Perquimans People
County women offer swimming lessons
By SUSAN HARRIS
Perquimans County is surrounded
by water: the Perquimans, Little and
Yeoptam rivers and the Albemarle
Sound. Summer recreation in the area
includes many water sports.
i It's sad that drownings sometimes
occur which could have been
prevented if the people had taken the
time to become water safe, say Fran
Davis and Mary White, two local
water safety instructors.
"One of the biggest things that
bothers me is that in ? county where
there is so much water there are so
i few adults that swim," White said.
; The instructors also expressed
concern over the fact that many
parents put life preservers on their
Children when they ride in boats, but
neglect to show the children what to
expect when they go overboard with
the jacket on.
In both women's classes students go
) overboard in life preservers so that
they will know what happens and
won't panic in an emergency
situation.
Davis' class also Includes in
struction oi mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation
Davis teaches st the Holiday Island
swimming facility, while White in
structs from her backyard pool Both
are certified by the Red Cross as
wster safety instructors.
This summer, White will tesch
seven swimming classes ranging
from beginner to swimmer levels.
There are still seversl openings in her
courses which begin on June 28 and
run for two weeks.
Davis, who is the program coor
dinator of all pool activities at Holiday
Island, will hold 47 classes with the
help of water safety instructors John
Hughes and Tricia Shields.
Swimming levels include beginner
through advanced lifesaving offered
through the Red Cross program, and
infants and preschool programs
which teach infants and young
children, along with their parents, to
Ije water safe.
The unsupervised use of floats,
rings and tubes is a pet peeve of
Davis'. She impresses upon parents
that they are (or use only when an
adult i? near at hand.
Davis has had man y years' ex
perience working with very young
children, and works with her own two.
who, at ages 6 and 2, are well on their
way to becoming expert s wimmers.
"We teach the parents how to teach
the child," she said of ht ;r infant and
toddler classes.
Davis also has some op< enings in the
Holiday Island classes, and said,
"Upon request I will teach other
:lasses."
With two qualified, experienced
swimming teachers in tht ; county, it's
easy for parents to help t( i make their
children more water-safe.
Adults who are noi l-swimmers
should also consider eni rolling in a
class. The old addage ".in ounce of
prevention is worth a pou nd of cure"
can go a long ways towiirds halting
drowning accidents.
"With all the waterway: i we have in
the area it's a vital asset,' ' Davis said
of the availability of w ater safety
instruction. White ech oed those
feelings.
People briefs
Miss Judy Long of Raleigh was a
weekend guest of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Dick Long.
Dr. Price Monds of Johnson City,
Tenn. is a guest of his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. R.S. Monds.
Jack Babb of Whiteville spent a few
days this week with Mr. and Mrs.
Julian Matthews arid Mrs. Jack
Stafford.
Mrs. Mary Lou Sutton, Miss Helene
Britt. and Carl Britt of Shebly are
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Fenton Britt.
Dr. and Mrs. Joe Haskett, Jr. and
family of Newport News, Va. spent
the weekend with their parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Ray Haskett, Sr. and Mr.
and Mrs. Elbert Taylor.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Chappell, Jr. and
son, Brian, of Richmond, Va. were
guests of Mr. and Mrs. N.W. Chappell,
Sr. on Saturday at Belvidere.
Mr. and Mrs. Sid Harmon of Wilson
were weekend guests of Mr. and Mrs.
Ed Nixon.
Royce Vickers, Jr. of Virginia
Beach, Va. spent the weekend with his
mother, Mrs. Ellie Vickers.
Mr. Julian White spent several days
last week with his daughter, Miss Sue
White, at Virginia Beach, Va.
Mr?. Geo Whitley of Williamston
was a weekend guest of Mrs. Dick
Brewer.
Mrs. Jackie Bowles of Norfolk, Va.
spent the weekend with her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Williams, III.
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Britt and
daughter, Joy, of Newport News, Va.
were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Fenton
Britt on Saturday.
Miss Donna Thach is a guest of Mrs.
Jill White and Miss Susan White at
Winter Haven, Fla.
Mrs. Edwin White of Belvidere
spent several days last week at Suf
folk, Va. with Mr. and Mrs. A1 Felton.
Miss Martha McNeill of St. Pauls
was a weekend guest of Mr. and Mrs.
Harrell Thach.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Williams of
Belvidere were guests of Eddie
Williams at Manteo for several days
last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Reames of
Virgina Beach, Va. were guests of Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Layden Sunday at
Belvidere.
Mr. and Mrs. Harrell Thach, Lee
Thach, Miss Martha McNeill, and
John McNeill visited relatives in
Raleigh on Sunday.
Mrs. Riley Williams and daughter,
Sheila, of Belvidere spent a few days
last week with Whit Wi lliams at
Manteo.
Miss Dee Nixon from Wilmington
and Mark Willis, student at E.C.U.,
Greenville, spent last wee kend with
Mr. and Mrs. Arvin Hudson and Mr.
and Mrs. Preston Nixon.
Mrs. Arvin Hudson was a guest of
Dr. and Mrs. Billy Nixon lant week at
Wilmington and was accompanied
home by Mrs. Nixon, who spent the
weekend here.
Mr. and Mrs. Willie Henry Riddick
had as their house guest: for the
Memorial Day weekend. Their
children from N.Y., Mr. and Mrs.
Howard Rankin and children, Joy,
Andre, Aisha and guest Debbie, of
Kempstead, N.Y.; Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Forney and children, Sheila,
Reggie, Tonya and Cherelle of
Jamaica, N.Yij* iiev: and Mrs.
Reginald Greene and daugh ter Gail,
of Roosevelt, N.Y. Mrs. Cheryl
Canton of Freeport, N.Y. and guest,
Mr. Troy Jones of Columbus, Ohio;
and Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Riddick and
Sherron Walker of Brooklyn, N.Y..
Also, from Woodside, N.Y. niece Mrs.
Evelena Newton and girls, Monica,
Vanette, Darlene, Damelia, and three
grandchildren. They reside with their
aunt in Hertford, Mrs. Mary Felton.
Library News
JUST OPEN A BOOK is the theme
for Perquimans County Library's
summer reading program. Children
ages 4 to 12 are invited to sign up.
The local kick off time will be on
June 18 at 3 o'clock at the library.
Mrs. Evelyn Neptune will present a
special program with story telling and
a puppet show.
Reading lists and game sheets
featuring Joab (Just Open A Book)
Frog and his friends will be given to
each participant. Those children who
complete the reading requirements
will receive a certificate signed by
Governor Hunt, decals and other
material featuring Joab Frog.
"There is not a better way to
prepare our children for the coming
school year than to encourage them to
practice their reading skills," says a
library spokesperson.
VOTE FOR
George N. Reid
for
Commissioner
District 1
Perquimans County
Primary Election
June 29, 1982
YOUR VOTE AND SUPPORT
WILL BE APPRECIATED
ELECT
MARSHALL MERRITT
SHERIFF
Of PERQUIMANS COUNTY
June 29 -- Democratic Primary
BACKGROUND
Born - September 3, 1942 New Hanover Co., N.C.
1948-1959-Attended school and helped on father's farm
1960-1963-Served in United States Navy; Primary duty
Aviation Ordinance - Secondary duty - Shore
patrolman.
1964-1967-Served in United States Army Military Police
Corps at Harvey Point Base in Perquimans County
1968-1973-Chief of Police at Harvey Point Base, Perquimans Co.
1974-iune 1977-Patrolman, Hertford Police Dept.
July 1977-Present-Chief of Police-Hertford Police Dept
r
i' & '
EDUCATION
1960 High School Graduate
1977 Graduate Beaufort Co. Technical Institute - MS
in Police Science Technology
1964 Graduate of U.S. Arm; Military Police School
1974
of Elizabeth City Police Academy |
Completed the following short courses:
ient f N.C. Justice Academy |
lent for Law Enforcement Agencies
e~,
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