Issue link: https://timwrob.uberflip.com/i/1547367
ADLA's Free Thanksgiving Turkey and Ham Giveaway The ADLA Commu- nity Op- portunity Center will hold a free Thanksgiv- ing Turkey and Ham Giveaway on Tuesday, Novem- ber 24, two days before Thanksgiving, giving families one less thing to worry about this holiday. The giveaway will take place during the regular ADLA Food Pantry from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 612 S. Breazeale Avenue in Mount Olive. Each household will receive either a turkey or a ham at no cost, along with fresh produce and other items for a complete Thanksgiving meal. Distribution is first come, fi rst served and will continue until supplies run out, so residents are encouraged to arrive early. Last year, 1,200 families went home with a turkey or ham for their Thanksgiving dinner. That impact reflects ADLA's year-round work to support Mount Olive families through its food pantry and other services at the Community Opportunity Center. With food costs continuing to strain many household budgets, the giveaway aims to make sure more families can gather around a full table this Thanksgiving. For more information, call 919-299-4450 or visit ADLA, INC on Facebook. 7 THE BUZZ AROUND WAYNE COUNTY NOVEMBER 2026 Pause and Reframe By Rev. Alan C. Shaw A few years ago, I attended a workshop that focused on reframing negative messages into positive ones. Shifting from fear-based warnings to encouragement rooted in shared values. It works, and it's a helpful reminder in a world that often feels heavy with negativity. Reframing means looking at the same situation from a different angle. Thanksgiv- ing invites us to do exactly that: to choose a lens of gratitude. When someone asks how I'm doing, I often say, "I woke up breathing… that's a good start." Maybe the morning was chaotic, but waking up breathing means God still has purpose for me. Reframing doesn't deny hardship; it asks, "Where is God at work? What bless- ings remain even now?" Scripture tells us, "Rejoice always… give thanks in all circumstances." Gratitude doesn't erase pain; it anchors us in God's goodness. It shifts our focus from scarcity to abundance and reshapes how we live. We grow more resilient, compassionate, and hopeful because we trust that God's story is bigger than our struggles. This Thanksgiving, pause and reframe. Before naming what's wrong, notice what's right. Before focusing on darkness, remem- ber Christ's light in every circumstance. Visit Peace Lutheran Church to hear more about God's goodness. Rev. Alan C. Shaw Christian Conciliator Cell: 919-608-1131 (please text or leave a voicemail) email: alan@restoringhar- monyllc.com Goldsboro Alumnae Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Host Candidates Forum With Election Day approaching, approxi- mately 150 Wayne County residents gathered at the Maxwell Center on Thursday, Sept. 24, to hear directly from candidates seeking their votes in the upcoming election. The Goldsboro Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in partnership with the Goldsboro-Wayne Branch of the NAACP and the League of Women Voters of Wake County, hosted the nonpartisan Candidates Forum as an evening of voter education and community engagement. All candidates in contested races appearing on the Wayne County ballot were invited to participate, giving voters an opportunity to move beyond campaign signs and advertise- ments and hear directly from those seeking public office. Participating candidates opened with brief introductions and shared their priorities with voters. Candidates whose opponents were not present responded to questions relevant to their respective offices and the community. The forum then moved into a moderated discussion led by Gaye Williams, president of the League of Women Voters of Wake County. Candidates with opponents present answered common questions, allowing voters to compare their perspectives on issues fac- ing the community. Audience members also had a voice in the conversation, submitting questions for candi- dates during the final portion of the forum. Gratitude = Light By Kriquette Davis I think gratitude changes after life has knocked you around a little. Mine certainly has. I've lost people I loved dearly, lost a career I thought would be mine until retirement, faced cancer and walked through seasons when life looked nothing like I thought it would. Strangely enough, those experi- ences have made me more grate- ful, not less. Maybe it's because I've learned to pay attention to things I once took for granted. I'm grateful for my husband, my family and friends who continue to show up, and for Kriquette's Kidz, which grew from one of the hardest seasons of my life. I'm grateful for Margeaux Rita making me laugh, birds at the feeders, sunsets over the farm and ordinary mornings when I wake up and get another chance to do some good in this world. I used to think gratitude meant concentrating on the good instead of the bad. Now I know they can exist together. Gratitude doesn't erase grief; sometimes it simply gives us enough light to see our way through it. This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for all of it—the beautiful, the painful and everything that brought me here.