THE COMMUNICATOR Phone: (336) 835-2511 Fax: (336) 835-5248 Email: [email protected] Since January 1990 May 2021
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THE COMMUNICATOR Phone: (336) 835-2511 Fax: (336) 835-5248 Email: [email protected] Since January 1990 www.WIFMRadio.com May 2021 Jeff Atwell Is N.C. School Hero Mr. Atwell added, “I pleaded with Principal Rod- ney Graham to hire me as the TA position was my Teacher Assistant Jeff Atwell serves Central lifetime dream and calling in life. My attitude and Wilkes Middle School in the Exceptional Children joy each day is the fortunate opportunity to serve Severe & Profound program and also is a school bus Central’s EC class. I’m truly blessed.” driver. A native of Kannapolis, he graduated from The Education Lottery created the N.C. School Appalachian State University, worked at Lowe’s for Heroes program to showcase the positive impacts 20 years and joined the Wilkes County Schools in of teachers, principals and other school personnel August 2019. in public schools. The lottery raises more than $725 million a year for education, including $4.2 million He recently shared that his service with the EC in Wilkes County. students is “a calling in life” and he treasures the connections and relationships. He said, “It makes me a positive person 24/7 and brings me an abun- Finding Good Advice dance of joy.” For him the usual highlights of each day are the time students spend on computers Ken Noland, the outstanding Wilkesboro Town and daily visits to their specially equipped, handi- Manager, was asked how he decides to do projects cap-friendly playground opened in 2018 on Wilkes that have become major enhancements to his com- Central’s campus. The EC Severe & Profound Unit munity in Wilkes County. He said, “Oh, it’s simple. has six students and four staff members and is to- Our innovations come from two primary sources tally self-contained. and each group is one-two or two-one, equally as Not long after joining the school staff, Jeff was important. Our 65 associates are asked to be in- nominated by a student’s mother as a “North Car- novators and seek ways to reward our citizens and olina Education Lottery School Hero.” Kasey Byrd- save tax dollars. The next group is a citizen focus Smithey wrote in her nomination letter, “Mr. Atwell’s group. When we sense a need and seek directions, service comes naturally. He is very kind and loving we assemble a group of people, open the floor and and my son adores him because he is treated with ask how, when and where we should go. The best respect. When he’s taken from my arms each morn- solutions are already here. When people are re- ing, I’m 100% at ease and confident in the care of spected and asked to help, they will step up as they Mr. Atwell.” are honored to play key roles and advocacies.” This method for seeking and finding good advice Among nearly 5,000 entries, Jeff Atwell was one can be applied in business, too. A great idea sur- of 10 winners. At the award celebration and pre- faced at WIFM as a potential client had stated her sentation in March, pictures and a video were taken willingness to sponsor a “Please Volunteer” cam- and Mr. Atwell and his school both received checks paign. How do we capture key nuggets that could for $10,000. Jeff said he’ll use his award to move be vital parts of script copy or formulate a 30-sec- into a new house and pay off medical bills. ond radio spot? That’s simple, too. Ask volunteers Central Wilkes Principal Rodney Graham said the who give countless years of beneficial contributions. school will use some of its $10,000 to buy applianc- We are in the process of building the campaign es for the EC classroom. and those we’ll call are Rondale Ratcliff of Banner- Principal Graham said Atwell shows endless town Volunteer Fire Department; Ryan Bledsoe of patience and compassion at his job, giving parents the Arlington Fire & Rescue VFD; and Tim Darnell, of students in his class peace of mind. “Nothing you Lois Suddreth and Jeff Whitaker of the Elkin Res- ever do for children is wasted,” said Graham. “When cue Squad. Those who serve can testify and speak the children know that they are loved and cared for, to the values that encourage others to serve. The I think they can accomplish some pretty amazing rewards of being a volunteer come from the mouths things far beyond what we even thought.” of those who live to save lives and property. Exploring North Carolina Donna Fargo Fans of UNC-TV’s popular program “Exploring In 1958, Yvonne Vaughn of Mount Airy asked North Carolina” haven’t seen a new episode since her father, Raney Vaughn, for permission to go to December 2019 — the pandemic interrupted its High Point College to further her education and be- production schedule in 2020 — but they can see come an English teacher. He readily supported her and hear host and co-producer Tom Earnhardt in a wish, but asked to give her parents four promises. recent episode of “People Doing Good For Others” They were to finish what you start, don’t get mar- produced by Wilkes Communication’s RiverStreet ried before you graduate, work hard, and be a good Productions and hosted by WIFM Radio’s Gary York. student. Tom Earnhardt grew up in Thomasville, grad- Yvonne Vaughn did graduate on time, majoring uated from Davidson College and the UNC-Chapel in English Education with a minor in Philosophy, Hill School of Law, and founded the public-television and went on to teach English in California. She also program “Exploring North Carolina” in 2003. He carried to California two demos of her singing that co-produced and hosted about 80 episodes over a were recorded by the late Ralph Epperson at WPAQ 15-year period. Now in reruns, the informative and in Mount Airy, N.C. She began performing in local educational series can be viewed on the PBS North clubs in Southern California, changed her name to Carolina Channel (PBS NC, formerly UNC-TV) on Donna Fargo in 1966 and met and married her pro- Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 1:30 a.m. and ducer and manager Stan Silver. Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and on PBS NC’s Explorer Donna Fargo had four consecutive No. 1 pop Channel throughout the week. (Check times and hits, performed at the Grand Ole Opry and Carne- listings at pbsnc.org/schedule/.) gie Hall, sang with Roy Clark, Bobby Vinton, Charlie “Exploring North Carolina” concentrates on Rich and Glen Campbell (with whom she went on a appreciation and protection of the environment and USO Tour) and won a Grammy Award in 1973 for North Carolina’s natural heritage. Its creation grew Best Female Country Vocal Performance with “The out of an idea by former UNC-TV CEO Tom Howe Happiest Girl in the Whole USA.” Recognized as one when he and Earnhardt served on the N.C. Museum of the leading country-music songwriters of the of Natural Sciences Advisory Commission. The first 1970s and 1980s, her songs have been recorded episode was an investigation of why the Long Leaf by artists including Tammy Wynette, Sonny James, Pine forests have seasonal fires that foster the can- Kitty Wells, Tanya Tucker, Jody Miller, Marty Robbins opy’s annual growth. The “Exploring North Carolina” and Dottie West. She has written several books in- production crew includes Tom as host and writer, cluding at least three collections of her poetry. camera operator and video editor Joe Albea, and We interviewed Donna Fargo for a two-part pro- content editor and co-producer Mark Crews. gram that was broadcast and live-streamed on April Tom as a lawyer pioneered environmental law 10 and 17 on WIFM 100.9 and at wifmradio.com. in North Carolina. In the mid-1970s he served Gov. Jim Holshauser by giving counsel on the pending New River Dam. One morning in Washington, D.C., How Things End he joined Sens. Jesse Helms and Sam Erwin and U.S. Reps. Ben Mizell and Pat Taylor during a strat- Oftentimes we share fallibles, never to put down egy session to stop the dam. They were successful however; to help us when we fall and to possibly and the New River was included in the National Wild teach valuable lessons and see around corners. We and Scenic Rivers System established in 1974. can always use the valuable influence of the wise At the conclusion of Tom’s UNC Law School and learned ones. When a dear friend, the late Dale degree he was called by the Dean to redirect his Nunn, after listening to a lofty plan would quip, “You career from corporate law to a professorship at the better think about that,” I knew right away that I N.C. Central Law School. Tom accepted the most should reconsider my intentions. high calling and worked his magic in the classroom In The Communicator in April I unfortunate- for 22 years. Tom shared, “Changing my career was ly wrote that friend Wade Loflen (since 1974) had the best thing for me, my family and N.C. Central passed. He in fact was and is alive. Law. It was a win, win, win!” After receiving several calls as to my shortcom- The “People Doing Good For Others” episode ings, I readily called Wade and humbly asked for featuring Gary’s York’s conversation with Tom Earn- forgiveness. Sensing meeting Wade face to face hardt is on the web at youtube.com/watch?v=RY- was in order, I drove to his home and was invited S8YF1nuwQ.