Sunday, August 1, 2010

Restored and Renewed, the Wallace Woman's Center Building is ready for use!


The Wallace Woman’s Club Building restoration is complete, and is once again available for rental. The kitchen has new appliances, the HVAC units have been replaced, and additional new bathrooms have been built.
A handicap access ramp was also installed as part of the renovation.New hardwood floors have been installed, and the interior is true to the original space. The building has new tables and chairs, that can seat 120 guests. Several lamps and candlesticks were salvaged from he building after the fire, and have been returned to the space since rebuilding. Additional decorative items have been acquired and lighting is improved in the space, making for a beautiful setting for parties and gatherings.
In addition to the daily rental availability on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the space is now being offered at very attractive special rates Monday-Thursday for either day or evening blocks of 5 hours. For complete information about renting the Wallace Woman’s Club Building, and to schedule rental, call Lou Powell at the Wallace Chamber of Commerce Office at 910-285-4044.

Christmas at Twilight planning meeting


The temperatures may be near 100 degrees- and you may think it is just too soon to be thinking about Christmas….but planning for Christmas at Twilight and the Wallace Christmas Parade will be starting in August. Neither of these events happens without our team of volunteers starting to plan, make contacts and schedule participants in the next weeks. Christmas at Twilight has indeed become a Wallace Tradition, and has grown in popularity and attendance year by year. We hope to make this year the best and brightest yet! The first planning meeting is August 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wallace Depot. Please make this the year you become part of the tradition!

New Member Spotlight: Bill Carone Chevrolet, GMC, Buick


It is an unlikely chain of events that brings Bill Carone and his staff to Wallace, but we are grateful that it is the outcome to his story. Bill is a long time Wallace resident and member of the Fire Department, and his wife Susan teaches at Wallace Elementary School. Though Bill was sorry to leave a community that had supported the dealership for 85 years, it was the only way to keep a GM dealership in Duplin County under the GM restructure. Bill brings with him a well trained and seasoned sales, parts and service staff, all of whom have ties to the local communities. The task of re-opening the Wallace dealership has been a big one, but the staff has loved every minute of the craziness, and every day it seems as though they have been there forever. The move brings 19 jobs to Wallace, and by being the second dealership here, it establishes Wallace as the location in Duplin County to shop for a car. When asked about their new neighbor, Justin Boyette at Friendly Ford was truly happy to see him come in. Justin explained that it would help bring prospective customers to Wallace because there would be more than one dealership to shop when they came here. The dealership will carry new cars In the Chevrolet, Buick and GM divisions, and has a good selection of late model cars in each of these divisions. They also have a strong selection of late model used cars from several different car makers. They are as particular about the used vehicles they will offer for sale as they are about the new car selection….maybe more so. In addition to sales, they are offering GMC service, and are running a $19.95 oil change special. They also offer a pick up/ drop off service for $5 with this special. The grand opening for the dealership is scheduled for September 18, 2010.

New Member Spotlight: Patient Care of Wilmington


Deborah Adams-Wingate, RN, MSN, NP-C is an Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (NP-C), certified nationally and licensed in North Carolina. She received her under-graduate training first at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and then completed her Master’s in Nursing, at Duke University. She has practiced as a Nurse, since 1995 both in hospitals and with private practices.At Patient Centered Care, they strive to optimize the present and future health of their adult patients through a partnership that utilizes lifestyle modifications and the most up to date medical knowledge. Patient Centered Care specializes in primary care for adults, 13 years and older, and in the care of patients with acute and chronic multi-system diseases; including, but not limited to, the treatment and management of: cardiac disease, diabetes, arthritis, digestive disease, respiratory disorders, hormonal disorders, kidney disease, women’s health (excluding pregnancy or delivery care), substance abuse, mental health; specializing in the elderly and cancer survivors.Patient Centered Care emphasizes preventive health and general well-being. Medical concerns are managed through diagnosis, treatment and prevention of common illnesses and chronic diseases taking into account genetics, family history and mental health. Care is coordinated with other specialists. To assure care is patient-centered; it is proactive, inclusive, and customized to individual patients. To assure it is collaborative; they utilize teams of practitioners that share information among themselves and patients alike. Care is customized to each individual to treat their unique medical needs.Their satellite office will be located at 4718 S US 117 Hwy., Teachey. Appointments will be made through the Wilmington office at 910-799-6262.

New Member spotlight: Brent Jackson


Brent Jackson is Founder, President, and CEO of Jackson Farming Company, Inc. in Autryville, North Carolina. Under his leadership, the company maintains thousands of acres of farmland and the wide distribution of its produce to a variety of retailers. In addition to thirty years in farming, Jackson has contributed much to his community and industry through his involvement in civic and trade organizations.
Among others, Jackson has served as Chairman of the Board of the National Watermelon Association, President of the North Carolina Horticulture Council, a Board Member of the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Additionally, Jackson served on the Board of the Sampson County Farm Bureau, the Sampson County Airport Authority and the Boards of the Clement Civic Center and Clement Fire Department.
An education advocate, Jackson served on the Board of Trustees of Sampson Community College and Midway School District Board. Jackson currently serves as a Board Member for the South River Electric Co-Op. A church leader, Jackson has served in numerous capacities, including Deacon and Sunday School teacher at Union Grove Baptist Church. Jackson has been married to his wife, Debbie, for 31 years. They raised three children, of which two are living, and are the proud grandparents of two beautiful grandchildren.
Jackson is running for the state senate seat left open by Charlie Albertson. Jackson says, “When I am elected as your state senator, I will fight to improve the lives of the people in Duplin, Lenoir, and Sampson counties. I will work to decrease the level of state spending, ease the regulatory burden on small businesses and farmers, and promote progress and prosperity in North Carolina. I will speak out against and work to eliminate wasteful government spending and work towards a better tax system that is easy to understand and fair to all citizens.
I support educating our population to reach their potential. I support the freedom to choose what educational setting best meets those needs. I believe in keeping our word, and our commitment to education. It is unfair to our children when funds granted to education are moved around to make a unworkable budget balance.

JSCC Small Business Seminars

The Fall session of seminars sponsored by the James Sprunt Small Business Center is really exciting! The seminars are free, and are certificate sessions. To register for any of the seminar sessions call 910-2962430 or email sbc@jamessprunt.edu.

Entrepreneur Academy 2010

Boyette Bldg, Room 113, 6-10 p.m.

How to Start a Business- Tuesday - August 24- All of the requirements of starting a business will be shared.

How to Write a Business Plan- Tuesday - August 31-The key components of a business plan and cash flow analysis will be shared.

How to Finance Your Business- Tuesday - September 7-Learn the facts about adequate financing for your small business.

How to Market Your Business- Tuesday- September 14-Learn to develop an effective marketing plan.

Tax Reporting Requirements- Tuesday- September 21-Learn the basics of state and federal tax requirements and filing.

Small Business Record Keeping - Tuesday- September 28=-Learn to manage the balance sheet, income sheet and cash flow for your business.

All seminars are free, and a Certificate of Completion will be given to those who attend all six sessions.

Fundamentals of Supervision and Management

Hoffler Building-Monk Auditorium, 9:00 a.m.-12 p.m.

The Best Year of Your Life- Thursday - August 12- Explore the value of a contagious zest for life with professional speaker & author Tim Dannelly.

How to find, hire and keep great people- Thursday - September 30-Learn to find and keep great people for your organization- John Formica

Coaching your employees- The Disney way to get positive results- Thursday - October 28- This session will focus on results oriented leadership styles, effective communication skills, and coaching skills that motivate and result in increased performance form your team. -John Formica

Diversity Awareness-Building Better Relationships- Thursday- November 18- Learn to identify the barriers to diversity, four steps to building better relationships, guidelines for managing a diverse workplace and how to meet the needs of your diverse customers.- John Formica

All seminars are free, and a Certificate of Completion will be given to those who attend all four sessions.