Today’s Email Announcements

N.C. Christmas Tree Association Sends 350 Christmas Trees to Troops and Military Families

On Tuesday morning in Laurel Springs, the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association gathered to send 350 real Christmas Trees to Fort Gordon and the Statesboro Armory in Georgia.

Trees left the NCDA&CS Upper Mountain Research Station in Ashe County on Tuesday.

Trees for Troops®, the national program that provides free, farm-grown Christmas Trees to armed forces members and their families each Christmas, is off and running for 2018, with plans to deliver more than 17,000 Christmas Trees to 75+ military bases in the U.S. and overseas. Now celebrating its thirteenth year, Trees for Troops is a program of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, working together with FedEx and American Christmas tree farmers and retailers. Trees are provided through the generosity of Christmas Tree growers, retailers and consumers across the country, with shipping provided by FedEx.

Since 2005, Trees for Troops has delivered more than 208,000 Real Christmas Trees to thankful troops and military families. North Carolina has donated more than 16,550 trees since the program began in 2005. This year, through the efforts of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association and its members, North Carolina has pledged to donate 600 trees total between two pick-up locations.

Learn About Becoming a Tax Preparer to Help Your Community

There will be two orientations to learn about the Volunteer for Tax Assistance program (VITA ) for those who may be interested in helping the community with their tax returns.

Pizza will be served at both and Orientations last about an hour.

Location: Watauga County Public Library, 140 Queen Street

Dates: Tuesday, November 27 at 5:30 p.m. and Friday, November 30, noon.

Come and hear about how you can help us with this wonderful service.

Boone Town Council Holding Special Meeting on November 28

Pursuant to authority granted under North Carolina General Statute 160A-81(b)(1), the Boone Town Council hereby gives notice to those concerned that a special meeting of the Boone Town Council will be held on Wednesday, November 28 immediately following the Water Advisory Committee meeting which begins at 6 p.m. at the Council Chambers located at 1500 Blowing Rock Road.

The purpose of the meeting will be to allow council members to enter into closed session pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-318.11 (a)(3) to consult with the town attorney in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the town council and obtain legal advice, consider and/or give instructions to the attorney concerning one or more potential legal claims.

Crossnore Announces Opening of Center for Trauma Resilient Communities

Brett Loftis

 

Crossnore School & Children’s Home is pleased to announce the opening of the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities. The Center’s focus is to provide training and consultation for building trauma resilience within an organization or community. Start-up funding for the Center has been provided by an anonymous private foundation that is committed to healing people and communities.

On November 12, 2018, Louisville, Kentucky Mayor Greg Fischer announced a partnership between the City of Louisville, the University of Louisville, and Centerstone Kentucky to begin the Trauma Resilient Community Initiative. Funded by a $5 million, five-year federal grant, the Trauma Resilient Community Initiative has contracted with Crossnore’s Center for Trauma Resilient Communities to provide training in trauma-informed care and resilience to service providers, public school officials, and community agencies serving youth and families in Louisville. “This initiative is another tool we can use to dismantle the very real barriers of violence, trauma, and racial inequity,” commented Mayor Fischer.

The Center for Trauma Resilient Communities was co-founded by Brett A. Loftis, JD, Crossnore’s Chief Executive Officer, and two professional trainers, David McCorkle and Beatriz Vides, both of New York. McCorkle and Vides have both trained nationally and internationally and were previous faculty with The Sanctuary Institute providing training and consultation on The Sanctuary Model®, a trauma-informed model of care. In October, it was announced that Shenandoah Chefalo, author of Garbage Bag Suitcase and foster care advocate has joined the team as a Faculty Trainer.

Trauma and resilience training is appropriate for any business, non-profit organization, school, church, hospital, shelter, or community. “As part of our strategic plan at Crossnore, we are passionate about bringing trauma-informed care to our community. This begins with understanding how we are all affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress and their impact on our minds, bodies, and spirits,” said Loftis. “Our goal is to help communities recognize trauma and learn to respond in ways that promote healing and protects the helpers at the same time.”

The Center provides a comprehensive array of training on the “what” of trauma and toxic stress, and the “why” this information is critical for individuals who need help as well as the organizations that provide help. The Center provides the “how” through a fully customized, step-by-step process for building a trauma resilient culture within an organization or community. Since opening, the Center has held trainings for the Western Conference of the United Methodist Church, Goodwill, Phoenix Project, Myers Park Methodist Church and numerous other schools, nonprofits and faith communities. Myers Park’s Minister of Congregational Care, Bill Roth said, “The Center trainers have a deep knowledge of the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on emotional and physical wellbeing. They share hope for how trauma and chronic stressors can be transformed through the intentional relationships, understanding, and compassion that can create lasting change.”