Student Struck by Car While Attempting to Board Bus Staff Reports
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Yummy, Early Deadlines: gummy fun: The Fuquay-Varina Independent print Teens head to the early next week for the New Year’s holi- Fuquay-Varina day. Please submit your news items, Community Library to photos and community announcements make a holiday staple. to Kelly Griffith at KGriffith@heartland- See Page 8A publications.com by Thursday at 5 p.m. VISIT THE INDEPENDENT’S WEBSITE AT WWW.FUQUAY-VARINAINDEPENDENT.COM Fuquay-Varina WIEDNESDAYnd, DECEMBER 26, 2012 ep 50en CENTS d ent FUQUAY-VARINA, NORTH CAROLINA Student struck by car while attempting to board bus Staff reports More than 50 trucks arrived at Kroger recently as part of Carolina Diesel Trucks’ Toys for Toys event. The trucks were driven in a convoy from A Fuquay-Varina High School student was Fuquay-Varina through downtown Apex. hit by a car on Dec. 19, attempting to board a school bus. Officers with the Fuquay-Varina Police Department responded to a report of an acci- Diesel-powered toy delivery dent on at 6:57 a.m. at the corner of Judd Parkway and Red Oak Tree Lane. Shawn Daley “According to witness reports, a Wake Apex HeraldEditor County School bus approached a stop at Judd Parkway traveling North West towards where When Carolina Diesel Trucks members decided to the road dead ends,” a statement released hold a special event for Christmas, they did it the only by Fuquay-Varina Public Information Susan way they know how. Weis said. They went big. Officials said Blair Rowe Hale, 31, was Traveling in a convoy of nearly 60 huge pick up traveling south east on Judd Parkway as the trucks, CDT recently delivered more than 300 items school bus approached the stop. The bus to a Toys for Tots drop off location at Kroger in Apex. driver turned on orange flashing lights to The impressive collection of customized trucks indicate the bus was about to stop. began the holiday-inspired journey in Fuquay-Varina John Luke Kurucz, 17, walked into the and rumbled its way to the grocery store on U.S. 64. road to meet the school bus and was struck CDT co-founder and Apex resident Thomas Andrew by Hale’s vehicle. said he was thrilled with the success of the inaugural Kurucz was transported to Wake Medical event. Center. He was alert and conscious and his “We had an outstanding turnout,” said Andrew. injuries are not life threatening, the state- “This night was all about the kids. Our goal was to pro- All photos by James Stevens Photography ment said. vide Christmas to less fortunate families and this was Carolina Diesel Trucks co-founders Michael Liles and Thomas Andrew Hale has been charged with failure to a great opportunity to give back to the community.” stand with local Toys for Toys coordinator U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. reduce speed to avoid a collision. David Swope, second from left, and Apex Kroger store manager Sandra An investigation is ongoing by the Fuquay- See TOYS | 2A Jones following the donation of more than 300 toys. Varina Police. Police chief Larry Smith said there’s plen- ty drivers and pedestrians can do to prevent Fire Department this type of accident. When drivers see the flashing lights on a shares joy of school bus, motorists should start slowing down. “The bus driver is activating the amber giving lights to give the motorist notice that they are getting ready to activate the red lights With the help of a generous com- and stop,” Smith said. “Drivers should munity, the Fuquay-Varina Fire always use caution and stay alert when they Department was able to deliver three truckloads of food to the Fuquay- see a school bus.” Varina Emergency Food Pantry this Smith also encourages bus passengers to month. The Fire Department holds stay alert. a food drive annually during the “Students should always wait for the bus holiday season. Donations go to driver to extend the ‘stop bar’ and red lights feed families in Fuquay-Varina, Holly before moving toward the bus to enter into Springs and Willow Springs. it.” To learn more about school bus safe- Contributed ty laws, go to http://www.ncbussafety.org/ schoolbussafety/sbswlaw.html. ‘Guiding Lights’ shine on dementia patients, their families Kali Howard dementia symptoms. They wanted to the video, “Do You Know Who I Intern offer a cost-free and easily accessible Am?” focuses on seeing past the resource to those family members. symptoms of dementia and focusing The Guiding Lights Caregiver The online version of the course is on what roles the patient had prior Support Center, a non-profit organi- tailored specifically for family care- to their diagnosis. Incorporating zation serving the Triangle area and givers: It gives them a “bird’s eye hobbies and activities that were beyond, has recently begun offer- view” of what their loved one is enjoyable before dementia set in can ing their dementia training course experiencing going through demen- improve the patients’ quality of life online. The course, entitled, “Do You tia, said Bruno. and sense of belonging, according to Know Who I Am?”, is free of charge The video provides communi- Guiding Lights’ Dementia Training for family caregivers. It provides a cation techniques, and a display, Workbook. unique approach to caregivers by incorporating dummies, of how to The Dementia Training Workbook assisting them in empathizing and approach people with dementia. The not only offers supplemental informa- communicating with their dementia dummies take on roles within the tion to the online video, but also pro- patients or loved ones, instead of video, with ‘Dolores’ acting as care- vides staggering statistics: Almost focusing solely on the medical aspect giver and ‘Delilah’ taking on the role fifty percent of those over the age of of dementia. of patient. This brings an interactive eighty-five suffer from Alzheimer’s. While the training course was approach into the online course, giv- Today, over five million people are originally provided for professional ing caregivers a chance to see the living with the disease, and the rate caregivers, Nicole Bruno, executive problems that can be encountered in of diagnosis is growing. director and co-founder of Guiding communicating with those suffering To access the online video or Lights, along with founder Julie from dementia, and how to go about learn more about Alzheimer’s dis- Contributed Falconer, noticed a lack of resources solving such problems. ease and how you can help, visit Guiding Lights co-founders Julie Falconer, left, and Nicole Bruno available for family members provid- Along with the empathy and com- Guiding Lights’ website at www. have recently started offering online training for caregivers of ing care to loved ones suffering from munication focus that is central to GuidingLightsNC.org. patients with dementia. fuquay-varinaindependent.com 2 – Fuquay-Varina Independent, Wednesday, December 26, 2012 Adkins wins school spelling bee Wake residents invited to go green with Happy Trails Recycling Program Wake County residents can help enhance 26, 2012, through Sunday, January 20, 2013, trails at County parks by recycling their from 8 a.m. until sunset. The following parks holiday trees with the Happy Trails Holiday will be accepting the trees: Tree Recycling Program, from Wednesday, nBlue Jay Point County Park: 3200 Dec. 26, 2012, through Sunday, Jan. 20, Pleasant Union Church Rd., Raleigh 2013, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Trees col- nHarris Lake County Park: 2112 County lected through the designated Wake County Park Dr., New Hill Convenience Centers will be chipped and nLake Crabtree County Park: 1400 used to mulch trails at County parks. The Aviation Parkway, Morrisville following locations will be accepting holiday Holiday trees must be undecorated trees: (remove ornaments, tinsel, lights, etc.) to nConvenience Center #1: 10505 Old be accepted. Stage Rd., Raleigh Most holiday waste can be recycled at any nConvenience Center #2: 6025 Old of the Wake County Convenience Centers Smithfield Rd., Apex including wrapping paper (no foil), holi- nConvenience Center #4: 3600 Yates day cards, corrugated cardboard and more. Mill Pond Rd., Raleigh In addition, Wake County Multi-Material nConvenience Center #7: 9008 Deponie Recycling Facilities can recycle items such Dr., Raleigh as cell phones, baby strollers and car seats, nConvenience Center #11: 5051 Wendell electronics, rigid plastics, electronics and Blvd., Wendell more. Select County parks will be also accepting For more information, call 919-856-7400 holiday trees from Wednesday, December or visit www.wakegov.com/recycling. Christmas tree recycling available to local residents After the lights come off and the tree comes sel, wire, ornaments, stands, etc.) must be down, what do you do with it? Recycle it, of removed. There is no specific day for pick-up. course. Trees will be removed as time warrants, so Contributed The Town collects Christmas trees at no please leave your tree curbside and it will be Fifth grader, Daniel J. Adkins, II, pictured here with Holly Springs Mayor, Dick charge through curbside pickup or a drop-off collected as soon as possible. Sears, won the school-wide spelling bee for Holly Ridge Elementary on Dec. 11. center. Trees may also be dropped at the Fuquay- Daniel will now go to the next level to compete and represent Holly Ridge for Christmas trees will be collected curbside Varina Public Works convenience center, locat- Wake County Public Schools. starting today and going through Jan. 11. ed at Action Park off Wake Chapel Road, from All non-vegetative materials (lights, tin- today through Jan. 13. Every reader ready to succeed New Parks and Recreation Wake County Public Libraries is Reader Ready to Succeed is a great Program Guide now available launching the Every Reader Ready to program that has public libraries and The holidays are almost over and it’s now will begin on Jan.