BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
MARCH 25,20201 A3
The fabric of Bertie County since 1832
Continued
Changes
From A1
the coming months,”
Gov. Cooper said. “This
is what we need to do
to slow the spread of
this illness and protect
the health and safety of
North Carolinians.”
The order also orders
certain businesses to
close, including hair
salons, barber shops.
Bingo parlors, bowling
alleys, movie theaters,
live performance ven
ues, nail salons, tattoo
parlors, indoor exer
cise facilities, health
clubs, skating rinks,
spas and others.
“1 know today’s or
ders cause hardship
for a lot of people. 1 do
not treat these deci
sions lightly,” he said.
“We made them in the
interest of health and
safety.”
As the situation has
progressed, there have
been changes in the
county and town opera
tions throughout Bertie
County.
Bertie County officials
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Pastor Chuck Gray (red) speaks to his congregants as they gathered in the parking lot of Wind
sor Assembly of God.
officially closed offices
to allow “appointment
only” meetings.
Vidant Bertie Hospi
tal is screening employ
ees and patients at the
door. They have also
announced a policy of
not allowing visitors
other than certain cir
cumstances.
There is a listing of
local businesses and
services and their cur
rent operating hours
on page A2 in the Out &
About section.
One of the biggest
changes is closing
school for another six
weeks.
BertieCounty Schools
Superintendent Dr. Otis
Smallwood said the
district is mostly con
cerned about the safe
ty of students and staff.
but is working towards
making sure students
have access to meals
and distance learning
plans are in place.
“Our top concern is
the health and well
being of our students,
staff and their fami
lies,” Dr. Smallwood
stressed. “Procedures
are currently underway
Monday through Friday
to make sure students
in Bertie County con
tinue to have access to
meals.
“Currently, our teach
ers and upper level ad
ministrators are work
ing - either remotely or
at the Central Office, re
spectively-to develop a
distance learning plan,
which will be launched
on Monday, March 30,”
he continued. “This
plan is being created
so students and par
ents can have access to
online content, which
can potentially benefit
every child.”
Dr. Smallwood said
while the plan isn’t
perfect, the district is
working to provide for
as many students as
possible.
“It is not a perfect
plan; we know that not
every child in this coun
ty has the device(s)
needed or access to
the Internet,” he said.
“However, we must re
member that we are not
in this crisis alone, and
we will do everything
we can to make sure
all students continue
to learn during the clo
sure of schools.
“Six of our schools
will be equipped to
serve as drive-up 'Wi
Fi stations in order to
assist those without
Internet services in
gaining access to on
line learning tools,” he
added. “We appreciate
the patience and sup
port of our staff, and
families as we navigate
these uncertain times.”
Thadd White can be
reached via email at
twhite@ncweeklies.
Bertie
From A1
North Carolina among
the 8,502 people who
have been tested.
The ongoing crises
has the Centers for Dis
ease Control (CDC) and
the White House rec
ommending people not
gather in groups of 10
or more. N.C. Governor
Roy Cooper has signed
a ban on gatherings of
50 or more.
Other measurers be
ing recommended in
clude self-quarantining
at home if possible
and maintaining social
distancing (six feet or
more) in public places.
The CDC also recom
mends regular and vig
orous hand washing,
and says people should
do their best to avoid
touching their face.
Officials are recom
mending people stay
home when they are
sick, and contact their
primary care provider
or a health department
in non-life-threatening
illnesses.
According to the
World Health Organi
zation (WHO), people
may be sick with the
virus for one to 14
days before develop
ing symptoms. The
most common symp
toms of Coronavirus
disease (COVlD-19) are
fever, tiredness and dry
cough. Most people
(about 80 percent) re
cover from the disease
without needing spe
cial treatment.
More rarely, the dis
ease can be serious
and even fatal. Older
people, and people
with other medical
conditions (such as
asthma, diabetes or
heart disease), may be
more vulnerable to be
coming severely ill.
Thadd White can be
reached via email at
twhite@ncweeklies.
com.
Relay
From A1
challenging time - can
cer patients and their
families are counting
on us,” she added.
Parker went on to say
the volunteer commit
tee that steers the Relay
For Life event in Bertie
County has decided to
postpone the event un
til later this year.
This decision came
on the heels of the
American Cancer Soci
ety making the decision
to cancel more than 750
events through mid-
May.
Currently, Parker
said Bertie County or
ganizers are planning
to hold the event on
Friday, Oct. 2 at a place
to be determined.
The event is normally
held at Roy L. Bond Jr.
Stadium on the campus
of the former Bertie
High School. While the
Falcons are set to be
open on that date, hold
ing Relay on the site
could prevent practice
Relay For Life has been postponed and will likely take place on Oct. 2.
or a potential make-up
football game should
one be needed.
In the past. Relay For
Life has been held on
the walking track in the
town of Aulander ad
jacent to the John Asa
Drew Field of Dreams
and the Aulander gym.
Organizers have
made no decision as to
where the event will be
held in October.
“All participants will
receive details as soon
as final decisions are
made and invited to
support our event just
as enthusiastically as
they are now,” Parker
said.
She said while the
event has been post
poned, those still wish
ing to contribute to the
Relay fundraising are
welcome to do so.
People can donate
to Bertie Relay For Life
by going to acsevents.
org and entering the
zip code 27983 to reach
the Bertie County Re
lay event and donate
there.
Donations also can
be made through the
ACS FUNdraising mo
bile app and through
Facebook.
In May 1985, Dr.
Gordon “Gordy” Klatt
walked and ran for 24
hours around a track in
Tacoma, Washington,
raising money to help
the American Cancer
Society with the na
tion’s biggest health
concern: cancer.
Gordy spent a gruel
ing 24 hours circling
the track at the Univer
sity of Puget Sound.
Friends, family, and
patients watched and
supported him as he
walked and ran more
than 83.6 miles and
raised $27,000 through
pledges to help save
lives from cancer.
As he circled the
track, he thought of
how he could get oth
ers to take part. He en
visioned having teams
par*^icipate in a 24-hour
fundraising event.
The next year, 19
teams were part of
the first Relay For Life
event at the histori
cal Stadium Bowl and
raised $33,000.
Bertie County joined
Relay For Life in 1994,
becoming the first
county in North Caroli
na to participate in the
fundraising event.
Thadd White can be
reached via email at
twhite@nc weeklies.
Adopt-A-Pet Program Bertie County Humane Society 252-325-3647
RIPLEY
I’m RIPLEY - I was FOUND near
AULANDER. I’m a young male Terrier/
SETTER mix (about 40 ibs). I have short
BLACK & WHITE fur and a TAIL that CURLS
over my back. I’m very friendly and I need
to FIND A NEW HOME. Call for RIPLEY. ~
252 325 3647
I’m CHASE. I’m a smallish YOUNG male
SHEP-mix (about 35 Ibs) with a CUTE
personality. I was surrendered to the
shelter because I was “too active”. I do
like to RUN and PLAY. If you like to RUN
or if you are a BIG KID, Call for CHASE.
~ 252 325 3647
I’m DEXTER. I’m an adult male POINTER-
mix with a LOVING personality. I’m
mostly WHITE with black and brown
spots and BROWN EARS. No one has
come for me so I’m looking for a NEW
HOME! Call for DEXTER! ~ 252 325
3647.
ACE is my name and I am an adult male LAB-
mix about 50 Ibs. I have thick BLACK fur and
a BOBBED TAIL. I am SMART!! I WALK well
on a leash, SIT on command - I’ll even DO THE
DISHES - hahaha. I will be your BEST DOG
EVER! Call to VISIT ACE-252 325 3647.
“A dog wags its tail with its heart” ~ Martin Buxbaum
The Bertie County Animal Shelter is located on the County Farm Road in Windsor and check us out on Facebook.com.