July 2019

July 2019 | Your Community. Your Neighbors. Your Story.

And the winners are...

N Johnston Health takes great pride in congratulating one of our own, Dr. Dennis Koffer, Medical Director at Johnston Home Care & Hospice, on his being selected as

The Johnston Now Honors Best Health Care Professional 2019

As the medical director at Johnston Home Care & Hospice, Dr. Dennis Koffer works with a multi-disciplinary team to plan every aspect of the patient’s care. At the SECU Hospice House, he’s known for his calm demeanor, great bedside manner and passion for patients. As an advocate for hospice, he helps families understand all aspects of care, provides palliative care consults to physicians and supports development of the palliative care program at Johnston Health.

SMITHFIELD

Before accepting the job as medical director in November 2013, Dr. Koffer practiced as a general surgeon for more than 20 years. He is a former chief of the hospital’s medical staff, and he now serves as a member of the Johnston Health Board of Directors. He and his wife Gayle, who volunteers with hospice, live in Smithfield. Johnston Health congratulates him with graditude for his years of service to Johnston Health and the communities we serve.

Expert Care - Close To Home! www.johnstonhealth.org

CLAYTON

NEW START. NEW YOU! Register now for FALL semester

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www.johnstoncc.edu

ON THE COVER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In this issue, we recognize our 2019 Johnston Now Honors award winners.

Photos by Jamaal Porter/Massive Motives.

TEAM YOUR JNOW

Volume 3, Number 8

A Shandy Communications, LLC publication

PRESENTED BY:

Publisher Randy Capps

randy@johnstonnow.com

General Manager

Shanna Capps shanna@johnstonnow.com

Creative Consultant Ethan Capps

Advertising Manager Irene Brooks

Office Manager Katie Crowder Senior Graphic Designer Tuesdaie Williams Editorial Consultants Mike Bollinger, Rebecca J. Blair and Kait Leggett Interested in advertising? Send an email to hello@johnstonnow.com or call 919-980-5522

Story idea or a photo to share?

Send an email to hello@johnstonnow.com or mail it to P.O. Box 58, Four Oaks, N.C. 27524

919-980-5522 www.johnstonnow.com Facebook.com/JohnstonNow 102 N. Main St., Four Oaks, N.C. 27524 Johnston Now Magazine is a monthly publication of Shandy Communications, LLC for our Johnston County neighbors. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent by the publisher.

Advertisers take sole responsibility for the validity of their advertisement. ©2019 Johnston Now. All rights reserved.

4 | JOHNSTON NOW

FEATURES

12-35

PAGE 6

WOMEN’S AUXILIARY HOLDS MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE

PAGE 10

NEWS FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS

PAGE 36

BORDERLESS FRIENDS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES

PAGE 38

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Refilling my cup, thanks to JNOW Honors May was a crazy, crazy month.

number of things that could go wrong.

The following week, I produced a There were times I wanted to enter As it turns out, it went off largely without dozen stories. the witness protection program, move a hitch. to Idaho and try my hand at planting Some of them I wound up with a little more than three potatoes. made me laugh, hours of interviews recorded with 13 of while one almost I’m too stubborn to give up, and I’m the most remarkable people in Johnston made me cry. awful at gardening, so just as the calendar County. As I listened to their stories, a All of them, Randy Capps flipped to June, I was still here when we month’s worth of stress and frustration however, gave randy@johnstonnow.com scheduled 12 interviews with 13 people melted away. me hope. for one nine-hour window on a Friday.

I was inspired, not only by the quality of I found hope for the next generation, We needed photos of our Johnston Now people to which I spoke, but by the good hope that good people are out there Honors winners, and I needed a chance to fortune that allowed me to be the one with a burning desire to make the world chat with them for the stories that you’ll charged with telling their stories. a better place and hope that I might find deeper in this magazine. someday live up to the amazing example It renewed my sense of purpose as a of this year’s group of honorees.

I was expecting the worst. I just knew writer, which for an old, jaded cynic is no there would be last-minute cancellations, small thing.

I hope you enjoy reading about them. problems with scheduling or any other

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FOUR OAKS AMERICAN LEGION, WOMEN'S AUXILIARY HOLD MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE

By Samantha Surles

D

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D c FOUR OAKS — Every year the American Legion and the Women’s Auxiliary Post 346 co-host the Four Oaks Memorial Day Service in Barbour’s Grove Park.

On Memorial Day, Four Oaks remembered all fallen soldiers and native veterans who passed in the last year. This year, the Women’s Auxiliary presented flags and grave markers to the families of James Elvin Allen, Ray Blackman, Thomas Lassiter, Edison Temple, Frances Barefoot and Juanita Wynn.

They also presented gifts and cards made by Four Oaks Elementary secondgrade students to all present veterans.

Fifth graders Shaila Hope and Amrynn Weaver read essays on how to help homeless veterans, and Sara Boykin sang the national anthem and led the music.

Each year, South Johnston Air Force Junior ROTC officiates ceremonies with posting of the colors and firing of volleys at the close.

Colonel Rudy Baker, pictured above, who retired from the United States Army after 33 years of service, was the guest speaker. Baker enlisted in 1954 and graduated from Fort Benning as a second Lieutenant in 1961. Of the 119 graduates of that class, 26 were able to attend the fifty-year reunion in 2012.

“Our nation has always relied on a few to protect the rest,” he said. “What can we do to recognize those who have left us?

We can pray for the families left behind and the ones protecting us.

We keep our faith and appreciate what these guys do every day.”

It's difficult for those who have never experienced

6 | JOHNSTON NOW

the danger of armed conflict to understand the kind of sacrifice they are gathered to honor.

Baker didn't shy away from the reality of the danger, or from that gap in understanding.

“That day, there was a helicopter assault,” he said. “About half the battalion was caught in it with no one around. The battalion commander and ES3 Charlie company commander were both on the ground. The B company and E company commander never got out of the helicopter. They were shot in the helicopter and the helicopter was shot up so bad, it was the next day before we could get in.

“When we got in, the battalion ES3 commander was dead. The Charlie company commander was dead. The E company commander was evacuated to a hospital in Japan. The B company

commander went all the way back to Walter Reed. That’s the kind of situation you had.

“When I go up to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, I go to panel 2E, line 86.

I can count 13 names in a row, I knew every one of them. That’s tough. You veterans all had some of the same experiences, I’m not telling you anything new. It’s probably new to your families, but not to you.”

Particularly present this year, in Baker’s message, and in the thoughts and prayers of all the other officiants, were the Vietnam veterans, for whom the gap in understanding was so great.

There were representatives present from later conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; and one young soldier, the grandson of the Post Commander, deploying

within a month. Yet Vietnam remains the moment in the minds of veterans when the meaning of Memorial Day took on such extreme importance.

“There are 129 veterans on the list for Johnston County,” Baker said.

“Johnston County made a resolution to try to get as many flags out on graves on Memorial Day as possible. There are 17 townships in the county and 16 veteran service organizations. Each one agreed to take a township to put markers on graves.

Why does this mean so much?

“Because I never heard a solider I was visiting at Womack who said anything but I want to get back to my comrades.”

Which is, essentially what Memorial Day is — soldiers giving back to their comrades.

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Clayton attorney uses unique life experience to serve clients As Johnston County grows, the options for quality legal representation multiply. But if you're looking for an attorney that has real world experience — in addition to top notch legal skills — consider the Law Offices of Nicole LaDuca Quinn.

Quinn, a New Jersey native, graduated from Seton Hall and took a job with Aetna as a provider advocate, account executive and collections expert. But she still had dreams of becoming a lawyer.

“My dad was an attorney and I always had a love for the law so I always knew I’d be an attorney eventually,” she said. “I really never wanted to be anything else — except maybe a doctor. I’ve always said I’d either be a doctor or a lawyer. The law won.

“My father was sick with lung cancer and passed away a few weeks before I was accepted into law school. I attended the same school he graduated from in 1960 (New York Law School) so it was special to me. Because he was an alumnus, my mother was able to present me with my degree at graduation posthumously for my father. It was an amazing feeling walking across the stage at Lincoln Center in New York City to my mother handing me my degree. I like to think my dad was by my side the whole time.”

Earning a law degree is achievement enough on its own. Doing so as Quinn did is something else entirely.

“I would drive into New York City every morning and work until 5, and then go right to law school and have dinner in the cafeteria before sitting in classes until 10,” she said. “Then, believe it or not, I’d go to the gym right after school from around 10:30 to midnight — that is where I met my husband.

“Balancing it all was challenging, but when you want something bad enough, you find a way.”

She didn't use her new degree right away. Turns out, she had another trial to face first.

“I got married during my last year of school and started a family a few years later,” she said. “Since I was still working at Aetna and making good money, I held off on practicing law. Then I got very sick and almost died while I was pregnant with our first child. I had a stroke and I was in a coma at nine weeks pregnant.

It took a long time to fully recover from that, so it threw my plans to practice law off track for a few years.

“I try not to make plans now because my whole life has never gone according to 'plan.' I just let life take me where it takes me and it’s never been boring.”

That path led her and her family to North Carolina, where she opened her practice in October 2015. It wasn't a traditional route to running her own practice, but it's a journey that offers a unique point of view and skill set for her clients.

“ a w “ g h t p i e J I a t y m

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.

“It taught me that good things are worth working hard for and worth working hard at,” she said.

“I have been through so much getting where I am now, between health scares and financial woes, that I truly think I bring a unique perspective. When I was living in New Jersey, I clerked for an excellent bankruptcy attorney, Scott J. Goldstein, a Duke Law graduate.

I was able to relate to the clients on another level because I had been through the same financial hardship years earlier. I was able to put their minds at ease in a different way.

“When you start practicing law later in life, as opposed to right out of college and law school, you’ve already lived and experienced life a bit. It’s a benefit to me and my clients that I bring my life’s experience to the table along with my legal knowledge.”

She brings a personal touch to those relationships as well.

“I really try to accommodate my clients and respect their time,” she said. “I have done closings on Saturdays, after hours, at client’s homes and at restaurants. I have this wonderful older couple where the husband is unable to get around, so I go to their home whenever they

need anything. I love seeing her fairy garden and her beautiful doll collection. I love getting to know people. I am a hugger and I hug most of my clients when we are done with a transaction. … I always ask first though!”

for me because I have always loved real estate and everything associated with it. With the help of a great networking group and the growth Johnston County is seeing, it didn’t take me very long to get established.”

The same holds true inside the walls of her office in Clayton.

Despite the volume of real estate work available, helping clients with wills and trusts is also a key part of her practice.

“My mom works with me,” she said. “I love being able to have her with me making sure that the office is running smoothly. She is my office manager-slash-photographer.

She and I are like a comedy act sometimes. I have been told by more than a few clients that they think it’s great that my mom and I work together. I think it is too — most of the time!”

Quinn's practice focuses primarily on real estate, estate planning and traffic offenses.

With the current rate of growth in the local real estate market, she was able to hit the ground running.

“The growth we have seen in Johnston County is insane,” she said. “It shows how great this county is and how great the people in it are. Everyone wants to live here. It has really been beneficial

“I always tell people that you need a will to make your loved ones lives easier and to ensure that the state doesn’t decide what happens to your stuff — your legacy,” she said.

“Also, anyone with small children should have a will that specifies who will care for their children in the event of a tragedy. No one wants to think about that stuff, but death is inevitable. If you get a will, you don’t have to think about that stuff anymore because you will be prepared.

“Another important thing is to make sure that your will is valid in North Carolina. With the influx of people from other states, it is important that an out-of-state will be compliant with state laws or it will be invalid.”

Another service Quinn offers to her

clients is representation for traffic offenses.

“I handle mostly minor traffic infractions such as speeding or if someone is issued a summons for a minor accident,” she said. “It is beneficial to hire an attorney in these situations because if certain circumstances are met, it may be possible to have the charge either reduced or dismissed which could mean no insurance points — meaning big savings for your wallet.

“If you simply pay a ticket, you are pleading guilty to that offense, which could have an impact on your insurance premium and maybe even your job. Most people don’t realize how simply paying the ticket can affect other things down the road, no pun intended, and be problematic in the future.”

As Quinn can attest from her life's journey, keeping the path forward as clear as possible helps to navigate those things that are unavoidable.

The Law Offices of Nicole LaDuca Quinn, PLLC are located at 9939 U.S. Hwy. 70 Business West, in Clayton. To learn more, call 919977-7385.

The preceding is a paid advertisement.

Across the hedge. Down the street. Around the block.

NEWS FROM YOUR

JOHNSTON HEALTH NAMES OUTPATIENT PHLEBOTOMIST AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR Submitted by Johnston Health

SMITHFIELD — Susan Kennedy, an outpatient phlebotomist at Johnston Health Clayton, was named Johnston Health Ambassador of the Year during the annual Red Carpet Service Awards Banquet recently.

During the presentation, Johnston Health CEO Chuck Elliott said Kennedy is an exemplary employee who is kind, helpful and respectful.

A highlight of the Red Carpet Service Awards Banquet was the presentation of the 2019 Johnston Health Ambassador of the Year. From left, are: Dan Rogers, director of lab services; Susan Kennedy, Ambassador of the Year; Chuck Elliott, president and CEO and Debra Jackson, manager of lab services.

“She has made such an impression on patients that several of them ask for her by name when they return to Clayton for care,” he said.

Coworkers appreciate her experience and ask for her assistance, he added. Among other things, she helps train emergency department technicians on proper technique and offers guidance to nurses on how to ensure they get the best specimens.

During the event, which took place at the Johnston County Agricultural Center, more than 175 employees were recognized for milestone anniversaries, including Janet Fleming, who has worked in labor and delivery for 40 years.

CLAYTON FIFTH GRADER RAISES MORE THAN $3,000 FOR CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK Submitted by LaDonna Moore

Emma Reese Moore, 11, the 2018 Miss North Carolina's Carolina Princess, is the daughter of Mike and LaDonna Moore of Clayton. She’s also the granddaughter of Ron and Ramona Neely of Garner, Virgil and Julia Moore of Four Oaks and a fifth grader at Polenta Elementary.

During the last year as Miss North Carolina, Laura Matrazzo's, Carolina Princess, Moore has accompanied Miss North Carolina on many appearances and parades and participated in a fashion show. But the most important thing to her was raising money for the Children's Miracle Network.

Moore set a goal of $3,000 and worked toward it by publishing a 2019 calendar

10 | JOHNSTON NOW

featuring artwork by classmates, sponsoring a Valentine's Day Decorate a Cupcake and Bake Sale and hosting jewelry parties to contribute to the cause.

In addition, she placed change jars at area businesses, made an appearance at Wake County Speedway, where she sold 5050 tickets, and solicited items from local businesses for a raffle.

All of that allowed her to exceed her goal.

She had a great time organizing each event, representing the great Miss North Carolina organization, supporting the Children's Miracle Network and meeting all her new friends this past year.

.

NEIGHBORS

ROTARY CLUB OF CLAYTON AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS Submitted by Rotary Club of Clayton

Pictured are, left to right — Back row, Rotary Club President Rick Heilmann, Garrett Hale, Kayla Daniels, Hunter Hawkins and Rotary Club Youth Services Chair Kay Johnson.

Faith Raynor is on the front row.

CLAYTON — The Rotary Club of Clayton presented awards to five graduating seniors recently during Clayton High School’s Scholarship Night Ceremony. Each scholarship was for $1,000 in tuition at the college or university previously chosen by each student.

The scholarship winners were: Kayla Daniels, who plans to study nursing at UNC Charlotte, Garrett Hale, who plans to pursue Christian studies at Liberty University, Hunter Hawkins, who plans to study biology/pre-Med at the University of North Carolina, Faith Raynor, who plans to study biology at UNC Wilmington and Kasey Wilkins, who plans to study education at William Peace University,

Soccer player Kasey Wilkins poses with Rotary Club President Rick Heilmann. Her award was presented at the beginning of the ceremony to allow her to play in a playoff soccer game.

The winners were evaluated on their high school academic honors, extracurricular activities, educational plans, career goals, personal recommendations and how they believed they had demonstrated Rotary

International’s motto, “Service Above Self,” in their personal lives.

The Scholarship Review Committee was comprised of Clayton Rotary Club Youth Services Chair Johnson, Clayton Rotary Club President Heilmann and Clayton Rotary Club members Frances Bisbee, Dina Love and Angela Smith.

Presentations were made by club leaders Rick Heilmann and Kay Johnson, and recipients received certificates and plaques during the ceremony.

The Rotary Club of Clayton is part of Rotary International, a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in their communities and in themselves. It was formed in 1925 and is currently made up of about 70 service-minded business and community leaders.

JULY 2019 | 11

PRESENTED BY:

And the winners are...

Judy Siler Boyette Excellence in Arts

EDUCATOR, ARTIST HAS HAD ENORMOUS IMPACT ON JOHNSTON COUNTY ART SCENE

By Randy Capps

Johnston County is a community that's alive with the creativity and energy of the arts.

There are painters, sculptors, photographers, authors and many other types of artists plying their trades in this community.

Judy Boyette is one such artist. But, in addition, she has spent decades teaching the arts and fostering an environment for other talented individuals to shine. It is that commitment to growing the arts that has earned her the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Excellence in Arts award.

Boyette moved to Johnston County in the mid 1980s, and she spent 26 of her 37 years here as a public school art teacher in Johnston County — including a 25-year run as the art teacher at Princeton High.

“When I came here, from an education standpoint, there were only like seven art teachers in the county,” she said. “But now, we have one in every school. So, it's grown over the years.”

Her approach to introducing students to the arts was simple, but effective.

“When I was teaching, my goal in Art 1 was for you to find something you like,” she said.

“You might not like drawing people. You might not like painting. You might like wood burning. You might like pottery. You might not like pottery, because you don't want to

get your fingers dirty. I call it the curse of the clean fingers. I just want you to find something you like.

“Whenever somebody else gets inspired, it makes me happy. And if I helped a little bit, then that makes me happier.”

She retired from Johnston County Public Schools in 2012 but is as tireless as ever as a promoter of the fine arts.

She joined the Johnston County Arts Council in 2012 and currently serves as its president.

The council helps provide opportunities in the arts for county residents as well as assists in funding art programs and projects in the community.

“We raise money to give away money,” she said. “We give money to every 501c3 that has some kind of arts program.”

Art shows at the Frank Creech Art Gallery at Johnston Community College or the student art hanging on the walls at Johnston Health in Clayton are just two examples of the reach of the Arts Council.

Boyette is so dedicated to helping other artists show their work, she encouraged the photographer taking her pictures for this story to have an exhibit for his work.

“I like promoting other people,” she said. “I like to see their interpretation. When you are

an artist or a photographer or whatever, you learn to see. Everyone says, 'oh, what a pretty flower.' I want to see the old rusty car. I want to see the building that's about to fall down.

There's beauty in that because it's got a story.

“At the beginning of my career, I was trying to promote myself. I was trying to make a little extra money. But now, it's more about promoting other artists' work. When I hang up at an art show, I'm so excited to meet that artist and hear their story and see their work.

I get inspired.”

While she has dedicated her life to nurturing the arts in others, she's an accomplished artist in her own right.

She's painted murals in several local churches, including her home church, Princeton Baptist, area businesses, nonprofits, like Harbor House, and numerous schools.

She also does mosaics in glass and illustrates children's books, like “The Borrowed Princess,” by Dr. Steve Underwood.

It's the same sort of variety she always encouraged in her students.

“Art is something that you're constantly learning,” she said. “You don't just learn it in class in high school or college. Every time you try a new technique or mix new colors or try a new brand, whatever. You're learning something new.”

July 2019 | 13

Billy B. Gartin Inspiring Coach

GOOD COACHING, LEADERSHIP KEEPS THE REVOLUTION RUNNING

By Randy Capps

When Billy Gartin runs a basketball practice for The Revolution, he wears a whistle.

He looks for ways to coax a little more energy and a little sharper technique out of his players, in the hopes that it might pay off during a game someday.

He organizes drills, talks with parents and keeps his daughter, Kylei, who's on the team, focused on the tasks at hand— basically all the things a basketball coach might be expected to do.

It is for that dedication, and for the positive example he sets for his players, that Gartin has earned the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Inspiring Coach award.

The fact that he does it for a wheelchair basketball team is almost secondary.

“When you're coaching the able-bodied kids versus coaching the wheelchair team, initially I thought there was going to be a big difference,” he said. “Honestly, there's really not. There's that competitive drive, and what you have to remind yourself is that they're teenagers. And just like any teenager, they're going to try to be about as lazy as you’re going to let them be when it comes to putting in the work and effort. Everybody loves to play, but like any other sport, people don't necessarily

14 | JOHNSTON NOW

want to practice. But we try to keep it fun and keep it interactive.”

Nurturing those abilities is a coach's job.

hard work. All I do is show up with the whistle.'

One of the ways that he has found to spice up practices is to invite other teams to try out wheelchair basketball.

“They are kids, and you have to find a way to relate to each individual child,” he said. “What works for one child may not work for another child. … And that's in any sport. Once the kids believe that you care about them, that's the most important thing, the effort will come.

“You'll find an organization that's not so much focused on winning.

We're more about life lessons for the kids. If winning comes, that's great. Everybody likes to win and wants to win, but I won't win at the cost or detriment of another child's feelings.

“They make it look easy,” he said.

“They make it look real easy. One of the things that I began doing was inviting the parents to get out in the chairs. That seems to have helped with the understanding of the sport all together. We bring in able-bodied teams, too, and we play against them in the chair for our scrimmages. We've been pretty successful with that.”

A local AAU team and a team comprised of Billy's co-workers from the City of Raleigh Police Department are just two of the able-bodied teams that the Revolution helped introduce to the game.

“The kids love that kind of stuff, because they get to expose their sport to other people,” he said.

“And the folks who get in the chair love it, too, because they realize how much effort it takes. You get in the that chair and you go, 'I can walk and I can run and I can do all these things,' but you get in that chair and some 12 year old is doing circles around you. Or they've got your chair locked down and you can't get away because of the skill they've got.”

“Each player has a skill level.

Your job as a coach is to recognize the player's growth within that skill level, then reward them and appreciate them.”

Anyone enrolled in school is eligible to participate in The Revolution, and recent graduations have the team's numbers down just a bit.

“We're in a strong recruitment period right now,” he said. “We're trying to recruit as many players as we can to help us get back up to enough to actually enter the wheelchair national tournaments.”

It's not often that kids get a chance to join a revolution.

“It's a family organization,” he said. “Our general manager-slashfounder Richard Lynch is probably one of the nicest individuals you're ever going to meet. He loves to give me a bunch of credit, but I always tell him, 'you do all the

“Winning's great, but we're going to focus on making sure everybody's having a good time, everybody's working hard and everybody gets the appropriate amount of playing time. We're going to make sure everybody's learning and growing together as a team.”

Getting involved in the sport wasn't an easy decision for Gartin and his family, but a little hands-on experience went a long way.

“Before you say your child can't do it and I'm talking to myself here because I had initially said, 'I don't know about this,' bring them out and let them get in the chair,” he said. “You come out and get in the chair, too. I guarantee you after one event, you'll be hooked.

“It's a great organization. I'm just blessed to be a part of it.”

Gartin lives in McGee's Crossroads with his wife, Tiffany, son, James, 16, and 15-year-old Kylei.

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July 2019 | 15

Billy England Dynamic Entrepreneur

ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE – AS A BUSINESS MODEL

By Randy Capps

There is no magic bullet for success as a business owner, but understanding the needs of your customers and figuring out ways to meet them is a good start.

Thanks to the influence of his dad, his interest shifted from bikes to faster machines.

That is the fundamental principle at Tired Iron Classics in Four Oaks, where owner Billy England has built a successful business by simply providing people all over the world with the parts they need.

“My dad was a huge antique car collector,” he said. “He bought and sold nice antique cars, street rods and stuff my whole childhood at auction and all over the place. I liked cars, but I've always been more into motorcycles. So, that's kind of where I took it.”

And that’s why he’s being honored as the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Dynamic Entrepreneur.

As businesses often do, his evolved by chance after an interaction with a customer.

“We sell restoration and repair parts that are no longer available,” he said.

“Original equipment stuff that you can't buy at the dealer any more.

They've liquidated it, so we buy it and then sell it. Anything you need to fix your car or motorcycle, and you can't get any more, we've got it.

“A guy had a dirt bike for sale, and I went to go look at it,” he said. “It's been probably 12 or 13 years ago, and when I bought the dirt bike, he offered me this stash of parts that he had from a dealership he worked at that closed. They had thrown out this stuff, and he said, 'are you interested in parts?'”

“We ship anywhere in the world.

Anywhere except Russia right now.

We can't ship to Russia right now, because eBay doesn't allow it. I don't know what happened. They say Vladimir did something to the guy at eBay, I don't know.”

Growing up in Warren, New Jersey, England got an early start in entrepreneurship.

“I started out when I was, probably seven or eight, pulling old bicycles out of people's trash in the neighborhood,” he said. “And I'd bring them home. The lady up the street worked at the hardware store, so she'd bring home cans of spray paint for me. I'd spray paint the bicycles and put them out. The other neighbors didn't really need them, but they bought them anyway because they felt sorry for me.”

16 | JOHNSTON NOW

He bought them, put them on eBay and they “did marvelously well.”

That's how Tired Iron Classics, which England started focusing on full time in 2015, took its modern form.

Sometimes, even he's surprised when an item sells.

“There was a pull starter for a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower or tractor that was recalled by them in the 60s,” he said. “It had a thing you flipped over and spun and spun and spun, and then it had a little clip you undid, and then it spun back and spun the motor over with a spring — it was ripping people's hands off.

“This lawnmower shop I cleaned out recently had two or three of them, and we sent it out to Japan. I don't know

what someone in Japan is going to do with it, but it was pretty interesting.”

Tired Iron Classics started in a barn at home before moving to a store front on Main Street in Four Oaks and finally into a larger warehouse on the other end of Main Street.

“We've got 7,000 square feet now, and it's full,” he said. “Five years ago, I would have never thought I'd be in a 7,000-square foot warehouse. … I don't think I could talk (Amber) into moving again. And I don't blame her.”

Amber is his wife, and her addition to the fold on a full-time basis has been a game changer for the company.

“It's been huge,” he said. “I've had friends come that would help me out a couple days a week and stuff, because we got so swamped last year and the year before and I just couldn't do it all on my own. I would be gone two and three days picking stuff up, and during those two or three days, nothing would happen with the business because I wasn't there to do it.

“Amber came on full time in December 2018, and it's been amazing. She handles most of our inventory. She handles all of our finances, because I'm really horrible at that. And she's been really supportive. She gave up a lot to make this work for me, too.”

She's also in charge of the company's marketing and social media, some of which features their lovely daughter, Eleanor.

“If you see anything on our Facebook page, it has nothing to do with me,” he said. “I give her the picture and tell her what it is, but she does everything

else.

“If Amber wasn't helping, we wouldn't be (in the new space). We probably wouldn't have even been in the shop. We probably would have just sunk.”

Instead, Tired Iron Classics is floating along, sending out an average of 30 to 50 packages a day. That means a lot of time at the post office, and an intimate relationship with the FedEx delivery driver.

“Being in Four Oaks is amazing, because everybody knows everybody,” he said. “Jed, the FedEx driver, has a key to my shop. So, he'll bring the packages in when I'm not there. It's good. You couldn't do that anywhere else.”

He also gets boxes from area businesses, like Ogi Custom Furniture and All Out Bikes, and packing materials from a local magazine.

All of which helps England to better serve his customers.

“We found the key to our business is versatility,” he said. “If we were just selling motorcycle stuff, there's times of the year we wouldn't have a business. If we were just selling power equipment stuff, there's times of the year we wouldn't have a business. So, all this stuff throughout the year helps us to stay steady in some form or fashion.

“Next year, I might be selling stuff to fix wood saws. I don't know, and I don't care.”

Whatever item, no matter how obscure, people need, he’ll try to make sure he has it in stock.

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July 2019 | 17

Dennis Koffer Best Healthcare Professional

DOCTOR HELPS BRING COMFORT, GRACE, DIGNITY TO HOSPICE CARE

By Randy Capps

It's a little hard to tell that Dr. Dennis Koffer is retired.

It's true, though. After more than four decades as a general surgeon, Koffer, 73, did retire in 2016. Three years before, however, he became the medical director at the SECU Hospice House at Johnston Health, and he still holds that post today.

It is for that good work that Koffer has been named Johnston Now Honors Best Healthcare Professional.

“I'm a doc,” he said. “I do what doctors do. I don't feel I've done anything particularly different for hospice than any other doctor would do in a practice.”

He was born and raised in Philadelphia and spent some time in California before moving to Johnston County in the mid 90s.

“It's added 10 years to my life,” he said. “It's the best third of my life.”

While a change of address did him and his wife, Gayle, some good, his work at the SECU Hospice House was also a welcome addition to his medical career.

“There comes a time when people don't want to see their surgeon come to the room with a walker,” he joked.

“It was a great transition. … It's given me a chance to talk to people,

18 | JOHNSTON NOW

which surgeons never do.

“I wear two hats at the Hospice House. I'm the medical director, which is an administrative position.

The government has regulations for hospice care that require administration by a doctor. That's my job. … I also serve as attending doctor for the patients in the hospice, and that is actual patient care. And frankly, that's my preference. Doing the paperwork is no fun for anyone.”

For some, hospice care has a negative connotation. Dr. Koffer has a different view.

“That's not what we're about,” he said. “The image of us only doing death care is a very narrow perspective. … Very few of us, if any, remember our transition from where we were to life. But there were teams of people that collaborated to make sure that transition was as gentle and peaceful as possible. Well, there's another transition. We can't change that. The transition is going to happen. Our commitment is to make sure that transition is as gentle as the first.”

Still, for some, the gravity of dealing with end-of-life care can be an emotional experience.

“You're taught as a doctor that you can't bleed with your patients,” he said. “Because if you did, you would die very quickly. The fact is, as a

surgeon, when I had to deliver bad news to people, it was just as gut wrenching as sitting with someone in hospice care. The important thing for the patient at that time is to know that the doctor is with them in hospice. Hospice is a care that really demands presence.

“Whether it's the doctor or the long list of people that really do the care. I'm talking about nurses, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, all the way through to maintenance engineers and environmental services — all of those people are with the patients and we believe that it's really important that the patients be surrounded by that.”

Dr. Koffer credits nurses in particular for having the strength to embrace the critical role they play in hospice care.

“The nurses who work at hospice work there because they want to,” he said. “When interviewed, almost all of them say, 'I have a calling for this.' They bring the 'T' and the 'L' of TLC when they come into the room. … They will take every single patient into their heart and love them. And they know that they're going to lose every single one of them. And then when they do, they go home and come back the next morning and start all over again.”

On the surface, it may sound tragic.

But, if you shift your perspective a bit, a different view emerges.

“It's not a sad job at all,” he said.

“It's an uplifting job. If you were to visit the Hospice House and see what goes on there, I think you'd be surprised. Most people are, because the Hospice House is a place of life.

We're committed to the principle that everyone has the opportunity and right to grow up until the moment they stop breathing. And growth means accumulating experiences, and we're there to provide those experiences. And this is an opportunity to provide only good experiences.

“The rest of us, as we're accumulating experiences on a dayto-day basis, we get traffic tickets.

We get headaches. We get holes in our clothing, whatever minor irritations we have. Our job is to make sure that the only experiences our patients accumulate are positive ones. We absolutely commit ourselves to making sure there is joy in the Hospice House.

“In 40-odd years of operating, I had a lot of gratitude from patients and their families. I can't even begin to tell you how much more gratitude we get from families in hospice.

We're doing something we consider to be an honor. It's an honor to care for someone at the last transition.”

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July 2019 | 19

Bruce H. Woodard Legend Award

HONOREE MADE LASTING IMPACT ON JOHNSTON COUNTY

By Randy Capps

When Bruce Woodard was told he was being honored with the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Legend award, he took it very much in stride.

“I'm of the age, most everything I've done has been years ago,” he said.

“I guess a legend is supposed to be old.”

While it's true that many of his accomplishments happened a while ago, the impact of his efforts are still felt on a daily basis around the county.

Many of those deeds are focused on agriculture, and Woodard developed an appreciation for it at an early age on his family's farm in the Gold Valley community of Nash County.

“My father was one of the most diversified farmers in the county,” he said. “We had a peach orchard, we had an apple orchard, we grew tobacco, small grains and corn. My daddy was one of the first farmers to grow hybrid seed corn.”

That led him to N.C. State, where he studied animal husbandry and minored in forestry. He graduated in 1953 and joined the Cooperative Extension Service in Lenoir County.

He worked in Northampton, Wake and Cumberland counties before coming to Johnston County in 1976.

It worked out well, because it was about 50 miles closer to his family farm in Nash County, and his wife Annie's, family farm across the river in Franklin County. Both farms were being run by their mothers by that time.

During his 10 years at the helm of the Johnston County Cooperative Extension, he helped form the county planning department, founded the Johnston County Agribusiness Council and helped organize Keep Johnston County Beautiful.

He was also instrumental in getting the Johnston County Livestock Arena built.

“We've got one of the best livestock arenas in the state,” he said.

“Norman Denning was the chairman of the county commissioners. He was a big hog producer. And Frank Holding was on the board, Howard Benton, from Benson, too. But Norman, primarily, really pushed that. We got money appropriated by the county to build a livestock arena.”

He also worked to increase county tourism, planting the seeds for the modern tourism authority and organizing events like the Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival.

He even helped convince the phone

20 | JOHNSTON NOW

company to stop charging long distance for phone calls between Smithfield and Benson.

Woodard and his wife also sponsor a child for Salvation Army Camp each summer.

“You can call anywhere now, but when I moved to Johnston County, it was a long distance call, as best I can recall, to call from Smithfield to Benson,” he said. “And I think Kenly, and maybe Clayton, too. I contacted the Carolina Telephone Company and talked to them. Then, I wrote a letter and had some other people write letters, and it wasn't long before they changed it.”

In addition, he's a longtime member of Centenary United Methodist Church, and he credits his and his wife's faith for their 68 years of marriage.

In 2008, he and his wife established the Bruce and Annie Woodard 4-H Scholarship Endowment, which provides a $500 scholarship every year for two outstanding 4-H club members in Johnston County.

“It's not as big as I'd like it to be,” he said. “But it's a start.”

He was a member of 4-H as a young man, and he's always appreciated the club's motto, “to make the best better.”

He's a charter member of the Johnston County 4-H Alumni Association, has been inducted in the N.C. 4-H Hall of Fame, is a Nash County 4-H Honor Club Member and has also received the state's 4-H Alumni and Friends Full Circle Award.

“One of my grandsons asked me that question,” Woodard said. “He said, 'Granddad, how did you and Grandma stay together (so long)?'

The first thing is you have keep your marriage vows. Then, you have to keep the Ten Commandments. And if you have an argument, try to settle it peaceably.”

During that marriage, he and Annie have had three children, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild (with a second one expected in August). “(My oldest son) sent me a birthday card,” he said. “He told me how much he loved me and that the reason his sons — he's got four sons, a pair of twins and two others.

And they've all finished college and they've all got good jobs and go to church — are like that is because of the influence I had on him.”

That's probably the highest honor a legend can get.

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Partnership for Children of Johnston County Nonprofit of the Year

PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN BUILDS THE FUTURE – ONE CHILD AT A TIME

By Randy Capps

Anyone that's ever had a conversation with Dwight Morris, executive director for the Partnership for Children of Johnston County, will vouch for his passion for improving the lives of children.

That same zeal flows through the entire organization, which is why the Partnership for Children of Johnston County is the choice for the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Nonprofit of the Year award.

“The organization has been around for more than 20 years,” Morris said.

“It's funded primarily at Smart Start, with state funds to help improve the quality of early childhood education.

We work with children from prenatal care to age five. It's all about making sure all children are prepared to enter school at the right level.”

There's already plenty of children in that age range, and with the rate of growth the county is experiencing, that number continues to climb.

“There's about 11,500 kids in Johnston County under the age of five,” Beth Moore, head of the Family Services department, said.

“Years ago, before the economy crashed, we used to have about 60 percent of those kids, zero to five, in licensed childcare. And now, that number has flip-flopped to about 40 percent. Hence, the creation of the Family Services department, because

we still have to find (those kids who aren't in licensed childcare).”

Reaching children at that age is important for a number of reasons.

“A child's mind is like a computer or a sponge,” Morris said. “It's there, ready for input. So, whatever that child gets in the early stage or in the beginning is how it's going to function. All the software is critical.

All the right environments, all the right educational opportunities, critical thinking, learning opportunities — all of those things play into what kind of computer it's going to be and how it functions when that child gets to the next stage, to school.

“Our mission is three-fold: education, health and family. Most of our funds are designated toward the education component. That's why we work very intently with licensed child care. … If you're going to promote quality, you have to invest in it.”

Getting parents on board with the idea of preparing young children for their education isn't usually a tough sell, but the Partnership's mission actually affects everyone.

“We're not just a children's nonprofit,” Morris said. “We're an economic engine. Children are the future economic workforce. One of

22 | JOHNSTON NOW

the things the community college has told us that remediation is so intense and so difficult. That's because these kids come through school and they're not prepared. It all begins when they're young.”

As with most nonprofits, the mission often outruns the money. Because the Partnership is a public/private model, it can seek other sources of funding.

“We continue to run fast, like little chipmunks, to be creative,” Morris said. “That's how we hire our staff.

Those who think, have energy and want to make a change and a difference.”

That energy allows him and his staff to build relationships with community partners, which expands the reach and scope of the programs on offer.

“It's critical,” he said. “One of my roles at the Partnership is to help build those relationships. It also happens because I encourage my leaders to take leadership roles throughout the community. We build alliances that way. It won't work if the community doesn't support us.

We've had much more support in the last few years because all this stuff is starting to show. Proof in the pudding so to speak.”

“We do rely on the (community)

champions that we recognize,” Moore added. “They all have critical impact in children and family's lives.

Stronger families means stronger economy, stronger community — and we all get to do that together.

I think that's one of the best things we do as an organization. We get to collaborate and work with other agencies to just provide the best services for kids and families.

“We want successful, strong adults.

And it starts before they're born.”

The Partnership for Children of Johnston County works with with numerous programs, including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, My Kids Club and Little Libraries — but it's the inclusion park project that is the most unique to the area.

“I'm just so very proud of Johnston County for stepping up and creating something like that,” Morris said.

“It did take a lot of partners to get there. I want people to remember that there's no place I can think of, at least in the southeast, where you have a Miracle Field and an inclusion park next to each other. It's an amazing quality of life component for our county, and we're totally inspired.”

It's the sort of thing that keeps “all eyes on Johnston,” as Morris likes to say.

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In Memory of Brock Currens Outstanding Firefighter

Rhonda & Anthony Lee

FALLEN FIREFIGHTER HAD BIG HEART AND DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS

By Randy Capps

Brock Currens was a 17-year-old junior at South Johnston. He was a loving son, a devoted friend and an avid outdoorsman.

He was also a cadet firefighter with the Four Oaks Fire Department — carrying on a family legacy of serving others.

It was in that service that he lost his life.

Currens was injured responding to a crash during an event at GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson on March 30 and died the following day at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh.

To honor his memory, Currens is the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Outstanding Firefighter honoree.

He loved being a firefighter, a trait he picked up from his family.

His stepfather, Anthony Lee, is a captain in Four Oaks, and there were other influences as well.

“Anthony is a captain,” his mother, Rhonda Lee, said. “My dad, who he never met, was a chief. His dad. I think he just felt like it was in his blood.

That was something he was meant to do, and he knew it made Anthony proud.”

His passing impacted plenty of people.

During his funeral procession on April 6, traffic in Four Oaks ground to a halt.

He was also proud to be a part of the Fire Safety program at Johnston Community College.

“My mama said, 'I don't think he would realize that he could singlehandedly close Four Oaks down on a Saturday,'” she said. “Nobody was getting anywhere when we were leaving the church.”

“His tenth grade year was the first year they started this program,” she said. “They were offering JCC classes through high school to help you get closer to having your degree after school. … He had to go to (SmithfieldSelma) for that class, because they didn't have it at South. So, he'd go there for class and then come back to South. He didn't want to change schools.”

He studied and trained hard to learn the craft, and his mother believes that it was because he liked helping others.

“He did have a big heart,” she said.

“He did like to help people. He was leaning a lot towards the EMS side of things, because those kind of calls really got him excited to think that he could help somebody. He wanted everybody to be proud of him, and he knew that was something that everyone would be proud of. It made him feel larger than life, I think.”

24 | JOHNSTON NOW

Currens was family oriented, and he had a large support system. As far as he was concerned, his father, Michael Currens, his wife, Karen and their daughter, Kendall, melded with Rhonda and Anthony to make one big family.

“He always liked that family unit,” she said. “I think that's why Michael, Karen and us are so close. He never really realized that we were two different families. He was just so connected to everybody. Family was big to him.”

Currens also had a group of close friends that were special to him — and to his mother.

“Right now, there are four or five of them at the house in his room, just piled up,” she said. “That's where

everybody went. He loved his friends.

He had a small circle, but now we see he had a much larger circle than he realized. The ones he had were really close and really good friends.”

In many ways, he was like many other teenagers.

“He loved to fish,” Anthony said. “And he loved to four-wheel. He loved to hunt.”

“He was a typical 17 year old,” his mother added. “He loved video games, and he loved his room. He loved to be home. He was a homebody.”

He was also a member of the JoCo High Rollers truck club, an organization that raised more than $800 for his footstone after his passing.

Since then, there have been other fundraisers in his honor, and his family is using some of that money to support the cadet program and training program at JCC. “He wouldn't believe the people that have really come out (to support us),” his mother said. “He was just proud to be a part of it.”

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Four Oaks Fire Department pays tribute to our friend and firefighter

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Brock came from a long line of firefighters in his family, and joined the FOFD at age 15.

He was selected to be a JCPS Fire Technology Program student and promoted to Junior Captain in 2018. Brock was a beloved member of the FOFD family.

July 2019 | 25

H

C

Gregory Jamar Vinson Distinguished Police Officer

A S o p i t

WILSON'S MILLS NATIVE BRINGS KINDNESS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT

I c

By Randy Capps

The phrase “protect and serve” is often one mistake, and the next thing you know, associated with law enforcement personnel they're in the county jail. Sometimes it's as part of its primary mission. hard, once you get to that point, to pull you back. You've set a new path that, in Gregory Vinson's application of that spirit some cases, you can't really come back has earned him the 2019 Johnston Now from.”

Honors Distinguished Police Officer award.

It was a message, he thought, that would be more powerful coming from a police Vinson, the son of Greg and Sharon officer.

Vinson, grew up in Wilson's Mills as the oldest of two boys. A 2001 graduate of “If I was on that side of things, then I'd Smithfield-Selma High School, Vinson have the power to redirect certain things,” went on to serve in the Army and work he said. “I could approach it a different with young people before starting his law way. I could say, 'listen, typically you enforcement career. would get in trouble, but this is your get out of jail free card.' And just kind of show It was that experience that sparked his them the right way. desire to get into police work.

“Because I'm in a position where I can “It started with working with at-risk do that. And when you're in that position, youth,” he said. “People that know me you're more believable. It's hard to tell know that I love people to a fault. I love somebody about the law when you're not the betterment of people, and sometimes the law. … It worked great. Some I was I feel that, if we police ourselves, we can able to help. Some, I wasn't. But the ones I redirect certain behaviors and certain did help, I still talk to this day.” things. Sometimes, you can get jaded and you can't see the forest for the trees. You So, he began working for the Johnston might be stuck in a situation, and you County Sheriff's Department at the might need a person to say, 'hey, step over detention center, completed Basic Law here. Go this way.'

Enforcement Training and became a deputy. He went on to earn a degree from “I saw that in a lot of the kids I was UNC Pembroke and worked his way up working with and mentoring. They make to detective before taking his current job

26 | JOHNSTON NOW

as a criminal investigator for the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

“We try to keep rates at a good place for the consumer — you and I,” he said of his current duties. “Unbeknownst to a lot of people, we have a lot of fraud that happens. From staged accidents to insurance agents fraudulently signing documents to get commission, things of that nature. As a result of that, it affects the price. It comes back on us as consumers.”

It's quite a change from the sort of work day he often experienced with the sheriff's department.

“Going from child cases, homicides and robberies to insurance fraud is a big difference,” he said. “But I will say that the experience and opportunities I had at the sheriff's office definitely prepared me for the situation I'm in right now. There's no doubt about it.”

In the future, Vinson wants to pursue a degree in professional counseling in order to help his fellow officers deal with the mental strain of the profession.

“We've been dealing with a lot of uneasy attention,” he said. “ A lot of times, being in the profession, you don't feel like you have an outlet. It's hard to be in a situation

p u h a

where you have a fraction of a second to make a decision, and it can go either way — good or bad.

“You have to live with the consequences of that decision. And the people who don't make that decision or understand what's involved with that decision are the people who make assumptions about what you've done or what you could have done.”

He still hasn't lost sight of why he got into law enforcement in the first place, however. He works with a local nonprofit, InsideOut Development, to offer mentoring, self-esteem building and workshops for adolescents.

“I love helping people when I can,” he said. “I want everybody to be the best version of themselves, and sometimes it's hard to do that on your own.”

“A kind word goes a long way, regardless of who you are. That's what the good Lord wants us to do. Be there for each other. In law enforcement, I've been able to help a lot of people so far. And I'm looking forward to helping a lot more.”

Vinson lives in Clayton with his wife, Erica, and three children; Alijah, 11, Ashton, 6, and Aariyn, 1.

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Clayton Area Ministries meeting needs in the community The fact that Johnston County is experiencing rapid growth and development is well known.

There are now more than 200,000 people that call this area home, but unfortunately many of them don't have enough to eat or the ability to afford basic utilities.

According to a 2015 study by the Southeastern University Consortium on Hunger, Poverty and Nutrition, 13 percent of county residents are food insecure — meaning they lack access to enough affordable, nutritious food.

In addition, almost 21 percent of children live in food insecure homes.

It's a daunting problem, and one that Clayton Area Ministries (CAM) is confronting head-on in Clayton.

According to its website, the

organization “provides food and assistance with utility bills to area residents in need.” For director Dale Matthews, it's a chance to help people get back on their feet.

“Many people living in poverty in the Clayton area fell into it through job loss, loss of a spouse, major illness, accident or simply making poor choices in life,” she said.

“CAM's mission is to help those individuals regain their independence and move on with their lives. Many of our clients are elderly and cannot sustain themselves on food stamps alone.”

Sometimes, the support comes in the form of food. Other times, it's helping a family keep the lights on.

“There’s a satisfaction in knowing that we kept the heat on at someone’s house while it was cold and they were having a hard time,” Matthews told the News and Observer in 2016.

“We say a prayer every day to not judge the people who come to us, to accept what we see in front of us and try to help.”

Clayton Area Ministries helps between 700 and 800 people in need each month. That sort of load wouldn't be possible without the help of volunteers and donations from the people of Clayton.

“Community support for CAM is critical,” Matthews said. “CAM has always worked closely with the Clayton churches, Scouts, schools, grocery stores and businesses to gather money and food for dayto-day opera-tions. The Town of Clayton has always been gracious and helpful when any need arises.

Clayton is still a community that loves and cares for all. A community that understands and steps up to help the less fortunate.”

It's a personal calling for Matthews, who's been working with the organization for two decades, including the last 11 as its director.

“My 20-year involvement with CAM is directly related to my love for Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior,” she said. “I truly feel the need to help others, especially with food, and I

have been placed in a position where I can do just that!

“After working closely with Clessie Pollard, the prior director, I have tried to grow CAM in the community and provide more diversity in products given to clients. He was such an outstanding role model for me.”

As the town's population grows, so does its needs. As a result, Clayton Area Ministries is taking steps to be better positioned to meet those demands.

“CAM is now in the process of moving to a newly renovated, larger facility that will be used to help our community in more areas of need,” Matthews said. “The new facility is located at 780 Durham Street and will be open very soon.”

Clayton Area Ministries plans to host a grand opening for its new facility later this summer before holding a fundraising golf tournament at Pine Hollow on Sept. 27.

For more information about the organization, visit www.claytonareaministries.org, email claytonareaministires@aol.com or call 919-553-5654.

Maisy Miller & Fiona Kincaid Rising Star

Rising Star

SMITHFIELD TEENS LEARN THE POWER OF SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS

By Randy Capps

If you drop a rock into a pond, it creates waves all the way across to the other side. The same is true for acts of kindness, even if the reach of the ripples can be tougher to track at times.

A pair of rising seniors at Smithfield-Selma High School, Fiona Kincaid and Maisy Miller, have been learning that lesson. From mission trips to Jamaica, student exchanges to Denmark and hurricane relief trips to Texas and Wilmington, the pair have been spreading help and hope all over the world — and here at home.

For that, the best friends are sharing the Rising Star award.

They met at McGee's Crossroads Middle School, then transferred to Smithfield-Selma together to join the International Baccalaureate program.

“Whenever we realized that we only had each other (at the new school), that really grew our bond,” Miller said.

“We got a lot tighter going into high school,” Kincaid added. “We started hanging out together outside of school and doing things like mission trips together.”

Kincaid attends Greater Heights United Methodist in Clayton where she volunteers her time with Brown Bag Ministry, which is committed to fighting hunger in central North Carolina.

Her giving spirit started early, as she gathered playground equipment at her tenth birthday party and donated it to West Smithfield Elementary.

“We didn't have the things that other schools had,” she said. “I noticed that my my classmates would come to school, and they wouldn't have enough food for lunch. Or they might not have lunch money, or books to read at home — things that I took for granted. I think growing up around people who had less than me made me realize how good I had it. And if I have it that good, I need to do something with it. I need to go out and make a difference.”

As she got older, she kept giving back. Kincaid and

28 | JOHNSTON NOW

her soccer team participated in Light the Night, a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser in Durham during which they raised nearly $8,000.

yourself, there's people who have it a lot worse than you. So, you need to be thankful for what you do have.”

Later that fall, after being named Young Miss SSS, she collected and passed out more than 900 books at West Smithfield.

As part of a World Changers trip to Texas, Miller recalls a time when just a few kind words to a woman who had severe damage to her home made an impact.

Since then, she's joined the National Honor Society, the wrestling team, soccer team, the junior varsity volleyball team and numerous other clubs and organizations.

“She just fell into my arms, crying,” she said. “And I didn't know how to help her. She was saying that just seeing us there gave her hope.”

Miller has a similar backstory, with a giving spirit that was nurtured by her home church, Plymouth Church in Garner.

She coordinated a National Honor Society visit to a rest home, where she led the group in making Valentine's Day crafts. She helped organize a book drive for Harbor House and found time to cheer and wrestle while being a member of a number of school clubs and organizations.

And they both work at Chick-fil-A, too.

“Growing up in church, I feel like that's where a lot of it came from,” Miller said. “I've always had a servant's heart and I've always wanted to help others.

Going on mission trips and seeing how it impacts them. Just how talking to them for five minutes can brighten their whole year. It's just very heartwarming and heart-filling to see how what I'm doing affects others.”

Both Kincaid and Miller point to their mission work as a lasting influence on their lives.

The same was true in Jamaica, when a small gesture ended up meaning more than the friends could imagine.

Fiona had a pair of work gloves, and a young man took one to use on the soccer field.

“He thought he was a soccer goalie,” Miller said.

“One the last day, she gave him the other glove. And just to see the way it affected him, it was really neat.”

Working in Jamaica was memorable for Kincaid as well.

“There was a group of teenage boys around,” she said. “They were a little older than us, but I remember having conversations with them. We'd have our iPhones and we'd listen to music and it's crazy to see how one song they didn't know could have such an impact on them.”

For their senior project, the pair hope to organize a dental clinic in Smithfield or Selma area. And of course, there's the small matter of college on the horizon.

“I feel like it's really important that at a young age you start experiencing other cultures,” Kincaid said.

“It makes you a lot more open minded and accepting towards others, which is really important when you get older when you go out and have jobs and meet new people.

“We've definitely thought and talked about trying to go to the same school,” Kincaid said. “If we can find a school we both really like.”

“Going into Jamaica, you realize that, even though you might not have the best things compared to other people at school, or you might feel down about

“You never know how one little act of kindness, just helping someone or having a conversation with someone, can make a big difference,” Miller said.

Wherever they go, it seems likely that they will continue making waves.

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Carl Lamm Spirit of the County

BROADCASTING LEGEND'S CAREER SERVES AS SOURCE OF COMMUNITY PRIDE

By Randy Capps

A fascinating and unique career ended on March 29 when Carl Lamm signed off WTSB AM 1090 for the final time.

That date marked the final broadcast of a 72-year career — and the culmination of a lifetime spent making memories and bringing joy and entertainment to countless people in the county, across the state and all over the nation.

That's why Lamm has been chosen as the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Spirit of the County award winner.

“I've been divinely blessed,” he said. “I want to give all the credit for everything to the Lord God of Eternity. I feel like the apostle Paul, that I am the chief sinner in the world, and I want God to have all the credit.”

But, as fulfilling as his career was, he was ready to step back a bit.

“Not necessarily,” he said, when asked if he missed broadcasting on a regular basis. “I think I was pretty well mentally prepared for it.”

But it sounds like there will be a few more chances to catch Lamm on the airwaves.

“I have some shows that I plan to go on, nationwide talk shows,” he said. “I haven't got a date set for a lot of them, but several people have invited me to come on their talk shows. Dallas, Texas, Boston, Massachusetts — places like that. I plan eventually to be on some of those talk shows.”

His love of broadcasting dates back to his childhood.

It's the second honor for the broadcasting legend this year after being awarded the Ronald Reagan Legacy Award by by Rep. David Rouzer at the Johnston County GOP Awards Banquet in April.

“When I was a little boy, I'd sit under my mama's table and take an oatmeal box and mock the announcers at WPTF (in Raleigh),” he said. “I plan to be on the air with Don Curtis (owner of Curtis Media Group and WPTF) sometime (soon).

“It’s not often in life that you get to a know a man who is truly a legend in his own time,” Rouzer told JoCoReport.com. “Carl Lamm has dedicated his life and career to radio and made Johnston County, our state and our nation a better place in his daily pursuit of excellence and truth.”

“When I was a little boy, I had three ambitions. I wanted to be a radio announcer on WPTF. I also wanted to be the heavyweight boxing champion of the world — and I got to meet Jack Dempsey later on. And I wanted to be a baseball player.”

Those are just two of the many honors bestowed on him. Lamm is a member of the N.C. Broadcasters Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary — just to name a few.

After more than seven decades on the radio, it's not surprising to hear that he's spending his retirement talking to people.

“I have been contacting a lot of my friends across the country,” he said. “(I've met) some of the most outstanding talk personalities from across America.

I just stay busy contacting my friends, and trying to help my family out as much as I can.”

30 | JOHNSTON NOW

It's an ambitious list, and during his time on the air, he managed to touch them all.

His career began in 1947 at WCEC in Rocky Mount, where he was hired by Ray Wilkinson, whom Lamm describes as “one of the most famous broadcasters this state has ever known.”

He then moved on to WCKB in Dunn before becoming part owner of WMPM in Smithfield in 1958. He and his son, Mickey, bought WTSB in 2007.

In his career, he's done more than 500 interviews with Major League Baseball players and other professional athletes. He developed an especially close relationship with Mickey Mantle, for whom his

son is named.

But it was another famous New York Yankee that provided a particularly poignant moment.

“One favorite memory of mine is standing on third base, talking to Joe DiMaggio,” he said. “Joe was voted as the No. 1 player in the first 100 years of baseball, married to Marilyn Monroe, you know. So, I was standing there on third base, talking to Joe. Jerry Coleman, who was a broadcaster that day, said 'Joe, you remember the last time you were in the ballpark?' And Joe said, 'Yeah. I hit a ball over here (pointing to the outfield) and I got thrown out here at third base. It was a double, and I tried to stretch it into a triple.'

“It's just so many memories. They just flood my soul day after day after day. … I could not have planned my life. It had to be planned, and you know who the planner is.”

He's also met roughly “25 percent of the members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.” While talking to a writer, Lamm effortlessly weaves in and out of stories about being a regular guest at the Grand Ole Opry, having breakfast with Roy Acuff, who he calls “the king of country music,” and his memories of Hank Williams, “the most prolific songwriter that ever lived.”

It's a career worth celebrating, but even in the midst of becoming somewhat famous in his own right, Lamm never lost sight of the things that mattered most to him — his family and his faith.

He was married to Marjorie for 63 years before she died in 2015, and he has three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He also taught Sunday School at Beulah Hill Christian Church in Four Oaks for 50 years.

“I have the most wonderful family in the world,” he said. “They are each one special. Special. I've had the greatest broadcasting career. But like I say, I consider myself like the apostle Paul. The chief sinner in the world. But I'm worthy if God makes me worthy.”

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Lt. Col. Eric T. Brewington Veteran Service Award

JROTC LEADER OFFERS DISCIPLINE, LIFE SKILLS TO SOUTH JOHNSTON STUDENTS

By Randy Capps

South Johnston's gym was filled with parents, teachers and students for an awards celebration near the end of the school year, where teachers honored students for high achievement in their classes.

During the festivities, Lt. Col. Eric Brewington, the leader of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) at the school and clad in a crisp Air Force dress uniform, took his turn at the podium.

He called up a couple of his students to receive awards and, though they weren't in uniform, each stopped and offered a salute before accepting.

It was a small gesture, but one that speaks to the relationship between Brewington and his students. That bond has earned him distinction as the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Veteran Service Award winner.

Born in Pembroke, Brewington was himself an Army JROTC member at West Robeson High.

He went on to earn a history degree from UNC Pembroke and have a 22-year career in the Air Force. During that time, he held several leadership posts and had deployments to Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I spent my life around aircraft,” he said. “I wanted to fly. Thought I was going to fly, but when I first came in, we had more pilots than airplanes right after Desert Shield/Desert Storm. … I got persuaded into Special Ops, and fell in love with that mission.”

Brewington and his wife, Mary Jane, moved

32 | JOHNSTON NOW

to the area when Dr. Eddie Price hired him to lead the “Trojan Cadets” in 2014, but the idea he might want to work with young people was born much earlier in his career.

“I was a squadron commander and we had some new airmen coming in,” he said. “As the airmen came in, there's paperwork to fill out and they meet the commander and we talk.

There was a kid who couldn't sign his name in cursive. And I told him what time to be there, and he had a little trouble. If it was a digital clock, he was OK. If it was an analog clock, he couldn't read it.

“I realized that there was something wrong with this picture. This kid was smart. He just had never been taught (those things). It may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but this is what we use a lot of. We taught him a few things.”

That experience, and some friendly advice from a colonel, led Brewington to the JROTC. “Once I started meeting kids, that's what got me hooked,” he said. “What it's for is to create better citizens, stronger Americans, and help them appreciate what it is that we have here. The opportunities you have here aren't everywhere. Most people don't understand that. They think the rest of the world is just like us. We truly are the top. You can't get any better than the blessings we have here.

“We want to the get the best out of the kid. Let them see that you have all these opportunities. The only thing stopping you is your imagination and your desire to succeed.

Go for it. Whatever it is, go for it.”

Many people are critical of the next generation, but Brewington has a far different opinion of his cadets.

“I don't really see them as students,” he said. “I have to remind myself that they are students. I see them as young adults. I always tell them at the very beginning that I'll treat you like a young adult until you teach me differently. … It's hard to explain. I see the potential in what they can be. It amazes me, because these kids can do so much. Me at that age, I was nowhere near the caliber of kid I'm seeing coming through. … Just the fact that they're trying something out of their comfort zone is something I'm in awe of.”

Although it's an Air Force program, Brewington tailors the curriculum to be applicable to all branches of service — and life outside the military as well.

“It's an Air Force JROTC unit, and the history of what we study is primarily Air Force,” he said. “But the leadership aspect of it, I try to keep it (Department of Defense), in case they want to go Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines.

In fact, when they learn ranks, we start off with their ranks in JROTC. Then, we go Air Force. Then, I'm teaching (the other branches' ranks).”

The program also emphasizes real world skills, like leadership and preparing for college and job interviews.

“I believe what we're offering here at South is working,” he said.

If his cadets are any indication, he's right.

Congratulations Lt. Col. Brewington!

Proud of your achievements and character.

- Pastor Scott Betts

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July 2019 | 33

Sara J. Perricone Exemplary Volunteer

VOLUNTEERISM IS SECOND NATURE TO CLAYTON RESIDENT

By Randy Capps

The idea of volunteerism usually gets more thought and attention from the organizations and communities that benefit from it than from the ones actually giving their time and energy.

So while various groups and entities in Clayton benefit from Sara Perricone's tireless work, she doesn't really think about it too much.

“It's something I've never even thought about,” she said. “When we were growing up, my parents, if there was a family member that needed taking care of, they were brought into our home. It was grandparents, aunt, whomever. …

We all just took care of them. My mother did a lot of different things and my sisters, I was the youngest of four, always did some volunteer work.

Near the top of the list is the Clayton Women in Networking group. Clayton WIN “was created to give the women members of the Clayton business community an outlet for ingenuity and philanthropy” and is a force for charitable work in the area.

Or, put more simply, Perricone saw a need and worked to fill it.

“There were a lot of wonderful groups of women, but there was nothing for women in business,” she said. “I decided to start something to deal with that.”

So, she wrote up some bylaws and, with some help from Sarah Martin, put together a board to get the group off the ground in April 2012.

“So, I just think it was just habit. I saw something taking place, and I just did it. I didn't think about it. When I started volunteering in Michigan and then down here, it was just second nature.”

“I'm excited about that, because it has really been a force on its own,” she said. “That is something that has helped many women, and it did satisfy what was needed. That's the best part.”

It's that giving spirit that has earned her the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Exemplary Volunteer award.

Another need that struck her was the lack of outlets for veterans to tell their stories. Working alongside Mike Stojic, A Soldier's Story was born.

Perricone and her husband, Jim, moved to Clayton 13 years ago from Michigan, and as one might expect, weather was a factor.

“We loved Michigan, but it's seven months of snow and four-wheel drive,” she said. “We came down here around Thanksgiving, and on Thanksgiving Day, it was 70 degrees. I said, 'well, it's got my vote.' … We ended up down here, and boy, were we lucky.”

She was honored as the 2018 Clayton Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year, and a look at her efforts in that community provides plenty of reasons why.

34 | JOHNSTON NOW

“We decided that it would be interesting if we could talk to veterans about what they really experienced,” she said. “You can read all kinds of stories. You can read editorials, you can read all kinds of things about World War II and so forth, but we wanted the personal aspect of it.

So, we started with World War II, then we moved on to the Korean War and went from there.”

It's an ongoing venture, with an eye toward including the recordings in a potential Clayton Veterans Memorial or perhaps for use in schools as part of an oral history for students.

Shaping the community's interest in the arts is another passion for Perricone, and it's how she got involved with the Clayton Arts Advisory Board.

“When I was at the chamber, I was asked to participate in choosing sculptures for the Town,” she said. “Well, my background is in art. I (studied) art and marketing in college, so I really liked what they were doing there.”

She joined the board, and now serves as its chairperson. One of the board's most noteworthy efforts was the Before I Die project, which featured a cube in Horne Square where people could share their hopes and dreams with a little chalk and some creativity.

“One young man used it to propose to his girlfriend,” she said. “That was fun.”

She also helped establish an annual 5K and Festival of Trees to benefit Donate Life NC, a charity that raises awareness for the importance of organ donation.

These are just a few of the ways that Perricone has impacted her community, but if you ask her, serving others has given just as much back to her in return.

“There's always a need,” she said. “I love the people. The best people are volunteers, and you really do have a good time. Part of it is selfish, too, because it's so much fun to work on these things. And you see an end result right away.

Not all things have that, and that's the thing that excites me.

“It's not really work. What we raised for Donate Life, working on the Harvest Festival and now the Christmas parade and watching the kids and the families get excited. I mean, how do you put a price on that?”

PRESENTED BY:

Congratulations to the 2019 Johnston Now Honors Award Recipients Brock Alexander Currens

Judy Siler Boyette

Gregory Jamar Vinson

Billy B. Gartin

Outstanding Firefighter

Distinguished Police Officer

Dennis Koffer

Excellence in Arts

Inspiring Coach

Billy England

Best Healthcare Professional

Dynamic Entrepreneuer

Maisy Miller Fiona Kincaid

Spirit of the County

Bruce H. Woodard

Partnership for Children of Johnston County

Sara J. Perricone

Lt. Col. Eric T. Brewington

Rising Stars

Legend Award

Exemplary Volunteer

Carl Lamm

Nonprofit of the Year

Veteran Service Award

And a big Thank You to our sponsors!

CLEVELAND FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

BORDERLESS FRIENDS FOREVER PROVIDES UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES

By Amber England

Pictured are, background, left to right — Frank Heider, Donna Heider, Danie Summers and Scott Summers. Front — Atiqua (Tika) Ulfat Prithu, David Davis and Yvette Davis.

Borderless Friends Forever, a local nonprofit organization, is wrapping their arms around the world and developing our future world leaders through cultural exchange experiences right here in Johnston County.

Borderless Friends Forever was established in 2014 by founder Crystal Allis with the mission to create a more peaceful world by developing educational and cultural exchange programs in an effort to promote understanding of one another’s core values.

They carry out this mission by organizing students like Atiqua from Bangladesh to come to the United States to live for two weeks to a year with a host family, in this case, the Davis family of Johnston County.

Mrs. Davis, Antiqua’s host mom, writes, “Some people ask us why we do this. I suppose many people see us as relatively young empty-nesters with time and opportunity to explore the world and enjoy responsibility-free weekends. My standard response, however, is, 'why not?'

Perhaps that's why we're hosting our fourth exchange student this year.”

She goes on to share, “The truth is that exchange students make us grow, even when we don't think it's possible to do so anymore.

Hosting brings out our better selves. It makes us more reflective of both ourselves and the trajectory of our lives. Most of all, hosting instills in us the desire to be the best Americans we can be. I'm not sure anyone

36 | JOHNSTON NOW

can offer an exchange student more.

“We quickly became thick as thieves, and now I can barely recall what the days were like before she graced us with her smile and quick wit. Honestly, she is an extraordinary combination of everything we've loved in our other exchange students: she is the grace-filled patience of our South Korean student; she is the tender-hearted sweetness of our Spanish student; she is the bold courageousness of our French student. She is a daughter.

“Atiqua is so like us, and yet so different, and we are fascinated by every aspect of Bangladeshi culture she shares with us. Of course, in true Davis style, we have toted Tika to the places our family has loved over the years, hoping to show her glimpses of who we are through our geography, and leaving indelible prints on one another along the way.

“In her Valentine, Tika told me that when she came to the U.S., she didn't have specific expectations, but she'd hoped for a host family with whom she could have a connection for the rest of her life. She concluded that with David and me, she got more than she could have asked for: the best host family anyone could get. I hope I will always be that person.

“When I consider our family, I think of Stitch in the Disney movie when he says, 'This is my family...' and talks about how

it is little 'but still good.' We are a 'little family,' but our hearts are full. Atiqua's combination of strength, courage, wit and grit have endeared her to us forever.”

The benefits of hosting are endless. When you have an exchange visitor living with you, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

Things as mundane as a trip to the grocery store becomes a new experience and quite the adventure for the exchange students.

Hosting is a chance to help mold future world leaders. No matter their future profession, a host student will return to their country and carry with them the experience, education and values they learn from their time in the exchange.

Host families come in all shapes and sizes.

Families of all kinds make good host families: families with teens, no children, young children, children who have grown up and moved, single parents, same sex parents and grandparents.

Hosting is also an amazing experience for children. They’ll gain a more global perspective and learn more about geography, communication and other cultures.

For more information about Borderless Friends Forever or the host family experience, contact Amber England, Community Advisor, at 910-813-4232 or aengland@borderlessfriends.org.

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July 2019 | 37

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Add your organization’s events to the community calendar at JohnstonNow.com or email us at calendar@JohnstonNow.com. For the full community calendar with hundreds of area events, visit JohnstonNow.com.

NAMI support groups The Johnston County Affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness offers weekly support groups for those suffering from mental illness (Connection) as well as their loved ones and friends (Family Support). Regular meetings are now held in Benson, Clayton, Selma and Smithfield. For more information, please either call NAMI Johnston County at 919-4643572; email at namijcnc@gmail.com or visit www.namijcnc.net.

Rudy Theatre Summer Jubliee The Summer Jubilee is underway at the Rudy. For dates and times, visit rudytheatre.com.

Every Monday, 7:30-8 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, 7:30-8 p.m. and Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Angels on a Mission Food Pantry Lighthouse Christian Fellowship, 9856 Hwy 210, Four Oaks This organization helps feed families in need in Johnston County. It is also in need of volunteers. For more information, contact John Jernigan at 919-320-7387.

Every Monday, 8:30 a.m.

Coffee Club Edward Jones, Hwy 70 Bus. West, Clayton Join a coffee club, hosted by Edward Jones Financial Advisor Brad Palmer, and discuss current events, the economy, and investing in a relaxed and informal setting. Its a great way to get to know one another. Coffee and breakfast pastries provided. Call Christine at 919-879-8974 or email brad.palmer@ edwardjones.com by the Friday prior to RSVP. Every Monday and Wednesday Smithfield Running Club Join the Smithfield Running Club each week to meet new people, get back in shape, train for races and explore the growing downtown area of Smithfield. For more information, find them on Facebook by searching for Smithfield Running Club or email smithfieldrunningclub@gmail.com.

38 | JOHNSTON NOW

Every Monday and Thursday Senior Adult Activity Center First Baptist Church Ministry Center, Smithfield Serving men and women 60 years and over, ARC provides a structured program with stimulating activities, socialization, a snack and lunch. For more information, contact Barbara Smith at 919-934-9771 or email arc@ fbcsmithfield.org.

Every Tuesday, 7 a.m.

Cleveland School Rotary Club Cleveland Draft House, Garner Cleveland School Rotary Club meets weekly and serves the citizens of the 40/42 area of Johnston County and Garner.

First and third Tuesdays, Noon Clayton Rotary Mid-day Club Cleveland Draft House, Clayton This small group of service-minded individuals is very dedicated to community betterment in Clayton and Johnston County.

First and third Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Smithfield Lions Club Golden Corral, Smithfield This group gathers for fellowship and a meal (self-paid), and the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Come learn about the club and how it helps with local community service projects. For more information contact, Karen Brown at 919-934-2555.

First and third Thursdays, 6:45 p.m.

Clayton Civitan Club meeting Clayton Civitan Building, McCullers St., Clayton Join the Clayton Civitan Club for its monthly meetings. Call 919-550-0694 for more information.

Second Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.

Johnston County Chapter of National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees Golden Corral, Smithfield Join the Johnston County Chapter of National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees for their monthly meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at Golden Corral. Stay up to date on the latest educational programs and federal and

state legislation affecting current federal employees and retirees. To learn more, email bhwoodard25@aol.com.

Second Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

Johnston County Writers Group Selma Public Library Facilitated by retired educator Gary Ridout, check out the Johnston County Writers Group and meet visiting local authors, hear craft talks, enjoy networking and more. Free to the public. For more information, email brookshire1014@ verizon.net.

Third Monday, 6-7:30 p.m.

Kiwanis Club of Clayton, N.C. Cleveland Draft House, U.S. 70 Business The Kiwanis Club of Clayton, N.C., serves the community with emphasis on school youth Kiwanis programs.

It advises two local high school KEY (Kiwanis Educating Youth) clubs and one elementary school club and meets each month. For more information, email president Jack Tucker at mrtcpa@gmail. com or call 805-377-9573.

Third Tuesday Widowed Persons Fellowship Group Parkside Cafe, Pine Level The Widowed Persons Fellowship Group, Johnston County, cordially invites widowed males and females to join them at their monthly self-pay dinner meeting.

There is no charge to join their group.

Come and see what they’re all about. Call 919-965-3865 with any questions.

Third Tuesday Johnston County African-American Caucus meeting Smithfield The Johnston County African-American Caucus meets every third Tuesday of the month at 17 Noble St. in Smithfield at Dr. Gettys Cohen Jr.’s office. For additional information, email dwcsw610@yahoo. com.

Third Wednesday, 11:45 a.m.

Clayton Women In Business meeting Rainbow Lanes, Clayton Clayton WIN’s core purpose is to support emerging and established women entrepreneurs, leaders and other professionals, empowering them through mentoring, learning, development and

professional networking thereby giving back to the community. For more information, visit www.ClaytonWin. com.

Every Thursday, 6:45 a.m.

Clayton Rotary Morning Club Rainbow Lanes, Clayton Every Thursday morning, 70 serviceminded people, representing all ages, genders and races meet at Rainbow Lanes in Clayton. Breakfast is served at 6:45 a.m. and the hour-long meeting starts sharply at 7 a.m.

Every Thursday, 8-10 a.m.

Plant a Row for the Hungry Johnston County JCC Arboretum Volunteers plan and take care of vegetable gardens and an orchard year round, and all of the harvest is donated to local soup kitchens and food pantries.

No previous gardening experience is required and training is provided. Adults welcome, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent. For more information, please contact Tiffany at plantarow@yahoo.com.

Every Thursday, 12 p.m.

Central Johnston County Rotary Club The Central Johnston County Rotary Club meets every Thursday for lunch at the Johnston Medical Mall and serves the Smithfield and Selma areas.

Every Thursday, 6:15 p.m.

Clayton Area Toastmasters meetings JCC Workforce Development Center, Clayton Clayton Area Toastmasters is a public speaking club in affiliation with Toastmasters International. For more, visit claytontm.com.

Every Third Friday, 6-9 p.m.

Free Carriage Rides Downtown Smithfield The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation hosts free carriage rides, starting on the corner of Third and Market, around the beautiful, historic downtown area each month. Have dinner and drinks at locally owned restaurants, catch a movie at the Howell Theatre and enjoy some small town charm.

First Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

Four Oaks American Legion meeting American Legion Building, Hwy. 301, Four Oaks All veterans are encouraged to attend the monthly meeting of Four Oaks American Legion Post 346 on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

Third Thursday, 6 p.m.

Four Oaks American Legion Ladies Auxiliary meeting American Legion Building, Hwy. 301, Four Oaks All veterans’ wives are encouraged to attend the monthly meeting of Four Oaks American Legion Post 346 on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.

First Friday of the month, 7:30-9 a.m.

Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce Member Breakfast Triple Barrel Tavern, Garner Join the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce for its free member breakfast each month. Contact the chamber at 919773-8448 for more information.

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Third Friday Clayton Area Parkinson’s Group All people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers are invited to learn, socialize and exchange ideas in friendly and casual meetings. Meeting locations and times vary. To learn more, call Mark or Jane Wilson at 919-359-0633 or 919-631-2628. Or email retiredones@ earthlink.net.

Last Friday of the month Free carriage rides, Clayton Enjoy free carriage rides in downtown Clayton. Every last Friday, there will be free horse-drawn carriage rides. Come out and explore the downtown Clayton area and go for a nice ride with Southern Charm Carriages. For more details, call 919-946-0924.

Third Saturday, 1 p.m.

Refreshing Springs Outreach Ministries Fairfield Inn and Suites, Smithfield Come out to worship and fellowship with a growing ministry at Fairfield Inn & Suites-Marriot. For questions, email Rev. Pam Ballard at pballard@ refreshingspringsrc.com or call 919-5857497.

Thursday, July 4, 10 a.m.

Pine Level Independence Day celebration The town’s celebration is set for Sam Godwin Park on U.S. 70-A. Activities will include games, food, inflatables and fireworks after dark. For more information, go to pinelevel.org.

Thursday, July 4, 4 p.m.

Clayton July 4th Celebration Check out the Independence Day Celebration in Municipal Park on West Stallings Street in Downtown Clayton.

Activities start at 4 p.m. and include free family field games, free ice cream and much more. Also look out for food vendors, a cornhole tournament, inflatables and fair rides, bingo and raffles throughout the night.

Thursday, July 4, 5 p.m.

Benson July 4th Celebration Join the Town of Benson for a 4th of July Celebration in the Benson Singing Grove. Be sure to stick around for the fireworks at 9 p.m. near Carlie C’s IGA. Thursday, July 4, 6 p.m.

All-American Festival Selma Celebrate our nation’s birthday in Selma for a family-fun event featuring live entertainment, a variety of vendors, special events and one of the best fireworks displays in Johnston County.

First Sunday, 9 a.m.

Special Needs Ministry Four Oaks United Methodist Church Four Oaks United Methodist Church has developed a Special Needs Ministry for the community. Everyone, including families with special needs individuals, is welcome to attend a 30-minute service that uses children’s music and an open format that allows the children to make noise and move around as needed.

Parents can relax in casual attire, and no offering will be collected. For more information, contact Pastor Linda Leuser at 919-938-0000 or email to lindaleuser@gmail.com.

Thursday, July 4, 7 p.m.

Kenly Fourth of July Celebration Come out to Kenly 95 Petro and check out Kenly’s annual celebration, featuring family-friendly entertainment before the fireworks light up the sky over I-95.

Thursday, July 4 Cleveland Area July 4th Celebration The Oakland Church pancake breakfast starts at 7 a.m. and the parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. Community softball games will start at 1 p.m. There will be vendors and live entertainment from 4-9 p.m., and the fireworks show is set for 9:15. For more information, call the Cleveland Fire Department at 919-989-1909.

Saturday, July 6, 10 a.m.

Pond Life Howell Woods, Four Oaks Meet at the Learning Center and learn about water creatures and their importance. Then venture to one of the ponds to see what you can find using dip nets. To register, call the Learning Center at 919-938-0115 or email Trent at t_stanforth@johnstoncc.edu. Cost is $5.

40 | JOHNSTON NOW

Friday, July 5, 6 p.m.

Benson’s First Friday Visit Downtown Benson for its monthly First Friday event.

Participating shops will remain open until 9 p.m. Some shops will offer light refreshments (i.e: wine, beer, etc.) DIY projects, crafts or an exclusive First Friday sale. There will also be a food truck set up in Benton Square.

Tuesday, July 9, 9 a.m.

Kayak Lesson Howell Woods, Four Oaks If you’ve always wanted to kayak or canoe, but were not sure where to start, this program is for you. Participants will be taught paddling techniques and paddler safety while on the calm waters of Swan Pond located on the Howell Woods property. Register by emailing jtastoske@johnstoncc.edu or call 919938-0115. Cost is $15.

Wednesday, July 10, 10 a.m.

Signs of Wildlife Howell Woods, Four Oaks Come and discuss different signs of wildlife, including tracks, furs and skulls. Then, take a walk along the Leopold Loop Trail and take an animal track mold home with you. This program is $5 per participant and does not require preregistration.

July 10, 17, 24 and 31 10:30 a.m.

Summer Reading Program James Bryan Creech Public Library, Four Oaks The James Bryan Creech Public Library will host its Summer Reading Program, and this year’s theme is A Universe of Stories. The activities for this summer are STEM-based and will be fun.

Thursday, July 11, 10 a.m.

Mad Science Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Mad Science is on a mission to spark the imagination and curiosity of children by providing them with fun, interactive and educational programs that instill a clear understanding of what science is, and how it affects their world.

Thursday, July 11, 6 p.m.

Sundown in Downtown Benson Singing Grove Don’t miss a free concert featuring 5 Band NC, a band playing music from the 60s and 70s.

Friday, July 12, 11 a.m.

Family Movie Mornings Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, Clayton Family Movie Mornings are happening on select Fridays. All movies shown are rated G and are space themed.

Friday, July 12, 6 p.m.

Wizard of Oz Movie Night Town Square, Clayton Come see The Wizard of Oz in downtown Clayton. The fun starts at 6 p.m. with face painting, a bouncy house, games and more.

Friday, July 12, 7 p.m.

Ronnie McDowell Rudy Theatre, Selma Come see Ronnie McDowell, Live at the Rudy. For tickets, visit www.rudytheatre. com.

July 13-14 Wiffle Ball tournament Smithfield Community Park The 31st Annual North Carolina Wiffle Ball State Tournament will be held July 13th and 14th at Smithfield Community Park. For more information, contact Jeff Davis at 919-915-2280 or visit www. ncwiffleball.weebly.com.

Saturday, July 13, 8 a.m.

Neuse River Day Trip Howell Woods, Four Oaks The Neuse River runs right along the back of the Howell Woods property and makes for the perfect paddling route for more experienced kayakers. The course of this trip stretches through 12 miles of Johnston County ending at the Richardson Bridge boat landing.

Participants should pack a bag lunch and water. Register by emailing jtastoske@ johnstoncc.edu or calling 919-938-0115.

Cost is $35.

Saturday, July 13, 8 a.m.

4th Annual CottonTown 7s Rugby Festival East Clayton Community Park The Clayton Rugby Football Club presents the 4th Annual Cotton Town 7s Festival at East Clayton Community Park. Come out for a great day of rugby and fun in a festival like atmosphere. There will be a DJ, a Kids Rugby Zone, merchandise vendors, food trucks, prize giveaways and exciting rugby action! Admission is free.

Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m.

River Rat Regatta Smithfield Boat Ramp Design and build a “river worthy” vessel using cardboard, duct tape and glue that will successfully carry two passengers from a starting line at the boat ramp down the river to a finish line located at the U.S. 70 Business bridge.

Sunday, July 14, 2 p.m.

2019 N.C. Fragile X Bowl-a-Thon Rainbow Lanes, Clayton It’s time for the annual N.C. Fragile X Bowl-a-Thon. All pledges collected

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Teams of four bowlers will compete for the coveted Top Bowler Trophy. The deadline for registration is July 6. For more information, visit www.facebook. com/events/2250369595192600.

Monday, July 15, 6:30 p.m.

Johnston County Beekeepers Association meeting Johnston County Agricultural Center The Johnston County Beekeepers Association serves beginner and experienced beekeepers with educational programs and experiences. We teach and encourage better apiculture methods and promote cooperation and sharing among beekeepers, homeowners and farmers. Our monthly meetings are free and open to everyone. For more information, visit www.jocobee.org or email JCBAPresident@jocobee.org.

Wednesday, July 17, 10 a.m.

Intro To eBird Howell Woods, Four Oaks Come participate in a new citizen science project we are starting; eBird. Discuss how to identify common bird species

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and then take a walk within the property to document migratory species. This program is $5 per participant and does not require preregistration.

Thursday, July 18, 5 p.m.

July OneTable 114 W. Main St., Clayton Come out for this time of community and togetherness at the July OneTable event, a free community meal. OneTable is a neighborhood event series designed to encourage togetherness, community, inclusiveness and compassion. Everyone is welcome! There will be kid-friendly activities to keep everyone engaged.

Thursday, July 18, 6 p.m.

Third Thursday Music Stanfield’s General Store, Four Oaks Come out to Stanfield’s General Store on the third Thursday evening each month for live music, food samples and much more. Call 919-963-9607 for more details.

Thursday, July 18, 6:30 p.m.

End of Summer Cosplay Party Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield Teens ages 12-18 can join the Reference

and Teen Department at the End of Summer Cosplay Party. Dress as your favorite character or come as you are.

Enjoy fun, games and ice-cream with your friends.

This year’s VBS theme is Into the Wild.

For more information, contact Lauren Parker 919-608-5235. Preregister online at bethelofwb.org/events/vbs/.

Saturday, July 20, 10 a.m.

Nature Journaling Howell Woods, Four Oaks Discuss what nature journaling is with some introductory activities. Then, take a walk, documenting what you see, hear and smell in journals, which you will get to take home. To register, call the Learning Center at 919-9380115 or email t_stanforth@johnstoncc. edu. Cost is $5.

Tuesday, July 23, 9 a.m.

Kayak Lesson Howell Woods, Four Oaks If you’ve always wanted to kayak or canoe, but were not sure where to start, this program is for you. Participants will be taught paddling techniques and paddler safety while on the calm waters of Swan Pond located on the Howell Woods property. Register by emailing jtastoske@johnstoncc.edu or call 919938-0115. Cost is $15.

Saturday, July 20, 7 p.m.

Austin Irby Rudy Theatre, Selma Come see Austin Irby, Live at the Rudy. For tickets, visit www. rudytheatre.com.

Sunday, July 21, 6 p.m.

Bethel Orginial Free Will Baptist Church Vacation Bible School Bethel OFWB, Four Oaks

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Friday, July 26, 5 p.m.

Pool Luau SRAC Come out for a Pool Luau. Beginning at 5 p.m, the SRAC will have reduced day passes. Enjoy the pool, the Wibit, punch and sink your teeth into a “no hands” watermelon eating contest. For more information, please contact Tiffany Pearson or Laura Crumpler at SRAC.

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July 2019 | 43

12450 CLEVELAND RD. STE. 103 GARNER, NC 27529 919.277.0490