Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

TownTalk: Rebuilding Hope’s Kids’ Construction Camp

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There’s still time to sign youngsters up for next week’s Kids’ Construction Camp at Rebuilding Hope. The three-day camp is free, and Rebuilding Hope’s Director Randolph Wilson says the camp is a fun way to introduce young people to the trades as well as to community service.

The camp runs from Monday, Aug. 5 through Wednesday Aug. 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Raleigh Road headquarters.

Children in grades 3-6 will learn how to use hand tools, but also will be introduced to new-fangled equipment like nail guns and screw guns, Wilson said.

They’ll also learn some basics about electricity and plumbing, as well as hanging Sheetrock and laying shingles.

There is a Bible study component, too, which Wilson said is just as important as learning about trades.

“We need to get back to teaching people about trades,” he said on Monday’s TownTalk. Who knows? Maybe this construction camp will be the place where a young boy or girl develops a passion for a particular trade, he said.

“We’re excited – and we have fun. The kids enjoy it,” Wilson said.

Wilson and co-director Tom Wille oversee the various projects and programs at Rebuilding Hope, from next week’s camp to the recent Servants on Site and ramp construction across the area.

The SOS was a huge success, with 85 young people coming together to put six roofs on in just four days’ time.

“We had a great week,” he said. The youth worked all day – with a daily lunchtime devotional with the residents they were helping – and then had a worship service each night.

“It’s a great time of helping people, also a time of sharing the love of Christ in the community they were working in,” Wilson said.

And when the Kids’ Construction campers and SOS participants get a little older, Wilson said he would welcome them to help out with ramp construction – so far this year, teams have built 90 ramps, on a pace to beat last year’s 116 total.

“We can’t keep up with the ramps,” Wilson said, noting that they’ve got a wait list of close to 25 now. “We need volunteers – people who have a passion to get out and help their community.”

Visit https://rebuildinghopeinc.org/ to learn more about how you can help.

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Sheriff Brame: One Arrested On Drug Charges

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-Press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

 

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics unit served an arrest warrant on Jerry Lee Lemay, Jr. at 457 Lemay Lane in Henderson. The warrant was issued as a result of an ongoing narcotics investigation prompted by numerous complaints from citizens regarding the sale of narcotics at the above location. Lemay had an additional outstanding warrant for the possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

Lemay was served with two warrants charging him with Possession With Intent to Manufacture, Sell, and Deliver Heroin; and Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.

Lemay appeared before a t a magistrate and was given a $40,000 secured bond.

Area August Blood Drives

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The American Red Cross urges donors to make an appointment to give blood or platelets as the summer continues. Type O blood donors are especially needed to help keep hospital shelves stocked through August.

Anyone who donates blood or platelets during the month of August will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card by email. See RedCrossBlood.org/Help for details.

 

Make an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. 

 

Upcoming blood drives by county:

Vance

Henderson

8/1/2024: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd.

Granville

Oxford

8/15/2024: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ernest F. Hart American Legion Post 90, 914 Williamsboro St.

Warren

Warrenton

8/12/2024: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Warren County Armory Civic Center, 501 US Hwy 158 Bus E

Franklin

Louisburg

8/2/2024: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Senior Citizens Center, 279 S. Bickett Blvd.

Online Workshops In August Designed To Support Caregivers To Those Living With Dementia

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Two chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association in North Carolina are partnering with the Parkinson’s Foundation Carolinas to host a series of free virtual weekly education workshops to help those who are providing care for family members or others living with dementia.

The series is titled The Empowered Caregiver and it is designed to help caregivers by sharing activities they can apply to their specific situations.

Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life, while Alzheimer’s is a specific disease and the most common cause of dementia. Parkinson’s disease dementia also falls under that umbrella term. While the disease states are different, there are similarities in caring for both forms of dementia.

“Our latest Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report shows that dementia caregivers in North Carolina face significant emotional, physical and health-related challenges as a result of caregiving,” said Christine John-Fuller, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina Chapter. “Dementia is also common for individuals in later stage Parkinson’s. Our goal with this collaboration with the Parkinson’s Foundation is to offer tools and education to help caregivers feel supported and see pathways forward.”

The Empowered Caregiver education series will be offered via live webinar each Thursday in August from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. -with each week covering a new topic.

Building Foundations of Caregiving – August 1

Explores the role of caregiver and changes they may experience building a support team and managing stress.

Supporting Independence – August 8

Focuses on helping the person living with dementia take part in daily activities, providing the right amount of support and balancing safety and independence while managing expectations.

Communicating Effective – August 15

Teaches how dementia affects communication, including tips for communicating well with family, friends and health care professionals.

Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors – August 22

Details common behavior changes and how they’re a form of communication, non-medical approaches to behaviors and recognizing when help is needed.

Exploring Care and Support Services – August 29

Examines how best to prepare for future care decisions and changes, including respite care, residential care and end of life care.

“We are excited about this partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association because no matter the disease, care partners need help,” says Diana Parrish, senior advancement director, Carolinas Chapter of the Parkinson’s Foundation. “As a care partner for 19 years, we have found that the Parkinson’s Foundation’s resources, services, and programs have helped us on this journey!”

There is no charge to participate, but registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link for the series. To sign-up, visit tinyurl.com/CaregiverAugust or call 800.272.3900.

Drought? What Drought? WIZS Listening Area Removed From ‘Abnormally Dry’ Status

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Given the recent downpours, showers and afternoon and evening thunderstorms, the WIZS listening area no longer is in the “abnormally dry” status posted by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council.

Just last week, most of the state was experiencing some level of drought conditions, according to NCDROUGHT.ORG, but since then, that level has decreased, thanks to substantial rainfall. Only five counties remain in severe drought, with 30 counties still in moderate drought and 47 others in the abnormally dry category.

Rainfall totals vary widely across the four counties, with some areas reporting 1-inch, 2-inch, even 5-inch totals just in the last week.

The rain has been a welcome sight for farmers with crops in the field. Hopefully, corn and bean crops in the southeastern portion of the state have gotten some relief as well.

Aug. 6, 7 Forums To Provide Updates On Broadband Internet Expansion

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– information courtesy of the Office of N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon

N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon has scheduled upcoming forums – one in Vance County and one in Granville County – to provide updates on the status of expanding broadband internet across the counties he serves.

Leaders from the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity will provide in-person updates on the state’s efforts to close the digital divide, according to a press statement from Sossamon’s office.

The Vance County forum will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Perry Memorial Library from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. NCDIT Deputy Secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity Nate Denny will be the speaker.

The Granville County forum will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 7, also from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Granville County Expo Center. NCDIT Broadband Infrastructure Deputy Director George Collier will be the guest speaker.

To date, the Division of Broadband and Digital Equity has awarded more than $500 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to deploy high-speed internet infrastructure across North Carolina. This funding also supports initiatives to help residents afford internet access, obtain digital devices, and access digital literacy resources.

Specific to Granville and Vance counties, nearly $12 million has been awarded for projects connecting 5,828 homes and businesses. Highlights include:

  • Fybe: Awarded $1.8 million in June through the Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program, with an additional $1.8 million from Granville County and over $1.5 million from Fybe, to expand high-speed internet to 1,720 homes and businesses in Granville County.
  • Spectrum: Awarded $4 million in CAB funds in 2023 to connect 1,530 homes and businesses in Granville County.
  • Brightspeed: Received $4 million in Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants to connect 1,914 homes and businesses in Granville County and nearly $2 million to connect 664 locations in Vance County.

Granville County Schools have also benefited from these efforts, recently receiving $400,000 to expand device lending programs, offer digital literacy training led by student interns, and establish community Wi-Fi locations through the division’s Digital Champion grant program.

Attendees at both sessions will have the opportunity to ask questions about the state’s broadband initiatives and individual projects aimed at bringing high-speed internet service and digital literacy resources to their county.

Community Information Series: “Post-Pandemic School Safety: It Takes ALL Of Us”

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The community is invited to attend a presentation titled “Post Pandemic School Safety; It takes ALL of Us” on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at Baskerville Funeral Chapel.

This is another in a series of community information sessions hosted by Charlie Baskerville, Jr. The upcoming presentation features Dr. Michael T. Williams, a facilitator with the N.C. Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Williams is also the author of  I Count Too: Affirming Students Who Look, Love, Learn, and Live Differently.

The presentation will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the funeral home chapel, located at 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson.

The event is free of charge and open to the public.

Donate Children’s Books To Contribute To 2024 Leadership Vance Class Project

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The 2024 Leadership Vance class invites the community to pitch in to help make their class project a success by donating children’s books that will be used to stock “Little Library” boxes at Fox Pond Park.

Please donate new or gently used children’s books and drop them off at any of several locations across Henderson, according to information from Tanya Wilson with the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce.

Donation boxes can be found at Fire Station #1 on Dabney Drive, City Hall, 134 Rose Ave. or the Chamber office, 414 S. Garnett St.

The concept of placing small boxes throughout the community and filling them with books that individuals can take free of charge has been around since 2009, and increases access to books and encourages people to take a book to read or place a book for others to enjoy.

KTCOG Hosting Family Caregiver Conference Aug. 6; Focus On Dementia Care

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The Kerr Tar Family Caregiver Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6 and registration is now open for family caregivers and professionals who are interested in learning about caring for individuals with dementia.

The half-day conference begins at 9 a.m. with check-in, breakfast and networking at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center Auditorium.

The conference is presented by Dementia Alliance of North Carolina. Melanie Bunn, a registered nurse and dementia care specialist with the alliance, is one of the speakers along with Michael Patterson, KTCOG’s family caregiver specialist.

Family caregivers can register for $10; professional caregivers register for $25 and have the opportunity to earn three continuing education unit credits.

Visit www.DementiaNC.org/2024Henderson to register online or contact Lisa Levine  at 919.832.3732 to register by phone. Walk-in registrations are welcome on the day of the conference.

Visit www.kerrtarcog.org to find out about all the programs and services the KTCOG provides across Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties.

Community Partners of Hope

Men’s Shelter Hits Snag; Move-In Day Delayed

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Move-in day at the new City Road Center for Hope men’s shelter has been delayed while a few issues with final inspections are resolved, but shelter officials have said they hope all will be addressed in as timely a manner as possible and the shelter can become fully operational.

“In spite of all of our efforts to build a safe ADA compliant structure for our men’s shelter, we have hit a snag with the fire inspection and are in negotiations now to find a solution and get things resolved as quickly as possible,” according to an email sent Thursday to WIZS by shelter staff.

The shelter is almost ready, and as soon as the final certificate of occupancy is received, the move will take place. “We ask for your prayers for a speedy resolution.”

No matter where the physical shelter is located, however, there remains a need for meals, individually wrapped snacks for clients and supplies like laundry detergent pods.

The shelter snack shelves could really use some PopTarts, breakfast bars, peanut butter crackers and chips.

Please sign up HERE if you or your organization can help provide a meal. Call 252.432.9494 if you need assistance in signing up.

Stay up to date at www.cp-hope.org