July 2024

J ULY 2 0 2 4

7

th

ANNUAL

HONORS and the winners are...

VOLUNTEER SERVICE

INSPIRING COACH

BEST HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL

VETERAN SERVICE

SPIRIT OF THE COUNTY

RISING STAR

DYNAMIC ENTREPRENEUR

EXCELLENCE IN ARTS

LEGEND AWARD

NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR

DISTINGUISHED POLICE OFFICER

OUTSTANDING FIREFIGHTER

[ JULY 2024 ] • 1

IS YOUR DUCK "WOASTING?" WE'RE NOT COMFORTABLE UNTIL YOU ARE!

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JOHNSTON NOW HONORS

6

helps fill up the ‘passion bucket

tell people about my short window, it does wonders “passion bucket” and how it for my bucket. relates to my ability to write It’s tough to pick a favorite things. The passion bucket Honors story, but I like it is simply my daily supply of when they intertwine. This talent and creativity, and it year’s healthcare winner, diminishes as I perform most Catina Hartley, used to work daily tasks. with a previous honoree, Randy Capps When it’s empty, my brain Dr. Dennis Koffer, and his randy@johnstonnow.com turns into orange jello and response to my question sitting in front of a keyboard about hospice care changed turns into an exercise in futility. the way I look at that forever.

That’s why I like this time of year.

I liked hearing Pam Ryan tell us about Way back in high school, I decided that her journey with Kid’s Company, and the I wanted to tell stories. Sports stories mental image of the Ryan family watching were the ones I favored, but stories all the TV in the kitchen as their house slowly same. morphed into a daycare facility was Johnston Now Honors is our chance to amusing. shine a light on the good work our friends T.J. Blake’s passion about helping and neighbors are doing, and even though veterans was inspiring, and I already knew it’s a lot of work packed into a relatively Joy Callahan, so being able to tell her

story was a particular privilege. Learning a little more about Kim Robertson and Tomeka Moore’s service to their respective communities was a treat as well.

I hope that Honors has made a difference in our community, and by telling these stories, we can somehow uplift people and inspire them to go out and make a difference.

It certainly does that for me.

TABLE OF

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Volume 8, Number 8

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A Matter of Principle

8-31

2024 JOHNSTON NOW HONORS WINNERS

Publisher Randy Capps

General Manager Shanna Capps

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Marketing Representative Justin Roy

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33 35 36

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Ten Ways to Practice

PATRIOTISM

By Qarol Price

E

ven while Johnston County Public Schools are not in session for the month of July, the schools have declared patriotism the character trait of the month — an appropriate topic for Independence Day. Being patriotic is more than cheering at fireworks on July 4. It involves really knowing your country and loving it, imperfections and all. Reflecting on what it means to be patriotic in the contemporary world can help us define our own sense of national pride.

This involves not just a love for one's country, but also a commitment to its betterment through constructive criticism, advocacy for justice and efforts to uphold its values every day.

Being patriotic every day involves consistent, mindful actions that contribute to the betterment of our community and country. Here are ten ways to practice patriotism daily:

6 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

 Follow the Law: Abide by

local, state and federal laws. Respecting a fair legal framework ensures a safe and orderly society.  Support Local Businesses: Shop at local stores and markets. Supporting local businesses helps boost the local economy and sustains jobs within the community.  Educate Yourself: Stay informed about your country's history, current events and political landscape. An educated citizenry is vital for a functioning democracy.  Practice Environmental Responsibility: Reduce waste, recycle and conserve energy. Protecting the environment ensures a sustainable future for the nation.  Volunteer: Offer your time and skills to help others.

Volunteering in local organizations strengthens communities and fosters a spirit of togetherness.  Teach and Share Values: Pass on patriotic values and the importance of

civic duty to younger generations. Encourage family and friends to be active, informed citizens.  Show Respect for National Symbols: Display the flag properly, stand for the national anthem and observe national holidays with the appropriate respect and understanding.  Respect Diversity: Treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their background or beliefs.

Embrace the cultural diversity that enriches your country.  Be Civil and Engaged in Discourse: Engage in respectful and informed discussions about national issues. Listening and considering different viewpoints contribute to a healthy democracy.  Help Your Neighbors: Be there for those around you. Acts of kindness and

community support foster a strong, united and caring society.

By incorporating these actions into your daily life, you contribute positively to your country and demonstrate your patriotism in meaningful, everyday ways. And while you’re at it, practicing what John F. Kennedy asked of us in his inaugural address in 1961: “…ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." ⋆ Next Time: Self-Discipline

Qarol Price is a writer and educator. She has taught philosophy to children in Johnston County Public Schools and in Harlem.

She is a resident of Selma.

We're proud to host the seventh-annual Johnston Now Honors, presented by the Johnston Community College Foundation.

These individuals and organizations were nominated for their outstanding and continuous efforts to make Johnston County a better place. We are honored to tell their stories in these pages, and could not do so without the support of our generous sponsors.

They share our passion for spotlighting the positive things happening in our community, and we're so happy to be partnering with them.

Congratulations to this year's recipients!

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE 2024 HONOREES! Excellence in Arts Magen Hill Pike • Inspiring Coach Austin Turnage Distinguished Police Officer Tomeka Moore • Dynamic Entrepreneur Pam Ryan Outstanding Firefighter Phillip McDaniel • Best Health Care Professional Catina Hartley

From local, inspiring stories to the high school game of the week, JNOW has you covered.

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Legend Award Kim Minshew Robertson • Rising Star Mackenzie Murphy Spirit of the County Joy Callahan • Exemplary Volunteer Eugene & Glenda Worley Nonprofit of the Year Activate Selma • Veteran Service Award T.J. Blake

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But I think Africa and Ethiopia just get into your heart,” Glenda said. “The great need was just unreal.”

Eugene served as the director of a Bible college there, and Glenda helped start church Sunday schools by training teachers.

“It is a challenge (living in Ethiopia) but we look back and we don’t think of the negative things, you think of the positive things,” Eugene said. “One of the highlights that I look back on in our lives, in 1994, we were in a meeting with pastors from all over the world, and this man got up to speak, and he told a story of how my testimony was what God used to bring him to Christ, and he asked me to stand, and it was just a very humbling thing. I have since been convinced that often the things that maybe have the most lasting impact are things that you’re not even really aware of.”

Volunteer Service

Glenda and Eugene Worley Called to serve: Missionary couple transforms lives in Ethiopia and beyond

By Jamie Strickland

L

ife as a missionary is not easy, but it’s the path that Eugene and Glenda Worley were called to, and they accepted that calling with open hearts and minds.

The couple traveled around the world to spread the word of God and help those in need in places like Ethiopia, Norway, England and the Sudan border for more than 50 years.

It’s for their unwavering willingness to serve, wherever and whenever they were called, that they were chosen as this year’s Johnston Now Honors Exemplary Volunteer Service Award winners.

Raised on a farm in Princeton, at the age of 15, Eugene met his future wife, Glenda, at a youth rally at her church, First Freewill Baptist in Smithfield.

They both attended Baptist Bible College in Springfield Missouri, were married in 1962 and had a son, Ron, in 1964.

Early in his career, Eugene served as an associate pastor at churches in Princeton and Sanford, before volunteering to go to Ethiopia as a missionary with The Baptist Bible Fellowship.

“When we arrived in Ethiopia in 1968, it was right in the

8 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

middle of the rainy season and mud puddles were everywhere.

Everywhere you walked you’d get mud all over you,” Glenda said. “Our mission had an apartment building that missionaries could stay in until they found a house. When we went to take a bath, the towels were mildewed and they smelled horrible. We laid down to take a nap because we’d been traveling for many many hours, and the windows were open and all the sounds of the street, people with chickens on their back…it was just overwhelming.

I remember he turned to me and said, ‘If I didn’t know that God had called us here, we’d be on the next plane going home.’

But I think that’s the main thing, if you know that God has called you…you can deal with anything.”

During their time there, their mission helped start a school for the deaf, which is still going today.

“We had learned sign language before we left, not realizing how involved we might get,” Eugene said.

Glenda’s time was mostly spent teaching sign language and helping break the cultural stigma against people with disabilities.

“The Ethiopians were ashamed if they had a

handicapped child, and there were many, many special needs children,” she said. “And so we would have to go out and search for them, because the family would hide them. It was really ground level work.”

After two and a half years, the communist revolution taking place in Ethiopia caused their mission to flee, and they returned to the United States, where they adopted their daughter, Kate.

The adoption process was not without its complications.

“We wanted to adopt, and we checked with adoption agencies, and they all said ‘you’re unstable,’ because we were missionaries,” Eugene said. The couple used a pastor friend’s home in Fayetteville as a home base, and after a year, they were able to adopt through social services.

“She was seven weeks old, and that would have been in February,” Eugene said. “In May, we boarded a ship to Norway. She kind of grew up there for the first four years. It was interesting watching her learn English, but also learning Norwegian.”

After four years, during what was supposed to be a brief visit back home, Eugene was in a farm accident and broke his femur. After recovering, he pastored at a church in Ohio before heading to England, where they spent the next 14 years ministering.

When Ethiopia was stabilized after the revolution, it opened its borders up to missionaries again, and the Worleys returned in 1998.

“Living there is very difficult, because of the poverty, the unstableness of the country.

In 2006, a serious heart condition caused Glenda to have to return to the United States. While they miss their work overseas, the Worleys have been active in local churches and continue to serve the Johnston County community in a variety of ways, from pastoring to volunteering to substitute teaching in local schools.

To hear more of their story, you can listen to Eugene’s podcast, “To The Regions Beyond,” on Spotify. Or, read the book he authored titled, “Against the Odds,” about his parents, Herman and Catherine Worley, and life on his family’s farm in Princeton during the Great Depression.

They may not be traveling the world any more, but the Worleys are still making a difference in the lives of others.

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Inspiring Coach

Austin Turnage

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Inspiring coach award winner pours himself into others

By Randy Capps

A

ustin Turnage was always going to be helping people.

It was only a question of where.

Fate led him to North Johnston Middle, where he now teaches life skills, helps to coach the track team and serves as the first responder at the school’s athletic events.

For all of that, and a bit more, he’s the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Inspiring Coach Award winner.

He never imagined any of that, though.

“I had planned on being a suicide counselor,” he said. “I was going to go get my master's degree. I was actually supposed to move to Montana and start working at a college. The day I took the job at North, I was a week away from moving to Montana.”

His parents weren’t keen on him moving so far away, so to appease them, he took an interview at North Johnston. “(I) walked into North and the principal at the time was my old track coach (Kenneth Sumner), and I went, ‘crap.’

And then the rest is history. He spent the entire time basically convincing me that I should stay, and I did, and I don't regret it for a second. It has been like the best job.”

10 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

So, he dove in. He took lateral entry courses to get the necessary certifications and finished up his EMT training.

In the midst of all of that, he knew he needed to find a way to integrate himself into his new community.

“I'm not from Kenly, I'm from Benson,” he said. “They're not far apart, but they are. There are worlds of difference, community wise. And if you're going to be a good teacher or a good coach or anything that deals with the community, you've got to be in it and doing stuff.”

With his track background and EMT license, he started coaching hurdles and volunteering to be the first responder at the school’s athletic events.

“I went and started coaching hurdles,” he said. “It turns out I was pretty good at coaching hurdles and just kind of stuck that way. … Then this year was actually the first year that they had a paid first responder position for middle school, and since I'd been doing it for years for free, they were like, ‘hey, you get it.’

“Never really thought I was going this way, but it’s just kind of what happened.”

He’s been at North Johnston Middle for six years, where he worked as a resource and

inclusion teacher before taking on his current role. He was the school’s 2023 Leading From The Heart honoree, a program named for former Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyewski’s book that “recognizes employees who demonstrate leadership, compassion and heart on a daily basis.”

“I could not do any of this stuff without the team that I've got at the school,” he said. “I learned how to coach from Mr. (Garfield) Baker, who's the head coach. …

The medical paperwork and stuff like that, well, I learned that from EMT, but the school version of it, I learned from our athletic director and our principal, we have just an amazing school.

“We're like a really big family, and I don't think I could do any of the stuff that I do without them.”

Turnage’s passion for serving others isn’t limited to school hours.

“I just quit working as an EMT about a year ago during the summer,” he said. I now work as a direct service professional for adults with disabilities in a group home (on the weekends).

“I've always been the person that wants to go and jump in and do the jobs nobody really wants to do, the ones that don't get paid well — the community jobs where I'm out talking to

people and making people feel better.”

His work in the group home is a prime example.

“We'll do a snack, we watch movies,” he said of the work.

“I help them shower, help them cook, feed themselves and make sure they get their medicine.

“When I'm working at the day program during the summer, I actually will be teaching and stuff.”

Even from a young age, he was all about helping people who needed it most.

“My grandmother says that she's known that I was going to work with special needs populations since I was a little kid,” he said. “She tells the story all the time. We were at some campground or something, and there were kids playing everywhere. And the only kid I wanted to talk to was the kid that was completely deaf.

“She says, by the end of the night, me and him had our own language and we had figured out how to communicate without any words. And she said that was the day she knew that was what I was going to do. …

I've just always been drawn to whoever needs help. It doesn't even have to be someone with special needs. I'm just very much a person that's like, if I can do it, why shouldn't I?”

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Spirit of the County

Joy Callahan Longtime servant of Johnston Community College earns Spirit of the County honor

By Randy Capps

I

n another life, Joy Callahan might have become a teacher, perhaps serving in Lenoir County, where she grew up.

As often happens, life had other plans for her.

Today, she’s the Executive Director of the Johnston Community College Foundation, supporting the institution that she’s served in several capacities since 1999.

That alone justifies her selection as the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Spirit of the County Award winner, but it runs a little deeper.

She grew up in Kinston, then went to Peace College and East Carolina, and decided to be a teacher.

“I taught high school for two years in Manteo,” she said. “I lived in Kill Devil Hills and taught high school. And I was like, ‘I need to do something else.’ I loved the teaching, just not all the other mess you had to deal with.”

She wound up at N.C. State, working in cooperative education helping students find work in their chosen fields.

She and her husband, Jon, decided to move to a place with a little more land, so they bought a home in the Cleveland Community in 1998.

12 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

“I commuted back and forth a little bit and there was just too much turnover at our office, and I was not happy,” she said. “So I started looking for a job and ended up working at (Johnston Community College) as their director of industry training.”

She began working with local businesses, including Novo Nordisk and Grifols (formerly Bayer), and the idea of a workforce development center was born.

“I was really involved with helping to put that plan together and make that work,” she said. “We built it in 2004 and moved into it in 2005.”

As Dean of Economic and Workforce Development, Callahan was charged with leading the Center’s efforts to provide training for existing workers for the county’s industry partners and helping to furnish new talent as well.

“The great thing about what we did there is that we were completely responsive to everything they asked us to do,” she said. “Train their incumbent workforce, start a pipeline of talent. … We've put bio work in every high school, so they can start there. And then when they walk across the stage and get their diploma, they have their bio work certificate.”

She retired from the college in 2021, started her own consulting company, Callahan Connections, and spent some time working with Johnston County Economic Development.

Then, JCC came calling again.

“Twyla (Wells, past director of the foundation) was getting

ready to retire, and they wanted somebody to come and just kind of carry on a little bit,” she said. “Somebody that knew JCC and knew people in the county. So, I went in as an interim for a little while, and then they just kind of talked me into staying.”

VETERAN OWNED & OPERATED

The foundation is charged with raising money for the college and its missions, which is pretty far away from the career path she imagined for herself when her professional journey began.

“It’s very different because when I was in workforce development,” she said. “I didn't have a lot of direct contact with students, and now I have a lot more. I see a lot of need in our community.

“There's just a lot of people that need help and education, and help to get that tuition paid for, but also food and clothing. It's just amazing what I have heard and seen in my last year being here, doing this particular job. So, I think God puts you in a place that you're supposed to be for a reason. And that's probably one of my reasons — to help some of these people.”

Along the way, she and Jon raised two daughters, Kessler and Mattie, and made Johnston County her adopted home.

She’s been able to scratch that teaching itch every now and then, too.

“I went through Leadership Johnston in 2002,” she said.

“As a result of that, we started something called Junior Leadership Johnston, and I oversaw that for 16 years. For 16 summers we had a different group of high school juniors. Until COVID, and then it just kind of fizzled. … But it got me to be able to enjoy the kids again.”

Callahan and her family are involved with Ameila Christian Church in Clayton, and she’s also a member of the Central Johnston Rotary Club.

“That's such a good group of people,” she said. “They're just so civic minded and all of them just want to give.”

The same has been true for Callahan in her journey.

“You know, I drive through the college and I look at things and I'm like, ‘wow, I had a part in that, I had a part in that and it's really cool,” she said. “You know, because you don't get a lot of pats on the back and in state government and education

especially. So when I retired, I wrote a speech, and just going back over the years and realizing what I have accomplished, I was, like, ‘wow, I did do some things.’

“My goal here now is to live life every day like it's my last day and enjoy it. (I want to) bolster people and make sure that everybody that needs a voice has a voice, and that they get what they need. My heart breaks for people that don't have a relationship with God, and don't feel like they have any hope.

“So, I've got a sign on my door in my office that says ‘hope.’

And that's a lot of what we are at JCC. We are hope for people that may not have thought they could do it. And they come in and they can. They get that education and they get out and get those better jobs. So it's been a blessing of just being able to do the things that I've been able to do.”

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Legend Award

Kim Minshew Robertson Legend Award winner driven by servant’s heart and love for her community

By Randy Capps

W

hen Kim Robertson went to work in the newly formed Johnston County Emergency Management Department in 1988, she was one of two employees. Twenty years later, she was running it as Director of Emergency Services. She retired from that position in 2018, and today what is now known as Johnston County Emergency Services has more than 200 employees serving the county.

Planting a seed like that is probably enough to earn her the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Legend Award, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“I went to work with Dewayne West,” she said. “It was just me and him in an office. We didn't have an emergency management plan for the office. So we actually wrote that plan together and worked on that. And from there, I kind of grew in my role, and …

I would not be who I am today if it hadn't been for Dewayne West helping me get to that point. I have been so truly blessed. I have met a lot of people at the lowest points in their life, but to be a part of that process to help them get back up to where they needed to be (is a blessing).

“The one thing I have pushed in all my years of service is providing good customer service.

14 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

If someone calls you and asks you for something, if you don't have the answer, tell them you don't have the answer. Or if you think you can find the answer, tell them that you're going to look for the answer and you'll get back with them. But don't leave people hanging.”

Robertson credits her parents, Othal and Rose Minshew, with sparking her desire to serve.

“My father and my mother moved to Four Oaks in the late 60s, and there was no funeral home in Four Oaks.” she said. “My father had gone to school to be a funeral director, so we came to a little town that was so loving and accepting to my family, and we just fell in love (with the town).

“There was no EMS in Four Oaks, (but my dad) had a hearse, and he used it as an ambulance. If someone got sick, they would call and see if they could ride, and he would drive the hearse.”

So, in addition to starting what is now known as Rose and Graham Funeral Home, the Minshew family was also a main character in the origin story for the town’s EMS. After retiring from Johnston County in January 2018, Robertson has worked with North Carolina Emergency Management, as a grant writer for the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal and she’s currently

working as the Associate Vice President of Public Safety at Johnston Community College.

It was an opportunity to be closer to home, where she also serves on the Four Oaks Board of Commissioners.

“I do love Four Oaks,” she said. “And I do think that there's some areas we need to improve upon. I would love to see every storefront open and successful.

We’ve just got some work to do there.”

She ran for mayor a few years ago, and although she didn’t win the election, the race left a lasting impression on her.

“When I ran for mayor, it wasn't anything against Linwood (Parker),” she said. “It was just because I had just retired, and my dad was excited about it.

The greatest thing that I got out of that whole running for the mayor's position was I got to spend extra time with my dad.

“My dad had dementia. But there were times that we would get the golf cart out and ride.

We’d go up to people’s houses or see people out working in the yard and he would remember different ones. He would remember some, and some he didn't, but just to be able to see that little spark again, that's what made it all worthwhile. It really wasn't about so much the running of

the race as it was spending that time with my dad.”

Her father’s battle with dementia is also the reason that Robertson is still serving — and avoiding retirement.

“That was the ugliest disease I think I've ever faced,” she said.

“And I keep going because I don't want to stop. Because when he stopped, he just went to mush and he fell apart. So I feel like as long as I've got breath in me, I should be making a difference or trying to make a difference.”

So, she continues on, giving back to the community she loves.

She credits her family for giving her the platform to serve all these years.

“My husband (Johnnie) has been very supportive,” she said.

“I definitely stepped out into a man's world with public safety, but he supported me. And when I had a small child, my parents supported me. My husband traveled a lot with his job … I still had a pager. And if my pager went off at two in the morning, I still went.

“My family supported me.

I could not have stayed in the role that I've been in and been a part of all the things I've been a part of, if it hadn't been for my family's support.”

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[ JULY 2024 ] • 15

Veteran Service

T.J. Blake Benson native works to bring purpose to fellow veterans

By Randy Capps

A

s a young man, T.J. Blake stood in an unemployment line in early 1994 in Smithfield. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was about to find his purpose in the United States Navy.

After two decades in the service, and a few twists and turns along the way, he’s now helping fellow veterans find theirs.

It’s those efforts that have earned him the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Veteran Service Award.

“So, I actually didn't graduate,” he said of his time at South Johnston. “I was that guy. I quit high school one month into my senior year. I got into the Navy in January of ‘94. Luckily, I was literally standing in the unemployment line in Smithfield and a recruiter said he could get me in the Navy. … So I went into the Navy.”

He joined up, with one of the conditions being that he earn a GED diploma within six months.

“I may have been in the Navy, but I've never spent time on a boat,” he said. “I was a jet engine mechanic and a P3 flight engineer. And the P3 is too big to land on a boat. So,

16 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

I did, I think, five tours out in Hawaii and a few tours in Jacksonville.”

After 21 years, Blake retired from the Navy and he and his wife, Malia, settled in Hawaii.

But the finances didn’t quite add up.

“We actually bought the house right across the street from where I grew up (in Benson),” he said. “That's why we couldn't stay in Hawaii. It's not just not sustainable from a financial standpoint. We had family here, and family there.

We could afford it here, but couldn't afford it there. So that's how that road went.”

An accident shortened his naval career, so he wasn’t ready to get too far away from it.

“After retiring from the Navy, I ended up getting a job in curriculum development and training,” he said. “We developed some courses specific to naval aviation and the naval maritime community.”

That contract ended, and he ended up becoming a bartender, which turned out to be a key part of his new purpose.

“I was kind of searching for something to do,” he said. “I decided to bartend, and ended up doing it for about a year

and a half. Great gig. Loved it. If you really want to get to know your community, be a bartender.”

That led to the decision to start his own company, Anchored Elevation Services, in 2020 which conducts the same sort of training he did right after his naval career wound down.

That scheduling flexibility allows him to spend more time volunteering and helping his fellow veterans.

He started with Stop Soldier Suicide out of Durham, fundraising and doing YouTube videos to promote that cause.

He then got involved with the Combat Vets Motorcycle Association, currently serving as the organization’s state representative.

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That led to other organizations that met the boots-on-the-ground, veteran-focused ethos that he was seeking.

Military Missions in Action’s Homes for Healing program helps to furnish homes for veterans, and it checks all of those boxes.

“We'll drive around and we'll collect donated furniture from the community,” Blake said.

“We have a list of formerly homeless vets, and we'll furnish their house with what we have.

“It's an excellent program, and it's very rewarding.

Going along the lines of vets helping vets. How I ended up on that path is very personal. I got home

and I guess I'd say if it wasn't for a couple of vets that I'd never met, I probably wouldn't be where I'm at today. It was actually a couple of conversations with other veterans as a bartender. We started talking about the whys, and, it crossed my mind that the best way to be there for another veteran is to be a vet yourself.”

The numbers vary from year to year, but according to a recent study by American Addiction Centers, 16.8 veterans commit suicide in the United States every day — a rate that is 1.5 times higher than the general population. “(That) is very important to me because I've almost been there,” Blake said. “There's a lot of organizations out there that are reactive. There's a lot of help out there. But by the time you get to that help, you've already gone too far, right? The stressors in life have already gotten

you to that point. So, I try to participate in nonprofits that are more proactive.

“I do my best to participate in programs that help arrest the suicide rate for veterans.”

Blake and his wife are heading back to Hawaii this month for a vow renewal for their son, Tyler, symbolically bringing things full circle for the family.

“As a veteran for 21 years, I had a mission,” he said. “I knew what my purpose was.

When you get sent home, and you’re sitting around twiddling your thumbs, you don’t have that mindset or those stresses. So you start creating them, and creating a bad environment. Doing all of this stuff with actual bootson-the-ground nonprofits actually gives me that sense of purpose.”

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[ JULY 2024 ] • 17

HARNETT COUNTY'S LARGEST FAMILY OWNED

Distinguished Police Officer

Tomeka Moore

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By Randy Capps

T

omeka Moore grew up in Kenly and graduated from North Johnston High School. She took a job just down U.S. 301 in Selma, and 17 years later, she’s still on the force at the Selma Police Department.

That longevity and service has earned her the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Distinguished Police Officer Award.

It’s an unusual career path, but one that has served her well.

“They're very supportive,” she said of the Town of Selma.

“The chief, he lets me run with whatever idea I have, so yeah, they're very supportive. Usually the chief and the major are the two that I go to with ideas, and I've never been turned down”.

After starting in patrol and then working in code enforcement, Moore is currently a support specialist. She’s also tasked with community police relations efforts in the town, and that’s been an enjoyable part of the job for her.

“I've actually been in the community for a while now, but just started being the community policing officer,” she said. “So space I actually love working with kids. You know, Selma has its low poverty area and there's a lot of kids that don't have much and, some kids, you don't really know what they go home to. So it's

18 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

always good for me to try to make them feel good when I can. And to let them know that police are good because a lot of them are taught, I guess … to not like the police. So it's always good to reiterate the positive (aspects) of police officers with kids, because that's where it starts. So I love doing that.”

Fighting the negative stereotypes associated with police officers is something Moore takes very seriously.

“Usually police deal with people in negative (situations) all the time and kids see that,” she said.

“And not just kids, adolescents, you know, they all see that. We have to break that barrier of the police. All police aren't bad. You know, that's what I would like to do. That's my goal. I'm not superwoman, but you’ve got to try to impact the people that you encounter.”

She offers a unique perspective for those seeking advice on entering law enforcement, but she doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that sacrifices are necessary to succeed.

“It's not for everyone,” she said.

That's the first thing. You’ve got to be really passionate about the job. … You're going to have good days.

You're going to have bad days, and you're going to have long hours.

And, if you have a family, those long hours play a part. You miss out on a lot.

“My advice would be it's got to be in your heart. And, if it's something that you really want to do, you have to stick to it.”

Family matters to Moore, as she had her first son while she was still in high school. Twenty-three years later, she gave birth to her second son.

“I'm a kid, so I don't know how to parent a kid,” she said of her first child. “I'm a kid myself. It took 23 years to have another kid, and here I am. And it's the best thing that's ever happened.”

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Dynamic Entrepreneur

Pam Ryan A love of children and a can-do attitude powers entrepreneur award winner

By Randy Capps

“N

ecessity is the mother of invention” is a proverb that actually borrows from Plato, who wrote something very similar about 2,800 years ago.

If one was seeking proof, Pam Ryan would make for an interesting study.

A lack of childcare options in 1985 led her to start her own business, and 39 years later, Kid’s Country has two locations, in Wilson’s Mills and Clayton, that have served countless area families.

That vision makes her an ideal choice for the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Dynamic Entrepreneur Award.

“It's just the relationships that you build with the children, with the parents and with the staff that has made me feel proud and accomplished,” she said.

Back in 1985, Pam and her husband, Clifton, welcomed their second child, Joshua, to go along with April, who was about to start kindergarten. They had just bought property in Clifton’s hometown of Wilson’s Mills, and with Pam being a Smithfield native, it was the perfect fit.

What wasn’t perfect was the childcare situation.

20 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

“When I got ready to go back to work, there were no child care centers,” she said. “I had a friend in Clayton that had one, and I had been leaving April there, but when she started kindergarten, there were no afternoon spots.”

Not wanting to burden her parents, Ryan decided to solve her own problems.

“I conjured up this plan that I would just start keeping kids,” she said. “I involved my parents and we sat down and figured it out. … My husband came home from work, and I said, ‘I got it all figured out. I'm not going back to work.’ And he was like, ‘oh, really?’”

The Ryans leased a metal building in Wilson’s Mills for $1,000 per month and, with the help of her parents, borrowed some money from the bank. So, on July 8, 1985, Kid’s Country was born.

“I (kept) five kids in my home,” she said. “My mama would come over and help me keep them. While I was doing the inspections, I took out all of my state retirement money and put it toward the upgrade of that little metal building to get it child care approved.”

After getting the building up to code, there were other hurdles to clear.

“I found a very good lady that had been in child care her

whole life, teaching preschool here in Smithfield, and her name was Julia Godwin,” she said. “I hired her, and she taught me the ropes because I did not know about any child care things. I just knew how to love kids.

“And she showed me all of that. I would not be where I am today without her. So she worked with me and we stayed (in the original building) about a year and a half.”

That’s how long it took for five kids to turn into 55, which made space an issue. So, like in the beginning, she solved her own problem again by building a 2,500 square foot addition onto the family home.

That worked for a while, but as the business grew larger, the family’s living area grew smaller.

“As the years went on, we kept growing,” she said.

“Eventually, I took our living room space in our home and we took out our furniture. My husband and my two children moved into a bedroom together.

They put tape down the middle of the floor so that they could (mark) the sides.”

“I was trying to date, and we were watching TV in the kitchen,” April said, with a laugh.

Finally, the space crunch got a little too tight, and it was time to find another solution.

“We purchased the lot next door,” she said. “My brother in law, who's passed away now (from) pancreatic cancer, was a house builder. So my husband and he started working in the afternoons after they had (worked their other jobs) and got our house built.”

Staffing wasn’t as pressing an issue as space was, but April helped take care of it anyway by deciding to go into special education and bringing those talents back to the family business.

That created an opportunity for expansion, and they did just that.

“We built two new buildings and we moved over there. Now we're licensed for 169 kids, and that's how we got there, one step at a time.”

The second location came about in 2018.

“I had a daycare friend that was having some health challenges and she was not allowed to go back into her center,” she said. “She was really struggling with trying to hire managers. So, she just pretty much coerced us into taking over that center.”

With three grandchildren, Ryan is closer to the end of her journey than the beginning. But she’s not done quite yet.

“When you take something that is nothing and you build it, and you build it, and you put your whole life into it, and you struggle, and you have happy moments and you have sad moments — it's hard to give it up,” she said. “It's hard to let it go.

“It's always the same thing.

All these little kids want to be loved, that's all. I mean, I sit down on a bench and I see these kids maybe once a week, … but I had five on the bench with me just sitting there, all of them just smiling at me, you know, wanting to be talked to, (wanting to be) loved. They just want love and attention.

“It's going to be hard for me. But one day, I am going to retire. I'm doing less and less of it now. One day, I’m going to give (April) the reins. I’m not sure that she wants them.”

That’s a problem for another time.

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[ JULY 2024 ] • 21

Best Healthcare Professional

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Catina Hartley

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Princeton native brings personal touch to nursing

By Randy Capps

C

atina Hartley grew up in Princeton, and as a preacher’s kid, she learned a bit about service and helping others.

She took those lessons and applied them to a 27-year career in nursing where she’s touched countless lives.

It’s that impact that has earned her the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Best Healthcare Professional Award.

“I've always loved to take care of people,” she said. “My grandmother took care of people in her home. So, I guess it’s kind of part of who I am.”

These days, she works for UNC Health Johnston.

“I'm the inpatient wound nurse,” she said. “I don't actually work in the clinic itself.

I work at the hospital. I only see patients that are hospitalized.

“I go in and assess the wound, take pictures, measurements and then I consult with the doctor and place orders.”

She cites her work for the SECU Hospice House as some of her favorite times. “(People used to say) ‘how in the world can you do that? Isn't it depressing,” she said. “And sometimes it is, especially when you get the younger patients.

22 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

But when you can't fix it, there's no need to make them suffer.

The best thing to do is give them the best quality of life they can have up until the end.”

It’s a sentiment shared by her boss there, and 2019 winner of this very award, Dr. Dennis Koffer.

“The image of us only doing death care is a very narrow perspective,” he said. “Very few of us, if any, remember our transition from where we were to life. But there were teams of people who collaborated to make sure that transition was as gentle 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.”

Twenty-seven years is a long time in any field, and nursing has seen its share of changes during her career.

“Everything's different,” she said. “It's better, you know?

Evidence-based research has made things better. But, yeah, things are a lot different.

Computerized stuff, I mean.

The charting is good as long as the computer is working. You know, back in the day when you were doing paper charting, you didn't have to worry about whether or not your computer

worked. But, you know, all-inall, patient care is better.

“The day you stop learning is the day you need to find another profession, because there’s a learning curve every day.”

In the spirit of that, she’s currently enrolled at Grand Canyon University, seeking her bachelor’s in nursing. Ironically, she and her younger daughter, Caitlyn, will both graduate from college next year. Her elder daughter, Alexis, has already done so, graduating from St. Andrews.

She’s also gone from having a father for a preacher to a brother, at Princeton Church of God of Prophecy.

“They've (all) been part of the journey,” she said. “It's a blessing. That's the one thing that I always pray for every morning. ‘Lord, help me to be a blessing to help someone today.’”

Even patients that have given other nurses a hard time want to be helped, Hartley believes.

“I walk in the room, and the first thing you do is make eye contact,” she said. “You've got to make contact, you've got to say, ‘hey.’ And, a lot of times before I leave the room, I'll thank them. And I make sure they look at me when I

say thank you. ‘Thank you for letting me take care of you.’”

COVID was an especially challenging time for nurses, as one might imagine.

“It was tough,” she said.

“I mean, it really made you rethink nursing. And the patients were pitiful. I can remember one man that I went in to see, he'd been there for two weeks and he … couldn't have visitors.

“So all he saw was the few people that came into the room to take care of him. I did what I had to do. And I said, ‘can I get you anything?’ He said, ‘can't you please stay with me and talk?’ I said, ‘I wish that I could, but I've got other patients to see.’ That broke my heart, you know? That just broke my heart.”

For Hartley, it all comes back to helping people any way she can.

“It's rewarding, but challenging,” she said. “With nursing, there's so many options.

You can be an OB nurse, you can be a wound nurse, a surgery nurse, I mean, there's just so many options. You just have to decide what you want to do. At the end of the day, it's rewarding to be able to help somebody.”

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[ JULY 2024 ] • 23

Excellence in Arts

Magen Hill Pike Art teacher leaves lasting mark on students, community

By Jamie Strickland

S

mithfield-Selma High School art teacher and Princeton resident Magen Hill Pike has taught at several schools throughout the area in her nearly 20 year career in education. In each school, she has left a lasting impact, both on the students and the buildings that house them.

From a painting of a raven at Riverwood Middle to an art history timeline at Kinston High and a shadow mural at Benson Middle, just to name a few, the artwork she inspired children to create adorns the walls at schools across the region.

The creativity of her students has also extended well beyond the walls of their school buildings and out into the communities.

It’s this impact on her students and the community that has earned her the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Excellence in Arts Award.

Pike developed her eye for art from a young age, having been inspired by her elementary school art teacher.

“She gave us this large piece of newsprint paper that if you moved it wrong, it would rip. It was super thin.

And she said, ‘I want you to

24 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

take your pencil and just do big scribbles,’ and she would always demonstrate and say ‘Just take your whole arm and just draw big scribbles.’ And then she made us stop and find things in the scribbles.

And so we would look at it and find, like, fish, or birds, or faces or objects.”

From that experience, Pike began spotting things

in the patterns around her, in curtains, fabrics, wood or even the cracks in concrete.

“That was the influence for a lot of my personal pieces,” she said.

After high school, Pike traveled to Europe and beyond, witnessing famous works of art in person and gaining inspiration from those experiences.

“I saw the Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling and the Last Judgment in Vatican City, The David and the trapped prisoners at the Accademia in Florence. I went to Greece, London, Turkey, Paris, Switzerland, Sorrento, Capri, Rhodes, Turkey. These were inspirational in my lessons and influenced my teaching to students. … I always visit historic places, art museums, landmarks, monuments and local galleries and markets.

Inspiration comes from any and everywhere.”

She attended The University of Mount Olive and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Visual Communications.

There, she took classes in disciplines such as graphic design, painting, sculpture, photography and drawing.

She interned for a graphic design firm, where she put her personal touches on the projects she worked on.

“It was a geographic technology group…so I wanted this like, Earth look.

So I was going to the dump and taking photos of rust. So they thought I was a little quirky.”

Early in her career, she worked for a gallery in

downtown Goldsboro doing art restoration and picture framing, where she acquired even more of her skill set.

“I learned how to set up a show. Paint the walls, putty the holes, frame the art, label,” she said.

A love of small town, country life motivated her to stay close to home rather than moving away for a job, and she decided to pursue a career in teaching art to others.

She got her first teaching job at Midway Middle in Sampson County. From there she took a job at Riverwood Middle, then worked at Kinston High School and Benson Middle School before landing in her current position at Smithfield-Selma.

She has worked hard to secure grants and raise funds from local businesses to bring art out into the community, as well bring professional artists in the schools so kids could learn from them first hand.

While still teaching full time, in 2015 she earned her Masters of Arts in Education from East Carolina University.

At Smithfield-Selma she designed a large “Sparta” mural and worked with an International Baccalaureate student on a project to paint the columns of the school cafeteria to showcase international foods and culture.

She also received a grant to install a professional art gallery outside her classroom that showcases student artwork throughout the year.

Pike and her students can often be found out and about, most recently working on several murals in downtown Selma.

“I think what’s cool about it, is when the community saw the students out there, they would just walk up and talk to them and kind of introduce themselves. It

honestly just started to feel like family,” she said.

Being out in the community is a valuable contribution to the kids' education, too.

The kids had to create estimates, design proposals, order supplies and handle other aspects of project management.

“They’re really learning so much about business,” she said. “And when it’s finished, it’s a big sense of accomplishment. And a source of pride for them and the town. Something that you don’t get on a worksheet or through a video.”

Teaching hasn’t slowed down her own creative drive.

Pike has continued to create original works of art and last year won second place at the N.C. State Fair. While dropping off student artwork for the competition, she decided to enter a piece of her own in the professional division.

“I was like OK, here’s an owl that I did a demonstration on watercolor with. I’ll just put it in. And then I won second place!”

Pike said many of her students have gone on to have successful careers such as industrial design, an artisan baker, tattoo artist, photographer, a Harvard graduate who went on to become a dentist and many more. She’s proud to have played a role in teaching them to see things from a different perspective.

Pike’s endeavors to bring art into the community will persist this summer as she teaches kids at multiple camps and becomes the community art paint instructor with Johnston Community College, as well as teaching art appreciation at Wilson Community College.

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Rising Star

Mackenzie Murphy

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Benson teen makes waves with fishing tournament fundraiser

By Jamie Strickland

S

tatistics show that more than 40,000 children undergo cancer treatment each year, and one South Johnston High School student is trying to put a dent in that number.

Mackenzie Murphy will be a senior next year, and she’s this year’s Johnston Now Honors Rising Star Award winner. This award is reserved for people under 18 who are achieving big things at a small age, and that is certainly true of this young recipient.

At just 16 years old, Murphy is a student ambassador for the nonprofit Reelin’ for Research, and started a branch at South Johnston. The organization holds a fishing tournament in Morehead City each year, and to date has raised more than $7 million for childhood cancer research.

All funds raised go to support research efforts at UNC Health Children’s Hospital.

Motivated by a family friend who battled childhood cancer, Murphy rallied a group of her classmates to help, and they held fundraisers throughout the year through online efforts and selling treats at school sporting events.

“I attended (the fishing tournament) with my family

26 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

in support of our friend, and I just loved it and we were trying to figure out a way to volunteer,” she said. “That’s where we found out that you could volunteer with your high school, and they had student ambassadors. The weekend we got back, I started looking into it and I emailed my principal about it. My sophomore year, we started raising money and we raised about $1,500 our first year.”

According to its website, Reelin’ for Research raises funds to aid in the treatment and research of childhood cancer, with the ultimate goal of “landing” a cure.

Murphy and her friends have also volunteered at the event for the past two years, selling merchandise to raise even more money for the cause.

In addition to her work with Reelin’ for Research, Murphy is involved in several organizations at her school.

This past school year, she served as President of Gang Green (the school’s pep club,) Junior Class Vice President, Key Club class representative, was a member of the yearbook staff and played varsity tennis and soccer. She also volunteers her time in the summer as a camp counselor for Camp Dixie in Fayetteville.

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If that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she works two part time jobs, one at Benson Parks and Recreation and one at Kids Academy in Four Oaks.

“I don’t want to say that I’m an overachiever, but I’m always looking to find new things that challenge me and new accomplishments that I can make,” she said.

Murphy is part of a tightknit family, with her mom, dad and younger sister always supporting each other in their endeavors.

“I’m really lucky to have them, they’re super supportive,” she said.

Murphy’s mom, Christin, nominated her daughter for the award, citing her volunteerism and activism in fundraising for childhood cancer research.

“She saw a need and was determined to make a difference,” she said in her nomination. “Many adults think about doing something like this but often don’t act

on it. So if Mackenzie can accomplish this at 16, just think what she is capable of doing in her life.”

So what’s next for a teenager who already has a full plate?

Murphy said she would like to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington for college, where she’s thinking of majoring in either occupational therapy or business. She plans on returning to Johnston County afterward.

“I’ve always lived here, my dad grew up here,” she said.

“I can definitely see myself coming back. … I love this area, and I think it’s really cool, the connections you can build and have for the rest of your life.”

If her teenage years are any indication, her future contributions to Johnston County will be well worth watching.

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[ JULY 2024 ] • 27

Outstanding Firefighter

Chief Phillip McDaniel Seasoned firefighter lights a spark with the next generation

By Jamie Strickland

M

ore than thirty years of fighting fires and responding to emergencies makes for lots of memories, some you want to hold on to, and some you’d rather forget.

That’s the case for Phillip McDaniel. As chief of Selma’s Fire department, he’s working on passing his knowledge to the next generation of young firefighters.

This, and much more, has earned him this year’s Johnston Now Honors Outstanding Firefighter Award.

A lifelong Selma area resident, McDaniel knew from a young age that he wanted to become a firefighter, and he’s been serving as one since he was old enough to volunteer.

“I wanted to get into firefighting ever since I watched ‘Emergency!’ when I was a little boy,” he said. “When I was a teenager, I worked with Joe Moore and Gary House at the Selma IGA, who were both involved heavily in the fire service, and I really got the bug.”

He started out as a volunteer with the Pine Level Fire Department.

“I begged and pleaded to join the fire district and I fell in love with it ever since,” he said.

His professional career began when he accepted a position with

28 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

the Mooresville Fire Department.

After working in Wake County for several years, he was ready to be closer to home.

“I’m a Johnston County boy so I wanted to get back home, and I was lucky enough in 2007 to accept a job here as the fire chief,” he said.

In addition to his commitment to helping people, McDaniel said it's the excitement and ever changing nature of the job that keeps him motivated.

“I had the honor of pulling a guy out of a window that probably just had a few seconds to live, and I can replay that every day,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff that you don’t want to remember, dealing with death and things like that, but that’s part of the job. The most memorable thing is seeing my guys go to work. I really do love to see them just perfect their job and see the passion that they have for it that I hope I’ve been able to share a little bit.”

“In a chief position, I really enjoy watching the guys build on something, and build a culture here,” McDaniel said. “It’s evolved a lot since I started, and this town has been good to me and I feel like I’ve been good to it. We’re building a very professional fire department.”

That department consists of 14 full-time career employees and

I’ve seen a lot of bad stuff that you don’t want to remember, dealing with death and things like that, but that’s part of the job. The most memorable thing is seeing my guys go to work. I really do love to see them just perfect their job and see the passion that they have for it that I hope I’ve been able to share a little bit.” several volunteers and trainees.

McDaniel said the support of his family has been essential to his ability to serve the community for all these years.

“I’ve been a fireman since my daughter was born, so she’s never not known it this way. My wife, when we were dating knew that’s where I wanted to go. When I became full time it was a little different, because you’re not there every night. But they’ve just always been very supportive. I’ve

always said you can’t be a good fireman without a good family, and they’ve been very good to me and very supportive.”

His family now has grown to include two young grandsons.

They enjoy coming up to the fire station and checking out the trucks with their grandfather, and time will tell if they follow in his footsteps.

Thank you to Breeden Law Office for sponsoring this award.

Nonprofit of the Year

Activate Selma Activate Selma: Grassroots movement boosts small town’s future

By Jamie Strickland

I

f you’ve ever wondered what impact one person might be able to have on a community, just look at Activate Selma.

This nonprofit organization has accomplished much collectively, but it’s all due to the small individual actions taken by each of its members.

The group has been receiving more and more attention since its inception in 2018, and its this year’s Johnston Now Honors Nonprofit of the Year Award recipient.

What began as four people getting together for coffee each week has grown into a grassroots effort that has sparked big transformations in Selma.

“You have to activate yourself first,” said founding member Cindy Brookshire. “By changing ourselves, we change our communities.”

Made up of business owners, residents, investors and volunteers, the weekly gathering now sees upwards of 30 people on a regular basis. The motivations of each person may differ slightly, but the collective mission is the same: To help their community grow and prosper.

“Everyone wants to grow individually, but you have

30 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

to grow as a town, we grow together,” board member Ron Hester said. “It’s not really a personal agenda…it doesn’t work if it's all about you.

The group's focus has been on revitalizing the downtown area, or “Selma’s front porch,” as they refer to it.

Having spent time volunteering at the Selma Visitor Center, it was the lack of visitors that made Brookshire realize something needed to be done to attract people to come downtown again.

Teaming up with Melissa Dooley, who was a town employee at the time, Jeffery Hamilton of the Rudy Theatre (and later Coffee on Raiford) and Donna Reid of a local antique store, they began to gather for coffee each week and discuss what they could do about it.

Hamilton noted that the Rudy Theatre was often full of visitors coming to hear local music, but they had nowhere else to go to eat, drink or shop while they were in town.

He renovated a downtown building and he and his sister opened a coffee shop. An ice cream shop opened up across the street, and one at a time, Raiford Street has started to fill up with businesses and

patrons again. Just within the past two years, a general store, antique store, toy store, book store, seafood market, Creole restaurant, an upscale cocktail bar and a local tap room have all opened downtown.

Of course, Activate Selma does not take full credit for all of that, but they did light a spark that got the revitalization flame blazing.

Brookshire said that having a grassroots group such as theirs lets potential investors know that there is a supportive community in Selma.

Activate Selma started with small but noticeable aesthetic changes. Taking the advice of national revitalization expert Roger Brooks and his Destination Development program (destinationdevelopment.org)

got them off to the right start.

Projects like planting flowers, cleaning up trash cans, encouraging building owners to apply new paint, allowing local high school students to paint murals on buildings, facilitating public art installations, creating a downtown map for visitors and nicer signage influenced others to want to make improvements to their properties too.

They developed the motto: “We don’t complain, we take action.”

The group has led efforts to participate in programs like Hometown Makeover and Strong Towns, where this year they made the final four.

“Group projects are small steps that spark big change,” Brookshire said.

In partnership with the Town of Selma and local business owners, Activate Selma hosts a monthly concert series that draws crowds downtown called Rockin’ on Raiford, and was the catalyst for the installation of Art Out Loud Park. A new downtown farmer’s market is also on the horizon.

Communication and partnerships with town officials are very important as well, and the group is happy to have the support of the staff and administration.

“Work on small projects that can have a big impact,” Hamilton advised. “Don’t worry about what you can’t do or don’t have control over — focus on what you are able to do.”

Activate Selma intentionally meets at different locations each week to encourage people to visit new places and have dialogue with people they might not otherwise meet.

The group meets every Wednesday at 9 a.m., no matter what. Board member Chandler Pernell said the consistency of meeting every week is essential to keep the conversations going.

“Some meetings might seem like you didn’t benefit, or advance yourself, or that nothing really happened, physically. You didn’t see movement, but the next week comes, and a little idea that sparked, now it’s a little bigger. And so it’s the consistency of that.”

Meetings begin by allowing each person a moment to

introduce themselves and what they do, followed by a time to discuss group projects and how the attendees might help each other accomplish their goals. People pull together their collective knowledge, guide entrepreneurs towards local resources, build community relationships and cross promote each other’s businesses. Everyone is welcome.

Other local communities have started to look to Selma for counsel on how they can spark similar change in their communities. Dooley offered this piece of advice, “Remember why you are there and do what you can. Write down your mission and when you start to forget, go back and look at it.”

Activate Selma received official nonprofit status last

year, and its primary method of fundraising is through grassroot efforts such as 50/50 or gift basket raffles.

Brookshire, who is also a local author, wrote the book “A Heart for Selma: 12 Stories of Activate Selma NC” which was published in July of 2021. You can purchase the book, read more about the organization, shop for merchandise or make a donation on their website at activateselmanc.com.

With hundreds of email newsletter subscribers and nearly 3,000 followers on Facebook, lots of eyes are on Selma to see what they’ll do next.

Thank you to The Arbors at East Village for sponsoring this award.

[ JULY 2024 ] • 31

Smithfield-Selma High student receives $30K JoCo TEACH scholarship

SECURITY OFFICER NAMED AMBASSADOR OF MONTH Submitted by UNC Health Johnston

S

MITHFIELD — UNC Health Johnston has recognized Michael Blancher, a night shift security officer at the hospital in Smithfield, as its Ambassador of the Month.

During a recent presentation, CEO Tom Williams said Blancher is pleasant, positive and sets a good example for the department. “He listens to concerns, addresses them, and works well with others in the emergency and behavioral health departments where he’s assigned,” he said.

Before coming aboard three years ago, Blancher

was retired from the state’s Department of Adult Correction. He was assigned to Central Prison in Raleigh for more than 30 years.

“I feel blessed to find such a great job after my retirement with the state,” he said. “My skills and experience have served me well.”

Williams says Blancher does an excellent job of orienting new teammates. “He shares information to acclimate them to their areas. And he’s patient when explaining directives and policies,” he said. “He crosses the ‘T’s and dots the ‘I’s to ensure procedures are followed. He is reliable, always on time and

Submitted by Johnston County Public Schools

S

▸ At center, CEO Tom Williams congratulates Michael Blancher on being named UNC Health Johnston’s Ambassador of the Month. From left are: Kyle McDermott, vice president of support services; Mark Smith, director of protective services and David Richards, manager of protective services. In addition to a parking sign and designated parking spot, Blancher will receive eight hours of paid time off.

volunteers to help at special events.”

Blancher grew up in Owosso, Michigan. He and his wife, Rose, live in Clayton.

Through the ambassador program, Johnston recognizes teammates who go above and

Read to Grow hosts JoCo’s Kindergarten Readiness Nights Submitted by Partnership for Children of Johnston County

R

ead to Grow Johnston County recently hosted its second annual Kindergarten Readiness Nights, preparing 137 rising kindergarteners for the upcoming school year.

Families were able to practice the lunch line, tour a classroom and school bus and engage in learning stations to promote the skills a child needs to be successful in kindergarten. Read to Grow aims to show parents easy ways to develop essential skills using daily activities that support kindergarten readiness.

These events were in collaboration with four Johnston County Public Elementary Schools and their nutrition departments, UNC Health Johnston, Gunter Family McDonald’s and PET Dairy.

32 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

beyond the call of duty. They deliver quality care, foster teamwork and offer excellent service.

In addition to a designated month-long parking space, Blancher will receive eight hours of paid time off.

Each learning station represented a key development area from the North Carolina Let’s Get Ready Guide, including cognitive development, social-emotional development, math, language, health and physical development and play.

Families counted rocks using math skills, practiced language by spelling with playdough letters, and weaved through an obstacle course to promote physical health. They sorted buttons to support brain development, practiced belly breathing for emotional support and enjoyed time playing a memory game together.

“While a child knowing the alphabet and identifying colors are important skills, there are other things they must demonstrate to be successful,” said Read to Grow Coordinator Heather Machia.

“They must know how to take turns and stick with challenging tasks. By providing simple activities for parents to develop their child’s abilities, parents feel more confident, and children are more prepared for success in school and life.”

MITHFIELD — Gabrielle Chestnut, a senior at Smithfield-Selma High was awarded the Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) JoCo TEACH Scholarship. Chestnut received $30,000 to attend her college of choice through the JoCo TEACH program, offered exclusively at Smithfield-Selma High.

Established in 2019, JoCo TEACH is a JCPS Choice Program designed to invest in and recruit students seeking a degree in education. It provides a seamless pathway for students to earn their Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation through Johnston Community College (JCC), while attending a traditional public high school.

After graduating college, Chestnut will return to JCPS and teach for three years, a requirement of the program commitment. This ensures that JCPS brings the best and brightest educators back into the school district.

One of the primary benefits of the scholarship is that it alleviates some of the financial burdens of college. For Chestnut, it will allow her to participate in the UNCG Study Abroad program, where she will teach English to students in China for one semester.

This will enhance her study of elementary education at UNCG. The program also has given Chestnut a head start on her college career because she will enter UNCG as a junior, thus saving additional money.

It was through the field experience of the JoCo TEACH program that Chestnut discovered her passion for teaching elementary children, specifically first graders. Her biggest takeaway from the

JoCo TEACH program was the ability to take collegelevel courses. The rigorous curriculum developed her time management skills, discipline and commitment to the program. Without it, Chestnut believes she would not be as prepared for college.

There have been several influential people who have been catalysts for her to seek a career in education.

The first one is her mother, a school counselor at Archer Lodge Middle. Chestnut has seen firsthand the impact of education through her mother’s career. In addition, her mother has been there to support Chestnut every step of the way.

“She’s been my cheerleader all my life,” she proudly said.

Ultimately, she will return to JCPS and spend three years molding the minds of the next generation, maybe even the next great educator. No matter where she is teaching, via China, JCPS or another school district, Chestnut will share her love of learning. “I’m most excited about making bonds with my students and impacting their lives,” she said.

▸ From left: JCPS Director of Talent Acquisition and Retention Maureen Hanahue, Johnston County Board of Education Chair Lyn Andrews, Gabrielle Chestnut, Smithfield-Selma High Principal Crystal Gregory and Interim Chief of Human Resources Linda Edmundson gather around Chestnut in celebration of her scholarship.

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[ JULY 2024 ] • 33

Corinth Holders teacher earns Johnston County Public Schools honor Submitted by Johnston County Public Schools

SMITHFIELD — Ashley Holloman has been selected as the JCPS 2024 Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year. She has served as an agriculture education teacher and Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisor at Corinth Holders High School (CHHS) for nine years, and has been an educator with JCPS for 10 years.

Early on, Holloman thought that she may want to pursue a career in education. She loved playing teacher in her room, a common story of educators.

Additionally, she enjoyed going to school, and was excited to learn each day. One day in high school, Holloman had a teacher who said she could see her becoming an elementary school teacher.

Holloman had a different vision for herself.

As a suburban girl growing up in Wayne County, she didn’t have any real experience with or knowledge of agriculture education, until she took a class during her freshman year of high school. Then, at one point, the teacher suggested that she participate in a National FFA Organization extemporaneous public speaking competition. That is where her agriculture and FFA adventures began.

The National FFA Organization Extemporaneous Public Speaking Leadership Development Event allows participants to showcase their agricultural knowledge and their ability to think on their feet, by giving a speech and answering questions

34 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

▸ JCPS 2024 Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year Ashley Holloman uses her

classroom for her students to gain knowledge using hands-on activities.

with limited prep time. This event challenges students to practice their presentation skills, articulation and logical thinking while advocating for agriculture and agricultural education.

Holloman began extemporaneous public speaking competitions during her freshman year of high school, and in her junior year she placed fourth in the state. For her senior year, Holloman decided to switch things up and compete in the National FFA Organization Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development Event. In this event, participants are

judged on their knowledge of parliamentary law and their ability to present logical, realistic and convincing debates and motions.

The impact of the agriculture education class and the exposure Holloman received as a high school student was the most impactful on her future.

She wanted to make an impact on high school students, so Holloman grabbed the bull by the horns, making the decision to study agriculture and education at North Carolina State University (NCSU).

She was named a NCSU Goodnight Scholar which provided her with a fulltuition scholarship.

Holloman immersed herself in the curriculum, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Extension Education, with a double minor in Animal Science and Leadership in Agricultural and Life Sciences.

She hasn’t slowed down since, building a healthy resume filled with professional memberships, recognitions, certifications and instructional training. However, the accolades aren't what drives Holloman. Her focus is on making an impact on the students in her classroom each year. “You don’t have to have a background in agriculture, to have a passion for agriculture,” she said.

Although most of her students are not interested in farming per se, she shows them how the agricultural education curriculum extends far beyond merely raising crops and milking cows.

Biotechnology, the fuel and fiber industries and marketing are in the agriculture corral as well. “Everyone has to eat, and everyone wears clothes, so we are all connected,” she said.

Throughout each semester, students participate in handson activities that include injection labs, taking water samples, and, most recently, making art from plastic bottle caps in honor of Earth Day. The bottle cap art will be taken to a local nursing home to be used as wall or window art for the residents. “It’s a cross-curricular opportunity to talk about recycling and giving back to the community,” Holloman said.

Holloman hopes to inspire her students no matter what they want to do in the future, and provide them with some knowledge and understanding of the importance of agriculture.

“The biggest thing is thinking of ways to genuinely make a connection with my students,” she said.

▸ Fire Chief David Ranes (left) presents Deputy Fire Chief Tony Atkinson (right) with a shadow box that includes the badges from all the ranks he has held over the years.

CLAYTON’S FIRST FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTER RETIRES Submitted by Town of Clayton

C

LAYTON — The Town of Clayton said goodbye to a devoted employee who protected and supported the community for three decades as Deputy Fire Chief Tony Atkinson officially retired June 1.

“I’ll miss it… I will,” he said.

“It’s a little sad, a little happy.

You can’t just walk away from something like that after all these years. I knew this day was coming.”

Administrators and colleagues gathered at the Clayton Fire Department Station 1 on his final day to celebrate Atkinson’s 30-year career and wish him well as he starts a new life chapter.

“I am very proud of the brotherhood we shared in the

fire service and to have the opportunity to recognize Tony for this significant milestone,” said Deputy Town Manager and former Fire Chief Lee Barbee. “He has made an indelible mark on our fire department and community.

I feel honored to have known and worked alongside Tony for so many years.

“Together, we formed a formidable team and navigated many changes over the years. He’s an inspiration to us all, earning the respect of the entire community. We are profoundly grateful for his unwavering commitment, drive and spirit in protecting our Town and fostering positive change.”

Initially, Atkinson started working with the Town’s Electric Department as a

Ground Worker in 1994.

The position aligned well with his 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy where he focused on electrical systems, maintenance, equipment and troubleshooting. It was also an opportunity for Atkinson to leave San Diego and come back home.

“I grew up here when it was a little town — still had dirt roads — went to Cooper Elementary, and graduated from Clayton High School,” said Atkinson. “When I retired from the Navy, my family was still here. It was wonderful … peaceful and quiet.”

Six months into his new role, Atkinson began volunteering with the Clayton Fire Department, which was in the old Town Hall building, and eventually he became

their first full-time hire.

Since then, Atkinson has held various positions from Fire Supervisor and Fire Marshal.

In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Fire Chief, while still retaining his Fire Marshal responsibilities.

“Over the years, I hope people have grown to better understand the Clayton Fire Department and what it does,” said Atkinson. “When I first started out, I used to go to schools, senior homes and churches to do fire prevention and fire education.

Some people think that we just come to work and hang around the station, watch TV and play basketball. They really don’t see what happens all night, late in the night, getting up in the middle of the night and running calls to go take care of their neighbors and loved ones.”

Atkinson recognized some challenges of the job, such as navigating stressful situations and staying on top of varying safety protocols.

“You’re working with a group of people,” said Atkinson.

“It’s one team. You have different attitudes, different suggestions. You must learn to work with each other. It’s a life-changing event as far as responses, things you see that you never thought you would see or have to deal with. It’s a very important job, a fantastic job, and that’s what I would tell anybody. If that’s what your passion is, serving the community and responding to or taking care of people, this is it.”

As for the Clayton Fire Department, it will always hold a special place in Atkinson’s heart. “The people… always the people.

I’ll miss the job too but the people. I’ve had a good run here. Yeah, I’ll see them.

They’re not going to get rid of me that easily. I’ll come back and see them… be around if they need me.”

[ JULY 2024 ] • 35

Add your organization’s events to the community calendar at www.JohnstonNow.com or email us at calendar@JohnstonNow.com.

For the full community calendar with hundreds of area events, visit www.JohnstonNow.com

CALENDAR of events

36 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

fireworks light up the sky over I-95.

Thursday, July 4

⋆ Clayton

July 4 Celebration

Sunday, June 30, 6-9 p.m.

⋆ Smithfield Independence Day Celebration

There will be food trucks, water wars, games, activities and live entertainment on South Third Street in downtown Smithfield. Fireworks will start at 9 p.m. The time for the fireworks could change depending on weather conditions.

Monday, July 1, 2 p.m.

⋆ Mini Mosaic Workshop → Kenly Public Library

The Kenly Public Library will host a mini mosaic workshop for adults, teens and middle schoolers.

Register in person or via email at kenly.library@ townofkenly.com.

Monday, July 1, 6-9:30 p.m.

⋆ All-American Festival, Selma

Don’t miss Selma’s annual fireworks display at Blackstone Plaza. Visit www.facebook.com/ selmaparksrec to learn more.

Tuesday, July 2

⋆ Benson July 4th Celebration

Join the Town of Benson for

a 4th of July Celebration. Be sure to stick around for the fireworks at 9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 3, 2 p.m.

⋆ Story

Time with Miss Leigh → Kenly Public Library

The Kenly Public Library will host Story Time with Miss Leigh. Dress your family in the same color, make a craft and join in with some sidewalk chalk fun. Register in person or via email at kenly.library@ townofkenly.com.

Thursday, July 4

⋆ Pine

Level Independence Day Celebration

The town’s celebration is set for Sam Godwin Park on U.S. 70-A. There will be activities all day and fireworks after dark. For more information, go to pinelevel.org.

Thursday, July 4

⋆ Cleveland Area July 4th Celebration

Cleveland’s annual Fourth of July celebration is set for Tuesday, July 4. Visit www.facebook.com/ celebrateclevelandnc.

Thursday, July 4

⋆ Kenly Fourth of July Celebration

Come out to Kenly 95 Petro and check out Kenly’s annual celebration, featuring family-friendly entertainment before the

The Square to Square Independence Day Street Festival will take place on Main Street from Town Square to Horne Square.

There will be games, activities, contests, a bike parade and more.

To learn more, visit www. townofclaytonnc.org/404/ Square-to-SquareIndependence-Day-Street

Saturday, July 6, 6 p.m. ⋆ Family

Fun Day, Archer Lodge

The “Family Fun Day” at Archer Lodge is just what the name implies — good old-fashioned family fun.

The festivities on Family Fun Day kick off at 5:30 with a parade followed by a food truck rodeo in the Community Center parking lot. Live music, vendors and face painting will also be there to enjoy and at “dark thirty” they will light up the sky with the best firework show around. Visit www. archerlodge.org/events to learn more.

Monday, July 8, 11 a.m. ⋆ Craft

Day → Kenly Public Library

The Kenly Public Library will host a craft day for all ages. Float in any time to try some origami, a drawing craft or the kendamas.

Register in person or via email at kenly.library@ townofkenly.com.

Wednesday, July 10, 2 p.m.

⋆ Puppeteer Lona Bartlett → Kenly Public Library

The Kenly Public Library is hosting puppeteer Lona Bartlett. She is presenting Stories for Everyone for all ages. Register in person or via email at kenly.library@ townofkenly.com.

Saturday,July 13, 8 p.m. ⋆ Johnny Folsom 4 → The Clayton Center

From "A Boy Named Sue" to "Ring of Fire" to "Rusty Cage," Johnny Folsom 4 is the ultimate tribute to the legendary Man in Black.

While nobody really sounds like Johnny Cash, nobody sounds more like Johnny Cash than Johnny Folsom 4.

Tickets are available at www.theclaytoncenter.com.

Sunday, July 14, noon

⋆ Food Truck Rodeo → Deep River Brewing Company, Main St., Clayton

Eat, drink and hang with friends. Visit www.facebook. com/DeepRiverBrewing.

Monday, July 15, 2 p.m. ⋆ Mystery Story Reader → Kenly Public Library

The Kenly Public Library is hosting a mystery story reader who will give away a free book and stuffed toy. Register in person or via email at kenly.library@ townofkenly.com.

Wednesday, July 17, 1 p.m. ⋆ Sylvian Bird Park: "Perilous Journeys" → Kenly Public Libary

The Kenly Public Library is hosting Sylvan Bird Parks Perilous Journeys. This is an all ages presentation with a live bird. Register in person or via email at kenly. library@townofkenly.com.

Thursday, July 18, 5:30 p.m.

⋆ Rockin’ On Raiford Concert Series → Downtown Selma

Check out The Soul Psychedelique Orchestra in this free concert. Food trucks will also be on hand.

Saturday, July 20, 9 a.m. ⋆ Centennial Celebration → Selma Union Station

Thursday, July 25, 11 a.m.

third Saturday now through the end of October!

Contact: www. wilsonsmillsnc.org/parksevents

Beat the heat with Clayton Parks and Recreation and free popsicles in the park.

NAMI Support Groups and Classes

⋆ Popsicles in the Park → Clayton Parks and Recreation, McCullers Drive

Friday, July 26, 7 p.m.

⋆ Ben Fuller Live Concert → Thee Redeemed House, W. Goldsboro St., Kenly

Don’t miss this unforgettable night of music and inspiration.

All proceeds support our community. Visit www. comfortshieldofnc.com/ ben-fuller to learn more.

The Town of Selma will celebrate one hundred years of the historic Selma Union Station with a community-wide event!

Check out a traditional farmers market, live music

by Wood & Steel, activities for the kids, community pig pickin' and a time capsule ceremony.

Wednesday, July 31, 2 p.m.

July 21-24, 5:45-8:30 p.m.

RECURRING EVENTS

⋆ Vacation Bible School → Four Oaks United Methodist Church

Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus, helps open kids’ eyes to the countless ways God provides. To learn more, visit fouroaksumc.org.

⋆ The Magic of David → Kenly Public Library

The Kenly Public Library is hosting an all-ages magic show, The Magic of David.

Register in person or via email at kenly.library@ townofkenly.com.

Wilson's Mills Farmers Market

Homegrown vegetables, handmade crafts and household items, fresh baked goods, and more! This event occurs every first and

The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers free weekly support groups throughout Johnston County.

Contact: www.namijcnc.net, email namijcnc@gmail.com or call 919-980-5277.

Every Wednesday, 6 p.m.

⋆ Smithfield-Selma Running Club → The Vault by Hatchet Brewing, Selma

Contact: smithfieldrunningclub@ gmail.com.

Second and Fourth Tuesdays, 7 a.m.

⋆ Cleveland School Rotary Club → Cleveland Draft House, Garner

Contact: www. clevelandschoolrotary.org

Every Tuesday, 10 a.m.

⋆ Smithfield Ukelele Group. → First Presbyterian Church, 215 S. 3rd St., 2nd Floor

Come join the fun in this ukulele/guitar/dulcimer group.

Contact: 919-634-4800

[ JULY 2024 ] • 37

→ Smithfield DAV, Buffalo Road

→ Virtual meeting

Every Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

⋆ Smithfield Kiwanis Club Meeting → Golden Corral, Smithfield

First and third Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. ⋆ Fellowship Masonic Lodge #84 meeting → Fellowship Masonic Lodge #84, S. Brightleaf Blvd., Smithfield

Contact: www. facebook.com/ KiwanisClubOfSmithfieldNC

Contact: Grover Dees at gdees1@nc.rr.com.

Every Wednesday, 9 a.m.

⋆ Clayton Visual Arts meeting → The Clayton Center

⋆ Activate Selma

The meeting location rotates around different locations in Selma each week. Follow on Facebook to see this week's location. Contact: www. activateselmanc.com.

Every Wednesday, 2 p.m. ⋆ Trivia Party → Clayton Center for Active Aging

Contact: 919-295-9163 to play. For more information, contact the center at 919-553-4350.

First and third Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. ⋆ Smithfield Lions Club → Golden Corral, Smithfield

Contact: Karen Brown, 919-934-2555.

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

⋆ Clayton Civitan Club meeting → Clayton Civitan Building, McCullers St., Clayton

Contact: 919-550-0694

38 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]

First Tuesday, Noon

Contact: www. claytonvisualarts.org or email CVA president Bronwen Fullington at bronwen. fullington@gmail.com.

Second Monday, 6 p.m.

⋆ PACT meeting → Virtual Meeting via Google Meet

Contact: Jeff Holland at hollandjeff@yahoo.com.

Second Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.

⋆ Johnston County Chapter of National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees meeting → Golden Corral, Smithfield

Contact: jimnow42@gmail. com.

Second Thursday, 6 p.m. ⋆ Triangle East Writers

Contact: Cindy Brookshire at jocowriters@gmail.com.

Every other Monday, 6 p.m.

⋆ Kiwanis Club of Clayton

Contact: www.facebook.com/ ClaytonKiwanis to learn more.

Third Monday, 7 p.m.

⋆ Vietnam Veterans of America → Smithfield American Legion Post 132

The Smithfield Chapter 990 meeting of the Vietnam Veterans of America is every third Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

Third Monday, 6:30 p.m.

⋆ Johnston County Beekeepers Association meeting → Johnston County Ag Center

Contact: www.jocobee.org or email JCBAPresident@ jocobee.org.

Third Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. ⋆ Widowed Persons Fellowship Group → Parkside Cafe, Pine Level

Contact: 919-965-3865

Third Tuesday

⋆ Johnston County AfricanAmerican Caucus meeting → 1302 W. Market St., Smithfield

Contact: AACJCDP.chair@ gmail.com or call 954-696-7833.

Third Thursday

⋆ Johnston County Republican Women

Contact: jcrwrocks@gmail. com.

Fourth Monday, 6:30 p.m.

⋆ Disabled American Veterans meeting

Smithfield Chapter 44 of the Disabled American Veterans meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

Every Thursday, 6:45 a.m.

⋆ Clayton Rotary Morning Club → Rainbow Lanes

Contact: www. claytonrotaryclub.org.

Every Thursday, 6:15 p.m.

⋆ Clayton Area Toastmasters meetings → JCC Workforce Development Center

Contact: www.claytontm.com.

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.

Fourth Thursday, 6 p.m.

⋆ Caring Hearts Civitan Club → Cleveland Draft House, Shotwell Road, Clayton

Contact: grahamhound1966@ gmail.com.

40 • [ JOHNSTON NOW ]