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 CommonGood E-NewsWhat's happening in social justice, social action and community outreach in Dare and Currituck Counties CommonGood Web
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 Getting My Head Out of the Sand
What I read is that in 30 or 40 or 50 years, the sea levels will rise and this world will be a different place. [You don't have to agree. You can choose your sources and decide this Climate Change issue is nonsense or worse. I hope that works for you]
But it isn't working for me. The fact is that I live in a place where Climate Change will have a definite impact. Scientists, both locally and nationally, are researching the heck out that fact: What will happen, how do we measure them, and how do we adapt.
All of this is overwhelming. I know I should have paid more attention in Environmental Science but that was 30 years ago. I need remedial Climate Change 101 and vocabulary lists.
I look at all of the resources we have around us: Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina State, Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, Army Corp Research facility, and more. Maybe they already offer the Remedial Climate Change 101. I'm going to check into it and I'll let you know. It would be nice if some of you joined me.
Nancy
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Walking for Hunger
The Albemarle Walk for Hunger
will be held on Sunday, October 10, 2010. The Annual Walk is largest
singl  e fundraiser for the Food Food Bank of the Albemarle is having
its Annual Walk for Hunger. Every
dollar raised will provide approximately 5 pounds of food. If you are interested in providing support and leadership for next year's walk, please contact CommonGood and I'll pass your name along.
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Outer Banks Charity Classic Tennis Tournament Takes Shape  Come enjoy a spectacular weekend of doubles tennis featuring players from across North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and DC. See a special pro exhibition match Friday evening featuring area pro tennis players. Bid on auction items, including jewelry, vacation deals, a sunset sailboat ride for four, dining packages and more, beginning Saturday afternoon. The Eighth Annual Outer Banks Charity Classic Tennis Tournament will be held Oct. 1-3 and all proceeds will benefit the Home Health and Hospice Program of Dare, an agency of the Dare County Department of Public Health. Funds raised from the Classic Charity are used
specifically for Hospice's volunteer coordination activities. This is
the signature fundraiser for the Hospice Program of Dare Home Health
and Hospice, an agency of the Dare County Department of Public Health. "With about 65 tennis players signed up to date, there will be some incredible non-stop tennis matches this weekend,' said Jim Groff, chairman of the Outer Banks Charity Classic. "Plus, Friday evening's pro match featuring four area pros promises to be a display of exciting high level tennis."
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Volunteer Opportunities
 Volunteer at the Beach Food Pantry There are many ways to become
involved in helping the Beach Food Pantry. We are open Monday through Friday from 2 pm to 4 pm. If you
would like to volunteer to help clients during these hours,
please contact a coordinator from a participating church listed
on the Supporting Members page
Youth Partnership for Dare County is looking for caring volunteers to tutor at-risk preschool children using the WINGS preschool literacy program. WINGS volunteers will play literacy-based games at least once a week, focusing on memory, comprehension, problem-solving, creative thinking, and decision-making. The typical time spent volunteering each week is 1-2 hours. For more information, please contact Carla Heppert at 252-441-0614 or email her at wings@darekids.org. Children and Youth Partnership is a non-profit organization serving children, youth, and families in Dare County. The Partnership administers the state Smart Start program for Dare County for children birth through age 5 and is a central source of information about activities, programs and resources for children
The Whalehead Club Arts in the Park on Sept. 1 & 2. Volunteers are needed: work booths: sell t-shirts, drinks and cookies;
bake goodies for the bake sale; and offer hospitality breaks to the
artists during the show. Contact Julia Jordan
at The Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park
P O Box 307, Corolla, NC
(252) 453-9040 ext. 3 or by email.
Children at Play is currently looking for volunteers that would like to
work in the museum with the children, doing activities such as arts and crafts,
stories and games. Our address is 3809 N. Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 and
our number is 599 1373. Children at Play is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization.
The Dare Literacy Council is in need of
volunteer tutors. Email dareliteracy@gmail.comAlbemarle Commission needs volunteers to deliver nutritious
meals to senior citizens in Dare County Monday through Friday. The Home Delivered Meals Program serves seniors that
are 60 years of age or over, homebound and no longer able to prepare a
nutritious meal for themselves. If you have one hour a month to help
a senior,please contact
Mary Jernigan at (252)475-5637 at the Baum Center, Sandra Cantrell- Bush at (252)473-9279
or Sandy Scarborough at (252)475-5625 at the new
Dare County Center. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, a partnering church or civic/community organization with Respite Care, please contact, Stephanie Bowers, Program Coordinator at (252) 475-5028.
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 Organizations are invited to list volunteer
opportunities at CommonGood or email obxcommongood@gmail.com
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48.7% increase in average number of households receiving
food assistance 2009 to 2008
| Persons applying for assistance today are often individuals that once had a year or more of household expenses saved up and have depleted their savings due to lack of work, mostly in the construction or real estate industry. They are watching their assets dwindle as they go into foreclosure or items such as vehicles, boats, work trailers and campers are repossessed. Individuals that once invested in real estate as a means to have a secure retirement are now moving from home to home as they go into foreclosure. Families are being forced to live apart in one parent's efforts to seek work elsewhere while the other parent tries to maintain the home while children attend school in Dare County.
 Food and Nutrition Services (formerly referred to as food stamps) helps individuals and families increase their purchasing power to provide more nutritious meals, promoting better health. Individuals or families must meet income guidelines (at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level), and asset, citizenship and work requirements in order to be eligible to participate. Applications are available in various loc ations throughout the county and can be requested by phone, allowing for more accessibility to the program. Watch this video about the US Food and Nutrition services.
There were a total of 1,747 applications received for Food and Nutrition Services during calendar year 2009. This is a 19.6% increase from the 1,460 applications received during in 2008. There was a significant increase in food stamp mail-in and drop-off applications with the department receiving 374 in 2009; a 39.5% increase from the 268 applications received in 2008. Out of the 1,747 applications received in 2009, 21.4% were mail-in applications. There were 595 applications by first time applicants in 2009, a 62.1% increase from the 367 applications received in 2008.
There was a 48.7% increase in the monthly average number of households receiving food assistance when comparing calendar year 2009 to calendar year 2008, with 1,020 receiving in 2009 and 686 receiving in 2008. The monthly average number of individuals participating in the food and nutrition services program was 2,154 in 2009, a 51.2% increase from the monthly average of 1,425 individuals in calendar year 2008. Average expenditures per month in calendar year 2009 were $267,018 compared to $143,206 in 2008, an increase of 86.5%.
Applications have increased by 93.7% during this period and the number of first time applicants has increased by 134.3%. There has been a 175.7% increase in the number of households receiving assistance, a 189.1% increase in the number of individuals receiving assistance, and a 349.7% increase in average monthly expenditures.
Individual case situations have become more complex with people seeking assistance in multiple programs. Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of referrals being made to agency socials workers and/or community resources. Income maintenance caseworkers and social work staff completed 1,114 referrals to the food pantries in 2009, a 45.25% increase over the 767 in 2008.
The Food and Nutrition Services staff assigned to processing and ongoing responsibilities remained at two workers for many years. The average Food & Nutrition Services caseload  was 343 per worker in calendar year 2008. By April 2009, the average caseload had grown to 500 cases per worker. In June of 2009, an additional Food & Nutrition Services worker was hired with Funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At the present time, caseloads are averaging 398 per worker.
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Listen to Dan Gediman, co-editor of This I Believe II
 More than 1000 copies of This I Believe were recently distributed throughout Dare County as part of the 2010 Outer Banks Community Read Initiative spearheaded by the Dare Education Foundation. The book's co-editor, Dan Gediman, will be the featured guest speaker at several community events scheduled for Thursday, September 23. These events are free and open to the public thanks to support from the Outer Banks Community Foundation.
Dan Gediman will entertain and
inspire guests who attend one of his scheduled appearances in Dare County
on Thursday, September 23. A 1:00pm
event is planned at the Dare County Center
in Manteo and a 7:00pm event is planned at the Hilton Garden Inn, Kitty Hawk. Both
events are free and open to the public. To
reserve your place, call the Dare Education Foundation at 255-5545.Community Read Initiative partners also include the Outer
Banks Chamber's Create the Future Initiative, Dare County Libraries, and the
Dare County Arts Council. In advance of the public events, Dan Gediman will also provide
a two-hour staff development program for all teachers in Dare County
Schools. With funding from the Outer
Banks Community Foundation, DEF was able to give a copy of This I Believe to every teacher in the district. Teachers read the book over the summer and
will now have the unique opportunity to spend time with Dan and explore ways they
can use This I Believe in the
classroom to help students develop 21st Century Skills.
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Beach Angels for Bela
 Sunday, September 26, 2010 1 pm to 9 pm, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Milepost 8/12 on highway 158 next to the wind turbine. This benefit has been organized by many friends and genero  us Outer Banks residents on behalf of Isabela Rainey, the daughter of Gordon And Janet Rainey, who has been fighting for her life since the end of July from a brain anerurysm.
1 pm to 6 pm - in the "back yard" Live Music: The Revenge Of Band, Wet Bedty And Ourbanx Band
Great raffle giveaways all day long
Barbeque plates donated by Roadside Bar And Grill
Lots of fun games and crafts for the kids !
facepainting, bouncy ball room donated By Metro Rentals, beach bungee trampoline
Silent auction from 1 pm to 7 pm
Generous donations including: Surfboards, A Trip To Maui,Golf Passes, Beautiful Art And Paintings, Kitty Hawk Kites Adventure Package,Jewelry,2 Night/3 Days Beach Cottage..And So Much More !
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm - inside Outer Banks Brewing Station Live music: Laura Martier, Ruth Wyand Band and Joe Mapp And The Coordinates More great raffle giveaways ! Proceeds raised from this event, including ten percent of the dinner proceeds go directly to the Rainey's.
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First Walk Against Addiction
 Saturday, September 25th at 9:00am, First Flight High School. The walk is to support awareness in Dare County, NC, that addiction is a treatable disease and that recovery is possible. Registrations begin at 9:00 am. $10 registration feed. All walkers receive breakfast compliments of Dunkin Donuts, water from Pepsi, and a special tote bag. Mighty Wind United Methodist Church will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs after the walk. There will be professionals in the fields of addiction, treatment facilities and support groups to pass out information and answer any questions. Proceeds from the walk benefit 'The Awareness That Addiction is a Disease Fund' to educate people about addiction and assisting with helping those that need treatment for substance substance. As research from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America has shown,
raising awareness that addiction is a disease and that recovery is
possible can help to reduce stigma that prevents those dealing with
substance abuse from seeking treatment. For information on the Walk, contact Brenda Thacker at 252.202.1110 or obx810@hotmail.com
"No one is ashamed to have cancer, heart disease or any other type of illness and they seek help immediately. But I believe there is still a stigma attached to the disease of addiction and I am hopeful that my walk will help take some of that away so people reach out for treatment and hope to change their lives", said Brenda Thacker who has spearheaded this special event. Accurate knowledge of the disease helps people to understand the importance of support. You play an important role, too, as
support networks are central for successful rehabilitation from
addiction. The assistance of family, friends, employers, and other
concerned community members can help someone achieve long-term
recovery.
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Need for
Literacy Volunteers
 In a 2006 Survey, The Dare Literacy Council found the great literacy need was English as a Second Language (ESL). While this need has remained constant, there has been an increased need for GED tutoring since the economic downturn in 2008. The Dare Literacy Council is in need of volunteers to tutor and help in other ways. Tutors are trained to teach adults to learn to read, to improve their reading or math skills, to learn English as a Second Language or to prepare for their GED (high school equivalency). No teaching experience or second language skills are necessary. The Tutor Training Workshop will take place on Saturday, October 2 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Nags Head. There is a $25 fee which covers the cost of your workbook and lunch is provided.
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 Get out and help us clean our coast! Saturday, October 2, 2010 � 9 am - 12 Noon. Trash bags, data cards, gloves, water and other supplies will be provided at the following locations: Southern Shores Fire Department; Chickahauk Beach Access;Kitty Hawk Kayak & Surf School; Kitty Hawk Bath House; KDH Bath House; Bonnett Street; Nags Head Town Hall; NC Aquarium;Coquina Beach Bath House and Pea Island Visitor Center 
Saturday, October 2, 2010 � 12 noon - 4 pm, The Outer Banks Brewing Station in KDH, Free food and drink, live music and
g ood times at TRASHFEST -Featuring live drumming by the ToneTones, accoustic music by SoulOne and good ole surf rock by Rubber Pants!
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