OliverFest to feature music from the 60s-70s

The second annual OliverFest is set for Saturday in Downtown North Wilkesboro.

OliverFest is a free street festival celebrating the music of William “Oliver” Swofford and the Summer of ’69. The event will feature music from the era along with other attractions.

Swofford, who died of cancer in 2000, was a native of North Wilkesboro. He recorded the chart-topping hit “Good Morning Starshine” in 1969 and the subsequent hit “Jean.”

The festival will run from 5 p.m. to midnight. Stages for musical entertainment will be at Brushy Mountain Ruritan Park at the corner of 10^th and Main streets.

Again this year Beatles tribute band Britishmania will perform. This band will take the stage at 9 p.m. and play until around midnight. Britishmania’s performance will be dedicated to the memory of Kathy Bauguss, a beloved Wilkes resident and victim of muscular dystrophy, who died in December 1977. 

Other bands performing will be Sonny Remington and the Strangers (from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m.), Four Wheel Drive (from 6:15 p.m. until 7:15 p.m.) and Crusher Run (from 7:30 p.m. until 8:45 p.m.).

Food, beverages and souvenirs will be available for sale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classes begin at Family Central

By JERRY LANKFORD

Record Editor

The hallways of the old Lincoln Heights school were abuzz with activity on Monday.

That’s when the first classes were held at what is now Wilkes Family Central at Lincoln Heights.

Wilkes Family Resource Center and Moravian Falls English as a Second Language site have combined  forces at the former Career Technical Education Center at 374 Lincoln Heights Road in Wilkesboro. 

With the help of donations and volunteers both centers moved into their new site and held classes for the first time this week.. 

“This is a combined effort between Smart Start, Wilkes Community College, Volunteers for Wilkes Literacy, Circles of Care, HOLA, Head Start and other organizations to build a true community center where groups can use meeting space for families and provide services that help families gain skills and education to build successful lives,” said Wilkes Smart Start Executive Director Laura Welborn. 

Wilkes Community College adult basic skills department and English as a Second Language classes began on Monday with Smart Start providing child care for participants. 

Smart Start will hold Nurturing Parent classes and Our House, Love and Logic classes with onsite child care. Circles of Care will have room for family meals that can house over 70 individuals and small groups can meet in a variety of rooms.

 HOLA, a Latino organization that works to promote healthy lifestyles among families to combat diabetes and heart disease, is also a part of the new center. 

There is a Vision Room with wall-to-wall dreamwalls by Gardner Glass. This room will allow participants to draw their life plans and dream new goals each week when they meet with Circles of Care on Thursdays.

 There is also a career room with a partnership with Goodwill Career Center to provide job assistance for job attainment.

Donations came in volunteer time and labor by Lance Ben Israel, Sam Hennett, Lowe’s Companies, which donated desk sets, Ken Welborn, For U Christ Ministries, Crossfire Church, and numerous others.

Smart Start staff at the facility include Mary Jolly, director, Tiger Posey, evening coordinator, teachers- Cathy Messick, Junko Woodard, Joyce Shepherd, Elsie Barnes, and Elsa Garcia.  Missy Carlton will handle facilities and food for children and families.

Wilkes Community College staff at the center includes Eunice Call, Family Literacy outreach, teachers - Janet Derrick, Petrice, Tammy Griffin, Edya Bennett, Deborah Britton ESL coordinator and Career Readiness Certificate Education teacher Kim Critz.

Volunteers for Wilkes Literacy staff Deborah Elledge Parker, coordinator of Family Literacy, and Wilma Elmore, assistant, also have offices at the site. Circles of Care personnel at the center includes  Annette Snider and Greta Ferguson  HOLA staff include Tony Marin and Lourdes Carrillo.

Those working at the center had say they are pleased with the new location.

Lourdes Carrillo, director of HOLA of Wilkes. “Finally we have an office,” Carrillo said. “Before we met with people in the library and in restaurants. Now we can help them better by having an office.”

Deborah Parker, executive director of Wilkes Literacy, said, “We are excited to be part of the new vision created by establishment of Wilkes Family Central at Lincoln Heights.”

Parker added, “Our collaboration with the participating organization and programs will enable us to reach far more residents of Wilkes needing our services for literacy and communication skills. Our role for the center will be to coordinate the literacy and volunteer opportunities available though the site.”

Annette Snider, community organizer of Wilkes Circle of Care, said of the site, “I think it’ll be great. It’ll be an environment that will welcome all families in Wilkes. I’m excited about the opportunity to work with all these organizations.”

Eunice Call, the family literacy coordinator for Wilkes Community College, said, “I am thrilled that we have this new location. We are going to make it a wonderful resource for families in Wilkes.”

Tiger Posey, the evening coordinator for youth for Smart Start, was helping a young boy with a math table in the Youth Room.

“We’ve got a whole new world of opportunities with all this space,” Posey said. “Now we can help even more youths. This is going to lead to a lot more and better things.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smart Start Pro Rodeo brings thrills to Wilkes

Note: This story is first in a series of rodeo cowboys

By REBECCA TRIPLETT-JOHNSON

For The Record

The Smart Start outreach program brought excitement and fun to the North Wilkesboro Rotary Park when they once again hosted the Mid-Atlantic Sanctioned Championship Pro Rodeo on Friday and Saturday nights.

 Heavy rains on Friday did not keep die hard rodeo fans away from the rough stock action as riders competed in bare back, saddle bronc, bull riding and other events.  With the return of clear skies on Saturday, a large crowd packed the stands for a second night of competition. 

 Fans also enjoyed other activities including pony rides, electric bull rides, sheep contests and air bounce playground fun.

 Food and drinks were provided by Smart Start and the Church of God of the Union Assembly. On Friday night, cowboy Casey Cearley took a longer than planned ride as he became hung during his bare back event.  After many hard fast laps around the arena, he was unable to release his wrist from the rigging. After being bounced over, around and off the back of his horse, he remained attached while dangling off the side.  Pick up riders were finally able to slow the horse down and secure its right side against the fence while they, along with the rodeo clown, were able to free Cearley's wrist on the left side.  A cowboy then covered Cearley's on the ground to protect him from being kicked or stomped until the horse was secured and driven from the arena.  Cearley was able to climb the fence and walk out on his own.

During a later bare back ride, cowboy Scott DeBois was not so lucky.  While exiting the chute, DeBois was knocked unconscious when the horse shifted to the right as it bolted from the stall, causing DeBois' head to be slammed against a steel gate latch. 

With the horse in full gallop and buck, the still unconscious DeBois was thrown, landing on his head then bouncing only to land again on the base of his neck.  Pick up riders and others took control of the free running horse while DeBois was removed from the arena on a backboard by members of the Wilkes Rescue Squad.  He regained consciousness in the ambulance, was assessed at Wilkes Regional Medical Center and transferred to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center where he was treated for head injuries and later released.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Community Happenings

The Humane Society of Wilkes offers registration for the low cost spay/neuter clinic every Tuesday night, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Wilkes County Public Library.  Registered pets are transported to the clinic on the second Monday of each month. For more information please call 336-984-0227.

The Wilkes Senior Citizens Council, Inc has fans to give to persons 60 years and older.  The eligibility requirements are as follows: Must be 60 years or older, and must be a resident of Wilkes County and have a home situation where a threat to the person’s health and well-being exists.

 

A collection drive to benefit The Wilkes County Animal Shelter - suggested items include:

bleach (any brand), white washcloths and towels (new or used), leashes, collars, small litter pans,

small cat food bowls, bags of disposable type cat litter. Collection Date:  Saturday, July 17 from

10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.   Collection Site:  Lowe's Home Improvement Store, Hwy 421 in Wilkesboro.

THANKS FROM THE ANIMALS!

 

New Light Baptist Church #1 will have a Summer Celebration Saturday, July 24 starting at 5:00 p.m. at Roaring River Ruritan Park. There will be fun for all ages, and everyone is welcome!  The church will also have Vacation Bible School July 25-30 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:45p.m. There will be classes for all ages, from babies to adults. All are invited.

 

A yard sale will be held Saturday, July 17 beginning at 6 a.m. Take 268 East to Rock Creek Road, turn right onto Little Mountain Church Road, then right again onto Jimmy Bryant Road.  Lots of plus-sized clothing will be available, plus many household items. Call 696-6736 for more information.

 

Songwriter, guitarist, and singer, Anthony Abbott, will be in concert on Sunday, July 18 at 7 p.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Millers Creek. Come and be blessed.

 

Edgewood Baptist Church will hold a Vacation Bible School beginning July 18-22 from 6-9 p.m. each evening.  The theme for this year’s event is The Saddle Ridge Ranch, Driving Home Answers. For more details, call 287-0268, 428-7756, or 468-0967.  All are welcome.

 

Wilkes Central High School Classes of 1961-1966 will hold an organizational reunion meeting on September 11. For more information, contact the following: 1961, Eric Williams, 838-5891; 1962, Ann Kilby Dorsett, 838-8420; 1963, Linda Hall Lankford, 667-9453; 1964; Vickie Self Caudill, 838-2498; 1965, Becky Holland Jones, 921-3227; and class of 1966, Patsy Love Jones, 667-3962.