SHALLOTTE, NC (WECT) – Christmas on the River, an event put on by the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, will take place Saturday, Dec. 1, according to the chamber’s website.

The event will host arts and crafts vendors, a stew cook-off, Santa, live music, Christmas trees for sale and more from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shallotte Riverside Park.

For more information on being a vendor or stew contest, email kmathews@brunswickcountychamber.org.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WECT) – Over $8 million was awarded to over 600 fire departments across the state recently through the 2012 Volunteer Fire Department Fund.

The Fund was created in 1988 to provide dollar-for-dollar matching grants to assist volunteer fire departments, according to a news release from Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshall Wayne Goodwin. A total of $8,717,495.18 was awarded to 644 departments and some of that money is going to Brunswick County. Here’s the list of local grants:

• N.W. Volunteer Fire/Rescue Department, Inc., $24,775.97
• Navassa Volunteer Fire Department, $30,000
• Shallotte Point Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., $11,810.75
• Sunset Harbor and Zion Hill Vol. Fire Department, Inc., $14,105
• Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., $30,000
• Yaupon Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., $19,151.67

“I’m proud that so many fire departments are taking advantage of this important grant program. These grants help our volunteer fire departments stretch their budgets to better serve our communities,” stated Goodwin in a news release.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.