5 minute read
Shelter
According to Sizemore, many of his former students go on to well-paying government jobs at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, others are hired through the partnership program at Manns Harbor or the apprentice program with the shipyard in Wanchese.
Bagwell strives to keep the program offerings in line with community needs and the success of his students upon graduation to find well-paying jobs in their field. The college offers over 50 programs of study. Some offer associate degrees, some certificates and others a diploma.
Recently, the college’s Associate Degree Nursing program was selected by RegisteredNursing.com as number one in the state out of 82 North Carolina schools. For Bagwell, though he is proud of the ranking, this is nothing new. “We have had an excellent nursing program for 50 years. Today’s program stands on the shoulders of the program of yesterday,” h e said.
Bagwell credits the staff: “We have a cando faculty. They love the students, they love the community, and they love what they do.”
Over six decades, COA has seen a lot of changes. It was the first comprehensive community college in the state and the North Carolina Community College system is currently the third largest in the country.
There’s a lot of community support for the college, be it through fundraising or general good will. “It never fails, at least weekly, if I’m wearing my COA lapel pin or lanyard around my neck, that someone will stop me to speak well of the college,” Bagwell recounts. While the geographic vastness can make it a challenging area to serve, “I couldn’t be prouder to be associated with the staff, the students and the community,” he said.
The library at the COA Dare campus.
Courtesy COA
Summer Stevens photo
Student Elizabeth Kays makes a copper bracelet out of forged copper.
Summer Stevens photo
Courtesy COA
Bottom: Groundbreaking at the new COA Dare campus
Open arms for all animals at the Currituck Animal Shelter
Summer Stevens photos
Top: An adoptable cat at the Currituck Animal Shelter. Bottom: Animal care technician Connor Rogers with Buster, who is looking for a home.
It’s clear that the staff at the Currituck County Animal Shelter love what they do. They’re there to love and care for neglected and unwanted animals by providing safety, warmth and affection.
The shelter is what’s called an “open missions” shelter and is available to all animals in the county, including roosters, goats, reptiles and swine in addition to the more traditional dogs and cats. No animal is turned away. They work in connection with the Animal Control Department. The shelter can house approximately eighty cats and thirty dogs.
A day at the Currituck County Animal Shelter, located at 140 Aviation Parkway in Barco, starts at 8:30 a.m. when the staff arrives. The first half of the workday is spent cleaning the animal areas – refreshing litter boxes, power washing the indoor dog quarters and feeding and watering all the animals.
When the weather is nice, the dogs are outside in individual kennels and take turns in the large play yard with staff or volunteers. Each dog gets about fifteen to twenty minutes a day of individual attention in the play yard. There is a gated area with an obstacle course built by Eagle Troop 117. According to the staff, “The dogs love [the obstacle course].”
Staff and volunteers spend time interacting with animals, making them feel safe and comfortable. For some animals, this happens quickly; others need more time. “Whenever we have a spare moment we interact with the animals,” said animal care technician Connor Rogers, who has worked at the shelter since 2015. “Our goal is to make sure the animals feel safe. Once they’re comfortable with us, we can tell how comfortable they’ll be with the public.”
The staff aims to acclimate the animals quickly to their new environment and gauge the personality of each animal so they can make a good placement with a new owner. They conduct interviews and take into consideration traits like energy level, temperament and health. Pre-COVID, members of the public looking to adopt were invited to walk around and interact with the animals and forge a connection. Now, animals are chosen by photos posted online; they can still visit the shelter but it is by appointment only.
Because of these restrictions, there are some animals that are not getting adopt-
by Summer Stevens
Summer Stevens photo
Animal control o cer Brandon Dozier with animal care technician Caitlin Garrett.
ed quickly. For example, Buster, a boxer mix who (as of March) has been at the shelter since June of 2020. Buster had heartworms and he’s older, so he doesn’t attract as much interest as the younger dogs or the more popular breeds like golden retrievers or Labradors. According to Rogers, prior to the pandemic, someone would have walked by his cage and been drawn to his personality.
Overall, the shelter is continuing to thrive, thanks to websites like petango. com, which connects people to pets needing to be adopted based on zip code and desired radius. “You feel like you’re really doing something when you find an animal a home,” said Rogers. “It makes it all worth it.”
Not all pets who come to the Currituck Animal Shelter leave via adoption.The shelter partners with a variety of rescues including Brandywine SPCA, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue and LabRescue. If an animal has a better chance at adoption somewhere else, or if, for example, a dog is getting restless being penned up, Currituck Animal Shelter will seek out another home. The only time an animal is euthanized is if it is sick, aggressive or a danger to the public. Adoptions cost $125 for dogs and $75 for cats and include spaying or neutering, all shots and microchipping.
For more information, call the shelter at 252-453-8682 or follow them on Facebook.
Summer Stevens photo
Obstacle course built by Eagle Scout Troop 117.
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