News Briefs: Week of Feb. 3

Posted

COA presents ‘Memoir Scribes’

All our life stories deserve to be told, written, and remembered. Now, Memoir Scribes will help you write yours.

The Chatham Council on Aging’s new program will use Memoir Scribes — young volunteers ready to get to know you and help write about your life — to put your story on paper. Talking about the events, challenges and best moments of your life can be a meaningful way to recall all you have experienced.

How does it work? A meeting will be set with a scribe to have a conversation about your life. The scribe will then create a written booklet of your words for you to keep. There is no cost to participate and your conversation will not be shared with others.

Interested? Call the COA’s Senior Center to learn more and schedule your time with a memoir scribe. Please contact Jackie Green for more information at 919-542-4512 (ext. #227) or email her at Jackie.Green@chathamcoa.org.

Friends of the Chatham Community Library cancels spring book sale

The Friends of the Chatham Community Library has canceled its spring book sale, which would have been held from March 25 to 27 at the library.

The reason for the cancellation is the continuing lockdown of government offices and businesses ordered by federal, state and local governments, which at this writing is expected to continue at least through the spring.

Each sale at the library raises nearly $20,000 for the benefit of the library and its operations.

Despite the cancellation of the spring book sale and the loss of additional revenue provided by it, the Chatham Community Library is making every effort to continue serving the citizens of Chatham County.

For example, in the last six months, the library staff has provided the community with curbside take-out and return service, plus reference and research services via phone and computer, and virtual educational and entertainment classes for all ages.

The Friends is planning to resume the spring and fall book sales when the pandemic is officially declared ended. Until that time, the organization continues to welcome cash, check or similar donations, plus new membership applications.

More information may be found on its website at friendsccl.org.

Tri-County 4-H announces chicken chain interest meeting

PITTSBORO — The Alamance, Guilford and Chatham County 4-H offices are looking for individuals between the ages of 5 and 18 who would be interested in raising chickens through the 4-H’s “chicken chain” program.

Chicken chain participants will get day-old chicks, raise them to maturity, and then show them at a special event in October. While raising the chickens, young people learn about life cycles, animal husbandry, money management and more.

Potential participants are invited to a virtual interest meeting at 6 p.m. on February 3, 2021. Individuals may register by visiting https://go.ncsu.edu/chickenchain21.

— CN+R staff reports

‘Big Night In the Arts’ planned for arts councils

RALEIGH — WRAL has teamed up with arts councils from Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake counties for a live event in March to help benefit the arts community devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Big Night In the Arts will be live wherever you watch WRAL at 7 p.m. on March 11. The special is taking place about a year after the first stay-at-home orders were implemented.

The lineup includes Tony-nominated actress and Raleigh native Ariana DeBose, who originated the role of The Bullet in the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” Chapel Hill-based folk music duo Mandolin Orange, three-time Grammy Award winner Branford Marsalis of Durham, and Chatham County-based actor and playwright Mike Wiley. More national and local artists from each county will be announced.

The special will address the impact of COVID-19 on the arts, and highlight the missions of the four organizations that lead and support the Triangle’s local arts infrastructure.

Money raised from the event will go toward arts programming, initiatives for equity in the arts and artist/arts organizations’ relief.

“Without question, arts help heal and restore a community,” said Joel Davis, vice president and general manager of WRAL-TV & FOX 50. “The arts, in many different forms, bring joy, restore peace and sometimes serve as a critical eye to the human condition. Through this lens, we recognize that supporting programming and fundraising like this is more important than ever, moving forward.”

The arts in the Triangle create more than 31,000 full-time jobs and upwards of $850 million in total annual economic activity, according to a report authored by Americans for the Arts in 2015.

With arts venues among the first to close and likely the last to reopen during the pandemic, the event aims to help keep the arts alive.

Patrons can donate prior to the event as sponsors or donate live during the event. Gifts can be made to benefit the four counties collectively or designated to a specific county.

Find more information at BigNightIn.org.

Almac Group launches scholarship fund

DURHAM — Almac Group has announced the establishment of the Almac Scholarship Fund in partnership with Triangle Community Foundation. The inaugural award, a $50,000, four-year scholarship, will be made to a sole recipient in Spring 2021.

The Almac Scholarship Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation exists to support first-year college students in the Triangle region pursuing four-year degrees at a North Carolina public college or university. Applicants must be a resident of Chatham, Durham, Orange or Wake county, and must demonstrate financial need.

In addition to tuition assistance, the selected student will receive resources from Triangle Community Foundation to help support a successful undergraduate experience and will have the opportunity to develop a meaningful relationship with Durham-based contract development and manufacturing organization, Almac Group, gaining exposure to the organization’s role in the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

Support for the Almac Scholarship Fund comes directly from the McClay Foundation, the sole shareholder of Almac Group. The Foundation was established by the late Sir Allen McClay, one of Northern Ireland’s most distinguished entrepreneurs and philanthropists and founder of Almac Group, with the vision to “make a meaningful improvement and advance human health” through the contributions of Almac Group’s innovative family of companies and support to a wide range of global charitable organizations.

The application for this year’s Almac Scholarship Fund award is currently live and interested students must apply via Triangle Community Foundation’s online portal at www.trianglecf.org by noon on March 1.

“Recognizing the significant barriers to education that many students face, we are honored to launch the Almac Scholarship Fund, specifically designed to support local students in their educational ambitions, regardless of financial circumstance,” said Alan Armstrong, CEO of Almac Group and Chairman of the McClay Foundation. “We are delighted that in Triangle Community Foundation, we have successfully identified a charitable partner which shares in one of our core values — that educational opportunity has the power to transform lives and communities. We look forward, with great anticipation, to making our first award to a deserving student this spring.”

PTP names Hill as Core’s economic development director

GREENSBORO — In an effort to further enhance regional collaboration and attract new jobs and investment to central North Carolina, the Piedmont Triad Partnership (PTP) announced that Loren Hill will be joining the team as Carolina Core Regional Economic Development Director. Hill, who retired on January 1, 2021, after 20 years as president of the High Point Economic Development Corporation, began in his new role on Feb. 1.

“We are excited to officially add Loren Hill to the Carolina Core team to help further enhance regional collaboration to win new jobs and investment for our region,” said Stan Kelly, President and CEO of Piedmont Triad Partnership. “As we emerge from the pandemic, it is more important than ever to amplify the strengths and opportunities of the Carolina Core regionally, statewide and globally. Given his extensive economic development career, leadership skills and relationships, Loren is perfectly suited to help us take the Carolina Core to the next level and win big.”

In his new regional role, Hill is charged with enhancing PTP’s collaborative efforts in the Carolina Core, while increasing visibility of the region and its globally competitive assets. He will work closely with the PTP board and staff, as well as with economic development and chamber of commerce leaders throughout the Carolina Core and North Carolina.

In addition to his experience as President of the High Point Economic Development Corporation, Hill’s regional economic development experience includes working with the Guilford County Economic Development Alliance from 2015-2020, a collaborative effort of the High Point Economic Development Corporation, Greensboro Chamber, County of Guilford, City of Greensboro and City of High Point. In recognition of his countywide efforts, Hill was named the recipient of the 2020 Stanley Frank Economic and Workforce Development Award by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

The Carolina Core is a 120+ mile stretch of central North Carolina from west of Winston-Salem to Fayetteville and encompassing Greensboro and High Point. The Carolina Core is defined by assets that make the region a globally competitive market — a smart and growing talent pool of more than 2 million people, access to 30+ colleges and universities with 250,000 students, multiple airports, four megasites totaling 7,200 acres of certified land, industrial and urban research parks and more. Purpose and vision are at the Core, with public and private leadership highly engaged on a vision for the future and more innovative companies locating and expanding in the Carolina Core every day. Learn more at NCCarolinaCore.com.