SALISBURY – Catawba College has been putting in work at 136 Union Heights Boulevard to make the Habitat for Humanity home become a reality

It has been nine weeks since the Catawba community began laboring on the volunteer site. The house already has a floor system, exterior walls, interior walls, trusses, roof, and windows. Work on the interior has begun.

This has been made possible through the work of the Catawba College and Salisbury community which has been produced more than 200 service hours so far. Yet there remains a lot of work to ensure the home is completed for a local family before the end of Catawba’s academic semester.

“Working with Habitat for Humanity on building this house has been more than just an opportunity to serve the community and spend time with friends,” said Catawba student and volunteer Rachel Bentley. “I have been able to meet wonderful people who are doing great things in our community, learned skills like framing walls and installing siding, and even overcame my fear of ladders. I cannot wait to see this house become a home.”

Anyone interested in volunteering to work at the volunteer site or get involved in other ways should reach out to Catawba’s Volunteer Catawba Director, Johnathon Bowles. Classes, athletic teams, departments, organizations, and various individuals have all committed their time to the success of the project so far.

Partners in Learning to host fifth special needs fashion show

SALISBURY – A virtual date for Partners In Learning fifth annual special needs fashion show has been set for 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 4.

It will be streamed on the nonprofit’s  YouTube channel and Facebook page. A drive in movie experience with a 7 p.m. show time is available with free popcorn for the first 200 guests at the Rowan County Fairground.

“The community pulled together to make last year’s virtual Fashion Show their most successful year. We hope that the community can support us again this year, just as they did last year.” PIL Executive Director Norma Honeycutt said.

The nonprofit will also host an online silent auction running Sunday through Nov. 6, which can be accessed via epartnersinlearning.org 

Ashley Currin, a supporter of Partners In Learning, will be returning again this year as the fashion show’s Master of Ceremony.

The annual fashion show is in memory of an alumnus Jacob Usher who passed away in 2015, at the age of eight due to a heart condition. The funds raised from this event go directly to programming needs including adaptive equipment and materials, as well as, scholarships for families who would not be able to afford the needed services.

“Families of children with special needs can face a tremendous amount of medical and educational expenses. It is our goal that no child be told no services because of the family’s financial situation,” Development Director Amy Vestal said.

COVID-19 continues to provide challenges for these families including access to critical services such as speech therapy, developmental therapy, and physical therapy. Partners In Learning began providing telehealth services at the beginning of the pandemic to help support parents. We are continuing these services during this second surge of COVID-19.

developmental therapy is provided across 16 counties in North Carolina and Nationally Accredited early education services at two locations in Salisbury. 

Fifth graders take part in Muddy Sneakers programs

SALISBURY – Fifth grade students at Knollwood Elementary School participated in their first of six Muddy Sneakers days on Sept. 20 and Oct. 6. Our 5th graders really enjoyed their first field trip since 2019.

Students were able to visit a nearby area of protected land. The goal for this trip was to introduce the students to the natural world by using experiential methods to teach the science curriculum.

The goal of Muddy Sneakers, a nonprofit based out of Brevard with a Salisbury field office, is to create a lifelong love of nature.

This was the first of six Muddy Sneakers experiences Knollwood fifth graders will take part in this year.