PITTSBORO -- The Chatham County Council on Aging urges those enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug and health plan coverage to take advantage of the 2010 open enrollment period through Dec. 31 to review their coverage and make any needed changes. The open enrollment period is the one time per year that those covered by Medicare can revise their health care coverage.
"Since coverage varies by plan, it is a good time to think about how your health status may have changed and what your health needs may be for the coming year," said Angel Dennison, executive director of the Council on Aging.
Medicare recipients and their family members can get one-on-one personalized assistance on any changes they need to make through the Council on Aging.
Those who qualify for the low income subsidy may enroll at any time. When they call they need to ask about "extra help." Those with Medicare Advantage still have from Jan. 1 to March 31 to make changes.
To make an appointment for assistance with Medicare coverage review or changes, contact Evelyn White at (919) 542-4512. Appointments can be made for either the Eastern Chatham Senior Center in Pittsboro or the Western Chatham Senior Center in Siler City.
School board to meet Dec. 17
PITTSBORO -- The Chatham County Board of Education will meet on Dec. 17, at the central office in Pittsboro.
The open session will begin at 5:30 p.m. The board originally had a December meeting scheduled for Dec. 7, changed it to Dec. 15, and now, due to schedule conflicts, has needed to re-schedule it to Dec. 17.
Commissioners receive award
PITTSBORO -- The Chatham County Board of Commissioners received the 2009 County Commissioners Award from the N.C. School Boards Association (NCSBA), in recognition of the commissioners' outstanding support of public education. The award was presented in Greensboro at the NCSBA's Annual Conference on Nov. 17.
The association honors one board of commissioners each year and made the selection based on a nomination letter submitted by the Chatham County Board of Education.
"We were elated to get the news from Superintendent Robert Logan that we had been selected for this honor," said George Lucier, who chairs the Chatham County Board of Commissioners.
According to Kathie Russell, chairwoman of the Chatham County Board of Education, the school board nominated the commissioners for their cooperative spirit as well as their commitment to funding K-12 education.
"We have a culture of cooperation between the two boards that has made it much easier to cope with state budget cuts and other challenges facing our schools," she said.
Pre-order trees for Christmas
BYNUM -- Bynum Front Porch, a non-profit community organization, is taking pre-orders for fresh cut North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas trees, wreaths and garland until Monday. Money raised from the sale will help fund two annual scholarships for Chatham County high school seniors
To ensure the freshest trees possible, the Christmas tree farm will cut only trees that have been pre-ordered a week prior to delivery. On Saturday, Dec. 5, Christmas trees, wreaths and garland can be picked up at the Bynum General Store at 950 Bynum Road between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Trees range from 5 feet to 12 feet and cost between $45 and $150. Wreaths are $25 each and garland is $1 per foot. A $25 deposit is needed for trees and a $10 deposit is needed for wreaths. The balance can be paid when items are picked up. Visit www.bynumfrontporch.org to place pre-orders.
There is an option to have trees delivered for an additional $20 if pickup is not possible.
OPC is looking for volunteers
PITTSBORO -- A major way that citizens can have a positive impact on the future of Chatham County is to volunteer to serve on one of more than 40 county advisory boards and commissions, including the Orange-Person-Chatham Area Program Board (OPC). This board provides comprehensive planning, budgeting, implementing, and monitoring group for community-based mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse programs.
A local political subdivision of the state, the OPC Board currently has three vacancies. It meets regularly on the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m.
The OPC Board is in special need of specific categories of individuals required by state law, including persons with:
n professional financial expertise.
n professional business management skills.
n a family member of a person with a developmental disability (including next of kin, parent, sibling or guardian).
Additional information on OPC can be found on the following Web site www.opcareaprogram.com/board.htm or contact Janine Reda at (919) 913-4010. To complete an application to serve, visit the Chatham County Web site at: www.chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=49 or contact Elizabeth Plata at (919) 542-8200.
NCSU offers co-op training
PITTSBORO -- N.C. State University's N.C. MarketReady program will offer a cooperative board member training workshop at the Cooperative Extension Center, 45 South St., from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 3. Anyone thinking about forming a cooperative in agricultural or horticultural fields is welcome to attend. Rod Gurganus, director of N.C. MarketReady, and James Matson, agribusiness advisor, will present the free public workshop.
Participants of the training will learn how operating a cooperative is different from organizing one. The presentation will cover how to transition from a steering committee to a board of directors, roles of leadership, board/management relationships and board fiduciary responsibilities. The training will also cover legal, financial and strategic planning as well as communication matters among other topics.
There are no fees, but attendees should register for the workshop by e-mailing Gurganus at rod_gurganus@ncsu.edu.
Free parking is available for attendees at the center.
Minority pupils receive awards
PITTSBORO -- African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American students who excel and improve academically were honored recently by the Raising Achievement/Closing Gaps Task Force during its annual Minority Student Achievement Awards Celebration.
During the ceremonies organizers recognized minority students who scored at level III or level IV on the state end-of-grade (EOG) tests given at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. In all, 915 elementary and middle school students were invited to participate in the programs, an increase from the 755 eligible last year.
Superior Court Judge Carl Fox spoke at Northwood High School and Siler City Police Chief Gary Tyson spoke at Jordan-Matthews High School.
Mary Harris, a 2009 retiree of Chatham County Schools, was honored as the first recipient of an award named in her honor, the Mary B. Harris Educator Award for Minority Achievement.
Harris spent many years as an elementary teacher and later worked in the central office where one of her roles was in the area of minority affairs.
Literacy panel seeks volunteers
PITTSBORO -- The Chatham County Literacy Council is urgently seeking volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring for adults who need help with grammar, reading comprehension, writing and math.
Students include people working on their high school equivalency diplomas and some who need stronger English-language communication skills to get a job or to get a promotion. They also include people who simply want to be able to read to their children, to fill out an application form or to understand the directions on a bottle of medicine.
Tutors do not need a teaching background or foreign-language skills. The literacy council will provide training.
Tutors are needed for one-on-one sessions in Pittsboro and Siler City, and for group sessions in Siler City and North Chatham County. Daytime and evening hours are available.
To help or to get more information, contact Executive Director Bonnie Bechard at (919) 542-0844.
