granville today 2013
DESCRIPTION
Magazine published by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Dispatch featuring highlights of Granville CountyTRANSCRIPT
More than a quality of life —
a wayof life!
2013
GRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEGRANVILLEToday
Granville Today is an annual Publication of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Dispatch. The publication is
distributed throughout Granville County and to interested parties outside the area.
Linda Gupton, Don Dulin, Andrew Beal, Shields Blackwell & Stan Winbourne
Writers
Mark Dolejs, Andrew Beal,Wanda Garrett & James Edwards
Photographers
Granville CountyChamber of Commerce
Volunteers and Staffwww.granville-chamber.com
Contributors
Christopher Burwell & James Edwardsbfreeburwell@@yahoocom
[email protected] Designers
Wanda [email protected]
Membership Directory
Desireé Brooks, Nicole Brooks,Denise Edwards, Dana Parham
& Deborah [email protected]
Advertising sales and design
School of Graphic Arts,The Masonic Home for Children
www.granville-chamber.com124 Hillsboro Street — P.O. Box 820
Oxford NC 27565Phone: (919) 693-6125 • Fax: (919) 693-6126
1598 NC Highway 56Creedmoor NC 27522
Phone: (919) 528-4994 • Fax: (919) 528-4994E-Mail: [email protected]
Chamber Staff:Ginnie Lee D. Currin & Wanda Garrett
www.hendersondispatch.comThe Daily Dispatch, 304 S. Chestnut St., Henderson, NC 27536
(252) 436-2700
©2012 All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced whole or in part
without written consent.
Granville Today2013 Edition
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1
Granville Today 1
QUALITY PRIMARY CARE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Yashica Ruffin, MD, MPH FOR PRIMARY CARE
“As a board certified family doctor, I’m pleased to provide the convenient, quality care you and your family depend on from your health care provider.”
Yashica Ruffin, MD, MPHGranville Internal Medicine
Granville Health System Primary Care offers extended hours and has an office in your neighborhood. Make an appointment, or see a provider today, walk-ins are welcome.
Granville Internal Medicine 1032 College Street, Oxford919.693.6541
South Granville Primary Care1614 NC Hwy 56, Creedmoor 919.575.6103
Stovall Medical Center100 Durham Street, Stovall919.690.8880
ghsHospital.org/PrimaryCare
2
2 Granville Today
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What’s InsIde4
Cedar Creek GalleryA hidden treasure of glass, pottery, jewelry, fabric art and more await visitors to the gallery Sid and Pat Oakley started back in 1968.
6Healthy expansion
Granville Health System is working to ensure new healthcare technology and expanded services are offered to area residents.
12Building business
Granville Chamber members have learned there’s great value in their membership as they take advantage of a variety of opportunities.
14Hot times in Granville
Pepper producer’s product leads to a growing celebration of hot sauces and other local goods at the North Carolina Hot Sauce Contest.
16Land of lakes
Boating, fishing and beautiful scenery await those who visit Granville’s more than 750 acres of lakes spread from north to south.
18Great expectations
Granville County Schools and Vance-Granville Community College are positioning students — young and old — for bright futures.
On the coverThis 2013 edition of Granville Today highlights the diversity of living in the vibrant County of Granville.
Chamber membership directoryThe center section has a handy guide with the complete listing of the membership of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce.
3
Granville Today 3
Chef James Dutra, owner of Oxford’s Harvest Restaurant, didn’t find his way into the kitchen by taking the traditional route of culinary school. In fact, he originally came to North Carolina from New York more than 30 years ago to pursue a master’s degree in journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill, hoping to find work as a newspaper reporter.
Dutra got that job in journalism, working both as a reporter and editor for The Daily Dispatch in Henderson as well as for a newspaper in Florida. But a decade into his newspaper career, he decided the time had come to change course.
Dutra loved being in the kitchen with
his mother growing up. “My mom was a really good cook, but she didn’t like to bake,” Dutra said. “Our neighbor next door was a great baker. So I’d go over to her house, especially around Christmas, to watch her bake.”
One of Dutra’s favorite TV shows back then was “The French Chef,” carried weekly on his local public television station in New York. Each week he’d try out a new recipe from the show.
When he made the decision to leave his career as a journalist, Dutra managed to talk his way into the kitchen of Francesca’s Dessert Caffé in Durham to learn more about the restaurant world. From there, he moved on to work for almost 10 years in the
kitchen of the Magnolia Grill in Durham, owned by chefs Ben and Karen Barker. The Barkers built a national reputation for their restaurant and both have been awarded the James Beard Award, the culinary world’s equivalent of an Oscar.
Dutra left Magnolia Grill to help some
Sam Hampton, left, watches as Chef James Dutra puts the finishing touches on a dish, while Dutra’s wife, Lori, in the photo below, greets dinner guests.
From farm to forkLove of kitchen
brings home a fresh ‘Harvest’
Continued on page 7
4
It’s easy to miss the entrance to Cedar Creek Gallery. The rustic sign and graveled entranceway blend easily into the surrounding landscape off Fleming Road near Creedmoor. Tucked beneath a stand of tall pines just
minutes off Interstate 85, the gallery and surrounding studios are truly one of Granville County’s hidden treasures.
Located just a few hundred yards off the road in the gallery’s main building are the works of more than 250 American artists who specialize in everything from pottery to blown glass, handcrafted jewelry to fabric art.
More than a dozen of those artists are at work on a regular basis in the individual studios that surround the gallery.
Sid and Pat Oakley started Cedar Creek Pottery and Gallery in 1968 on 10 acres of old tobacco fields. Sid had begun to learn the craft of making pottery so he could incorporate the craft as part of the treatment program for his patients at the Alcohol Rehabilitation Center in Butner, where he worked as an occupational therapist. Soon he and Pat were firing pots in a kiln on the back porch of their home in Butner and attending classes at the famed Penland School of Crafts near Asheville to refine their potting skills.
The couple built a one-room cypress-sided studio and a kiln on their new property, followed later by a house. They’d intended
to sell only their own work; however, as word of their shop spread and they began meeting other potters at craft fairs and festivals, their friends asked if they could sell their wares at the shop as well. Sid saw the value in community, so he
began selecting choice pots and promising potters to support them through the small, rustic retail space.
Sid passed away in 2004 and the Oakleys’ daughter Lisa is now the guiding force behind the gallery. Lisa chose the art of glass blowing over pottery and produces her own original works
Cedar Creek features artists from Granville,
the Tar Heel Stateand around the world
HiddenHiddenHidden Treasure Treasure TreasureHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHiddenHidden Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure Treasure
Doug LeRoy of Holly Springs takes a look through a kaleidoscope at Cedar Creek Gallery. He and his wife visit the shop on a regular basis.
4 Granville Today
4 5
Granville Today 5
Continued on page 11
as well as continuing her father’s tradition of selling the work of other artists. Her mother still lives in the family home across the parking lot from the gallery and continues to produce her own pottery as well. Beautiful gardens surround the gallery and studios, the work of John Martin, who has worked at the gallery for two decades and also sells plants on-site from his nursery.
“The gallery is a real treasure for Granville County and we’re very fortunate to have this kind of creativity on display,” Lisa
said recently as she sat in one of the rocking chairs by the gallery’s fireplace where her dad often held court. “There’s a strong tradition of craft production in North Carolina. It’s really special to have something handmade
that still has a bit of the artist’s soul attached to it.”A third of the artists who sell at the gallery are from North
Carolina, with 15 from Granville County. Twenty-five percent of
Morning Glory flowers bloom on a trellis at Cedar Creek, at top. Inside the gallery are a variety of items for the home and garden.
6
6 Granville Today
For more than 90 years, Granville Health System (GHS) has been delivering quality health care, close to home.
To meet the community’s growing needs, GHS has expanded its services throughout Granville County, offering convenient access to medical care where its patients work and live.
Granville Health System has recently received a number of national awards, including the Hospital of Choice Award which names GHS as one of the top 100 hospitals in the country.
The hospital was also recognized in 2012 as one of the nation’s Top Performers on Key Quality Measures, a recognition shared with a select group of other North Carolina hospitals such as Duke University Hospital, Rex, Durham Regional and Duke Raleigh Hospital.
“This recognition showcases the commitment made by our board of trustees and medical staff to ensure that our patients receive the best care possible,” said L. Lee Isley, the chief executive officer for Granville Health System.
In 2010, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina designated the health system’s Granville Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. The recognition sets Granville Health System as a top provider for these orthopaedic services in the Triangle area, including Oxford, Henderson, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and the surrounding areas.
GHS was given this designation because it has demonstrated a commitment to quality care, resulting in excellent overall outcomes for patients who undergo knee and hip replacement procedures at Granville Medical Center.
Granville Health System also received the Community Value Index five-star hospital award, placing GHS in the top 20% of hospitals in the country in offering financial value to the communities they serve, while reinvesting back into their facilities in order to provide for current and emerging health needs.
GHS is also positioning itself to accommodate the future medical needs of the community through the GHS Expansion Plan.
A 32,000-square-foot construction project is the largest in the
Expansion is the key word for Granville Health System, from expanding health care services to growing facilities
Dedicated to qualityGranville
health facility, services
expanding
organization’s history. Included was a new Emergency Department that has grown from 3,135- to 18,000-square-feet; expanded Surgical Services; a larger Laboratory Department; a new, larger lobby and admissions area; and additional patient and visitor parking.
As Granville Health System moves forward, implementing a long-term approach of strategic growth, the GHS Expansion Plan ensures the hospital will continue to deliver new health care technology and expand services throughout the area, Isley said.
GHS also has been named one of the top hospitals in the country when it comes to customer friendliness.
The Hospital of Choice Award from the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers recognizes the “most customer-friendly hospitals” according to Ric Vincent Parr, president of AAHP. It is designed to find America’s most customer-friendly hospitals based either on an extensive application process, or by a review of a facility’s public communication and staff interaction with customers. Each year, AAHP evaluates approximately 400 hospitals.
“We are pleased to be the only North Carolina hospital recognized as one of the top customer-friendly hospitals in the country,” Isley said.
“This award certainly underscores the high level of quality care provided by our dedicated doctors, nurses and staff.”
Granville Health System is dedicated to quality, Isley said — quality physicians and staff, providing the personal attention patients deserve.___________________________________________________________
More info? Visit www.ghshospital.com.
7
Granville Today 7FORK, from page 3
GR NVILLE COUNTY SCHOOLS
Visit us at www.gcs.k12.nc.us
Preparing our students todayfor a successful tomorrow...
TAMRA H. STALL, M.D.CRAIG A. HOFFMEIER, M.D.CATHERINA M. BOSTELMAN, M.D.ALLEN T. SMITH, M.D.KENYON M. RAILEY, M.D.YVONNE E. BERSTLER, M.D.TARA NEAL, FNP
Monday - Friday8:00 am - 5:00 pm
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At Duke Primary Care Butner-Creedmoor, your health and the health of your family are our primary concerns. Every member of our staff is committed to providing you with the highest level of medical care in a comfortable, friendly, environment. Our doctors are board-certified in family medicine and bring a broad perspective and deep caring to the practice of medicine.
We offer a wide range of medical services, so that the majority of your health care needs can be met right in our office. Some services include:
We participate in most insurance plans.
Should you require additional treatment, we will coordinate your care with other specialists or medical facilities to ensure that you receive the quality care you need.
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TAMRA H. STALL, M.D. CRAIG A. HOFFMEIER, M.D. YVONNE E. BERSTLER, M.D. CATHERINA M. BOSTELMAN, M.D. ALLEN T. SMITH, M.D. CHRISTINA O. BECK, M.D. TARA L. NEAL, F.N.P.CHRISTOPHER OLIVER, P.A.
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friends open a new restaurant in Durham with the idea that he would be a student of their mistakes, hoping to not repeat them himself. “I’d always sworn that I would never open my own restaurant, “ Dutra said. “I had seen how much work it took to own a restaurant and I wasn’t sure I wanted to work that hard.”
But friends and coworkers he’d shared kitchens with over the years finally convinced him that it’s better to work for yourself in the restaurant business, so he took the plunge in April 2011, opening Harvest Restaurant in downtown Oxford.
Dutra started out just serving lunch for the first month, hoping to work out some of the kinks before adding on a dinner menu. Now, the restaurant serves lunch Monday through Friday and dinner on Friday and Saturday.
At Magnolia Grill, Dutra learned the importance of sourcing ingredients for his menu from local producers and farmers. “The shorter the time from farm to table, the better the food tastes,” Dutra said. As a result, he’s built alliances with farmers throughout Granville County and the region, buying as many of the ingredients for his menu items locally as possible.
His dinner menus feature locally grown pork and beef from Brinkley Farms and Rogers Cattle Company, and produce from S&H Farm and Sassafras Fork Farm. A local baker provides freshly baked sandwich rolls for the lunch menu. Local shitake mushrooms, farm-raised eggs and honey also grace the menu. Dutra has even been able to offer local wines from Rosemont Vineyards in nearby La Crosse, Va.
The same dinner menu is offered Friday and Saturday nights, but changes from week to week depending on what’s in season on local farms. Appetizers range in price from $7-10 and entrees are $16-22. Dutra’s wife Lori, an attorney in Oxford, helps out as hostess at dinner, and the couple’s college-aged daughter is on call for special events.
Dutra admits there are times when he questions his sanity in deciding to open his own restaurant, but most days there’s no other place he’d rather be. “Our customers are great and the reception we’ve had has been wonderful,” he said. ____________________________________
More info? Call (919) 603-1460 or search for Harvest Restaurant Oxford on Facebook.
8
8 Granville Today
Downtown
Serving Granville County Insurance & Real Estate for Over 50 years
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202 Hillsboro St.Oxford, NC 27565(919) 690-1051
Jimmy W. Williams, LUTCPrinciple Agent
109 Gilliam StreetP.O. Box 542
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Tel: 919-693-4146Fax: 919-693-9800
Jimmy Williams & AssociatesNationwide Insurance and Financial Services
9
Granville Today 9
Oxford
10
10 Granville Today
Downtown Oxford
Mark H. HicksBuilder, Inc
106 Broad St.Oxford, NC 27565
Ph: 919-693-1866Email: markhicksbldr@
embarqmail.commarkhicksbuilder.com
154 Hillsboro StreetOxford, NC 27565
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Nell’s Flowers & Gifts
Visit us on the web at: www.AdcockRealtyOnline.com
112 W. McClanahan Street
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This ‘n ThatCollectibles - Gifts - Antiques125 Main Street, Oxford, NC 27565
Phone: 919-693-7058Hours: Mon-Sat 9 to 5
Oxford Credit Union
ph: 919-693-7151 • fax: [email protected]
“Not for Profi t, Not for Charity, But for Service”
128 College St. • Oxford, NC 27565
128 Hillsboro St. Oxford, NC 27565 Phone: (919) 693-6500
Independently owned and operatedMelinda Pritchett/Beauty Consultant/Studio Owner
Melinda’sHUGE ARRAY OF LADIES APPAREL & ACCESSORIES
the gallery’s revenue comes from the sales of Granville County artists.
“Many of the craftspeople we represent have works in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian, The Corning Museum, The Mint Museum, and The Chrysler Museum.” Lisa said. “Their works are in the collections of heads of state, kings, ambassadors and numerous corporations.”
Lisa admits the gallery has a bit of an identity crisis when it comes to the local population.
“So many people in Granville County don’t even know we’re here,” she said. Ninety-five percent of the gallery’s customers come from outside the county, most from the Research Triangle area. “We have customers come from as far away as California.”
While she uses traditional advertising including billboards, radio spots, printed postcards and newspaper advertising, Lisa is relying more on Facebook and e-mails as a way to connect immediately with customers and get the word out about new offerings.
“We have more than 1,700 followers on our Facebook page, which gives us a way to stay immediately connected,” she said. “When we have a new piece come into the gallery, I can send out a photograph that day on Facebook and say, ‘Hey, look at what’s new!’ ”
The gallery hosts two open house events each year during the first two weekends of April and October. Visitors can see artists at work, watch as pots are fired in the kiln, walk through the gardens, and purchase items in the gallery.
The gallery is also open seven days a week (except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day).
Every third year, the gallery sponsors the National Teapot Show, featuring both functional and conceptual teapot designs from artists throughout the country.
More than 225 teapots designed from pottery, glass, metal, wood, jewelry and fiber are on display and for sale during the event, which usually lasts from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Teapots range in price from $75 to $3,000, Lisa said.
The next show will be held in 2014.
______________________________________
More info? Visit www.cedarcreekgallery.
11
Granville Today 11
EXPERT GRAPHIC DESIGNCARBONLESS and CONTINUOUS FORMS
POLITICAL POSTERS & BROCHURESENVELOPES • LETTERHEAD
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WILKINSSHERIFF
GRANVILLE COUNTY
SHERIFF
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1980
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www.hendersonymca.org
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Granville CountyHistorical Society Museums
Two adjacent locations in downtown Oxford:Granville History Museum • 110 Court Street
A permanent exhibit of the county’s history!
Harris Exhibit Hall: 1 Museum LaneRotating exhibits every three months on science, history, art, or culture.
Wed. – Fri. 10-4Sat. 11-3
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919-693-9706
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(919) 782-2888www.campoakhill.org
EXPERT GRAPHIC DESIGNCARBONLESS and CONTINUOUS FORMS
POLITICAL POSTERS & BROCHURESENVELOPES • LETTERHEAD
WEB and OFFSET PRINTINGBOOK PUBLISHING
HIGH-SPEED COLOR and B&W IMAGERSCOMPLETE MAILING SERVICES
SCHOOL OF GRAPHIC ARTSPRINT AND DESIGN CENTER
at THE MASONIC HOME FOR CHILDREN AT OXFORD
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CEDAR, from page 5
When Mike McCon-
chie started his busi-ness two years ago, he knew membership in the Granville County Chamber of Commerce would be important.
“When I first started this, it was a way to get my business before people,” said McConchie, a business coach.
When Faicia Elliott moved back to the area after a lengthy absence, she knew that membership would help reintroduce her and introduce her business to the community.
“I’ve been gone from here for 30 years,” Elliott said. “Nobody knows me anymore.” Elliott is a representative of Party Lite, the “number one seller of home fragrances in the world.”
Stories of the benefits of membership in the organization are told across the spectrum of about 350 members of the chamber that was founded in 1942. And in the stories, the organization’s impact on its members and the community is evident.
To help make the case for joining the chamber, McConchie prepared an orientation presentation for new and prospective members. The presentation is also open to long-time members “who have forgotten what the benefits are,” he said.
The presentation points out that there are marketing and networking opportunities, membership recognition, education and other perks that include representation of business interests at all levels of government and programs that are designed for and administered by members of the small business community.
Hal Muetzel of Express Employment Professionals came to Granville County six years ago, and, he said, the day after he arrived he visited the Chamber of Commerce.
“You have access to a group of like-minded individuals...you can sell services to and purchase services from,” Muetzel said.
The access, or networking opportunities, include serving on chamber committees, speed networking and Business Before Hours and Business After Hours.
“I have participated in Business After Hours, which has given me exposure,” Angela Allen, coordinator of Admissions and Marketing for Universal Healthcare of Oxford, said. “I’ve had several referrals given to me. They say ‘I heard about you.’ I always tell people you may not need me now but you might later.”
About networking, Elliott said, “There’s a lot of opportunity because there are so many groups (in the chamber) with different people. We’re always passing cards around.”
The groups include Women in Business,
Men on the Move and South Council. All meet regularly and offer programs on business-related topics.
Women in Business meets quarterly for lunch. Meeting sites alternate between the northern and southern parts of the county. Many business-related topics are covered by speakers, but the group also hears from doctors, educators and local and state government leaders.
Men on the Move meets every other month for lunch and a program on a
business-related topics.South Council is an arm of the chamber
and meets every other month. Programs are on business-related and community topics. South Council serves businesses in the southern part of Granville County.
Notices of the groups’ meetings appear in the chamber newsletter and via e-mail blasts.
“The more you get your face in the community, the better off you are,” Eddie Dickerson, manager of the School of Graphic Arts at the Masonic Home for Children, said. “Your face is your calling card. Exposure in the business community is everything.”
Dickerson, a co-founder with Muetzel of Men on the Move, said, “I try to hit anything the chamber sponsors.”
Bill Allen, an Edward Jones financial advisor, has met new clients and deepened relationships with others. “The bigger your network the better,” he said. Networking “takes a little bit of time and energy, but it’s a good return on your effort.”
The orientation presentation points to marketing opportunities available only to
12 Granville Today
Granville chambernetworking
helps businessbuild business
Value in membership
Continued on page 13
Networking opportunities abound for the members of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, from speed networking and chamber committee participation to popular community events like the chamber’s Business After Hours and, above, Alive After Five.
Granville Today 13
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GRANVILLE COUNTYGranville County Economic Development
www.granvillecounty.org 919-693-5911 [email protected]
CHAMBER, from page 12
chamber members.There are the free listings in the chamber
directory and on its website, with a free link to members’ websites. Members also have various opportunities to advertise on the website and in a monthly newsletter. Visitors to chamber offices in Oxford and Butner pick up business materials that members display at no cost.
“A lot of people go to our website,” Muetzel said. “And they call the chamber and ask for a referral for a particular type of business.”
“We’ve had several people who have looked us up on the website,” Jenny Rogers of Flow Master Plumbing said. “We value that.”
On average, the chamber website gets 18,000 hits each month, according to Ginnie Currin, the organization’s executive director.
Members also have exclusive access to the chamber-sponsored Alive After Five concert series. All concession vendors are chamber members.
The chamber offices also field questions from businesses and tourists, according to Currin.
“It’s so amazing to see that so many people want to come to visit or relocate,” she said.
Recognition comes to members through articles in the monthly newsletter, awards at an annual membership banquet, a membership plaque and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new, relocated or renovated businesses.
“If we have an impact, it is hopefully over a period of time ... making businesses stronger,” George Ritchie, chamber president and area manager for BB&T, said.
The “three prongs” of the organization’s mission, Ritchie said, are in the areas of education, networking and mutual interests, and they’re “all designed to assist businesses in Granville County.”
“Any community is better if it has a viable business community,” Ritchie said. The chamber is “about business and jobs, is the way I see it.”
“You get out of it what you put into it,” Currin said. “We’re just cutting on the engine.”______________________________________
More info on how to be a chamber member? Visit www.granville-chamber.com.
When Julia Overton discovered Gran-ville County’s “hidden treasure,” the North Carolina Hot Sauce Contest was born.
“Some customers came in and asked about Bailey Farms,” said Overton, who owns Stovall’s Gifts on Main Street in Oxford. But the county native was unaware of the company that had its beginnings in Granville in 1989.
“Granville County,” Overton said, “is home to Bailey Farms, which is the largest pepper producer on the eastern seaboard. They also have an award-winning hot sauce.”
Making her discovery, she set in motion an event that has grown from a few hun-dred visitors in 2007 to an expected 10,000 this year. And, while city and county of-ficials can’t exactly measure the economic
impact of the festival, they’re aware of the increasing number of visitors and the exposure Oxford and Granville get because of it.
The first contest was held in Over-ton’s shop with about 20 vendors. Now three of the city’s main streets are closed to accommodate visitors and participants for the event that’s held on the second Saturday in September. This year’s
festival was the sixth annual.
The city had no objection to the in-fant contest, Overton said, and a call to the state Department of Agriculture confirmed that no other hot sauce contest is held in the state.
“This is the perfect place to host a statewide event,” Overton
14 Granville Today
Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout!Statewide contest brings thousands
to Granville
Continued on page 15
The North Carolina Hot Sauce Contest had Granville County residents and visitors dancing in the streets as thousands attended the popular September event. An award-winning hot sauce born in Granville County was the springboard for an annual statewide event that celebrates homegrown goodness.
Granville Today 15
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HOTTER, from page 14
said. “The city and Downtown Oxford (Economic Development Corp.) saw this as an opportunity.”
Overton, who has served as the EDC’s interim director, said that “since the inception (of the contest) our entire com-munity has come together.” The Granville Museum has a crafts show, the Granville Gardeners sell plants, the Recreation De-partment puts on a car show, Bailey Farms sponsors a pepper eating contest with a $300 prize, artist Dan Nelson creates the festival on canvas, local entertainers provide music, kids have activities and this year over 150 vendors “from the mountains to the coast” set up along the city’s streets.
Among those vendors were about 60 sauce makers who competed in hot sauce and barbecue sauce contests, Overton said.
The barbecue sauce competition is a recent addition to the festival.
“After three years,” Overton said, “we added the barbecue sauce. It was a way for the festival to grow.”
Prizes for the contest have grown, too.In addition to three $500 hot sauce
prizes provided by Union Bank and Trust Co. — Meet the Heat (North Carolina’s hottest), Most Unique and Critics’ Choice — an additional festival sponsor enabled organizers to double to six the number of categories in the barbecue sauce contest, each with a $500 prize. The support of that sponsor, C.J. Iron and Metal of North Carolina, located in Granville, also helped defray the cost of judges from the N.C. Barbecue Society, making the contests sanctioned events for the first time.
City and county officials have taken note of the popularity of the festival.
“We’ve had several festivals, but none of them have attracted the people that this has attracted,” City Commissioner Danny Currin said. “We get people downtown that we wouldn’t get otherwise. People see Oxford and will come back.”
“We’re excited about it,” said County Commissioner David Smith, who is the county’s liaison with the Oxford EDC. “Granville is rural,” Smith said, but close to Durham and Raleigh. “The exposure can help the county diversify.”
The festival can mean a lot to sauce vendors, too.
Alysa Walker of Beachwalkers LLC in
Continued on page 20
Land of lakes
Granville County isn’t usually thought of as a “land of lakes,” but maybe it should be.
The county’s 760 acres of lakes (not including small portions of Kerr Lake and Falls Lake that splash into the county from the north and the south) beckon water-lovers to boat, fish or just enjoy the view.
Add in the other existing and planned recreation activities and expansions and Granville County and its municipalities become a year-round recreation center for residents and visitors.
The largest of the lakes at 388 acres is Butner’s Lake Holt. Built in 1965, it is the primary water supply for most of southern Granville County.
“Lake Holt is the hidden jewel of Granville County,” Mayor Tom Lane said. “It is a beautiful and inspiring lake that is not well known.” The lake is open year-round from sunrise to sunset for pic-nicking, fishing, boating and canoeing. Swimming isn’t permitted. The lake features a screened group picnic shelter and picnic tables around the public area. A public boat ramp and dock are available, and a few boat slips are for rent.
“In the spring and the fall, the land around the lake is like a mountain lake,” Lane said. “The dog-woods and red buds are blooming in the spring, and the hardwoods are in full color during the fall. The tree that appears in the town logo is based upon one of the large maples located on the bank near the picnic shelter.”
Oxford’s Lake Devin is rated by Field & Stream as one of the top two bass lakes in the state for small lakes. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the 197-acre lake was a water source for the city, according to Mary Caudle, director of the Oxford Parks and Recreation Department.
A boat ramp and fishing piers are available, Caudle said, and there’s a grant from the North Carolina Wildlife Commission for a future dock. The fishing piers are open year-round from sunrise to sunset. Swimming is not permitted.
Creedmoor has been enjoying the 175-acre Lake Rogers since it was established in 1939. A boat launch and pier fishing give anglers access to the lake’s variety of fish, including bass, bream, bow-fins/grindle, perch, carp, catfish and shad.
The park at Lake Rogers boasts four shelters with picnic tables and available charcoal grills, play-ground, concession stand. Swimming isn’t allowed, but peddle and jon boat rentals are available on the weekends. Beyond the shores of the lakes, facilities and activities abound.
With an 84 percent jump in population reported in the last census, Creedmoor this year created a Parks and Recreation Department and is on the lookout for lots for neighborhood parks.
One such “pocket park” will open next year in one of the older neighborhoods, according to Scot-
16 Granville Today
Continued on page 19
Water lovers can fi nd great opportunities for boating, fi shing, picnicking and watching abeautiful sunset at one of Granville’s many lakes.
Granville Today 17
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Granville County Schools is a school district on the move.
In the past five years, student achieve-ment data has seen a steady and marked increase in nearly every measure. Whether it is state end-of-grade or end-of-course tests, graduation data, dropout data, or SAT scores, the positive trends are sustained and substantial.
Decisive and innovative leadership from the Granville County Board of Education and the superintendent’s office has created many exciting new opportunities for the stu-dents in the district to be engaged in their education.
The district is now in its fourth full year of the first Early College High School, which last year was named as an “Honor School of Distinction,” with student achievement designated at “High Growth,” and 100% of students proficient on all state tests. By the end of the 2012-2013 school year, all high schools campuses were to be one-to-one wireless laptop environments at no cost to students. Technology across the district is extensive, with all campuses going
fully wireless. A growing number of middle and elementary schools are joining the technology push, too.
Granville County Schools is the only dis-trict in the state that has its very own online learn-ing program. Dubbed Granville Online, the exciting new program offers online courses to middle and high school students, designed and taught by Granville County teachers.
The district has also pioneered an Alternative Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) School, which provides special credit recovery, individualized instruction, and extensive online opportunities for struggling middle and high school students.
The district has also led an effort to stan-dardize curriculum and pacing throughout all grade levels and is championing a bal-anced literacy initiative to promote a strong
Great expectationsmeet great achievements
Jobs – it’s the topic everyone is talking about, in Granville County and across the country. When it comes to helping people find jobs and helping to attract new jobs to our communi-ties, one of Granville County’s key resources is Vance-Granville Community College.
“Put simply, most students attend VGCC because they want to gain skills for employment or advancement,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the college’s president. “All of our programs, from short-term, job-specific training to university transfer programs, are designed to help students achieve their academic and career goals.”
According to projections from the N.C. Divi-sion of Employment Security, VGCC provides students with credentials that prepare them to work in at least three of the occupations that will grow by the largest percentages in the state through 2018: Network Systems/Data Commu-nications Analysts, Medical Assistants and Phar-
macy Technicians. In addition, area residents can train for many of the career fields that will likely see the fastest growth in the total number of jobs, from Nursing and Culinary Arts to Office Administration and Early Childhood Education.
Recently, college officials have been focused on effectively guiding students into careers like these, through VGCC’s new Quality Enhance-ment Plan (QEP), titled “Advising in 3D: Dream, Design, Discover.” The long-term initiative, introduced in 2012, aims to improve academic advising and career planning so that students’ courses are directly tied to a plan to achieve their goals. One of the tools that will be used to imple-ment the plan is VGCC’s Student Learning and Success Center, created in 2012 to bring together several different support services, including advising, counseling, career services, mentoring
Granville County Schools’ graduates benefit from decisive and innova-tive leadership as they prepare to march into the working world.
Helen Samuel of Oxford, seen here at her nursing pinning ceremony, found employment at a regional hospital.
Granville Schools — on the move
Vance-Granville — helping students gain job skills
foundation of reading ability for all students.Finally, the Board of Education has
adopted a dynamic new program, Virtual Enterprise International. It is a high school entrepreneurship program and global busi-ness simulation in which students create and manage their virtual businesses.
In all of these endeavors the district has demonstrated courage and a willingness to make difficult decisions while exhibiting tenacity in executing plans and seeing them through to their fruition.
Continued on page 19
19
Granville Today 19
The mission of Granville County Government is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of the County by providing an array of services through a responsive, effective, and effi cient local government. These services focus on:
Health and Public SafetyHuman and Social ServicesEnvironmental ManagementEducationRecreation and Cultural OpportunitiesEconomic Development
To contact the Granville County Board of Commissioners, please call 919-693-4761. To view more information about Granville
County, please visit www.granvillecounty.org or scan the QR code:
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tie Wilkins, city Economic and Transporta-tion Projects manager. Harris Park at Pecan Hill will feature playground equipment, a shelter and picnic tables.
For its efforts, Wilkins said Creedmoor is the first North Carolina city to be designat-ed a Playful City Community by KaBoom, a national program that partners with com-munities to provide places to play within walking distance of every child in America. The new park will join Battle Roberts Field, a baseball facility; the Creedmoor Gym and Activities Center; and a senior center in serving citizens.
“Recreation beyond sports” is how Granville’s Park and Grounds Maintenance director describes Granville Athletic Park. The director, Jay Johnson, oversees the park’s 70 acres of features, including two baseball fields, five multipurpose/soccer fields, asphalt walking trails, amphitheater, playground, sports pavilion with basketball court and conference room, splash pool/spray park and picnic shelter.
“It’s recreation beyond sports,”Johnson said. “It’s family-oriented. In my opinion, it’s a great benefit for the community.”
The county also maintains Wilton Slopes,
a park on Tar River with trails, picnic shel-ter, boat launch and fishing.
Oxford’s Lake Devin is part of Lake Devin Park, which boasts a shelter; outdoor volleyball court; the Red Barn, a for-rent facility with kitchen and restrooms; and 2.5 miles of rugged nature trails and picnicking.
In addition to playing fields with their amenities and indoor and outdoor tennis and volleyball courts, several of Oxford’s venues expand opportunities for recreation: There’s the tot lot at the Oxford Park Athletic Complex and the Rucker Park Family Pool. Rucker Park boasts a 25-meter lap pool. The Granville Street Park offers a toddler playground. Aerobic/dance and fitness rooms are available at the Oxford Recreation Complex, and the Skate Park welcomes skateboards and roller blades.
Butner is completing work on a 20-acre park, Lane said. The Butner Athletic Park will have two baseball fields, a softball field and a multipurpose field for soccer and football. The new facility will join the city’s Gazebo Park with picnic area and play-ground; Soldiers Memorial Arena with three basketball courts and a volleyball court; and the D. Street Ballfield.
In addition to these lakes and parks, there are 665 acres of Kerr Lake in Granville as well as 5,400 acres of Falls Lake.
LAKES, from page 16 VGCC, from page 18
and tutoring.Granville is home to three of VGCC’s
programs that emphasize real-world experi-ence. In the Culinary Arts program, based at the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford, students prepare and serve lunch for the public at The Vanguard Café and complete cooperative work experiences at restaurants, catering businesses and health-care facilities. Similarly, students in the Human Services Technology program, based at VGCC’s South Campus between Creedmoor and Butner, are required to complete co-ops at local agencies, including mental health pro-viders. The nationally accredited Radiogra-phy program, also at South Campus, enjoys partnerships with numerous hospitals and other facilities, where students complete their clinical training.
“Through our educational and training services, we can assist the workforce and the employers in our four-county area – from entrepreneurial start-ups to well-established industries – to compete and succeed in today’s economy,” President Williams said.______________________________________
More info? Visit www.vgcc.edu.
20
20 Granville Today
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Shallotte came to the festival for the first time in 2011.
At the end of the day, she had found a distributor for her product, “Get Sauced,” a mild barbecue sauce, and several stores to sell it. As she prepared for the next festival in Oxford, she said that six area Walgreens stores stock her sauce and another four might get on board.
“There are a lot of people (at the festival) who actually see what they can add to their line,” she said. The Oxford event is “one of the best festivals I’ve been to in my life.”
While the contest brings visitors and their dollars and recognition to the city, Overton sees another angle:
“We, Oxford, are trying to make a difference one small town at a time. We should celebrate and support and acknowl-edge the people who are making products in our state.”
And over the years what has she learned about hot sauce lovers?
“They’ll try anything.”______________________________________
More info at www.nchotsaucecontest.com.
HOTTER, from page 15
A variety of community events await Granville residents and visitors each year.
Here’s a sampling:
• The Grassy Creek Christmas Pa-rade is the second Saturday in Decem-ber.
“It’s one of the biggest parades in this part of the country,” Pratt Winston, emcee for the parade, said. “It’s so big because all the towns around support it.”
Thousands attend, Winston said. A recent parade — the 27th annual — featured about 100 floats and lasted two hours.
Proceeds from the event pay for the operation of the Grassy Creek Commu-nity Center, according to Winston.
• Chicken Pickin’ Day is the first Sat-urday in June at Gazebo Park in Butner.
A crowd estimated by police to number about 14,000 enjoyed a recent event — the 17th annual, according to volunteer Betsy Dixon.
Butner Citizens Planning Ahead sponsors the event that includes a street dance the night before and a barbecue chicken cookoff on Saturday.
• The Creedmoor Music Festival is the third Saturday in September.
Ten groups representing bluegrass, gospel, classic rock, R&B and country music recently entertained on the city’s Main Street, according to Korena We-ichel, the city’s administrative services director.
The festival “brings some local talent by way of music to Creedmoor and showcases them,” she said.
The city-sponsored festival has drawn up to 5,000 visitors a year over its 21-year history.
About 80 vendors dot the street, in-cluding food booths and arts and crafts.
Communityevents offer
variety
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Ahner Security Incorporated ............................. 13
Bridgestone ......................................................20
Town of Butner .................................................. 15
Butner Car Service ............................................ 19
Butner-Creedmoor Family Medicine .................... 7
Camp Oak Hill & Retreat Center...........................11
Carolina Dental Arts ........................... Inside Back
Century 21 Hancock Properties ......................... 13
City of Creedmoor ..............................................17
Dr. Bart Cleary ...................................... Back Page
Creedmoor Fuel Service, Inc. ............................. 15
The Daily Dispatch ..............................................17
Downtown Oxford EDC ..................................... 8-10
Express Employment Professionals .....................2
George’s ............................................................20
Granville County ................................................ 19
Granville County Economic Development .......... 13
Granville County Schools ........................................................7
Granville County Sheriff Brinell Wilkins 11
Granville Health System ...................................... 1
Granville Historical Society Museums ................11
Granville-Vance District Health Dept....................2
Henderson Family YMCA .....................................11
Highland Vista Condominiums ..........................20
Holden, Moss & Knott, P.A. ..................................20
KFC .................................................................... 13
N.C. Pediatric Associates ...................................20
Plastic Ingenuity ................................................. 7
Premier Women’s Health .................... Inside Front
Progress Energy ................................ Inside Front
School of Graphic Arts ........................................11
Ted’s Catering Service .......................................17
Vance-Granville Community College ................. 15
Waste Industries............................................... 13
Winston International ........................................17
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