Active-duty Soldiers bring the emotional, mental, physical, spiritual and family pillars of military life to the stage inArmy Strong, the 2012 U.S. Army Soldier Show. “Every section of the show has something to do with strength in one of those areas,” Production Manager and Producer Tim Higdon said.The 90-minute song-and-dance production is designed to accentuate the strengths and resiliency of soldiers and military families through modern songs, current hits, vibrant costuming, exciting choreography and spectacular visuals.

“That is in line with the chief of staff’s motto for this year, which is, ‘The strength of our nation is our Army, the strength of our Army is our soldiers, the strength of our soldiers is our families, and that’s what makes us Army Strong,” Higdon said. “So the show is designed to follow that theme, and to highlight the strength aspect all the way through.”

Soldiers will attempt to sing and dance their way into the audiences’ heart, mind and soul. “Entertainment for the Soldier, by the Soldier,” is the working motto of the U.S. Army Soldier Show, which is designed to deliver a positive message to the troops.

It’s all about ‘Army Strong – Hooah!’ So we’re moving out and doing that,” Higdon said.

The 2012 edition unveils a state-of-the-art, high-resolution LED video wall — 13 feet tall by 28 feet wide — featuring photographs of Army life on a virtual backdrop revolving from scene to scene and song to song.

“It’s going to be a very visual show — very current, very modern,” Higdon said. “We’re excited about that new aspect of the show. The incorporation of that LED technology is going to make the show move forward with a very modern and relevant presentation.”

Army Reserve Sgt. Melissa Neal, winner of the 2011 Operation Rising Star military singing contest, will make a taped appearance. The Soldier Show cast will join Neal’s video backdrop to sing “Hallelujah,” which she performed during Operation Rising Star finals week in San Antonio and later recorded at EMI Music’s Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood.

“It’s kind of magical,” said Soldier Show artistic director Victor Hurtado, who worked all three projects with Neal.

As always, sections of the show are dedicated to legends of the entertainment industry, such as Etta James. Another blast into the past features a segment accentuating musical eras of the 1920s, ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, capped with the Rolling Stones’ classic “Satisfaction.”

“The motivation for that was ‘Moves like Jagger,’” Hurtado said. “We love that song.” That tune is by Maroon 5, featuring Christina Aguilera.

“Everything in the show really speaks to resiliency, being able to adapt and overcome,” Higdon said. “Resiliency really is that mental part, being able to put things in a perspective which allows you to continue to continue to move forward — that you never come up against a challenge that you can’t overcome.”

“Putting the show together has gone from hard to simply difficult,” said Hurtado, a 26-year Soldier Show veteran and 12-time director. “The show came from many, many briefings, and all of these things are always in the back of my mind. … But the end result is Soldiers’ lives are illustrated within the show in a really cool way.”

For example, strength is personified by Des’ree’s “You Gotta Be.” Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” is dedicated to the soldier-athletes in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program training for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, along withsSoldiers who participate in All-Army Sports, post intramurals and daily physical fitness drills.

The Soldier Show comes to the Crown at 7 p.m. on May 11 and at 2 p.m. on May 12. Admission is free.

The latest craze of adventure racing makes its impact on Fayetteville and Fort Bragg with the Thunder Challenge Carolina in Raeford May 5-6. The trend of running through mud and various obstacles has increased in popularity over the past few years, but the Thunder Challengeis uniquely suited for the Fort Bragg area. One of the found-ing members is Scott Rhodes, a former member of the 7th Special Forces Group who spent 26 years at Fort Bragg. Co-founder Rusty Shellman is also a veteran Army pilot. These races focus on the overall physical fitness of the participants, not just an ability to run, tied to the principles of cross-fit training. The Thunder Challenge incorporates the challenges of specialized military training and brings it to obstacle racing.

The inaugural Thunder Challenge Carolina race is a 10K mud run at the Raeford Wide Open MX Park. It features more than 20 obstacles designed with the special training that Rhodes, Shellman, and former Navy SEAL Brett Morganti received in the military. The course is designed to challenge not only the combat-tested soldier-athletes and special operators of Fort Bragg, but also adventure enthu-siasts looking to push themselves to their physical and mental limits. Tough will only be the beginning. Racers can expect to crawl through mud pits, climb walls and even face cold-water endurance tests.

“The biggest difference with us is that we are trying to really focus on the mil-itary,” said Rhodes. “We use military-style obstacles, bring in special-operations veterans on the course, and try to hire veteran-owned businesses to help build the courses.”

The race will be run in waves, with both individuals and teams of any size, on Saturday and Sunday followed by food, beverages and music. An event like this obviously takes a tremendous amount of dedication and support. According to Rhodes, up to 50 volunteers are needed to help with the race. Many special-operations veterans will also be on the course to help add challenge and motivation to the event. The race will kick off when the Golden Knights jump in and will feature multiple ven-dors, prizes for the participants and even a mini-obstacle course for children.

With their ties to the military it is no surprise that each race helps to contribute to a veteran’s charity — Project Sanctuary, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping veterans and their families. The project was started by a Fort Carson nurse, Heather Ehle, who wanted to help service members returning home reinte-grate with their families and help with issues such as PTSD, depression and possible suicide. The charity is small, and relatively new, which is a big reason Scott and Russell chose to sup-port it. It was founded in 2007.

“There are a lot of great charities that help support our veterans, but this is a small upstart with a great focus,” said Rhodes. “They really take care of the whole family, and that means a lot to us.”

Registration for the race will remain open until the day of the race. Tickets for racers are $95, with a $20 discount for all military members. Family and friends are welcome to come as spectators with no charge. The Thunder Challenge will make its way across the country this year, with eight more events scheduled from Pittsburgh to California. For more information on the Thunder Challenge, visit www.thundrpro.com.

Photo: The inaugural Thunder Challenge Carolina race is a 10k mud run at the Raeford Wide Open MX Park.

The 50th Anniversary Golden Season of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre has been a special season. So itseems only fitting that the staff of the theatre chose to end the regular season with a really special production. With the staging of On Golden Pond, they did just that.

If you didn’t make it to the theatre to see this production, you missed the boat. The show, starring William Christopher and Bo Thorp was noth-ing short of magical. Sure, they had a great story, with wickedly witty dialogue, but without the mastery of these two seasoned actors, the show could have fallen flat. But that didn’t hap-pen. From the moment Christopher uttered his first, “Who the hell is this?” to their last exit to say goodbye to the lake, they had the audience, hook, line and sinker.

On Golden Pond tells the story of Norman and Ethel Thayer, a couple in their twilight years, who spend their summers on a quiet Maine Lake known as Golden Pond. The show spans one season on the pond, and deals with the issues of time, familial relationships and the approach of death — all pretty dark stuff. But playwright Ernest Thompson, puts a humorous, yet sentimental spin on the story, which keeps it from being maudlin. Throw in the sharp wit exchanged by the characters and it becomes almost comical.

Actors performing this show must walk a fine line between sentiment and comedy to render the sweetness of the story. Thorp and Christopher had great balance. To play the roles of Norman and Ethel convincingly, there had to be connection between the actors. In the days leading up to the show’s opening, Christopher was worried that the cast would not have the time to dig into the subtle nuances that make the show so special. He didn’t need to worry.

The two have chemistry on stage that usually comes over a long period of time. In this case, I think it comes from the mastery of their craft. Both veteran actors, Thorp and Christopher handled the material gently. They wove the story so convincingly that I felt like I was in their living room, not in the audience. They pulled the sweetness from each moment. You knew them. Watching them on stage, I pictured my own grandparents who traded similar barbs. The words were sharp, but there was always love underneath them.

The four other cast members Liza Vann (playing the Thayer’s daughter, Chelsea), Greg King (Chelsea’s boyfriend, Bill), Jonathan Flom (the mailman) and Sean Thomas (playing Bill’s son) all did a fine job, but quite honestly, Christopher and Thorp stole the show.

In his director’s notes, Tom Quaintance, the artistic director at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, noted that he had to “pinch” himself to realize it wasn’t a dream to work with such a beautiful script and extraordinary actors like Christopher and Thorp. I understand where he is coming from.

As we left the theatre, I couldn’t help but wish that the sum-mer went on forever, and that we wouldn’t have to say good-bye to Golden Pond.

Photo: On Golden Pond tells the story of Norman and Ethel Thayer, a couple in their twilight years.

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s a golf game. Imagine this, a child is sick. You wait anticipating the moment when you will hear them play again. Every moment, your ears are listening for that one small request “Can I go play now?” The stress of a child’s illness affects both children and their parents, and ironically, this is where golf comes in.

The 17th Annual Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of Children Golf Classic takes place Thursday, May 10. The tournament is open to the public and will be held at the Highland Country Club. It was started in 1991 by community leaders and medical professionals, who saw the need to enhance pediatric care for less fortunate children and their families. The tournament has raised more than $1.4 million to date. The golf classic is held in honor of the recently deceased L.B Floyd, who joined the cause with his beloved wife, Yvonne, in 1993.

L.B. Floyd is a native of Salt Lake City, S.C. He retired from Ft. Bragg, where he managed Stryker Golf course. He is a former winner of the Carolinas PGA Section’s Palmer Maples and is known in the area as the Patriarch of Golf. Since 1993 until the time of his death L.B. Floyd was instrumental in helping to support the mission of the Friend’s of Children Golf Foundation. The focus of the foundation is to provide necessary medical care while also acting as an advocate for children and their families.

Have you ever been sick, or cared for an ill loved one? If so, you are well aware of the emotional, physical and financial toll it can take on a family. Right now there are children and families who need you. Your participation can lift the burden that comes with illness. Co-Chairmen of the Friends of Children Golf Classic, Tom Costello and Duane DeGaetano, both fathers, know first hand, the stress of caring for a sick child.

“By giving of our time and treasures, we have found a way to help children and families who may not be as lucky,” said Tom Costello, vice president/General Manager of Rick Hendrick Toyota. Duane DeGaetano is the president of Construction Systems Inc. Both companies along with Valley Auto World are presenting sponsors this year.

The Friends of Children Golf Classic is the perfect opportunity for you to help. Spending a day on the greens will help provide needed medical care for a sick child and peace of mind to the family. Not a golfer? You can still contribute by attending the foundation’s dinner, which will take place immediately following the tournament. The dinner is open to the public and will feature your choice of steak, chicken or a vegetarian entrée. The cost for the dinner is $50. There will also be a beer and wine tasting prior to the dinner at about 5:30 p.m.

The Friend’s of Children Golf Classic is the place to be to help those in need. Mark your calendar and save the date. Enjoy a great game of golf, fine wine and exquisite dinning, all while helping those who would love just to go out and play.

To learn more about the tournament or to pledge to help those in need, contact the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of Children at (910) 615-1449 or email FriendsofChildren@capefearvalley.com.

On May 11, along with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers will perform at Saint Ann Catholic Church at 7:30 p.m. Michael Martin, conductor of the COS is excited about the performances that will be featured that evening.

The theme of the show is light and the title of the performance is Let Your Light Shine. Composer Morton Lauridsen’s piece titled Lux Aeterna illustrates the concept of light being very powerful in both poetry and song. The five movements of Lux Aeterna are based on various references to light from sacred Latin texts. The power and finesse of Lux Aeterna will speak to each of us in its own way.

“The first recording of Lux Aeterna by the Los Angeles-based composer Morten Lauridsen demonstrates that it IS possible for important contemporary music to speak directly to the human heart. Composed in 1997 for the LA Master Chorale, Lux Aeterna is a rich, complex, intensely moving piece that people will be listening to for a long time to come,” raves Jim Svejda, National Public Radio at www.peermusicclassical.com.

On the same site, Lauridsen describes his work …“Lux Aeterna — Eternal Light — is an intimate work of quiet serenity centered around a universal symbol of hope, reassurance, goodness and illumination at all levels. This work formed in my mind over several years, and I began serious work on the piece shortly following the completion of Les Chansons des Roses in 1993. I put aside the Lux in early 1994 to compose the Christmas canticle, O Magnum Mysterium. The serenity and the uncomplicated and lyric style of O Magnum Mysteriumare continued in Lux Aeterna, which is fashioned on texts from several different Latin sources, including the requiem mass, each containing a reference to Light.”

Born in 1943, Lauridsen was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 1994-2001 and professor of composition at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for more than thirty years. His works have received three Grammy nominations. In 2006 Lauridsen was named “American Choral Master” by the National Endowment for the Arts, and in 2007 he received a National Medal of arts from President Barack Obama. This is the highest award given to artists and art patrons by the U.S. government.

The conductor of COS, Martin, along with his wife Amanda and their two children David and Meredith, relocated to Fayetteville, North Carolina in 2007 from the great state of Maine. Martin is originally from New England, where he received his Bachelors Degree then received his Advanced Degree in Music Education from Kent State in Maine.

Martin soon discovered that the Cumberland Oratorio Singers group was in need of a conductor and so he quickly jumped at the opportunity of becoming the next conductor. In 2008 he was appointed artistic director and conductor for this group of talented singers.

An Oratorio is a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically a narrative on a religious theme performed without the use of costumes. The COS is made up of members with a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, ages, and musical experiences. There are currently 70 members in the COS group but it has been as many as 100 members. “The group is so diverse that we are able to do some things that other groups can’t do,” stated Martin. Because of the demographics of the group it has allowed them to connect to the community in a different way and next year they are planning on combining and working more with the Fayetteville Orchestra Symphony. For ticket information, please call COS President Margaretta G. Kelly at 482-0006 or Director Michael Martin at 630-7153.

Break out the tackle box and grab your pole. It’s time for the Swamp Boys Fishing to Fight Cancer Tournament. The event involves two key dates: The first is the May 12 captain’s meeting at the Shrine Club in Hope Mills.

At the meeting, teams and sponsors mix and mingle, enjoy a dinner, register for the tournament and just have a great time. There is a live auction with items like children’s painted flowers pots and an autographed Tiger Woods poster.

“We have celebrities who send us different kinds of things,” said event organizer Robert Kitchen. “A couple of Nascar drivers and country-music stars send autographed memorabilia. We also have people who donate things like deep freezers. Salons have donated gift baskets, too.”

Last year was the first year for the auction, which brought in more than $2,000.

Music and games are a big part of the captain’s meeting. There will be knot-tying games, plug chunking games, a BB-gun turkey shoot and an eel grab. The winner of the eel grab gets to keep all five eels to use as bait during the tournament. This event is for tournament participants and sponsors.

“No RSVP is needed but it would be good if you did,” said Kitchen. “So we can make sure we have enough food and things like that.”

Register at the captain’s meeting and pay just $40. Participants get their wristband for tournament day if they register at the meeting.

If you can’t make the meeting, there is still time to register on the day of the tournament. “Registration is open all day at Gander Mountain on Saturday (May 19), but it costs $60 if you wait till then,” said Kitchen. “We urge everybody to come out and register on May 12. It is cheaper and less hectic than if you wait till the day of the tournament.”

Participants can put their boats in the water at 6 a.m., but they can’t cast a line until 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 19. “As long as you put in at the Neuse River or the Cape Fear River you are fine,” said Kitchen. “You can go anywhere you want to once you are in the water, but when you back your trailer into the water it has to be Neuse River or Cape Fear River running over it.”

There is no limit on team sizes, however Kitchen asks that all fi shermen obey the N.C. state laws on boat occupancy. “We don’t want anyone getting in trouble with the game warden,” said Kitchen “This event is supposed to be fun — and safe.”

Weigh-in starts at 7 a.m. at Gander Mountain on May 20. All boats must be out of the water at 10 a.m. The weigh-in will finish up around noon and then the top three teams take a polygraph test.

With more than 100 boats and 400 fi shermen/women expected, there are plenty of prizes to go around. The winning team takes home $3,000, with $1,000 going to the second place winner. The third place team gets $500. Fourth through 50th places get products like tackle boxes and plaques. Several sponsors and local businesses have donated products, services and gift cards as prizes.

“If you know you aren’t going to win but you may know you are a contender for 20th, it is still worth coming to weigh in,” said Kitchen.

True sportsmen, the Swamp Boys return all of the fi sh to their rivers of origin.

“After they are caught, the fish are stressed out pretty bad,” said Kitchen. “We use a product called Rejuvenade which is fi lled with nutrients, so the fi sh are rejuvenated when we put them back in the water.”

Proceeds from the event benefi t St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Last year the event raised $10,400 for St. Jude. The goal this year is to raise $15,000.

Find out more about this event at the Swamp Boys’ Facebook page and at www.fi shingtofi ghtcancer.org.

Photo: The Fishing to Fight Cancer Tournament benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Fayetteville is fortunate to be home to a true gem, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the oldest continuously funded orchestra in North Carolina.

As the FSO celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, it is hosting its annual Champagne & Diamonds event on Sunday, May 6, from 5:30-7 p.m. at SkyView on Hay. Tickets to the event are $50, and in just its second year, the fundraiser already requires a larger venue.

“The first year we did it, we held it in Dr. Richard and Susan Shereff’s home,” said Christine Kastner, president and CEO of the FSO. “We had such a large turnout. There were about 250 people, and that’s asking a lot to host such a large group in your home. So this year we decided we needed to move it to a different venue, SkyView.”

The $50 ticket provides each attendee with admission to the event and entry into the drawing for an elegant ring, appraised at more than $9,000. The ring features a stunning square-cut 1.77-carat emerald from Colombia and two diamonds in a 14 carat gold setting. The ring’s precious gemstone is in honor of the FSO’s emerald anniversary.

“We were fortunate to obtain the emerald and then to get it set in a ring,” Kastner said.

In addition to the main event of the evening, the drawing, guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and champagne for the price of admission.

“That’s a pretty good deal,” said Kastner. “We’ll have a Fayetteville Symphony String Quartet performing, and there will be additional door prizes.”

Among the door prizes are gift certificates for a foursome of golf at Baywood Golf Club, picture or art framing,packages of dinner and symphony concert tickets for two and a massage. Attendees must be present to win the door prizes but need not be present to win the ring.

“It’s a fun way to come support the symphony. Even if you haven’t been able to make our concerts this year, you can come to this event,” Kastner said. “It has a broad cross-section of people who attend. Obviously it was so successful last year that we decided that this is going to be our signature fundraiser.”

And celebrating with champagne and diamonds offers a most fitting approach to help ensure the FSO continues to sparkle and shine in our community. For more information, contact the FSO office at (910) 433-4690 or visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

Top photo: As the FSO celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, it is hosting its annual Champagne & Diamonds event.

As I wrap up my fi rst full academic year at Methodist University, I would like to turn the spotlight on those students who have successfully completed their undergraduate or graduate degree programs. This Saturday, we will honor 180 candidates for graduation at the 49th Annual Spring Commencement Ceremony — graduates who have worked hard during their collegiate years and deserve recognition for their accomplishments. Congratulations, Monarchs! I send you my best wishes and hope that you will stay in touch with your classmates, friends and faculty members as you embark on a new adventure.

It has been a momentous year for all of us, with so many highlights and reasons for celebration. We launched a bold vision for the future of the university that will ensure Methodist continues to thrive as an amazing place to learn, grow, work and live.

It is an especially exciting time to be at Methodist as the Methodist University Journey is unfolding. The MU Journey is about embracing experiences outside of the classroom that prepare students for a productive career, graduate school and a life of meaning and purpose. The recent announcement of new centers for Global Education, Leadership, Community Engagement and Undergraduate Research and Creativity will ensure that every Methodist University student has an opportunity to participate in these experiences, while other initiatives like the Center for Student Success will enhance the overall Monarch education. In addition, the new School of Health Sciences promises to bring even more programs to the university that will not only meet an increasing interest on the part of students in healthcare professions, but will also meet the needs of our community. And a new Master of Education Program that will be launched in June will meet a need for a graduate program for teachers.

The recently unveiled master plan for the university will mean physical improvements to complement the programs. The new state-of-the-art building for the Professional Nursing Studies Program will open this summer, and the new sophomore residence hall located on Sink Field will be ready for occupancy this fall. In total, the board of trustees has approved a 20-year plan for expansion to meet short- and long-term goals for Methodist, and dramatic improvements are scheduled to begin over the next five years, including renovations to the library, enhancements along Ramsey Street, Lowdermilk Drive and Stout View Drive, expansion of the Berns Student Center and an addition to Reeves Auditorium, to name a few.

These new programs and campus-expansion projects would not be possible without the past and continued work of many signature people who have given and continue to give of themselves to improve our university. I was particularly pleased and honored when Harvey T. Wright II and Mary Fermanides Wright, both graduates of Methodist University, allowed me to announce at my inauguration their $5 million commitment for student scholarships. Their commitment for the Harvey and Mary Fermanides Wright Scholarship represents the largest single gift made in the history of Methodist and will fund the highest merit scholarship offered by the university, thus allowing us to recruit the very best students to Methodist. The occasion of announcing this transformational gift provided a truly inspirational moment in the life of this institution.

We are so grateful to Harvey and Mary Wright for their generosity and support of the vision for Methodist University. These two “signature people” have inspired us to do all we can to make Methodist the very best university it can be. Harvey and Mary’s legacy will live on through the journeys of the students who receive their scholarships, thus lighting their pathway through a Methodist education.

It is true that every Monarch has a journey. I wish our graduates the very best as they begin the next phase of their journey, and know they will join us in the years to come as active alumni and community members who will continue the tradition of giving back to Methodist. Indeed, the best is yet to be.

Ben E. Hancock Jr.

President

Methodist University

Photo: Harvey T. Wright II, Chair of the Methodist University Board of Trustees, and his wife, Mary Fermanides Wright, donated $5 million to Methodist scholarships. Wright is pictured above with Dr. Hancock. 

A successful portrait photographer, Jonathan Starling shares his experiences of a popular and historical Italian celebration in the exhibit titled The Colors of Carnevale. Visitors to the Gallery 208 opening on May 10, and during the exhibit, which runs through June, will have a glimpse into the artist’s interpretation of the Carnevale di Venezia (Carnival of Venice). Carnevale is a celebration where the streets are filled with people in elaborate costumes and masks.

Starling has been a professional photographer for more than 25 years and is most well-known for his award-winning images of families and children placed in traditional settings with natural lighting. As a photographer he has captured images of families, children, high-school seniors, and business professionals for many years. His artistic approach has been to create images that say something about the person or capture their interests, their hobbies and people they love.

Gallery 208 is excited to exhibit his latest body of work from his trips to Venice, Italy during the carnival. Different than his traditional portraiture, the mood in The Colors of Carnevale is heightened to a dramatic stage of mystique, intrigue and exceptional beauty.

Starling feels the exhibit is a gift he can to give to Fayetteville. “I have combined my passion for travel, beauty, Italy and its culture with the creation of beautiful images. If I am able to share my experience and the happiness it brought to me with my viewers, I will have accomplished much. I am always interested in sharing my Italian culture with others and all of these factors combined created a desire to present this body of work.”

A change from his portrait commissions, Starling’s approach to his fine-art photography in Venice is personal and an open ended interpretation of his traveling experiences, interfacing with places, people and the affects of light on a subject or place. While the commercial work results in satisfying his customers, this body of work is a private experience he can share. While in the fine-art frame of mind, Starling refl ected upon the creative state as “a floating or mixing of the atmospheres of reality and an altered creative state.”

So when a portrait photographer travels to another country and decides to create a body of work centered on the Carnevale event, what is his approach? Does the experience in any way shape how he views his commercial work?

I found Starling’s answers to the questions helpful in understanding the practicality of his approach as well as the aesthetics. He stated: “I had limited communication and limited identity with the carnival culture in Venice; yet photographing the event was an evolving experience as an artist. Most of the masked people I photographed were from France (people from all over the world visit Venice for Carnevale). Since I can’t speak French at all, communication developed from a smile or kind look at first, and then evolved through approaching the subjects from a professional approach by using gestures and body language to get the subject to pose. At first I approached them as inanimate objects, a costume, a mask; I progressed to realize that the subject was really the person or the persona behind the mask. Once that connection was realized, I found myself intrigued with the eyes and the body language presented at that point, the inanimate came alive with life and energy and beautiful images flowed.”

He continued, “There were so many people there photographing at the same time, the conditions were very cold and the crowds were large. I wanted to show the costumes and masks but also show Venice and present it without the crowds of tourists and photographers. The limited time spent with the models was very rewarding often resulting in the exchanging of well wishes, business cards and email addresses.” 

As a photographer, Starling is literally, a “student of light.” He applies his knowledge of light skillfully in his commercial work and in his fine-art approach. For the works in The Colors of Carnevale note how he concentrated on early morning light and late afternoon light. “I prefer the quality of light during these two times of the day. I often found myself working with a flash to bring out the subject and adjusting my exposure settings to create the look of the ambient lighting conditions,” said Starling.

But, why go to Italy routinely to photograph? Starling responded he “goes to Italy regularly for personal reasons.” He is proud of his Italian heritage — a place he found a deep connection to after his first visit. Although raised in Fayetteville, he often felt he was missing a part of his spirit. He connected with that missing part after traveling to Italy.

Starling currently possesses dual citizenship in both the United States and Italy and feels equally welcome and at home in either country. He is so comfortable that he conducts several tours a year to Italy — and he feels equally comfortable as a teacher. He has been teaching photography for many years, fi rst on a professional level, which is how he earned the degree of Craftsman from the Professional Photographers of America. In the last four years he has started teaching photography from the beginning level and through advanced classes at FTCC, and in his own private classes. Starling stated: “Leading groups in Italy was the next step to sharing my love of travel, photography and Italy with other photographers.”

Starling’s students enjoy traveling with him since he bridges the gap for them between their experiences in the U.S. and the food and customs of Italy. He prefers to travel as a “traveler,” not as a “tourist” — stating there is a huge difference.

“A tourist only sees a small glimpse of the place they are visiting while keeping their identity as an outsider. A traveler experiences the culture and tries to assimilate themselves into the culture and place they are in,” Starling explained. “Being a traveler causes you to look at yourself and your life experiences in a way that can lead you to see other points of view and other ways of doing things. I find the results are personal and life altering growth experiences that will change you for life.”

He continued, “It is rewarding for me to see the looks on the faces of my students when they get it. They often wonder why I highly encourage them to dress for dinner, why we eat late meals and try different food. Sure, the tourist stuff is fun; but our missions are always centered on chasing light and being in the right places to create beautiful images at the right time and taking the time to photograph the beauty. One of my students said how nice it was to be on a trip where no one was constantly asking “Are you still taking pictures?”

Starling takes pictures in Venice because he feels there is no other city in the world as beautiful and unique as Venice. The photographs in The Colors of Carnevale all exude this feeling and reflect Starling’s philosophy: “When you mix beautiful, artistic, and historic costumes in a historical and beautiful city, a synergy of beauty and color explodes.”

The public is invited to the opening of The Colors of Carnevale on May 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Gallery 208, located at Up and Coming Weekly at 208 Rowan St. The exhibit will remain up until June 29.

Photo (right): As a photographer Starling is, literally, a “student of light.”

Fayetteville’s favorite festival, the Dogwood Festival, turns 30 this year, and like most things, it’s just getting better with age.

Slated for Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival is going to bring a whirlwind of activity to the city center, and, if Carrie King, the director of the the festival has her way, a lot of tourist to the community.

“We are ready to go and we are anxiously awaiting our opportunity to bloom for Fayetteville,” said King.

King and her crew of volunteers have been working since last year’s festival to get ready for the upcoming festival. The organization consists of one full-time employee and one part-time employee. Most of the work is done by the volunteer board of 21. It operates on a budget of $400,000. In 2011, the festival was voted among the Top 20 Events of the Year by the 2011 Southeast Tourism Society and was a Grand Pinnacle Winner for International Festivals and Events.

King said these awards are signifi cant, particuarly when you put things in perspective and look at who is in the competion — events like the Kentucky Derby.

“We competed on a regional and international level against events in the industry that have very big staffs with very big budgets!”

Winning the awards and recognition helps get the word out about the festival, but this year, King had another means of advertising.

“We are hoping for a much bigger crowd this year,” she said. “We have done a lot of marketing outside of our community, thanks to a Tourism Development Authority Grant.”

The grant is designed specifi cally to advertise tourism venues outside of their location. King put the money to good work spreading the word about the Dogwood Festival all over the state. Most recently, she had a big billboard right in the middle of the Azalea Festival footprint in Wilmington.

“We are expecting to get a lot of out-of-towners,” she said.

With that in mind, she has worked hard to put together an exceptional festival, and she believes that attendees will be impressed. 

The annual party starts Friday night at 6 p.m. with the Bloom & Boom Kickoff Party at Festival Park. The party features country crooner Gretchen Wilson. Following her performance, fireworks will light up the sky. King said that food vendors and other participants will be on hand. The Family Foods/Taco Bell Midway will open at 6 p.m. For $20, you can ride all the rides you want during the party. If you bring a receipt totaling $5 or more from any local Taco Bell, you will receive $5 off the wristband.

On Saturday, the street festival will start at noon, and will feature more 100 arts and crafts and food vendors, as well as fun activities for the whole family. The midway will open at noon and will close at 6 p.m. on Saturday. It will operate on a ticket-based system.

On Sunday, the festival kicks off at 1 p.m. and closes at 6 p.m. Admission is free to the public on Saturday and Sunday. Friday’s concert is a ticketed event.

Free offsite shuttle services will be available at the city parks and recreation facility on Lamon Street. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes and will transport passengers to the festival footprint. Hours of operation are Saturday 3-11 p.m. Disabled parking will be designated in the Hay Street United Methodist Church Parking lot and the Bank of American Parking lots on Ray Ave. Availability is first come, first served basis.

For more information, visit ww.faydogwoodfestival.com

Most people have heard of Easter Seals, but some are more aquainted with the organization than others — especially those whose lives have been touched by someone with autism or other disabilities.

On a broad level, the organization “offers help, hope and answers to more than a million children and adults living with autism and other disabilities or special needs and their families each year. Services and support are provided through a network of more than 550 sites in the U.S. and through Ability First Australia. Each center provides exceptional services that are individualized, innovative, family-focused and tailored to meet specifi c needs of the particular community served.”

Locally, the Easter Seals United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) North Carolina & Virginia provides services through the Easter Seals UCP Dorothy Spainhour Center.

Like all children’s centers that work with special-needs kids, the Dorothy Spainhour Center always needs new equipment and updated resources for the many services it provides. On May 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Century 21 Family Realty is sponsoring a yard sale/bazaar to raise funds for the center. The bazaar will be held at 2653 Hope Mills Rd., at the Century 21 Family Realty office.

“Century 21 and Easter Seals are national partners and Susanne Sattelmayer of Century 21 came to us a couple of months back to tour the center,” said Amanda Hurlburt, early childhood specialist at the center. She wanted to do some fundraising for us and wanted it to stay local — specifically for our center.”

Funds raised are earmarked for playground improvements, classroom improvements and therapeutic equipment.

“This is actually the third fundraiser she has done for us,” said Hurlburt.

In addition to yard sale items, the bazaar portion of the fundraiser includes 31 Gifts, Tastefully Simple, Dove Chocolates, Scentsy, Pampered Chef. The Twisted Jeweler is also scheduled to attend.

While the Dorothy Spainhour Center does partner with Easter Seals, the center also accepts children without developmental needs, providing a safe educational environment for kids from 6 months to 12 years old.

“Children receive therapies on site in class room, speech, occupational, physical and developmental, therapies,” said Hurlburt. “We serve kids with I.E.P.s (Individualized Education Programs) through Cumberland County Schools. Some children come here as their classroom placements.”

Any child qualifi es to attend the Dorothy Spainhour Center. They don’t have to have special needs to take advantage of the great programs that the center offers. Children who attend the Dorothy Spainhour Center benefi t from programs like N.C. Pre-K (formerly More at Four) and Kindermusik.

The center recently had local dentists visit the school and talk to the kids about dental care. The center also offers before and after care. Prices are based on the services provided and programs the children participate in.

To learn more about the Dorothy Spainhour Center and its programs, call 483-7283 or stop by for a tour.

Photo: The Dorothy Spainhour Center meets the needs of a number of children in Cumberland County. Its programs are designed specifi cally to help children succeed.

As the First Sanctuary for Soldiers, Fayetteville/Cumberland County relishes the opportunity to celebrate soldiers, vets and their families. The month of May is chock-full of events, bargains and exhibits as the community rallies to lift up the men and women of the armed services and their families.

The month opens with the Fort Bragg Fair, which runs through May 3. There is live entertainment every day. Admission includes unlimited rides.

Local exhibits include The Animal Call POW: U.S. Special Forces Prisoners of the Vietcong. This exhibit opened in February and will run through January of 2013. It features U.S. Army Special Forces and men who served in the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam prisoners of war.

Treasure rescued from Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge is on display at the Museum of the Cape Fear through the end of the month. Visitors can expect to see iron shot for cannon small caliber lead shot for firearms, a grinding stone used for sharpening tools and weapons and a small piece of gold. The ship, which was formerly known as La Concorde and used as a slave ship, ran aground in what is now Beaufort Inlet in 1718.

Children are invited to make Blue Star flags at Fascinate-U Children’s Museum. All military families get in for half price and the families of deployed soldiers get in free through the entire month of May.

The Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum commemorates the bicentennial of the War of 1812 with the exhibit Fayetteville and Cumberland County in the War of 1812. Learn the local military, political and social history of the early 1800s.

Don’t miss the Fayetteville Duck Derby at Campbellton Landing on May 5. Thousands of ducks race down the Cape Fear River to support Fayetteville Urban Ministry and other non-profits. Several prizes will be given away.

Visit Headquarters Library on May 8 and join N.C. author Sarah Shaber for a discussion of Louise’s War. The novel is set in Washington, D.C., in 1942 and offers murder, intrigue and suspense.

The U.S. Army Soldier Show comes to town on May 11-12. This 90 minutes musical production is held at the Crown Coliseum and is free and open to the public. The performers are active-duty soldiers who spend six months touring with the show.

Spring Lake Spring Fling Movie in the Park on May 11 is offered in conjunction with Operation Ceasefire. Bring a blanket and a chair and enjoy the show. The movie is free and open to the public

Join the 2nd Annual Ride for the Warriors on May 12. Proceeds benefit Helping Hands for Heroes. Registration is $15 per single rider, $20 with a passenger. The ride starts at 8:30 a.m.

Join re-enactors at the Museum of the Cape Fear for Military Through the Ages: A March Through Historyon May 19. Re-enactors will portray different historic periods in military history. Learn about the different uniforms, weapons and customs.

Also on May 19, Ride to Honor hosted by The Army’s Army, features 34- and 61-mile bike rides. It costs $35 and starts at Mendoza Park. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Find out more about the events at 31daysalute.com.

“The roots of pottery and agriculture run deep in the rich soil of North Carolina. Pottery and wine go together very well,” says Don Hudson of D.K. Clay, and so goes the basis for the 11th Annual Sanford Pottery Festival.

When Hudson created the Sanford Pottery Festival, he may not have realized that in a short amount of time, he would be at the helm of the largest pottery festival in North Carolina.

“It’s always the weekend before Mother’s Day and we’re coming up on our 11th annual event. That’s special in itself, because a lot of events don’t have that kind of track record,” he said.

With Mother’s Day falling on Sunday, May 13 this year, that puts the festival the weekend of May 5-6 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center at 1801 Nash St.in Sanford.

The festival boasts an attendance record of nearly 60,000 visitors over the years. The draw is quality North Carolina craftsmanship.

“There is said to be more than 1,500 potters in North Carolina. It is a state famous nationally for its pottery. Sanford is part of the famous Seagrove area potteries, including Randolph, Moore, Montgomery, Chatham and Lee counties,” explains Hudson.

In fact, the Sanford Pottery Festival is an offshoot of the Seagrove Pottery Festival, which takes place in November and is in its 31st year.

“We regard the Seagrove Pottery Festival as a sister event, and the feeling is mutual,” says Hudson

.Linda Russell and Alicia Stone are the festival’s featured potters. Both potters were students of Kenneth Neilson of D.K. Clay and have participated in each Sanford Pottery Festival since its inception.

“Most of our potters have 25 years of experience or more and we are always cultivating new talent. We tend to attract some of the best, most established potters. If you want to see some highly accomplished potters, this is the show,” says Hudson. More than 100 potters are exhibiting their artwork at the show.

Pottery, like all art, merits a competitive price.

“Pottery is not the cheapest thing in the world, but you can get good quality pieces for $10 to $50. We’ve had pieces that sold for upwards of $15,000. We have a wide range. And we have more than pottery. Eighty percent is pottery, but there is also traditional arts and crafts.”

Festival visitors can stroll through the exhibits sipping wine from the Wine Tasting Event. The wine tasting is held in an 8,000 sq. foot tent and features more than 10 North Carolina wineries.

“North Carolina is famous for its wine as well as its pottery,” said Hudson. “In Colonial times, North Carolina was the largest producer of wines.”

“North Carolina wine tradition is based on muscadine and scuppernong grapes and those are generally sweet wines. We also have a large selection of dry European wines. But all of them are made in North Carolina,” Hudson continued.

Hudson wanted to be sure that Sanford’s surrounding military community felt welcome at the festival. As a show of appreciation, all active-duty and retired military members, along with one adult guest, are admitted to the festival free of charge.

“We have found that military members love experiencing local culture. These are people who have been all over the world. They check out local culture and local food. And when we talk to them in our shop in Sanford, we hear them talking about the ceramics in Germany or the Netherlands and the local wine. So we thought it would be the great idea to invite the military to our event,” says Hudson.Hudson hopes the military community will pay the gesture forward by sharing North Carolina crafts with friends and family.

“Military members like buying local wine and pottery and sending it all over the United States,” says Hudson.

“Many would be proud to own North Carolina pottery and use it; because the best pottery is meant to be functional, pure and simple.”

In addition to the pottery exhibit and wine tasting, there is paint-your-own-pottery for children and a Saturday evening dinner catered by Two Brother Cookin’ and featuring the music of Robert Watson with his band, Fog & Guests. The dinner is $10 per plate and starts at 5:30 p.m.

Hours for the festival are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is $5 with children 16 and under free of charge. Wine tasting admission is an additional $1.

For more information, please visit www.sanfordpotteryfestival.org.

Photo top: Phil Morgan working on a vase.

Did you ever want to use the term “negative space” in a sentence? I just did. Art critics do it all the time. Why should they have all the fun with phonics? I have recently cracked the code on how to write art reviews. Many years ago I took a course on medical terminology so that I could understand medical reports. Today’s lesson will teach you, the readers of Up & Coming Weekly how to understand and write art reviews yourself for fun and profit.

I became interested in writing art reviews when I read an article about a newly discovered self portrait that Rembrandt painted three years after he died. This self portrait is now on exhibit at the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York on loan from England. The painting is considered one of the finest examples of post-mortem art ever produced in the history of mankind.

To write publishable art reviews, all you need to do is put words together that mean the opposite of each other, or even better, make no sense when read together. Using this simple technique makes you sound cultured, classy and complex. It will cause you to daintily hold up your little finger when drinking a frosty mug of Red Bull. I ciphered out this key to writing art reviews while reading a New York Times article about Rembrandt’s posthumous self portrait.

Let us begin with the basics of writing an art review. Handy phrases to toss into your art review are: “antagonistic conciliation, ephemeral solidity, lucid incoherence, visual silence and emotional gravity.” If the picture is dark, either in terms of color or subject matter it is always a good idea to use phrases like “psychic complexity, random coherence and radiating an inner yet not visible revelatory revolution.” If the painting has bright colors say it is “wreathed in light, has robust delicacy or is palely noir.”

One of the most well known paintings in America is the Indian Maiden on the box of Land O Lakes butter. We have all enjoyed seeing this picture many times in the local dairy case and perhaps gracing our own butter dish. If you have an Exacto knife, you can cut an outline of the maiden’s knees and with some clever folding turn the Indian Maiden into a naughty picture. But I digress. Let us write a review of the Land O Lakes butter box as it would be written in the New York Times. To wit:The first thing that strikes one when in the presence of the Land O Lakes box is the patently elusive quality of the Indian Maiden’s eyes. Her visual orbs shine with an ambivalent confl icted glory that belies her rustic position kneeling by a pond. The Maiden herself is a vision of ethereal loveliness brimming with pulchritude. She is that, yet so much more. Our Maiden is looking off into the distance above the viewer’s left shoulder into a lost horizon of frolicking glumness.

The vertiginous flatness of the butter box she holds at chest level speaks with a geometric clarity daring the viewer to enter her world of exquisite commonality with the archetypal universal soul. The box of Land O Lakes she is holding has a picture of herself on it, holding a smaller box of Land O Lakes, which in turn has a picture of herself holding yet another smaller box of Land O Lakes stretching out into an infinity of repetition. This self referential altruism confronts the viewer with the profound banality of an unending set of alarming spatial ambiguities. Where does the box of Land O Lakes end and where does the viewer begin? The organized randomness of this question haunts the viewer long after the box of butter has been tossed into the blue recycling maw of Waste Management.

The Maiden kneels on a verdant grassy mound of horizontal verticality at the edge of a lake of cloistered openness, which stretches out to a horizon of gleeful depressiveness. The trees looming on the edges of the box impute a claustrophobic vastness extending far beyond the edge of the box. The ferociously bashful expression of the Maiden exudes a frenzied calm that draws the viewer into a deeper contemplation of the complicated simplicity of bovine byproducts sequestered in America’s dairy cases. She asks the viewer to decide a multitude of existential questions: Butter or margarine? Salted or unsalted? Flavor protected wrapper, spreadable with canola oil, whipped or regular? Box or tub? Plain, cinnamon flavored or roasted garlic?

The Maiden asks many more essential extraneous questions than cannot be answered by a single viewing of the box. She dares us to think inside the box even if it gets our minds sticky.

Her buttery archetypes emit thoughts and choices like flowing ribbons of cholesterol sinking deep into the arteries of the viewer’s soul. Sacrificial egotism, thy name is Land O Lakes.

American Reunion  (Rated R)   3 Stars

Has it really been 13 years since this franchise got started? American Reunion (113 minutes) progresses the franchise in real time, which means the 10-year reunion has indeed been put off a few years. There is nothing truly terrible about this third sequel, but there isn’t anything really outstanding about it either. Jon Hurtwitz takes a break from directing stoner comedies and tries his hand at directing a teen-sex comedy in which most of the teens are now in their early 30s. Someone should have told him and his co-director/writing partner Hayden Schlossberg that fans actually care about things like character consistency … but more on that later.

All the major players return, in cameos if not as leads. Jim (Jason Biggs) is married to Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Oz (Chris Klein) has moved to LA where he hosts a Sport Center-type show and is living with a model/D-Lister (Katrina Bowden) named Mia. Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) is still uninterestingly earnest while also being married and apparently spending most of his time cooking and watching soapy melodramas. Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) is MIA and Stifler (Seann William Scott) has suffered a few reversals since American Wedding.

The film opens on Jim and Michelle, married with a child. They have settled into a rut, more interested in private time than each other. In an effort to break the routine they decide to head home for the reunion. Jim’s dad (Eugene Levy) plays host, and the little girl next door that Jim used to babysit (Ali Cobrin) offers some sitcom style hijinks.

It doesn’t take long for the guys to find Finch and Stifler, and get together for drinks, leaving Michelle at home to take care of the baby. Which, really? She’s being supportive and giving her husband time with his friends. But, see if you can count the number of times that Jim stays home nurturing his child while Michelle visits with her high-school crew. In fact, count the number of times Jim actually picks up his child period. Sigh.

Visiting the lake after a night of reinforcing traditional sex roles, the gang splits up into male and female groups so that the men with the Peter Pan complexes can ogle the teenage bikini girls and the women over 30 can huddle together seeking support in their twilight years. Kevin finds Vicki (Tara Reid irritating as ever) and they get a few lines of dialogue. Heather (Mena Suvari) shows up on the beach to deliver some exposition re-garding her relationship with Oz, and if there were any justice all four of them would wander off into the lake and get eaten by piranhas, leaving the rest of the movie to the interesting characters.

Not that the main characters have any interesting material to work with either. Finch seems depressed to be in yet another American Pie movie, even if he does seem to have gotten Stifler’s Mom (Jennifer Coolidge) out of his system. As a character, Stifler has completely degenerated. There are only so many jokes you can make about how men in their 30s like to look at nude teenagers be-fore crossing the border from comedy into disgust, particularly after American Wedding made such a point of maturing the character.

Overall, the entire movie is a bit depressing and lackluster. You will see characters behaving in ways entirely inconsistent with the first three main films. There are a few things to laugh at, and hardcore fans of the franchise (including the direct-to-video sequels) will probably enjoy all the cameos. And, yes, shortly after the credits start rolling there is a bonus sequence worth staying seated for.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

The sun is just peeking through the trees that line the banks of the Cape Fear River when Lisa Snyder arrives at Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Horticulture Educational Center. She looks forward to working with the many beautiful plants that fill the 4,000-square-foot green-house and dreams of one day owning and operating her own greenhouse. As a student-employee, Snyder receives valuable hands-on experience. Students in the Horticulture Technology curriculum who enrolled in the Plant Propagation class have spent the semester sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings, rooting cuttings, potting, feeding and watering two greenhouses full of plants while experiencing day-to-day operations of producing and caring for plants that will be placed up for sale. The students are given opportunities to apply what they learn in real-life situations.

Just around the corner, students in the Landscape Construction class are finishing a brick-on-sand walkway and will soon begin constructing a zigzag wooden bridge. Students not only receive class-room material but also experiential learning — they get to practice the skills they are being taught. A few thumbs may get smashed along the way, but even beginners learn how to create the elements used in landscape design. In the Soils and Fertilizers class, students are bent over their calculators computing the amount of fertilizer needed to follow the recommendations from a soil test. Students apply skills they learn in other classes, such as Turfgrass, Greenhouse Operations and Landscape Management.

FTCC’s Horticulture Technology curriculum has a unique partnership with its next-door neighbor, Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, which allows Fayetteville Tech students access to these beautiful gardens and grounds as part of their studies on plants and landscaping. Cooperative projects exist that benefit both the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens and FTCC’s horticulture students.

The Horticulture Technology/Management curriculum at FTCC offers an associate degree in 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 by going to school full time; the certificate programs can be completed sooner. A wide range of individuals enroll in the program. Some students have recently completed high school, while other students are retired military or older adults who seek lifelong learning opportunities. Some students are employed by the companies that sent them to FTCC to get valuable training needed for career advance-ment. The Horticulture Technology program covers most aspects of a diverse field of endeavor, and the program’s emphasis on management teaches students about the basics of business and entrepreneurship.

Careers in horticulture include landscape installa-tion and management, wholesale and/or retail green-house and nursery, retail garden centers, turfgrass manager, private gardener, garden designer and interiorscape technician, just to name a few. Each student receives an opportunity to learn about all these areas and more. In addition, the Horticulture Technology program encourages high school students to participate in dual-enrollment programs available in some schools. FTCC also offers some horticulture classes at no charge specifically for high school students, giving these students the opportunity to earn college credit while still completing high school diploma courses.

Learn more about FTCC’s Horticulture Technology curriculum by contacting me at webbj@faytechcc.edu or at 910-678-8447

 When it’s Time to go to the Doctor … Here’s What to Ask

Doctor visits can be overwhelming for older adults, particularly if they have hearing problems or dementia. Seniors often appreciate someone attending an appointment with them. If a family caregiver can’t attend an appointment with an older loved one, encourage or help a senior find someone — a trusted neighbor or friend — to go with him or her to provide any needed assistance.

Or contact your local Home Instead Senior Care® office. A Home Instead CAREGiver, who is screened, trained, bonded and insured, can transport and accompany older adults to doctor visits and be there to assist that senior and provide follow-up information to a family member. Here’s what to ask and information you should provide:

• Always tell the doctor the prescription drug medications, supplements and vitamins you are currently taking. (A written list is best.) Also make a list of any symptoms or health complaints you have.

• Describe your symptoms in order and, each time, include past experiences with the same problem.

• Ask the doctor what he or she thinks is causing these problems. Take notes on what the doctor says or ask the person who’s accompanying you to do so. Or take a digital voice recorder in with you to record the doctor’s answers and instructions. The doctor will likely speak very clearly and slowly, and give you a lot more information once he or she knows they are being recorded. Just be sure to tell the doctor you are recording and put the recorder in plain view.

• If new tests are ordered or medications prescribed, ask the doctor why he or she is recommending that and why you need it. Find out if there are alternatives.

• Ask the doctor if any of the medications that he or she prescribes will interact in a negative way with medications that you’re taking as prescribed by other doctors.

• Confirm the proper dosage and method of taking the new medication.

• Find out if there are potential side effects or complications from a medication or procedure.

• Discuss with the doctor how you will get any test results. • Find out if the doctor wants to see you again, or if you should report back to him or her.

• Discuss what, if anything, you should be doing at home to improve your condition including diet and exercise. Find out if any of your activities should be restricted.

• Finally, if you’re confused about anything, make sure you ask your doctor to explain it again.

Your local Home Instead Senior Care office also can provide additional information about the support that CAREGivers can provide for many other services that assist older adults.

Photo: Seniors often appreciate someone attending an appointment with them. 

The Story Behind Mercy Me’s New Song

This week in The Buzz we find out what’s been going on with several Christian artists, get the story behind Mercy Me’s new song “The Hurt & The Healer” and let you know about a free song download.

Where in the world is…Jonny Diaz?

Recently Jonny helped lead worship at the home church of fellow art-ist Heather Williams. While there, he also shared a couple of his new songs including “Beauty Of The Cross” and “Scars”. About “Scars”, he said, “You know, as Christians, so many times we think we have to have it all together — or at least appear that we do. But one of the best ways to show the power of our Savior is by showing what it is that we’ve been saved from. When we’re willing to admit we’re an absolute mess without the blood of Jesus Christ, that’s when people can see what it is He has done in our lives. We all have scars — whether emotional or physical, self-inflicted or caused by others. Because of what Jesus did on that cross, because He took our place and rose again on Easter, we don’t have to hide our scars!”

What is happening with … Mercy Me?

Evidently there’s this really huge Christian music festival in Australia. It’s called Easterfest. Mercy Me decided they needed to head down under and take part in the experience. Naturally, one of the tunes they played was their latest radio hit, “The Hurt & The Healer.” The song, like so many from Mercy Me, comes from a couple of experiences the band had over the last year. One of those experi-ences was the death of a cousin of lead singer Bart Millard who was a firefighter who was killed in the line of duty. Bart helped the newly widowed mother of two in the days after the tragic loss of her husband. He saw once again how God is faithful even in the darkest of times and “The Hurt and The Healer” was born. The new CD of the same name will be available May 22.

Was that Sara Groves singing at the White House?

As you may know, the President hosts an Easter prayer breakfast every year the week before Easter. This year, among many clergy and Christian leaders, Sara Groves was asked to share a song. After President Obama gave some opening remarks, Rev. Cynthia Hale of Ray of Hope Christian Church offered the opening prayer. She then introduced Sara Groves, who sang “He’s Always Been Faithful To Me.” The President and all those in attendance genuinely enjoyed Sara’s musical contribution to the annual event.

How would you like some free music?

Moriah Peters debut CD I Choose Jesus has just been released. A free download of the title track, as well as performances and interviews, is available at HearItFirst.com.

The End of the Road for Gates Four

“I Love Gates Four. I Love Fayetteville.”

Those were the words spoken to me by a new Fayetteville resident who relocated here from Georgia. The new resident is a personable, vivacious and jovial lady who was introduced to me by a long time Fayetteville resident who had befriended the lady.

Both ladies were enjoying a casual lunch ata popular (and locally owned) Fayetteville restaurant. Both ladies also live in the beautiful gated community of Gates Four. What I found interesting was that neither of them seemed affected or consumed with all ofthe controversy and negativity surrounding this otherwise beautiful country-club community.

Supporting that old adage misery loves company, a determined group of dissident property owners, still fuming over the forced “big-bang” annexation, have pretty much come to the end of the line in stopping the annexation of the community into the city limits. The death knell in their fight came when the North Carolina Supreme Court refused to hear their case last year. Of course, they are going to ask the North Carolina Court of Appeals to review the high court’s ruling. I wouldn’t give them good odds on changing the outcome. Gates Four Golf and County Club is now a part of our wonderful city. The recycling bins and green rollouts should be arriving soon.

My point? Actually, there are several.

First, life is too short to perpetuate and endure this kind of long-term mental and financial anguish.

Second, Gates Four is a wonderful, beautiful and well-established residential community. Its image should not be tarnished by all this negative publicity. Residents should be sensitive and cognizant of how others perceive them. The lady I met seemed oblivious to all the hubbub surrounding Gates Four. She was actually enjoying the amenities of her new community.

Third, the reality of this situation is that unless you are a hermit you cannot avoid using and consuming 21st century city services. That’s a fact.

I’ve often seen even the most vocal, dissident and radical Gates Four residents enjoy the amenities our city. They can’t help it. Many work here, travel the streets, walk on the sidewalks, play in city parks and eat and shop in city businesses. And, while they are here, they are protected by city police and fire professionals.

I could go on and on with this train of thought, but I won’t. I’ll cut to the bottom line: Residents of Gates Four enjoy the amenities the city has to offer... they just don’t want to pay for them. Oh well, welcome to the real world.

For those who are wondering, yes, I am a victim of the “big bang” annexation. My taxes increased along with everyone else’s. However, I would feel a lot better about this situation and the future of our city if the same Gates Four people who speak out so adamantly challenging the city’s decision would step up and take an active role in the future governing process. After all, why waste such dedicated and hard-working talent?

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weeklyand to all you newcomers welcome to our community. You’ll love it here no matter where you live!

Each Spring, volunteers hit the streets of Fayetteville with one goal in mind: making Fayetteville beautiful. Last year, 1,471 volunteers participated in the citywide cleanup, picking up more than 31,000 pounds of trash. On Saturday, April 21, a like number of individuals will gather at the Martin Luther King Expressway on ramp on Ramsey Street at 9 a.m., to kick off another cleanup.

But before you think it’s more of the same old, same old, think again.

“We have some new and different things we are doing this year,” said Bobby Hurst, the chairman of Fayetteville Beautiful. “We know that we need to keep it fresh and growing.”

One of the ways Hurst hopes to do that is by making volunteering a little easier. This year the volunteer system went online, with a volunteer map located on the City of Fayetteville and the Parks and Recreation websites.

“People can go online and see where their group is assigned or they can see what areas are still available and then they can adopt that area,” explained Hurst.

The map will also show volunteers where their stretch of road begins and where it ends, which is important because the number of volunteers each year continues to rise. Hurst said the volunteer campaign is beginning to wrap up, and they have found that more groups have joined, which greatly enhances the organization’s ability to clean up more roads He added that a large number of the new volunteers are coming from the county’s schools.

“We are actually going to award a $250 prize to the school that has the most volunteers,” said Hurst. “That money will go to their student government association. So far, Pine Forest has the most volunteers at 62, but there are still a lot of other schools that we haven’t heard from yet.”

Even with the changes to the event, Hurst wants to keep it true to its roots, which is improving the community. Over the past seven years, the annual cleanup has removed 87 tons of litter from 296 miles of road. All of the work has been done by the hands of 7,389 volunteers.

Those volunteers are the heart of Fayetteville Beautiful, which was started as a committee of concerned citizens dedicated to encouraging others to take greater responsibility for improving their environment. The key to a long-term sustainable solution for a more beautiful Fayetteville is its success at changing individual behavior and attitudes about litter.

Over the past several years, Hurst and his organization have been successful at changing perceptions and habits, but this year, the organization saw a slight climb in its annual Litter Index, the measurement tool created by Keep America, which helps communities identify and understand the extent of their litter problems. Hurst’s excitment for the upcoming event was tempered by the latest litter index, which was recently released. Over the past several years, the county’s litter index has fallen, but this year, there was a slight increase to 1.86.

“We are covering more roads than ever before, and we are, in fact doubling the amount of miles that Keep America says you need for a city our size,” he said.

He believes a successful Fayetteville Beautiful event will go far to bring the county numbers back in line.

“We just really want a great turn out and want to get a lot of trash off our roadsides,” said Hurst.

For more information about Fayetteville Beautiful visit the website at www.fayettevillebeautiful. com or to volunteer, contact Lynn Hughes at 433-1587.

What do a flock of ducks and Cumberland County nonprofi ts have in common? If you guessed the second annual floating of the Fayetteville Duck Derbythen you were right on the money.

The derby, which was one of the most exciting events to occur last year, is set to return to the banks of the Cape Fear River on Saturday, May 5, at Campbellton Landing. For those who attended the event last year, expect things to be bigger and better.

You may be asking yourself, “What is a duck derby?” The folks who organize the derby can explain it best.

Patrons just like you adopt a duck through the organization for $5. Each adoption has a registration number that is tagged on a duck. Depending on adoptions, 15,000 to 20,000 ducks will race down the Cape Fear River. The duck that fi nishes fi rst wins the grand prize, the following four ducks will also receive prizes.

The prizes are not too shabby. The first prize winner receives a 2012 Toyota Scion TC, courtesy of Rick Hendrick Toyota. The second-place winner gets to go on a Las Vegas Getaway. Third prize is a catered Cape Fear River Cruise. Fourth place is a set of tires from Goodyear, and fifth place is a year membership at the Spa Fitness & Wellness Center, along with gift certifi cates to the Renaissance European Day Spa.

So now that you know what is in it for you, it’s important to know what’s in it for the community. Fayetteville’s Flock is comprised of local non-profi ts, led by Fayetteville Urban Ministries, that will receive a portion of the proceeds from the Fayetteville Duck Derby. It’s the goal of the organization to involve as many local nonprofits as possible. Each non-profit is asking its supporters to purchase ducks in support of the specific non-profit. To date, there are 39 local non-profits who have signed up to participate and benefit from the derby.

The organization is also looking for corporate sponsors to organize corporate teams to raise money for their favorite non-profit. There are more than 30 corporate sponsors on board, and there is still time to sign up if youwant to work to make the community better. 

To create more excitement about the event and to get more ducks adopted — to date, more than 5,500 ducks have been adopted — local restaurants are also getting in on the act. The second annual Duck Derby Drink and Appetizer Competition will continue through the end of the month. You can visit any of the participating restaurants, try their specialty appetizer and drink designed specifi cally for the Duck Derby and vote for your favorite. If you have the time, you can try them all!

Participating restaurants include: Blue Moon, Chris’s Open Hearth Steak House, Hellas Restaurant & Sports Bar, Hilltop House, Huske Hardware Restaurant & Brewery, IT’Z Entertainment City, Luigi’s Italian Restaurant & Bar, Mash House Brewery & Chophouse Restaurant, Pierro’s Italian Restaurant and The Wing Company. Ducktivities that take place on the day event have something to offer for the entire family. The event kicks off at noon at Campbellton Landing. Events throughout the day include wagon rides on the river trail by Jenkins’ Place, live music on the amphitheater stage, boat rides by Cape Fear River Boats and performances by the Kidsville Kids and the Falcon Children’s Home Choir.

Of course, there will be a number of food and merchandise vendors on hand so you don’t have to worry about eating before you come, you can simply come out and spend the day. A number of wineries will also be on hand, as well as the Budweiser Girls.

There will also be a Kid’s Zone set up complete with bounce houses, Rattler Jake, a train, arts and crafts and visits by several local mascot celebrities including the Duck Derby’s own Quacky and Kidsville! News’ Truman.

Of course, the main event of the day is the release of the ducks into the river and the race to the fi nish line.

For more information about Fayetteville Duck Derby or to adopt a duck or volunteer, please visit the website at www. fayettevilleduckderby.com.

It’s a birthday party for the prince! Prince Siegfried, that is, in Act 1 of Swan Lake at the Crown Center Theatre on April 22, when North Carolina State Ballet presents Act 1 and Act 11 of Swan Lake in the Ballet Classics.

The production is directed by Charlotte Blume and will feature 30 plus dancers and actors. Guest art-ists, Melody Staples Hammell and John Tabbert, dance the roles of Odette the Swan Queen and Prince Siegfried.

Charlotte Blume and Assistant Director Wei Ni have staged Act 1 of Swan Lake for the first time since the North Carolina State Ballet presented a full four-act produc-tion of the piece in 1993. Additionally, Ni will present his new choreographed piece, Venus from Holst’s The Planets. Completing the program, Blume has re-staged the colorful dances from the prologue of Sleeping Beauty, which will star Annemarie Strickland as the Lilac Fairy.

Guest artist John Tabbert is currently with the Charleston Ballet Theatre and Melody Staples Hammell was formerly principal dancer with that company. In addition to Swan Lake, Hammell’s many dance roles include the sugar plum fairy in the Nutcracker, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet. This is her seventh season with the North Carolina State Ballet as Odette.

In Act I of Swan Lake, the prince is celebrating his 21st birthday with friends and members of the court. The Queen Mother presents him with a cross bow for hunting as his birthday gift. She reminds him it is time to choose a bride. The prince leaves on a hunting trip with friends. Act I of Swan Lake will feature Ashley Watters, Daniel Rivera and Mary Maxton Fowler in the Pas de Trois and Anne Talkington and Thomas McGill in the Waltz. Assistant Director, Wei Ni, will dance a cameo role.

In Act II, the hunting party finds a mist-covered lake in the forest where they see swans circling and landing. Just as Prince Siegfried is about to shoot a swan she magically turns into a girl. She has been transformed into a swan along with the others by the evil Rothbart, who assumes the form of an owl. If Rothbart dies, the girls remain swans forever. Only true love for the Swan Queen can break the spell. Siegfried promises his love. With hope renewed, dawn approaches and the girls return to the lake.

Tickets for the Ballet Classics April 22, may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Office or through ticketmaster.com. This is a military discount at the box office with ID. Curtain time is 3 p.m.

Photo: The Ballet Classics is directed by Charlotte Blime and features more than 30 dancers.

Spring is finally in the air, and children are trying to find some outdoor fun for the entire family, The Fort Bragg Child Youth and School Services has

just the answer for you as it presents the 20th Annual Children’s Fest.

The event commemorates the Month of the Military Child and honors military families and their children. “I have watched this event grow over the years from a small event held in a grassy area on Fort Bragg,” said Gudrun Blackmon. Blackmon is the coordinator of the event and has been actively involved in its success and growth since 2001.

The Children’s Fest is now a garrison command event much like the 4th of July Fest and the Fort Bragg Fair. In 1983, April was declared Month of the Military Child by then-Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. The Department of Defense recognized the need for quality child/youth care programs as well as the importance of military children and the unique lifestyle they live. Therefore, installations all over the world take this month to honor military children.

Fort Bragg is very important to Fayetteville and its surrounding areas, so this is a wonderful opportunity to come out and show your support to both the military and their children. Previous year’s attendance at the Fest has been 3,000 – 3,500 and event organizers anticipate the same attendance and participation this year.

Age-appropriate events and activities are scheduled throughout the day. Military static displays will allow children to interact with Soldiers as well as become familiar with equipment their parents work with on a daily basis. Other entertainment and activities include the Kiddie Jump Tower, Toddlerville, a Climbing Wall, a personal appearance by #9 Robot, Pallaber the Clown, various carnival rides and concessions.

Parents will get an opportunity to get involved in their children’s world for a day and experience some of the activities that the children do while attending daycare, school or other local kid events. Doreene Jenkins, CYSS Outreach Director noted, “The biggest thing for me is watching the children come out with their parents. I am so accustomed to seeing the parents dropping the kids off before going off to work. But now the parents are in the kids’ world and that is big for me. The kids get to show the parents how play and just have fun.”

This event is the only time during the year when all nine Child Development Centers, three School Age Services sites and Tolson Youth Center personnel and activities will be together in one place to have a full day of fun and games. There will be additional dimensions added to this event by Fort Bragg and local agencies. The Fort Bragg Fire & Emergency Services will be on site with fire engines, the Throckmorton Library, 4-H, the TUOCS District Boy Scouts of America, Pines of Carolina Girl Scouts, Army Community Services, the Community Health Nurse, Medical Research and Womack Army Medical Center are coming together to help create an amazing time of fun and celebration for the military children in our community. The event would not be as successful as it is without the unselfish support and assistance from the Fort Bragg Special Events Team, the Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Marketing Team, and the outstanding sponsors in the Fort Bragg and Fayetteville area.

The event will be held April 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds off Bragg Boulevard and is open to the public. There is an $8 admission fee to enter the fairgrounds but once you are in the gate, that price includes all carnival rides and a chance to win prize drawings all throughout the day. Adults and children less than 36” will be admitted free of charge.

Photo: The #9 robot is always a hit at the Childrens Festival. 

Music, a uniquely human phenomenon, exists as a cultural influence dating back to the earliest of civilizations. From sim-ple farmers gathering after harvest for celebration and bonding to European monarchs housing masters for the court’s enjoy-ment, music has always inspired and entertained.

Snyder Memorial Baptist Church continues this grand tradition by with a tradition of its own — The Festival of Keyboards. On April 29, Snyder Memorial Baptist church invites the community to enjoy a free concert played on four grand pianos by pianists from the Snyder congregation and Music Academy Faculty. Joy Cogswell the music academy director at Snyder, recalls the beginning of this tradition.

“Our minister of music Larry Dickens knew of a church in Virginia that had done something similar to this and we started the first year as a Christmas concert.”

Cogswell recalls that in conjunction with the Singing Christmas Tree, the events were overwhelming so they decided to join this concert instead with the Dogwood Festival.

“That was a wonderful move that helped us to have just great crowds and I think we’ve been able to reach the community a lot better by partnering with the Dogwood Festival,” Cogswell says.

As part of the Dogwood Festival series, which includes more than 30 sanctioned Dogwood Festival events,Snyder helps to provide family fun and foster Fayetteville pride. The concert’s wide range of music also supports the Dogwood Festivals philosophy of “something for every-one” and gives the community a chance to celebrate its many talented members.

The concert features six pianists who are active in the Snyder congregation. In the past, music academy faculty have also performed.

“We’ve had as many as nine or 10, but this year we are using just church members or church musicians. This year we decided to go back to our roots with our church members, and let them share their God-given talents,” Cogswell explains.

This concert also provides a unique opportunity for the musicians preforming, Cogswell, being a pianist herself explains, “Being a pianist is a pretty lonely job because you practice by yourself. You normally play by yourself and perform by yourself, so this is a really neat thing to be able to play with other pianist, to enjoy being together, to enjoy playing together, to enjoy working out the ensemble between the instru-ments.”

The concert demonstrates the versatility of the piano as well as the great skill of the performers as many different styles of music will be performed, including sacred, classical, patriotic and pop.

“There will be music for everybody. We will also have at least one thing the congregation will be able to join us in singing. We have a mens ensemble, 12 or 14 men who are going to sing one of their pieces because they use two piano accompaniments in their piece. So that will be something new this year,” said Cogswell.

Whether a piano enthusiast or unfamiliar with the piano this concert provides the perfect venue to renew or freshly inspire a love for this classic yet versatile instrument.

This free concert will take place within Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, 701 Westmont Dr. at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Joy Cogswell at 484-3191 or email at music@snydermbc.com.

Photo: On April 29, Snyder Memorial Baptist church invites the community to enjoy a free concert played on four grand pianos

Military women, and the women behind the military men, Epicenter Church has big plans for you.

On April 26, at Epicenter Church, an evening of fun, fellowship and inspiration awaits.

Event organizer, Maj. Deanna Franks, who is in the Air Force Reserves, has lined up two great speakers who are not only connected to the military community, but who are making a difference in the lives of military families every day—Autumn Letendre and Jenny Hartsock.

“Autumn and Jenny are great speakers who can really relate to the audience,” said Franks. “I think the energy will be a lot of fun and very exciting.”

Letendre is a country music singer. Her debut album, Raise your Flag is filled with emotion and pride for the United States of America. Her husband was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. The support she received after her husband’s death further strengthened Letendre’s sense of patriotism and her love of the military community.

Her talent and causes have not gone unnoticed. At Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference, First Lady Michelle Obama said “I am inspired by Gold Star Wives like Autumn Letendre.”

In the years since her husband’s death, she’s become a passionate advocate for military families—speaking across the country, attending military funerals to comfort loved ones and working to ensure that her husband’s memory lives on for her young son. In a letter that she sent to military families, Letendre wrote, simply: “I may have lost the love of my life, but I have gained a life and story that few in this great country have.”

After her husband’s death Letendre started The Gold Star USA Foundation, an organization that provides pre-through post-deployment war support, literature, lectures, financing and education to active-duty and honorably discharged military service members and their dependents. To find out more about The Gold Star USA Foundation visit the website at www.thegoldenstarusa.com.Jenny Hartsock is an Army Brat and a United States Military Academy graduate who served on active duty and is now serving in the North Carolina National Guard. An Army wife and the in-state military liaison to the state of North Carolina for U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, she’s got a heart for service members and their families and understands fi rsthand the struggles they face.

Hartsock agrees wholeheartedly with Deanie Dempsey, wife of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who urged spouses to share their stories at the military.com’s 2012 Military Spouse Summit on March 3.

“I want to echo her message that spouses are ‘resilient, accomplished and experienced women who possess strong values and an even stronger work ethic,” said Hartsock. “In 10 years of war, all of these women have served. Some of the ladies in the audience have tirelessly guarded the home-front. Some have deployed, leaving behind small children. Some of these amazing women have juggled opposite deployment schedules of their husbands, who also serve, which quickly turns a deployment into two years long. Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone can learn from the stories.”

In addition to the speakers, Franks hopes that women who attend the event leave refreshed, inspired and encouraged. She’s gone out of her way to make it easy to say yes to this fun-fi lled evening. It’s free, childcare is provided, there will be great door prizes and giveaways as well as valuable resources—and most importantly, the opportunity to learn a few things, make some friends and have a great time.

“It is a girls’ night out for you and your friends,” said Franks. “We have fun speakers, music and free stuff, too. There is no excuse not to come.”

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Find out more and reserve your seat at www.fayettevillelibertyladies.com.

Photo: Autumn Letendre, a country singer, will perform at Epicenter Church.