This year, Community Concerts celebrates 80 years of music, fun and entertainment. It’s been a stellar season thus far with performances by Daryl Hall and John Oates, Peter Cetera and Boyz II Men. On April 15, funnyman Jay Leno takes the stage at the Crown Theatre to close out
the season.

“He’s a legend,” said Community Concerts Attractions Director Michael Fleishman. “He puts on an excellent show.”

A longtime late night TV host, Leno has not slowed down a bit since leaving The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.In fact, he has an Emmy Award winning webshow called Jay Leno’s Garage. Here he shares his love of cars and gives reviews, compares cars
and more.

Never one to sit still, Leno stays busy traveling, writing children’s books, performing and supporting his favorite causes. He’s served as Master of Ceremonies for causes supporting those affected by 9/11, the Tsunami in Thailand, hurricanes in the Gulf and more. Every year, Leno leads the Love Ride in California, which benefits humanitarian organizations that serve people with autism and muscular dystrophy as well as athletes who compete in the Special Olympics.

While Community Concerts’ season performances don’t usually have an opening act, the audience is in for an extra treat at this show. “We added an opening act — Emily West. She’s from Nashville and was finalist on season 9 of America’s Got Talent,” said Fleishman. “She won the crowd over with covers she does, one of them is a song from The Wizard of Oz.”

Fleishman was looking to add a musical element to the show and knew he had the right act when he heard West. 

“She is great. She will do a show for about 30 minutes as an opener. She’s worked with Jay before and he loves her.” 

Community Concerts went all out this year choosing to bring fewer shows but bigger names to the community. It was a calculated move but one that the organization felt was right. “We had fewer shows this year, but actually spent more,” said Fleishman. “This has been a really good season.”

 While he wouldn’t commit to a specific number of performances for next season, Fleishman added, “We always want to keep it fresh and we are actively working on next year’s program. We want to bring the best artists we can to Fayetteville.”

Offering top-notch entertainment to the community is the Community Concerts mission — and it’s something the organization does exceedingly well. What drives this all-volunteer group is their love for the community. Since 2008, every season, Community Concerts inducts a person or group into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame. With such a talented and diverse community, it just made sense to honor those who make the Fayetteville music community stronger.

Previous Hall of Fame inductees include Charlotte Blume, owner of Charlotte Blume School of Dance; Laura Stevens, founder and director of Voices of the Heart; jazz educator and performer Malachi Sharpe; and the 82nd Airborne Division’s All-American Chorus.

This year Community Concerts chose to honor three people. The inductees were announced at the Boys II Men concert on March 11. Fouad Fakhouri is a composer and the conductor for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. This is Fakhouri’s last season with the FSO. “He has done a lot for Fayetteville and the symphony,”
said Fleishman. 

Doyle Wood owns Daxwood Productions and joined Fakhouri as an inductee. “He’s a singer and a songwriter and a producer. He has produced more than 1,000 songs,”
said Fleishman. 

Lynne Robertson O’Quinn was the third inductee. 

“She has worked with Wood for almost 30 years,” said Fleishman. “She has helped him on lyrics for songs he’s done. They did a song called ‘Stand Proud,’ which is being used at military ceremonies and as a tribute to the armed forces. They also worked on ‘Our Hometown,’ which is played a lot locally and is an homage Fayetteville.”

Always looking to encourage new musicians, Community Concerts also awards college scholarships to local students. The program was founded in 2004. Since its inception, the organization has awarded 24 scholarships.

Another way that Community Concerts supports local musicians is through its local artist showcase. This program is designed to build community involvement and music awareness. In the past, local groups performed at shows during the Community Concerts Season. Voices of the Heart opened for Gladys Knight and students from Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance performed during Martina McBride’s show. Local country music artist Trae Edwards performed at the Ricky Skaggs show.

Community Concerts believes in the power of music and strives to make music available to everyone. The organization provides free concert opportunities to different groups including children and seniors. The Vision Resource Center, Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments, high school theater art classes, members of our military and many others have benefited from this program.

To find out more about Community Concerts or to purchase ticket to see Jay Leno at the Crown, visit www.community-concerts.com or call 888.267.6208.

Litter is a problem that plagues many cities around the world, and Fayetteville is included. Every piece of trash  tossed onto the ground has a huge impact on the city. First, and most obvious, it is ugly and devalues all of the amazing opportunities that Fayetteville has to offer. Second, it has a huge effect on the environment. Cigarette butts leak harmful chemicals into the water and soil. Large amounts of litter attract harmful vermin and bugs. Plastics are often eaten by local animals, which can eventually kill them. Litter is ugly and dangerous but cleaning it up is often a very expensive endeavor. The U.S. spends billions on it annually. On April 2, Fayetteville Beautiful hosts its annual citywide cleanup. It is a chance for the public to come out and make a difference in the local landscape.

“This is an opportunity for all the citizens of the city to participate in, as George Breece would say, ‘cleaning up their bedroom.’ We are giving the opportunity to citizens to feel good and to clean up their neighborhood, park or thoroughfare — or an area that they feel is blighted or ugly,” said Bobby Hurst, Fayetteville Beautiful spokesman. “Families, neighbors, organizations, youth groups are all encouraged to participate. The more people that help, the cleaner the city will be for ourselves and visitors who have first and lasting impressions of the city.”

Fayetteville Beautiful is a group of volunteers that has decided enough is enough. The organization has three core issues. Litter prevention, which goes along with the citywide clean up. Beautification, which goes along with planting. Third, is waste reduction. “The people and animals of the area deserve a beautiful and clean city to live and thrive,” said Hurst.

On the day of the  citywide cleanup, volunteers meet up and spend a day picking up all of the litter from various locations around the city. Fayetteville is a large city with a lot of areas that could benefit from a cleanup. Groups and individuals can pick a particular area of interest by “adopting” the street or park. This can be done by registering at http://fcpr.us/fayetteville_beautiful.aspx. The more people that participate, the  more Fayetteville will benefit. 

Participants should meet from 8 until 9:30 a.m. at the entrance to Cross Creek Park on Green Street. This is the distribution site where orange bags, gloves and bottled water are given out. Volunteers fill the orange bags with the collected litter and leave the full tied bags along the way. Organizers with Fayetteville Beautiful will then collect the full bags for disposal. It is for this reason that it is vital for volunteers to register and adopt their intended clean up sites. This also helps to prevent too many volunteers working on one area. 

“Seeing more people get involved and care about their city is the most exciting thing for me,” said Hurst. “Eighty-five percent of littering is individual attitudes and the key is to change individual’s behavior. This is the result from a 2009 survey done by Keep America Beautiful. Our goals for the future are for more people to get involved to be a cleaner city.”

In the past, these citywide cleanups have been an incredible success. Last year’s boasted 707 volunteers who picked up 14,531 pounds of litter. Over the past 11 years Fayetteville Beautiful has had 10,934 volunteers pick up over 132 tons of liter along 216 miles or roadside. These numbers show what a huge difference volunteering a few hours on a weekend can do. 

Besides volunteering with Fayetteville Beautiful there are other ways to reduce the litter around town. Recycle and use reusable containers whenever possible. Make sure trash containers have tightly fitted lids so that weather or animals don’t blow trash away. Adopt a street or area and dedicate time to keeping it clean. Report litter violations and discourage friends and family from littering. Make sure appropriate trash and recycling receptacles are available and emptied often. Fayetteville Beautiful also accepts donations and has volunteer opportunities beyond the annual citywide cleanup. For more information visit
www.fayettevillebeautiful.com. 

Team (noun) a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.

Team (verb) come together as a team to achieve a common goal.

I’ve spent a lot of time the past couple of weeks hearing and talking about teams. All kinds of teams: work teams, athletic teams, couples who work as a team, even our political leaders. For the past couple of weeks, the conversation has not been about successful teams, but rather unsuccessful teams. Dysfunctional teams. 

These conversations have sent me into research mode. What happens between people that make them so unable to work together, so unable to find a common ground, so unable to put aside their anger to actually hear one another? How do you take people who are that far apart and get them to work together? How do you build a team when no one is listening? It’s a major problem in our schools, our communities, our country. So, in the hopes of building a bridge, I thought I would share some information that I found on building a strong team — whether it’s in your business, your school, your place of worship, your home or in our community.

The following are suggested as the building blocks of building an effective team:

Clear objectives: Understand that a team has mutually-agreed aims and objectives. It is imperative that everyone has a clear understanding of what they are.

Balanced roles: A good team knows how to balance the skills, abilities and aspirations of its members. On an effective team, every member has a clear understanding of each individual’s role in achieving the overall team objectives. 

Effective processes: Teams that work have developed
good processes for making, communicating, implementing and reviewing decisions. Effective information systems are
in place and coordination of resources is key to the team’s success.

Good communication: Meetings are the bane of most teams. Particularly when meetings don’t really serve a purpose other than checking a block or are battlegrounds where axes are ground between the members of the teams. Meetings must be productive and everyone involved has to have a voice. If that isn’t the case, then frustration builds and the team moves further apart instead of together..

Appropriate leadership: A successful team has a leader. If the leader fails, the team fails. If there is mistrust between the team and its leadership then nothing is going to be accomplished. 

Support and trust: Members of the team have to have respect and trust in their teammates. They  help each other by listening, evaluating, offering ideas, encouraging experimentation and giving support. 

Openness and conflict: People express themselves openly and honestly. That means people talk to one another in a civil manner. A differing opinion, is not a reason for name calling or abuse. True team members must be will to work through difficult situations or conflict constructively. 

Mutual cooperations:There is a readiness to be involved and committed. Individuals’ abilities, knowledge and experience are pooled and used by the team. There is acceptance of each others’ strengths and weaknesses. One team member does not use the other’s weakness against them, instead steps up to fill the gap.

Individual development:‘Mistakes’ are faced openly and used as a vehicle for learning. Individuals are given opportunities to develop new skills and experience. A coach who takes a player out of the game because they male a mistake isn’t teaching the player anything. A great coach knows that a player learns from his or her mistakes. They become better for the making of them. A good coach also knows not to let the mistakes go on for a long period of time, when that happens, instead of being a teaching tool, the mistake becomes a weapon.

Regular review:The team regularly reviews its performance and goals and alters its priorities and practices in the light of review. That means they make an honest assessment of what has happened and use the assessment not to place blame, but to move forward.

If you take a close look at where we are today, it would seem that these common sense approaches to teamwork could really help our city, our state and our country. 

A jolt akin to an electric shock shot through my body when I realized that I have been writing for Up & Coming Weekly for a full 15 years!

I have missed a few weeks for travel, family events and the occasional “mental health” break, but assuming about 45 columns each year, that comes to at least 675 columns — hence, the jolt. I had no idea!

Once my shock subsided, I started pondering some of those columns and responses that have come in over the years. What topics, I asked myself, generated the most response? Politics? Sex? I have addressed teenage pregnancy and single motherhood but not how they actually occur. Religion? Would not touch that with a 10-foot pole. The eternal quest for world peace? Zzzz

So what interested readers most? No contest. Up & Coming Weekly readers are fervently interested in tattoos and the English language, grammar included.

Tattoo responses generally addressed why the writer got tatts and how he or she feels about them. Most people feel just fine. I did get slightly uneasy one evening when I walked by a bandstand and a country musician with much colorful ink snarled at me, “What have you got against tattoos, lady?” though most folks are not quite that invested.

English grammar aficionados, on the other hand, are deadly serious about our language and its usage, as frankly, am I. The Precious Jewels suffered zillions of grammar corrections over the years — when to use “lay” and when to use “lie” along with why Mary did not go to the movie with “you and I.” Like art and pornography, I think they know correctly used English most of the time, which I consider one of my main legacies as a mother.

Imagine how delighted I am to meet, on paper and online, Mary Norris, who unapologetically refers to herself as the Comma Queen. Norris has worked for The New Yorker magazine, long known for being a total stickler when it comes to grammar and using exactly the right word, for nearly four decades. She has recently published and essay in The New Yorker— where else — about learning to love its iconic style, and she has a book coming out next month subtitled Confessions of a Comma Queen. Best of all are the Comma Queen’s charming videos on YouTube in which she tackles such burning topics as “Who/Whom for Dummies,” which is quite enlightening.

Norris knows a great deal about commas, of course, and offers examples of why proper placement of them is critical. Below we see what happens when they are in the wrong place or nowhere at all. 

“We invited the strippers, J.F.K and Stalin.” We would all have liked to have
 seen that.

“This book is dedicated to my parents, Ayn Rand and God.” Who knew?

“And there was the country-and-Western singer who was joined onstage by his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.” Who knew that either?

Norris is also knowledgeable and concerned about words and how they are used. She frets, as do many other language lovers, over what she terms “vogue words.” Think “massive” and “awesome,” words that have been so overused that they are virtually meaningless. Can you really have a “massive” headache when an ache has no actual mass at all? If you have an “awesome” party, does that mean your hospitality inspired awe among your guests or did they merely have a fine time? 

What about the void — a real limitation — in English that Norris correctly points out and which sounds to me like a nail grating along a chalkboard every time I hear it. Unfortunately, that is daily. Unlike some other tongues, English does not have a gender neutral word to use when we do not know which gender a person is. For example, “A person stood in the doorway, but _____ did not come in the room.” A correct way to fill that blank would be “he or she,” but that sounds cumbersome. So, we often use the plural “they” when we are referring to a single individual, which is incorrect but so common now that the American Dialect Society has declared “they” the “word of the year” in 2015. Other winners include “bushlips” in 1990, referring to President George H. W. Bush’s “Read my lips. No new taxes” promise, “metrosexual” in 2003, and “truthiness” in 2005, made famous on The Colbert Report.

My takeaway from all this? 

Language is dynamic, always expanding and sometimes retiring words and uses, but at the end of the day we must have some rules or we will turn into a tower of Babel. 

I can hardly wait to hear from my fellow English lovers, so sock it to me.

Ummm…I wonder whether the Comma Queen would say that.

Among my many failings as a human being is the fact that I like beauty pageants. Growing up I always looked forward to watching the Miss America pageant. I particularly enjoyed watching the lovely ladies wearing their one piece bathing suits strutting their stuff around the stage in high heels. For a 13-year-old boy, it didn’t get any better than that. As a deeply shallow person, it didn’t take much to amuse me back then or now for that matter. Closely behind the bathing suit promenade, were the thought questions and the talent segments. It was truly touching how happy the first runner up was for the ultimate winner. It proved women are more evolved than men. Two guys up for the same prize, the second place guy is much more likely to punch the winner than hug him. Bert Parks singing, “There she is, Miss America,” was a celestial experience. I still tear up a little thinking about that.

The thought questions were always great. Bert: “Miss Iowa, if you could have two wishes, what would they be?” Miss Iowa: “I would wish for world peace and a hit record.” Cue the wild applause from the Iowa section of the audience. Little was more entertaining than listening to Bert plumbing the intellectual depths of the psyches of potential Miss Americas. Those gals were beautiful but tough. They had to answer deeply philosophical questions with their teeth covered in Vaseline to keep their lips from sticking to their teeth due to smiling for 72 hours straight. They also had to labor under the weight of 20 pounds of hair spray back in Bert’s day. The creation of the hole in the Ozone in the 1960s was a direct result of the hair spray dispersed during Miss America pageants. 

The talent portion was wonderful. My favorites were the baton twirlers. Baton twirling was really big in the ‘60s. There was always the hope that a twirler might drop her baton. In a really good year, a baton twirler would spin a flaming baton. A contestant might recite a love poem of her own composure. Each year several contestants would sing “Midnight” from Cats. If we got lucky, a contestant would do acrobatics and roll across the stage to a song by Herb Alpert. Those were the days, my friend. We thought they’d never end. 

Which brings us to a really great beauty pageant that is coming up locally. I speak of the Puttin’ on the Dog Pet Dog show that will occur on Sunday, April 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. This fine event will take place at Heritage Square, 224 Dick Street, in beautiful downtown Fayetteville. This is the classiest dog show in the history of the universe. You, gentle reader, can enter your own dog and win a fabulous prize. The dog show is put on by the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society to raise funds for homeless pets. The entry fee is a mere $5 per dog, which is less than a triple venti carmel coffee. Registration starts at noon. There is no entry fee to join the Parade of Rescue Dogs. Bring your rescued buddy. This is gonna be HUGE! There is no pedigree required for your dog to compete other than being your faithful canine companion. 

You and your dog can compete and win in the following categories: Gorgeous Gals; Handsome Guys; Owner-Dog Look-a-Likes, Best Dog Costume, with a grand prize for Best in Show. While not a year’s supply of Turtle Wax, magnificent ribbons will be awarded in each of these categories. Free admission for human and doggy spectators. If you just want to bring your dog to view this awesome extravaganza, kindly remained leashed to your puppy. While they last, free doggy treats in the shape of Dook basketball players, IRS agents and UPS delivery dudes are available. Just kidding about the shapes. For the human animal companions, food, drinks and desserts are available for purchase. 

On a personal note, we are entering our wonder dachshund, Molly the Warrior Princess, who is in fact truly gorgeous. Molly is enrolled in pageant school, where she has been diligently working with a pageant coach on how to answer thought questions while balancing on four high heel shoes wearing a one piece bathing suit. For her talent Molly is going to sing Captain and Tennille’s big hit, “Muskrat Love.” 

Bring your dog and family out for a beautiful afternoon on the town. We may have a four star general judging the contestants. Come and see the spectacle! A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

A near shootout among teens inside a fast food restaurant capped an unusually violent month in Fayetteville. The youth who was the target of a robbery at McDonalds on Raeford Road at Ireland Drive was not charged, although police say he did all of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. 

It happened just before the dinner hour, when three teens entered the restaurant to sell a pair of cell phones to another youth. They decided to rob him instead. Darius Keyshawn Joyner, 19,  got the drop on the others and began shooting. Two of the would-be robbers were wounded. An elderly woman was knocked to the ground as the trio ran from the store. No one else was hit by gunfire. 

Police spokesman Lt. David McLaurin says two handguns were recovered. District Attorney Billy West appeared at the arraignment of the three young suspects and asked that their bail be increased to $250,000 each. District Court Judge Steven Stokes obliged West agreeing that people should be able to eat a meal in peace. The youngsters jailed in the case are Dustin Lane Tippet, 17, Delon Russell-Dyer, 18 and Jairron Harrington, 18, all of Fayetteville. They’re charged with armed robbery, conspiracy and possession of stolen property. 

Harnett County Sheriff Steps Down

Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins chose to resign one day after District Attorney Vernon Stewart indicated he would seek murder charges against one of Rollins’ deputies. 

WTVD11 reported Rollins had actually informed the Board of County Commissioners a month earlier that he was going to step down. That came during the height of a probe into an officer-involved shooting death. Rollins has not commented publically about resigning the post he held for
14 years. 

Stewart said he will seek a second-degree murder indictment against Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Kehagais, according to Lillington attorney Jesse Jones. It’s the first time the deputy has been publically identified since the shooting death last November of John Livingston, 33.  He was shot three times Nov. 15 at his home north of Spring Lake. An autopsy disclosed Livingston’s body had evidence of “cocaine and excessive alcohol consumption.” 

Two deputies responded to the residence before dawn to conduct an assault investigation, the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office said. Court records indicate that Deputy Kehagais contacted Livingston in front of his home while deputy John Werbelow went around back. Kehagais asked Livingston for permission to search the residence for suspects. An affidavit confirmed deputies did not have a search warrant.  Livingston eventually gave his consent. When Kehagais spotted a vehicle behind the home matching the description of one suspected in an assault investigation, he attempted to arrest Livingston, who resisted. The affidavit says Kehagais reported there were witnesses to the struggle that ensued. Kehagais shocked Livingston with his stun gun but it was ineffective. The other officer then pepper-sprayed Livingston, but he kept fighting. Court documents reveal that Kehagais drew his side arm while Livingston fought with him. He fired three times hitting Livingston in the “upper chest and possibly an arm.” EMS personnel pronounced Livingston dead at the scene. Until these disclosures over the past week, the Sheriff’s Office refused to release any information surrounding the confrontation and resulting death.

Each year more than 2,400 pedestrians are hit by vehicles in North Carolina, making our state among the least safe states in the United States for walking. On average, about 160 pedestrians are killed annually in North Carolina. 

In collisions with cars, pedestrians have a lot to lose. Those hit at 40 miles per hour have an 85 percent chance of dying according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. This is why the North Carolina Department of Transportation has undertaken a program designed to reduce walker fatalities.

“Pedestrian safety projects are being developed around the city especially along new or resurfaced roadways,” said David Thipps,
 North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Regional Traffic Engineer for Fayetteville. 

Glensford Drive between Raeford Road and Morganton Road has high visibility marked crosswalks and three roundabouts all of which are designed to protect pedestrians in their conflicts with motor vehicles. In one spot, a unique, fenced corral of sorts was installed on the center median at Berean Baptist Academy to harness children as they move across the busy road. 

“All major transportation improvement projects include improved accommodations for pedestrians,” says Thipps. 

These projects include the installation of a center median along Owen Drive that is now underway between U.S. 301 and the All American Expressway. Marked crosswalks are planned in areas where there has been a history of pedestrian fatalities in recent years. Coincidentally, as Up & Coming Weekly has reported, a sidewalk is set for construction along the entire east side of Owen Drive. Raeford Road will get similar center medians and will also include crosswalks with high visibility markings. Both are similar to the project undertaken a couple of years ago along Ramsey Street. When the median was installed along Ramsey Street, crosswalks were not included. But now, according to Thipps, they’ll be retrofitted at some of the major intersections. 

Thipps points out that smaller paving projects like the one along Eastern Boulevard and Grove Street downtown included pedestrian crosswalks at signalized intersections. Crosswalks are also going in along Eastern Boulevard at Russell Street, Pamalee Drive and Murchison Road as well as in-town sections of Bragg Boulevard. He says there are 14 funded safety projects earmarked for Fayetteville. Thipps says his office and Fayetteville City Traffic Engineer Lee Jernigan work closely together to improve pedestrian safety. Both say the heavily travelled cluster of hotel and hospitality outlets along N.C. 53 (Cedar Creek Road) at Exit 49 off I-95 has received significant safety upgrades with additional crosswalks. The area has become a major problem for travelling motorists, says Thipps. 

“We’re always looking for additional opportunities to improve pedestrian safety,” he said.

A combination of mild winter weather and an early March warm-up are resulting in an intense and early season for allergy sufferers. These conditions allowed trees to pollinate earlier than usual. In eastern North Carolina, pollen levels usually peak in early to mid-spring when most of our native trees such as pines and oaks are flowering. Some of the biggest spring allergy offenders also include grasses and weeds. The trees, many of which are widespread in Greater Fayetteville, also include birch, beech and cedar.  

This year, the pollen was noticeable a week before spring had sprung. Pollen levels are considered high when daily counts exceed 270 grains per cubic meter. Pollen counts at state environmental laboratories in Raleigh have already reached leveled of 428 and 450. They could get much higher, though. The good news? Seasonal peaks like this usually only occur within a one- or two-week span. 

With pollen on the rise, allergies won’t be far behind. People who are bothered by allergies may want to limit their time outdoors until pollen levels decline. State environmental experts say the worst times to be outdoors in the pollen are during early morning hours and when it is windy outside. Keeping doors and windows shut with air conditioners running helps to reduce pollen levels indoors. Rainy days, on the other hand, cause a drop in the pollen counts, because the rain washes away the allergens. And of course the rain washes away the residue on the roofs of our homes and cars…at least temporarily.

The immune system normally defends the body against harmful invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, to ward off illnesses. According to WebMD the immune system, mistakenly seeing the pollen as foreign invaders, releases antibodies — substances that normally identify and attack bacteria, viruses and other illness-causing organisms. The antibodies attack the allergens, which leads to the release of chemicals called histamines into the blood. It’s the histamines that trigger the runny nose, itchy eyes, and other symptoms of allergies. Allergic reactions result from specific types of pollen. The reaction leads to numerous irritating symptoms, such as sneezing, stuffy nose and watery eyes. 

Some people have pollen allergies year-round, while others only have them during certain times of the year. For example, people who are sensitive to birch pollen will usually have increased symptoms during the spring when birch trees are in bloom. Similarly, those with ragweed allergies will be most affected during the late spring and early fall. A pollen allergy is sometimes referred to as hay fever. 

If you’re one of the millions of Americans dealing with sinus problems, you know how miserable facial pain and clogged nasal passages can be. Allergies affect up to 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children in the United States. Symptoms can be treated with medications and allergy shots. Many sinus sufferers have turned to nasal saline irrigation, a therapy that uses a salt and water solution to flush out the nasal passages. 

One of the most popular methods is use of the Neti pot — a ceramic or plastic pot that looks like a cross between a small teapot and Aladdin’s magic lamp. Although nasal irrigation using the Neti pot has been around for centuries, its use is on the rise in the United States. 

Cancer is a too common diagnosis that can uproot and create chaos within a family. Those at the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center are there to help and raise needed funds to support local families. 

The 10th Annual Ribbon Walk and Run is slated for Sunday, April 10. The event begins at Festival Park, and is hosted by the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center with presenting sponsors Stanley Steemer and Gill Security. New this year is the change from a Walk and Ride to a Walk and Run.

“We’ve had several requests from runners to include a race so new this year is a sanctioned 5K run. We are expecting 1,500 participants on that Sunday afternoon,” said Tara Hinton, development coordinator for the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. “It means so much to our patients to see the community come together to help during these difficult times while we all have someone to remember and honor fighting this battle.”

Teams also include local dignitaries including Miss Fayetteville’s Crowns for Service and #teamdees, supporting former Hope Mills Mayor Eddie Dees who is battling pancreatic cancer. 

Runners and walkers can sign up until the day of registration at 1 p.m. Registration fees in advance are $25 for walkers, $30 for runners and $20 for all cancer survivors whether walking or running. Limited edition Survivor t-shirts are available on a first come, first served basis. Don’t wait until the day of the event, but if you do, it’s an extra $5. 

The opening ceremony will start on April 10 at 2 p.m. with the emcee Don Chase from WKML, Special Forces Association Parachute team jump, Miss Fort Bragg singing the National Anthem, survivor recognition with photo displays and a fun Zumba warmup by the HealthPlex.  The race will begin at 3 p.m. with runners starting first,  and walkers following. 

Also new to the event this year is a large jumbotron digital billboard, where friends and family can submit photos in memory or in honor of loved ones. The display photo forms are available on the website and the deadline for submission is April 4. 

The Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Cape Fear Valley Health and all funds donated the Health Foundation are directed to programs and services. The Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center helps provide hundreds of cancer patients with emotional support, informational resources, free mammograms, food supplements, wigs and gas vouchers, free hats and turbans, massages and reflexology, Artful Reflections art therapy and emergency needs funding such as mortgage and utility payments. In addition, each year Friends of the Cancer Center sponsors Camp Rockfish, a camp to celebrate life for cancer patients and their families.

There are three signature fundraising events according to Hinton, including this race. The two other events include the Friends of Children Golf Classic, which will be held on Oct. 6 to benefit children at Cape Fear Valley including the NICU and the Cape Fear Valley Gala in January. Throughout the year, there are also 30+ third party events such as the Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union charity golf tournament, the Methodist University Play for Kay and the Fayetteville State University Ball in Pink. 

“Community support extends whether they know someone personally and are trying to raise needed funds, or our annual events,” said Hinton. “There are others throughout the year and they help support our mission.  The most important part is these funds being raised stay at home and go directly in the door of Cape Fear Valley. By supporting this event or the various ones during the year, you may be helping someone you know.”

For more information about the 2016 Run/Walk, to start a team or signup or to donate, visit www.ribbonwalkforcancer.org. 

Throw a stone into still water and the affect is far reaching. One ripple spawns the next for several iterations. Leadership is like that. A teachable moment with a mentor, a shared experience with a colleague, an “Aha!” moment when something clicks into place, these all cause ripples. They make us better. They empower us and the people around us. 

Brad Loase, owner of Express Employment Professionals, is in the business of empowering people (and businesses, because businesses are made up of people) to be and do their best. By matching the right people with the right jobs, Express changes businesses and lives, which in turn impacts the community. And that is where Loase’s passion lies — in doing what he can to help foster a thriving and prosperous community. For Loase, that comes in the form of the Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast, which Express Employment, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber and Holiday Inn I-95 host each year. This year’s event falls on April 13 and includes speakers, breakout sessions, a panel discussion and more.

“This is a really great opportunity to learn more about leadership on many levels,” said Loase. “We’ve got three internationally-
known leaders and a very highly regarded state-level speaker. This is the seventh year for Refresh Leadership Live, but it’s the second year we have partnered with the Chamber. It blew me away last year. We have incredible leaders here.” 

The simulcast portion of the day runs from 9 a.m. to noon and features Marshall Goldsmith, author, professor, and executive coach; Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, television sports analyst and 15-time NBA All-Star; and Kaplan Mobray, author, motivational speaker and career consultant. Phyllis Houston-Washington is the luncheon keynote speaker. After lunch, there will be breakout sessions and a panel discussion. The event concludes with Business After Hours. Throughout the day, tables are set up with local vendors sharing educational and business-related resources.

Loase sees this event as something unique that can make a difference locally. 

“Your community is only as successful as the people in the community make it. I always want to do things to help make the community stronger,” said Loase. “I would not do this if I felt like it was standard boxed messages that we were repeating. These are people speaking from the heart, sharing true experiences and giving honest insight about how they got to where they are.”

Marshall Goldsmith is the first speaker of the day. His talk is titled What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There. Goldsmith’s books include two New York Times best sellers: Mojo and What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There. He also teaches at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.

Shaquille O’Neal’s piece is in a question and answer format and is titled “Leadership Lessons from Inside the Paint.” He’ll share leadership lessons he’s learned on and off the court. A legendary NBA star, O’Neal is also ranked among the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company Magazine.

Mobray rounds out the simulcast portion of the event with a talk about “The 10 Ls of Leadership.” In it, he challenges listeners to understand their unique leadership qualities and how to best use them. He is the author of The 10 Ks of Personal Branding.

The keynote speaker Phyllis Houston-Washington currently lives in Charlotte, but she is no stranger to Fayetteville. She and her family lived here for several years, during which time she worked for WCLN and WFSS. 

“I still have friends in Fayetteville. Coming to Fayetteville is like coming home,” said Washington. “I am looking forward to coming back and sharing about how strong Fayetteville is and what they have that they don’t even realize.”

Washington promises a fresh perspective on leadership in her presentation. Don’t expect to hear the buzz words, key phrases and recycled steps to success and other clichés that are common at leadership conferences. In fact, Washington is planning “… something life-changing for leaders and those they lead.” She added, “Attendees can expect to walk away with something personal, practical and that they can apply to their lives. I will talk about the legacy of leadership. We don’t always recognize our own value.”

Taking the legacy concept a step further, there will be a workshop after lunch led by Washington. “We will talk about developing a leadership brand,” she said.

Loase noted that while the event is free, lunch is not. It costs $35. Chamber members; however, do receive a discounted price for the meal - $30. 

“My favorite part of the day is watching the people getting engaged and seeing reactions as they listen to the speakers,” he said. “They are movers and shakers in our world and they are sharing their experience. It is a way to give back to community. A lot of companies will do things like this and charge for it. We don’t want to charge — we want to make out community better.”

Register for the simulcast at https://www.expresspros.com/RefreshLeadershipLiveSimulcast/Registration.aspx. Register for the luncheon at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/refresh-leadership-live-simulcast-and-business-expo-ticckets23848549654?aff=ebrowse

For more information, call Loase at
910 437 5959.