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Page 4A
The Kings Mountain Herald
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Duke Energy opens new training center
"A crowd gathered to celebrate the official opening of the
new Duke Training Center in Kings Mountain’s Cleveland
County Industrial Park last Thursday. Attendants enjoyed
lunch in the food court and a tour of the state-of-the-art fa-
cility.
President of Duke Energy Corolinas Brett Carter said that
the Kings Mountain LEED-certified facility became opera-
tional on July 11.
Training Manager Ed Fritz said that 2-4 day classes
started last week. “We’ve processed about 100 (in training)
so far,” he added.
The 190,000-square-foot center will host specialty
classes, up to two weeks in length; safety training, and initial
classes, which can last up to 12 months. Thousands of Duke
employees from throughout the southeast will be coming to
the training center.
Carter said that he was pleased to learn the training cen-
ter has been certified for Leadership in Energy and Environ-
mental Design (LEED). He thanked the city and the county
for their “great support” in the project.
Cleveland County Commissioner Johnny Hutchins hailed
the company as “a second-to-none corporate citizen”.
“We're looking forward to many, many more years of part
nership,” he added.
“We extend greetings and congratulations,” Mayor Rick
Murphrey told the company at the ceremony. “When you sur-
round yourself with good people, it makes you look good
also.”
He proclaimed July 28, 2011 as Duke Energy Day in the
City of Kings Mountain.
“Duke Energy has had a working relationship with Kings
Mountain since 1905 and has contributed significantly to the
local quality of life through corporate and employee com-
munity service,” the mayor read in his proclamation.
Duke Energy sells energy at a wholesale price to the city.
The energy is transmitted to each of the city’s existing sub-
stations. The City of Kings Mountain and Duke Energy also
have a pact to provide emergency assistance to each other
should the need ever arise.
“Duke Energy is becoming an integral component in our
EMILY WEAVERHERALD
Cutting the ribbon for the new Duke Training Center are, left to right, city councilmen Rick Moore, Tommy Hawkins, Rodney
Gordon, Mayor Rick Murphrey, Duke Energy Vice President of Nuclear Corp. Ben Waldrep, Duke Energy Carolinas President
Brett Carter, Duke Energy Training Manager Ed Fritz, county commissioners Ronnie Hawkins, Mary Accor, Jason Falls, Johnny
Hutchins and Eddie Holbrook.
community and is providing a strong, diversified economic
base with their new training facility,” Murphrey said.
Carter thanked the mayor for his kind words and the
proclamation, “That means a lot. When I first came up here,
I saw this was a special place,” he said, adding that they are
happy to call KM home.
“We’ve always had a great relationship with those guys,”
Murphrey said on Tuesday. “They’re good to us and since
1905 we’ve been doing business with them.”
Kids dive into a real taste of life on Sonridge Farm
; KYRA A. TURNER
kyra.kmherald@gmail.com
Kids are diving head first into fun on the farm this summer at
Sonridge Farm in Kings Mountain.
Mary Ann Stumbo and her family are giving children from the
ages of 9 — 15 years old a real taste of life on a farm.
From 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. these children are doing farm work,
from feeding and milking the goats to horseback riding and making
nails like a blacksmith in the forge.
Allie Stumbo, 17, was trying to figure a way to help out her fam-
ily and the farm when the economy started to turn for the worse. One
day Allie had a friend ask her, “Why don’t you do fotbediing for kids
at your farm?”
It sparked an idea in Allie. She called their Cleveland County 4-
H agent, Ashley, and explained her idea about a petting zoo and farm
tours, and then took it one step further to a day camp.
Last year she hosted her first campers, and with many children
showing interest in the camps, they decided to do more than a sin-
gle-day camp that summer.
This summer they haye had three different camps so far and will
have their last one next week with the Gaston County 4-H.
Campers get to experience patts of the farm life such as milking,
bee keeping, making lip balm and honey; making cheese for pizzas
and soap from the goats milk; blacksmithing, leather making, shear-
ing and catching an alpaca, cleaning up goat patties, and participate
in a goat show.
The Stumbo family has acquired many animals over time in-
cluding horses, llamas, an alpaca, bunnies, potbelly pigs, dogs, bees,
ducks, a goose, and chickens.
On the last day of these camps, the kids get to show off the goats
that they have taken care of all week and they parade around in a
goat show. Allie asks them different questions about the things they
had learned during the week. Campers earn prizes for how well they
know their goats and how well they have taken care of them.
The camp also gives out an award for the all-star camper of the
week and added a special award for the best blogger (for the online
journals the kids create about the camp).
On Friday, Allie mentioned the campers and what they learned
and excelled at in the past week.
Last April, during spring break, the Stumbos added an interme-
diate “Reality” farm camp: one week for Cleveland and Lincoln
counties and one week for Gaston County. The Stumbo kids are
homeschooled so they can arrange these camps for all spring breaks.
The intermediate camps are offered to kids 12-15 and/or to those
who have been a part of one of the basic camps. This camp is more
rigorous and kids are asked to do more on the farm than in the basic
camps. Some tasks they will be asked to do include castrating, dis-
KYRA TURNER/HERALD
Christian Hoey, 11, waiting patiently with his goat to be
judged.
budding and maybe even help the animals give birth; learning how
to use a spinning wheel; and making different cheeses. Farm chores
begin at 7 a.m.
Allie isn’t the only Stumbo child holding these camps. Her
brother Stephen, 18, and sister Joni, 14, help out with her camps.
Along with the Stumbo family, they have friends who come out
to help and who have become counselors for the different groups the
kids are split into during the week.
In addition to all the farm work they accomplish they also learn
how to blog about their experiences on the Sonridge Farm website.
The Stumbos offer a computer lab in their living room so the kids can
blog while they are at camp.
“We have also had adults contact us ond ask if we offer an adult
Mary Robinson, 9, winner of the All-Star Camper 2011 award
and Brooke Patterson, 12, winner of the Best Blogger award,
show off their prizes.
version of the camp,” Mary Ann commented.
Joni Stumbo also held mini day camps for two weeks in April
and May, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.,
for ages 4-8 years old. Many of her campers are taught simple tasks
such as milking a goat, feeding the baby goats, gathering eggs and
doing different crafts.
“It’s a perfect micro-dose of farm camp for the little ones,” Mary
Ann said.
The farm will host a Family Day on Saturday, Aug, 6 fiom 8-10
a.m., where all the campers are invited to bring families to come
meet the goats they were assigned, the horses they rode, and just get
to see where they had all their adventures during camp.
“Hopefully there will be more camps next year,” Allie said.
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WINGS Cancer Support Group
Angust 16 pm.
CRMC Cancer Center
A support group for patients with all
types of cancer. Preparing for “Walk
For Hope” with Latonia Hopper, RN
For more information, please call
980-487-3025.
Expectant Grandparents
August 2.6 pm.
CRMC Women's Life Center Conference
Room.
For first time grandparents, insights
into what to expect with the new
grandchild. To register, please call
980-487-3983.
Healthy Hearts Support Group
Angust 3 Noon
CRMC Gina C. Suttle Wellness
Education Suite T. R. Harris Wellness
Center. “Heart Rate/ CAD” For more
information, please call
980-487-3659.
Some programs may teguire pre-
registration or appointments. Some require a fee.
Breastfeeding & Mom to Mom
Support Groups
August 3 10 a.m. — Noon
Women's Life Center Conference Room
Open to all breastfeeding mothers
and nursing babies
and expectant moms who are
interested in breastfeeding.
For more information, please call
980- 487-3887 and
980-487-3983 to register.
Pink Ribbon Network
August 4 12-1 p.m.
CRMC Oncology Board Room
Tonya Craig, COTA/L from
Cleveland Regional Rehab will be
presenting“ Lymphedma Education
and Management”. A gathering
for newly diagnosed breast cancer
patients. Lunch served. To register,
please call 980-487-3757.
Bridges
August 8 or 22 2-3 p.m.
CRMC Cancer Center
A special educational program to aid
recovery during the post-operative
period after a mastectomy or
lumpectomy. Register two weeks
after mastectomy or lumpectomy by
calling 980-487-3757.
Diabetes Wellness & Resource
Group
August 9 5:30 pm.
CRMC Auditorinm :
“Mind, Body and Spirit” with Craig
Langston, Senior Minister, Central
United Methodist Church. For more
information, please call 980-487-
3953.
Kangaroo Kapers
Apngust 22 6 p.m.
CRMC Women's Life Center Conference
. Room
+ Provides children expecting a brother
or sister a positive introduction to the
hospital and to what life will be like
with a new baby. Pre-registration is
required. Please call 980-487-3983.
Lobby Blood Pressure Screen
August 23 11:30 a.m. — 2. pm.
CRMC Lobby :
Parkinson's Disease Support
Group
August 23 6:30 pm
Life Enrichment Center;
For more information, please contact
Linda at the Life enrichment Center
by phone: 704-484-0405 or email:
linda@ lifeenrichmentcenter.org.
Early Bird Pregnancy Class
August 24 6 p.m.
CRMC Women's Life Center Conference
Room : :
For couples in the early stages OF
pregnancy or considering getting
pregnant. $10 per couple.
Preregistration is required. Please call
980- 487-3983.
Life as a Suicide Survivor
Angnst 30 11:30 am. - 1:30 pm.
Cleveland Connty Library Conférence
Room. 104 Howie Drive
‘This program is for anyone who has
suffered the loss of someone close to
them by the taking of their own life.
& Cleveland County HealthCare System
www.clevelandcopntyhealthcaresystem.org
PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU BUILD A HEALTHIER LIFE
AUGUST 2011