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Employee of the Year
WAKE FOREST EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR 2021
TIM BAILEY RECEIVES WAKE FOREST HONOR
Photo Courtesy Town of Wake Forest
Current Streets Superintendent and recently appointed Interim Public Works Director Tim Bailey is the Town of Wake Forest “2021 Jon Ray Employee of the Year.”
A Town employee since 2015, Bailey was nominated for the award by several co-workers who praised his pleasant personality, innovative problem-solving, enthusiasm for his work, willingness to offer assistance, and commitment to the community.
A Zebulon native, Bailey graduated from Zebulon High School in 1989. He admitted to being “very surprised” yet honored to hear his name announced as this year’s winner. “As Kip was reading the nomination, I was thinking the winner could have been several people within the town,” said Bailey. “He was near the end before I knew it was me that had been chosen. When he said that this person has been known to say ‘I don’t work for Public Works, I work for the Town of Wake Forest,’ I knew he was talking about me.” Bailey also took a moment to acknowledge his fellow co-workers and the Town of Wake Forest.
“Wake Forest is very dear to me, and I will continue to my best to help out in any way I can,” he said. “I would like to say ‘thank you’ to the team of people I work alongside throughout the Town that makes Wake Forest such a great place to be.” Town Manager Kip Padgett made the announcement recently at the Public Works Operations Center. 2021 Jon Ray Employee of the Year Tom Bailey, left, with Wake Forest Town Manager Kip Padgett
TIM BAILEY Town of Wake Forest, 2021 Jon Ray Employee of the Year
The Jon Ray Employee of the Year Award is named after former Street Supervisor Jon Ray who passed away in November 2013. Padgett, along with a committee comprised of former EOY award winners, selects the Employee of the Year from nominations submitted by Town staff. This article is courtesy of the Town of Wake Forest, and it first appeared on the town’s website.
WF FILM FESTIVAL
‘A LIGHT IN THE FOREST’ PLANNED FOR MARCH 4-5
The Third Annual Wake Forest Film Festival is Friday and Saturday, March 4-5, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre. Themed as “A Light in the Forest”, the Film Festival will spotlight passionate, creative, and thought-provoking movies by some of today's most promising and accomplished local, national and international filmmakers.
The two-day film showcase will engage audiences with films of all lengths and genres, including short and feature, documentary, horror, animation, and student (high school and college). Intended for both the general public and film professionals, the film festival is an opportunity for filmmakers to showcase their films in a unique location to a discerning audience.
Tickets are $15 and are on sale now (until sold out).
Other upcoming Wake Forest Renaissance Centre performances include: n Comedian Kelly Swanson – Who Highjacked My Fairy Tale, 7:30 pm, Jan. 8; award-winning storyteller, comedian and author explores her twisted journey to a happier ever after; general admission tickets, $15. Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405
Brooks St. Info: 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen,org. n Shades of Gospel, featuring Pastor John P. Kee, 7:30 pm, Feb. 5; a celebration of Gospel music, featuring a six-piece band and backup singers.award-winning storyteller, comedian and author explores her twisted journey to a happier ever after; general admission tickets, $15; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks St. Info: 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen,org. n Jackie Robinson, 11 am, Feb. 12; A biographical tale follows the baseball legend’s life; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks St. Info: 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen,org. n Forest Moon Theatre presents The Diary of Anne Frank, 7:30-9 pm, March 11; Wendy Kesselman’s adaptation of this impassioned drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic; advance tickets — $15 adults, $13 student/senior, day of — $18 adults, $16 student/ senior; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks St. Info: 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen,org. n Sons of Mystro, 7 p.m., March 24; talented brothers play more than 10 different genres of popular music, using the violin instead of their voices to express a song's lyrics; tickets, $12; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks St.
Info: 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen,org.
Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is located at 405 Brooks St. For information and tickets, call 919-435-9458 or visit wakeforestrencen,org.
WAKE FOREST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
WHAT:
WHEN: WHERE:
INFO:
Two-day film showcase, featuring multiple genres Friday, March 4 (All Day) Saturday, March 5 (All Day) Wake Forest Renaissance Centre 405 Brooks St. 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen,org.
You Can Never Have Too Many Friends.
Whether you are new to the community or just looking for a group of fun-loving women, Wake eld Women’s Club is a social club here for you! Our members are from Wake eld, North Raleigh, Wake Forest and surrounding areas. We are a diverse group of women of all ages with a wide variety of interests and we welcome you to join us! Please visit our website for more information: wwclub.org If you are interested in joining us as a guest please contact wwclub.membership@gmail.com.
ANNUAL UPDATE
MAYOR’S DINNER Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones’ 2022 State of the Town Address & Dinner is
EVENT AT RENCEN 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 21, at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre. Presented by the Wake Forest RoON FEB. 21 tary Club, the event features Mayor Jones reflecting on the successes and challenges of the Wake Forest community over the past year. She will also outline the goals the town will strive towards in 2022.
Advance tickets are $15 per person and include a catered meal and dinner music by the Heritage High School Jazz Ensemble. A limited number of tickets are available, so the event is expected to sell out. Dress for the occasion is business casual.
Anyone wishing to attend the program portion of the event only - without eating dinner - is not required to purchase a ticket. Non-ticket buyers are invited to arrive between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. at the conclusion of the dinner portion of the program. The mayor's address typically begins between 6:45 and 7 p.m.
Mayor Jones’ State of the Town Address will be recorded and replayed on Wake Forest TV 10 throughout March. It will also be available in streaming video on the Town website at wakeforestnc.gov.
Tickets can be purchased online with a credit card at https://bit.ly/WFStateofTown. Tickets may also be purchased at the Renaissance Centre Box Office with cash, check or credit card. Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is located at 405 S. Brooks St. in Downtown Wake Forest.
Mayor Vivian Jones
ECONOMIC FORUM
DEVELOPMENT BREAKFAST FEB. 3 AT WF RENCEN
Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership and the Wake Forest Area Chamber co-hosts the 2022 Economic Development Forum at 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3 at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, featuring keynote speaker Ted Abernathy.
Fee is $25 for Chamber members, and $35 for non-members.
Abernathy is the Managing Partner of Economic Leadership LLC, a consultancy that is currently working in more than a dozen states to develop economic and workforce strategies. He has 35 years of experience in directing economic development and workforce development programs, and his current projects include developing economic and workforce strategies in more than a dozen states and regions across the country, designing an economic development and innovation ecosystem for a new science city in Kenya, evaluating cluster opportunities ranging from value added agriculture to advanced technologies, building dashboards using advanced data analytics, and producing the annual Home of Future Thinking conference.
Over the past five years Ted has worked on close to 100 projects. He has developed plans for the eight states that comprise the Mississippi Delta, coauthored Reimaging Workforce Development, conducted a southern citizen input process on economic vitality for the Kettering Foundation, developed best practices in manufacturing and innovation for the U.S. Economic Development Administration, helped the Organization for International Investment create an economic development coalition to better attract foreign investment and help launch a new company that assesses and improves Group Leadership.
Breakfast and coffee will be provided, as well as a time to network with area businesses, government officials, and community leaders.
Sponsors include Pinnacle Financial Partners, ElectriCities of NC, Merritt Properties, North State Bank, The Loading Dock, Wake Electric Membership Corp., Cameron & Furman CPAs, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
For more information or to register, visit wakeforestchamber.org, email liz@wakeforestchamber.org, or call 919-556-1519.
North Wake Short Takes
n Phelan Perry is the new Principal at
Rolesville High. n Hassan Kingsberry is Wake Forest’s new Town Attorney. Selected from a pool of more than 50 applicants by the Board of Commissioners, Hassan is
Wake Forest’s first Town Attorney who is also a Town employee. Attorneys with
Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP represented the Town for the last several years, and will continue to be consulted on an as-needed basis. n Gwendolyn McLean – Instructional
Specialist for Counseling and Student
Services is now Assistant Principal at
Harris Creek Elementary. n Wake Forest Area Chamber Foundation’s Young Entrepreneur’s Fair – sponsored by Gather Group – is Saturday, May 7, as part the 2022 Meet in the Street event. The Fair gives students ages 9-14 an opportunity to manufacture, market and sell their handmade products. Applications are accepted through Feb. 15 and can be accessed by visiting wakeforestchamber.org or calling the Chamber at 919-556-1519. n Eric Betheil is now Assistant Principal at
Heritage High. n Michael Kline was named as a River
Bend Middle Assistant Principal. n Jarrett Marlin, a teacher at River Bend
Elementary, is now Assistant Principal at
Rolesville High.
North Wake Events & Activities
1/20 Business After Hours, 4-6 pm’ sponsored by Wake Forest Area Chamber, free to Chamber members; Hibiscus Event Center, 3209 Gresham Lake Rd, Ste 146, Raleigh. Info: wakeforestchamber.org, 919-556-1519.
2/3 2022 Economic Development
Forum, presented by Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership and the Wake Forest Area Chamber, 7:30-9:30 am; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, at 405 S. Brooks St. Info: wakeforestchamber.org or 919-556-1519.
2/21 Mayor’s 2022 State of the Town Address & Dinner, 6 pm; advance tickets, $15. Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, at 405 S. Brooks St. Info: wakeforestnc.gov. 3/4-5 Wake Forest Film Festival: ‘A Light in the Forest’, various times; spotlights passionate, and thought-provoking movies by local, national and international filmmakers; tickets, $15; Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks St. Info: 919-435-9458, wakeforestrencen.org. 3/18 The Legacy Motown Revue, 7:30 p.m.; featuring tunes from the Drifters, the Coasters, the Jacksons, Temptations and more; Seby B. Jones Performing Arts Center, 501 N Main St, Louisburg. Info: 866-773-6354, jpacarts.com. 3/26 Family Expo, 10 am-2 pm; 40 exhibitor booths featuring local businesses, nonprofits, schools, camps and extracurricular activities offering resources, education and fun for the whole family – plus an Outdoor Kid Zone; sponsored by the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce. Info: wakeforestchamber.org or 919-556-1519.
Jan-Feb Wake Forest Farmers Mar-
ket, 10 am-12 pm Sat; 235 S Taylor St., downtown Wake Forest. Info: wakeforestmarket.org.
