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Instead of having a Thanksgiving party this year, John Reilly’s third grade class at Riverbend Elementary School in Clyde voted to support Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation. “We collected Box Tops to earn money to be spent as the class wished,” Reilly said. Reilly delivered the donations of dog and cat food, cat litter and toys to the adoption center.
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The North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics selected Caitlin Elise Yencha, a Western Carolina University senior majoring in mathematics and secondary math education, as its outstanding mathematics education student from the western region for 2011.
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Cataloochee Ski Area patrons turned out in record numbers for the area’s recent 10th annual Can-U-Ski Food and Coat Drive for Haywood Christian Ministries. Guests were given a free lift ticket for the day in exchange for 10 cans of food or a winter coat in good condition. Thousands of cans of food and hundreds of coats were donated during the event.
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Nominations are being accepted at the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce for three awards that will be presented at the chamber’s annual banquet in late January — The Duke Power Citizenship and Service Award, Citizen of the Year and Organization or Club of the Year. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 11. Nominations can be dropped off at the chamber or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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Western Carolina University faculty member Nancy Helm-Estabrooks was featured prominently in an ABC News special report about U.S. Rep. Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords’ recovery from a gunshot wound she suffered last January in Tucson, Ariz.
Helm-Estabrooks, professor emeritus in WCU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, provided therapy to Giffords when the Arizona congresswoman visited Asheville recently for two weeks of intensive therapy sessions.
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The ballots have been tallied and the winners of the 2011 Holiday Window Decorating Contest in Waynesville have been announced. Twigs & Leaves Gallery received “Most Customer Participation” and High County Style was named “Best Use of Lighting.” Fun Things, Etc. had the most developed theme, United Community Bank got “Best Use of Significant Details,” and T. Pennington Art Gallery had the best use of color in their display.
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Mast General Store will have volunteer gift wrappers from Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation in their store on Main Street in Waynesville until Dec. 24.
There is no charge for this service, but a donation to Sarge’s would be appreciated, and donations of wrapping supplies can be dropped off at Sarge’s Adoption Center on Industrial Park Drive.
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Verizon Wireless customers can now get 4G network, which will allow them to share music and photos, surf the Web and download files up to 10 times faster than before, available from Waynesville in Haywood County to Murphy in Cherokee County along the U.S. 19/74 corridor, as well as Highlands, Cashiers and Franklin.
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Chuck Francis, chairman of the Haywood County Board of Education, was elected president of the North Carolina School Boards Association. Francis was initially elected to the Haywood County Board of Education in 2000 and was voted chairman in 2004. During that time period, Francis worked with other board members, the community and school staff to lead the school district through a number of initiatives and events, including a $25 million bond that finished on time and under budget and flood recovery and restoration.
During his acceptance speech, Francis asked other school board members across the state to “be bold” in their support of public education and encouraged local board members to know their facts and work hard to support local schools.
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Haywood Community College students participated in the National Career Development Association’s 46th Annual Poetry and Poster Contest. Professional crafts-fiber student Gwendolyn Clifford won first place. HCC Medical Office Administration student Lois Farrington won second place, and third place went to pre-nursing student Heather Southerland.
Alpha Video Creative was a winner in the inaugural Digital Screen Media Association Crown Awards in the Point of Wait category for the content they created for Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Hotel.
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More than 80 volunteers and guests gathered at the MedWest Haywood Hospital Volunteers luncheon last month to hear the accomplishments of the past year; words of gratitude from the out-going president Jackie Duncan of Maggie Valley; recognition for volunteer hours served; and installation of the officers for 2012. Hospital volunteers raised a total of $32,016. Of that money, $10,000 goes to sponsor five college scholarships for nursing students at Haywood Community College and $20,842 goes to purchase hospital equipment.
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MedWest Health & Fitness Center in Clyde is offering a holiday special on six-month memberships. The initiation fee will be waived on a membership contract for participants who sign up between Dec. 12 and Jan. 13. Membership fees must be drafted from a checking account or credit card to qualify for special.
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The Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin presented Alana Weir and Klara Ledford $500 scholarships awards for winter classes in “earth science” at Western Carolina University.
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MedWest Health System is now offering patients the option of pre-registering for services online at www.medwesthealth.org. Through MedWest’s online pre-registration forms, patients can provide basic information about themselves and details about their emergency contacts, health insurance and treating physicians. Patients who can pre-register online include those who are having outpatient surgery planned in advance, outpatient diagnostic tests planned in advance, routine lab services and planned inpatient services. Patients using the online pre-registration must do so at least 24 hours in advance of their planned services.
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Haywood Community College and Western Carolina University recently signed an articulation agreement that allows a credit transfer between the Associates Accounting degree at HCC to an Accounting major at WCU. Students can complete the first two years of their accounting education in the HCC’s accounting program and complete the last two years of their accounting education at WCU.
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Haywood Family Medicine has expanded its hours of operation to include Friday afternoon. The practice now sees patients from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The practice is also accepting new patients.
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In recognition of their outstanding nursing work, MedWest Health System and the American Organization of Nurse Executives have honored three MedWest nurses with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses: Celia Doyle of MedWest-Harris in Sylva, Lasha Plemmons of MedWest-Haywood in Clyde and Bill Armachain of MedWest-Swain in Bryson City.
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Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing Education is now offering online programs that allow individuals to earn certificates in nutrition, fitness and health.
The programs make it possible for students to earn certification in a period ranging from three months to two years.
Certificates are available in the areas of fitness business management; personal fitness training; senior fitness training; women’s exercise training and wellness; family nutrition; functional family nutrition; nutrition for optimal health, wellness and sports; school nutrition and wellness; and posture.
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