Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / April 2, 2020, edition 1 / Page 1
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QUIMANS EEKLY ‘The only things we have to fear...’, B4 “News from Next Door" STAY-AT-HOME ORDER Find out where you can go, what you can do— A3 THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 OPINION CHURCH Columnists chime in on corona virus — 1 Pastors’ sermons discuss Esteem, life A4 i amid pandemic — Bl $1.00 KIDS’ CORNER Make your own bird feeder as part of STEM contest — B2 Pirates’ FFA: ‘People Helping People’ BY MILES LAYTON Editor Perquimans High School’s chap ter of Future Farmers of America has been feeding families for years through the school’s Hungry He roes program - “Serving to Serve.” Times being what they are, these Pirates have more mouths to feed, but they are up to the job. “The Hungry Heroes program has been making a difference in meeting weekend hunger needs for the past five years,” said Jill Cohen, director of Career Tech nical Education for the county school system. “I have always felt that Perquimans County is a family that takes care of all its members. The Hungry Heroes program not only provides food, it teaches Ag riculture students to be engaged citizens by helping others, devel ops leadership skills and an under standing of our community needs. Programs like this, people helping people of all ages, makes living in our county special.” Teachers Susan Perry and Kelly Russell oversee the program and have been delivering the food to homes. “Over the past few years, we av erage about 40 families per week but the current situation has seen our program grow to over 70 fami- hes,” Perry said. “We must remem ber that this number represents families and not just a student. I’m expecting more families to contin ually be identified over the next few weeks with lay-offs and peo ple out of work due to quarantine status or closed businesses.” Tina Mathis and Jan Tripp, ad visers for the PCHS LEAD club and the Breakfast Club have been a tremendous help with donations and deliveries to support the pro gram. The Hertford United Meth odist Church and Hertford Rotary club have been on-going partners over the years. “This is truly a community proj ect of support. Many local church es and civic clubs have donated to the program in order to support our children,” Cohen said. Hertford Rotary also donates books to go in the boxes as well as individual bags of grooming sup plies. “Weekly donations from the Ro tarians and a grant have been ex tremely helpful,” Russell said. Give Hertford Rotary a tip of the hat for taking the initiative. “Hertford Rotary Club is hon ored and engaged to assist the stu dents of our community with sup plemental food and supplies. We are advocates for our youth and See FFA, A2 SUBMITTED PHOTO Perquimans County High School’s chapter of the Future Farmers of America’s Hungry Heroes program provides food to more than 70 families. ARHS Making a Difference: Ms. Elva Round-up Confirms COVID-19 Case in PQ 8 people in region now tested positive for virus FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS The first lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 in Perquimans County was reported Friday by Albemarle Regional Health Services. ARHS reported that Health Di rector R. Battle Betts Jr. had re ceived notification of the case in Perquimans. The health agency did not iden tify the person, saying only they are in isolation. ARHS is following N.C. Depart ment of Health and Human Ser vices guidelines on contact tracing of all individuals who may have had close contact with the person. Close contact is defined as be ing in direct contact with, or be ing within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 10 minutes, while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment. Caregivers and household mem bers of COVID-19 patients are con sidered close contacts. The Perquimans resident is the eighth person in the region to test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. Three Ber tie County residents, two from Hertford County, and one each from Pasquotank and Dare coun ties have tested positive for the virus. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported more than 760 positive COVID-19 cases statewide as of Friday morn ing, 125 more than Thursday’s tal ly. More than 200 of the cases are in Mecklenburg County and over 100 in Wake County. More than 75 people are hospitalized statewide, according to the department. Meanwhile, the death of a John ston County resident on Thurs day brings the number of deaths reported by DHHS to three. The patient, in their mid-60s, had un derlying medical conditions, John ston County said in a news release. Cabarrus and Harnett county res idents also have died. A fourth person from Virginia who died of COVID-19 complications in North Carolina is not in the state’s official count. 6 " 89076 47144 2 Vol. 86, No. 14 @2020 Perquimans Weekly All Rights Reserved PQ Schools Bus Driver Leads by Example BY MILES LAYTON Editor Trying times that we live in call for heroes to emerge, make things better. Longtime school bus driver Elva Lee - “Ms. Elva” - drives a route that crisscrosses Perqui mans County to bring meals to kids near and far. After 34 years of service, Lee not only knows the students who five along her route, but a lot about their fam ilies and communities where they live. “Ms. Elva is a true pillar on our community, knows everyone and cares about all children,” said Jeffrey Miller, PQ Schools’ Transportation Director. “She j has been delivering meals on the bus, additionally she has taken meals door to door to students she knows are in need and have hardships that can’t get to the j bus stops after completing the route. She has a outstanding rap port in the community and with students, especially our excep tional children population.” School officials and the Per quimans Weekly worked togeth er to keep this story a secret from Lee so as to give her a nice surprise in today’s newspaper. Miller described Lee as indis pensable when the call came out See ELVA, A5 K9 Officers Get A Treat * Emergency Personnel to use Mannequin Dog for CPR Training BY STAFF REPORTS During the past several months, Perquimans County Emergency Services has been exploring ways to offer basic medical treatment to its K9 Officers in the event care is needed such as an accidental overdose or hemorrhage control. These folks are even looking into ways to assist a dog or cat that is involved in an emergency where EMS is already on site, such as a structure fire. The nearest emergency vet erinarian would be at least a one-hour transport and in some SUBMITTED PHOTOS God puts people in the right place, at the right time. Because of longtime school bus driver Elva Lee’s knowledge of the people and places in Perquimans County, she’s making a difference during these difficult times when heroes are needed most. Elva Lee is hand delivering hot food to two students, who are among the hundreds of Perquimans County children who are served meals each day. situations, some basic life sup port skills may help to stabilize an animal until further care can be administered by a licensed Veterinarian. Animal Welfare of the Albemarle Region Every day (AWARE) is supporting PQ Emergency Service’s efforts by donating “Casper”, a dog manne quin used to train first respond ers in providing CPR to animals, in memory of Trish Signor, vice president and co-Founder of AWARE. Signor was a regular volunteer at AWARE’s rabies clinics and oth er local events and a tireless pro moter and supporter of AWARE’s spay neuter programs. She also See K9, A5 Embrace Hope, not Fear BY MILES LAYTON Editor A round-up of all things Perquimans County... First, embrace hope; do not give into fear. People have been in Perquimans County since the 1600s during which time we’ve survived the Revolutionary and Civil wars, Reconstruction, the Great Depression, world wars, and much more, so we we’re not going to let a virus defeat us. In recent weeks, we’ve come j together as we often do across northeastern North Carolina to rise to any occasion and help our neighbors. While it’s not easy “social distancing” especially when we’re so used to seeing/talking to people walking by on Church Street downtown, it’s for the greater good to stay-at-home. To the Perquimans person re cently diagnosed with COVID-19, the community’s hearts and prayers go out for your recovery. We’re all in this together, so let folks know if you need anything. Tip of the hat to Mayor Earnell Brown, Town Council j and many other volunteers for delivering meals to folks near and far during these trying times. Group is checking on and bringing meals to nearly 40 senior citizens. See LAYTON, A5 SUBMITTED PHOTO Animal Welfare of the Albemarle Region Everyday (AWARE) is supporting Perquimans Emergency Service’s efforts by donating “Casper", a dog mannequin used to train first responders in providing CPR to animals, in memory of Trish Signor, vice president and co-Founder of AWARE.
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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April 2, 2020, edition 1
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