Issue 004 The Village Vibe First Quarter 2022

Th VillageVIBE

Village of Bald Head Island Employee Newsletter

First Quarter 2022

YOU are APPRECIATED!

Employee Appreciation Day was celebrated Village-wide this year on Friday, March 4th with get-togethers in each department Administration along with IPC/PO staff had a cookout, so did Public Services, and Public Safety shared some croissants from Burney’s together that morning.

Admin. & IPC/PO enjoyed burgers & dogs with all the fixin's.

Employee Appreciation Day is an unofficial holiday that is observed on the first Friday of March It was started in 1995 by Workman Publishing to make the holiday appear prominently on workplace calendars. March was chosen because December and March are the most popular months for employees to leave their jobs. With December being mostly filled with holiday celebrations, March was chosen. March also follows the shortest month in the year, meaning the shortest turnaround times and

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Village Manager Chris McCall grilled burgers & hot dogs behind Village Hall.

Department of Public Safety enjoyed a delicious breakfast treat together with croissants from Burney's.

Continued from Page 1 deadlines, so March is a break from the February stress. Workload is the number one cause of on the job stress.

Employee Appreciation Day is a great way to reaffirm our connections with our fellow employees and re-energize each other as we head into spring Appreciation doesn’t have to come from a higher-up/supervisor, we can lift up our peers when we see a job well-done Recognizing and appreciating each other’s efforts makes for better working relationships, improves employee satisfaction, and increases productivity

Public Appreciation

Receiving appreciation from the citizens we serve is one of the more rewarding aspects of working in local government. Here are a couple of comments the Village received from Islanders If you receive any in the future, please pass them on! Tooting our own horns is not a bad thing! Send comments to: public.information@villagebhi.org or (910) 368-6338.

Please thank Junior and Anthony for the service and great work they did for us this week. They knew exactly what they were doing as our septic system was not working. After getting the needed equipment they had our system repaired and operating properly. Both men were courteous, personable and answered my various questions with ease and friendliness.

We on the island are lucky to have trained people like Junior and Anthony.

Sincerely, Larry Leonard (from an e-mail)

Tuition Assistance Program BeYournefits

Full-time employees are eligible to receive up to $2,000 per fiscal year based on the successful completion of classes (defined as a final grade of C or better). Covered costs include tuition, books, lab costs, and student fees. Requests for tuition assistance are submitted to the Human Resources Office prior to course registration and are subject to the review and approval of the Department Director and Village Manager and are subject to the availability of funds. Funds are currently available for this fiscal year and are being requested for the next fiscal year.

Lieutenant Steven Barger is a participant in the Village's Tuition Assistance program and was asked a few questions about the program. Here are his thoughts:

Was it hard to get the tuition assistance through the Village? No, the process is very simple and Judy has always been extremely helpful. The village policy has an attached application form that you fill out every semester. This application is easy to fill out and most of the information stays the same with the exception of the courses each semester.

What are the reasons why you are taking advantage of this benefit?

Earning my MPA has always been a goal of mine. Having higher education expands my knowledge of my job and gives me a 30,000-foot view of public safety. In Public Safety we know how to be law enforcement, paramedics, and firefighters. Most of us lack the business aspect of managing people and budgets, and this has given me those skills. While I could pay for college on my own with loans and pay as I go programs, this has allowed me to work through programs faster and have much less need for loans. When I came to BHI as a full-time employee I was 50% completed with my AAS. On this program offered through the village, I have completed my AAS and will graduate in December of 2022 with my BS. Additionally, I have been accepted into a master's program starting next spring. The tuition assistance program has opened up many opportunities for me to serve the village in a much larger capacity.

Without this benefit, would you be pursuing additional education? Yes, I would pursue the education, but it would be one or two classes at a time. This would lengthen my time in school and push reaching specific goals further into the future.

Would you encourage fellow employees to take advantage of it too?

Absolutely! We currently have a 50% reimbursement for up to $2,000 a year. I can tell you that taking full-time classes has allowed me to finish my AAS and my BS in Dec. 2022 in just under 4 years. Whether your goal is AAS or something more, this program is very helpful and I'm grateful for the support.

Anything else you would like to say?

Programs like this show the investment the village is willing to make into us and to groom its own leaders. I've worked at other places that have similar programs that either one, hide the benefit because they don't really want you to use it, or two, they make the process very difficult. This has been a smooth process and again Judy has made it very simple. Also, Chris McCall, Chief May, and Zack Hewett have also quickly reviewed my application and signed it. This reduces the anxiety of not knowing if it would get denied or not. Also, I'm not sure what the process is, or who is responsible, but reimbursement comes very quickly after grades are submitted to Judy.

Healthy TIPS

How to Dine Out Healthier without Feeling Deprived

by Michelle Rogers, CPT (from BCBSNC Point of Blue Blog - shortened slightly)

Americans love to eat out. But studies show that people who eat out consume significantly more calories than they realize. It’s not uncommon for one restaurant or fast-food meal to contain an entire day’s worth of calories, fat and sodium It’s no wonder we ’ re struggling!

Look, no one ’ s saying you have to ditch the food you love for a sad plate of lettuce. Instead, why not start with one or more small changes based on the following suggestions. I did this myself, and it helped me lose 60 pounds without giving up foods I enjoyed.

Knowledge is power

Knowing your options can make it easier to make healthier choices when eating out. As part of a federal law, calories are now listed on menus and menu boards of restaurants and other food establishments that have 20 or more locations. Planning ahead helps. You can look up calorie counts on each restaurant’s website, or use this site which list the nutritional information for all the major chains: https://fastfoodnutrition.org/. The average adult needs around 2,000 calories a day, but may be more or less depending on gender, activity level and age.

Fast food: Small swaps can make a huge difference

If you like to visit the drive-thru on the regular, you aren’t alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one-third of all adults in the U.S. dine out daily at fast food restaurants.

Obviously, eating less fast food would be better for your health But, if getting your fast food fix is non-negotiable for you, there is a way to make a meal healthier without giving up your restaurant faves. The secret sauce? Substitution and portion size.

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Welcome Aboard!

Jacobs

The following employees have recently been PROMOTED:

JOSH GIBSON was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain on 1/26/2022

William "Bill" Warren Public Services Started on 2/14/2022

Franklin Blanton Public Safety Started on 2/23/2022

Gregory Still Public Safety Started on 2/23/2022

STEVEN BARGER was promoted from Corporal to Lieutenant on 2/23/2022

PAUL HOMICK was promoted from Public Safety/Paramedic/LEO to Corporal on 2/23/2022

Here I’ve compared two sample meals at fast food restaurants. Look at the drastic difference in calories, fat and sodium between the two options!

McDonald's Meal 1

Big Mac

Large Fries

Large Dr. Pepper

TOTAL: 1,340 calories; 52 g fat; 1,395 mg sodium

Meal 2

Double Hamburger

Small Fries

Large Diet Dr. Pepper

TOTAL: 560 calories; 25 g fat; 875 mg sodium

Chick-fil-A

Meal 1 Meal 2

Chicken Deluxe Sandwich

Large Waffle Fries

Large Vanilla Milkshake

TOTAL: 1,700 calories; 80 g fat; 2,420 mg sodium

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Large Fruit Cup

Small Ice Cream Cone

Large Diet Coke

TOTAL: 560 calories; 10 g fat; 860 mg sodium

As you can see, by making some simple swaps you can still enjoy fast food while saving a ton of calories, fat and sodium

Here’s another one of my tricks. Instead of waiting in a drive-thru for greasy fried chicken on the way home, I like to pop in the grocery store for a hot rotisserie chicken. While I’m there I’ll grab a bag of salad and a ready-made side, and voilà! – dinner for the family is done. It’s a healthier choice and costs less than the fried chicken bucket meal, and I’m in and out quickly.

Salad isn’t always the healthiest choice

We think we ’ re making a healthy choice when we see the word “salad” on the menu. But be aware when it comes to restaurant salads – it might pack more calories, fat and sodium than a Big Mac meal!

For example, Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion Salad has 1,400 calories, 95 g fat and 2,590 mg sodium. And the Boneless Buffalo Chicken Salad has 1,020 calories, 64 g fat and a whopping 4,780 mg of sodium. That’s more than double the maximum amount of sodium per day recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans High levels of sodium and fat can contribute to high blood pressure

A lot of the calories, fat and sodium in salads come from the dressing. Many restaurants drench their salads in dressing. When ordering salad off the menu, ask for the dressing on the side so that you can add just what you need.

I’m a fan of salad bars, because I can choose the exact ingredients and portion size that I want.

Why it matters

About 74% of adults are overweight or have obesity. This puts people at risk for a number of health conditions.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. 45% of adults have hypertension (high blood pressure) In addition, high LDL and high total blood cholesterol, stroke, certain cancers, and osteoporosis are among the many health conditions associated with obesity and poor nutritional habits Almost 90% of adults with diabetes also are overweight or have obesity (Source). Teens and children are also at risk, with obesity rates increasing.

Baby Picture Contest!

Can you name the Village employee in the picture below?  Email or text the correct answer to: cfaulkner@villagebhi.org or (910) 368-6338.  If you have the correct answer, you will be chosen in a drawing of all of the correct answers received by April 15, 2022.

If you have a baby picture to submit for a future contest, please send them to Carin at the email and text number above.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Arizona, I grew up in Southport.

What do you like to do for fun?

I like to be outdoors. I like camping, hunting, boating, skate boarding, surfing, and fishing.

What is your favorite food?

Fresh cooked shrimp at home.

Anything else?

As a young boy, I spent more time on the water than on land.

And the winner is...

MISHANDA MOHUNDRO

Mishanda won the baby picture contest from the last issue.

Gina Hinson was the baby from the last baby picture contest.

Gina's dad was in the Navy so she grew up in SC, TN, and NC She started working for the VIllage in July 2016 For fun, Gina likes to go hiking with her husband and dogs She loves cake and she loves dogs!

VILLAGE HOLIDAYS

Good Friday

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Veteran's Day

Friday, April 15, 2022

Monday, May 30, 2022

Monday, July 4, 2022

Monday, September 5, 2022

Friday, November 11, 2022