In other news...this is my 1200th Island Daily blog post. Wow.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Grammy night
Gaffer's is having a Grammy night party this weekend. Sounds like fun, but I scheduled our next ladies movie night that same night (before I knew about Grammy night). If you go, tell me all about it!
In other news...this is my 1200th Island Daily blog post. Wow.
In other news...this is my 1200th Island Daily blog post. Wow.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
In case you were wondering...
...what is happening with the Youth Center and why, here's a press release about it.
Press Statement-Ocracoke Youth Center Scales Back Operations
The Ocracoke Youth Center is a local nonprofit that has provided activities and services for youth and families on this island since 1995. In September of 2010 we received word that Ocracoke school had been awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Grant. The Youth Center had signed on as a collaborative partner in the application, so naturally we were excited about the possibilities of working with the school and having funding for some of our programming that the kids enjoyed. Our thoughts were that since we already offered programming that was best described as enrichment (music club, cheerleading, reading groups, art, etc) the school would allow students to participate in these programs with funding from the grant. We looked forward to and eagerly anticipated how we would collaborate with the grant. We never would have dreamed that four months into our collaboration we would be ceasing programming at the Youth Center.
As we learned more about the operational guidelines of the grant, we noticed a couple of warning signs. First, to be a participant in the grant you have to attend academic remediation from 3:30-4:30 followed by enrichment from 4:30 to 6:00pm. This is required Monday thru Thursday. Throw in dinner and much needed family time and there is no time for anything else. Secondly, the grant requires 100 participants to continue to receive funding. Since there are only 150 students in the school, the bulk of past participants of Youth Center activities would need to participate in the grant for it to remain viable. The demand on the kids’ time required of the grant simply does not leave them with the time or the desire to attend programming outside of school.
As for individual programs, any instructors that did programs for the Youth Center can now do them within the framework of the grant with the added benefit of being paid more money. The grant program has its own coordinator so there is no need to have a facilitator from an outside organization like the Youth Center. In short, this means that there is no longer a need for the Youth Center. Anything that could be done by the Youth Center can now be done with the grant. There simply are not enough kids on the island to support both organizations.
Our board met in early January and decided to place Youth Center programming on hiatus while maintaining our nonprofit status. We have given up our lease on the Youth Center facility on Highway 12, and by April will have released our staff. We will continue to operate Village Thrift, located behind Ocracoke Coffee Co., to raise funds for future community needs. We will re-evaluate next year to see if there is a need for our programming. There are a few gaps in what the school program can offer and the needs of the community and we will continue to evaluate that need. Should anything happen to the grant we will be ready to renew our efforts.
Bob Chestnut
Chairperson, Ocracoke Youth Center Board
Press Statement-Ocracoke Youth Center Scales Back Operations
The Ocracoke Youth Center is a local nonprofit that has provided activities and services for youth and families on this island since 1995. In September of 2010 we received word that Ocracoke school had been awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Grant. The Youth Center had signed on as a collaborative partner in the application, so naturally we were excited about the possibilities of working with the school and having funding for some of our programming that the kids enjoyed. Our thoughts were that since we already offered programming that was best described as enrichment (music club, cheerleading, reading groups, art, etc) the school would allow students to participate in these programs with funding from the grant. We looked forward to and eagerly anticipated how we would collaborate with the grant. We never would have dreamed that four months into our collaboration we would be ceasing programming at the Youth Center.
As we learned more about the operational guidelines of the grant, we noticed a couple of warning signs. First, to be a participant in the grant you have to attend academic remediation from 3:30-4:30 followed by enrichment from 4:30 to 6:00pm. This is required Monday thru Thursday. Throw in dinner and much needed family time and there is no time for anything else. Secondly, the grant requires 100 participants to continue to receive funding. Since there are only 150 students in the school, the bulk of past participants of Youth Center activities would need to participate in the grant for it to remain viable. The demand on the kids’ time required of the grant simply does not leave them with the time or the desire to attend programming outside of school.
As for individual programs, any instructors that did programs for the Youth Center can now do them within the framework of the grant with the added benefit of being paid more money. The grant program has its own coordinator so there is no need to have a facilitator from an outside organization like the Youth Center. In short, this means that there is no longer a need for the Youth Center. Anything that could be done by the Youth Center can now be done with the grant. There simply are not enough kids on the island to support both organizations.
Our board met in early January and decided to place Youth Center programming on hiatus while maintaining our nonprofit status. We have given up our lease on the Youth Center facility on Highway 12, and by April will have released our staff. We will continue to operate Village Thrift, located behind Ocracoke Coffee Co., to raise funds for future community needs. We will re-evaluate next year to see if there is a need for our programming. There are a few gaps in what the school program can offer and the needs of the community and we will continue to evaluate that need. Should anything happen to the grant we will be ready to renew our efforts.
Bob Chestnut
Chairperson, Ocracoke Youth Center Board
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Again?
Apparently, more snow is on the way. (I'm sorry, Annie! I swear, if I were psychic and could have known we would have all this snow this winter, I would've said come visit for a month so you can see it!) There are school closings/delays (for the mainland only, so far) running along the bottom of the TV screen tonight, and Hyde County has already issued the following announcement.
"Due to current weather forecasts and advisories, Hyde County Government Offices will be closed Thursday, February 10, 2011.
Should there be a delay for Friday, it will be determined Thursday afternoon and there will be notification.
Please drive with caution."
There's nary a flake to be seen so far on the island, but it is raining, and the forecast calls for it to turn to snow overnight. We'll see in the morning, I guess.
"Due to current weather forecasts and advisories, Hyde County Government Offices will be closed Thursday, February 10, 2011.
Should there be a delay for Friday, it will be determined Thursday afternoon and there will be notification.
Please drive with caution."
There's nary a flake to be seen so far on the island, but it is raining, and the forecast calls for it to turn to snow overnight. We'll see in the morning, I guess.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Brand new...briefly
This morning, I got my outfit for the sock hop, and of course I had to immediately try it on. (I'll post a photo later, after the event.)
Anyway, as I took all the parts of the outfit out of the box and then out of their individual bags, I marveled at how fresh, new and clean everything looked. Then I put it on.
I swear, I only wore the outfit for about 5 minutes (long enough for one of the cats to look at me funny). But when I took it off...well, it just wasn't brand spanking new and perfect any more. The socks had a bit of dust on them from the floor, one shoe had a crease, the skirt had a tiny pilled spot, and - good grief - I might've gotten a teeny bit of deodorant on the shirt as I pulled it over my head!
So this started me musing on how nothing can be perfect or new for long. Once used, it is forever changed and can't be put back to pristine condition. The only alternative would be to never use anything. I could have left the entire outfit in the neat plastic bags it came in. But then I wouldn't wear it to the sock hop. And, of course, going to the sock hop (even if I sweat in the outfit, or - horrors! - spill something on part of it!) will be much more fun than just looking at clothes in plastic bags could ever be.
There's a metaphor for life in there, especially for borderline-OCD-with-perfectionist-tendencies types like me. Yes, everything deteroriates. But the alternative is not truly living. So the healthy choice is to learn to accept the imperfections that come with life. (I'm working on it...)
Anyway, as I took all the parts of the outfit out of the box and then out of their individual bags, I marveled at how fresh, new and clean everything looked. Then I put it on.
I swear, I only wore the outfit for about 5 minutes (long enough for one of the cats to look at me funny). But when I took it off...well, it just wasn't brand spanking new and perfect any more. The socks had a bit of dust on them from the floor, one shoe had a crease, the skirt had a tiny pilled spot, and - good grief - I might've gotten a teeny bit of deodorant on the shirt as I pulled it over my head!
So this started me musing on how nothing can be perfect or new for long. Once used, it is forever changed and can't be put back to pristine condition. The only alternative would be to never use anything. I could have left the entire outfit in the neat plastic bags it came in. But then I wouldn't wear it to the sock hop. And, of course, going to the sock hop (even if I sweat in the outfit, or - horrors! - spill something on part of it!) will be much more fun than just looking at clothes in plastic bags could ever be.
There's a metaphor for life in there, especially for borderline-OCD-with-perfectionist-tendencies types like me. Yes, everything deteroriates. But the alternative is not truly living. So the healthy choice is to learn to accept the imperfections that come with life. (I'm working on it...)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Adopt a kitty
If you love cats and would like an Ocracat kitten, there are a couple who might be available for adoption soon. They are feral, but can be handled. Still need to be further tamed, and spayed (which Ocracats will pay for). Here's a picture (they are pictured with their mommy, who is not up for adoption, FYI). Let me know if you are interested!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Dreary...and go Dolphins!
It has been raining here nearly nonstop for two days. It's gray and dreary and I just want to sleep.
In more exciting news, the Ocracoke Dolphins basketball teams (middle school and high school) are having a good season. No, they don't win every game, but they have won several. And given the size of our school (and therefore the teams), and the fact that most of the kids have to play the entire game (whereas the other teams can send in substitute players when some begin to tire), that's pretty darn impressive! Want to support the Dolphins? Here's one option.
In more exciting news, the Ocracoke Dolphins basketball teams (middle school and high school) are having a good season. No, they don't win every game, but they have won several. And given the size of our school (and therefore the teams), and the fact that most of the kids have to play the entire game (whereas the other teams can send in substitute players when some begin to tire), that's pretty darn impressive! Want to support the Dolphins? Here's one option.
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