SEPTEMBER 2016
JUNE 2015
Business of the Month Award
Movie Night in the Grove
Hannah Creek
Veterinary Hospital
375 S. Wall Street
Benson, N. C. 27504
919-207-2800
September 9
September 10
BAWO Mum Sale
September 16
Mule Days Golf
Tournament
Miss Benson Pageant
September 17
Little Miss Benson
September 22-25
Benson Mule Days!
Front: Kristen Duncan, Brandi Marositz, Dr. Megan
Mathias, Dr. Matt Frazier, Summer Stewart, and
Jeanette Melson. Back: Jaymes Elliott, Deborah Davis,
and Tracy Norris (Ambassadors) and John Wood,
Board Chairman.
Visual Improvement Award
Robco Residential, Inc.
5750 NC 50 N
Benson, N. C. 27504
919-894-9904
Back Row: Jaymes Elliott, Chamber Board, Tracy Norris, Ambassador, John Wood, Chamber Board Chairman, Matthew Beasley, Four Oaks Bank 40/42, Deborah Davis, Ambassador, and Ben Cook, Chamber
Board. Front: Vanessa Bland, Sherry Roberts, Rita
Johnson, and Rae Ann Coats.
Yard of the Month
Mrs. Sue Guin
337 Tarheel Road
Benson, N. C. 27504
Jaymes Elliott, Chamber Board & Ambassador, Mrs.
Sue Guin, homeowner, and Julia Whittington, Residential Life Committee.
Business Spotlights
Benson Area Women’s Organization
Benson Area Women’s Organization (BAWO) was founded in
1985 and has been going strong for over 30 years. BAWO currently has 18 members who work for the betterment of the Benson community. BAWO is incorporated and has by-laws to ensure the organization operates professionally. BAWO is registered as a North Carolina non-profit organization.
BAWO is the sponsor of the Little Miss Benson and Junior Miss
Benson pageants. The ladies of BAWO work very hard throughout the year on several projects to raise money. A few of thee
projects include a spring and fall plant sale, Bingo, Saturday
Shindy and the Twisted Tinsel Christmas Bazaar, in addition to
the Little Miss and Junior Miss Benson pageants. Money raised
from the projects is disbursed back into the community in various
ways. BAWO has donated to the Benson Food Pantry, the Benson Area Chamber of Commerce, and South Johnston High
School scholarships. They have also donated gift cards to area
residents at Thanksgiving, assisted with fuel costs for the less
fortunate, adopted Christmas families and helped residents who
were burned out of their homes, and the list goes on.
The organization is willing to help where needed. BAWO depends on the community to support their annual projects in order
for them to fund these worthy causes. Members are constantly
thinking of new projects to raise money to put back into the community. The current slate of officers for 2016 include the following: President, Sherry Barefoot; Vice President, Tiffany Bonner;
Secretary, Deanna Salmon; and Treasurer, Brenda Bonner.
Benson Foundation for the Arts
The Benson Foundation for the Arts was established in 1989
and has a Board of Directors with 15 members. When the first
board was established focus was on renovation of the W.J.
Barefoot auditorium and the fund raising efforts needed to complete the project.. They have also produced plays and musicals
since 2000. Lil’ Abner, Cinderella, Steel Magnolias, The Sound
of Music, A Night on Broadway, Bye Bye Birdie, White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, and Gypsy are some of the past
productions. Benson Foundation for the Arts (BFA) provides
scholarships to high school students planning to pursue a career in the arts. They also hold summer workshops for students in grades 2-12. Scholarships are available for the summer workshops to guarantee students are able to experience
theater production. BFA allows hundreds of volunteers each
year to get involved in the arts from costume and set designs to
participation in the orchestra. BFA is one of the only organizations that includes all ages and backgrounds coming together
for a creative and educational experience.
Visit the BFA website @ www.thebensonarts.com or join their
Facebook group page for a listing of all 2016-17 season’s productions. For information and tickets call the Benson Area
Chamber of Commerce at 919-894-3825.
Benson Mule Days coming soon!
September 22-25, 2016
Remember… Shop Local and Support our
Chamber members!
Nova Nordisk and Grifols Leaders were recognized during Johnston County Economic
Development Luncheon on August 31, 2016. The pharmaceutical facilities in the Clayton
area are the largest in the world. The companies have a huge impact on our county and
future high quality job growth.
2016
Chamber Executive
Committee
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
John Wood
VICE - CHAIRMAN
Paul Boucher
TREASURER
Ann Wood
PAST CHAIRMAN
William Neighbors
EX– OFFICIO
Matt Zapp, Town Manager
PRESIDENT
Loretta Byrd
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Evelyn Aranda
Board Members
Front: Matthew Kuntz, Novo Nordisk Site Environment Health and Safety Manager, Colleen Roby, Cleveland Chamber President, Sergio Roura, President of Grifols Therapeutic
Inc., and Rick Childrey, Greater Smithfield Selma Chamber President. Back: Loretta Byrd,
Benson Area Chamber President, Angela Carpenter, Director of Operations, Clayton
Chamber of Commerce, Jessica Lloyd, Interim Exec. Director Clayton Chamber, Josia
Jackson, Kenly Area Chamber, and Chris Johnson, Johnston County Economic Development Director.
Pictured are Board Members Ken Tart and Jaymes
Elliott with President,
Loretta Byrd. Also present
from the Benson Area
Chamber were Hampton
Whittington and Donna
Steele. Many others from
the Benson area were in
attendance from varied
businesses.
Term Expires 2016
Melanie Epperson
Julia Whittington
Ann Wood
Keith Neighbors
Term Expires 2017
Brian Honeycutt
Natalie Morgan
Ken Tart
John Wood
Nominations are now being taken for the
BACC Business of the Month & Visual Improvement Awards.
To nominate a fellow Chamber member,
call the Chamber at 919-894-3825.
Term Expires 2018
Paul Boucher
Ben Cook
Jaymes Elliott
Jerry Medlin
Shop Local…It Matters!
NEW MEMBERS
Thank you 2016 Sundown in
Downtown Sponsors!
RIVERMARK HOMES LLC
PAUL BOUCHER AND SHANE HUDSON
302 N.E. RAILROAD STREET
Platinum
Small World Travel
Town of Benson
WPYB Radio
Gold
Dixie Denning LP Gas
Four Oaks Bank
Hog Slat
Silver
Berry Plastics
Benson Foundation for the Arts
Carolina Packers/Brightleaf Hot Dogs
“The Official Sundown in Downtown Hot Dog”
Harris Rebar
Narron, O’Hale & Whittington, PA
Neighbors and Associates – William Neighbors,
Danny and Pam Holland
Parker General Contractors
White Swan Barbecue – Linwood Parker
Young’s Auto Center & Salvage
Bronze
Benton Card Company
Dixie Diva’s
Eloise Moore Insurance
First Citizens Bank
Galot Motorsports
Johnston County Visitors Bureau
Johnston UNC Healthcare
McDonald’s of Benson
Nationwide Insurance – Emery Miller Agency
Ricky Barnes Auto Mart
Steven Stanley Plumbing
TLC Works, Inc.
WhittCo Properties
Will Chandler
A. L. Wood Accounting
Wood Pharmacy
BENSON, NC 27504
919-369-3062
TERESA GRANT
9904 CRESTWOOD COURT
GARNER, NC 27529
[email protected]
RENEWING MEMBERS
JOHNSTON COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU
REMAX SIGNATURE REALTY–
AMY HUFF FANN
Broadslab Distillery Receives Recognition
Benson Area Chamber Sponsors Back to School
Luncheon for South Johnston Consortium
HolidayLettings, a TripAdvisor company, informed the Benson Chamber that Broadslab
Distillery was recently named one of the top distilleries to tour in the U.S. right now.
The Chamber’s Education Committee with American
Legion Banner Post 109 Ladies’ Auxiliary hosted its
annual Back to School Luncheon for all the feeder
school staffs in the SJHS Consortium on August 24,
2016 at South Johnston. Businesses and Civic Organizations contributing to the luncheon included
Benson Kiwanis, Benson Lions, S.J. Optimist Club,
Carlie C’s IGA, Carolina Packers, Inc., Drs. Adams,
Johnson, & Johnson, School Principals, and White
Swan Restaurant, Smithfield. 600 Staff members
were served in a record time this year of 15 minutes
thanks to the fabulous help of each of the school
principals stuffing hot dogs. Thanks so much to the
SJHS staff who also cooked the hot dogs. The
luncheon was a great time for staff members to enjoy
themselves and visit with teams from other schools
in the consortium. There was a fabulous positive
atmosphere throughout the building where teachers
were attending staff development sessions.
Named after the region of North Carolina where it’s located,
Broadslab Distillery has been producing stellar moonshine, whiskey and rum for over five generations. The recipes have withstood the test of time and have been passed down year after
year since before Prohibition. Better yet, they use the sweet,
food grade white corn harvested on their own farm as a key ingredient. Tour the facilities, learn the history of each handcrafted
product, try a sample and take home a free shot glass when you
visit. Congratulations to Jeremy Norris, local owner!
Little Miss Benson Pageant
Sponsored and Directed by
The Benson Area Women’s Organization
Saturday, September 17, 2016
7:00 P.M.
W. J. Barefoot Auditorium
Tickets $12
Purchase at Jenny’s Sweet Creations
Beginning Saturday, August 27
As a chamber member, you
are invited to use one of the chamber
windows to advertise your business for one
month!
Just call us to reserve your spot!
Sundown in Downtown Highlights
Miss Benson Pageant
Sponsored by Junior Woman’s Club of Benson
Friday, September 16, 2016
7:00 P.M.
W. J. Barefoot Auditorium
Tickets will be available in the
Benson Chamber Office for $12
Thursday night, September 22, 2016
Free Mule Days Concert
The Jonathan Parker Band and
The Justin West Band
6:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Benson Center for Active Aging Sponsors
Celebration for Change!
Neal Davis, Executive Director for the Community & Senior
Services of Johnston County was on hand for the Celebration
for Change held on Friday, August 19, 2016 from 2:00 - 6:00
P.M. The event was held at the Benson Center for Active
Aging. Mayor William Massengill welcomed everyone to the
celebration and expressed his excitement and enthusiasm to
announce the extended services now available at the center.
Local Director, Debra Cardone, echoed Massengill’s welcome to everyone to the event which offered more than 50
vendors providing important services for the Benson community of seniors. Entertainment was provided as well as food
vendors. Demonstrations of Chair Yoga, Laughter Yoga, and
Tai Chi were presented to the attendees who were encouraged to participate. With the new extended hours opportunities are also able to be increased. Lots of fun activities and
field trips are made available. The Benson Center is now a
Full- Time Multi– Purpose Center with hours of operation
from 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. For schedules and additional
information check out the FACEBOOK page: Benson Center
for Active Aging or call 919-894-2370. If you are age 50 and
older check out these opportunities! You will be so glad you
did!
Thank you 2016 Chamber Champions!