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Flu season off to slow start in Pender
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Manager, parks & rec positions open in Burgaw By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
The town of Burgaw is in the market for a new town manager and a parks and recreation director Manager Joseph Pierce resigned to take a position in Iredell County, while Parks and Recreation Director Zach White will be working with Pender County. “We are currently reviewing resumes and have several for review for town manager,� said Burgaw Mayor Pete Cowan. Pierce was town manager for about a year, coming to Burgaw from Holly Ridge.
Cowan says town officials are also looking at applications for parks and recreation director and has recently hired a new Planning Director. Todd Rademacher came to Burgaw after working with Surf City. Town administrative employess in Burgaw often take positions with the town, work to gain experience, and then move on to positions with larger governments. “That happens, but I hate to think of Burgaw as just a stepping stone,� Cowan said. “I would really like to see us get someone that sees a future here. I think our pay is adequate to attract the right person.�
Burgaw Depot serves as center for Friendly Food Project By Lori Kirkpatrick Post & Voice Staff Writer
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Riley’s Creek Baptist Church served up hot fries Friday night at the annual Burgaw Christmas Tree Lighting on the Courthouse Square. See more photos of the event on page 4B and on Facebook.
Natalie Johnston was assisting with several charities in New Hanover County after Hurricane Florence when she ended up delivering some fresh produce to Friendly Baptist
Continued on page 11A
Church building finds new life as relief distribution center Kings Chapel Community Church
By Lori Kirkpatrick Post & Voice Staff Writer
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The 2018-19 influenza season has yet to get a foothold in Pender County, according to Health Department Officials. “Luckily, we have had no problems with the flu so far this season in Pender County,� reported Shirley Steele of the Pender County Health Department. “There have been sporatic outbreaks across the state and a lot of flu tests have been made, but few cases of actual flu.� Only a handful of flu cases have been positively identified in the county. In past seasons, a rise in flu cases has been seen in September. One possible reason for the lack of flu cases could be Hurricane Florence – which kept Pender County schools closed for more than five weeks. The flu often begins to spread when children return to school, picking up the virus there and bringing it home to family members. “When the kids are not in school, they are not passing germs around� Steele said. Steele also credited the Health Department’s program of providing flu vaccines in every school in Pender County. “We haven’t provided vaccines in every school since 2009 and 2010. We have provided some vaccines after school and in the high schools before, but this year we are in all the schools,� said Steele. The H1N1 flu scare of 2009 prompted health officials to go into schools with flu shots. “The superintendent is very proactive about keeping the kids healthy,� Steele said. Flu vaccines are available weekdays at the Pender County Health Department in Burgaw on South Walker Street. Health officials recommend everyone receive a flu vaccine, especially those who are most at risk – the very young, senior citizens, and individuals with compromised immune systems. Individuals showing flu symptoms should visit the Health Department clinic or their personal physician as soon as the symptoms show.
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Thursday, November 29, 2018
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POST Voice
Vol. 49, No.7
After serving the community for more than 100 years, a local church has been given a new purpose. King’s Chapel Community Church on Shaw Highway in the Holly Shelter community near Burgaw, has been donated to the Cape Fear Network of Baptist Churches by Pastor Ronie and his wife, Sandra Davis. The church was founded in 1912, and the Davis family has been there for almost 20 years. Throughout the years the congregation had become smaller and smaller, dwindling down to only four members in recent days. When Hurricane Florence came along, the sanctuary took on about five feet of water during the flooding and seven feet in the fellowship hall. When they
first saw the devastation to the building, the Davis family knew this was the end of a chapter. Still, they had no idea what their next steps might be. In October, the couple stopped by Riley’s Creek Baptist Church where the N.C. Baptist Men were handing out supplies. During a conversation with Mike Moser, the group’s local leader, the next steps became obvious. The Baptist organization needed a place where they could hand out supplies and distribute them to the flooded homes, helping the community rebuild. Ronie and Sandra Davis needed to find a new direction for the church and for their own lives. “It was almost an immediate response,ĂŽ began Sandra Davis. ĂŹThis is what we needed to do. There is just not enough funds and not enough people involved for us to restore this
church. We’ve been there since 1999. We have never had a big group, between 15 and 25 people is what we’ve averaged. In the last couple of years, everybody wants something bigger, more things for kids, so they go to bigger churches. We were just going on with what we had left, and we were struggling when this happened.â€? This wasn’t the first time the Davises have dealt with flooding at King’s Chapel. PastorPush Ronie Davis started Mowers • Lawn Tractors • Zero Turn Mowers preaching at King’s Chapel Trimmers & Chainsaws the same year that Hurri- Pastor Ronie Davis (left) and wife Sandra in front of cane Floyd hit the area. The the King’s Chapel Community Church. With them family was able to restore is Roy Smith, director of the Cape Fear Network of the building at that time, Baptist Churches in Wilmington. but much had changed by the time they were faced they’re going to use it for there for more than 100 with the same problem now,â€? said Mrs.Davis. years,â€? said Moser. “It’s still nearly 20 years later. Moser confirmed that going to be there. Instead of “It’s like God said, Ok, the church building is be- serving as a worship place let’s send it into a new di- ing converted into a place for such a small number rection. I believe that this to store rebuild materials, of people, it’s going to be a building will bless a lot of tools and other supplies in gathering place for people families by them taking a central location. Continued on page 10A it and using it for what “King’s Chapel has been
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