The Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) Small Business Center hosted its third annual Small Business Awards Ceremony at Seven Springs Farms and Vineyard in Norlina, where they celebrated 13 Warren County-based businesses and community leaders, recognizing their contributions to the local economy and community. The ceremony, which was held on February 27, was in partnership with The Gateway Community Development Corporation (CDC) of Vance County and sponsored by NC IDEA.

The VGCC Small Business Center, led by Director Carolyn Perry, has been instrumental in supporting local entrepreneurs through resources, training, and mentorship. The annual awards ceremony highlights the achievements of small businesses that have demonstrated resilience, innovation, and commitment to community development.

The honorees were in three categories according to the length they have been in business: Startups (3-5 years), Established (5-10 years); and Legacy (10+).

HONOREES:

STARTUPS
Peanut & Zelb’s Produce Market, 137 Hyco Street, Norlina
Warren Animal Feed, 102 College Street, Warrenton
Sisterly Dreams
Presenter: Kyle Burwell, Dean, Business and Industry Solutions, VGCC

ESTABLISHED
Oliver Family Farm
Crews Balloons, https://www.crewsballoons.com
Lake Gaston Coffee, 104 Wellington Way, Littleton
Seven Springs Farms and Vineyard, 332 Axtell-Ridgeway Road, Norlina
Sweet Delights Cookies and Things
Presenter: Megan Williams, Economic Development Specialist, Warren County Community and Economic Development

LEGACY
Just Flowers, 138 S Main Street, Warrenton
Kim’s Vineyard and Winery, 408 Largo Road, Norlina
WARR 1520 AM, 824 US Hwy 158 Bus. W, Warrenton
Awesome God Christian Bookstore, 130 S. Main Street, Warrenton
Presenter: Dr. Jerry Edmonds, Vice President of Workforce & Community Engagement, VGCC

Community and Economic Development Award:
Jametrice Alston Jones, owner of @4 Girls and a Comb and Rock & Fortress Production Company, 144 S. Main Street, Warrenton
Presenter: Crystal Myrick, Warrenist

The event was catered by local Warren County food truck, Kings Smoke-N-Soul.

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The Duke Energy Foundation recently announced it has granted $50,000 to The VGCC Foundation to support small businesses in Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties.

The grant is part of $700,000 in new funding made available to North Carolina small businesses in partnership with community development organizations like the Small Business Center at Vance-Granville Community College. Small business grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 will be distributed through 20 community organizations to support retail shops, restaurants, and other small businesses looking to expand, upgrade technology, and improve downtown storefronts.

Now in its fourth year, the program has provided over $2 million in funding to small businesses since its inception during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Duke Energy Foundation’s small business grant program has helped fuel a resurgence of entrepreneurial small businesses ranging from bookstores to restaurants in our state,” said Kendal Bowman, North Carolina State President for Duke Energy. “These small business grants ensure Main Streets across North Carolina are well positioned to benefit from our state’s unprecedented economic growth.”

Such businesses play a critical role in the state’s economic health and employ nearly half of North Carolina’s workforce, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Small businesses remain the backbone of the U.S. economy, and in rural areas, they also serve as the heartbeat of our local economies,” noted VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “This monetary commitment enables Vance-Granville Community College to promote the entrepreneurial mindset and support budding small business ideas into real businesses within our larger community.”

The VGCC Small Business Center will select grant fund recipients through a series of workshops, one based in each of the four counties the College serves. Each workshop session will span four evening classes (10 total hours of instruction). The sessions will culminate with a five-minute pitch contest, after which five of the session’s 10 participants will receive a $2,500 award to support their small business.

Workshop dates and locations are as follows:
Sept. 16–19: VGCC South Campus
Sept. 30 – Oct. 3: VGCC Main Campus
Oct. 7–10: VGCC Warren Campus
Oct. 14–17: VGCC Franklin Campus

To learn more about this program and participant requirements, contact VGCC Small Business Center Director Carolyn Perry at (252) 738-3240 or perryc@vgcc.edu.

For more information on the Duke Energy Foundation and its initiatives, visit duke-energy.com/Foundation.

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