Beekeepers of the Neuse hold awareness event
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on August 21, 2016 1:45 AM
Full Size
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Chris Odum helps a customer at the Beekeepers of the Neuse booth Saturday at Waynesborough Park during the annual National Honey Bee Day Celebration sponsored by the organization.
Yes, bees sting and yes, the stings hurt.
But guests at the annual National Honey Bee Day Celebration at Old Waynesborouogh Park on Saturday learned that honey bees are extremely important for food and health -- and all kinds of honey.
"The main focus today here is public awareness and education," said Bill Thering, who is the past president and current member of the Beekeepers of the Neuse. "There are so many people, whose first question is, 'Do you get stung?' and the second question is 'Is it going to hurt?'
"My answer is yes because bees sting."
Thering said the Beekeepers of the Neuse started in Wayne County in 2012 to educate people on the purpose of honeybees. He said a third of the food people eat is pollinated by honey bees, and eating honey itself helps reduce health problems.
Beekeepers of the Neuse program director George Worrell said his wife takes one teaspoon of honey every morning and night for sinus problems, and no longer has to take prescription medication.
And while people learned about the health benefits of honey bees, Jo Daniels -- who wore a black and yellow bee dress and a bee antenna headband -- wanted people to have fun, listen to music and eat honey.
"I got into bees when I went to bee school (to become a certified beekeeper) back in February," she said, who is the group's events planner. "I fell right into it and loved it."
She got up on stage to introduce Max Howell and the Spring Creek Music Band, and the band jammed as people walked to the 15 venues at the event to buy beeswax, wildberry honey and get their faces painted.
Michael Melson drove his family from Kitty Hawk to visit friends in Princeton, but said he read an article about the honey bee event in Our State magazine and had to stop by. His daughter Laura Melson and her brother Parker Melson and friend Jacob Holland said they knew some things about bees, but didn't realize there were different kinds of honey.
"There's a lot of types of honey," Parker Melson said. "Seriously, I just thought there was just honey."
But he's not afraid of bees.
"I mean, if they're on me, I'm like, get them off of me," he said. "But they're just doing their thing, I don't bother them."
The president of Beekeepers of the Neuse, Buddy Scott, said bees will hurt, but said a certified beekeeper understands the respect one must have for bees. He said bee school is provided through the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association to teach children how to become a certified beekeeper.
He said there are currently 145 beekeepers in Wayne County and added that North Carolina has the most beekeepers of any state.
"We have events like this and at the fair primarily for education," he said. "We also sell honey, honey straws and other products to raise money to reinvest equipment for new beekeepers, educational materials to pass out to other students who want to learn about bees."