Another Consultant??

Well, first, let me go on record as saying that I am all for having a Visual, Cultural & Performing Arts Center in Downtown Fayetteville. I will support the initiative 100 percent — both physically and financially. This has always been a great idea. However, what I find hard to support is spending another $63,000 on another outside consulting firm to tell us what a good idea it is, how much it will cost and where to put it. This is no reflection on the recently hired Webb Management Services in any way, but, I think we have the talent and leadership here in our own community to make this kind of determination. After all, don’t you think we may have studied this enough over the last two decades? The City Council, if I remember correctly, spent almost the same exact amount of money hiring Studio Cascade Inc., to update the Fayetteville Renaissance Plan in 2012. And, if my calculations are correct, it will take the same amount of time (one year) and will follow the same process of having local public hearings, interviewing residents, artists, downtown businesses and property owners.

Those of us who have been around for a while have heard many, many shared ideas on how to perk up our economy by perking up our Downtown. I guess you could say this process started in 1996 with the talented late architect Robert Marvin with his A Complete Fayetteville, Once and For All, plan. This was a real Fayetteville eye opener. His $27+ million Fayetteville facelift recommendation called for a huge mound overlooking a water feature, a parking garage, charter school, amphitheater, pavilion, park and plenty of downtown diversity from construction of residential housing catering to various socioeconomic groups. The cost of Marvin’s insights? Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers money. That was nearly 17 years ago. Was it worth it? Did we get good value from this investment? Well, since that time, we adopted the Fayetteville Renaissance Plan (2002) — a neat little package consisting of 3,000 acres of downtown Fayetteville targeted for greatness. This plan was recently revised in 2012 by another consulting firm from Seattle, Washington. So, I ask again, why do we feel we need another feasibility study and what have we learned from the ones in which we have already invested? Has our community really changed in the last 15 years? With the exception of BRAC, I really don’t think so. Big business is not located here in Cumberland County. Unlike the cities of Raleigh, Durham, Winston-Salem and Greensboro that we are often compared to, we do not have the large and generous corporate entities here in our community that can support such large institutional arts venues.

Actually, truth be known, I think we have a lot to thank Mr. Marvin for. Think about it. Granted, we don’t have that huge mound of dirt he recommended as Fayetteville’s central signature showcase feature, but we do have the Airborne & Special Operations Museum — not a bad central signature showcase. In addition, we have benefited from several other insights and ideas Marvin suggested in his original plan — things like a new convenient downtown parking deck and a charter school on the way. Festival Park covers his recommendation for an amphitheater and park as does the Cape Fear River Trail. And, what I feel is our most successful achievement that resulted from this preliminary 17-year-old study, the proliferation and growth of residents and various housing opportunities downtown, including the lofts and apartments, the 300 Block of Hay St., Ralph Huff’s Park View Condominiums and, of course, the Hope VI project. The genesis of all these ideas and accomplishments came from Marvin’s original plan. The execution and refinement came from us.

My point is simply this, we have already heard from the experts so why not now rely on the skills, talents, intelligence and ingenuity of our own residents, local artists and city and county staff and elected officials to determine if there is a real need for a downtown Visual, Cultural & Performing Arts Center. I guarantee that collectively they will know the right questions to ask, and, truth be known, they already know the answers. For $63,000 of taxpayer money, no one should be surprised or disappointed when the findings are things that we have known for many, many years. In my next life I want to be a consultant (from out of town!) or a weatherman. Either way, I could never be wrong and always free from criticism. Thank you for reading Fayetteville’s community newspaper: Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: In the past 17 years there have been several plans for downtown, start-ing with Robert Marvin’s A Complete Fayetteville, Once and For All, plan.

“No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused” —Charles Dickens.

Don’t miss this annual opportunity to experience the joy and warmth of community spirit. Kick off the holiday season at Fayetteville’s candlelit Dickens celebration and then catch A Christmas Carol, which opens at the Gilbert, Nov. 29.

Local thespian and arts lover, Joyce Lipe recalled, ”My husband Chuck and I took part in the Fayetteville Arts Council A Dicken’s Holiday each year, dressing in costumes of that period as we strolled along Hay Street getting caught up in the beauty of candle light and Christmas decorations. A Christmas Carol, which I narrated for six consecutive seasons became a part of the Gilbert season in its early years. It is still a central part of each Gilbert season. Thus, the dream continues and takes shape and the inspiration of early founders and participants continues to shine.”

This year’s production is an adaptation by director Christopher Schario, who has been Executive/Artistic Director of The Public Theatre, Lewiston, Maine since 1993. His adaptation of A Christmas Carol, published by Dramatists Play Service in 1996, has enjoyed successful productions at professional and amateur theatres. One interesting element of this adaptation is the on stage use of a foley, a person who creates or alters sounds, using such tools as a thunder sheet, wind machine, gongs, etc. “In the fall of 1993 I was looking for a version of A Christmas Carol for my theatre company. Most adaptations of the story required such huge casts, lavish sets and special effects, that we couldn’t afford to produce them. I always felt that the charm of the story was in its simplicity, so I locked myself in our theatre with six actors and a fiddler, and we invented this version, that simply and directly tells the story of the redemption of a human soul. Dickens’ story teaches us that when we peel aside the suffocating veil of materialism, we can see the true wealth life offers through the appreciation and love of your fellow man,” Schario explained.

Some may say, “Bah, Humbug!” However, many wish that the joy and generosity of the season would continue to shine throughout the year eliminating the need for annual stories about the search for a new home for “The Bicycle Man” or pleas for help for other charitable organizations such as The American Red Cross, which had its annual fundraiser, The Red & White Gala, recently. Dickens’ Marley said it best, “Business! Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business.”The play follows the ever-powerful story of Scrooge, a lonely miser, who, through the help of spirits and visions from his past, present and future, finds a second chance to become a loving, generous human being. “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!” And so, as Tiny Tim observed, “God bless Us, Every One!”

A Christmas Carol runs Nov. 29 through Dec. 15, Friday – Sunday. Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Don’t miss this traditional holiday production. Rediscover the magic of this timeless tale, when seven actors and a fiddler bring Charles Dickens’ classic story to life in a way you’ve never imagined and will never forget. Tickets are $15/$13 for students, seniors and military. For further information contact the box office at 678-7186 or email the Gilbert Theater at boxoffice@gilberttheater.com.

Photo: Gilbert Theater’s A Christmas Carol is a holiday favorite and a local tradition. The show runs Nov. 29 - Dec. 15.

The Falcon Children’s Home is a haven — and has been for more than 100 years. The home began with just two children in need who were cared for in a small cottage by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Since then, and with the support of the community, the home has grown to a 300-acre property that has multiple facilities to support these children in need. One way to support this great cause and the children it supports is through the Harvest Train.

The Falcon Children’s Home is a nonprofit organization that is licensed to take care of 90 children at a time. Needless to say it gets expensive. One way that the home is able to get all of the necessities that the children need is through generous donations from the community, and the Harvest Train is one of the ways that they are able to raise these donations. There are challenges preparing an event of this size, but the joy it gives the children, and the compassion the community exhibits make it all worthwhile, Jessica Dunning, the director of marketing and public relations for the home said. In past years, more than five times the population of Falcon have attended the event.

The Harvest Train is much more than just a fundraiser, however. It is a time to celebrate the generosity of the community and the work that the children have done to prepare this celebration. Dunning explains their expectations for the day, “This is the highlight of the year at Falcon Children’s Home. Guests should expect a festive atmosphere when they arrive. There will be a big crowd, an overwhelming amount of generosity and a wonderful kick-off to the Holiday season. There will also be excitement in the air in anticipation of a program that the kids have been preparing for 2-3 months that will touch guests both emotionally and spiritually.”

For the month of November, the home will be asking for Brownie mix, cake mix and icing, snacks, soft drinks, spaghetti sauce, sugar, canned vegetables, canned fruits, pop tarts, ketchup, cooking oil, juice, salad dressing, chicken noodle soup, pancake mix, grits, flour, rice, mustard and Kool-Aid. There are also more ways to support the Falcon Children’s Home and the children it cares for. “Monetary donations, commodities that will be used throughout the year, volunteering time, sponsoring a child for Christmas, gently used clothing, furniture, food, school supplies, tutoring at the on campus school, and prayers,” will all be gratefully received by the home Dunning and Superintendent Joseph Leggett said. On the flyers for the Harvest Train, available on the Falcon Children’s Home website, is a calendar with needed items for each month.

The Harvest Train will take place Tuesday, Nov. 26. There will be a parade that begins at 8:30 a.m. and the Harvest Train Program itself begins at 10:30 a.m. The parade will march through Falcon and the program is held in the J.A. Culbreth Memorial Auditorium located in Falcon. For more information visit http://www.falconchildrenshome.com/wordpress/ or call 980-1065.

Photo: The Harvest Train in Falcon, N.C., benefits Falcon Children’s Home. The community generously donates items like toiletries, nonperishables, clothes and more. The children at Falcon Children’s Home put on a program after the parade.

If anything, Fayetteville is a city that respects tradition; and the holiday season is packed with unique local traditions that make November and December a blur of fun-filled activities. One of the biggest traditions that makes Thanksgiving Day weekend extra special is A Dickens Holiday. Every year, more than 10,000 people come to downtown Fayetteville to experience the charm that comes with the Victorian era Christmas celebration. The event takes place the day after Thanksgiving and is hosted by the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Downtown Alliance.

“People look forward to A Dickens Holiday and all that it offers each year,” said Marketing Director at Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County Mary Kinney. “That is why we make sure that Father Christmas is available for photographs each year and why the Downtown Alliance offers carriage rides each year. There are so many elements that the community looks forward to and we don’t want to stray too far from what people have come to love about this tradition.”

Come as you are, or dig through the closet and come in character. So many people enjoy the event that many choose to come in costume. “It’s easy to find things in our closets to put together a Victorian era look that can be a lot of fun,” said Kinney.

Find out more about fun, easy ways to dress for the occasion at www.theartscouncil.com/A Dickens Holiday/How to Dress_2011_LS.pdf

“We want people to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves no matter what they are wearing,” said Kinney.

The shops, restaurants and galleries are open for business and there will be vendors as well. Items like top hats, scarves, Christmas wreaths and decorations are typically available for sale. Actors portraying characters from A Christmas Carol will roam the streets acting out portions of this traditional Christmas tale.

“This event is definitely for the community, but in many ways it is the community,” said Kinney. “Even the actors who portray characters from A Christmas Carol on the street are members of the community. In fact, the actor who plays Scrooge has been doing this for several years.”

A Dickens Holiday starts at 1 p.m. The streets are filled with actors dressed in Victorian era garb.There are carolers, characters from A Christmas Carol, vendors, carriage rides and more. Sip hot cider and stroll the streets of downtown Fayetteville enjoying the shops, restaurants and galleries.

Don’t miss the gingerbread contest at SkyView on Hay, which is located at 121 Hay St. “We are excited to host local high school culinary students again this year,” said Kinney. “Although gingerbread is a traditional medium, the theme for this competition is structures from the original colonies, which should be interesting.”

The competition starts at 1 p.m. and the public is invited to stop by and vote for their favorite gingerbread structure.

Carson Phipps is the Coordinator in the Career and Technical Education Department at the Cumberland County Schools system and he gets to help the students plan and execute this sweet operation.

“We’ve got seven schools competing in the Gingerbread Competition. This year, one team is going to do a house that is different than the rest,” said Phipps. “They are actually doing an H&H designed home. We have never done this before, but H&H is a sponsor so one of their homes will be featured in the contest.”

The rest of the contestants will be making houses that look like the capitol buildings of the original 13 American colonies. “We thought this would work because the colonies were founded around the time that Charles Dickens was alive,” said Phipps. “By doing the colonial buildings we could tie in to the time period but make the competition uniquely American. We had about 3,000 people come through last year and they all seemed to enjoy it.”

The official judging takes place at 7 p.m., but the People’s Choice Award will not be announced until 8:30 p.m. The winners get $500 for their school.

The second floor of the Market House will feature a display sponsored by the Fayetteville Area Transportation & Local History Museum called This Victorian Life. The exhibit takes a look at how Victorians celebrated Christmas and includes items like coins, ceramic plates and other commemorative pieces from Queen Victoria’s reign.

The Arts Council exhibit, Winter: An Invitational, features the works of professional photographers and shares their unique perspectives on winter. “This show is not just about classic winter photographs,” said Kinney. “It includes pictures that offer fresh and different interpretations of what winter means to the different artists — like a man bundled up for the cold, but he is sitting in a beach chair looking at the ocean.”

While the festivities are sure to put even the staunchest of scrooges into the Christmas spirit, the real magic happens after the sun goes down. Late in the afternoon, stop by local merchants or the Arts Council and pick up a candle for the procession from the Arts Council to the Market House. People start to gather at the Arts Council around 5 or 5:30 p.m. For many, this is the highlight of the day, as the crowd moves slowly to the market house. Once at the Market House, the crowd is treated to a fireworks display. “Some people think that this is the end of A Dickens Holiday, but far from it,” said Kinney. “The carriage rides run well into the evening, Father Christmas is still available for pictures until 8:30 p.m. and most of the local businesses remain open until 9 p.m.”

Find out more about A Dickens Holidayat www.theartscouncil.com.

Photos: Father Christmas visits A Dickens Holiday each year and is available for pictures.Story and cover photo credit: Wick Smith

For 15 years, Fayetteville residents have made attendance to the Heart of Christmas Show an annual tradition. The show, which combines music, comedy, dance and more, kicks off the holiday season for many, is scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 30 through Dec. 1 at the Crown Theatre.

Laura Stevens, a talented musician and songwriter, is the force behind the show. Stevens has mentored many talented performers in our community with her showcase vocal group Voices of the Heart. The group, which is made up of young ladies, is the backbone of the show, but Stevens brings together a dynamic cast of 26 singers and dancers to make it a spectacular show that can compete with similar productions seen at theaters in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Branson, Mo.

Since its inception, Voices of the Heart has raised more than $500,000 for the Friends of Children, The Child Advocacy Center and many other children’s agencies and the public schools.

“If you would have asked me 15 years ago if I would have still been doing this, I would have said no,” said Stevens. “But this is what I am supposed to be doing, so everything has fallen into place.”

Reflecting back on the past 15 years, Stevens is proud that her sponsors have been with her since the show’s inception. The sponsors are part of the “family.” They come year after year.

“These sponsors support the show because they love it, they believe in it. They see the good works we do. They have seen the money accumulate to over a half million dollars to bene踀t our community. They just love it. They have a sense of ownership of it,” said Stevens.

She added that many in the community have watched the children grow up in the cast and see them as part of their extended family. The cast returns year after year until they age out, and the audience has enjoyed watching the cast members develop and their talents grow.

“For me, this is truly a community project. This project makes Fayetteville feel connected and small townish – even though we are not a small town,” she said.

She said the constancy of the sponsors and the agencies that benefit from the performance, make the show unique.

“When you dig into this community and pour out yourself, you find connections and how wonderful the people in this city are,” said Stevens. “It is important to dig in and give and make a difference. That is truly something all of the cast members are learning. They know the cost of time, energy and focus. But they see what the act of sel谀essness does for other people.”

While the show is glitzy, the reason behind the show is its ability to help the agencies that deal with children who are sick or abused.

“When we started 15 years ago, people gave us about three or four years,” she said. “But we have continued to thrive and grow, and I believe that it is because God is at the center of it and because of the tremendous support of the community, the cast and their families. I am so grateful for that.”

Stevens said the second half of the show has become a tradition and cannot be changed very much. She explained that the community does not want to see that portion of the show changed because the audience is inspired by it, which includes the nativity scene, the huge choir number and the dances. She said that for many, it puts them in the spirit of Christmas.

The first half of the show is light hearted with fun songs and dances, while the second half is more serious and speaks to the heart of the season.

“I have tried to bring the most Christmasy song, look, sound, and visual that you can ever imagine,” said Stevens. “You can look at the stage and just know that this is Christmas. There are some new songs this year that are just phenomenal.”

She added that the show is far-reaching and that its impact cannot be found only in the money that is given, but in the impact that it has on the lives of those who see it.

Ticket sales are brisk, and Stevens encourages those interested in attending to purchase tickets early.

“When it gets to the week of the show, it sometimes comes down that a family of four cannot sit together,” said Stevens.

Tickets for the show are $12 in advance and $18 at the door. Group tickets are available for groups of 15 or more, and are $10. The show starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. For more information, visit the website at www.heartofchristmasshow.com.

Photos: The group, which is made up of young ladies, are the backbone of the show, but Stevens brings together a dynamic cast of 26 singers and dancers to make it a spectacular show that can compete with similar shows seen at theaters in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Branson, Mo.

Crisis in Confidence: Chavonne Sends Out S.O.S.

After speaking to many Fayetteville residents about the results of Fayetteville’s 2013 mayoral election, the consensus is that our community has dodged a political bullet by electing Nat Roberston over Val Applewhite, the incumbent city councilwoman.

A bullet, I might add, that may have proved fatal to a community desperately looking to build consensus for a happy, safe community where economic growth, peace and harmony all come together to accentuate our community’s unique quality of life.

Overwhelmingly, the residents (voters) not familiar with Ms. Applewhite’s past performance on the city council were highly impressed with her poise, intelligence and eloquent speeches. After all, on the surface, what was there not to like?

However, those who know her, worked with her and come in regular contact with her in the course of conducting the city’s business are familiar with a less-than-charming, eloquent and tolerant Applewhite. In this incarnation, she is not so congenial and eager to please or reason with, and surely not a team builder or peacemaker.

I truly believe, had it not been for Mayor Tony Chavonne’s last minute endorsement of Nat Robertson, the end result may have been quite different. Chavonne’s final-hour involvement and decision to not sit on the sidelines added a much-needed sense of urgency to the message. Chavonne’s endorsement of Nat Robertson was more of an S.O.S. Yes, it was an S.O.S. — an emergency message to all Fayetteville residents that regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, if you live in the city of Fayetteville, your future and the amazing progress we have made over the last several decades would be severely in jeopardy. The lesson here is don’t believe everything you hear or are being told. Pay attention to what you actually see and experience. Trust your eyes. Your eyes do not lie. Let what you see and experience help you in determining the truth.

In America, not just in Fayetteville, we are experiencing a crisis in confidence at all levels of government. For America to recover and become responsible citizens, we must at some point, take responsibility for our actions, ask the right questions and demand honest answers. This means holding other people responsible for their actions and resisting being led down a path of ignorance, corruption and dishonesty like helpless sheep to the slaughter. Corrupt people are lying and deceiving us and we are not objecting, resisting or holding them responsible for their actions. Making this situation even more pathetic is that there are no consequences for such actions. Here are just a few examples:

The failed Solyndra Solar Plant, which wasted $50 million. There were no answers and no consequences.

Benghazi, with four Americans killed. There were no answers and no consequences.

The first Benghazi distraction showcased Susan Rice and the video pretense. Again, there were no answers and no consequences, except Rice got promoted.

The second Benghazi distraction, with Hillary Clinton front and center, taking no responsibility. You guessed it, no consequences and no answers.

Fast & Furious, the mastermind of Eric Holder, resulted in one American killed. There are still unaccounted for guns.

Let’s not forget the IRS scandal, where our own government targeted our neighbors, maybe even one of us.

And who could forget the NSA scandal that rocked not only America, but also our allies?

Obamacare. Do I really have to say anything else?

And finally, President Obama and his promise to Americans: “If you like your healthcare, you’ll be able to keep it. Period.”

These black-eyes to our nation have nothing to do with political affiliations.

They have to do with integrity and truth. This affects all Americans and all Americans cannot escape the responsibility. With this dubious promise, Obama joins former Republican president Richard Nixon, who in 1973 declared to the American people “... I am not a crook.” He was. And, President Bill Clinton who in 1998 declared, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” He did. And, now the real blatant untruth that Obama perpetrated on Americans by telling them they can keep their doctors and their healthcare plans. It has become painfully obvious to them that they have been deceived by their Commander-in-Chief as they experience millions of cancellations of their existing insurance policies, higher insurance premiums and deductibles. An entire program based on a calculated deception. A lie! How outrageous! Yet, I don’t see the outrage.

In closing, let me say I hope we can come to our senses in the very near future to remedy this crisis situation before it becomes the new normal.

Our involvement by holding people accountable is the only remedy. We dodged the political bullet here locally, now we need to put your sights on the nation. In Fayetteville, we will continue moving forward with our new energetic mayor and his new city council. Nationally, we need to open our eyes, trust what we see and start taking action by holding people accountable. If not, there will be a consequence not unlike the ones we are experiencing now. Only worse. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Put John Poulos, Pete Skenteris and Tony Kotsopoulos in a room and start asking about the World’s Largest Spaghetti Dinner and Greek Pastry Sale that takes place at the Hellenic Center every year and it becomes apparent pretty quickly that the spaghetti dinner is about a lot more than pasta and pastries.

Never mind that the event serves up between 12,000 and 13,000 meals each year, and that’s just in 10 short hours. Never mind that it takes 4,000 lbs. of dry pasta, 900 gallons of meat sauce, 400 lbs. of grated cheese and takes three days and more than 40 volunteers, including 15 or so cooks to pull it off. For these three men the spaghetti dinner is about gratitude and tradition.

Sure, 55 years ago it was a creative way to raise money that the church returned to the community by supporting local nonprofits. That part has not changed. And this year, on Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the church will serve up mounds of delicious pasta again — and donate proceeds to local nonprofits. But it has become something more.

“In some ways, it seems like it is not about the spaghetti anymore,” said Poulos. “We are thankful that people come year after year to support us and buy our spaghetti. We are very fortunate.”

When the traffic at the Hellenic Center is backed up and volunteers are working frantically to get the orders out, it can be a lot to take in. The community support is impressive and something that is not taken for granted. Seeing the cars lined up all the way down the street and the smiling faces as people drive away with spaghetti and Greek pastries makes the days of prepping, baking and boiling worth it. Poulos, Skenteris and Kotsopoulos noted how truly humbling it is to get such amazing support.

“We get calls at the church all year asking when is the next spaghetti dinner,” said Skenteris. “It is amazing to us that people come from all over Cumberland County to get our spaghetti. We are honored.”

Kotsopoulos is the head chef each year and has been a part of the event since 1989, although he didn’t take over until 1993. He’s been doing this long enough that it is pretty much down to a science.

“We make sure to always use the same sources for our ingredients every single year,” said Kotsopoulos. “There is no room for error or experimentation here. Our reputation is on the line and we can’t afford to take chances.”

In fact, he has turned down generous offers from people who wanted to donate ingredients so that he could protect the integrity of the recipe.

While the community enjoys the food each year, the volunteers gain something, too. The congregation enjoys its ability to give back to the community (and the congregation of Sts. Constantine & Helen give generously), but more importantly, they find working hard for a common goal strengthens the congregation.

“People who work together stay together,” said Poulos.

“It is good for us to work hard at this every year,” said Skenteris. “We need to teach the next generation so this tradition will continue.”

Although he has no plans to hand over his spoon any time soon, Kotsopoulos is already on the look out for a protégé. “I’m looking for someone to train in the next 10 years, someone who will pick up this tradition and carry it on.”

Tickets are available at the door for $6.50. The Hellenic Center is located at 614 Oakridge Ave. Call 484-8925 for more information.

Photo: Tony Kotsopoulos and 40 or so volunteers spend several days cooking more than 12,000 spaghetti meals each year.

Each Christmas season, Samaritan’s Purse chooses to celebrate by reinforcing the adage that it is better to give than to receive. The Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian organization that is dedicated to providing relief to impoverished and struggling people internationally. The very name of the organization, which is based off a parable in the Bible that expresses Jesus’ teaching to help unconditionally, expresses the sentiment on which this organization was founded. One of the many ways that Samaritan’s Purse practices this principle of giving is through Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child unites communities across the nation through stuffing shoeboxes, or shoebox-like containers, with gifts to send as Christmas presents to impoverished children all across the world. These small gifts are far more than just simple toys when they are given to children. They are a symbol of the love and compassion that the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches. While these gifts may seem small when they are packed, the impact and the joy that they create in communities, and in a single child’s life are immeasurable.

Operation Christmas Child first began in 1993. Since then, more than 100 million children in more than 130 countries have received these shoebox gifts. This year, the aim is to increase this number even more. In the Fayetteville region alone, the goal is to collect 30,000 shoeboxes in support of the project. Samaritan’s Purse hopes to collect 9.8 million boxes from across the nation. Often church groups or volunteer groups create the shoeboxes, but any and all donations are welcome. The official drop off dates for this year are Nov. 18 - 25. Drop off sites are located all over Fayetteville including Faymont Baptist Church, Cedar Falls Baptist, Hope Mills Presbyterian, Stedman Baptist, First Baptist Church of Spring Lake and Fairview Baptist. There are also collection points in Raeford, Southern Pines, Lumberton and Clinton.

Donations should be made in a shoebox or similarly sized box with a removable lid. The boxes can be wrapped, but the lids should be wrapped separately. Each box should also be sent with $7 in cash or check to cover the expenses of shipping. There are also suggestions on how to pack a box, and what to leave out on the Samaritan’s Purse website.

Generally toys, school supplies, hygiene items, accessories (such as T-shirts, hair clips, or sunglasses), and a personal note are great things to pack. Food, liquids, medications, war-related items and breakable items should be left out of the boxes.

If the drop off dates are missed, don’t worry. Samaritans Purse collects donations year round. Boxes can be sent to the headquarters in Boone, N.C. This address can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org where monetary donations can also be made year round. Now, boxes can be tracked online at this same website, so people can see where their gifts finally arrive.

Operation Christmas Child is not all that the Samaritan’s Purse does however. They have many fundraisers and projects that benefit global victims of war, natural disaster, famine and poverty. Volunteers and donations from all over the nation make the good work that this organization does possible. For more information about Operation Christmas Child, drop off sites, volunteer opportunities or any of the work that Samaritan’s Purse does, visit www.samaritanspurse.org.

Photo: Each year, operation Christmas Child delivers shoeboxes to millions of children around the world.

Election Aftermath

This past week’s local election should be a lesson to some unsuccessful candidates. Keep an eye on your rear view mirror if you have political history or baggage that could prove unhelpful. Specifically, in the ridiculous candidacy of former town commissioner Tonzie Collins, Mr. Collins found out that the voters of Hope Mills do not forgive and they do not forget. To his embarrassment he trailed the field. Maybe it was because Hope Mills’ taxpayers did not want to continue to deal with Tonzie’s questionable behavior and the possible liability it could present to the town if it reoccurred. Or maybe Tonzie’s poor showing was because Hope Mills voters did not want their town to be the joke of Cumberland County. So Tonzie should look to new jurisdictions if he wants to be an electable politician. Somewhere in Alaska would be a likely place to start. But, in fairness there was something positive about ol’ Tonzie. For those who read the newspaper for amusement and enjoyment, his antics did provide that. On the other hand, late news has it that Matt Hoerner who garnered more votes than hard campaigning Tonzie is 12,000 or so miles away and thus may find attending Board of Commissioners meetings difficult. So Tonzie could, by default, be back.

Then came loser Curtis Worthy. A former city of Fayetteville council person whose most memorable accomplishment was to vote for the annexation of 27 square miles of Cumberland County to the city. This was against the will of 40,000 residents of that area and they have not forgiven and will never forget. Worthy had opportunities during his campaign to throw himself on the mercy of the annexed voters’ court. But he chose not to, apparently convinced in his own mind that he had done a great thing supporting the disastrous forced annexation. What is somewhat inexplicable is that Worthy is an accountant and a tax expert. As such, he should have at once, when the annexation was proposed, insisted that the numbers be analyzed for accuracy. He should have seen that the additional ad valorem tax revenues from the annexed areas would not offset the additional costs and liabilities that the annexed areas presented to the city. A thoughtful elected official should have listened closely to the warnings given by PWC regarding the impossibility of providing water and sewer to the new city areas in a timely manner — but he did not. These shortcomings in his past live after him and he now should understand that his political ambitions will never be realized again in the city of Fayetteville.

Val Applewhite lost an election that, by all reasonable reckoning she should have won handily. Her history as a city council person was satisfactory but her behavior during city council sessions did not serve her well. Val has a style and temperament not unlike New Jersey’s Governor, Chris Christie. They both can be abrasive and contentious at times. But the problem for Val was and is that Fayetteville is not New Jersey and what wears well in New Jersey is seen as generally offensive here. Her demonstrated hubris before and during the campaign played into the hands of her opponent. She failed to capture solid support of African-American voters, some of whom found her council behavior disrespectful and unseemly for a sitting council member. But her most damaging error as she planned her run for mayor was to make a public opponent of the incumbent mayor, Tony Chavonne, who made his preference for his successor known in the final stages of the campaign with a well distributed letter. That endorsement of Nat Robertson tipped the scales away from Val. Most likely, she will be back on the local political scene — perhaps the wiser from her unsuccessful experience as a candidate for mayor of the city of Fayetteville.

Photo: David G. Wilson

There was a time when Christmas meant homemade gifts under the tree and fresh baked goodies all throughthe holiday season. That can be tough to pull off sometimes with the hustle and bustle of the modern day commitments. While there may not be time to make all the gifts for Christmas morning, Yulemart offers some unique options for one-of-a-kind gifts that fit the bill. The Association of Bragg Spouses (ABS) presents the 23rd Annual Yulemart Craft Fair from Friday, Nov. 22 through Sunday, Nov. 24.

“Yulemart is a three-day craft fair that has homemade items,”said Melissa Kedrowitsch, first vice-president of the Association of Bragg Spouses. “We use the funds to give out in the spring in the form of welfare grants to organizations such as The Fisher House and the Armed Services YMCA.”

Kedrowitsch added that some of the money is given out for performance scholarships to children in the community and adult military dependents who are headed to college. Over the last fifteen years the association has donated $645,000.

“This year we are having some exciting crafts,” said Kedrowitsch. “We have everything from scarves, baby clothes, homemade wreaths, wooden ornaments and toys, jewelry and other items.”

She added that the association has a gift shop on post that includes Fort Bragg-specific items and boutique items for sale such as welcome gifts, farewell gifts, wedding gifts and more. The shop is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays of each week from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. A booth will be set up at the craft fair with some of these items. There will also be a shop called “Fantasy Gift Shop”for children to purchase gifts for their loved ones. Kids pay $3 and they will be able to shop in the store with elves to pick out a gift for their mom, dad, grandparents and others.

“It is a way for children to buy presents for their parents,” said Kedrowitsch. “Last year we had X-Box games that were donated to us and there are many other gifts that are well worth the $3.”

Food vendors will be at the event this year. “We are going to have food trucks from Raleigh that we would normally not be able to get around here,” said Kedrowitsch. “Along with these vendors, we will also have photos with Santa for $3 -$5.”

Kedrowitsch added that it is really economical for families to be able to get pictures taken.

The Association of Bragg Spouses was founded upon four principles: charity, friendship, hospitality and support. The group is composed of military spouses who are dedicated to the army. “This is a very serious event for the local area,” said Kedrowitsch. “It takes a lot of volunteer hours and manpower to try and pull off these large events and it is for a great cause.”

The hours on Nov. 22 are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Nov. 24 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Ritz-Epps Physical Fitness Center in the 82nd area.

For more information visit www.fortbraggabs.org.

Photo: Get into the Christmas spirit at this year’s Yulemart hosted by the Association of Bragg Spouses. 

The sun is just peeking through the trees that line the banks of the Cape Fear River when the first students arrive for classes at the FTCC Horticulture Education Center.

When they arrive, students are excited to see the 4,000-square-foot greenhouse filled with plants. Many of these students may eventually own and operate their own greenhouses or plant nurseries and are getting valuable hands-on experience through their training at FTCC. Students in the Horticulture Technology curriculum take the Plant Propagation class and Greenhouse Operations class to learn about sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings, rooting cuttings, potting, feeding and watering plants as they participate in the day-to-day experience of producing plants for sale. At FTCC, students in the Horticulture Technology program are given the opportunity to put learning into practice.

Students in the Landscape Construction class learn the skills necessary to build, such as a brick-on-sand walkway and a zigzag wooden bridge. Material presented in class is followed up by experiential learning — students get to practice the skills they are being taught. A few thumbs may get smashed, but even beginners quickly learn how to create and build elements of a landscape.

In Soils and Fertilizers class, students compute the amount of fertilizer needed to follow the recommendations of a soil test. Students will apply the skills they learn here in other classes, such as Turfgrass, Greenhouse Operations and Landscape Management.

FTCC’s Horticulture Technology curriculum has a unique partnership with our next-door neighbor — Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Students have access to the gardens and grounds of CFBG to study plants and landscaping. Cooperative projects are also carried out that benefit both the garden and the FTCC horticulture students.

The Horticulture Technology curriculum at FTCC offers an Associate of Applied Science as well as three certificate programs: Basic Horticulture, Basic Landscape Maintenance and Horticulture Science. Students can complete the AAS degree in five semesters while going to school on a full-time schedule; students can complete the certificate programs sooner. A wide range of individuals enroll in the program. Our students are of all ages and include those just completing a high school diploma, those who are retired and older adults seeking lifelong learning opportunities. Some companies send their employees to FTCC to obtain valuable training needed to advance in their careers. The horticulture program covers most aspects of a diverse field of endeavor, and the program’s emphasis on management means that students learn the basics of business and entrepreneurship.

Careers in horticulture include a wide range of choices: landscape installation and management, wholesale and/or retail greenhouse and nursery, retail garden centers, turfgrass manager, private gardener, garden designer and interiorscape technician, to name a few. Each student receives the opportunity to learn a little about all these and more. In addition, the horticulture program encourages high school students to participate in dual-enrollment programs which may be available in their schools. High school students can enroll for no charge in specific FTCC horticulture classes and begin earning college credit while still completing their high school diploma.

Contact me for more information about the Horticulture Technology curriculum at webbj@faytechcc.edu or by phone at 910-678-8447.

Photo: In Soils and Fertilizers class, students compute the amount of fertilizer needed to follow the recommendations of a soil test. 

Many years ago I saw an unusually beautiful work of art on one of the walls at the Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Upon closer examination the work was constructed of many small pieces of fabric, hundreds of pieces, held together against a transparent mesh of tulle; yet it looked like an Impressionist painting! Since that time I have gotten to know the artist, Martha Sisk, and became familiar with her journey as a local printmaker and fabric artist.

The public is invited to meet Sisk and see an exhibit of her work in The Works of Martha Sisk at Gallery 208, located at Up & Coming Weekly, 208 Rowan Street, on November 12, 2013 between the hours of 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. At 6:00 p.m. Sisk will be formally introduced and brie谀y talk about the exhibit and her work.

A public school teacher for exceptional children, in 1990, after making one quilt ten years earlier, Sisk decided to use the art of quilting to teach her math class in Robeson County about geometry. The students cut geometric shapes out of fabric, proportionately arranged and then students sewed them into twelve inch squares. Sisk later sewed all the squares into a large quilt and donated the quilt to the school for display. The creative teaching technique led to a published article in the Quilt Almanac magazine and a new interest in pursuing the art of quilting.

Soon after the geometry project, Sisk discovered a book titled The Art of Landscape Quilts and began creating scenes in fabric from a photograph. Using an appliqué technique, she joined fabrics together to create the illusion of the photograph. Although Sisk creates functional quilts, the in谀uence of the appliqué technique can still be seen in the artistic style of her creations today.

By 2004 Sisk purchased an expensive sewing machine to pursue traditional and experimental quilting techniques. Her talent for the art of the quilt was already acknowledged - she had received local awards and a Regional Artist Award in 2009. Sisk’s work is owned and on display in the Children’s Emergency Room at Cape Fear Valley Hospital and in the library at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

After retiring from teaching in the public schools, Sisk taught English at Fayetteville Technical Community College and decided to take a printmaking course at the college.

After one semester she began taking printmaking courses at Fayetteville State University and has continued to take printmaking at the university each semester

.Relief, intaglio and silk-screening printing techniques soon found their way into the art quilt. While other students were printing on paper, Sisk would bring in a piece of silk fabric to pass through the printing press; she began to regularly transfer the printing ink from the print matrix on cloth as well as paper.

A fascination with fabrics now included the variety of printmaking papers, all types of paper, to be thought about like the endless variations of fabric. After transferring her fine art print image on fabric, Sisk than applied the cutting and arranging of quilting to her prints – she cut the print on paper up into strips, then reassembled them by weaving the image to create an abstracted print.

By now, Sisk was a member of the Printmakers of North Carolina professional organization and was exhibiting her prints at 311 West Martin Street Gallery in Raleigh, North Carolina as well as local galleries and competitions. Regular visitors to local galleries would see a woven print by Sisk on display or an unusual art quilt – or an original print image integrated into the quilt.

More recently Sisk was invited to participate in an invitational exhibit at the Arts Council titled Local Craft Style in 2012 and won a placement award in the Fayetteville Technical Community College 4th Annual Competition in 2013.

I asked Sisk to talk about the relationship between quilting and printmaking; she said that was easy. “For quilting you block in sections, similar to the silk-screening process, an additive process. In a collagraph, you cut out textures, similar to the “art of the landscape quilt” technique and then, in printmaking, paste the cut-outs to the plate to print. In both mediums it’s about shapes, textures, layering and experimenting with process and design. As well, in both mediums, I am able to explore subjects that I am particularly interested in: nature, particularly trees and leaves, and special themes.”

Visitors to the opening of The Works of Martha Sisk will see a collection of works from the last decade - intaglio and silk-screened woven prints, as well as art quilts and traditional quilts. As always, the gallery is free and open to the public. If visitors can not attend the reception on Nov. 12, the exhibit will remain up through the month of December. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 484-6200 for more information.

Photos: Local printmaker and quilter Martha Sisk will be featured at Up & Coming Weekly’s Gallery 208. There will be an opening reception on Nov. 12 where the public can meet the artist.

Slide on down to the Crown Theater Nov. 10, as it presents blues and rock legend Joe Bonamassa on stage. He is hailed worldwide as one of the greatest guitar players of his generation and has almost single-handedly redefined the blues-rock genre and brought it into the mainstream. The show is a one-night-only event in support of his brand new, first-ever entirely acoustic concert that was originally recorded at the Vienna Opera House in conjunction with a global ensemble put together by longtime creative partner Kevin Shirley. The 2CD/2DVD/Blu-ray, An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House, is available on Bonamassa’s label J&R Adventures.

Born and raised in New Hartford, New York, Bonamassa was the child of guitar store owners and began playing the instrument himself at age 4. He opened for B.B. King by the time he was 12 years old. Along his path to a successful blues career, he played for legendary acts such as Eric Clapton, Greg Allman, Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson and Europe before releasing his solo album A New Day Yesterday in 2000 at age 23. With all of his experience learning from these greats and becoming a stand-out artist on his own merit, Bonamassa has become another guitar legend. Truly a master of the instrument, he has transcended the blues into this generation. His slick style and precise execution of performance makes him one of the hottest tickets in blues today. Now he brings his talent and guitar to Fayetteville!

After coming under new management by Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum, the coliseum promises to bring bigger acts to revitalize the entertainment scene of Fayetteville and surrounding areas. Global Spectrum is a subsidiary of Comcast Spectrum that specializes in large-market entertainment venues. Translation: they are going to bring big artists to Fayetteville. Opened in 1997, the Crown Center has been a destination for entertainment in the Fayetteville area. Home to both Fayetteville FireAntz ice hockey and the Cape Fear Heroes indoor football teams, this 8,500 seat arena is the perfect destination for fun and exhilarating live activities.

Within the past year alone, the Crown Center has boasted national entertainment acts ranging from sports to music and comedy. Artists have included: Montgomery Gentry, Lavell Crawford, Mike Epps and the Professional Bull Riders. Events like these are selected for the citizens. The Crown looks forward to entertaining those who live and work in our city and neighborhoods and enjoys giving back to those who serve our country via big-name artists and entertainers.

Building from what they have learned in the past, the Crown and Global Spectrum will continue to plan events to attract bigger and bigger artists. Always keeping in mind the wide variety of people who live and work in the Fayetteville area, a goal of the Crown Center is to book events and performances that will complement the city’s entertainment choice. Come out and enjoy the amazing sounds of Joe Bonamassa. For more information and to book tickets Joe Bonamassa, call the Crown box office at 910.438.4100.

Photo: lues and rock legend Joe Bonamassa is set to perform at the Crown on Nov. 10.

“When you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand … you’ve got a friend.” This phrase made famous by North Carolina singer songwriter, James Taylor expresses the support the Red Cross gives every day to people all over our great nation. Now you have an opportunity to assist in this great work while having a fabulous time by joining us for the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter 10th Annual Red and White Gala on Thursday, Nov. 14. The Red and White Gala will highlight more than 75 wines, hors d’oeuvres prepared by award-winning chefs and a silent auction featuring many one-of-a-kind items. The event is hosted by the Holiday Inn Fayetteville – Bordeaux, Mutual Distributing Company and US Food Service.

The American Red Cross is a charitable organization that depends on your generosity to help prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. Funds raised during the Gala will provide food, shelter and clothing to those who are impacted by disaster.

Susan Mills, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter said, “The Highlands Chapter receives no money from the state or federal government. We are able to continue our outstanding service because of donations from individuals and businesses locally. For every dollar we receive, 92 cents goes back out to those that need it most. The Red and White Gala is our biggest fundraiser. All of the food, wine and the Holiday Inn Bordeaux facilities are donated. The chefs donate their time and talents to make this event one of the biggest and best in the area. We will have outstanding food, wine and a silent auction. Some of the items that we have had in the past included an African Safari, jewelry, vacations, airline tickets, gift certificates to local dining establishments, golf course gift certificates and even a pie a month. So, get a jump-start on the holidays and shop with Red Cross and have some fun at the 10th Annual Red and White Gala.”

The Red Cross is most well-known for its disaster relief efforts and blood drives, however, the local Highlands chapter also provides volunteer training in disaster preparedness, CPR training and services to our armed forces to include assistance with deployments, welcome home and “Holiday Mail for Heroes.” Each year, they provide an average of 25,000 emergency communications and other services to members of our military and their families and reach more than 4,780 people through our “Get to Know Us Before You Need Us” outreach program. The Highlands Chapter is the direct line of communication between military personnel and their families when an emergency strikes. Red Cross board member and local surgeon, Dr. F. Andrew Morfesis said “None of this great work could be accomplished without our volunteers.”

So why attend the Red and White Gala? To have a great time with friends and neighbors while enjoying food and drinks as well as having the opportunity to bid on wonderful silent auction offerings donated by local restaurants, theaters, jewelers and much, much more.

You may purchase tickets in advance for $45 by contacting the Highlands Chapter at 910.867.8151 ext. 25. Tickets will be available at the door the day of the event for $50.

Photo: The Red Cross Wine Gala offers a night of good food,  wine tasting and fun, all for a great cause.

The Child Advocacy Center’s annual Blue Jean Ball is a favorite event for many in the community. This year the event has a few new things to offer to up the excitement and celebratory mood. It will be the same great cause and exciting auction but with many new aspects that reflect the passion that the center brings to the event. Jennifer Taft, co-chair for the event, explains this excitement and love by saying “Knowing that I’m spending my time giving back to such a great cause [is rewarding]. The Child Advocacy Center provides a wonderful service to our community and being able to help support their mission is very rewarding. Planning this year’s event has been a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see it all come together.”

This year there are many new things to look forward to. There is a new theme: The 50s. Attendees can come in comfortable blue jeans or their favorite 50s theme attire. “We’ll have a DJ, photobooth fun and yummy 50s diner-inspired food. The Rogue Rollergirls will be there helping us to show off our auction items and this year for the first time we’ll be doing a live auction that we’re really excited about. DQ is one of our fabulous sponsors who has graciously agreed to donate ice cream and toppings, so we’ll have ice cream sundaes like a 50s soda shop. Valley Auto World is lending us a red and white 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Straight Drive V8 to be parked out front and for people to have their pictures taken with.” Taft said.

The Child Advocacy Center is a nonprofit organization that focuses on assisting children through the traumatic experience of dealing with abuse. All proceeds from the Blue Jean Ball go to support this effort. One way in which they raise money is through their traditional, and now also, the new live auctions. Ginny Deffendall, who is also a co-chair for the event, explains that this year the auction has changed. In addition to now having a live auction, the traditional painted chairs will no longer be the only thing auctioned off. “Anyone can still donate the painted chairs, but those are not the focus this year,” she said. “We really want to incorporate the best that Fayetteville has to offer.”

There is a wide variety of things to be auctioned off this year. There is everything from a condo at Myrtle Beach for a week to pet boarding to teeth whitening, to tickets for a FireAntz game or a UNC Basketball Game.

There will also be a separate chaperoned party for children. The kids are also encouraged to dress up in 50s-inspired attire for their soda shop themed party. There will be a separate DJ for the kids’ party and also a photobooth they are sure to enjoy. The youth party is recommended for fifth through eighth graders and an adult must accompany them.

The Blue Jean Ball will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the Highland Country Club, 2381 Raeford Rd. For more information or to purchase tickets go online to childadvocacycenter.com or call 486-9700. Youth Tickets are $30 each and adult tickets are $60 each.

Photo: While decorated chairs play a part in the auction at the Blue Jean Ball each year, this year offers more than fancy seating.

Fayetteville Technical Community College is far more than just a college. It provides the community with so many different opportunities that are about more than just art and education. One such service that FTCC provides to the community is the How Healthy Are You? Wellness is Vital Event. This event provides the people of the community, who may not be able to otherwise, an opportunity to check just how healthy they really are.

This is the 2nd Annual Wellness is Vital Event and it brings several different health services to the campus so that they are available to the community. The event is open to the public and can provide many with much needed testing and services for physical and mental health.

The first kind of service offered at this event is screenings. Screenings are used to find diseases that people may have though they do not have signs or symptoms yet. Screenings can also identify risk factors that can be managed for preventative health.

Many of the problems associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be prevented or managed with lifestyle changes and early knowledge. This is the reason that medical screenings are so important. While participating in the event, community members can get blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and mental health screenings.

The blood pressure and cholesterol screenings will help to gauge cardiovascular health.The blood sugar screening will detect diabetes and the mental health screening will identify possible mental disorders.

Once the screenings are conducted, counseling is offered. Mental health is an important piece to overall health, but that is not the only purpose that counseling serves. Counseling gives people the tools they need to deal with whatever struggles they may face, and the most important tool is knowledge. Many diseases can be managed or prevented with the right lifestyle, and counseling can advise patients as to what lifestyle will be most beneficial. Counseling is available for cardiovascular health, substance abuse and healthy eating.

The Wellness is Vital Event will also offer flu shots, family planning, fitness assessments, dental health, smoking cessation, HIV testing and resources for the uninsured. All of these services are important for preventative health and most of all to assess the health of participants. Being healthy is important for everyone, regardless of circumstances, and this event is a testament to this idea.

This event is possible thanks to a partnership that reaches across the community. FTCC, Southern Regional Area Health Education Center, Better Health, Walgreens, Cumberland County Health Department, Planned Parenthood, Cumberland Health Net and Alliance Behavior Healthcare are all involved in the Wellness is Vital Event and are bringing health to the community.

The event is open to the public and is scheduled for Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Nov.14 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. For more information, visit FTCC’s website www.faytechcc.edu or call 678-8372.

Photo: To promote good health, FTCC presents  How Healthy Are You? Wellness is Vital Event on Nov. 13-14.

Boys and Girls!  Attention, Please!

You and I are among the 300-million plus Americans who are sick to death of the dysfunction in our United States Congress. That is basically all of us except those too young to get it or too old to care any more.

Our latest government shutdown was the straw that broke my patient camel’s back, and I will not beat that poor camel any more. All I have to say about that is that our collective frustration is not over yet, only postponed. The federal government is funded only for another two months, and the debt ceiling will have to be revisited before Feb. 7.

Are you dreading the next round as much as I am?There was one bright spot for me and for syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker among others during what Scarlett O’Hara might have described as the “recent unpleasantness.” While men in the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, bickered and postured and called each other names, several women Senators, again both Democrats and Republicans, rolled up their sleeves, sat down together, and tackled the work at hand. It did not escape notice that while Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) patted themselves on the backs and announced the eventual deal, its framework had been put together by a group of women Senators who avoided blustering and just did it

.No lesser light than longtime Republican Senator and former Presidential candidate John McCain confessed, “Leadership, I must fully admit, was provided by women in the Senate.”

Why am I not surprised?

Like Congress, the membership of the North Carolina General Assembly and all other state legislatures is largely male. There are many reasons for this. Originally only white, male property owners were eligible to serve, women and minorities have a tougher time raising the money necessary to run successful campaigns, and, more nebulously, women approached to run for elective office are more likely to ask “Why me?” while men are more likely to ask “Why not me?”

The reality, though, is that women make excellent legislators at all levels, just as a group of senators has just demonstrated.

Women serving in elective office is often discussed in terms of fairness. People making public policy should reflect our population, including women, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans, all of whom are represented in our increasingly diverse society. Office holders at the policy making table should look like the rest of our community.That is only fair and equitable, we say, but it is also smart politics, good business and it promotes economic development.Women make up more than 50 percent of our state and nation’s populations and now represent 57 percent of college enrollments. In many instances, women are outperforming our male counterparts in the academic arena.

In the political arena, not so much.Only 22 percent of the 535 members of our United States Congress are women. In North Carolina, things are one percent better, but that percentage is down from the last decade. Stunningly, the United States ranks 91st in the world in electing women to a congress or a parliament.

People in other countries must look at this and think, “Really?”I look at this and cannot help but think that some of our worst messes, like what we just suffered through with Congress, relect this disparity.

My experience is that women are not necessarily better legislators and policy makers than men. Some are and some are not. Individuals, regardless of gender, bring different skills and talents to any endeavor. All of us, both men and women, excel some of the time, fail some of the time and are mediocre some of the time.

Women do bring different life experiences to the public policy table. We have lived life from different perspectives than men, and our skills are often more consensus-oriented than executive decrees. Our voices enrich the public conversation as study after study continues to show. Studies also show that women are perceived as less corrupt and more collaborative than our male counterparts, which has got to be a plus in the current highly charged partisan atmosphere.

Columnist Kathleen Parker wrote recently about the positive role of women senators in resolving our latest government shutdown and referenced the old adage, “Behind every great man is a great woman.” I hope that is true and that the reverse is also true.

But here is how Parker ended her column

.“…may many more women invade the congresses and white houses of their states and nation to practice and teach the arts of compromise. And let it be said hereafter that behind every great woman is…probably a bunch of other great women.”

Well worth thinking about as we head into the political battlefields of 2014.

Photo: Like Congress, the membership of the North Carolina General Assembly and all other state legislatures is largely male.

Congratulations Mayor!

Well, Fayetteville finally has a new mayor, new council members and hopefully a new energetic direction. Again, congratulations to all. Your hard work and dedication has paid off!

For the sake of full disclosure, since this column was written last Friday, before the election, I had no idea who the winners would be. But, I do know this, Fayetteville has gotten exactly what it deserves. Good, bad or indifferent.

It doesn’t make any difference whether you are rich, poor, Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, black, white, Hispanic or Asian, if you live within the city limits, it is what it is.

The future of Fayetteville now lies in the hands of this new council. Hopefully, it will be well-balanced, dedicated, effective and sensitive to the needs of its citizens and capable of leading us forward into a bright and prosperous future. Hey, if this doesn’t happen, well, like I’ve already said, we’ve gotten exactly what we deserve.

At the very least, we will no longer be subject to those newspaper accounts of how helpful, wonderful and effective all of the those pre-election candidate forums were. Ugh. Truth. They were horrid, just horrid. Every one lacking in form, thought-provoking insights and questions that would render candidate responses that would have provided voters insight into a candidate’s talents, capabilities and sensitivities. Unfortunately, we got nothing of the sort.

No tough questions.

No detailed answers.

No rebuttal.

No one-on-one interaction.

What we got was just a lot of redundant, cautious political posturing designed to ensure that no one’s feelings got hurt and that no one strayed far from their comfort zones or challenged their much-guarded political correctness.

Now, that’s not to say that everyone didn’t talk a lot. They most certainly did. And, their guarded political correctness spoke volumes about how they could talk, talk, talk and actually say practically nothing. At least nothing new. Most were redundant, boring and shallow and said very little to gain the confidence of the voter or enhance the voting process let alone encourage and motivate city residents to show up at the polls.

Those who did exercise their right to vote are responsible for the city officials that will take office in December. And now, it is our responsibility to make sure we get involved and support them in doing the people’s business.

Public service should be an honor. It should be a collective and collaborative partnership that results in progress and a better, richer and higher quality of life. The next two years will tell the true story.

As for now, we have gotten what we deserve so let’s make the best of it. November 2014 will be here before you know it.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Hope Mills Candidates

Up & Coming Weekly sent a questionnaire to local candidates. Below are the responses from the Hope Mills candidates, which were not included in the paper edition of the 10/30 Election Guide.

  

Bob Gorman

Commissioner

 

Hope Mills is growing quickly, how can the board control/direct that growth?

 

Hope Mills is part of the Cumberland County 2030 plan and also participating in the Southwest Cumberland Detailed Land  Use Plan. We have incorporated ordinances from the Cumberland County Planning to manage development with in the town of Hope Mills.  

 

With growth comes growing crime, what efforts would you see the board taking to address the growing crime problems in Hope Mills?

 

Hope Mills is very fortunate to have the very best Police Department working for the citizens. One of my top three priorities if elected is to work with the Board of Commissioners, the Town Manager and staff to upgrade our Public Safety Departments. Both our Fire Department and Police Department have out grown their buildings and also need additional men and equipment. As for the crime rate, Hope Mills Police calls volume is up going along with the increase in population, but from January 2012 to October 2012 vs. January 2013 to October 2013 the Property Crime Statistics actually has dropped 5 percent from 912 to 864 or -48 crimes. The violent crimes are up 9 percent from the previous year 44 to 48 or +4 crimes. The Town Manager and its staff will be working with the Police Chief and his staff to come up with a 5-year plan to increase the sworn Officers from the present number of 39 to 45 in the next five years to accommodate expected population growth. This is some of the plans that will address the issue of crime and volume of service calls. They will then present this to the Board of Commissioners for their approval. 

 

Some would argue that the Hope Mills Board is dysfunctional, what can be done to improve the operations/relations of the board?

 

The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners had its positive and negative issues this last two years. The five Commissioner seats and the Mayor seat will be up for election on November 5, 2013. Whoever is elected will be faced with some difficult decisions for the next two years. I feel like this board needs to be focused on the positives, rather than the negatives and move forward. The past we cannot do anything about, but in the future we can work together as a team to make Hope Mills the very best. We can utilize the League of Municipalities and School of Government to help train board members in their roles and responsibilities as Commissioners.  

 

What is the end game for the Hope Mills Dam and how is the Board pursuing that failed project?

 

The Hope Mills legal team has been working on the litigation of the Hope Mills Dam for the last year and 1/2. The Hope Mills Legal team is having a meeting with the Judge Spainhour and all parties involved on October 24, 2013 to discuss the scheduling. 

What is your number one priority for the town?

 

Hope Mills Lake is one of the biggest priorities for the next two years. The Board of Commissioners will be faced with the on going litigation that if not settled on April 30, 2014 at the Mediated Settlement hearing, the law suit will go to trial on July 28, 2014.

 

In your opinion, what qualifies you to make hard decisions for the people of Hope Mills?

 

I have been a Hope Mills Commissioner for the past 10 years. I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience and have always been honest and consider integrity to be very important in my personal life as well as conducting Hope Mills business as an elected official. In my regular job I am an account executive for Holland Freight and have been in management for the past 33 years doing everything from dispatch, supervisor, terminal manager and at the present time, I am an account executive. I would like to thank the citizens of Hope Mills for the opportunity to serve you over the last 10 years and I would appreciate your support and vote on November 5, 2013 for the position of Hope Mills Commissioner.

 

Jerry Legge

Commissioner

 

Hope Mills is growing quickly, how can the board control/direct that growth?

 

I think that the town should do a study and look hard at doing a moratorium on residential building until the infrastructure catches up. The roads are already a major concern in our area and if we build 100 additional residential structures without road improvements, then that would be about 200 extra cars on what is already crowded roads and inner city streets each day. We should work with the Board of Education to ensure that the schools can handle the growth of 1.7 children per household. I call this planned growth.

 

With growth comes growing crime, what efforts would you see the board taking to address the growing crime problems in Hope Mills?

 

Watch programs may be the best tool to help in this area because extra eyes and ears will help our officers. At this time, I don't believe that we have a growing crime problem in Hope Mills because our police department does such a good job.

 

After much research, I found that the deal number of sworn police officer for Hope Mills should be two per every 1,000 people and we are at 15,000 plus people which means we need about 30 officers. We have 39 sworn officers, this number also includes our detectives. 

 

Some would argue that the Hope Mills Board is dysfunctional, what can be done to improve the operations/relations of the board?

 

The board should be a team. It is not a place for people with personal agendas. Classes can be conducted to help with the training for the elected. The residents of our town control which candidates are elected to represent them. Obviously we have had our share of issues this term, so at this point, it is up to the residents to find the source of the issues and remove it. Being an elected official should be treated as a privilege, not a right.

 

What is the end game for the Hope Mills Dam and how is the Board pursuing that failed project?

 

The "end game" is the dam being restored and I think that should be done at no cost to the town, state or federal taxpayers. We are in a lawsuit against the contractors to recover our people’s monies right now. Unfortunately, there are no easy fixes and we have to let it work itself out in court.

 

What is your number one priority for the town?

 

I want to see peace and stability in our town board so that we can concentrate, as a team, on the issues that are important such as restoring Hope Mills Lake back to what it used to be.

 

In your opinion, what qualifies you to make hard decisions for the people of Hope Mills?

 

I feel that I have good leadership skills as I have served as a commissioner for the people of Hope Mills for 11 years. I am also the retired owner of Better Built Builders Construction Company for over 25 years. I am a former member of the Planning Board, Zoning Board, Finance Committee and The Quality of Life Committee. I also have been a member of the Hope Mills Youth Association Board of Directors for over 25 years and a coach in that program for over 27 years.

 

Note:

I believe in God and our country, I support our troops and that children are our future. I do not believe in forced annexation and think that our employees’ pay scale should be competitive with the same classified jobs in our geographical area.

 

I believe that if you always tell the truth, you never have to worry about remembering what you said.

 

I am happily married to Diana Millen Legge. We have three married daughters Tammy, Chrissy and Bobbi Jo and we have eight wonderful grandchildren.

 

Jessie Bellflowers

Commissioner

 

Greetings! I am Jessie Bellflowers, who is running as a write-in candidate for one of the five positions on the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners. My family and I have lived in the Hope Mills community since 1996. I currently serve as a Business Administration Instructor for Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) since July 2003, after retiring from the United States Army with 26 years of service to our great nation. I hold a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Webster University and pursuing a doctorate in Organization/Management from Capella University, and a graduate of the Institute for Community Leadership.

 

Hope Mills is growing quickly, how can the board control/direct that growth?

 

Hope Mills is one of the fastest growing communities in our state and will continue to grow over the next several years. However, over past years, commercial and residential growth leads town infrastructure and services growth. One of the enormous challenges will be to address our town’s aging infrastructure where public safety, sanitation, and limited community recreational opportunities are high priorities. These challenges may be separate, but I consider them linked to our community’s sustainable quality of life, commercial/residential growth, and economic development. To meet these challenges, the next town board must approve funding in support of a short/long term infrastructure needs as identified in a workable Capital Improvement Comprehensive Plan. The answer is to stop wasteful spending and fund a Capital Improvement Plan to address our town’s aging infrastructure. We must also use smart innovative and proactive planning approaches toward managing commercial/residential growth.

 

With growth comes growing crime, what efforts would you see the board taking to address the growing crime problems in Hope Mills?

 

According to the latest Hope Mills police crime statistical reports, our Hope Mills community does not have a growing crime problem. The credit for low crime problems in our community belongs to an excellent police department, community policing groups, community sports and recreational programs, community civic organizations, and outstanding community church programs. However, our police and fire departments have out-grown their current facilities with our community’s fast-growing population. We must find a workable solution to build satellite police and fire stations in our community over the next several years. 

 

Some would argue that the Hope Mills Board is dysfunctional, what can be done to improve the operations/relations of the Board?

 

I believe in a workable, open and transparent government. One that practices fiscal conservatism instead of wasteful spending, listens to and understands citizen issues and concerns, values town employees and one that seeks consensus while always moving our community forward in a position direction. Our community deserves an effective town board, one that can work and communicate together with a “collective vision” for future prosperity and one that demonstrates unselfish representation and pre-eminent leadership. Those in our community who know me know my deep commitment to hard work and open, transparent government. I pledge to listen to citizen issues and concerns, have an open mind on all decisions, and spend a significant amount of time researching community issues facing our community.

 

What is the end game for the Hope Mills Dam and how is the Board pursuing that failed project?

 

The restoration of Hope Mills Lake remains a top priority, as it should be because this community quality of life issue is currently in litigation with a possible trial date next year. A year ago, the engineering and construction firms estimated $8.6 million in dam structure repairs. Dam safety will not allow the failed $13.5 million dam structure to remain in its current state of disrepair indefinitely. Therefore, the town has two options: remove and replace or repair the failed dam structure. I do not believe the failed dam structure can be repaired after sitting for over three years. In addition, I do not believe that the engineering and construction firms were ever going to repair or replace the failed dam structure on their own dime either. However, I remain optimistic that a monetary settlement will be reached before the trial date. Therefore, the town should use these funds to remove and replace the current failed dam structure with a much smaller, efficient and effective dam structure in support of the original lake water level. The “end game” is an acceptable monetary settlement or a court ordered judgment…just that simple!

 

What is your number one priority for the town?

 

Regardless of how you personally feel about the restoration of Hope Mills Lake, this issue will be a front and center priority for the next town board in their first year. In fact, all parties have until April 30, 2014 to agree to a mediated settlement or the lawsuit goes to trial on July 28, 2014. Like you, I ride by the 3-year-old empty lake with frustration and despair. Another top priority in our community is public safety. Over the years, our police and fire departments have out-grown their current facilities with our community’s fast-growing population. We must find a workable solution to build satellite police and fire stations in our community over the next several years. Another “hot topic” top priority of discussion in our community is massive traffic congestion. Direct action is long overdue to address this important quality of life community issue! We must request a Hope Mills area traffic congestion management study be commissioned by the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) Transportation Advisory Committee. Just about everyone I meet say, “public safety, massive traffic congestion, and the restoration of Hope Mills Lake are the main priorities in our community.” However, I would like to add community recreational opportunities and economic development to the list of community priorities. These priorities may be separate, but I consider them linked to our community’s sustainable quality of life.

 

In your opinion, what qualifies you to make hard decisions for the people of Hope Mills?

 

I currently serve as State Junior Vice Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and have formerly served as State District 8 Commander and Post Commander of Post 10630 in Hope Mills. I have served on the Board of Directors of the Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce, on the Hope Mills Veterans Affairs Commission, and as a Charter Board Member of the Friends of Hope Mills Lake. I am a graduate of the Institute for Community Leadership Course (ICL) and the President’s Leadership Institute (PLI) at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC). I bring to the table many years of positive leadership experience and education, and ask for the opportunity to help lead our community in a positive direction forward as one we are proud to call home.

 

My vision is simple: “Continuous improvement of quality of life for our community that will naturally grow and progress in an economically sustainable and healthy environment.” We must focus every day on enriching the lives of our town citizens by creating an exceptional community to work and live in while providing exemplary town services that enables our community to thrive and prosper. There is no question that addressing the many challenges that face our community will require effective leadership, creative thinking, building cooperation and consensus, and a tremendous amount of teamwork.

 

We are truly blessed to work and live in a great community…Our Hope Mills Community…one we all call home. In our community, you will find the best schools, churches, police, fire, and sanitation departments, recreational center, senior center, sports and recreational programs, civic organizations, various community events, and businesses. This is who we are as a blessed community and our best days are ahead of us!

 

If you have any issues, concerns, or suggestions, please email me at jbellflowers@nc.rr.com and/or call me at (910) 964-8103.

 

Tonzie Collins

Commissioner

 

Hope Mills is growing quickly, how can the board control/direct that growth?

 

You cannot stop growth, however you can control the growth by enforcing the town ordinances that the town currently have. 

 

With growth comes growing crime, what efforts would you see the board taking to address the growing crime problems in Hope Mills?

 

The board should give the police department the necessary equipment and manpower that they need so they can continue to do the great job that they are doing.

 

Some would argue that the Hope Mills Board is dysfunctional, what can be done to improve the operations/relations of the board?

 

The board should realize that they were elected to represent the people and town employees!!!! Not themselves and a select few.

 

 

What is the end game for the Hope Mills Dam and how is the Board pursuing that failed project?

 

The existing lawsuit is the end game.Once the lawsuit is completed we will then pursue completing the rebuilding of the dam.

 

What is your number one priority for the town?

 

To represent the people and employees of this town to the best of my ability by making sound and proper decisions.

 

In your opinion, what qualifies you to make hard decisions for the people of Hope Mills?

 

I attempt to do research on everything that pertains to the Town of Hope Mills so that I can make  the proper decision of any topic that may that may arise.

 

 

Vinnell Jackson

Hope Mills Mayor

 

Hope Mills is growing quickly, how can the board control/direct that growth?

 

As a citizen volunteer for the Southwest Cumberland Land Use Plan we identified strategies to assist the board with control/directing growth. Strategies identified were mixed-development, create single-family residential developments and provide incentives for cluster subdivisions. This plan will guide development for the next several years when adopted by the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners.

 

With growth comes growing crime, what efforts would you see the board taking to address the growing crime problems in Hope Mills?

It is imperative that community policing is enhanced to reduce/eliminate crime. According to our crime analyst 2012 data, aggravated assault and robberies led crime in Hope Mills. There are communities where the mayor created a task force to address the root of crime and created community safety officer volunteers.  In addition, anonymous email addresses to report suspected crime was created for the residents. The final strategy is to ensure that annexations include police resources to cover the newly annexed areas, i.e. commercial, residential or institutional land uses.

Some would argue that the Hope Mills Board is dysfunctional, what can be done to improve the operations/relations of the board?

The Hope Mills board and the community is interested in visionary leadership. The position of mayor is a non-voting member except to settle tie decisions. That person must lead and see into the future of what may happen and ensure we are proactive instead of reactive. The town should not have to wait on a plan developed by county staff for us to know we must prepare our community for demographic changes that impact housing or the need for veteran housing, or additional elderly housing and infrastructure. We must implement innovative strategies to enhance economic development opportunities that all concretively improve our quality of life.

 

 

What is the end game for the Hope Mills Dam and how is the Board pursuing that failed project?

 

Based on a recent update by lead attorney Nick Herman we have scheduled hearings forthcoming and will permit the legal process to take its course. However, the town leaders could pursue other options for the dam as it relates to economic opportunities as a source of electric or power generator. Again, the leaders should be proactive as opposed to reactive and waiting on the litigation outcome.

 

What is your number one priority for the town?

 

The Town of Hope Mills needs visionary leadership. In the decision-making process it means nothing if leadership is not able to implement decisions successfully.  Quinn Mills stated “leadership influences the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of others”. He further states leaders see what lies ahead and direct the rest of us; they help us see what we might achieve; and encourage and inspire us. Quinn Mills further states “without leadership a group of human beings quickly degenerates into argument and conflict, because we see things in different ways and lean toward different solutions. It is time to move forward with new ideas and team effort to voice the concerns of the community.

 

In your opinion, what qualifies you to make hard decisions for the people of Hope Mills?

 

A vote for Vinell Jackson as Mayor of Hope Mills provides a fresh start for the town and visionary leadership. The community is in need of a leader who is objective and open to the ideas of others. As mayor, I bring years of experience in local and state government working in planning with planners, developers, and engineers. In addition, my knowledge of transit, ADA, Title VI and budgeting are assets. This experience has afforded the opportunity to collaborate with representatives from the state, local and federal agencies. A vote for Vinell Jackson for Mayor is a vote for unity and progression.

 

 

 

There is a reason that the Holly Day Fair is a family tradition for many in Fayetteville and beyond – many reasons actually. There is the great selection of unique gifts, spending the day with friends and family and the fact that this nationally known event helps the community. Last year the Holly Day Fair netted more than $272,000 and this year organizers hope to top that number.

For three wonderful days - Nov. 7-10 - The Junior League of Fayetteville will host the 47th Annual Holly Day Fair. With more than 180 vendors from as far away as Maine, Washington, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Texas there will be plenty to choose from whether you are looking for a stocking stuffer, a gift for someone special or a treat for yourself.

“We are known nationwide,” said Anna Haley, Holly Day Fair chair. “This year we were lucky enough to have more than 400 vendor applications from around the country; we had the difficult task of choosing thebest vendors.”

For first-timers the event can be a little crazy if they don’t know what to expect, but more often than not, it just takes one trip to the Holly Day Fair for shoppers to get hooked and come back again year after year. After so many years hosting this shopping extravaganza and perfecting the layout and organization of the Holly Day Fair, the members of The Junior League have the set up down to a science. While it does get crowded, the space is well-organized with plenty of volunteers to help direct visitors in the right direction. Haley said that it takes about 115 volunteers working the event to keep things running so smoothly. That includes helping shoppers find their favorite booths and doing what they can to support the vendors.

“One of the big things I enjoy about the Holly Day Fair is that this is a holiday tradition for much of the community. So many people who come bring their friends and family members with them to kick off the holiday season. Once people come to the Holly Day Fair, they usually come back each year. We have so many friends who have been coming for years and years,” she said.

There will be many favorites; the tried-and-true vendors that holiday shoppers look forward to seeing at every Holly Day Fair, as well as several new booths. The offerings include everything from flavored honey, flavored balsamic vinegars, food vendors, kid’s clothes and the latest fashions and accessories for adults, kitchen and household items, toys, as well as interesting and entertaining items for men - including many things for sports fans.

“The Holly Day Fair is a great place to kick off your holiday shopping,” said Hayley.

To make a great event even better, the Junior League added a little something to the mix.

“One of the new and interesting things we are doing this year is on Sunday,” she said. “From 12-3 p.m., we are bringing out Santa. Families can get a picture with Santa and we will print them out right there so you will have pictures ready for Christmas cards.”

For years the Junior League of Fayetteville has offered gift wrapping at the Holly Day Fair, this year is no exception, but the group is kicking it up a notch.

“This year we decided we would rather bring in a pro for wrapping,” said Hayley. “We are bringing in Under Wraps to wrap for us. They have everything you could imagine in the gift wrap world – amazing wrapping paper, bags, boxes and trimmings that are just incredible.”

What started as a craft show featuring only handmade goods 47 years ago has grown to fill the Crown Expo Center for several days each year. Since its inception, the Holly Day Fair has made more than $4 million that The Junior League has generously reinvested in the community. The organization currently focuses on child mental health. In collaboration with several agencies, The Junior League of Fayetteville helped form the Child Mental Health Advisory Board. This year The Junior League of Fayetteville is delighted to announce NC CEED (Center for Economic. Empowerment and Development) as the event’s sponsor. NC CEED started in 1990 as the Women’s Business Center, an organization that collected information about services within the community and connected people with the services that would most help them. CEED’s mission is to promote the growth, productivity and well-being through counseling, education, information and advocacy programs.

The Holly Day Fair opens on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon for Super Shopper hours, a time when no strollers are allowed. Super Shoppers pay just $14 to get in and get first peek at all the awesome deals and unique items available. Regular ticketholders pay $9 and are welcome from noon – 8 p.m. On Friday, Nov. 8, the Holly Day Fair runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, shopping hours are 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday, shoppers are welcome from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find out more about the Holly Day Fair at www.hollydayfair.com. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster and can also be purchased at the door.STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor,

Photo top right: Vendors offer everything from food and beverages to decorations to clothes, toys and more.

Listen to My Mother

Among the best-known axioms in advertising is this: Sex sells. Hence, print and broadcast ads featuring scantily clad young women pitching everything from cars to home appliances. These ads can be so ludicrous that viewers wonder to themselves, just as one of my children once did out loud, “Why that girl has on her bathing suit in the kitchen?”

If sex sells, so too does food, and food sells itself especially well. Scenes of happy people cooking and eating together make us want to have whatever is being pitched so we will be happy, too. Images of people enjoying a particular food make us want that food, too.

I find myself drawn to a current television ad for a national restaurant chain featuring a slightly chubby, middle-aged fellow gazing lovingly at a tub of fried chicken which he begins nibbling, of course. Ditto for images of all the food at the State Fair, bizarre concoctions of incongruous ingredients so fat laden and salt infused that the words “calorie bomb” come immediately to mind.

The inescapable conclusion is that images are so powerful that we might find ourselves the surprised new owners of red convertibles and eating drippy cheeseburgers served on glazed donuts.

If my mother were here, she would say that once a year is probably okay for such donut burgers or even a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but such consumption is a real problem if indulged in regularly, or — heaven forbid — daily.

So what are we to do in the face of images of what passes for yumminess everywhere we turn?

There are a myriad of eating tips out there from mothers, nutritionists and people who have just learned the hard way. I confess up front that I do not always follow hints I know to be helpful and prudent, but I take comfort in the fact that I do think of them and increasingly do what I know I should do.

Here, in no particular order, are some eating tips I have found helpful from people I know, from various published sources and some that just seem like common sense.

• When you are shopping in the grocery store and pick up a product with more ingredients that sound like a chemistry lab than ones you recognize as coming from plants or animals, you might consider putting that one back on the shelf.

Ditto if the word “processed” is on the packaging, especially if it is on it more than once.

• Shop the “perimeter” of your grocery store. This way you get fresh produce, fresh dairy and fresh meats, poultry and fish. Avoid the proceessd items generally on middle-of-the-store shelves. These include crackers, chips, cookies and many other things which provide little nutrition and lots of calories

.• Portions should be different for women and men and for children and adults, but generally speaking, meat portions should be about the size of your palm, whatever size you might be

.• Keep an eye on people you know who are healthy and of normal weight. Watch not only what they are eating but how much of it. Chances are they are doing it right, so consider following their examples.

• Sometimes you can trick your eye and your stomach by using smaller plates with smaller portions. This does not always work for me, but it might if I did it more consistently.

• Acknowledge to yourself that restaurant portions are often way too generous. I know one smart eater who, when she places her order with the server, also asks for a “to go” box. When it all arrives, she puts as much as half her meal in the box and takes it home. This saves her from overeating at one meal and provides her one for another time.

• Face the fact that buffets, as wonderful and varied as they can be, are dangerous places. Self-control is the operative word, and many of us are simply not good at this, especially if we are hungry and the food is good. I am in this camp too often.

• Try not to let yourself get too hungry lest your next meal or next raid of the fridge turnsw into a complete rout of everything in sight with no vestige of self control in sight.

I suspect you have plenty of healthy eating tips that help you on occasion and which you thoroughly ignore on others. I would love for you to share them with me by email as I am always in the market for ways to stay healthy.

In the meantime, with Thanksgiving less than a month away, just remember that getting and staying healthy is a journey, not an event, and that if we fall off the wagon one day, we can climb back on the next.

I also hear my mother’s words, “Margaret, you can eat anything you want as long as you do so in moderation.”

Photo: here are many tips for healthy eating. One of the easiest is to always remember to buy fresh first.

Last season’s line-up at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre caused quite a buzz in the region. But that doesn’t compare to the hum that is going through the community as Sweeney Todd comes to the stage this week.

The show, which tells the story of love, when twisted, can go really, really wrong. Because at its heart, Sweeney Todd is a love story. For those who are only familiar with the Johnny Depp movie, the stage production will be quite the wake-up call.

“Because of the Johnny Depp movie, there is a perception of the play as being a horror tale,” said Tom Quaintance, the theatre’s artistic director, who is also directing the show. “But that’s because that is the direction the producer of the movie leaned. Much of what is delightful about the play winds up cut out.”

Quaintance characterizes the play as a dark comedy.

“There is no question that this is a horror story. Bad things happen. But the scope is so much broader, and as such can appeal to a much wider crowd,” continued Quaintance. “The play is a contrast between this dark character Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett who sees almost everything as bright and funny. She is the light to his dark. There is a lot of heart in this show, even in its darkness.”

The depth of the show’s content made prep work for the show very important. Months leading up to the casting of the show, local actors were giddy over the possibility of performing in the show. The auditions were intense. The performers seeking a role had to have the total package. That was particularly true of the lead roles of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett.

“These two parts are towering roles,” said Quaintance. “You can be a great vocalist and be in the show in the ensemble. But for these roles, you really need to be a vocalist, actor and a lot more. These roles are just that hard.”

To that end, Quaintance took the auditions to New York City.

“I’m always interested in getting the best people in the show, no matter where they come from, but for this show, we needed the absolute best all the way across the board. If we couldn’t have found those folks, we could not have done it.”

Quaintance knows what he is talking about, as he has been working on and with this show since early May through a partnership with Playmakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill. Over the summer, Quaintance worked with a student production of Sweeney Todd at Playmakers, and now, he is using the experience he garnered with that show to make this production even better.

“Going into rehearsals for this production, my time in Chapel Hill really helped move the process along very fast,” said Quaintance. “Actors, like those we have cast in this show tend to rise to the occasion, but having the past experience has really helped to make this a wonderful process.”

Quaintance said that while he learned from the summer production, what the CFRT patrons will see is a very different animal.

“This is not a restaging of that production,” he said. “It is a very different show because there are very different actors. I learned a lot of traps that can get in your way in producing this show, so we are not getting stuck.”

While Quaintance was doing his homework, the cast was doing theirs. Steve Minow, who recently played the role of the Aviator in The Little Prince has the lead role of Sweeney Todd. Leanne Borghesi, an actor, vocalist and vocal coach, has the role of Mrs. Lovett. They are joined by former Miss North Carolina, Hailey Best, who plays the role of Lucy, Zack Burkhardt playing the role of Tobias Ragg and Ken Griggs playing Judge Turpin.

Playing Lucy in Sweeney Todd is a lifetime goal for Best.

“This is really a different role for me,” said Best. “I do a lot of roles as the love interest, like Elle in Legally Blonde, but his show really challenges me. I had to sit down and prepare before I got here. I couldn’t have walked into these rehearsals without knowing the music.”

The role of Lucy calls for a vocalist who is a “stratospheric soprano.” Best said the songs and music have a lot of context, it’s not always pretty, but it’s deep and complicated.

“You can’t sing this role and just sound pretty,” she said. “The lyrics are very important. They tell the story without being too obvious.”

Borghesi likens the score to a feast. “The more you can prepare to get ready for dinner, the more you can eat,” she said.

While the featured artists carry a lot of the weight in the show, the large ensemble, which is largely comprised of local actors, more than meets them half way.

“The ensemble has some of the hardest music, but they are incredible. They are killing it,” said Best, who related that she was blown away on the first night of rehearsals with the depth and skill of the local vocalists.

In conjunction with the play’s opening, the theatre has planned several events.

On Monday, Oct. 28, patrons are invited to join Quaintance for a look Behind the Curtain. Quaintance and other artists will host a dialogue with patrons about the show. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Headquarters Library at 300 Maiden Lane, and those interested in learning more behind the scenes are invited to “nibble and sip” their way through the conversation. There is no fee for this event and reservations are not required.

With comedic irony that mirrors the show, the CFRT slated a Halloween Preview Night on Thursday, Oct. 31. Attendees are invited to dress in costume, and to donate... blood that is. Between 5 and 7 p.m., the Cape Fear Valley Mobile Blood Donor bus will be at the theatre. Those interested in participating in the blood drive can schedule their donation at www.savingliveslocally.org or call 910-323-4234, ext. 222 or just show up

For tickets or more information, visit the CFRT website at www.cfrt.org or call the box office at 323-4233. The box office is open Tuesday-Saturday from 2-6:30 p.m.

This year marks the 140th anniversary of Saint Joseph’s Church, Fayetteville’s second oldest Episcopal congregation. Its history begins in 1873, when the Rev. Joseph Caldwell Huske, rector of Saint John’s Episcopal Church, aided the African-American members of his parish, approximately one-fourth of the total membership, in establishing their own church. He also served as the first rector of the newly organized church.

Saint Joseph’s present location at the corner of Ramsey and Moore streets is the third site where the congregation worshipped. With financial support from Eva Cochran, the present church was built in 1896, and consecrated the following year by the Right Reverend Augustine Watson, 1st Bishop of the Diocese of East Carolina. Saint Joseph’s comprises a closely grouped set of buildings with church, parish hall and rectory connected by wooden arcades and complementing each other in form, scale and detail, and are arranged and landscaped to give the character of a small country village. The church buildings are finished in a bold and organic green-shingle with a unique architectural blend of Queen Anne, Gothic and Spanish styles.

The interior of the church is also beautifully executed and is well preserved with beaded boarding above a high Gothic paneled wainscot reaching to the window sills and the ceiling is paneled in the same material as the upper walls, with a roof supported on trussed rafters. Original wood pews, pulpit and other furnishings add to the rich and warm interior appearance. Featured in the deeply projecting semi-octagonal chancel are five exquisite Resurrection windows produced by Tiffany of New York and an 1857 manual pipe organ built by Henry Erben. The west wall of the church is highlighted by a large three-part stained glass window set in a diamond pattern of amber glass and accented with fleur-de-lis symbols. Samuel Lloyd, a Vestry member, said that, “Saint Joseph’s is such a beautiful and peaceful church that is filled with a quiet spirit.”

Over the years the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum has had the privilege of conducting many tours of Saint Joseph’s and participants have always been amazed at the beauty and splendor of this rare architectural treasure. Saint Joseph’s is not only known for its rich history, or as an architectural gem, but also for its public service. In its long history, the church provided an early school for children, served as a site for the United Service Organization (U.S.O.) and was one of the first recreation centers established under the city’s newly formed Parks and Recreation Department in 1941. Also, the church has taken an active part in social programs ranging from the Homeless Coalition to a Breakfast Ministry which provides a nourishing breakfast to the needy.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, Saint Joseph’s in partnership with the Fayetteville Transportation & Local History Museum, will celebrate a milestone of 140 years of service to the Fayetteville community. Jan Mumford who is responsible for decorating the church for the upcoming celebration indicated that “it was all a labor of love.” Carol Graham, who is in charge of catering the event said, “This church welcomed me upon my marriage to a life-long member, Gene Graham. I love this church.” The anniversary celebration will begin at 9 a.m. with a bus tour of historic sites related to church history, followed by a program in the Parish Hall on the History of Saint Joseph’s Episcopal Church. After lunch, the anniversary program will continue with opening prayer by the Reverend Teddra Smith, rector, and opening remarks by Mr. Donald LaHuffman, Senior Warden. Highlights of the program include a proclamation from the Mayor’s Office, a Historical Perspective by Dr. Bertha Miller, Professor of History, Fayetteville State University, remarks and special presentation by the Reverend Robert Alves of St. John’s Episcopal Church and music offered by Fayetteville Senior Ensemble and the Saint Joseph’s Choir. Donald LaHuffman, Senior Warden and a member of Saint Joseph’s from birth said; “Truly God blessed us with this church, and this celebration is to give God the glory.”

Photo: St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church celebrates 140 years on Nov. 2.

Gasp!! The Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County is celebrating the festive late October season with a competition titled A Sense of Horror and a small solo exhibit by photography and film artist Joshua Yates. Opening during 4th Friday, the juried competition and Yates’ exhibit is in the spirit of the macabre — weird, creative, campy, eerie and one very large hairy spider!

Yates, originally from Fayetteville, now living in Iowa while working on his master of fine arts, was invited to exhibit some of his photographs and one of his short films in conjunction with the A Sense of Horror competition. A perfect match for the theme of the competition, Yates’s work is exquisite horror.

Yates is exhibiting six photographs; his small group of works is titled The Bags, Probably 1971. His collection includes individual family members eerily staged, paper bags over their heads; the photographic negative is scratched to create an element of time, perhaps a frozen moment from an old movie projector? After viewing Yates’ six photographs, visitors are invited to sit down and watch his exquisitely haunting six-minute film.

No amateur here, Yates’s film/video work and photography have been shared internationally in film festivals, photo publications and fine art exhibitions. Recent screening spaces include the Portland Underground Film Festival, the Indie Grits Film Festival and the Virginia Film Festival. His photo work will be published in a forthcoming book curated by Photographer’s Forum Magazine. Last summer, Yates spent 10 days in Haiti photographing a feature-length documentary exploring the country’s culture of resistance and thriving rural voodoo practices.

To understand the work of Joshua Yates, his artist statement gives us more insight into the why of his artistic process: “I am interested in recreating the emotions triggered and innumerable questions raised by once lost or hidden, but now found, objects. If we live on in what we leave behind, what do these resurfaced, but not necessarily welcomed, artifacts represent? The Bags, Probably 1971 is a visual manifestation of this curiosity.”

The larger exhibit at the Arts Council was a call for art for A Sense of Horror. Mike Romagano, a fine art instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College, was selected to jury the competition. After selecting 43 works for the exhibit, the exhibit ranges from highly skilled techniques to a relaxed play of patterns, abstraction and fun interpretations of skeletons, ghouls and ghost-like images.

Romagano has his definition of what horror is and what he was looking for to reflect that vision.

“I think the exhibit highlights the gamut of the eerie, surreal and the frightening. I selected works that best demonstrate something alien and remote, evidence gathered from murky, unknown corners. Horror is something that should not be and strikes at our rational understandings. It should leave an impression on our brains, and reverberate long after exposure. Works were also selected that demonstrated refined technique and cleverness of media application, as well as content, I thought fit the archetypical horror venues,” he said.

For her highly detailed scratchboard drawing, Ashley Thompson earned the Best in Show award for her work titled “Wolves and the Babe.” Playful and yet a sinister scenario, two wolves are placed in an interior room searching an empty baby’s crib. Viewers are left to determine their own ending for the narrative Thompson presents.

Charles Wiltse, Kevin Gregory and Dorota Quiroz all earned excellence awards for their entries. Wiltse for his large abstract painting titled “Red Biomorphic,” Gregory for his color interpretation of a mad scientist titled “Mad Science” and Dorota Quiroz for her small ink drawing titled “A Nightmare.”

A large spectrum of styles and subjects, I feel as if visitors to the exhibit will find some works they appreciate. For example, the digital photograph by Eddie Collins is exquisitely eerie and beautiful. In the work titled “She Still Dances,” a strong directional light passes across the dance stage; a soft spotlight reveals the poised dancer is actually a ghoul — a stunning ghoul.

Eric Longley’s print, “If One Lets Go,” is also open to interpretation. Longley juxtaposes a silkscreened line drawing of a stylized heart muscle, the shape of a silhouetted figure with a target and three air-brushed black splats for viewers to deduce meaning.

There are lots of interpretations of stylized skulls and skeletons, but Stephen Heen’s two watercolors are unusually eerie. Stylistically fresh in watercolor fashion, we peer down, what appears to be Hay Street; the Market House looms sinister against a blue sky. Each watercolor exudes something highly sensitive, something special and something foreboding.

Two exhibitions in the same venue and, as always, there is no charge; there is still time to see A Sense of Horror and The Bags, Probably 1971 since they will remain up until Nov. 16. If you need information on the exhibits and upcoming events, call the Arts Council at 910-323-1776 or visit the website www.theartscouncil.com.

Photos: Top right; The Bags, Probably 1971" is a work of art by former Fayetteville resident, Joshua Yates. Bottom left; “Wolves and Babes” by Ashley Thompson took the Best In Show Award.

Cape Fear Botanical Garden provides the citizens of Fayetteville with a bright and beautiful spot to enjoy the beauty of nature. The once small garden, which opened in 1989 and is cradled by the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, now contains more than 2,000 plants of numerous varieties. One of the ways that this garden has kept and expanded its beauty is through fundraising. This year the gardens will host Mr. Potato Head for the garden’s annual Rhythm and Blooms fundraiser on Nov. 8.

Mr. Potato Head is a North Carolina-based band that provides a wide variety of music. The four musicians perform everything from Sinatra to The Rolling Stones to Michael Jackson. The range in performance that Mr. Potato Head delivers is sure to offer a little something for everybody and will make a truly exciting night. Kensley Edge, the director of development and marketing at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, has high expectations for the event.

“People should expect to have a really good time at Rhythm & Blooms. This is the perfect time of the year to throw in a relaxed and entertaining evening of great music — before the rush of the holidays sets in,” she said. “Mr. Potato Head will perform, which is exciting. I have heard great reviews of them. They’ll be a lot of fun for our audience!”

This night includes far more than just great music, however; there will also be great food. While the menu has not been finalized yet, Elliott’s Catering Company will provide an amazing meal that is covered in the cost of the ticket, according to Edge.

Not only is this event an opportunity for those familiar with the garden to enjoy it in a new way, it is also an opportunity for those unfamiliar with the garden to experience one of the most beautiful places in the area.

“It is always rewarding to host events that bring new faces into the garden. Of course, we love our regulars and couldn’t exist without them, but we love sharing what we have here with others,” Edge explained. “This place still surprises people — even longtime residents of this community. We are almost 25 years old, and many people have yet to experience all that the Garden offers. It’s quite special!”

Proceeds from this fundraiser will go to maintenance and operating costs in the garden, but also to fund the ongoing programming and education initiatives. The garden is much more than a conglomeration of plants. It is a place for the people of the community to engage and to learn. The Cape Fear Botanical Garden offers many classes that range in interest from books and boats to survival skills. Rhythm and Blooms is a fundraiser to keep the community active and the garden and its plants growing.

The gates open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Ticket price includes entertainment and food. Tickets are $15 for members and $25 for general admission. For more information about Mr. Potato Head, visit www.mphead.com. Tickets are available for purchase at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. For more information visit www.capefearbg.org/RythmsandBlooms.php.

Photo: Mr. Potato will entertain at the Rhythm and Blooms Party to benefit the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.