Tag Archive for: #wizsnews

TownTalk 03-29-21; Pastor Frank Sossamon Retiring from SHPHC

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The Rev. Frank Sossamon knows precisely where he was on the last Sunday of June, 1985. He was preaching his first sermon as pastor of South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church. This Sunday – Easter Sunday – he will preach his final sermon as senior pastor to a congregation he has served for almost 36 years.

He may be retiring from the pulpit, but Sossamon is not planning on slowing down any time soon. He reflected on his tenure at South Henderson on Town Talk Monday, and talked with John C. Rose about his plans for the future.

His son John F. Sossamon II runs Sossamon Funeral Home in Henderson and Sossamon said he looked forward to working more with the funeral home, providing services to help families grieving the loss of a loved one, “not just at the time, but throughout the duration of their difficulty,” he said.

Being able to work with his son will be very rewarding, Sossamon said. He said he would be available to offer grief counseling through the funeral home services. “We’re not just in the business of burying the dead,” he said, adding that he wants families to know that they will be supported before, during and after a loved one has died.  “We want to help you through your time of grief and sorrow…help you through a hard and tough situation.”

He and his wife, Vickie, also plan to do some traveling and it was important to him to be able to retire in good health to be able to travel. He’ll be 67 in October, which he admits is “not old, but it’s still retirement age.” He said he’s seen others keep pushing back retirement dates over and over and then not be healthy enough to enjoy their time once they are retired.

Sossamon said it’s also healthy for the church to have new leadership. “It’s a good time…to have a change of leadership after almost 36 years,” he said, “someone else to create vision and direction and move the church to even a higher level of ministry and productivity in the community.”

A new pastor certainly will have big shoes to fill. Sossamon said there already is a pastoral search committee in place to work with the church conference to receive and review resumes of prospective pastors. This committee will interview candidates, then select one to preach a trial sermon, after which the candidate will be introduced to the congregation.

Then comes a vote to determine whether to call the candidate as the new pastor.

Sossamon spent eight years as a pastor in Marion, NC before he came to Henderson. Since his arrival, he has been involved in local activities and the church has presented musical programs which proved to be very popular in the larger community. He said he would be happy to keep a relationship with the church and its new pastor to be engaged and involved however he’s asked.

He said he may always be seen first as a pastor, and that’s ok. “I want to be Frank Sossamon all the time,” he said. He may encounter someone in the grocery store who needs to discuss an issue with him, he said. “I really cannot fully get away from being a pastor and I don’t mind talking to individuals during those times.”

One very rewarding aspect of being a pastor at one church for so long is seeing youngsters grow and develop in their faith and ultimately assume leadership roles in the church, Sossamon said.

The congregation celebrated Sossamon on Sunday during the morning service and again in the evening in a show of appreciation. He said he was glad to be the preacher at Sunday’s service. Easter Sunday “is such a monumental Sunday at the church – at all Christian churches,” Sossaman explained. This year, however, the first Sunday in April will be remembered not only as Easter Sunday, but also the day Sossamon delivered his “farewell” sermon.

TownTalk with Frank Sossamon Broadcast Audio

 

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SportsTalk 03-26-21 Joe Sharrow, Vance Co. High School

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It’s Friday in the middle of football season so most schools will be taking the field this evening but not Vance County. The Viper’s scheduled game against the Northern Durham Knights was cancelled at the beginning of the week due to Covid 19 protocols meaning the Vipers won’t return to the field until April 5th when they will finally get to tangle with Northern Durham.  According to Vance County High School athletic director Joe Sharrow juggling the schedule was the only way to get the Northern Durham game back.  “We really didn’t want to lose the game with Northern Durham,” Sharrow said.  Even though Northern Durham and Vance County will be in different conferences next year, the Knights will be part of the Viper’s schedule for the next two years.

The Knights will remain under quarantine until April 1st when they resume practice and will play the Vipers on Monday, April 5th, 6:30pm at Vance Co. High School.  In order to accomodate the Northern Durham game the Vipers would originally have had to play three games in eight days as Northwood would have taken on the Vipers on April 2nd but “three games in eight days was too much,” according to Sharrow. “We’re pretty beat up right now,” Sharrow added. Sharrow said that one of the games on the schedule would have to go if they wanted to play Northern Durham.  Sharrow and Coach Hunter Jenks were not in favor of cancelling the Cedar Ridge game scheduled for April 9th. Cedar Ridge is coached by former Northern Vance coach Corey Lee and Vance County has a good relationship with the school so that meant the Northwood game would have to go.  However, Sharrow helped Northwood find another school to play, Panther Creek High School in Cary. Even though Vance County gets to keep the game with Northern Durham it does mean that the team will play one less game than intended.

At 0-3 with two games left on the schedule, Sharrow said that getting into the state playoff would require some help and that it is a long shot. The school would have to receive an at-large bid and that means the improving Vipers would certainly have to win out the rest of the season and then get the help Sharrow discussed. Sharrow says, “The primary focus is finishing up with Northern Durham and Cedar Ridge, to stay healthy and let our seniors play out the year.”

As far as athletics in general at Vance County High School, “I am ecstatic about the Vance County High School Athletics programs,” Sharrow said.  Sharrow pointed to the really good numbers with the girl’s softball team and recent wins with that program along with strong numbers for the girl’s soccer team. Where many teams have had trouble finding players to field teams it hasn’t been much of an issue for Vance County. This is likely due to the fact that Vance County High School is the only school in the state conducting Covid 19 tests every week.

Once again, Vance County High School’s next game will be on Monday, April 5th against the Northern Durham Knights, 6:30pm, at Vance County High School.  Tune into WIZS for full play by play coverage of that contest.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

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TownTalk 03-25-21 Covid Vaccinations For First Responders

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Thank you for listening to WIZS Radio, Your Community Voice!

Continued discussion about covid vaccine availability to first responders such as EMS, Fire, Police, Deputies and Highway Patrol.

TownTalk Broadcast for 3-25-21.

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TownTalk 03-23-21: H-V Chamber Advances will help with Human Resources

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The newly formed Human Resources Council, a program of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, will have its first meeting on Thursday, Mar. 25 at 1 p.m. There’s still time to register to participate in the virtual meeting, according to Chamber President Michele Burgess.

Burgess said the council, which falls under the chamber’s business growth and development division, will bring together human resources professionals from a variety of businesses and industry to network, problem-solve and share ideas. The council will meet monthly, she said, and will feature guest speakers.

The purpose of the council is “to help our members grow and to help them solve problems that they’re losing sleep over at night,” Burgess told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk. Until the group can gather in person again – which Burgess hopes it will be able to do by the fall – virtual meetings can help connect area human resources professionals to one another. And this, she said, will build relationships as well as a network for sharing ideas and helping solve HR problems.

One of the challenges that businesses, both large and small, face in the Vance County area is finding employees to fill job openings, Burgess said. These days, besides asking for information about COVID-19 related loans and grants, the Chamber fields calls from companies wondering how and where to find good employees. “That’s really how the whole human resources council came to be,” she said. “It really started even before COVID,” she said, adding that she hopes through strengthening relationships with the public school system and VGCC, the talent pool and workforce development can improve for area business and industry.

Thursday’s speaker is Cherrelle Lawrence, dean of corporate learning and professional development at Vance-Granville Community College. The topic is “Investing in Talent.” Lawrence, who also serves as dean of VGCC’s Franklin campus, will kick off the council gathering with an overview of topics related to human resources. “I’m excited for my business members to hear her,” Burgess said. “She is really dynamic and full of energy!”

TownTalk Podcast with Michele Burgess.

The HR Council will serve to inform human resource officers and managers in local businesses about innovative programs including specific training, apprenticeships and internships offered in the community, she said. “We like being involved,” Burgess said of the Chamber, “but we also like to share with our other partners like VGCC’s Small Business Center, local economic development commission and other entities that attract new business.

“We feel like the workforce issue is very important at this particular time,” Burgess continued. “We want to keep our local businesses here and operating (and) workforce pool is key to that,” she said. “We realize (at the Chamber) that we can’t do everything. But getting people employed and helping our industry” is a top priority.

The Chamber’s business growth and development division is co-chaired Chamber members by Brian Williams, account manager at Temperature Control Solutions, and Stephanie Hoyle, broker associate with Century 21 Country Knolls Realty.

To learn more or to register for the Thursday meeting, email michele@hendersonvance.org or call 252.438.8414.

The Local Skinny! March 23; H-V First Responders Doing Benefit

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Past and present individuals who serve various local fire, law enforcement, EMS and volunteer agencies, who form what’s commonly called Henderson Vance First Responders, are planning a 3,000 plate BBQ chicken sale for the local families of Ret. Capt. Mike Davis (HPD) and Master Trooper Brent Montgomery (SHP).

Both served in their respective areas of law enforcement, and both died as a result of covid complications. For a $10 donation, community members at large can enjoy the food, which will be available April 30th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will take place at 210 Industry Drive in Henderson. That’s the physical location the Tri-County Shrine Club uses, nearby to Mako, Servpro and Fred’s Towing.

The fundraising project is the brainchild of a number of current and past first responders according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. He and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame are helping too along with the Tri-County Shrine Club, formerly known as the Henderson Shrine Club.

Sheriff Brame told WIZS News last week, “All the proceeds will go to the families of Captain Mike Davis and Trooper Brent Montgomery. Follow social media where you can make a donation. Henderson Police Department and Vance County Sheriff’s Office have tickets on hand, so please stop by and make your donation.”

Subsequently, Brame has posted on his Facebook page, “The following persons and businesses have tickets; Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson Police Department, Eastside Barber Shoppe, Ray Fields, James Lilley, Sheriff Brame, Chief Barrow, Billy Currin. If you would like to join us in helping get these tickets out please call 432-4307, and I will get you a stack of tickets. God Bless and thank all of you.”

The Local Skinny! Podcast