Tag Archive for: #warrencountynews

Warren Co. Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dance, Fri., June 15

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

Families are invited to dance the night away at the annual Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Dance on Friday, June 15, 2018, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Warren County Armory Civic Center.

This fun event for everyone is just $20 per couple and is presented by the Warren County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. For more information, contact 252-257-3640 or visit www.warren.ncsu.edu.

Warren County Logo

Historic 1830’s Grape Hill Home in Need of a New Location

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

Here’s what they have to say on the Preservation North Carolina website about Grape Hill: (you can also see plenty of great interior pictures here)

“Built during the agricultural boom years of the 1830’s, Grape Hill is an unusual blend of sophisticated interior woodwork emblematic of Antebellum Warren County architecture within an exterior of elegant simplicity.

Architectural & Historical Information

Built for the Joshua Davis Jr. family near Locust Grove, the seat of his parents’ plantation, it appears to be a simple two-story Federal-Adamesque I-house, but on a much grander scale. Archival photographs show its original entry porch was more Greek Revival in style with a pedimented portico supported by a Doric entablature.

The tall five-bay façade with side addition accommodates two stories of nine-over-nine windows, a molded box cornice, tall stone chimneys stuccoed and scored to give a refined ashlar finish, all resting on a high stone foundation under which is located a basement with summer kitchen and workspace.

The double-leaf entry doors lead into a wide highly ornamented hallway with tall marbleized baseboards, heavily molded door surrounds with bullseye corner blocks and a low wainscot. The stairway is located at the back of the wide center hall and features a single-run stair with ogee bracket ends and marbleized risers. The enormous main parlor shares similar woodwork to the center hall including marbleized baseboards, low wainscot with a heavy band creating a chair rail.

The highlight of the main parlor is a mantel which shares intricate detail with some of the finest early houses in Warren County showcasing wide molded engaged pilasters supporting a multi-paneled frieze topped by a delicately carved lozenge band below the deep molded shelf. Both parlor mantels were stolen years ago, but happily, the mantel from the main parlor was recovered and has been safely stored off-site. The remaining first floor rooms share more simplified versions of the parlor and center hall woodwork such as a low wainscot, six-panel doors and a post-and-mantel with molded detailing in the side addition. Plaster walls and beautiful wide board wood floors can be found throughout the house. The former gabled rear porch located at the back of the center hall was enclosed decades ago and includes a bathroom.

Second floor details are fine yet predictably more modest and include simple paneled mantels, six-panel doors, chair rails, and a simplified version of the first-floor stair that continues up to two large attic rooms. The second story is also divided by a stair hall with one large bedroom on one side and three rooms on the other side of the hall. Much original paint remains on doors and trim (red and blue-gray).

Grape Hill has been vacant for many years and has been used for storage for the surrounding farm. The house must be moved or it will be lost to demolition. The house appears to be very sturdy, but will require a complete rehabilitation once moved to its new site.”

Click here for interior pictures available at the Preservation North Carolina website.

Grape Hill – Structure Only – 1471 U.S. Highway 1 North Norlina, NC 27563 Warren County

$10,000    2,900 square feet    Lot Size: N/A acres / Zoning: N/A

Contact: Cathleen Turner, Regional Director Preservation NC, Piedmont Office 919-401-8540, cturner@presnc.org

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Our State Magazine Announces Third Annual Made in NC Awards

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

“Show us what you’re made of, North Carolina.” Prouder words were never spoken. Our State magazine, now in its 85th year, and presenting sponsor Mast General Store are celebrating the astounding talent of the people who make North Carolina so special with its third annual Made in NC Awards. In the Our State tradition of spotlighting the best creators, makers, designers, and chefs across this amazing state of ours, the Made in NC Awards supports local businesses, highlights artisans and entrepreneurs, and celebrates North Carolina-made products. For the full details on the Made in NC Awards, visit madeinncawards.com.

Our State and Mast General Store will honor unique makers and business owners in four categories: Home & Garden, Style, Food & Drink, and Art. All products must be able to be reproduced for sale. Submissions will be judged upon quality (50%), innovation and creativity (25%), and the tie to North Carolina (25%).

Representing the 2018 panel of judges are: Lisa Cooper, president of Mast General Store; Nicole Bogas, Our State Store manager; Bradley Rhyne, cofounder of Ole Mason Jar; Bob Page, founder and owner of Replacements, Ltd.; artist Patrick Doughtery; and Van Eure, owner of The Angus Barn. Judges from the Our State Store and Mast General Store will consider all submissions for merchandising opportunities.

This distinguished panel of judges will select one winner and two honorable mentions for each of the four categories, and an overall winner will be selected from among the four category winners. Each category winner will receive email and social media promotion; a short feature on madeinncawards.com and ourstate.com; and a quarter-page ad, valued at $2,000, in the December 2018 issue of Our State magazine.

The overall winner will receive an additional $500 prize. Category winners will also be featured at the Made in NC Awards Celebration Event on October 13, 2018, at Mast General Store’s location in downtown Winston-Salem. Winners will be announced on August 23, 2018.

“We are very excited to announce the third annual Made in NC Awards as an extension of the Our State brand,” said Bernie Mann, the publisher of the magazine. “There are so many amazing business owners and entrepreneurs in North Carolina, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase them and our great state.”

Entries will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. EST on July 18, 2018. To submit your entry or to find answers to any of your questions about the Made in NC Awards, visit madeinncawards.com.

About Our State

Each month, Our State celebrates the very best of North Carolina from the mountains to the coast through lively storytelling and stunning photography. Published by Mann Media, Inc., the award-winning magazine reaches more than one million readers each month with subscribers in every state and 15 foreign countries.

About Mast General Store

The Original Mast General Store opened in 1883 in the rural community of Valle Crucis, North Carolina. Downtowns in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee offer the same friendly and knowledgeable service that welcomed neighbors in Valle Crucis more than 100 years ago.

Kerr Lake Park Watch Asks ‘Are the Days of the Park Ranger Numbered?’

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Frank Timberlake, lead of public affairs for the Kerr Lake Park Watch (KLPW), was recently on Town Talk to discuss what is, in his and other Park Watch members’ opinion, the troubling trend of the dwindling role of the park ranger position at Kerr Lake.

Timberlake has been with the KLPW for eight years and has seen its ranks grow from six to almost 600 concerned citizens. He said the group’s mission is “to promote, to protect and improve all of the public facilities around Kerr Lake.”

Timberlake believes today’s park rangers are expected to act predominantly as law enforcement officers while ignoring traditional ranger duties such as protecting the environment and educating the public, specifically youth, on preservation efforts.

In documentation provided to WIZS, Timberlake states:

At Kerr Lake, the park rangers for the US Army Corps of Engineers parks still adhere closely to [a] broad range of duties, with only a few designated as full law enforcement officers. The rangers, including the Chief Ranger, wear Federal badges and can issue citations. That may sound mild but be assured those citations land accused violators in Federal court because those parks are on Federal land. Those arrested on the say-so of Corps rangers are hauled before a magistrate or to jail.

 In Virginia, the two parks on Kerr Lake have law enforcement officers. There is no “split” in Virginia having parks versus recreation areas; they are all parks. Some current and former Virginia State Parks employees believe that the tilt of the park ranger job is going too far towards law enforcement and leaving behind the resource, the park’s other employees and the visiting public.

 The KLPW recently conducted their own 30-day investigation into the role of park ranger and the visiting public’s opinion of ranger responsibilities. The results of this investigation were documented in a five-page report that was sent to the NC Division of State Parks and Recreation in Raleigh.

“One reason we’ve taken it public is that we don’t want to bring this issue out, bring it to the forefront, and then it be swept to the back when something else comes along,” Timberlake said.

Among the findings, the KLPW cites a lack of understanding of ranger roles other than as a law enforcement entity, the public’s unawareness of who the rangers are, a high turnover of rangers at Kerr Lake leading to inconsistency in leadership, the lack of an official park manager role to keep parks organized and a prevailing “that’s not my job” attitude among park officials.

“Part of the problem is that there is nobody assigned to the duty of being a park manager, so to speak,” said Timberlake. “There is nobody to fill in on those interpretive services that were done previously. The park rangers use to take pride in their part. What’s been mutilated in all seven parks is the team spirit.”

Timberlake said part of the KLPW’s proposal to NC State Parks and Recreation included a recommendation that entry stations built at each park in recent years be made the rangers’ offices. “The State of NC spent $250,000 on entry stations that are unmanned most of the time,” Timberlake said. “There is a missed $6 entry fee for every person who drives through. Why not make those booths the park ranger’s office?”

In the report, the KLPW invite the administration to “leave Raleigh and get out to talk with the park – public and employees.”

Timberlake said he was recently told by some of the leadership of NC State Parks and Recreation that the department is taking into consideration several points mentioned in KLPW’s report and that meetings have previously been held to discuss issues related to organizational structure.

While the KLPW finds this encouraging, Timberlake warns that “the wheels of government grind slowly.”

*For more information on the Kerr Lake Park Watch Association, including a more detailed summary of their report on Kerr Lake’s park ranger role, please visit their website at https://kerrlakeparkwatch.org/.

Spay/Neuter Program to Help Qualifying Warren Co. Pet Owners

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-Information courtesy Mary Cervini, founder of Community Partnership for Pets

The Warren County Animal Shelter, Community Partnership for Pets and Warrenton Animal Clinic are announcing a new spay/neuter program to help qualified, low-income families in Warren County get their dogs and cats fixed.

Families must provide proof of income and can purchase their voucher at the Warren County Animal Shelter, 142 Rafters Lane, Warrenton. The cost of the vouchers is $10 for cats and $20 for dogs. The voucher will cover the pet’s surgery, rabies and distemper vaccinations and pain medication.

For more information about this new program, please contact the Shelter at 252-257-6137.

Please help reduce the number of unwanted animals in Warren County by opting to get your pet fixed. If you would like more information about Community Partnership for Pets and their statewide spay/neuter initiatives and/or to donate to spay/neuter pets in your county, please visit www.communitypartnershipforpets.org.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Register Now for Annual Warren County Farm Tour

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-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, Vance/Warren Counties – NC Cooperative Extension

The annual Warren County Farm Tour will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018.

This year’s tour will feature produce processing, a well-established produce farm and also an up-and-coming operation. We will also have a few minutes to shop and meet the vendors of the Warren County Farmers Market.

Aspiring and experienced farmers will see what it takes to build a successful operation, and non-farmers will get a behind-the-scenes peek into the life of a farmer. Don’t miss this opportunity to visit the farms that contribute so much to the community, and learn how they operate.

School-aged children are welcome to attend if accompanied by a supervising adult. The tour is made possible through the generous support of AgCarolina Farm Credit.

The day begins at 8 a.m. at the Warren County office of NC Cooperative Extension, concluding at 2 p.m. The cost is only $5 which includes lunch and transportation. Registration required by noon on Wednesday, June 13.

For details call 252-257-3640 or click https://go.ncsu.edu/wcfarmtour.

(Photo courtesy Paul McKenzie and NCSU)

Dr. Ray Spain Appointed to Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council

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Dr. Ray Spain, superintendent of Warren County Schools, was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to serve on the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council.

Gov. Cooper issued an executive order in February to reauthorize North Carolina’s council. Federal law requires each state to establish an early childhood advisory council. North Carolina’s Early Childhood Advisory Council provides leadership in the development of a premier learning and development system for children birth to age 8.

“Investing in early learning and development is essential to building a better future for our children and our state,” Gov. Cooper said in a press release. “Quality early learning gives children the opportunity to succeed in school and life, helps produce the workforce we need to drive our state’s economic prosperity, and saves taxpayers money in the long run.”

The council will focus on creating and guiding a bold early childhood action plan that aligns with other efforts to advance the state’s early childhood system; building awareness of the importance of high-quality early childhood experiences to future education and career success to ensure young children in North Carolina are learning and thriving; and recommending and advocating for policies and funding that improve equitable access to high-quality early childhood services and better outcomes for young children and families.

Dr. Spain was appointed superintendent of Warren County Schools in 2003. He began his career as a teacher’s aide in Halifax County and served as a classroom teacher, coordinator for education-related programs, and principal before becoming superintendent.

VGCC Basic Skills Graduates Encouraged to Dream of Better Futures

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Graduates of Vance-Granville Community College’s Adult Basic Skills programs received a double dose of encouragement to dream of better futures and work to make those dreams come true at their commencement exercises on May 3.

The honorees were among those students who have completed either the Adult High School Diploma program or the High School Equivalency program in the past year.

The principal commencement speaker for the ceremony was Dr. Dorwin L. Howard, Sr., retired superintendent of Granville County Public Schools. The Oxford native followed at the podium a presentation by Jennifer Pascual of Henderson, speaking on behalf of the graduating students. A native of Vance County, Pascual completed her High School Equivalency in April after attending classes on the main campus.

Above: Retired Granville County Schools Superintendent Dr. Dorwin Howard of Oxford addresses VGCC Adult Basic Skills graduates. (VGCC photo)

“Do you have a dream?” Dr. Howard asked the graduates. “Do you have a vision of what your future could look like? If you’ve not begun to dream already, I urge you to do so right now. The truth of the matter is that you cannot afford not to dream.”

Citing his work as a school administrator, Dr. Howard recalled student-athletes who had size, speed, strength and a natural talent for athletics. Those attributes, however, were inadequate without an initiative to work, the discipline to practice and the humility to follow the guidance of coaches, he said. “Champions are not born. They are made,” Dr. Howard said, noting the process begins with a dream.

Citing Amos 6:1 from the Old Testament, Dr. Howard urged the graduates to apply themselves. “Woe unto you who will not apply yourself in order to make yourself better. Woe unto you who are looking for the easy way out,” he said.

“I dare you to dream tonight. Dream of entering the workplace. Envision yourself climbing the ladder of success. Dream of continuing your education to help you advance in your career. Dream of earning well. Dream of living well…. But note that dreams don’t become reality by chance. They don’t happen by luck. Dreams begin in your head and heart and become real as you work to make them come true.”

He encouraged the graduates to explore possibilities by reading about what they would like to become and do in life, to be willing to take risks to succeed and to continue to be diligent and work hard. “Dreamers make things happen,” he said.

“Like your parents, relatives and friends, like your instructors and counselors who worked with you and the administrators here at Vance-Granville Community College, I too believe in you and I believe that one day you will make your dreams come true,” he concluded.

Above: Jennifer Pascual of Henderson addresses her fellow VGCC Adult Basic Skills graduates. (VGCC photo)

Student speaker Pascual described for her fellow graduates what had not always been an easy road in life because of family and financial challenges. She described having a dream as a 12-year-old of being a pediatrician; however, that dream faded when her mother and father separated, her family faced the future without a father, her mother battled diabetes while working for 25 years in the tobacco fields, and a brother was deported.

“I gave up on my dreams. I also wanted to give up on life,” she said. “But then I had to think about my mother and what she would go through.”

“While it’s not been easy for my family, I’m glad I made it this far to get my High School Equivalency diploma. I didn’t think I would be able to graduate this year because of financial struggles,” she said. “This program got me focused on my future, a better future for myself and family…. As this program has come to an end for me, I want to make my dreams a new reality by becoming a registered nurse.”

She praised her instructors, including Glenn Alston whose teaching helped her “get the hang of math,” and the department chair for Basic Skills, Dr. Greg Nash, who encouraged her to pursue the curriculum nursing program at VGCC now.

“I now realize not to let fear stop me from pursuing my dreams,” she said. “If I can do this, you can, too. Dream big! Chase your dreams until you catch them!”

Dr. Levy Brown, VGCC’s vice president of academic affairs, announced a special incentive to the graduates to continue their education at Vance-Granville. “Commencement, as you know, does not mean an ‘ending.’ It means a ‘beginning,’ and that is especially true on this occasion tonight,” he said. “The diploma that you will receive will allow you to achieve your dreams wherever you may go.”

As an extra incentive for graduates to begin their collegiate studies, Dr. Brown announced that each graduate would receive a certificate worth free tuition and fees for one semester of courses in curriculum programs or continuing education courses at VGCC, absorbing costs not covered by federal financial aid. “This certificate for tuition and fees is our way of saying ‘congratulations’ and ‘keep going,’” he said.

In conferring diplomas to the graduates, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, praised the graduates and applauded the Basic Skills faculty for preparing students to succeed.

After Dr. Nash announced the candidates for graduation, Dr. Brown assisted Dr. Williams in presenting diplomas.

Also on the program were Tiffany Hunter and Owenwiston Raymond III, both 2018 HSE diploma graduates, who provided the welcome and introduced the student speaker, respectively; Michael Young, an instructor in Basic Skills, who introduced Dr. Howard; Dawn Michelle Tucker, dean of Continuing Education and Basic Skills, who offered remarks; and the Rev. Terry Huffines of First United Methodist Church of Henderson, who provided the invocation and benediction.

More photos: Check out VGCC’s album on Flickr!

Video from the Ceremony: Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

VGCC Releases Names of 2018 Basic Skills Graduates

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-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

VGCC ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS

 

Vance County

Seion Bobbitt, Henderson

Lateria Christmas, Henderson

Jazmer Cole, Henderson

Shawn Davis, Henderson

Grethel Flores Tavera, Henderson

Sherrell Harris, Henderson

Andrew Creech, Kittrell

David Kaiser, Kittrell

Shadian Whitmore, Kittrell

 

Granville County

Gavin Carroll, Bullock

Leslie Collie, Creedmoor

 

Franklin County

Christopher Ayscue, Franklinton

Haley Briggs, Franklinton

Chy-Na Fuller, Franklinton

Jadan Puett, Franklinton

Trevor Martin, Louisburg

Patrick O’Neal, Louisburg

Sarah Wilds, Louisburg

Kathrine Herbig, Youngsville

Jacob Naegele, Youngsville

Logan Robbins, Youngsville

 

Warren County

Patrick McCollough, Henrico

Joshua Edwards, Littleton

Mason Keys, Littleton

Alford Brandon, Norlina

Shadae Jackson, Norlina

Chaquell Jiggetts, Norlina

Krystle Reid, Norlina

Taylor Sidden, Norlina

Delahoya Benjamin, Warrenton

Sharron Lewis-Williams, Warrenton

Juanita Mincey, Warrenton

Victoria Perry , Warrenton

Gabrielle Seward, Warrenton

Earnest Solomon, Warrenton

Imani Swinney, Warrenton

 

Wake County

Alexandria McKinnon, Garner

Nikayla Morgan, Raleigh

Lyndaiha Sullivan-Henry, Raleigh

Isaiah Napier, Wake Forest

Brianna Cid, Zebulon

Cynthia Leon, Zebulon

Anasia Perry, Zebulon

 

Other Communities

Jaime Villareal, Asheboro

Tristan Martin, Bradenton, Fla.

Jairin Shaw, Burlington

Tiffany Joyner, Carrboro

Ahjah Lewis-Rowe, Charlotte

James Shepherd, Charlotte

Dontravious Williams, Charlotte

Ebony Wilson, Charlotte

Kyle Broas, Clayton

Robert Osborne, Dallas

James Moore, Durham

Keion Evans, Enfield

Deonte Robinson, Fayetteville

Thaddeus Dozier, Greensboro

Infinity Miller, Greensboro

Jerome Ballance, Jacksonville

Kimberly Birdlow, Lake Wylie, S.C.

Alexander Ingram, Lexington

Matthew Neal, Lexington

Kashief Matos, Pinetops

Armon Davis, Plymouth

Hassan Bangura, Rocky Mount

Christopher Spruill, Tarboro

Kwon’shelya Best, Williamston

Clarissa Overton, Winston Salem

 

VGCC HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY

 

Vance County

Cameron Bollinger, Henderson

Johnathan Brooks, Henderson

Bridget Crute, Henderson

Janie Evans, Henderson

Chase Gupton, Henderson

Vernon Jenkins Jr., Henderson

Christie Matthews, Henderson

Erin McGhee, Henderson

Michael Noyce, Henderson

Jennifer Pascual, Henderson

Owenwiston Raymond III, Henderson

Leonardo Renteria, Henderson

Jeremy Roberson, Henderson

Michael Stutzman, Henderson

Taylor Walker, Henderson

Lonnie Webb Jr., Henderson

Denise Woodard, Henderson

Christopher Gaither, Kittrell

Matthew Varker, Kittrell

Rebekah Varker, Kittrell

 

Granville County

Travis Sizemore, Bullock

Christopher Smith, Butner

Barry Avery, Creedmoor

Danielle Blackwell, Oxford

Monica Foster, Oxford

Tiffiny Hunter, Oxford

Charles Johnson, Oxford

Karen Montalvo-Franco, Oxford

 

Franklin County

James Goodson, Franklinton

Michael Ray, Franklinton

Christina Tyson, Franklinton

Shakera Alston, Louisburg

Timon Bailey, Louisburg

Dorothy Bobbitt, Louisburg

Noah Corbett, Louisburg

Serenity Corbett, Louisburg

Ronald Dement Jr., Louisburg

Cathrine Forsyth, Louisburg

Rose Johnson, Louisburg

Emily Martinez, Louisburg

Eric Trammell, Louisburg

Kenneth Jeffreys, Youngsville

 

Warren County

Eric Alexander, Manson

Serenia Lester, Warrenton

Christopher Tharrington, Warrenton

 

Wake County

Benjamin Mashburn, Apex

Amanda Bridges, Wake Forest

Jesse Pendleton, Wake Forest

 

Other Communities

Cheyenne Irby, Roxboro

Volunteers Needed for Red Cross’ Disaster Action Team

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The American Red Cross will hold Disaster Action Team Boot Camp sessions on Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Franklin County Emergency Services building, 8146 NC-56 in Louisburg, NC.

Sessions are free of charge to Franklin, Warren, Vance and Granville County residents who are interested in being trained to respond to local disasters, such as house fires, on a volunteer basis. Attendance is required at both sessions to serve as a disaster response volunteer. Lunch will be provided to participants.

Jennifer VanGundy, senior volunteer specialist with the American Red Cross, was on WIZS’ Town Talk Thursday to provide details regarding the Disaster Action Team Boot Camp and its purpose.

“In this area, we are in need of Disaster Action Team members to help respond to single-family fires or small disasters,” said VanGundy. “365 days a year, we have volunteer teams that are on standby in the local community and are second on the scene of a disaster. Internally, we often refer to them as second responders.”

According to VanGundy, teams respond within a two-hour call time and go on site to evaluate the situation; address family needs including clothing, food, shelter, a place to sleep for the night; take documentation to start the family’s case; help with long-term care needs; identify the possible need for mental health and/or spiritual assistance.

Responding teams usually consist of two trained volunteers and a response driver. VanGundy’s goal is to have at least three or four volunteers from each of the four local counties participate in the boot camp sessions.

The American Red Cross recently started the faster-paced two-day boot camp training approach as a way to bring volunteers up to speed more quickly so they are ready to respond to disasters sooner.

At the two-session boot camp, participants will:

  • Learn the Red Cross role and values for engaging with disaster clients, first responders, and the public
  • Understand functions of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), and expectations for DAT workers on a response
  • Discover roles a DAT member may perform on a large-scale disaster response
  • Learn casework and recovery planning processes and the system used
  • Learn how direct client assistance is issued and how referrals are made to community partners
  • Complete training through a simulation drill, practicing the skills learned during the classroom sessions
  • If desired, be assigned to a Disaster Action Team, and support the Red Cross in Franklin, Warren, Vance and Granville Counties

The local four-county area is part of 53 counties that make up the Eastern North Carolina region of the American Red Cross. VanGundy said the region averages eight disasters a day.

“Up to 94 percent of the American Red Cross workforce is volunteers,” VanGundy said. “Our disaster response team volunteers have gone out on Christmas Day, left their meals and left their families to respond to someone who has had a disaster happen in their home.”

VanGundy addressed the common concern volunteers have about being on-call, “We know the on-call part sometimes scares people. We understand that you have full-time jobs, children and other commitments.”

To make it easier for volunteers to communicate their availability, the American Red Cross now has an app that allows the Disaster Action Team member to select or “go” green when they are available and to “go” red when they are not available to respond to a call. “We do ask that volunteers go green more than they go red,” said VanGundy.

VanGundy believes that anyone who has a fairly flexible schedule and a desire to help others in need would make a good fit for the volunteer team, including retirees. “The only thing you need is to want to help in your own community and to have some flexibility in your schedule. Once you come in, we will provide the training you need and will have you ready to go by the end of the boot camp.”

For more information on the American Red Cross and volunteer opportunities, visit www.redcross.org and click the Volunteer tab. To participate in the June 2 and June 16 Disaster Action Team Boot Camp in Louisburg, please call Jennifer VanGundy at (919) 231-1602.