Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team
Committee Reports - November 10, 2016
Education
and Workforce Development Committee
·
Professional
Development - On
October 6, 2016, the entire staff of GCS attended Professional Development
sessions with five other school districts on the campus of Cherokee Central
Schools.
·
Physics
Competition
- Ben Davis’s Physics class built a trebuchet (catapult) and competed in a
Pumpkin Chunkin’ event in Hayesville.
·
Math
Conference
- All middle and high school math teachers attended the state math conference to
investigate the changes in the math curriculum
·
BBBS
Program
- Several teams from GCS participated in the Bowling for Kid’s Sake fundraiser
for the Big/Brother/Big Sister program.
·
GEARUP
Program
- 7th and 8th grade students toured UNCA campus with the
GEAR UP grant program to give them an opportunity to explore a college campus.
·
Day
of Caring - RMS
participated in a Day of Caring in October. Students assisted at Fontana, the
food bank, Hope for Families, Forest Service, the Church Mouse, read to
elementary students and helped set up for the Heroes of the Knight 5K for
Special Olympics.
·
Family
Fun Festival - GCS
hosted the Family Fall Festival on October 31 with approximately 750 children
and 3,000 total attendees. 42
community, business, or school booths were set up to greet the families with
treats.
·
Dolly Parton Imagination Library - GREAT
has been awarded $4,000 for the Imagination Library Project by the 2016 Catholic
Charities Growing Opportunities Small Grant awards program. DPIL Numbers:
o
220 currently registered
o
528 graduated
o
862 served
·
Stecoah
Valley Center Updates
–
o
The
outside restroom is under construction near the playground in Stecoah.
o
There
is currently a waiting list for after school programs at Stecoah Valley Center.
o
The
STARS performance of The Wizard of OZ will be Nov. 19 at 5:30 followed by a pot
luck dinner at the Stecoah Valley Center.
o
The
Artisan’s Drive About will be held Nov. 25 and 26.
o
Breakfast
with Santa at Stecoah Valley Center will be Dec. 3 along with
“Christmas in the Mountains,” an indoor arts show and a great place for
local Christmas shopping.
GREAT
Health and Social Committee Report
·
Senior
Center - We have been working
with the Senior Center to help reduce the impact of accidents and falls on our
senior citizens by offering the program A
Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls at the Senior Center to
start Nov. 14th. We have 12 signed up for the program.
·
Staff
Development - We have two
Diabetes Lifestyle Coaches who are going to be attending the 9th
Annual World Congress on Prevention of Diabetes and Its Complications in
Atlanta.
·
Diabetes
Prevention Program - Our
current Diabetes Prevention Program will complete their year-long classes in
December. We are also working with the Senior Center to teach the Diabetes
Prevention and a Diabetes Education class, both to begin at the Senior Center in
January.
·
Diabetes
Education and Empowerment Program - Our
first group has completed the Diabetes Education and Empowerment Program,
although we only had two participants they reported that the class was
beneficial and that they had learned more than they thought they would. We have
a current class with three participants and have had a request to start a new
class beginning Monday, Nov. 14th.
·
Health
and Wellness Fair -The Health
Department is planning to hold a Health and Wellness Fair again this year, last
year’s was successful, and we want this year to be even bigger with more
vendors, demonstrations, and activities.
· PlayPrints - We are still waiting on PlayPrints to come and the Health Department is still working on implementing Faithful Families, an Eat Smart, Move More Faith based program for congregations; and working on a Work Site Wellness program outside of the Health Dept. in conjunction with Mountain Wise.
Tourism
and Mountain Culture Committee