Annual “Farmers Appreciation Banquet” - April 13th

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is set to be speaker at the 14th Annual “Farmers Appreciation Banquet” sponsored by the Windsor/Bertie Chamber Of Commerce.

The annual banquet has been set for April 13th, 2005 at the Heritage House Restaurant in Windsor at 6:30 PM.

The Farmers Appreciation Dinner is a way for the chamber membership to give thanks for the economic impact that the farming and agricultural industry makes on Bertie County.

Guest Speaker Steve Troxler is our new Commissioner of Agriculture after a long court contested defeat of the former Commissioner. Troxler is a graduate of N.C. State with a Bachelor of Science Degree in conservation, with a concentration in environmental studies. Mr. Troxler has served as a "century member" and Director of the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina. Steve Troxler has spent his entire life around agriculture and it is a pleasure to have him come into our community.

The Chamber has asked that anyone in Bertie County, who is involved in farming, and has not received an invitation please contact them at 794-4277 to be added to the list. Please call and make your reservation by 3 PM on April 8th or email Patrick Demofonte.

Bertie Teen is an Equestrian Hit

By Cal Bryant - 3/19/2005 - Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald

LEWISTON-WOODVILLE - At 14 years of age, most would not consider Austin Trent as a "veteran" at anything.

They better think again.

Austin, the daughter of John and Beverly Trent of Lewiston-Woodville, is not only a veteran when it comes to competing in horse shows throughout the United States, she's also pretty good at it as well.

Nearly 10 years after her maiden ride aboard a pony, Austin is stepping up to the big leagues - horses, or in her case, the large junior hunter division.

With this article we are launching a new effort to promote local newspapers on the web. The only Newspaper in the area that is actively participating in the future of news is the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. They are doing this by putting many of their articles on the Internet. This should be admired. We will therefore be highlighting any article in the News-Herald that promotes the area. I hereby express my appreciation to the News-Herald for their advanced thinking, and commend them.

I also encourage you to check out the News-Hearld web site. They have some great links to such features as on-line yellow pages, stock quotes, and other serivices that you normally might have to pay for.

Relay for Life - Fundraisers Planned

The Easter Bunny paid a surprise visit to planners and team captains of Bertie County Relay for Life at a meeting March 10th at Southwestern Middle School. Chairpersons of the event this year are Bobbie Parker of Aulander, Glenwood Mitchell and JoAnn Jordan of Windsor. Goal for the year is $190,000.


The Easter Bunny in Bertie County
(Photo by Jeanette White)

With such a lofty goal, events to raise money for the the May 13th and14th Bertie County Relay for Life are underway and several have been planned within the next few weeks.

Sunday - March 20th - Capehart's Baptist Church in Merry Hill will have a talent show followed by a pancake and sausage supper. The talent show begins at 5 PM with supper at 6:30 PM There is no cost for the talent show and cost for supper is $5. For more information, call Deborah Daniels at 794-2897.

Friday - March 25th - The Mars Hill Community Relay for Life Team will serve fish and shrimp plates at Mars Hill Baptist Church, from 4-7 PM. Plates will be $10 each. For more information, call Sandra Caulder at 356-1107.

Saturday, April 2nd - Sandy Branch Baptist Church Relay for Life Team is hosting a gospel program at Southwestern Middle School in Windsor , beginning at 5 PM. Entertainers include The Four Stars of Ahoskie; K&B Music Ministry of Capron, VA, featuring Sister Ruby Turner and the Jones Singers; and others. Tickets will be $5 in advance and $7 at the door for adults, $2 for children. For more information, contact the Charles family at 344-3771 or any member of the church's Relay team.

Saturday, April 16th - Conocanary Baptist Church has planned a "Celebration Banquet", at the church from 5-7 PM. A $10 donation is requested for the celebration which will honor cancer survivors. For more information, call Christine Dudley at 345-6951.

JoAnn Jordan is offering Home Interior Candles for sale for $5 each to support the Relay for Life. Call her during working hours at 794-5322.

Win this Quilt!

(Photo by Jeanette White)

This quilt was "unveiled" at a March 10 Bertie Relay for Life meeting. The quilt was made by Esther Bazemore and friends of Askewville, who have donated it to be raffled as a fundraiser. Raffle tickets are $1 each and can be purchased from any Relay for Life worker. The drawing will be at the May 13th and 14th event at Bertie High School.

Your support for this worhwhile effort are appreciated and encouraged.

Easter Sunrise Service - Colerain

March 27th, 2005 @ 5:46 AM - An all faiths Easter Sunrise Service will be held at 118 Small Circle in Colerain. The service will be held on a bluff overlooking the Chowan River. Everyone is welcome. Pastor Wallace Phillips of The Carpenter's Shop in Ahoskie will lead the service. Rob Whitley will provide worship music. Coffee and Biscuits will be provided after the service.

Sunrise from the bluff - March 13, 2005

The following information is provided by the U.S. Naval Observatory for Colerain, Bertie County, North Carolina (longitude W76.8, latitude N36.2): Sunday 27 March 2005 Eastern Standard Time - Begin twilight 5:35 AM - Sunrise 6:01 AM

Map to the Easter Sunrise Service

Irish Souper Bowl - Outstanding Success

Tonight's Bertie County Arts Council annual Irish Souper Bowl was a great success. Each participant received a handpainted ceramic bowl created by Bertie County Arts Council members and the crowd was dramatically larger than ever before.

Great Crowd

Food was an authentic Irish Dinner of corned beef and cabbage, potato soup, homemade bread and dessert. This is a great way to get in the mood for Saint Patrick's Day. When the food was announced there was an instant line around the room as no one wanted to miss it.

Lining up for the Great Food!

Entertainment was provided by the Hunt Family Fiddlers who were truly outstanding. Put it on your calendar now and DONT MISS NEXT YEAR!

Hunt Family Fiddlers

The Bertie County Arts Council has artwork from local artists on display at the Bertie County Arts Center. Although work by multiple artists is on exhibit at the Arts Center all the time, work is featured by one or two artists every month. Recent artists featured have been Bobbie Cobb, Cleo Warlick, Margaret Attkisson and Barbara Sant of Windsor and Ken Attkisson of Edenton. Featured artist for March is Carolyn Dail of Windsor and other upcoming shows will feature Dr. J. Fred Saunders of Aulander, Nancy Spruill of Windsor and Jacquelyn Perry of Colerain.

The Arts Center is open free of charge Monday-Friday from 10 AM until 2 PM at 124 South King Street in Windsor.

Republicans Elect John Stallings

Bertie County Republicans held their Convention for Party Members on Thursday March 10th at the Heritage House in Windsor. Ed Wharton, the Republican Party Chairman for the First Congressional District was keynote speaker and talked about "Downweast Politics". Other Republican guests included Dot Williford, Red Williford and Willy Ray Starling. Attendance was the best ever.

John Stallings

John Stallings was re-elected Chairman of the Bertie County Republican Party. Elections were also held for precinct captains and other county Republican Party officers.

The First District convention for Republicans was announced for April 23, 2005 and will be held in Goldsboro, with Justice Martin as the keynote speaker. Delegates to the convention from Bertie County were selected. For any questions about the convention, or Republican Party participation and registration, please email John Stallings or call (252) 794-2183

Riverside Baptist - Herring Dinner - March 18th

The Riverside Baptist Church Men Missions is having a Fresh Herring Dinner on March 18th, 2005. They will be serving from 4 PM until - 7 PM. The cost is $5 per plate, take out or eat in.

Condi - The Person We Need For America!

Condoleezza Rice is one of the most amazing Americans we have ever seen. World class musician. Outstanding figure skater. Brilliant educator. Expert on football. Fluent in French and Russian. She is most assuredly a master of English, is tough as nails and a world class debater.

Condoleezza Rice - Secretary of State

The following article proves that Condi is impressing people all over the world.

Condoleezza Rice Brings Morality To Realpolitik
Editorial Opinion - Daily Telegraph (U.K.) - 05/02/2005

"There cannot be an absence of moral content in American foreign policy," she says. "Europeans giggle at this, but we are not European, we are American, and we have different principles."

An expert in political science who is a master of military tactics, she has a command of facts that impresses the heavy weights in both fields. She is known as a quick wit, is well liked generally and thought of as a pleasant if blunt spoken individual.

In 1993 she became the youngest Provost in Stanford history, a post she held for 6 years until she left to support George Bush for President. She succeeded as a conservative in an arena and school that is dominated by liberals. That skill alone is significant.

A very moral person, Condi is close friend and confidant of the President. With hard work and dedication she has acheived an amazing amount already. It seems impossible that anyone could find time to become as accomplished in so many different fields. I nominate her for President in 2008.

Open House for Artist Carolyn Dail

WINDSOR - A good-sized crowd took advantage of having a different place to visit here on a Sunday afternoon when Bertie County Arts Council held open house for Carolyn Dail of Windsor, Featured Artist of the Month.

Dail is a multi-talented artist who works in oil and water colors, stained glass and needlework such as smocking and quilting. Dail is a graduate of UNC-Greensboro and Peace College. She works with the Even Start Program in Bertie County. The program is dedicated to breaking the cycle of limited literacy and under-employment via literacy skills in parents and children

Bertie County Arts Council has one or two artists featured at the Arts Center at 124 South King Street in Widsor each month.

Dail Open House

Dail's work will remain until the end of March. The show is open to the public free of charge. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Featured artists next month will be school students in Bertie County.

Story by Jeanette White

Colerain PO Customer Service Counter - Open On Saturdays

It is reported that the Customer Service Counter at the US Post Office in Colerain is now open on Saturdays from 9AM - 11AM.

Greenville Ice Skating Rink - March 26th

The Windsor United Methodist Church is having an outing to the Greenville Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, March 26th. The cost will be $7.00 per person. This will include skates, and 2 hours of skating.

The event will start at the Windsor United Methodist Church and will be leaving for the Ice Skating Rink at 11:00 AM.

This event is sponsored by the Windsor United Methodist Church, located at 408 S. Queen St., Windsor. They ask you call the church office at 252-794-3785, or email to register for the event.

Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center - March 19th

The Windsor United Methodist Church will be sponsoring a trip to Scotland Neck to visit the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center, on Saturday, March 19th. This is a rare waterfowl center where the owners work to hatch and raise young birds in the wild. The event will be led by Jeff Horton.

Participants will start at the Windsor United Methodist Church and will be leaving for the Waterfowl Center at 10:00 AM.

Sylvan Heights is a working farm and not a zoo. As such, people will need to dress accordingly with boots and / or shoes for the potential of mud and wet spots. After the tour, lunch is available at Luigis Restaurant. If you wish lunch you should bring the cost, aprroximately $6-$9.

This event is sponsored by the Windsor United Methodist Church, located at 408 S. Queen St., Windsor. They ask you call the church office at 252-794-3785, or email to register for the event.

Li'l Abner - March 10th thru 12th

The great musical play Li'l Abner from the book by Norman Panama & Melvin Frank will be performed by the Martin Community Players. The play features music by Gene de Paul and lyrics by Johnny Mercer and is based on the characters created by Al Capp. For this production Andy Weaver is artistic director, Mike Stephens is musical director and choreography is by Lauren Lukert

Gary Gardner of Windsor is playing "Earthquake McGoon". McGoon returns to Dogpatch with his new title "World's Dirtiest Rassler" and immediately announces his intention to marry Daisy Mae. With the Sadie Hawkins day race imminent the question of who catches who (and why) is great entertainment.

Wedding Party!

Other roles include: Hank Bowen as Abner, Lisa Duke as Daisy Mae, Dwane Baker as Marryin' Sam, Ada Brown of Winterville as Mammy Yokum, Doug Baker as Pappy Yokum, Bill Webb as General Bullmoose, and Earle Barnard as Senator Jack S. Phogbound.

Performaces will be held March 10th thru 12th in the Martin County Auditorium in Williamston.

Tickets are $9 for students and senior citizens and $12 for adults.

Tickets can be obtained in Windsor at Hazelgrove Realty, 111 Belmont Street, phone (252) 794-3457. Tickets can be obtained in Williamston at Mast Pharmacy, phone (252) 792-3660.