To the students who participated and the groups who sponsored the entrepreneurship day for young people Monday in Pilot Mountain.

The program, organized by the Surry County office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Surry Community College and the North Carolina Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning program, is helping foster young people who are budding entrepreneurs, in turn helping grow our local and state economy.

Opportunities like the entrepreneurship day help teach rising business owners and leaders what to do to be successful.

*****

To the employees of the Surry County Animal Shelter and the volunteers who are helping out.

The animal shelter, after going through a period of turmoil and having a poor inspection, has turned things around, and aced its state inspection this week. This is due to the hard work of the staff at the shelter who are working to make sure living conditions for the animals housed there are meeting proper standards.

*****

To the Garden Gate Gardening Club and Chip Calloway who are designing and planting a rose garden at the Joan & Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson. The garden, to honor the late Julie Bray, who was a garden club member and patient at the home, will give patients and family members a place to enjoy and relax.

*****

To all the fire departments in the county who have spent time sharing fire safety tips with children and adults during the month of October most especially as part of National Fire Prevention Month, but throughout the year as well.

These tips could be the difference in a life saved over a life lost during a fire or other emergency situation, and it is imperative that people learn those things at a young age and carry them with them for life, and share them with others.