INSIDE
About ‘Salute to Service’ . . . . . . . . . . . Clemmons hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . On task and virus-free . . . . . . . . . . . . . Law enforcement delivery . . . . . . . . . .
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Foster Drug Company . . . . . . . . . . . . Truck drivers from Salisbury . . . . . . Rowan’s cleaning crews . . . . . . . . . . . Hoff’s Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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McLaughlin’s Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Pharmacy of Albemarle . . . Pastor and EMT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teachers and remote learning . . . . .
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2C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Our salute to service of essential workers, businesses
T
he COVID-19 pandemic and the shutdowns it has caused should bring an increased appreciation for businesses and people that are often taken for granted. Without truck drivers, store shelves would be much more barren. Without cleaning crews to disinfect homes and businesses, it’s hard to provide customers with the reassurance that Josh it’s OK to “reopen” the Bergeron economy. Local restaurants continue to feed the community in new ways, including some who’ve created a delivery service. And while larger stores like Food Lion and Walmart remain busy, local landmarks like McLaughlin’s Grocery in Salisbury’s West End are just as critical in feeding the community. Those are just four of the many stories you’ll find in this special section that we’re calling “Salute to Service.” Sister newspapers — the Salisbury Post, Stanly News and Press, Davie County Enterprise-Record and Clemmons Courier — have collaborated to tell the stories of just several of the many people and businesses in our region who have been essential during the ongoing pandemic.
All of our communities have benefited from the continued operation of essential businesses and workers during an uncertain time. Each of the communities we write about has been affected in different ways by the coronavirus. In some, case numbers are low, and the economic toll is far greater. In others, there are significant concerns about a widespread virus outbreak as well as the economic toll from mandatory shutdowns. But all of our communities have benefited from the continued operation of essential businesses and workers during an uncertain time. And the people keeping our communities going are regular folks who are well-deserving of recognition. Some of the essential workers are recipients of public gratitude on a semi-regular basis — to include first responders. But the nursing assistants, nursing home employees, truck drivers and commercial cleaning crews
are just now getting their due. Usually, their jobs are not glamorous. In Salisbury, I’ve been particularly grateful for the people who keep store shelves stocked after customers descended on grocery stores to fill their pantries as well as their bathroom closets with toilet paper. Together, our newspapers have worked to find a variety of people and places whose service is worth saluting. In Davie County, the sheriff’s office is helping to deliver meals. In Clemmons, Miranda Barneycastle’s work as a health care provider has always been demanding, but it’s more important now than ever. In Albemarle, Juliana Roberts writes for the Stanly News and Press about emergency medical technician Brian Phillips, whose job is important every day. The pandemic, though, has added new challenges. The stories we’ve worked to gather is not intended to be comprehensive. There are so many people who are working in the face of a virus about which much is still unknown. Our newspapers hope that this special publication can serve as just a small sampling. Josh Bergeron is editor of the Salisbury Post. Email him at josh. bergeron@salisburypost. com.
Taylor House salutes all the men and women working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 outbreak!
We Support You!
Taylor House, the longest running assisted living facility in Stanly County, offers a home-like setting for residents. Nestled in a quiet neighborhood and surrounded by towering oaks and magnolia trees, we offer peace of mind to families by putting resident care first.
Front row – left to right: Tammy Sides, Christine Benjamin, Judy Helms, Ginger Harris, Sharon Little. Back row – left to right: Mark Lowder, Lashica Johnson, Lowell Brown Resident’s left to right. (dog-Ginger) Carlie Lowder, Lea Kendall, Betty Lambert, Frances Van Horn, Elgie Honeycutt, Gray Kiser, Faye Kiser, Velma Douglas, Vera Sherrell, Betty Burris, Gail Aycoth, Ramelle Staton, Aileen Taylor.
(Betty Lambert & Sharon Little, CNA/Med Tech) Resident Betty Lambert says the staff is “patient and caring”. Betty’s family love visiting her at Taylor House.
(Lashica Johnson, Activity Director for 11 years & Ginger Harris, Administrator for 13 years)
(Betty Burris & Chaplain Lowell Brown) Resident Betty Burris plays piano for many of our services and remains active in the community.
TAYLOR HOUSE Assisted Living Facility 319 PALMER STREET • ALBEMARLE, NC • 704-982-4217 For more information, please visit us at: www.brh.org/facilities/taylor-house
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 3C
Audiologist and Norwood native Dr. Jasmine Wilson always dreamed of bringing high-quality hearing healthcare to Stanly County. Her vision came to life in January 2020 when she opened Uwharrie Hearing Doctors with her husband, Gray. Uwharrie Hearing Doctors is Stanly County’s only private, independent audiology practice. “Because we’re independent, we’re able to offer customized hearing solutions to fit every lifestyle and budget.” says Dr. Wilson, “We’ve all heard the stories of hearing aids that end up in drawers. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for hearing loss and when it’s treated that way, results are usually poor.” At Uwharrie Hearing, your experience will be unique and personal and you can rest-assured that the gold standards of hearing healthcare will always be upheld. During these difficult times, Dr. Wilson is especially concerned about how the hard-of-hearing population will cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. “Masks take away important lipreading and facial cues and they decrease sound pressure levels by 3-12 decibels. Additionally, since family members are not being allowed to accompany them to healthcare appointments, those who are hard-of-hearing may feel isolated with no one to help bridge the communication gap.” To combat these communication barriers, Uwharrie Hearing staff are currently using masks with clear panels so patients can still use lip reading cues. Dr. Wilson is also offering healthcare communication packets with helpful written handouts free-of-charge. Uwharrie Hearing is currently open by appointment only.
110 W. North St. Albemarle NC 28001 (704) 282-6062 www.uwharriehearingdoctors.com info@uwharriehearingdoctors.com
4C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
‘Hospital hospitality is not a job to me. This is my heart.’
Entering the hospital looks different these days, but this team works to maintain experience By Josh Jarman Novant Health CL EM MONS — The words “Stay positive, work hard, make it happen” adorn a chalkboard sign in Jamie Vogler’s office. The sign was there before COVID-19, but the words take special meaning now. As the manager of guest and volunteer services at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center, her team has been on the front lines since the very beginning of the pandemic, greeting patients as they enter the hospital.
‘I like to make things better’ Before starting in her current role, Vogler, a native of Lewisville, started working in patient partnership at Novant Health in 2016. In that role she learned how to address patient complaints and grievances. “I know that sounds like a terrible job, but I didn’t see it that way,” she said. “I like making things better and we learn the most from our patients.” Over the years she has helped implement a proactive approach to patient engagement. Across Novant Health, and each day at Clemmons Medical Center,
PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVANT HEALTH
From left: Jamie Vogler, Akemi Raish and Sidney Yates staff the guest services table at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center
hospital leaders take time to round or check in on patients. “I often round with our pharmacy supervisor,” she said. “I like it when we pair up because he picks up on any clinical needs and I lis-
ten for the emotional needs of adjustments on the fly. and heart stuff.” Patients now have to be screened before they can Finding new ways even enter the hospital. to care Aubergine “social distancing” dots now line the When COVID-19 hit, walkway to the screenVogler had to make a lot ing table, where Vogler’s
mask-wearing team conducts quick coronavirus survey assessments and forehead wand temperature readings. The goal: safely triage patients and get them to the right area of the hospital for care.
“I’ve learned since all of this started that it’s OK to build on what you know each day,” she said. “We’re constantly updating our work flow and I’m so proud See Team, 5C
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 5C
Team Continued from 4C of how our team has been able to adjust.” Due to visitor restrictions, Vogler’s team no longer has the support of her dedicated volunteers. To fill that void, team members from across the hospital are working together to help greet patients and escort them where they need to go. “It can be intimidating to enter a hospital these days when you see all of us lined up with masks on,” she said. “But I hope our patients can tell by our eyes that we are still smiling.”
‘We are lifting spirits’ Vogler’s team is also active in the parking lot. Again, because of visitor restrictions, some family
Jamie Vogler and Jo Burleson provide snacks to family members in the parking lot at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center. Jamie Vogler greets a patient at Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center
members choose to wait in their vehicles and receive phone call updates while their loved ones are in the hospital for a procedure. “Waiting is hard no matter where you are,” she said. “But to help lift spirits we have started carrying a cooler with snacks out to
the parking lot on a regular basis to offer some much needed refreshment.” Sidney Yates, a fellow guest services representative, recently took it a step further by creating homemade cards of encouragement and placing them on each team member’s wind-
PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVANT HEALTH
shield. “I don’t know how else to put it, this team thrives on making a difference,” said Vogler. Perhaps it is because they see something special in their leader. Vogler often comes in early and stays late. Last weekend was one of her first weekends “off” and she came in
any way to surprise a team member with a birthday cake. Heather King, chief nursing officer and director of professional and support services, said that during this time of great uncertainty, Vogler has been a true bright spot and led with compassion and courage.
A rou nd her badge Vogler wears a purple band that reads Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center Strong. The band, much like the sign hanging on the wall in her office, serves as a symbol of her unwavering commitment to helping others. “It’s not a job to me,” she said. “This is my heart.”
Thank You! WE ARE
THANKFUL TO EACH OF OUR
HEALTH CARE WORKERS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO CARING FOR OUR
I would like to say Thank You to all of our veterans and all of our first responders for all they have done and all they continue to do. I would also like to say a special Thank You to our Officers and Staff for your dedication to the citizens of this county. You all continue to serve Davie County every day and during the most trying times. It is an honor to serve with you. JD Hartman
DAVIE COUNTY SHERIFF
COMMUNITY! 913 W. Main Street • Rockwell, NC 28138 (704) 279-7241 | www.powlesfuneralhome.com
MOCKSVILLE, NC 336-751-6238 dcsonc.com
1047980
6C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Miranda Barneycastle provides medical care during challenging times By Larry Stombaugh For the Clemmons Courier CLEMMONS — Many individuals are putting their lives on the line every day during these challenging times for the sake of helping others and keeping them safe. One of them is Miranda Barneycastle, resident services director at Cadence at Clemmons, a retirement community located on Peace Haven Road. She is a licensed practicing nurse with 10 years of experience, and she has been in her current role at Cadence for 15 months. While Barneycastle’s role as a health care provider has always been demanding, the challenges of working with elderly individuals during the pandemic has brought about many new demands and expectations. “My main responsibility is keeping the residents safe and healthy,” she said. “I am now having to implement many more safety requirements. The corporate office at Cadence has done a great job of providing resources.” Being creative has become a hallmark of her current situation. “We are trying to keep our residents engaged while social distancing,” she said. Window visits with family members has been one way to do this, and Barneycastle has also used technology in innovative ways to help her clients stay connected. This has included sending virtual pictures and taking her tablet to doctor’s visits so that family members can
Miranda Barneycastle
do a virtual visit along with their loved ones. Shane Nixon is the director of community relations at Cadence at Clemmons. Nixon says he is grateful for the work staff has done over the past few months to keep the campus and work environment safe. “ T he pa ndemic has made jobs like we do at Cadence very complicated,” he said. “While rewarding, the stress and the strain and the anxiety all make for a difficult job. While
Cadence has corporately done a marvelous job of supporting us here, there is no avoiding the difficulties brought on by COVID-19. Having Miranda Barneycastle has made a huge and very positive difference. She is excellent at communicating with our staff of caregivers.” She is on the front lines every day, Nixon continued. “COVID-19 has added to our work, and Miranda has helped keep us on task and virus-free.,” he said.
Shane Nixon and Miranda Barneycastle look over data for how to better keep residents safe at Cadence at Clemmons.
“She makes sure that we do things like take daily temperature screenings for our residents multiple times a day, ensuring that
we correctly use PPE, and her primary concern. She working with the staff to ed- makes herself available, ucate us on new policies and seemingly all the time, to procedures. She really has See Care, 7C our residents’ well-being as
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 7C
Thank You FR NTLINERS
Thank You to all the front-line workers who are working to keep our county moving forward. Miranda Barneycastle with 97-year-old resident Doris Hobson, who is also a Davie County resident. Here, Barneycastle works with a resident to do a virtual doctor’s visit using technology to bridge the social distance gap.
Care Continued from 6C answer questions and to make sure that our community is as healthy and strong as it can be.” There are 40 employees at Cadence at Clemmons, including 30 who are care staff personnel. There are 40 residents living on the campus. Barneycastle has been working tirelessly to keep up with the demands of her supervisory role as well as her role working
individually with the residents. When asked how she is taking care of herself, she said she enjoys spending time with her children who are 13 and 14. She enjoys camping as a way to relieve stress, but she has only been able to do this once over the past few months since parks have been closed due to the pandemic. The dedication of Barneycastle and others on the staff at Cadence at Clemmons has resulted in a positive outcome during an unprecedented time.
Nixon noted that there are currently no cases of infection among the residents or staff. “Miranda has done a great job of implementing the corporate policies necessary to keep our building virus-free in the face of the pandemic,” Nixon said. “Cadence at Clemmons is a special place in part because of people like Miranda Barneycastle. She is as good at her job as anyone I have ever seen. She feels called to be here, and this is where she is supposed to be.”
Your dedication, selflessness and compassion, make you a true original and deserving of our deepest gratitude and admiration.
rowanedc.com
8C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Davie Sheriff’s Office delivers meals to seniors
Detective Hannah Whittington unloads bags of food for delivery to senior citizens.
By Mike Barnhardt Davie County Enterprise Record MOCKSVILLE — Many have complained about being stuck at home during this pandemic, but there are others who go through that anxiety every day — with or without the coronavirus. They are the elderly. They are no longer able to drive, but are clinging onto one of the
few things they have left — their homes. Because of physical limitations, their days are spent mostly watching television. And there’s TV news, where COVID-19 coverage is non-stop. The news about the coronavirus is scary — especially when you’re in that population that is most vulnerable. And they hear it day after day, all day long. Those who have few-
ROBIN SNOW / DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD
Detective Hannah Whittington delivers meals and encouragement to a Davie County homebound meals client.
er interactions with family and friends suffer the most, just waiting for someone to stop and say “hello.” Normally, their days would be interrupted by a volunteer with homebound meals, provided by Davie County Senior
Services. The problem? Most of the volunteer homebound meal drivers are also elderly. They enjoy taking meals to others, stopping for a chat, checking on their welfare. But the stayat-home order left them at
home, too, with no drivers to deliver meals. In steps the Davie County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies, detectives and officers chip in once a week to deliver the meals. Hannah Whittington, a
five-year officer with the sheriff’s department, is glad to help. And she goes that extra mile for those elderly neighbors. She sees the stress that See Sheriff, 9C
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Deputies Continued from 8C many of these elderly people are going through, and does her part to ease their anxiety. Whether it’s just sitting down to talk or telling them what’s going on in the world, Whittington is ready and willing to do her part. “At first, they were a little confused (to see a sheriff’s officer bring the meals). But I think it’s become a really positive relationship.” She remembers well one woman who was especially worried. Whittington re-assured her that things would be fine and left her phone number and told the woman to call her anytime — day or night. The woman was thankful. So are others who get to spend some time with the people paid to help protect them. “Sometimes, she isn’t able to get in touch with her son, so I said call me anytime,”
Whittington said. “They’re nervous and I think this helps ease their worries.” So about once a week, Whittington and her fellow officers drive to senior services, where they load their cars with five frozen meals, bread, and boxes filled with non-perishable food items. Then they head out to the 10 designated routes to deliver the food — and some comforting re-assurance. The relationship between senior services and the sheriff’s office is working great, said Kim Shuskey, senior services director. Stacey Southern, nutrition coordinator, oversees the program and makes sure the officers have their allotment of food to be delivered — often filling their patrol cars. For Whittington, it’s just another day on the job. With two brothers who are also sheriff’s department employees, she decided to get into the
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 9C
ROBIN SNOW / DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD
Davie Senior Services nutrition coordinator Stacey Southern and Sheriff’s Detective Hannah Whittington unload boxes for delivery to homebound seniors.
field. She was studying to be That got her interest. She also loves helping peoa forensic scientist when she “I ended up falling in love ple. noticed the basic law enforce- with law enforcement,” she “I like it. It’s a good thing ment class across the hall. said. to interact with the elderly
community, give them some social interactions and make them feel re-assured if they need it,” she said.
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10C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Foster Drug company staying busy with drive-thru service
ROBIN SNOW / DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD
Cars line up to pick up prescriptions at Foster Drug Co. on Valley Road in Mocksville.
By Mike Barnhardt Davie County Enterprise Record MOCKSVILLE — One night in 2007, an explosion rocked the Davie Place nursing home. One person was dead a nd d o z e n s of ot her s injured as a fire swept through the home. Patients were being dragged out by their heels and left in the parking lot — waiting for an ambulance to come from who knows where to take them to who knows where. Before the out-of-county ambulances arrived to take these residents
to their new facilities at about midnight there was an unseen group of heroes already at work, just down the street. These heroes were the pharmacists at Foster Drug Company, who were already filling prescriptions for each patient so they would be ready when they were transported. Su z a n ne Ba r n h a rdt and Mark White, local residents who came back to work at their hometown pharmacy, have been on the job for some 20 years. Neither considers themselves a hero, but they are to many of their cus-
tomers. Foster Drug Company is a busy place, filling some 700 prescriptions per day. Many of their clients are elderly, and prefer to walk into the drug store to pick up their monthly medicines. But Foster Drug closed the doors when the stayat-home order was put into place. All prescriptions are now handled via drive-thru. “As far as the day-today of what we do, there was little change,” Barnhardt said. “It has been See Foster, 11C
Pharmacists Mark White and Suzanne Barnhardt believe in putting the customer first.
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Foster Continued from 10C business as usual. They (customers) are reassured by the fact we’re still open, trying to do business.” For those customers who may have a question about their medicines or its effects? “All they have to do is yell at one of us and we’ll go out and talk to them,” she said. “I haven’t seen a lot of people freaking out.” She remembers when the store’s founder, the late Bill Foster, asked her to come and work for him. “He said, ‘Here, we do what it takes to take care of the customer,’” she said. Her father operated an
even smaller pharmacy, so she liked that idea. She liked it even more after being on the job for a while. It was her father who urged her into the career. She wanted to be an interior designer. He told her that was fine, but she needed a good career, as well. White said he decided early on that he wanted to get into the health care field, but was not into “blood and guts.” Both are graduates of the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy. Both worked elsewhere before signing on at Foster Drug. White started out working for Art Mercier at a small pharmacy in downtown Mocksville. He knows the struggle
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 11C
of independent pharmacies. Not only are re-imbursement rates lower for these pharmacies, their cost is higher because they don’t buy in bulk, he said. He looks forward to the day when Foster Drug can again offer what smalltown pharmacies have offered for years — a handshake or a hug. “Our clientele and customers are very loyal,” B a r n h a rdt s a id . “ T hey don’t want to go anywhere else.” That’s because of the personal service. “That’s how he (Bill Foster) built the business, and we try to train our staff about good customer service,” she said.
Pharmacists Mark White, left, and Suzanne Barnhardt have both worked at Foster Drug Company more than 20 years. PHOTOS BY ROBIN SNOW / DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD
ALL WORKERS ARE ESSENTIAL AND SPECIAL TO US. We thank all who were able to continue to work from home and on the front line. Your community is grateful.
A special heartfelt
THANK YOU
to all of those who have been on the front lines during the pandemic -- medical personnel, fire departments, law enforcement, military, teachers and other educators, grocery store and restaurant workers.
185 Concordia Church Rd., China Grove, NC 28023
704-857-2163 | www.concordia-lutheran.org
Salisbury’s Eclectic Jeweler
1810 W. Innes St., Salisbury • 704.633.7115
www.windsorgalleryjewelers.com • www.speedbrite.com
12C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Truck drivers even more critical to ‘backbone’ of supply chain in pandemic By Natalie Anderson natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Growing up the oldest of five, the son of a single mother and a father of four, Duncan Williams said it’s part of his nature to take care of people. So as a truck driver, particularly during a pandemic, he doesn’t mind taking on the responsibility of keeping the supply chain going by delivering goods all around the country. “That’s the way I was raised,” Williams said, adding that he’s familiar with the call to provide for others during times like these. As unemployment and layoffs continue to surge in the nation, trucks continue to move. Thus, truck drivers are deemed essential workers who serve as the backbone of the supply chain when groceries, protective equipment and even toilet paper are in greater demand. Williams, 44, is a certified HVAC technician but started driving in May 2018 for the N F I G&P trucking company. His shifts usually include 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour time period each day. But the pandemic has required even longer hours, he said. Most of Williams’ deliveries have been to grocery stores and warehouses, but
Duncan Williams drives for NFI G&P trucking company
he’s delivered protective as well. “People couldn’t survive without deliveries. Frontline workers need us, too, to get supplies delivered,” he said. Little has changed with
Williams’ role, except that deliveries have been conducted without any physical contact and temperature checks are taken upon entering all loading and unloading docks. Kevin and Nadia Har-
Kevin and Nadia Hargrave, truck drivers for Paschall Truck Lines, Inc.
grave both take on the road together as truckers and husband and wife. Kevin, 41, said he’s been driving for 10 months now, and “got his wife on board” a few months ago. Nadia, 39, served as a
nurse for 17 years. After Kevin began trucking, Nadia said she prayed for affirmation from God that her time was up for being a nurse and that she needed do something else. She’s been driving for Paschall
Truck Lines, Inc. with Kevin for three months now. Nadia usually drives during the day while Kevin takes the night shift. The See Driver, 13C
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Drivers Continued from 12C couple stays on the road for 21 days before resting for seven. Their longest route so far has been from North Carolina to California, which took two full days to drive. While driving, truckers have to monitor dozens of gauges at all times, all while staying mentally focused and well rested enough to keep themselves and other vehicles safe. “Not getting enough rest can endanger others,” Nadia said. She added that driving alongside her husband has been “good and bad.” Good, because it’s her husband — and bad because it’s her husband. The couple has seen a lot
of scenery, but stay-athome restrictions across the nation haven’t allowed for them to explore any of the areas they’ve driven through. Kevin said during the pandemic, some of his loads and routes have been scarce. Previously, he had been accustomed to driving up to 5,500 miles each week, but now he’s been driving 3,500 to 4,500 miles per week. Most of the loads have been to Family Dollar and Walmart with supplies including wood, food, water, hand sanitizer and masks. Nonetheless, Kevin said he “enjoys being part of the help.” Driving for so many hours at once can be hard on one’s body, Williams said. That’s why he appre-
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 13C
HOME
ciates kind gestures from others. For example, since restaurants have been restricted to drive-thru, take-out and delivery only, Williams had to walk up to a KFC drive-thru window recently. A police officer approached him to let Williams know he was appreciated before paying for his dinner. Another time, a woman was passing out fruit, which Williams appreciated since it was a healthy snack to keep with him on the road. “That does a lot for someone like me,” he said. Williams said at this time, people have to understand that “we all have a job to do” and should appreciate each other. He added that from truckers to nurses to teachers, “we need each other.”
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14C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Cleaning crews adapt to keep customers safe
Sheila Cannon, the owner of Wife for Hire, looks at her schedule for the homes her staff will clean that day.
By Liz Moomey liz.moomey@salisburypost.com SA L ISBU RY — The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down Sheila Cannon, the owner of Wife For Hire. On March 20, Cannon had to put her 35-year-old cleaning business on hold due to outbreak. She called her customers telling them they would be shutting down for two weeks, and then the COVID-19 outbreak worsened and she extended it. On May 11, after talking to her staff, Wife For Hire started back. “I wouldn’t want any of my people to take in something to somebody else,” she said. “We shut down and we were shut down for seven weeks.” Cannon said, even if they reopened, she knew they could always back out if they weren’t ready. Wi fe For H i re is a home-cleaning service. Some of Cannon’s customers have been relying on her service for more than 30 years. M e a nw h i l e , S h aw n Blackwell and Jason Rollins started Premier Choice Misting in October. At first,
it was to help businesses during the flu outbreak. Their business uses Clorox 360 and sprays down surfaces in offices, daycare centers, schools and nursing homes as preventative maintenance. Months later, COVID-19 concerns flooded the community and more businesses flocked to their misting service. “It was the perfect storm for us,” Blackwell said. “Typically for businesses it takes three years to be profitable, but we right now have a waiting list for people to get our services. As they start opening up more, as the governor starts allowing more businesses to open, we’ll be doing more gymnasiums, schools, more places that people previously weren’t allowed to go.” Premier Choice Misting is based in Rowan County but has spread across the state and into South Carolina. Blackwell said a national corporation has reached out to them about providing their services. Blackwell said the company is ready to grow, but their focus remains in the community. “Right now, we have a loyalty to Rowan County and a loyalty to North
LIZ MOOMEY / SALISBURY POST
Shawn Blackwell, co-owner of Premier Choice Misting, sprays down gym equipment at The Forum.
Carolina,” Blackwell said. “Before we worry about the other, we want to protect our backyard first. Once we get them protected we’ll look outside of those borders.” A s t he wa it i ng l ist grows, Blackwell said they don’t want to put anyone on the back burner, but they have a priority level with essential businesses. “What we’re really trying to do is make sure we take care of the people that we need as a community first,” Blackwell said. “We want to make sure we take care of the first responders.” One is a trucking company that delivers food to See Cleaning, 31C
Wire for Hire’s Roy Moose and Shirley McPearson had into a home to clean.
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Hoff’s Grill creates a new norm with curbside, delivery services
Jolene Houchins, co-owner of Hoff’s Grill, places new business hours on the front door of the restaurant.
SHAVONNE POTTS / SALISBURY POST
Jolene Houchins places an order into bags for a customer.
Jolene and David Houchins, owners of Hoff’s Grill, incorporated deliveries at customer’s request during the COVID-19 pandemic where the governor mandated citizens stay at home. The restaurant, like many others had to close the restaurant and opt for curbside pickup and take out only.
By Shavonne Potts March, just a few days beShe said the “new norm” ical Center and the Hefner to a few customers that between. shavonne.potts@salisburypost.com fore the stay-at-home order for many people has been VA Medical Center, often they delivered. A couple of employees SALISBURY — Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most customers who ate at Hoff’s Grill were seated in the open-air patio or inside the restaurant. Until the previous few days and because of the state’s stay-athome order, the restaurant has adopted curbside pickups, take out and delivery orders. David Houchins and his wife, Jolene, who had been employed at the restaurant since it opened in 2014, bought the business in
took effect. Initially, the couple closed the restaurant, which is located at 1621 W. Innes St., until they decided how they would run the business moving forward. “It’s slowed down as far as sales go,” David said of running a business during such a crisis. “Our business change was trying to organize. We were not a mostly take outtype of restaurant. We had to adjust. We had to figure out how to do the norm for us,” Jolene said.
homeschooling their children and conducting work meetings via Zoom video conferencing. Prior to the pandemic the couple knew their busy times of the day, but during the crisis their flow of customers changed. “Now, people are working from home and are leaving home. Everybody, I think is off schedule so it puts other places off schedule,” she said. They opted for a no-fee delivery system and have mostly had orders from Novant Health Rowan Med-
taking orders for a small number of people. O ne customer, who worked at a convenience store at U.S. 601, said she couldn’t leave the store and no other restaurant would deliver one order, except for the Houchins. The couple said they didn’t implement a minimum delivery amount, but if someone with health issues couldn’t safely leave their home and needed one sandwich, they made sure to deliver. They also sold bulk meat
One customer who had health issues bought meat for her family and a few others, and the Houchins were able to accommodate the delivery request. “We just try to accommodate our customers,” Jolene said. David added that they had to significantly reduce their staff. Sometimes, David worked in the kitchen, Jolene maintained the register and David’s mother would often answer the phone, which meant some deliveries were few and far
opted to be laid off so that others could work. “That’s good to know that I have people here willing to do that,” David said. The restaurant also adjusted its menu as the cost of meat increased as well as the cost of increased use of to-go boxes and gloves. T he Houch i n s s a id they’ve also lost out on about 55% to 60% of revenue because of events they would’ve taken part in were canceled. See Hoff’s, 19C
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Jolene Houchins, co-owner of Hoff’s Grill, makes a food delivery to Dustin Carr, at Grease Monkey, not far from the restaurant.
Hoff’s Continued from 15C The first week that the restrictions loosened in phase 1, Jolene said, the restaurant’s customer base went elsewhere as other businesses like shopping malls and other similar stores began to open. A few days into the state David and Jolene Houchines, owners of Hoff’s Grill, stand enacting phase 2 of the saf- outside their restaurant. er at home order, the couple removed a few tables inside the restaurant so that customers could still be farther than 6 feet distance from one another. The patio was already evenly spaced, Jolene said. They’ve planned to continue curbside and takeout for those customers who still don’t feel comfortable eating inside the restaurant. Jolene said she feels as though the restaurant’s patio will be where most people will flock to in the coming weeks because it is so open.
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McLaughlin’s rolls, serving fresh cuts of meat to locals
Johnny Mann sectioning an oxtail for a customer. Oxtail was selling quickly on the Morning of May 20.
By Carl Blankenship carl.blankenship@salisburypost.com
SA L ISBU RY — McLaughlin’s Grocery is a landmark. The small store has been serving up fresh cuts of meat and general goods for decades. The store is tight, and full of classic equipment from the early and mid1900s: meat cases, scales and meat processing tools are all well-maintained vintage pieces. The small, local shop is part of the community framework that helps keep people fed and enjoying food they want amid the uncertainty sewn by COVID-19, and McLaughlin’s provides some special products people can not get otherwise. T hese d ays , t h i ngs look a bit different at the store. Everyone is wearing masks, it has limited hours, a senior hour in the morning and staff sanitizes the
store every two hours, Owner Harry McLaughlin said it feels like the store needs staff just to clean. “We almost have to have someone just to do that,” McLaughlin said. “The primary things we are hitting are places where people touch. The store has managed to stay healthy by taking precautions despite COVID-19 often knocking on its front door. Workers from the nearby V.A. hospital shop there. McLaughlin even knows a pair of customers who died due to the virus. Brianna McCullough wears a few hats: running the register, stocking shelves, making sandwiches and making sure the store is organized. “This has been crazy,” McCullough said. “We’ve been really busy.” McCullough said she feels good about the work
CARL BLANKENSHIP/SALISBURY POST
Briann McCullough helping a customer check out. The store has plexiglass barriers at the front register and sanitizes surfaces every two hours.
being done in the store. McLaughlin said the community support has helped the store keep going, and dedicated customers have been buying more than usual. Store hours had to be cut when some employees did not want to stay onboard during the pandemic. The shop still has its devotees. Butcher Johnny Mann has worked in a slew of different settings, but McLaughlin’s is
his favorite place to work, describing it as a pleasure to work there. “I’ve been cutting meat for 43 years,” Mann said. Mann said the biggest challenge for the store’s meat supply is the shortage of beef, though otherwise the product at the store has not been affected. Mann said most of the store’s products come from the state and it can get most of its products every week.
“What we do here, we have products that the average supermarket don’t carry and we don’t have pre -packed products,” Mann said. “We cut on demand.” The store sells meat products used in classic Southern dishes like pig trotters, oxtail and turkey necks. On the morning of May 20, the store was quickly selling its supply of oxtails. Most customers
who come for turkey necks get them cut in half. “You still have a lot of people in society that like the old-style meats like pig feet, neck bones, ham hocks and a lot of markets have gotten out of carrying those particular products,” Mann said. “So we cater to people that desire that product.” Mann noted he sells See Meats, 21C
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Owner Harry McLaughlin working at the meat department in the back of the store.
Meats Continued from 20C
cuts like ribeye and filet mignon. “You don’t have to eat a whole cow to know it’s more unusual products beef,” Mann said. “You along with fresh popular can come here, you can get
pork chops, neck bones, pig feet, chicken, chicken feet; we even sell goat meat. We sell a product that you can’t find in the average supermarket.”
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 21C
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Medical Pharmacy of Albemarle supplies patients’ needs for regular and specialized medications By Charles Curcio Stanly News and Press ALBEMARLE — Essential workers whose efforts have gone on continuously throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have included many in the healthcare field whose buildings sit right around Atrium Health Stanly. O ne busi ness r ight across the street from the hospital, along with its many branches, also had to continue to serve the public’s health needs. Pharmacists such as Andy Castelloe at Medical Pharmacy of Albemarle have supplied patients’ needs for regular and specialized medications.
The first formula C astelloe bec a me a pharmacist in part because of his mother, who worked for years at the Montgomery County Health Department. One day, his mother mentioned to Castelloe he should become a pharmacist, a career he said never crossed his mind. “I wanted to be an architect the whole time I was in SUBMITTED PHOTO high school,” Castelloe said. “The more I thought about Andy Castelloe, blue shirt, at Medical Pharmacy in Albemarle. it, I was like, ‘It actually might be kind of cool.’ ” Montgomery High School and quantum chemistry For Castelloe, the idea of in 1988, Castelloe continued but did not make it into being able to go out and do A prescription his education at UNC-Chap- UNC’s school of pharmacy good in the neighborhood for success el Hill for undergraduate because of his grades in a was appealing. work. class he said weeds out a lot Graduating from West He got through general of people: organic chemis-
try. A change in professor made all the difference the second time around, allowing Castelloe to get into the school of pharmacy on a second attempt. “Once I caught on to that, the rest of my college career actually blossomed. Sometimes it just takes a person a little bit of time to learn how to learn,” Castelloe said.
The real-world formula Upon graduating from Carolina in its bicentennial year of 1994, he tried to find work in his home county, but there were only a handful of jobs and they were all taken. After having taken a job in Lexington with Revco and worked there two weeks, Castelloe’s district manager called him to let him know of a job in Albemarle which was his first choice. He moved to a Revco in 1996, but three years later was hired by George Harwood and started working for Medical Pharmacy. W hen introduced to Harwood, Don Bennett and Wayne Sasser, Castelloe said he had great respect for their business. “I knew they had a booming business for a drugstore back in the day,” Castelloe said. Castelloe also met his wife, Julie, at the same time, while she was teach-
ing in Montgomery County, when he came to work in Albemarle. The two have two daughters: Gretchen, who is a freshman at Wake Forest, and Laney, a sophomore who recently transferred from West Stanly to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Displaying his expertise The job of a pharmacist, in Castelloe’s case, is less about making or testing compounds and more about knowing how compounds work and interact with a human body. His role at Medical Pharmacy, he added, is to monitor and catch problems with interactions between compounds within a person. Most of the time, he added, he and his colleagues “are not sitting on the edge of their seat all the time,” saying most of the medicines they deal with are fairly benign. “The good thing about having been trained in pharmacy is you are introduced to chemicals that have some problems,” Castelloe said. When orders for those more dangerous substances come across their computers,”the hair on the back of our head gets a feeling.” It’s at that time, Castelloe said, when he draws on his knowledge from See Pharmacy, 24C
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school to focus on not hurting someone, along with checking databases to ensure they are not doing anything which would cause a problem. Day to day, Castelloe and the staff of the various Medical Pharmacy branches are filling prescriptions doing work that “is not super glamorous.” Compounding, or mixing drugs together in the store, is less than 1% of Medical Pharmacy’s business. Some pharmacies do specialize in compounding, but it’s not really part of what Castelloe said happens in their local stores. What’s most important as a pharmacy, he said, was to make sure to give customers the high points of what they need to know about their prescriptions. “The best thing that you can always do with anybody in business is to make sure you present the information with a friendly smile,” Castelloe said.
Changing for the times Even with the differences in the coronavirus pandemic, Castelloe said change is regular in his industry, so a pharmacist has to “learn to go with the flow.” Medical Pharmacy be-
gan to realize in February when COVID-19’s outbreak started in Washington state that dealing with the virus was going to be something with which they would have to contend. Castelloe said the decision was made early to close foot traffic in the store and just operate out of the parking lot, which was difficult to decide because of how much the staff pride themselves on being hospitable. In the beginning of the pandemic, he said the staff was skeptical about how they would manage the situation, admitting the first couple of weeks kept everyone on edge. After that, though, it felt like normal. Early on, people were advised by state officials to stock up on medicines, so a lot of insurance companies gave provisions for customers to have 90-day intervals for their prescriptions. Having to stock up that much made the first days very busy, Castelloe said. Working with suppliers was dicey initially, but after the initial push, business has been a little slower. “Luckily for me, I have the very best staff I can imagine,” he said. Staff have moved registers outside and had walkie talkies available for people to ask questions of the pharmacists. Should a pharmacist need to walk outside, masks and gloves are made available.
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“All these people have just worked so hard at maintaining friendship (with customers). That’s what it’s all about,” Castelloe said. He could approach the job of pharmacist as a scientist, he added, but in the end if you are not friendly to customers, you have not gained much at the end of the day. As of press time, Castelloe was hoping to be open to foot traffic by Memorial Day. He said decisions on being fully open will be based on the governor’s recommendations possibly on a day-to-day basis. During this time, Medical Pharmacy has also stayed in touch with the local community by catering lunch for the staff from local restaurants about twice a week. “I’m Mom and Pops. I need to scratch the backs of folks (struggling),” he said, adding he feels his business is blessed to still be open when so many other local places remain closed for so long. He added he was proud of the community for how local businesses have rallied around each other in support. “I’m just really proud of us. We are in a small community and I’m grateful for that.” Contact Curcio at 704983-1361, charles.curcio@ stanlynewspress.com.
to all the employees in local businesses who have worked together to keep our community running during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Working with safety precautions and social distancing you have continued to serve.
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‘Two Worlds Colliding’: Pastor and EMT takes on COVID-19
Pastor and EMT Brian Phillips
By Juliana Roberts For the Stanly News and Press ALBEMARLE — The dispatch was a cardiac arrest. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene. Inside a small room, emergency medical technician Brian Phillips was on his knees performing chest compressions on a person who had just tried to end their life. “Here I was doing CPR on this basically naked stranger in a hotel room, while wearing my clerical collar and still in my church clothes,” Phillips said. He had already experi-
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN PHILLIPS
The Stanly County EMS station
enced a full Sunday morning. As pastor of Holy Trinity Reformed Church in nearby Concord, Phillips had been on his knees with his congregation in their weekly confession a few hours prior. After church, he and his family drove home. He took his German Shepard, Ajax, out for a walk when he received the dispatch notification of a cardiac arrest in his district just a few miles from his home, where the cardiac arrest victim lay. “As I was doing compressions I looked down and I just saw the tab collar sticking out of my pocket and it was just a really weird
moment because normally when I’m working for EMS I know my shift is coming up; I’m prepared for it,” Phillips said. “It felt like those two worlds colliding.” From a young age, Phillips said he wanted to work in emergency medicine. When planning his future, he saw himself in the military as a combat medic and an eventual emergency room doctor, but his plan of action did not turn out exactly as he thought. “I jokingly say God ruined my plans,” Phillips laughed. He became a doctor — of souls. He has a bachelor’s degree in pastoral theol-
ogy, a master’s degree in theological studies, a master’s degree in Christian and classical studies and a doctorate in classical education. “I have done this backwards,” Phillips said. “A lot of guys get older and then they go into pastoral ministry and will go through seminary when they’re in their 40s or 50s. I was just the reverse.” In 2018, after being the pastor of his own church for 10 years, Phillips was contacted by a U.S. Army recruiter and offered a chaplain position. Phillips said he did not think this would be the best position
for him and his family at the time, but the offer again ignited his longstanding desire to work in emergency medicine. “I thought maybe there is some way I can work in emergency medicine, without it being in the context of the military, and without me having to stop being a pastor, because I didn’t want to do that.” He did some digging. Phillips started EMT training in August 2018 and completed at the end of the year. He began working with the East Side Fire Department in Albemarle and was hired by Stanly County EMS in the summer of 2019. He believed that becoming an
EMT was a good entry to his lifelong desire to help people and practice emergency medicine. The effects of COVID-19 have made Phillips face the virus not only on the frontlines of the medical field but also with his congregation. Many other churches are leaving the practice of The Lord’s Supper out because church members are not gathered together physically, but Phillips and the church’s elders believed there to be no violation to their confessional standards in taking the Lord’s Supper through online platSee EMT, 27C
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EMT Continued from 26C forms as long as it is given by the words of institution by an ordained minister and taken together as the whole body of Christ. “It’s certainly not perfect, but our belief has always been and still is, that the high point of the worship service is not the sermon, or the singing, or anything else, is when we gather at the Lord’s table; when we take communion together because that’s when we come to Jesus,” Phillips said. Many churches are not meeting in person due to the statewide quarantine laws. Church goers across the area are resorting to drive-in services or using online platforms to hold their services. “There is no flattering way to put this, I’m sort of an old school kind of pastor. I’d rather be with people face-to-face,” Phillips said. Honking an “amen” is not how his congregation is going about their services during COVID-19. As a pastor and EMT, Phillips not only serves people’s souls but their life as well. “As a pastor, I am able to serve people and minister to them in ways I would not normally be able to. It may not translate into people showing up at church, but I am able to share the love of Christ and demonstrate it to people that I might not meet otherwise,” he said. As an EMT, horrific scenes sometimes come with the job. He said police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, EMTs and many of those who work in emergency medical services have to deal with very difficult situations. Work in the medical field requires a proper perspective. Phillips said it is not only the fact that these people
see scenes that are disturbing; it is also the emotional pain that they see people go through. “I’m not using the ambulance as a pulpit by any means,” he said. “Being there for people and them knowing that I see the same things they do, I respond to the same calls. I think that means a lot to them, and they’re far more willing to talk to me than they would be if I wasn’t there. It has been a wonderful opportunity.” While Phillips turned down being a chaplain in the army, as an EMT and pastor, he unofficially has the opportunity to function in that role for those that ask him to. On the frontlines of COVID-19, Phillips continues to pursue his passion of medicine as well as pastoring his church members though this time. Phillips works part-time
for Stanly EMS and many more hours with the preparations for sermons and the duties of a pastor included. Phillips said that he prepares for sermons months in advance. “I also take books and my laptop with me to the EMS base, so I can work on them if I have downtime” he said. Phillips commented on his experience working as an EMT especially with the threat of COVID-19 in the picture, saying, “It does kind of wear you down at times. It’s a good job. Good work. It’s important work. Especially right now, I think people are really nervous with the pandemic going on.” He continued, “Even though our area hasn’t been hit very hard compared to some, it still has had an effect on people emotionally and psychologically.” Regulations and precau-
tions have grown as a result of the virus. Phillips said that in the case of a cardiac arrest, the patient has to be covered with a plastic sheet in order to protect the health care provider from risk of contracting the virus. All EMS personnel entering any scene with a patient have to wear personal protective equipment, including gloves and a mask. In the case of a dispatched suspected COVID-19 call, upon arrival ambulance crews have to suit up with goggles, mask, gown and gloves, all of which are required to be disposed of after each call. If the patient has to be transported to a hospital, the medic has to remain in that protective equipment throughout the transport. All EMS personnel have to assume all of their patients could be a carrier of the virus.
Thank you
to each of you who have worked and continue to work the front lines everyday. Your devotion and courage will be remembered during this time.
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 27C
Health providers are risking their health and their families as well. “It’s certainly something that concerns me, so we take precautions,” Phillips said. “When I get home, I take my uniform off on the back porch, remove everything from my pockets and we spray it all down. Then I go shower before I can hug my kids. “But, even though it’s
unsettling, I have to remind myself that God’s sovereignty is not limited by COVID-19. Like Stonewall Jackson said, ‘My religious belief teaches me that I’m just as safe in battle as I am in bed.’ So, I always end up coming back to the part of me that just says, ‘This is the job. This is what you signed up for.’”
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‘This is so new, I feel like a first-year teacher all over again’: Teachers adjust to remote learning By Chris Miller Stanly News and Press ALBEMARLE — The coronavirus pandemic has impacted people from all parts of society. One group that has been hit especially hard is teachers, who — in a short period of time — had to transform the way they interacted with and taught their students. Angela Almond is an educator who has been teaching longer than her seventh-grade students at Albemarle Middle School have been alive. But nothing in her 16 years with Stanly County Schools could have prepa red A lmond, 4 2 , for the pandemic and the life-changing ripple effects it’s caused for school systems a nd te achers around the country. T hough her pr i ncipal sent an email to staff March 13 warning of the possibility of school closures, it wasn’t until Almond received an email from Superintendent Dr. Jeff James that weekend that her fears were confirmed: All public schools across the state were closed for two weeks, per an executive order issued by Gov. Roy Cooper. All the comforts she had known for 16 years as a teacher were suddenly, in one fell swoop, ripped away from her. “My heart dropped into my stomach and there were a lot of tears shed that weekend,” she said upon learning the news. Every time Cooper extended the order, more tears were shed, Almond said. C o oper event ua l ly
made the move to close schools for the remainder of the academic year. James said the school system had already been prepa r i ng for remote learning. The school system introduced virtual learning opportunities d u r i n g t h e Fe br u a r y school board meeting to help combat loss of instructional time due to inclement weather. But SCS was likely not prepared for a pandemic that has forced schools to close for months. For Susan Haltom, a first-grade teacher at East Albemarle, the school closures meant she would be prevented from interacting with her students at a critical time when they really start to understand key concepts, especially reading comprehension. “The time of year that the pandemic happened is usually when a lightbulb really goes off with all our kids and they’re starting to really grasp all the concepts,” said Haltom, 54, who has taught in the school system for 30 years, including 17 at East. “And it was like, ‘Oh no, I’m not going to be there to really make sure those concepts are grasped the way they naturally come during a regular school year.’” Almond said the students were still stunned when they briefly returned to school to get their belongi ngs a nd Chrome books — not knowing when they would come back. “I think everyone was in shock that first week,” she said. “We didn’t know what to expect and this was something we never
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELA ALMOND
Albemarle Middle School teacher Angela Almond chats with her seventh grade students on Google Meet.
had to do. This is so new, I T h o u g h t h e s c h o ol feel like a first-year teach- buildings may be closed, er all over again. teaching and learning is still happening around Adjusting to a new the county — just virtualnormal ly from the safe confines
of individual homes. Each morning, Almond, who teaches English and social studies, sends an email to her 43 students, detailing assignments and
class reminders along with any individual student achievements she wants to highlight. See Teachers, 29C
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
Teachers Continued from 28C She also sends weekly, personalized emails to each student to check in on them and make sure they are okay. She teaches class from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday through the videoconferencing tool Google Meet. After class, she often gives students some time to virtually talk and interact with each other. A lmond said it took some time initially to convince students that even though they were at home, they were still in school and would still have to complete assignments and virtually show up for class. Almond has done her best to adjust to this new world, but it hasn’t been easy. “It’s a very strange feeling” working remotely, she said. “It’s like I’m constantly questioning myself because I’ve never done this before. When I was in the classroom, I knew 100 percent what I was doing and the next steps to take.” Many of Haltom’s students have struggled to understand why they are at home instead of school each day. “Home is their place where they eat and sleep and have family time and play; it’s not school and that’s what it had to turn into,” she said. Each of the first-grade students are completing work packets, though Haltom, along with her firstgrade colleagues, have created weekly YouTube videos for the students to watch. Haltom’s videos focus on the phonics-based program Letterland and she incorporates her two dogs, Duke a nd Bea n, which the students enjoy. Each video lasts around 10
to 20 minutes. “ I never t h o u g ht I would ever do something like that,” she joked about becoming a YouTuber. Luckily she has a teenage daughter who has helped her film and upload the videos. She also calls the parents each week to get updates about the students and make sure all is well. Haltom has gotten to know the parents on a level she hasn’t before and likely would not have if not for the pandemic. “They let me into their lives as far as what’s going on,” she said. She has told her class that students all across the country are also learning from home. “ We just have to be safe,” she tells them, “and to be safe we need to stay home.” Since standardized endof-grade tests have been canceled, Almond has had the flexibility to incorporate more student-driven instruction. She gauged her students about their interests and what they wanted to learn and has tailored her curriculum to best suit their ideas. Her students are currently learning about Greek mythology in ELA class and World War I in social studies. “ Re a l ly let t i ng t he students drive your instruction, that’s been a huge game changer for us during this,” Almond said, “and I think that’s something I want to do when we start back.”
Lack of internet a problem for some students Almond said a common problem teachers are facing is that some students don’t have reliable internet — if they have it at all — to complete the assignments
THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 29C
sively trying to help the student find reliable internet access, including utilizing WiFi hotspots in her area. Fortunately the student’s sister has internet, so she spends a few hours per day completing assignments at the sister’s house. “We’re lucky because we were able to find a solution for her, but that’s not always possible,” Almond said, adding that lack of internet access is an issue the community needs to examine and work to address. Haltom said she also has students who lack internet. She and the other first-grade teachers have emphasized to parents that though the videos are instructive, the work packPHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN HALTOM East Albemarle first-grade teacher Susan Haltom has made educational Youtube videos ets are most important. for her students with help from her two dogs, including Bean.
Time to slow down
and attend virtual class. work with one student who ternet. Teaching in Albemar- has no access to reliable inAlmond worked extenle, “you would think everybody has access, but they don’t so that’s been a challenge,” Almond said, noting it’s likely even more of a challenge for teachers in more rural areas of the county. Superintendent Dr. Jeff James said according to school data, around 10 to 12 percent of students in the county have connectivity issues, which makes completing online assignments difficult. He said the school system’s information technology department is working with several providers, including Windstream, Spectrum, Conterra and Verizon, to try and address the issue. Though Almond has a 95 percent participation rate in terms of kids attending class and completing assignments, which she says is “really high,” and almost all of her students have access to key resources, she has had to
See Teachers, 30C
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Teachers Continued from 29C Working from home has allowed Almond time to slow down and “appreciate things a little more.” She has been able to spend more time with her son, who’s in middle school. Her husband, who’s a barber, has also been at home. She said as a mom, it’s been easy for her to give “grace” to her students for a missed assignment or if someone forgets to attend class “because I see what my family is going through and I know that we’re not the only ones.” W hile the pandemic will deprive many teachers of likely being able to physically hug and say
CLEMMONS COURIER/DAVIE COUNTY ENTERPRISE RECORD/SALISBURY POST/THE STANLY NEWS & PRESS
goodbye to their students when the academic year ends, it will be especially hard for Haltom, who is retiring at the end of the school year. “I won’t get those last final goodbyes with those kids,” Haltom said, noting it’s not just her current class but the other students she’s taught in the past. Though teachers have struggled at times to adjust to the new reality of remote learning, James is proud of them. “Our teachers have been phenomena l,” he said. “I don’t think anyone in our community can doubt that our teachers are doing this because they love kids and it’s a calling.”
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELA ALMOND
Albemarle Middle School teacher Angela Almond interacts with her class on Google Meet.
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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 • 31C
Jason Rollins and Shawn Blackwell, the owners of Premier Choice Misters, pose for a photo with Clorox 360 at The Forum on May 20.
Cleaning Continued from 14C grocery stores. Another is nursing homes where the residents can’t leave. Busi ness is picki ng back up for Wife For Hire. The staff generally works about a 35-hour week, but they were clocking in at 47 hours during their first week back.Cannon said she has customers that are older that cannot clean and, since the operations halted, cleaning at their homes has halted as well. The staff is spending an extra one to three hours in homes. “Things have changed a lot with the virus,” Cannon said. “It has slowed us down. It’s made us more aware of the customer and their feelings, because we do care about them.” She said some of her customers were not quite ready to resume their cleaning service, which she understood. They are also taking more precautions. The staff of six wears masks and gloves at all times. They stay to their assigned cleaning rooms. They are also cleaning more thoroughly.
“We’re spraying extra and we’re doing extra in homes, so that everybody is healthy and going to OK,” Cannon said. She has concentrated on her customers’ feelings about safety. “They’re opening up their house for us and saying ‘come on in, we feel safe with you,’” she said. Blackwell said his staff is also taking extra precautions. Staff wears personal protective equipment, like masks, eye wear and gloves. “Now we’re really conscious, because I, from an owner’s standpoint, have to
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Wife for Hire’s Tiffany Burnham, Shirley McPearson, Dottie Moose and Roy Moose put on gloves before taking cleaning supplies out of their passenger van.
protect my staff,” Blackwell said. He is also looking out for his customers that may have been impacted financially by the COVID-19 outbreak but still require cleaning. He is working with them individually with a payment system, which is “what you’re supposed to do.”
Mops hang from the wall at Wife for Hire headquarters in Salisbury. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the group keeps a mop at every home to prevent cross contamination.
32C • THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020
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