to Durham.

That’s when plans to host a clinic outside the Durham area took shape.

There will be numerous community organizations at the 2-day clinic to share resources and information. Patients may combine medical services with either vision or dental on one day, but they are not able to combine vision and dental, because of the high volume expected. Patients who need vision and dental care can return on the second day of the clinic.

Patients also will get an information sheet to help them access follow-up care if necessary and both organizers said they have identified health care professionals in the area who have agreed to do the follow-up care at a reduced fee or at no cost.

The clinic is completely staffed with highly qualified professionals who volunteer their services. The providers at the Henderson clinic are coming from across the country to participate.

Jain and Dasgupta expect to see hundreds of patients during the clinic, and Dasgupta said ithe stories of the patients that stick with him – people’s faces who are relieved of pain from an infected tooth or the delight of seeing clearly after being fitted with eyeglasses, Dasgupta said

his experiences have been rewarding and fulfilling.

Learn more about volunteering and sponsoring the clinic at www.ramusa.org or phone 865.579.1530.

Details on the Pop Up Medical Clinic coming to Henderson on May 14th and 15th.

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TownTalk: Northeast Piedmont Chorale Presents Free Concerts

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The Northeast Piedmont Chorale is scheduled to perform two free concerts this weekend; the first one is in Raleigh and the second will take place Sunday afternoon right here at McGregor Hall in downtown Henderson.

A number of chorale members call Henderson home, including the group’s director, Cindy Edwards. Edwards, along with fellow Henderson resident and chorale baritone Tom Burleson joined chorale president Judy Miller on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

They talked with John C. Rose and Bill Harris about the upcoming performances, as well as what goes on behind the scenes to make their concerts special. The local performance is Sunday, May 1 at 3 p.m.; the first concert will be on Friday, Apr. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church in Raleigh.

The theme of these concerts is “Home Is Where the Heart Is,” and it celebrates our nation’s history through a selection of musical renditions that highlight the arrival of the first European settlers to Lincoln’s Gettsyburg Address, as well as some familiar folk tunes – all sandwiched in between two iconic songs to begin and end the concert: “America the Beautiful” and Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.”

Edwards said the seeds for this theme were planted back in the fall of 2019, with plans for a May 2020 performance. Since it was an election year, the planners had settled on a patriotic theme. “But we know the rest of that story,” Edwards recalled, when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered theaters and cancelled performances across the globe.

Edwards said it was the opening song, “America the Beautiful,” that served as a catalyst for her and others to create the complete list of songs to include.

The particular arrangement that the chorale will perform includes narration, full orchestral accompaniment and a cappella, “which really shows off the voices” of the chorale members.

The order of the songs is intentional, she said, to tell the story of what Americans have experienced, from early settlers crossing the ocean with “Song of the Tall Ship” to Neil Diamond’s “America.” The concert uses music to portray moments in this country’s history.

The “America” piece is arranged almost exactly as Diamond performed it, she explained, but this rendition will be done with a choir, an electric bass, synthesizer and electric guitar.

The chorale members are a dedicated group of individuals that take seriously practice and rehearsals as they prepare for performances. But Miller, the chorale’s president, said the group is lucky to have Edwards as its director, citing her talent, commitment and drive which serve to make the chorale even better. “As Cindy tells us, preparation doesn’t start and stop at rehearsal,” Miller said.

As Burleson pointed out, a performance takes a lot of preparation and he said his mind has to be engaged from the beginning to the end. “The last two (songs) are as important as the first two,” he said, which requires a performer’s full attention throughout the concert. He is a relative newcomer to the chorale and said he has been impressed with the high level of professionalism among the chorale members.

Being a member of the chorale, in whatever capacity, requires dedication and commitment. And money. Members pay a small tuition to be a part of the group. But Edwards said that shows “that they love music and they want to perform it, and they are willing to commit to rehearsals and practice.”

And when that effort is combined with the talent that the chorale members possess, “it is a beautiful process,” Edwards said.

Miller said the group’s camaraderie only complements the talents of the individuals. “We sing together and perform together,” she said, “and the love of music comes through.”

Miller said Edwards reminds the group that if they really feel the music as they are singing, that feeling is conveyed to the listening audience.

It’s not just the voices of the singers that are needed for a performance – the musicians that provide accompaniment are an important part for a successful concert. Kristen Allred accompanies the chorale on piano.

“She’s been a real asset to the chorale,” Edwards said. “She does a beautiful job playing – her role is to know every note, to be able to follow the director…play the parts and to provide that support, that foundation.”

Other orchestra members also are band directors at area schools and some play at DPAC – indicating the high level of professionalism in the orchestra. “It is an inspiration to play with them because they have done their preparation,” Edwards said.

This performance will include an unusual instrument for several selections – banjo and guitar will be played by local musician Wayne Kinton.

Concertgoers are sure to recognize those songs as they are performed, including “Shady Grove,” “Shenandoah” and “Get Along Home Little Cindy,” all representative of a time when settlers were moving farther and farther West and exploring the new land that would become known as the United States of America.

One selection from Gustav Holst’s ‘Jupiter’ from The Planet Suite will be dedicated to the people of Ukraine, she said.

“This is a song that a lot of people will recognize.”

Learn more about the Northeast Piedmont Chorale, including how to make a tax-deductible donation, at https://www.npchorale.org/