MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Marshburn's Ace hardware

Where do you go if you need a tool, paint or what-cha-ma-call-it to finish a project or repair? You probably go to Marshburn’s Ace Hardware on 117 in Wallace. What was originally an electrical supply company in 1976, became one of the buyer owned co-op Ace Hardware stores about 13 years ago. Unlike many franchises, this company is owned by it’s co-op owners, and they have a stake in it’s success. That translates to people who care about their customers and offer exceptional customer service, as evidenced by their winning the JD Powers & Associates Award for Customer Satisfaction for the past 2 years- over their big box rivals. Any time you walk into the store, you’ll be greeted quickly, and whichever one of the 9 employees(5 FT & 4 PT) asks you will know what you need and where to find it. If by chance the item is out of stock- no worry- they order and receive trucks twice a week, so they can get it to you in 3 days as long as it is in the distribution center. The store is supported by the Ace hardware website www.acehardware.com and , if you find something there that is not carried here, there is no charge to have items ordered online shipped to the store. Many of the items carried are Ace branded, and they are made by the same names you see in other stores, but have the added benefit of being quality tested to Ace standards. When the company had consistency issues with the name brand paint it carried, they bought a factory to make their own- with more consistent standards achieved by computerizing the plant. They now have a second plant to meet the demand! They offer several color palettes, and offer test sizes in the most popular colors.
The next project you take on- before you waste the time and gas to go to Wilmington- Check out Marshburn’s Ace Hardware- the place with the helpful hardware men ( and woman!)

Christmas at Twilight

We had our first “Christmas At Twilight” meeting September 18th, and it was a very exciting time! We have many plans for folks to have fun, be entertained, enjoy some good food, children to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, The Grinch, elves, etc. and much more to offer families! But, we need more help to contribute ideas, and to staff the different stations that night. You may not can make all of the meetings, and that is o.k., but maybe you could help in some way. Our next meeting will be October 2 at 5:30 at the Depot This is a great opportunity to promote our town and businesses in and outside of Wallace. If you or someone you know would like to help, please email or call me and let me know as soon as possible.2,
Thank you!
Lou

NEW CHAMBER MEMBER

Please welcome our
New Chamber Member:
Rick Batchelor
Omni Homes Inc.
157 Red Fox Run Dr
Wallace, NC 28466
Phone: 910-540-7676

New Member Spotlight- Del Rio and The Liberty Inn

Since 2001, Victor Tadeo has joined 2 older generations in running the Del Rio Restaurant, and now the Liberty Inn. Victor went to college at Mount Olive, and moved to Raleigh for several years pursuing business and artistic interests as an avid photographer. He became the manager of El Dorado in the Triangle (one of my favorite restaurants when I lived in Raleigh)- and the stage was set for him to become an important member of a hard working, entrepreneurial family. His grandfather and father run the kitchen at Del Rio, and are proud of their immaculately clean kitchen. Victor and his mom focus on the motel, where they have been renovating the rooms. Each room has a focal wall in a bright, happy color- lime green, vibrant yellow, and even pink. The rooms are comfortably sized, have TV, phone, renovated bath areas, and a comfortable chair- and are a great value at $65 a night.
When I first moved to Wallace and asked about restaurants, Del Rio was among the top suggestions. The authentic Mexican menu is extensive! Everything is there-from chicken, shrimp and steak to vegetarian- and the traditional favorites of tacos, fajitas and nachos are also available. They have a selection of Mexican and domestic brews, and of course, Margaritas!
I asked Victor what the best thing about doing business in Wallace was, his answer was the fact that this was a family town - how on any Friday or Saturday night there were families with their children in the restaurant. Having spent time talking to him about his family, and understanding how important they are to him, and how important it is to be part of something great working along side of them, I totally understand his answer.

Fall Extravaganza- October 4

The Wallace United Methodist Church is having a Fall Extravaganza on October 4. We will have an outside yard sale, bake sale, plant sale, breakfast, children's activities, entertainment and chicken BBQ plates. Activities will be in the parking lot beginning at 6am. There will be an Auction held during the evening in the fellowship hall.

Time for your flu shot!

On October 4th, Walgreen's Drug Store in Wallace will offer flu shots from 10am to 3pm. Walk-ins are welcome, however to save your time, we recommend you make an appointment. To make an appointment, please visit our pharmacy to complete eligibility forms and schedule your time. The cost is $24.99. We will gladly bill your insurance, including Medicare (must be Part-B eligible). If you have any questions, feel free to contact our pharmacy at 910-285-6481.

Be an Informed Consumer

Many of you have been accessing the Office of Environmental Education's Informed Consumer pages for some time. Whether you are a longtime user of this resource or new to the idea, we are excited to let you know that the Informed Consumer pages have been given a makeover! Topics are easier to navigate and resources are easier to find. Go to http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/consumer.htm and have a look! We will continue to add information to these pages and always welcome any questions or comments you may have. The Office of Environmental Education's Informed Consumer Initiative seeks to highlight many of the issues surrounding our consumer choices. The information and resources provided are not meant to advocate for any particular choice, but rather to let folks know what choices are out there and the costs and benefits associated with them. Topics covered include: Food, Lawn & Garden, Energy, Water, Waste, House, Personal Products, Green Development, and Global Climate. Each section features resources where people can find the information they need to make informed decisions. From finding your nearest farmers market to investigating the ingredients of your shampoo...you'll find it all on our Informed Consumer pages! Be Smart. Buy Smart. Know Your Choices!

Help a Teacher Help his Students

Please help! I need businesses that are willing to let me bring a small group of students to visit, that are willing to let one or two students observe a worker during part of the day, or who are willing to take on a student as an unpaid intern and provide them with vocational training for a few months.
To give you some background, I am Mike Jarosinski, the Occupational Preparation teacher at Wallace-Rose Hill High School. My duties involve working with a group of Exceptional Children who, while not anticipated to go on to obtain a college degree, are nonetheless capable of holding a regular job and having a successful career. To make the program work, however, I need to expose them to a variety of jobs and to give them experience with the ones that interest them. In most cases, I am not asking for help immediately.
Places that we can visit for an hour or so and individuals who willing to come to school and talk about their career are what I need in the short term. As the program continues, I will still need this help, but I will need to move individual students into longer placements ranging from a few weeks to a few months where they can better see if that is the job for them and hopefully gain some skills and experience. Ultimately, all of these individuals will need paid employment to finish the program, but there is no obligation on anyone’s part to give them a job.
For the observation and internship part of my program, I am not talking about volunteers. To keep both of us out of trouble, the programs to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act. In brief, the FLSA says that the students cannot be “free labor”. They cannot replace a regular worker, nor can they perform duties that would keep the employer from hiring another worker. While they can work while interning, it is expected that they would do only parts of a worker’s job and would require supervision and training. In effect, the amount of benefit a business receives should be roughly equal to the training and supervision provided.
For those businesses willing to provide training, I have a standard agreement form to set down in writing the duties of both sides. While this is a formal requirement to avoid legal difficulties down the road, I hope it will not prevent anyone from helping because the net effect of this program will be more productive citizens and workers in Wallace and fewer needing public assistance.
Contact Information:
Wallace-Rose Hill H.S.—285-7501
Email: mjarosinski@duplinschools.net
Cell: 910-409-7078