L I I
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T I CAROLINA' INDIAN VOICE
dished each Thursday by First American Publications, Pembroke, NC
THURSDAY, AUdUST 7, 1997 TWENTY-FIVF PFNTS
f \
Mr. ( John C. Brooks
Obs )h Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. John C. and Leacie Brooks of Pembroke celebrated their
50th wedding anniversary with a reception at Evergreen Holiness
( Church in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday, June 14, at 6:00p.m. The
couple were married June 14, 1947 at the Marriage Chapel in Dillon,
South Carolina. Theyhaveseven children: Arvin D. Lock!ear (deceased);
Rose E. Edwards of Kings Mountain, NC; Linda R. Oxendine of
Pembroke; John C. Brooks Jr. (deceased); Beverly R. Brooks of
Fairmont; Ruth E. Vollmar of Woodbridge, VA.; and Madelene C.
l.ocklearofLumberton; 13grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. H
Also in attendance at the celebration were a host of relatives and
friends. For this very special occasion the President of the United
States, Bill Clinton, sent them a certificate of congratulations
Robeson County Health Department
Wins National Regional Award ^
The Robeson County Health Department
is the winner ofthe seventh
annual Award for Excellence in Environmental
Health. The National
Association of County andCity Health
officials (NACCHO)^award gives
national recognition to outstanding,
significant, and innovative activities
and programs of local health departments
in the area of environmental
health and is open to the nation's
three thousand local health departments.
Robeson County developed the
award winning program to help protect
the public's health in this economically
disadvantaged, rural,
largely minority populated county in
southeastern North Carolina. North
Carolina is competing with Iowa to
be number onein hog raising. Differing
from the family farm concept in
the Midwest. North Carolina has
corporate intensive livestock operations
(1LO) with tremendous numbers
of animal units.
The number one and three hog
growing counties in the nation arc
neighbors of Robeson County, and
they are over saturated. Because of
this, additional counties, including
Robeson are being identified for ILO
sites. ILO contain up to 80,000 hogs
in houses where their waste is flushed
periodically into a storage pond
(lagon). These ponds must be able to
hold up to 180 days worth of waste
and rain. Disposal of the waste includes
recycling liquid through a
waste water system and land application
as fertilizer for cover crops. The
operation very odorous and complaints
to the Robeson County Health
Department (RCHD) are constant.
In addition to public complaints,
local elected officials, communit)
leaders and the media have complained
for years about these ILO
activities and (he potential impact on
the county. However, the industry
hasbccn able to hold local regulatory
. efforts at bay by being exempt from
zoning and other such local reviews
by stale law. NC General Statute
'106-107 states in part...arty and all \
ordinances of any unit of local
! government...that would make a local
operation of any such agricultural
operations (i.e. hog farming).,, a
nuisance... shall be null and void."
This crippling law is countered by
other statues that allow a board of
health to adopt more stringent rules
in areas regulated by the state to
protect the public's health, and allow
the local health director to abate public
health nuisances or imminent
hazards.
The RCHD met with the most
active environmental group in the
county and drafted an outline of rules
that arc in keeping with the statutory
limitations. An educational forum,
sponsored by the U.S. Cooperative
Extension Service, was attended by
state and local officials, growers (local
and corporate), regulators, environmentalists,
community represen
tatives, and members of the health
community who made presentations
.to increase knowledge on the subject.
In addition to regular BOH meetings,
a number of public meetings
were held in which only health issues
were addressed by the health department.
After investigation by a special
stakeholder committee, the BOH
unanimously voted to adopt rules
drafted by the health department.
Although ILOs could be linked to
poor ground water quality, which is
regulated by the state, the. RCHD
chose the most effective way to regulate
placement of ILOs through a
void in stale air quality rules. It was
dctcrmi tied that substantial and conslant
odors presented an unacceptable
health risk to the population
over a continued time period.
By maintaining a focus on air
quality. RCHD showed thai the
county has 2.5 times the state rate of
children hospitalized for asthma, as
well as nearly double the number of
babies born with respiratory problems.
The best w ay to offset exposure
was to allow dissipation of odors
Thus, heightened distance requirements
were put into place The new
rules increased the 500 fool (later
increased to 1500 feet after the Robeson
County rules were passed) state
minimum to a distance of one-half
mile, unless the site can prove that it
will use a method that is significantly
superior to the current norm. However.
the rules also state that the
health department can extend the
half mile buffer if it deemed additional
protection in the area is necessary.
Since the rules have gone into
effect, Robeson County, originally
the target of 50 new operations, has
approved only eight proposed sites
and denied (wo. The county has been
sued, as promised by the hog industry
if it tried to pass new rules. But more
importantly, the last two applications
asked to have alternative methods
of operation considered, changing
not only the impact of the industry
in the county, but their behavior
as well.
NACCHO extends ils congratulations
to the Robeson County Health
Department for its leadership in providing
an innovative and unique approach
to addressing environmental
health issues.
NACCHO is a non-profit mcmbcrshiporgani/ationscrvingall
1,000
lopl health departments nationwide
- in cities, counties, townships, and
districts. NACCHO provides education,
information, research, and technical
assistance to local health departments,
and facilitates partnerships
among local, slate, and federal
agencies, in order to promote and
strengthen public health
Car Wash Planned
August 16, 1997. At the First
Union Bank of Pembroke, NC will be
a car wash.
All proceeds will go to Robeson
County First Aids Quiet Project
Contributions may be forwarded
to: Vision Quest at B. A R T 4098 S
Main Street. Fairmont, NC 28140
Fax U (910) 628-A1SI Phone H (910)
628-6671
This 171/2 lb. cantaloupe was grown by Jimmy Jacobs
of Pembroke. The bovs displaying the melon are his grandchildren,
Deion and Cameron (ioins. of Pembroke. (No
Miracle (irmv used.)
Benejit Singing Planned August 8'
A benefit singing will be held
Friday night. August 8 beginning at
7 P.M at West F.nd Baptist Church
The singing is being held to benefit
Shrry Annette Locklcar with medical
bills. There is no admission
charge but a love offering will be
taken ip.
There will be great singing and
good fellowship J T Patterson will
serve as Special MC Featured singcrs
will be Carla and
Rcdcmption.Oxcndinc Brothers.
Blood Bought, Felix Deal and Family
and the Antioch Young People
UNCP Nursing Program expected to
double number of minority students
FEM BROKE?VJilhin three
years, a program at The University of
North Carolina Pembroke is expected
to double the number of minority
students enrolled at nursing schools
in a five county area, according to
Cherry Beasley, interim director of
nursing.
Last week, UNCP's Educational
Opportunities for Students into Nursingprojcct
graduated its second class
consisting of 26 nurse hopefuls. Their
hopes of gaining entrance into one of
five associate nursing degree! programs
in the regionarc well founded,
as Beasley points out
"All but three of last year's class
are now enrolled in a nursing school,"
Beasley said. "If we can get that class
through school, we will have doubled
the number of minority graduates at
our five regional associate degree
programs."
Without help, minorities may forever
be shut out of nursing careers or
even entrance to the associate degree
nursing programs at Robeson Community
College. Fayctteville Technical
Community College, Sandhills
Community College, Southeastern
Community College and Richmond
Community College
Beasley said the student in the
nursing opportunity program are not
typical students. Most are employed
and range in age from ages 18 and 48
with children and grandchildren.
They arc promising individuals
selected from the pool applicants
waiting for admission to the five
associate degree programs. They are
also disadvantaged minorities who
face many obstacles on the way to a
career in professional nursing.
Bcaslcy said
"Historically, minority candidates
have had difficulty getting into nursing
school, getting through school
and passing the nursing examination,
' Bcaslcy said. "We offer a
front end program to boost their study
habits and their academic skills in
basic subjects of math, science, reading.
writing and other areas."
The nursing opportunities program
at UNCP offers workshops one
to two times a month to help improve
basic skills and case the transition
intocollcgelifc. The workshops cover
topics like successful interviewing
techniques
The intense six-week summer
enrichment program is aimed at improving
academic and social skills as
well as self-esteem. The students
measure their progress to determine
the course of the program
"My weakness was math." said
Certcase McRae. a health department
nursing assistant from Red
Springs. "In high school, it was my
best subject, but I forgot most of what
1 learned.
"After coming here, my score
came up to the 86 percentile on the_
pre-nursingtest," McRaesaid. "Now
math is my strength."
For Dottic Woods, a Prospect resident
and a nursing assistant, learning
good study habits at age 37 was
the most important lesson learned at
the nursing opportunities program
"I'm a procrastinator, so this was
very difficult," Woods said "Learning
lime managementand study skills
was the most important thing for
me."
"1 did just enough to get by in high
school." Woods said "I wish I had
studied then."
At UNCP the students arc required
to meet with Evelyn Heme,
the nurse counselor. An action plan
is created foT the student to meet the
admission requirements of the associated
nursing degree programs.
Besides acadcmiccnrichmcnt. the
program includes mcntoringand follow-up
advisement. UNCP provides
mentors at the five participating community
colleges with regular meetings
over two years occur.
"Follow-up is an important part
of this project," Beasley said. "We
can't work miracles in six weeks and
makeeverythingOK. It takes contin-.
ued support '
Ultimately, the goal of the nursi
ng opportunities program is to move
these promising students up the career
nursing ladder into a Bachelor of
Science in Nursing program
"This is why the project is at UNC
Pembroke," Beasley said "The five
associate degree programs feed our
B.S. program which is the entry into
the professional level of nursing."
"We want to put more minorities
on the career nursing ladder," she
said. "It takes persistence for these
students to realize a career in nursing."
For Certease McRae, single
mother with young children, there
have been many roadblocks.
"There were many set backs for
me getting into a nursing program,"
she said "I applied three times and
I have been trying since 1992.
"I'm going all the way this time,"
,she said. "I will be in a nursing
program by 1998. My goal is to go to
Pembroke, and comeback here as the
keynote speaker."
Dottie Woods, who has three
daughters, says "I've been through it
all, but there's always a way to better
yourself."
"My highest dream is to become
a nurse," she said. "I plan to get my
B.S in nursing at UNCP and I would
love to teach."
That dream may have been impossible
before Woods and her classmates
entered UNCP's Educational
Opportunities for Students into Nursing
Project.
"These people are seizing the
moment," Beasley said.
The Educational Opportunities for
Disadvantaged Students into Nursing
is a special project hmded by the
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, public Health Services.
Health Resources and Service Ad^
ministration and the Division of
Nursing. This three year project was
funded for $687,711 beginning September,
1995.
Volunteer
to tutor
a child in
reading
Tired of planting trees and waiting
for them to grow? Of picking up
trash and watching the area become
littered again? Then why not use
I yourvaluablc time performing a community
service that offersquick, positive.
and long lasting benefits foryou
and your community?
Volunteer to tutor a child in reading.
Reading is basic. Ifa student can't
read, she can't do math or understand
the material necessary to perform
well in any subject. Your assistance
can literally change a child's future
from a drop out with limited opportunities
to a successful student with
many employment and educational
options.
The program gets results...The
students who \\ ere tutored during the
19% school year increased thci r reading
ability an average of 36.8% and
all students were reading at their
grade level.
And it's simple. >A i.\ hour training
courscand a minimum bfjust two
hours per week can change two
children's lives forever.
Make a lasting impact, volunteer
for "Reading for Success" a cooperative
program with the Public Schools
of Robeson County- Community
Schools and the Robeson County
Church and Community CenlCr-Litcrary
Council.
For more information on "Reading
for Success" or to register for the
next workshop which will be held
August 12th and 15th from 9 a m
until 12 noon., please contact the
Robeson County Church and Community
Center at 910-738-5204 or
Polly or Dan Cunningham at 910121-4230
Native American
Youth Day Camp
The North Carolina Indian Cultural
Center will be conductinga Day
Camp on August 4 through August 8
from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. The
cost of the camp is $5.00 for the
week
All Native American Youth ages
.12-15 arc encouraged to come out
and learn more about themselves and
their culture.
Activities will include cultural
awareness programs; life skills and
personal development classes; cultural
arts and crafts; and recreation
(l.acrossc. swimming, etc.)
workshops conducted by Community
role models, mentors, and
tribal elders
For more information call 5212433
Dottie Woods, secondfrom right, gets congratulationsfrom her supporters
From left are daughter, VerenderHullard, niece, Anetra Dial and daughter,
Jill Bullard.
Photo by Hobby Ayers, UNCP
UNCP offers teacher certification
program for teaching assistants
PEMBROKE-There will be an
orientation meeting at 4:30 p.m.,
Wednesday. August 13 in room 222
of the Education Bui lding for teacher
assistants and others interested in a
three-year teacher certification program
at The University of North
Carolina Pembroke
Registration for the fall semester
. will be accepted at the meeting for
persons who have been admitted to
the University. UNCP representatives
will be on hand to provide academic
counseling to applicants
The program, known as Star
Track, is a special curriculum of
afternoon and evening courses for
earning teachcrccrtification. said Dr.
Kalhryn M Sullivan, director of
teacher education and dean of graduate
studies for UNCP
"1 think this will be a very successful
program for the region." Dr
Sullivan said "More than 100 people
attended an exploratory meeting in
Robeson County alone."
Dr Sullivan said programs like
Star Track aim to case a critical
teacher shortage in this region
Teacher assistants have been identified
as high quality candidates for
good reasons, she said
"Teacher assistants have tremendous
potential to become excellent
teachers." Dr Sullivan said "They
have already been in the school environment.
They have been successful
in the classroom."
About one-third of new teachers
drop out of the profession in the first
three years, but teachtr assistants are
prepared for the classroom already
and arc less likely to leave teaching.
Dr Sullivan said. ?
Star Track offers a baccalaureate
degree in elementary education (K6),
birth to kindergarten (B-K) and
special education. Degree requirements
arc offered in a prescribed
sequence of two courses per semester
and two courses per Summer session.
The three year time frame is possible
for.applicantswhoalrcady have
completed their general education
course requirements from a qualified
two or four year college Tocnroll for
the fall semester beginning August
20. applicants must be admitted b>
August 13
The program is available to any
qualified applicant including noncertified
or lateral entry teachers, or
for teachers who arc seeking additional
certifications
"Our program coordinators arc
excited about this program." Dr
Sullivan said "This is a major initiative
for the University."
For questions, please call the
UNCP Office of Teachers Education
at 910-521-6271.
Robeson County Honor Guard to
Host Annual Sing
The Robeson County I lonor Guard
will sponsor n gospel singing on
Salurdav. Angus! 9 at Riverside Independent
Baptist Church. Hwy 74
The singing will begin at 6 p ni
Special singers includcDaryI Destfcr.
Oxcndinc Brothers. Eric and Dcboic
Chavis. Rev Barnes and the Barnes
Brothers There will be no admission
charge but a love offering will be
lifted Refreshments will be served
The Robeson ( ounty I lonor Guard
is a group Of Veterans who provide
Military Minerals Tor all veterans in
Robeson. Ilokc and Scotland counties
The scr\ ices arc no longer prov
ided by the military and the government
docs not pay for them The
Honor Guard is sanctioned by the
North Carolina Secretary of State
The Honor Guard accepts dona1
lions for the expenses incurred in
providing the funeral services Donations
may be sent to : Robeson
County Honor Guard. %Mr Eiddic
Matched 26X1 Mount Zion Road
Red Springs . NC 28177