DOC volunteers thanked for helping out at U.S. Open

John Handley, volunteer manager for the 1999 U.S. Open held at Pinehurst, recently expressed his appreciation for the duties performed by volunteers from DOC during the 1999 U.S. Open.

The volunteers from DOC helped out with security for the event which attracted hundreds of thousands of fans who turned out to watch such golf greats as Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in action.

Steve Goodrum from Southern Correctional Institution served as chairman of the volunteer security committee and worked closely with U.S. Open staff to help sign up and schedule volunteers to work. Handley said Goodrum went above and beyond what was asked of him on numerous occasions. This included countless hours spent making phone calls, attending security meetings held by the FBI, SBI and local law enforcement authorities and compiling work schedules for the volunteers within his committee. He also conducted three volunteer training meetings in conjuncture with the U.S. Open Staff.

The volunteers from DOC headed by Goodrum were in charge of the five admission gates as well as additional security posts throughout the Championship grounds. Handley said all the volunteers performed exceptionally well and contributed greatly to the success of the U.S. Open. He said they exhibited complete professionalism toward spectators, guests, contestants and their fellow volunteers.

Computer training offered through OSDT and Wake Tech

ECU students teach living skills to inmates at Eastern

East Carolina University occupational therapy students Peggy Cox and Summer Byrum conducted a program this summer at Eastern Correctional Institution to help inmates prepare for life outside of prison upon their release.

ECU student Summer Byrum coaches inmate Rudolph Watford.

The program consisted of five sessions with four male inmates at the prison. During the sessions, Cox and Byrum covered a large range of topics including money management and how to open a checking account, use a telephone book and effectively spend leisure time. "Our objective was to help them acquire skills on how to work effectively with others and be successful once they reentered society," Cox said. Byrum said while in prison, inmates don’t have to worry about paying rent, budgeting their money, buying groceries, cooking or even buying and caring for their clothes. "We wanted to teach the inmates more than just vocational skills that would help reintegrate them into society," she said. Cox and Byrum said they saw their project as giving the inmates a start in becoming independent when they leave prison. "Otherwise, they become frustrated and go back to what they knew before which is committing crimes," Cox said.

Marion Correctional Institution held an open house June 12 and 14. Superintendent Dean Walker and the staff at Marion provided members of the public with a rare opportunity to see how a major institution within the Department operates.

A total of 141 individuals were escorted throughout the institution. They observed inmates in their school setting, working in the Enterprise sewing plant, recreating in the gym, and were even permitted to tour a housing area. Tours generally lasted an hour to an hour and a half. Walker said the tours went smoothly, and the visitors seemed to be impressed with the operation at Marion.

The North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women recently sponsored its first annual blood drive. The goal was to obtain 50 units of blood, and 51 life saving units of blood were obtained. Each unit can be separated and given to three to four patients at the 120 area hospitals served by the Red Cross.

Capt. Kenneth Royster and Sgt. Roderick Watson spearheaded the event and worked diligently to organize this life-saving effort. NCCIW hopes this will become an annual event and encourages other units to become involved as well.

Mike Rife, a treatment counselor with the Day Reporting Center in Iredell County, was out for a morning jog in July when he spotted smoke coming out of the back of a neighbor’s house. Rife kicked the door in and went inside the house to see if anyone was in the home. He was soon joined by another neighbor, Alan Ward, an intensive probation officer with Judicial District 22, and his wife, Sandy. Ward called 911 and then helped search the home.

"There was nobody in there, but we found a little dog in the house," Ward said. "It was scared and growling, but we couldn’t get to it."

DOC employees participating in a basic correctional officer training class in Albemarle July 21 learned more than just what it takes to be a correctional officer. On that day, they also learned a little about what it takes to be a rescue worker.

As the class was taking a break, a car travelling on a nearby road crossed the center line and went airborne before crashing into a light pole. Tyrone Brown, the training manager for the Piedmont Region, and his students were the first ones to respond to the accident. Brown and his students were able to stabilize the vehicle until emergency services showed up. They managed to keep the two trapped passengers calm by talking to them and reassuring them that everything would be okay.

In addition to Brown and his students, the Albemarle Police Department, Fire Department, Stanly County EMS and Stanly Rescue all helped with the rescue efforts.

"It was really good that all the various agencies were able to work together like that," Assistant Chief of Police Matt Cagle said.