MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Michael Graybar

dy·nam·ic : adjective
1: of or relating to physical force or energy 2: marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change 3: energetic, forceful 4: Dr. Michael Graybar.
Dynamic was the one word that resonates after interviewing Dr. Graybar for this article, and it is the perfect word to describe the effect he has on every area of life he touches. As a chiropractor, a father, a man of faith, and as a coach, he is the example of continuous and productive activity and change.
The change he brings to healing physical pain is dynamic to his patients, the changes he is bringing to the lives of many young people will be dynamic to our community.
Michael Graybar was raised in New Jersey, went to college in Pennsylvania, where he played soccer and lettered all four years, In the relatively short time he has been in North Carolina, his practice has grown from one to three office locations, with a staff of three chiropractors. Among their patients are the Wilmington Hammerheads professional soccer team.
The practice is demonstrating its commitment to the health of children with the creation of a KIDS wellness clinic. Drs. Graybar, Johnson and Luxeder have set aside special times at all three office locations when children under 12 are treated with Chiropractic care using the Pro-Adjuster free of charge. The care provided at the KIDS wellness clinic does not include care provided for injury or accidents, but is designed to promote and maintain wellness during the age when the spine is developing.
Dr. Graybar is the father of five children under the age of 12. When his then eight year old showed an interest in soccer, there were no programs locally, so he took him to Wilmington for practices and games. As any of you who taxi the kids to their activities know, that can get old! Dr. Graybar decided to start a team
here. He worked to develop and coach a soccer program at Charity Middle School. The first year, there were 12 kids who tried out. Enough for a team. The second year, there were 30. The interest is multi-racial, and the team finished with a 5-1 record.
“The effect goes beyond the game.”, Dr. Graybar said. “A good athletic program ripples pride which splashes into school pride.”
There are currently teams at Wallace Elementary and Charity Middle School. Dr. Graybar has been Varsity Coach for the Charity team; and this year will coach the first Varsity Men’s soccer team playing at Wallace-Rose Hill High in four years. The open practice session begins July 7, with official try-outs during the first week in August. The first season, they will play 16-18 games.
To Dr. Graybar, this is not just a soccer program, but is an opportunity to give options. The program incorporates academic and life goals as well as games skills. The W-RH program will include academic incentives, a mentoring program, and a community service requirement. The focus will be to emphasize a purpose for their lives and in their life.
Each team member will be suited with a JOMA training suit, team bag and jerseys. Players who maintain their academic grades will be able to complete the season, and maintain averages at or above standard during the entire year prior to the start of the soccer season, will have the training suits and bags personalized and will be given them to keep at the end of the season. Players will be reviewed mid-season for academic eligibility. This program will create a commitment in the students to keep their grades up throughout the year and create a sense of honor and pride.
With all this, Dr. Graybar is far from finished. He sees the need for a girl’s soccer program and the need for a recreation program in town. He said that out of 60 students who will try out, only 25 will develop. There is a need for more programs to strengthen the youth in the community.
The Team Motto states that “You develop a team to achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. All of us alone, by far, are weaker than if we stand together.” This is the dynamic vision of a dynamic man.
For more information on the KIDS clinic, the soccer teams, or to share in the vision by sharing time or resources, contact Dr. Graybar at 910-285-7222 or dgraybar@aol.com

New Member Spotlight: One Peacock Place LTD.

Take a turn off Main Street, down S.E. Railroad St., and stroll towards the depot, and you’ll find a gem of a shop. One Peacock Place LTD. is owned by Linda Sikes and carries an eclectic mix of antiques, home décor and gift items. Linda’s goal is to continually change out the mix, and she is always looking for new items to bring in. Some of the popular items she has brought to town are Greenleaf oil diffusers, Staxx jewelry, Poo-pourri, German chocolates, Uttermost lighting, unique furniture pieces, and an great selection of affordable gift items.
Linda has kept her job as a flight attendant, which gives her access to antiques and other items from Europe, but also limits the days the shop can be open. The shop’s hours are Thursday and Friday from 10-5 and Saturday from 10-4. Stop in and be treated to exceptional customer service, sip a cup of tea, and enjoy the space. It is a beautiful shop full of beautiful things just waiting for you to enjoy them!

Monthly Meeting June 11- Two speakers

Don Spry II, the Senior Area Manager of the U.S Small Business Administration will be our guest speaker at the June Chamber of Commerce Meeting June 11 at 1:00 p.m. There are changes to the standards applied to small businesses which effect the ability to qualify for loans, and, under the stimulus bill, there are special programs available to small businesses to help in the economic downturn we find ourselves in.
Learn how small business size standards have been changed for the 7a program to mirror those required for 504 program clients. This change allows inclusion of those businesses whose retail sales levels exceeded gross sales maximums previously making them ineligible for 7a lending. This change to the size standard is effective at least thru September 30, 2009 (end of federal fiscal year).
Also, learn about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus bill package approved by Congress in February, 2009 the ARC is a centerpiece program designed to help small businesses with refinancing of existing debt and generate needed cash flow assistance.

Heather Beard, the new Director of Economic Development for Duplin County will also be at the June meeting. Heather has a strong background in economic development, and has a strong command of the issues and problems facing our county, and a fresh perspective on opportunities. Heather assumed her new position in April, and has been working to meet the chamber members throughout the county. Please be sure and join in welcoming Heather to the southern part of the county!

6th Annual Chamber Golf Classic

Thanks to all the sponsors and volunteers who made this year's tournament a success!

6th Annual Chamber Golf Classic winners:
Closest to the pin-Eddie Bowman
Longest Drive- Chip Pate
1st Place Team-R. A. Jeffries Distributing Co.
2nd Place Team-Wells Stockyard & Flea Market
3rd Place Team-BB&T/Carlton Wells Insurance

Third Thursday in the Park Concert

Madonna Nash is a singer/songwriter native to Wilmington, NC. She began singing at a very early age, playing with her daddy in bars before she was old enough to drive. It wasn’t until her teenage years that she began writing music. A few more years of writing constantly and playing in as many honky-tonks and coffee shops as she could find, has made her into the talented and versed singer/songwriter and brilliant performer she is today. Madonna grew up listening to Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Kenny and Dolly, and Reba to name a few. Those influences are apparent in her own voice which rings of truth, heart and soul. Her recognizable talent has allowed her to open up for various acts such as Shenandoah and make return appearances on her local country station. She has also been nominated for “best female country artist” at the 2008 Carolina Music Awards.

A full calendar of events!

What do you get when several different community groups work along the same lines? A great collection of events planned for Downtown Wallace over the next months!
The Friends of the Depot held a plant sale April 25th, and they are kicking off their annual membership drive May 14th from 5-7 p.m. with a Hot Dog Social at the depot. This is a free event featuring food and entertainment. Jaxie Cavender is excited about this year’s event- they will have cloggers performing, and Mary Hart Blackburn is coordinating a performance by school children. The train room will be open, and the speeder will be running for the event. A Hobo Dinner and Sunset Celebration are also planned for the fall. Wallace-Rose Hill Friends of the Arts is sponsoring a series of “Third Thursdays in the Park” free concerts from May through August at the Wanoca Amphitheater featuring great local entertainment. The first concert is May 21. Visit their web site (http://www.wrhfoa.com) for a full listing of events.
The Long Leaf Arts Crafts Guild is re-setting the gallery, adding items and giving it a fresh new look. A Batik and Acrylics class is scheduled May 23rd. Art at the Depot is planned for October 3rd this year, and Theresa Elias is hopeful that this will be the best year ever for the event. Visit their web site for more info. (http://longleafguild.org)The Farmer’s Market has a new manager this year. Fran Jackson, who was one of the exhibitors last year, has taken on the challenge, and she is full of ideas to make this year at the market exciting!
The 2009 season of the Wallace Farmer’s Market at the Depot gets underway Saturday, May 16th and will run through October. The hours for the market will be from 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. this year. Many of the vendors who participated in the market last year will be returning again, and there are several new vendors joining for all or part of the season. There will be special events planned throughout the season that will include entertainment and contests. Among those planned are cloggers, singers, a watermelon eating contest, and pumpkin carving in the fall. A major event is in the works for July 4th that will involve church and civic groups as well as the vendors.
For more information on becoming a vendor contact Fran Jackson, by phone at 910-289-9289, or visit the Farmer’s Market’s info online at http://wallacefarmersmarket.blogspot.com to view the requirements and print a copy of the application. The blog will also have a special events calendar and information on what’s going on at the market.
Many of the Downtown Merchants are planning a Sidewalk Sale for the opening day of the Farmer’s Market, so be sure and look for bargains there!
The year will finish out with the events sponsored by the Wallace Chamber of Commerce. Christmas at Twilight is planned for November 21st this year. This annual event has indeed become a downtown tradition, and it’s popularity keeps growing!
The Wallace Christmas Parade with all its floats and fun will bring Santa to town December 12th.
Our hats are off to all the community members who have worked so hard and volunteered so much for the past five years to make the dream of a revitalized downtown come true. Many thanks to the Wallace Revitalization Association, the Wallace Women’s Club, The W-RH Friends of the Arts, The Long Leaf Arts & Crafts Guild, The Wallace Chamber of Commerce, The Friends of the Depot, The Friends of the Library, The Wallace Rotary, the volunteers working on the depot shed, the moms and dads who bring their kids out to participate in events, and all of our Chamber of Commerce volunteers.
Please support these events with your attendance!

New Member Spotlight: Pender Memorial Hospital

Pender Memorial Hospital, located in Burgaw, NC, is a not-for-profit, community hospital serving all of Pender County and the surrounding areas since 1951. PMH is licensed for a total of 86 beds, including 43 for acute care and 43 for skilled nursing (long-term and short-term rehab). There is an 11-bay emergency department staffed 24-hours a day by specialty trained emergency physicians. The surgery department has large, modernized operating rooms located on the main hospital campus in the Surgery and Endoscopy Center, which opened in June 2008. Pender Memorial also has a home health agency that covers an eight-county radius. In 1999, Pender Memorial Hospital entered into an affiliation with New Hanover Regional Medical Center in order to better provide a full range of services to the community.
For more information visit their website:
www.nhhn.org/homepage_pender

Welcome to our NEW MEMBERS!

C&W CopierService
Wayne Crews
4153 Technology Drive
Suite1 Box 14
Wilmington
Phone: 910-791-1154
www.cwcopier.com

Pender Memorial Hospital
Holly Horton
507 East Fremont Street, Burgaw
Phone: 910-259-5451
www.nhhn.org/homepage_pender

Carolina Unwired
Tammy Walker
613 E. Southerland St.
Phone: 910-285-9992
www.uscellular.com

Wallace Animal Hospital
Harley & Dr. Duane Blanton
483 Stallings Rd., Teachey
Phone: 910-285-5454

Third Thursdays in the park

The Wallace-Rose Hill Friends of the Arts is excited to offer a monthly series of free concerts from May through August 2009. The first of the “Third Thursdays in the Park” concert series is scheduled for Thursday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wanoca Park Amphitheater. The Country Roads Band will be performing their mix of traditional and modern country and classic rock & roll. The band hails from Wilson, and performs throughout the area at festivals and special events.
Future concerts will include performances by Madonna Nash, the Given Take Band and the Sherry Winston Jazz Ensemble. For more information, visit the Friends of the Arts web site at www.wrhfoa.com

SNAPS- emergency response & preparedness

SNAPS provides local-level community profile information nationwide. It can be browsed by county and state and searched by zip code. SNAPS serves as a valuable tool when responding to public health emergency events at the state, Tribal, and local levels. It provides a "snap shot" of key variables for consideration in guiding and tailoring health education and communication efforts to ensure diverse audiences receive critical public health messages that are accessible, understandable, and timely. In addition to information pertinent to dealing with emergencies and emergency preparedness, the SNAPS website has links to the CDC database of diseases and conditions and disaster situations. http://emergency.cdc.gov/snaps/
SNAPS data is derived from the 2000 U.S. Census and several 2003 CDC databases.
Reprinted with permission.

What happened to the April Newsletter?

The mailing of our April newsletter was delayed due to equipment issues. We apologize for the delay!
The newsletter is available online at the Chamber web site-in PDF form by clicking the “NEWS” image , or on the web by clicking on the “Chamber Blog” link .

Put your logo in your listing!

Jeridith Blanton is updating the membership listings on the new Wallace Chamber of Commerce web site. You will be able to have your company logo displayed on your information page if you wish. To have your logo displayed, email it to Jeridith as either a JPEG or GIF image. If you have an e-mail address or web site URL that needs to included in your listing, be sure to include that information as well. E-mail Jeridith at jblanton@bnbwebdesign.com

No May Membership Meeting

There is no membership meeting scheduled for May because we are holding the Annual Benefit Golf Tournament this month. The tournament is scheduled for May 8th, starting at 8:30 a.m. at the River Landing Golf Course. There are still sponsorship opportunities available- call Lou Powell at 910-285-4044 for more information about the event or becoming a sponsor.