Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Mark Your Holiday Calendar for ‘Cookies & Milk With Santa’

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

Mark your calendar for “Cookies & Milk With Santa” at the Aycock Rec. Center, 307 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Enjoy free cookies and milk, make a holiday ornament and visit with Santa. Don’t forget to bring your camera to photograph your child with Santa!

For more information, please call Crystal Allen at (252) 431-6091 or email callen@ci.henderson.nc.us.

Town Talk 11/11/19: Upcoming Veterans Dog Walk ‘Therapeutic’ for Dogs, Participants

/by

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Mark Ferri, veteran and Vance County Animal Shelter volunteer, was on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the shelter’s upcoming Veterans Dog Walk event.

The event – Paws, Tails and Boots – will be held at the shelter, located at 1243 Brodie Rd. in Henderson, on Saturday, November 16, 2019, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The public is welcome, with veterans, first responders and their families strongly encouraged to attend.

During the event, shelter volunteers and staff will be on-hand to answer questions and encourage participants who are eligible to commit to adopting an animal.

Founded by Ferri in 2016, the dog walk serves the twofold purpose of matching animals with loving owners and raising awareness of mental health issues.

According to Ferri, traumatic experiences are something that the shelter dogs and many veterans and first responders have in common and interactions between the two can be healing.

“It’s very therapeutic,” Ferri said. “A lot of people that have participated in the dog walk in the past have told me they feel like it’s a real help to them; the dogs love it too. You can come out and enjoy yourself without any kind of judgment from anyone or fear of being ridiculed or embarrassed.”

Fortunately, according to Ferri, society is becoming more aware and responsive to PTSD and other mental health issues. “Society isn’t very kind to the mentally ill; however, a lot of people are trying to turn that tide to get away from the stigma.”

To hear the interview with Ferri in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Poplar Creek Baptist to Host ‘Unashamed’ at Gospel Singing, Dinner Show

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Poplar Creek Baptist Church will hold a gospel singing and dinner show with “Unashamed,” a Southern Gospel Quartet, in the Family Life Center on Friday, November 22, 2019.

A hot dog dinner will be held from 6 until 7:15 p.m.; music will be performed from 7:15 until 8:15 p.m.

All ages are welcome and childcare will be provided.

Poplar Creek Baptist is located at 1371 Poplar Creek Rd. in Henderson.

Carey Chapel Community Watch to Meet Nov. 25

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy JoAnn Wilder, Co-Chair, Carey Chapel Community Watch

The Carey Chapel Community Watch will hold its next meeting on Monday, November 25, 2019, in the Fellowship Hall of Carey Baptist Church. The guest speaker will be a representative of the Vance County DOT.

All members and area residents are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Carey Baptist Church is located at 1295 Carey Chapel Road in Henderson.

Salvation Army to Hold Open House Event for New Facility This Weekend

/by

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy The Salvation Army of Henderson, NC

The public is invited to the Grand Opening of Henderson’s new Salvation Army facility on Sunday, November 10, 2019.

A church dedication will be held at 11 a.m. and a ribbon-cutting and Open House event will be held at 3 p.m. at the new building located at 2292 Ross Mill Road in Henderson.

The public is invited to attend.

VGCC Brings Partners Together for Summit on Talent Pipeline

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Employers, economic developers and workforce development experts from across the region recently met at Vance-Granville Community College to learn more about how to meet the critical need to recruit and train workers. The first-of-its-kind “Business & Industry Connect” Summit was held on Nov. 1 in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus.

Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of VGCC, thanked the economic development commission directors in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties for their vision and support of the summit. Along with those agencies, Glen Raven/Sunbrella of Norlina and Mars Petcare of Henderson also served as event sponsors.

Gene Lunger addresses attendees at the VGCC Business & Industry Connect Summit in the college’s Civic Center. (VGCC photo)

The keynote speaker was Gene Lunger, Executive Vice President of Retail Operations for Ashley Furniture Industries, which is the world’s largest furniture manufacturer, in addition to its distribution and retail operations known as Ashley HomeStores.

Lunger argued that businesses must be proactive in focusing on their future workforce. “You have to find solutions to find good people for your organization because it’s not up to anyone else,” he said. “We must help move more students from backpacks to briefcases – by talking to them about the real world, giving them the language they need to use in the professional world and giving them good career information to make up for the bad information they’re getting.”

For example, Lunger advised employers to frequently attend career fairs in order “to meet people, not just resumes.” He said that 90% of their time at a career fair is not recruiting, but is actually career coaching. “Hire based on the attributes of your best performers, not just on a GPA,” Lunger said. “You’re not hiring the person they are today, but the person they will be years from now.” He also urged more investment in people, because “they are the only resource in your business that appreciates in value over time.”

“I’m very grateful to have addressed local businesses and the academic team at VGCC,” Lunger reflected. “There is no doubt in my mind that these two entities can establish a win-win partnership, paving the road for students to effectively transition into the workplace.”

Ken Wilson of VGCC (right) introduces a panel discussion on apprenticeship opportunities. Seated, from left, on stage are Theresa Zook of Mars Petcare, Todd Wemyss of Glen Raven/Sunbrella, Michael Kendrick of Newcomb & Company, Tony Marshall of Innovative Systems Group (ISG) and Kathryn Castelloes of ApprenticeshipNC. (VGCC photo)

After Lunger’s presentation, a panel discussion focused on the topic of apprenticeships, with Kathryn Castelloes, director of ApprenticeshipNC at the N.C. Community College System, moderating. Panelists included Tony Marshall of Innovative Systems Group (ISG), Theresa Zook of Mars Petcare, Michael Kendrick of Newcomb & Company and Todd Wemyss of Glen Raven/Sunbrella.

Marshall said he has seen promising results from his company’s apprenticeship program, focused on cybersecurity. “Nationally, there are going to be about a million unfilled cybersecurity jobs next year,” Marshall noted. “It’s hard to find people with the right skills, so you should find people with the right attitude and then give them the right skills through apprenticeship. The reward is great, both for the company and for the individual apprentice.”

Zook noted that her company works with the community college on apprenticeships. “VGCC has made it so easy for us,” she said.

“It’s very exciting to see the interest in Registered Apprenticeship and the employers that are coming forward to utilize the benefits that it brings,” Castelloes said. “We at ApprenticeshipNC are here to help employers find and train the workers that they need so that they can grow as a company and the state can grow economically.”

Following the discussion, breakout sessions focused on sustainable training, more details on apprenticeships, and workforce development partnerships with public schools. College officials are seeking to foster greater collaboration among numerous partners to reduce duplication, leverage resources and achieve significant workforce impact for the communities it serves.

“The summit was a great opportunity for business and industry to get together, network and find out about K-12 efforts, hiring, apprenticeships and training,” said Ken Wilson, the project manager for VGCC’s TechHire grant and coordinator of the summit. “In the next phases, we are looking for business and industry representatives willing to help steer the Business and Industry Connect initiative to address factors that impact the employee pipeline.”

For more information, contact Ken Wilson at wilsonk@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3259.

H-V Chamber Logo

H-V Chamber to Participate in Festival of Trees; Business Ornaments Needed

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Message from the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce:

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce will be participating in the Festival of Trees, which will be held at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market December 3 – 7, 2019.  All proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Vance County.

The Chamber’s Christmas Tree theme is “Our Members Sparkle.” We want to load our tree with ornaments that represent all of our members, so we need your help.

We want Christmas ornaments that represent your business. The ornaments can be professional ones or you can be creative and make one (we all love homemade ornaments). The ornaments should identify your company name or the product(s) that you sell.

Ornaments are needed by Friday, November 22 and can be dropped off at the Chamber office or picked up.

BE CREATIVE! This is a great marketing opportunity to make your business sparkle! Don’t forget to attend the Festival of Trees for a festive time.

Superheroes for Duke Kids to Hold 220 Fundraiser, Toy Donation

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Shirley Loftis, Superheroes for Duke Kids

Superheroes for Duke Kids will hold a fundraiser at 220 seafood Restaurant in Henderson on Monday, December 2, 2019, from 4 until 7 p.m.

Cost is $7 per plate and meal includes trout, french fries, slaw and hush puppies (drink included for eat-in meals only).

Funds raised will purchase toys for kids in Duke Hospital. Toy donations will also be accepted the night of the fundraiser.

For a toy wish list sorted by age range, please visit Superheroes for Duke Kids’ Facebook page (click here).

Maria Parham Health

Town Talk 11/07/19: Demolition Begins on Maria Parham’s New $3.2 Million Cath Lab

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Maria Parham Health CEO Bert Beard and Dr. Sydney Short, cardiologist with Maria Parham Cardiology, were the guests of honor on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program.

Beard said he was pleased to announce that demolition has begun on the area that will serve as the hospital’s new catheterization (cath) lab. With a price tag of $3.2 million, the new lab will occupy currently unused space in the building and will be located off of the emergency room, directly adjacent to the helipad.

Work on the lab is expected to be completed in June or July 2020 with a grand opening to follow.

Short, who joined Maria Parham in January, said the current cath lab has grown exponentially as far as services provided in the past year.

“I’m very excited to be a part of the program here now,” Short said. “We are raising the level of care quite a bit. The cath lab has been here a few years, and in May 2019 we started doing PCIs.”

A PCI, or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, is a non-surgical procedure that uses a catheter to place a stent in the heart in order to open up blood vessels that have been narrowed by plaque buildup. Complications of plaque buildup include chest pain, heart arrhythmias and heart failure.

Previously, MPH patients would have been referred to another hospital for such a procedure. “Now, patients that come in with chest pain can have a heart catheterization study done here and have a stent placed safely here,” said Short.

In addition to PCIs, Maria Parham Cardiology has increased its offering of other services including stress tests, echocardiograms, heart monitoring – including longer-term loop monitoring – and pacemaker implantation.

“The level of services has increased significantly, so we are able to do a lot of things to treat patients here who in the past would have been transferred,” Short explained.

Beard said continued expansion of both the quality and the quantity of health services offered in the local, rural community is the commitment of Maria Parham and Duke LifePoint Healthcare.

According to Beard, another example of this commitment will be realized at the end of January 2020 when Duke will station a life flight helicopter and crew at MPH 24/7. Two additional ambulances will also be stationed as part of the hospital’s designation as a strategic transport center.

“We are 100% committed to offering services that we know we can confidently provide to the patients at a high-quality level,” said Beard. “The additional services being offered should tell the community that you have access to quality care right here.”

To hear the interview with Beard and Short in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Awards Over $250,000 in Health Grants

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors has awarded $258,500 in grants to local organizations in the Foundation’s seventh annual grant cycle. With the 2019 grant award, the Foundation’s contributions to the community total over $1.8 million since the Foundation began grantmaking in 2013.

“The primary purpose of our grantmaking is to invest in organizations that share our mission to improve health in our region,” said Val Short, executive director for the Foundation. “Our hope is that these grant awards will result in improved health and healthier outcomes for children and adults in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties,” said Short.

The eight grants approved by the board fall under one or more of the five funding priorities established by the Foundation in 2013, including chronic disease, mental health and substance abuse, nutrition and physical activity, reproductive health, and success in school as related to health and wellness.

“In all of our grant programs, health and wellness are at the heart of the work they will do,” said Short.

The list of the grant recipients and their projects for 2019-20 includes:

  • Alliance Rehabilitative Care (ARC) – Access to Dental Care – Residents entering the substance abuse halfway house in Henderson will receive dental screening and preventive care and, when necessary, more extensive dental treatment to prevent further decay and to promote overall health.

 

  • Henderson Family YMCA – 1) Girls on the Run – a self-esteem and healthy lifestyles program for girls & boys culminating in a 5k run/walk at the end of each semester; 2) Safety Around Water – teaches water safety and drowning prevention skills to 2nd graders in Vance County.

 

  • NC Med Assist – Free Pharmacy Program & Over-the-Counter Giveaways –– provides free medications and support for low income and uninsured individuals in the Triangle North Region.  In addition, two over-the-counter medicine giveaways will be implemented this year in Vance and Granville counties.

 

  • Shepherd Youth Ranch – Trail to Success – Provide skill building for youth suffering from grief, loss, abandonment and abuse. Partial scholarships will be provided to 10 youth who are referred by the school system or law enforcement who will enter into an intensive 24-week program, which consists of weekly group and monthly family sessions in a unique program that uses horses to help with therapy.

 

  • Strength and Mending (S.a.M) Child Advocacy Center – Child Forensic Interviews – provides a centralized, child-centered approach to investigation that reduces the risk of trauma to the children who are victims of abuse; increases opportunities for healing for the child and non-offending family members.

 

  • TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.) – Rebuilding Lives: Mental Health & Substance Abuse Recovery – provides a two-year residential recovery program with treatment, education, vocational training and care for residents of the Triangle North region who suffer from alcohol and substance abuse, free of charge.

 

  • Working Landscapes – What’s Growing in Granville County— in partnership with Granville Vance Public Health & Granville County Schools, this program aims to improve the health of students in Granville County Schools by learning about and consuming healthy, locally grown food.

Located in Henderson, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and schools in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties. The Foundation’s grant funding mission has been made possible by the endowment that was established after Maria Parham Health merged with the for-profit Duke-Lifepoint in 2011.

The Foundation will launch a new grant cycle in the spring of 2020, but in the meantime, the Foundation staff is available to discuss ideas for grant projects or to provide assistance with grant writing.  Call the Foundation office at 252-430-8532 for information about future grant opportunities or visit the Foundation’s website at www.tnhfoundation.org .