She is intrinsically gifted, her voice makes for the soulful jazz harmony that has captivated so many. Dianne Reeves continues to move people with her music. She makes her first appearance at Fayetteville State University on April 27.

Reeves is performing at Fayetteville State’s Opus II: A Benefit for the Department of Performing and Fine Arts. Dr. Earnest Lamb, the department chair, is thrilled to have the jazz artist come to the benefit.

“She is a great singer. Period,” Lamb says. “Seeing her perform live should be on everyone’s bucket list.”

“She is a world class jazz singer who has won Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings … a Grammy first in any vocal category,” said Lamb.

Reeves’ stop in Fayetteville is just prior to her peformance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. This cultural festival lasts for 10 days, and is a celebration of the culture and music of New Orleans and Louisiana. Not only does the festival feature lots of jazz and blues, but it also features everything from folk, to Latin to rap to country. The festival is held from April 27 to May 6.

“We are fortunate that she could fit FSU into her schedule,” Lamb said. Reeves’ career dates back to her high school years, where she performed in a big band. The band had their talents showcased at a music festival, where they won fi rst place.

Before moving to Los Angeles, Calif., in 1976, the artist studied at the University of Colorado. Reeves experimented with different genres of music and developed a keen interest in Latin American music. She knew that she wanted to pursue a music career and had the opportunity to audition for the group Caldera, a band that was known for fusing rock, jazz and funk with Latin music. From singing in Billy Child’s jazz band Flight Night to touring with Sergio Mendes, Reeves has been able to work with many talented artists.

Reeves sang lead while touring with Harry Belafonte. She was the first ever vocalist to be signed to the Blue Note/EMI label. She won four Grammy awards for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

The Opus II benefit begins at 7 p.m., in the Seabrook Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University.

“There will be a Performing and Fine Arts Showcase featuring a silent auction of works by FSU faculty and students,” Lamb explains. “Also look for performances by two of our best vocal ensembles Mane Attraction and Men of Distinction and, of course, our faculty jazz band.”

Lamb is also hoping that Chancellor Anderson will join them for a selection or two.

Last year’s feature performer for the Opus I benefit was the Dance Theatre of Harlem, a leading institution of dance.

“All proceeds for the benefi t will contribute to the scholarship endowment for performing and fine arts students,” Lamb says.

The benefit is open to the public. Lamb noted that ticket sales are brisk, so it is important to get your tickets early. General admission is $30 and $10 for students with ID. For more information about the benefit, call 672-1724.

Photo: Dianne Reeves to perform at FSU fundraiser.

What if there was a way for parents to be assured that when they dropped their children off at camps, daycare, sports programs, church youth programs, schools or any other place where children might be, their children were in an environment that protected them from potential sexual abuse? Well, there is! Or there can be if the organization chooses to become a Partner in Prevention.

The Partner in Prevention emblem awarded by Darkness to Light is a way for organizations to set themselves apart and a way for parents to choose youth serving organizations. Think of it like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval or the AAA 4 Star Award — it’s a distinction that people can recognize as a sign of quality. Organizations that have met the criteria for the distinction receive an emblem they can display in their windows, put on their website or print on brochures. The emblem is intended to convey that the organization has met certain standards. Although not a guarantee, this “Seal” can reassure parents that their children’s safety is a top priority for that organization or business.

The requirements to become a Partner in Prevention are straight forward:

• At least 90 percent of employees and at least 90 percent of volunteers are trained using the Stewards of Children curriculum on how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

• The organization tracks those who have completed the training, and as new employees and volunteers join the organization they are required to participate in the training in a timely manner.

• Employees and volunteers are required to repeat the training every three years.

• Background checks are completed for all employees and volunteers.

• The organization requires that situations where one adult is alone with one child be observable and interruptible.

An organization or business can apply to receive the Partner in Prevention distinction when they have successfully met the annual guidelines established by Darkness to Light.

To learn more about and schedule Stewards of Children training, please call the Child Advocacy Center at 910-486-9700 or visit www.childadvocacycenter.com.

To learn more about the Partner in Prevention program, qualifications, and application process, go to www.D2L.org/partner. For questions or comments, Nickie Miller can be reached at outreach@childadvocacycenter.com.

Calling all walkers, joggers and strollers! Join us for Cumberland County’s 24th CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, April 22, to fight hunger!

Cities all across the world use these events to raise money “to fight the root causes of hunger around the world through partner programs and initiatives,” according to event coordinator Rev. Laura Lupton.

“Currently, more than 2,000 communities across the U.S. join in more than 1,600 CROP Hunger Walks each year. More than 5 million CROP Hunger walkers have participated in more than 36,000 CROP Hunger Walks in the last two decades alone,” according to reports from the Church World Service, which sponsors of the walks. “This year CROP Hunger Walks will share almost $4 million with food banks, pantries, community gardens and other local efforts across the U.S.,” according to CWS information.

And this is not just money to help those far away. Twenty-five percent of the money raised in Fayetteville will go toFayetteville’s Second Harvest Food Bank to assist those in our community.

This year every dollar raised will go even further. According to Lupton, “The Feinstein Foundation will divide $1 million among hunger-fi ghting events during March and April, and our CROP Hunger Walk is just such an event. The more funds we raise, the more we’ll receive — so every dollar counts even more!”

Originally founded in 1947, at the end of World War II, CROP coordinated relief for the suffering populations in Europe. CROP now stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty and “is a cooperative ministry of 37 Christian communions working together to eradicate hunger and poverty and promote peace and justice among the world’s most vulnerable people,” says Lupton.

There is no registration fee, although participants are urged to register their intent to participate. It is hoped that walkers will raise their own support for their participation or make a donation. Raising awareness is an important component of the hunger walk, so even if participants are unable to raise support, they are encouraged to register and attend.

Individual sponsors also have the unique option of designating their donations to approved international hunger fighting agencies. Only 14.6 percent of monies raised by CWS will be used to cover management, fundraising and information sharing.

All walkers and joggers are welcome, including strollers and wheelchairs. For the safety of all event participants, bicycles and wheeled shoes are not allowed.

CROP walk coordinators also need volunteers to help with water stations, registration and phone calls. Local businesses and other donors help cover administrative costs, such as city permits and police supervision.

The walk will begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday April 22, with registration opening at 2 p.m. at Evans Metropolitan AME Zion at 301 N. Cool Spring St. in Fayetteville. For informational packets or forms, contact Sara Beth Lytch at sblytch@yahoo.com or (910) 867-0395. You may also visit the Fayetteville Crop Walk website at www.crophungerwalk.org.

If you are unable to walk this year, but would like to make a donation, the address for contributions can be found on the crop walk website.

Now in it’s seventh year, Hogs & Rags is not only a great time for everyone involved, it supports a great cause — several, in fact. It’s not just for Harleys and muscle cars either. It’s for everyone; and it benefits the American Cancer Society, Shriner’s Hospitals for Children and Kidsville News!. This year, Hogs & Rags takes place on April 28. It’s a sanctioned Dogwood Festival event that people look forward to each year.

Wendy Rogers is one of the event organizers. She got involved about three years ago and had such a great time that she plans to be a part of the event for the foreseeable future. She loves to ride, and as President of the Steele Angels, a girls-only motorcycle club known for it generosity and compassionate works in the community, it was only a matter of time before she got involved with Hogs & Rags.

“I saw what a good group it was, so I started going to the meetings to help with advertising,” said Rogers. “The quality of the people who come to this ride is just great — fun, social and friendly.”

The day starts at 7:30 a.m. at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, where riders have a quick breakfast of doughnuts, coffee and juice. Registration lasts till 9 a.m. Novices have nothing to fear, the ride is broken up nicely to allow for water breaks, nourishment and leg stretching along the way.

“We leave the museum and ride to the Rocking A Ranch for a buffet breakfast,” said Rogers. “And then we leave the ranch and ride halfway to Myrtle Beach — we stop in Chadbourn for a water break.”

The next stop is Landry’s Seafood House at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where live music, entertainment and a reverse raffle await. Once everyone makes it to Landry’s, there is something new added to the event this year — a bike show. According to Rogers, riders are invited to enter their bike in the show and be a part of the fun at the end of the ride.

“That is something we just started this year. It will probably be around 2 p.m.,” said Rogers. “But this event is for more than just Harley riders and convertibles. We want all makes and models of cars and all make and models of motorcycles to come out and enjoy the event.”

Because this is such a popular event, the organizers have coordinated with police departments and sheriffs along the way. The ride is fully escorted and Rogers noted that there is a briefing at the beginning, which covers standard safety procedures for riding in large groups. It’s organized and well run, so that even new riders feel safe being a part of something this big. In fact, the event has become known for its size in towns along the route.

“They stand out there and wait for us and wave,” said Rogers. “Especially the kids. It is like a big parade to them.”

In addition to a great time, participants can feel good knowing that they are supporting several worthwhile causes.

Shriners Hospitals for Children has a mission to:

• Provide the highest quality care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries and other special healthcare needs within a compassionate, family-centered and collaborative care environment.

• Provide for the education of physicians and other healthcare professionals.

• Conduct research to discover new knowledge that improves the quality of care and quality of life of children and families. 

This mission is carried out without regard to race, color, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin or ability of a patient or family to pay.

Find out more about Shriners Hospitals for Children at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

The American Cancer Society:

Together with millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society (ACS) saves lives and creates a world with less cancer and more birthdays by helping people stay well, helping people get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.

The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the ACS has 12 chartered Divisions, more than 900 local offices nationwide, and a presence in more than 5,100 communities. Find out more about The American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.

Kidsville News, Inc. is a fun, educational resource for children grades K-6th grade, parents and teachers. With nationwide circulation of over 1.2 million, Kidsville News is sweeping the country. Kidsville News! is a monthly children’s newspaper with all of the typical features you would expect in a paper-articles, recipes, movie reviews, an art column, plus activities such as word searches. There is also a monthly “Finish the Story” contest that encourages kids’ creativity. The paper is published in more than 30 regions across 16 states. Most of the articles are of interest to a general children’s audience, and each issue contains locally specific content as well, including a community calendar. The newspaper is free of charge, and is funded by family-friendly advertisements for local businesses. It’s a nice resource for people in the areas served and others who are able to get their hands on an issue. Kidsville News! was awarded Parent’s Choice Award in 2008 and again in 2012. It is the first children’s educational resource to ever receive this award.

Hogs & Rags organizers are excited about having a great time, but in the end, they are looking forward to helping others. “We hope to raise $40,000,” said Rogers. “We have to pay out for food and things, so that won’t be what we can give away, although it would be nice if we could.”

It costs $50 for each entry, $30 per additional rider. Contributions are welcome. All makes and models of bikes and cars are welcome and encouraged. Find out more at www.hogsandrags.com.

Photo: Hogs & Rags starts at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum with coffee and doughnuts. 

Spring Cleaning-Revised for Seniors

Do you remember what the definition of Spring Cleaning meant to your mother? We bet that it included removing every rug, piece of furniture and set of curtains from the house. Then everything was washed down from top to bottom and returned to its usual spot. That was a tremendous undertaking!

Well, things have changed in many ways in that regard. Since most people do not open their windows, much of that dust does not get into the houses. Also, we have great vacuum cleaners and cleaning supplies.

As people age into the senior category, the body just isn’t able to do what was done in the “good ole days.” So let’s decide on a new definition for Spring cleaning that suits the senior citizen.

Spring cleaning is:

• Routine cleaning from March through May.

• Planting new plants in the porch planters.

• Spraying the pollen off the patio with the hose.

• Moving winter clothing to make room for the summer clothes.

• Arranging for a person to clean gutters or power wash the house.

• Taking woolens to the dry cleaners.

• Getting fresh pillows for the old sofa in the den.

• Laundering the old bedspread.

All of these activities can be done with a family member or by hiring a professional CAREGiver. Home Instead Senior Care has staff to assist with the above listed ideas and many more. In the scheme of important, these items are not life essential. However, these activities are life enriching and help the senior maintain activities they have always deemed valuable.

Photo: As people age into the senior category, the body just isn’t able to do what was done in the “good ole days.” 

From its humble beginnings in 2004 as an instructor’s idea for a new course, Registered Medical Assisting has developed into a successful and sought-after program at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Dorothy Smith, RN, recognized the need for more diverse health-occupation training programs and approached her coordinator, Susan Reid, about offering the program. Today, this thriving program is preparing students for entrance into one of the fastest growing career fields.

The course is held at FTCC’s Spring Lake Campus, where RMA students are put through the pacesof the 724-hour program in preparation for testing with American Technologists. Eligible students can receive certification as a Registered Medical Assistant, and this can be maintained with annual continuing education credits.

The program is fully supported by FTCC and is offered through continuing education. The program is under the guidance and supervision of the Director of Emergency and Protective Services, Cathy Baxley, and Coordinator, Margo Ogg, RN, and is taught by Allied Health Instructors, nurses, and an EKG instructor.

Due to the gracious generosity of hospital systems and organizations, such as Cape Fear Valley, Southeastern General, Southeast Regional Area Health Education Center, the Care Clinic and local doctor’s offices and urgent care clinics, students have clinical opportunities to utilize their skills while participating in on-the-job training. These facilities are partnering with FTCC to enrich people’s lives through this innovative program.

Trained to work for providers in the clinical areas of a medical office, RMA students learn how to perform skills of managing patient triage, taking vital signs, and obtaining patients’ weights and measurements. Students obtain and deliver this patient information to the provider, who then treats the patient. RMA’s also assist physicians with the following: performing EKGs, caring for wounds, setting up for exams and minor surgeries, drawing blood, properly preparing specimens for the lab, catheterizations, giving injections, patient education and other administrative skills, such as insurance processing and coding.

Registered Medical Assistants do not interpret test results or make diagnoses, since only a provider is qualified to do that. RMA’s are not nurses but have become a valuable asset to many medical offices due to the nursing shortage, freeing up nurses to function in more critical care and managerial settings. While most of the emphasis is placed on the clinical aspect of the RMA’s job, some emphasis is placed on the administrative side of the medical office including reception, medical records, discharge teaching, and referrals.

Registered Medical Assistants are a valuable asset to any facility or physician who employs them, through their diversified skill training which enables them to perform multi-functional tasks beneficial to both providers and patients. RMA’s provide a more pleasant one-on-one experience, since they are able to help throughout the entire process from the beginning of the patient’s office visit until the end.

For more information about the Registered Medical Assistant program, please call 910.678.8423.

Photo: Registered Medical Assisting has developed into a successful and sought-after program at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

Cultural and intellectual expansion of the college campus is the future goal of Fayetteville State University. The growing school has been working hard to expand this goal with positive growth of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts.

Dr. Ernest Lamb, chair of the Performing and Fine Arts Department, discussed new changes and the future goals that the art department has in store for the university’s current student population and those to come.

“This is my third year at the university, though we have faced some challenges along the way, we are working towards our accreditation,” said Lamb.

His department is made up of studies which lead to degrees in visual, music, theatre and dance.

“We just received accreditation in the music department from the National Association of Schools of Music,” he explained, noting that it was “an amazing accomplishment,” adding that the department is working on improvements across the board.

Lamb said that changes in the current curriculum are going to be made in order for the instituion to receive proper accreditation.

“Since we have applied for accreditation, we just need to go ahead and work towards making the proper changes and getting it done,” Lamb said.

Accreditation plays a vital role in the overall success of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts. It helps with the recruitment process and it allows future students to know they are getting the proper education. For those unaware of what accreditation means, it is simply a process where a certificate for the competency or credibility of the institution is presented. Within the department, accreditation focuses on a status bring granted for an educational institution or a program that has met or exceeded state criteria of educational quality. This particular accreditation would apply to the actual department and would be considered specialized or programmatic.

“We are receiving more support from the administration and it is a great feeling,” Lamb said. “They have come out to events and been overall engaged in the department.”

Lamb is looking forward to having more events within the department to let the community become engaged in all that the arts have to offer. He was most pleased to discuss his future plans with playwright and television producer Walter Allen Bennett.

“We are planning to have Walter Allen Bennett come out again and speak with the students about the movie industry,” Lamb says, “They can receive insight from an African-American man in that particular industry.”

This can be very benefi cial for students wanting to pursue a career in the television and movie industry. Bennett has been to the school before and his recent visit was a reading of his new play that was inspired by Loraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.

Lamb plans on having more visual-arts events at the university to help expand the growth and mission of the department, which is producing graduates in the performing and fine arts field as well as building the community through the arts and being a resource for performing and fine-arts pedagogy. Engaging the community with fine arts is vital to the overall success of the department.

There are several events that the Department of Performing and Fine Arts have in store for the Fayetteville community, its students and faculty including the Senior Exhibition, North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, and a performance by Dianne Reeves.

Reeves makes her appearance at the university on April 27 at Seabrook Auditorium. The Grammy-award winning jazz vocalist is sure to give the crowd a magnifi cent performance.

“Definitely having an artist of her caliber coming to the university fits into what’s happening at FSU,” Lamb said.

For more information about up coming events at Fayetteville State University visit www.uncfsu.edu/arts/index.htm.

Photo: Dr. Ernest Lamb.

Looking for affordable entertainment, and a wholesome way to enjoy the gorgeous weather? Then look no further than the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds. Now that spring is here it’s time for one of the community’s many rites of the season — the Fort Bragg Fair.

From April 26-May 13, come to the Fort Bragg Fairgrounds for rides, games, food, live entertainment and much, much more. Admission includes unlimited rides, of which there are many, and live music and entertainment. Of course, parking is always free.

The fair is known for its live-music showcase, and this year’s offerings have something to please everyone. There is a great mix of music artists lined up representing many genres, including rock, tropical/Caribbean, pop, salsa and country. Entertainers include The Fifth, Tsunami Wave Riders, Red Trii Band, West End Mambo Band, Fahrenheit, Ryan Daniel and Eric Smallwood. There are multiple shows scheduled each day. A full entertainment schedule can be found on the MWR website.

This family-friendly event includes a kiddie section for young children, and children under 3 feet tall get in free. Don’t miss Sea Lion Splash, an educational show that will appeal to all ages. You will be greeted by friendly sea lions that are full of personality and are ready to entertain and educate.

To keep things safe for everyone, weapons, video equipment, professional cameras, fireworks, pets (except service dogs), laser pointers, knives or gerber tools and other items are not permitted on the Fair Grounds. Find out more about the list of items permitted at the fair at www.fortbraggmwr.com/sportsrec/specialevents/proitems.pdf.

Monday through Friday the gates open at 5 p.m. After 7 p.m. general admission is $12. Members of the military and Department of Defense civilians get in for $10. Tickets for children 36” or taller (up to age 9) are $10, handicapped non-riders and senior citizen non-riders get in for $7. On Saturday and Sunday, the gates open at 1 p.m. General admission on Saturday and Sunday is $17. Members of the military and Department of Defense civilians get a reduced ticket for $15. Children 36” or taller (up to age 9) are $15. Tickets for handicapped non-riders and senior citizen non-riders are $7.

On May 13, Mother’s Day, moms are admitted free when accompanied by a paying child 36” or taller up to age 17. Monday through Friday is Appreciation Day with $7 admission for everyone 36” or taller from 5-7 p.m.

Get your fill of carnival fare, try your hand at the midway games, catch a concert — every day, several times a day and enjoy the festive atmosphere with the people you care about.

The Fort Bragg Fair is open to the public and is accessible from Bragg Boulevard via Howell Street. For more information about the fair, visit www.fortbraggmwr.com/fair or call 396-9126.

This, That and the Other

It appears that the great tidal wave of tattooing that swept and colored our nation in recent years has crested and is flowing back into our vast cultural ocean. What scientific evidence do I have that such a sea change is underway? None, except my own gut instinct and what people are telling me, or more accurately, not telling me.

In 2005, I wrote a column about tattoos flowering on the bodies of Americans of all ages and walks of life and asked Up & Coming Weeklyreaders to tell me about their tattoos, why they got them, and whether they were happy with them.

My mailboxes, snail and electronic, overflowed.

I heard about tattoos commemorating romances, friendships, births, deaths, religious experiences and self-love. The one that made the most sense to me was a woman badly injured in a car accident and unconscious for several days. A medical bracelet identifying her as a diabetic was lost in the crash, and while she was out cold in the hospital she was given a glucose drip. She almost died not from her injuries but from the glucose. Once she recovered, she headed for a tattoo parlor and had “I am a diabetic” tattooed on her wrist, confident that it would not come off in any future accident.

All who responded were satisfi ed with their tattoos, although one young woman did confess to putting a bandage strip over her ankle butterfly when she went to church.

Fast forward to another column on tattoo removal, which was published last month, in which I asked readers to tell me why they got tattooed and whether they still liked it/them.

A lone response arrived by snail mail.

It came from a charming-sounding correspondent I will call “Marie,” a widow who gave her address as a local assistedliving facility. Here is her tattoo story.

“After my husband died in 2003. I found a rebellious independent streak. In 2006, I moved from California to Fayetteville to be near my daughter. Having never lived in South, I was amused by the culture. I noticed many smartlooking women with tattoos and was told ‘It’s a culture thing.’ My daughter sported a red Phoenix bird wrapped around her calf from her ankle to just below her knee. I thought her symbol of rising from the ashes was bold and exciting.

“My icon was the peacock, and I decided to have a peacock feather permanently etched into my thigh, customized with my grandchildren’s initials. I was stunned when the process was completed. I expected peacock colors of turquoise, emerald and mauve. Maybe something iridescent could be created. The artistic liberties taken left me with an eight inch splash of red, yellow, blue and black.

“Now in 2012 I’m thinking about removal creams. The thought of applying acid to my skin sounds painful. At 65, I have enough pain without intentionally adding more. Alas, I can’t afford laser (treatment).”

Fayetteville Plastic Surgeon Dr. Mark Miller, who once spent four hours in the ER sewing up a wounded Precious Jewel, is no stranger to “Marie’s” buyers’ remorse. He sees 20 or more patients a month seeking tattoo removal, many in response to Army regulations not loving visible tattoos. Says Dr. Miller, “Our tattoo laser gives very good results and in some cases, we perform surgical excision….”

All I can say is “Yikes!”

• • •

We Americans love our rankings of who is on top and who is rock bottom. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on health issues, and it recently studied health disparities related to economics in North Carolina’s 100 counties.

Not surprisingly, our more affl uent urban areas — Wake, Orange, Mecklenburg, Durham, Guilford and New Hanover — ranked among the Top 10 healthiest counties to call home.

Cumberland County, also an urban county, came in at 63, behind our neighbors Moore (12), Harnett (44) and Hoke (48), but ahead of Sampson (74), Bladen (97) and Robeson (99).

Be thankful for all blessings.

• • •

Then there is the recent Mega Millions lottery, the biggest ever at $640,000,000, a sum which sent much of our nation into a dreamy ticket buying frenzy.

America is still waiting for the lucky winners to reveal themselves — if required by their state’s laws, but whoever they may be, they have got to be getting nervous

. A childhood friend of mine actually won $1,000,000 in the North Carolina Education Lottery, and she remains thrilled with her lump sum payment, less than half of the original $1,000,000. It is also true that every friend and relation with even the most tenuous connection to her surfaced so suddenly and urgently that my friend simply quit answering her telephone. Months later, friends who hope to talk to her must wait for her to return their call.

In the Mega Millions’ aftermath, I watched a television talking head giving free advice to lottery winners.

Do not announce yourself.

If you are young enough, take annual payments, not the lump sum.

Get smart and experienced attorneys and accountants and have your winnings legally squared away before anyone knows who you are.

Hear! Hear!

Photo: “Marie,” an Up & Coming Weekly reader, had hoped for a tattoo with bright colors like the one pictured above, what she got was something much different. 

.08 Is the Law, but Impairment Starts Much Earlier

Laws reflect the moral values of society and impose limits in order to promote the greater good and to make our communities safer places to live.

Though progress has been made, impaired driving continues to defy solution and remains a serious local problem that tragically affects many citizens annually. When a person’s sensibility fails to restrain them from exceeding boundaries which have been established by the law, it becomes the responsibility of the judicial system to address the matter in a fair and rational manner; without bias or favoritism. Unwarranted leniency on the part of the system puts us all at risk.

In North Carolina, the offense of driving while impaired (General Statute 20-138.1) may be proved in one of two ways when an individual drives a vehicle (as defined by statute) on a highway, street or public vehicular area. Both of the following conditions do not need to be present in order for a conviction:

1. By showing that the driver’s physical or mental faculties have been “appreciably impaired” by alcohol, a controlled substance, or another drug/psychoactive substance. To convict on the basis of this prong, the amount of the impairing substance which has been consumed is not relevant.

2. By showing that the driver’s alcohol concentration is 0.08 or more at any relevant time after the driving. To convict on the basis of this prong, whether or not the driver showed outward signs of impairment is not relevant as clarified by the court of appeals in State v. Arrington (August 16, 2011), “It is not necessary for the state to prove that the defendant was appreciably impaired, uncooperative or driving in an unsafe manner in order to prove that defendant is guilty of a violation of N.C. Gen Stat. 20-138.1(a2). To prove guilt, the state need only show that the defendant had an alcohol concentration of 0.08.

Why then I ask, when I monitor Cumberland County’s traffic court, is it not uncommon to hear a “not guilty” verdict for defendants who have been shown to have an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or 0.09 by a valid test, administered in compliance with all statutory and regulatory procedures?

Is it the consequence of “good lawyering“, the result of weak prosecution or possibly an arbitrary desire on the part of the court to “not ruin” the defendants record in hopes they’ll take it upon themselves to change their ways?

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant which impacts, among other things, one’s ability to concentrate, multitask, see clearly and react at a concentration significantly below the current “legal” limit of 0.08. Well documented studies show substantial crash risks exist at an alcohol concentration of 0.05.

No one drives as well as usual after drinking alcohol, even though some people may look and act as though they are unaffected. So why then does the court appear to tolerate violations of this law?

I am not a prohibitionist and have limited objection to someone who drinks, but then follows a plan which does not place themselves behind the wheel of a vehicle. Years ago, I took less interest in the issue of impaired driving as it did not seem to concern me. However, that has all changed.

I now know first hand what it feels like to lose a loved one to a drunk driver. Hopefully you will never have to share the experience, but chances are you may if impaired driving is not more stringently addressed as the public safety hazard and potentially violent crime it is.

Take the TV show Dancing with the Stars, add swords, a father/son rivalry and people being forced onto the stage by family members and you have the powerhouse fundraising event, Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars.

Good-hearted volunteers have hurled themselves into the spotlight to raise money for the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, which is hosting Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars on Saturday, April 14 at the Crown Expo Center.

This fun, energetic event was voted best fundraiser in 2011 by Up & Coming Weekly readers and has been an instant hit for volunteers, guests and entertainers alike since its inception.

This year, 21 couples have volunteered countless hours, choreographing a dance, rehearsing to perfection, creating costumes, planning the special surprises and guaranteeing a great time for the audience. If there is any doubt guests would enjoy themselves, these couples promise not to leave you wanting.

Mother/son duo Tracy Huff, director of the Art of Self Defense Academy and her high school son, Stephen Huff, bring their fully charged energy to stage with the fun pop song “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO. The dance promises to be entertaining from the first beat to the last. “Be ready for the unexpected,” Tracy Huff said.

Looking for something a little less pop but still high action, maybe a little Asian fusion? Richard Martin, chief catalyst at International Business Fuel/Shifu Taijiquan and Deb Belles, owner of Reliable Signs and member of Shadow of the Fire dance troupe, are adding a little excitement to their dance through the use of swords. According to Martin, the people who know him best think it’s hilarious he’s dancing; but he added that Belles told him he had to do it. Luckily, Martin shares Belles’ love for the community and agreed to participate. They would both like to take the same thing away from the experience … all of their appendages. But don’t let the promise of flashy music and exciting theatrics take away from the amazing dancing. John Hodges, retired Hope Mills police chief and Army veteran is dancing with his dance instructor, Lacy Kraft. Kraft has a special place in her heart for military men since both her husband and her dance partner are military. Hodges and Kraft share a love of dance, having danced and competed together for years winning numerous awards. Kraft explained that dance is an extension of the soul. In the music, a dancer is transformed. Although Hodges enjoys more saucy dances like the rumba or tango; however, they decided to go with something a little less expected. They are ready to dazzle the audience with a fun, playful routine.

Max Mahlke, a retired pharmacist and Jimmy John’s franchise owner, was described as a “ freak of nature” by his partner Marcy. “I took that as a high compliment thinking it meant I had a lot of energy for and old man. But maybe she just meant I’m not very mature.” Mahlke said. Either way Mahlke is taking away new friends and the satisfaction of doing something that will help CEED.

The participants agree, beyond the fellowship they are most excited to assist CEED in the lease to home mission.

Nadine G. Miller-Bernard, physical education teacher in the Cumberland County Schools explained that as an immediate past president of the local alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, her organization is a “sisterhood called to serve, transforming lives, and impacting communities,” and it is her pleasure to participate and help fundraise for CEED.

Jo Ann Ruff, business manager for Dr. J. Michael Ruff, Periodontics & Implants said, “I believe CEED is giving families a helping hand in our community and doing a great job.” Ruff is excited to dance for a good cause. “My family thinks it’s wonderful when I’m dancing and I’m not shopping, and my friends think dancing is a great way to stay young,” Ruff said.

Miles Norsworthy is attending school in Illinois this fall but not before he dances on stage with beautiful and talented women. Of course, he’s “happy to help out a good cause and to find the time to work on something more important than me.” Norsworthy doesn’t like the early mornings, but dancing is one of his favorite hobbies. “His mother has her own studio,” said Catherine “Cat” Bersh, his partner. She added that she is “thrilled to be using my talents to help the community and guarantees a professional routine that you would see on the show Dancing With the Stars.” While working hard to deliver that promise, she broke her finger in practice and had to be in a cast for the last three weeks. But that didn’t discourage her.

“It’s for a great cause and Sharon made me” is the reason Scott Epperson, retired police detective and professional Barney Fife impersonator/ actor signed up to participate in Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars. Participating in this event has his family thinking. “He’s a great entertainer but him dance?” Still, he’s not nervous a bit. “You should see some of the things I have done on stage, then again maybe not…” said Epperson. Whether he can dance or not, this entertainer is sure to put on a show.

When asked to participate, Jessica Elizabeth McCain, full-time student and model said, “Yes I’d love to. It’s more than helping a friend out, I’m dancing to give back to my community that I love and have grown up in.” McCain said the worst part of the experience has been finding a dress because they are all gorgeous.

“The hard work by the dancers, not only on their fabulous routines but by their fundraising efforts is what makes the Dancing with the Fayetteville Stars so successful and thankfully continues to grow each year,” said Teresa M. Dagaz, of CEED.

To date, the program has successfully helped 46 families become homeowners. With the money raised from the fundraiser, CEED hopes to rehabilitate and provide safe, affordable housing for families in need. The goal is to raise $160,000 at this year’s fundraiser.

People can vote for their favorite dancers by going to the www.ncceed. org and clicking on the Dancing with the Stars link that says VOTE. It will take you to a Facebook Page where folks can like CEED and see all of the dancers. People can continue to vote through the night of the event. It’s only $10 each to support your favorite dancer. All donations are tax deductible and all proceeds after expenses go directly to the Lease to Home program.

Photo, middle right: Local volunteers team up and dance to raise funds for the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development’s lease to home program. 

Drunk Driving In Cumberland County

Almost seven years ago my worst fear as a mother was realized on May 29, 2005, when two North Carolina state troopers came knocking on the front door of our home in the middle of the night. They asked to come inside, told me to sit down and announced to my husband and I, that our first-born son, Jackson, had been killed in a car crash in Charlotte, N.C.

I can attest that the memory of those troopers standing at our front door is a nightmare forever seared into my consciousness and will go with me to my grave. No parent should ever have to bury a child for any reason and certainly not for one of the most preventable and senseless crimes on the planet, drunk driving.

In the weeks that followed, we learned that the young man responsible for our son’s death had made the choice to drink heavily before getting behind the wheel. His blood alcohol concentration two and a half hours after the crash was 0.19 — more than twice the legal limit. Because of his impairment behind the wheel and reckless speed, Alec G. Proctor was eventually charged with felony death by vehicle, felony involuntary manslaughter and driving while impaired.

My family was suddenly confronted with dealing with the criminal and civil judicial system as we grieved the loss of our son. Having no experience with the legal system, I called the Charlotte office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving for advice. Victim advocate Cheryl Jones, who was also on the national board of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, became my family’s MADD advocate as we began the arduous task of seeking justice for Jackson.

In the months following Jackson’s death, we learned that Proctor was no stranger to the court system. He had already committed numerous speeding violations and had two prior alcohol-related offenses: one for DWI and one for alcohol possession while under the age of 21. Incredulously, his first DWI charge was plea-bargained to improper equipment/speedometer in Granville County and his underage possession charge in Mecklenburg County was dismissed after he attended TASC, a substance abuse program.

My husband and I began to question how the courts really handle impaired driving cases.

Almost one year to the day after Jackson’s death, Proctor was convicted in Mecklenburg Superior Court of felony involuntary manslaughter and DWI and sent to prison for a 16-20 month active sentence and supervised probation for 24 months. My husband and I were stunned to find out that this was actually a lengthy sentence for an impaired driving offense at the time. Our stunned reaction stemmed from the reality that drunk-driving fatalities are a socially accepted form of homicide.

Proctor served his mandatory 16 months in Nash Correctional Institution, mostly in medium security. Upon release from prison in 2007, Proctor’s 24 month supervised probation lasted only 10 months. I learned that he had been released from probation 14 months early... by mistake, and I personally had to request to meet with the top man of the N.C. Community Corrections in Raleigh to demand that Proctor go back on supervised probation. It’s noteworthy that Proctor had also failed to pay any probation fees during the 10 months of probation he first served.

It is difficult to not be angry when one’s child is killed unexpectedly by someone who was displaying all the warning signs of an individual with an out-of-control drinking and driving problem. The anger only grows when parents and families like ours are forced to deal with an arcane criminal-justice system which treats drunk-driving crashes as merely accidents. I turned to the Sandhills Mothers Against Drunk Driving to become involved and learn how I could make a difference, if not in the judicial system, at least for other victims.

The national MADD organization ran a victim advocacy training institute in Dallas and I attended in 2007. Slowly, calls started coming in from concerned citizens and victims’ family members asking for help in navigating the complex court process. In addition to advocating for victims, in 2009, I began monitoring Cumberland County District Courts where DWI cases are heard.

One of the first things I noticed in monitoring the courts is that some DWI cases were being continued for years. Two of the first DWI cases I ever monitored were for Daniel Homa, a young man with two pending DWIs from 2005 and 2007.

I called the DA’s office in April 2009 and asked why a 2005 DWI case would still be pending. A senior ADA under then District Attorney Ed Grannis told me there were many extenuating circumstances, such as military members being deployed for long period of times. Never mind that Daniel Homa was not in the military. As I soon found out, where someone with multiple DWIs is concerned, there are often multiple driving while license revoked charges involved as well. This was the case for Homa. Not only did Homa have multiple charges involving impaired driving and DWLR, he also had numerous orders for arrest for failing to appear in court.

No problem there.

His lawyers simply filed a motion with a different judge from the one who ordered his arrest and had the arrest warrant recalled the next day or soon thereafter. Motions for recall of arrest warrants are a serious issue in our courts and the public should demand answers as to why judges other than the one who signed the order for arrest are signing and allowing the recalls. This is one dirty little alliance that should stop.

As for Homa, he was finally convicted of his 2005 DWI after 1,305 days or three and half years on the docket. Sadly though, Homa was never convicted of the 2007 DWI. He was charged in 2009 with many counts of trafficking and has absconded.

Since beginning court monitoring in 2009, I have learned that Cumberland County is full of problem drunk drivers, some of them serial offenders.

Our new Sobriety Court, established in the fall of 2010, has been very beneficial in focusing on high-risk drunk drivers and intensively monitoring defendants with at least two pending DWIs awaiting trial. This court is also responsible for supervising and treating certain convicted DWI offenders of Level 1 and Level 2 DWIs who are on probation.

Judge Kim Tucker and Sobriety Court Administrator Kevin Hood run a very tight ship in monitoring these participants and it has made a difference in keeping the current 80 plus participants off the roads. We should all demand more money for its expansion to allow more participants because they are out there menacing our roads. Thus far, more than 160 defendants have participated in this court program.

But the bigger question remains. What can be done to address the continuance problem in order to ensure that those who break the law get their day in court?

In my opinion, a DWI specialty court, as implemented in many counties across North Carolina, could be the perfect complement to Sobriety Court. No longer would there be an excuse for defense attorneys to continue DWI cases endlessly. In a DWI specialty court, which would not need to run every day, but perhaps once a week, an honest, retired judge and special prosecutor could devote their attention to handling only DWI cases and companion charges.

Let’s put an end to the delays and let defendants have their day in court. This would save taxpayers money, stop defense attorneys from using our courthouse as a collection agency, and allow law enforcement to do its job of protecting the community rather than sitting in court all day.

As citizens of this county and state, you have a right to know how your courts are operating judiciously, and I invite you to join me and get involved.

Closing out another stellar season, Community Concerts welcomes the incomparable Patti LaBelle to theCrown on Friday, April 13.

LaBelle spent her early years singing in a Baptist choir. She launched her professional career in 1960 when she and Cindy Birdsong formed a group call the Ordettes. By 1962, the group, which was then known as the Blue Belles, had scored Top 20 pop and R&B hits with “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman.” That was the start of a hit-filled career that spans more than 50 years. From pop to funk to romantic ballads, LaBelle has made a career of wowing audiences. This concert promises a great ending to a spectacular season.

Community Concerts delivered another great group of performances this year with concerts by Darius Rucker, LeAnn Rimes, REO Speedwagon and the talented cast of Rock of Ages.

“This has been our biggest season so far,” said Michael Fleishman, attractions director for the Community Concerts series. “There are so many people throughout the community who are dedicated to this program and very supportive of our mission and I want to thank them for helping to make this such a great year.”

When the non-profit organization booked Patti LaBelle, event organizers knew she would be a hit, but they didn’t realize how big.

“Patti LaBelle is the consummate diva. She is bigger than life and fi res on all cylinders when she gets in front of the audience,” said Fleishman. “It looks like this is going to be the biggest concert of the season. In fact, I would recommend that anyone planning to see the show go ahead and buy their tickets because there aren’t that many left.”

In addition to providing great entertainment, Community Concerts is focused on doing good in the community. From music clinics and scholarships to supporting the Boy’s and Girls Club to the Fayetteville Hall of Fame, Community Concerts strives to continue to build on the momentum they’ve established over the last 76 seasons.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees were Wesley Pritchard and Betty Howie. They were recognized for their contributions to the community and honored at the REO Speedwagon concert in January.

Wesley Pritchard is a two time Dove Award winner who has produced hundreds of gospel music projects for many regionally and nationally prominent gospel artists. An accomplished singer, bass player and producer, Pritchard is also the pastor and music minister at Fayetteville Community Church.

Betty Howie is an accomplished concert pianist, composer and music teacher to the children of the Fayetteville community. Howie’s dedication and work with the North Carolina Symphony, various Methodist College musical education and entertainment projects and her dynamic work with production and writing for area performances in both the adult and children’s venues are renowned for their quality, and demonstrate the wide scope of her gifts.

The Hall of Fame came about as a way to thank those who contribute to the music scene in Fayetteville. Past inductees include teachers and performers who invested time and effort to educate and entertain the community.

While the Community Concerts organizers are already hard at work planning next year’s concert season, Fleishman is excited to have one more chance to show the community a good time, and offer a great night of entertainment with a musical legend before this season ends.

“Patti LaBelle puts on an amazing show,” said Fleishman. “From the moment she walks onto the stage she offers a top-notch performance that covers a wide range of genres, from disco to funk to pop.”

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. There are a limited number of tickets still available.

Visit www.community-concerts.com to learn more about Community Concerts and the many programs offered to the community and the its surrounding area.

Photo: Community Concerts presents the legendary performing artist Patti LaBelle at the Crown on April 13. 

With more than 35 years as a critical care nurse, Mary Hall knows a few things about the profession and what is expected of nurses. When she was offered the opportunity to put together Methodist University’s nursing program — from scratch — she jumped at the chance.

Ask her if it is all a tad overwhelming and she doesn’t mention the stress or the work involved. Instead her face lights up as she talks about the many wonderful things she is looking forward to once the new building opens and how humbled — and thrilled — she is to have an opportunity like this.

“I try hard not to think about how huge this is, because it is just so big,” said Hall. “But the chance to build a program like this and to design and work in a facility of this nature — that’s exciting!”

It is no wonder Hall is excited. A tour of the partially completed facility reveals a well thought-out plan for hands on simulation-based training, to accompany all the book work that nursing students face, efficient high-tech equipment, an Americans With Disability Act-compliant and earth friendly establishment designed to benefit the more than 30 nursing students who will make up the first graduating class when the doors open in September.

The program has invested in six high-fidelity mannequins (two adults, a child and an infant) in addition to a number of medium fidelity mannequins. Not only will students learn to take blood and change colostomy bags, they can deliver babies, monitor medication doses and perform minor procedures on the mannequins which are programmed to respond appropriately to the care they are given. Instructors can program relapses, allergic reactions and other common, but unanticipated reactions to treatment.

Drawing on her experience, Hall presented a few examples of how the technology could be used to better train the nursing students.

“I’ve seen many new nurses in my time, I know what is expected of them and this program is designed to give them the skills they need to succeed and provide good care when they graduate,” said Hall. “There is a big difference in reading about something and actually putting it into practice. We want to send our graduates out with a higher level of hands-on experience.”

Say a nursing student is about to change shifts. It is 2 a.m. and they’re tired. They stop to chat with another nurse before leaving. The building is wired with 360 cameras that are monitored all the time.

“We can see this and using the technology between the mannequins and the computers so that we can simulate having one of their patients fall out of bed,” said Hall. “It will show them what it is like to have to function under stress while you are exhausted.”

While the nursing program is mainly concerned with producing nurses, there are plenty of opportunities to get creative and include other departments for some mutually beneficial training. The facility will be run like a hospital, complete with a reception area, which will be manned and run by health-administration students. The mannequins’ capabilities of exhibiting a variety of symptoms provide potential for a joint training exercise between the fitness training students and nursing students (picture an athlete injured during a game). Other scenarios include disaster relief (think last year’s tornadoes) and will include Methodist University’s Physician Assistant’s Program students.

The ADA-compliant building strengthens the program’s appeal to another local population, heroes who have already served once but are looking to continue making a difference. “The Wounded Warrior Program transitions soldiers and one of the programs they are offered is pre-nursing,” said Hall. “The circular driveway and the way the building is designed make this a safe and accessible facility for everyone.”

The N.C. Board of Nursing says the state is facing of shortage of more than 8,000 nurses right now and predicts a shortage of 32,000 nurses by the year 2020. Numbers like that make it clear that programs like this will make a difference — a difference in the state’s economy, education system and most importantly in the lives that will be saved because we have a source of well educated, well trained professionals.

Find out more about this and other programs at Methodist University at www.methodist.edu.

Photo: The new nursing building is scheduled for completion next month. 

Get ready for another great theatrical production as the Gilbert Theater performs As You Like It March 29-April 15.

This classic production was written by the famous English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare. Shakespeare is responsible for creating some of the most famous and well received plays in the history of theater production.

Born in April 1564, the famous writer created 154 sonnets, 38 plays, two long narrative poems, as well as several other poems. Producing most of his known works between 1589 and 1613, Shakespeare’s genre of plays ranged from comedies to histories and then later included tragedies. His works are discussed in many different literature and English classes and have been infl uential to the art of theater. Not only have famous and gifted authors, such as William Faulkner, Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy, been infl uenced by his amazing works, but many painters as well as a vast number of musicians are linked to the works of Shakespeare as well. His expansion on the dramatic potential of the different areas of writing, such as language and plot, has made a lasting impression on theater production. Some of his famous works are Hamlet, Macbeth, Richard III, Romeo and Julietand A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.

The Gilbert Theater is pleased to continue entertaining the community with interesting plays. The comedy As You Like It is no exception to the rule.

Directed by Jeremy Fiebig, the play focuses on the courageous Rosalind as she flees to the Forest of Arden to avoid being persecuted in the court by her evil uncle. Accompanied by her cousin and court jester, she happily encounters an interesting and new way of life.

“The play is about people falling in love and the interaction of new people,” Fiebig said. “It’s a collision of the world of the courts versus country life.”

Fiebig says that the audience is sure to enjoy the show and experience a more interactive production.

“This play is not a conventional production,” Fiebig explains. “We use the audience in a more active way and there is more interaction between the cast and the audience.”

The play involves dance and song, which is something that Shakespeare used in many of his productions.

“Shakespeare was known for including music in his plays but this particular play includes the most.” Fiebig says.

Fiebig is thrilled to direct a Shakespeare play. He said that it has been a while since the Gilbert Theatre has shown a production by the famous playwright. Fiebig added that rehearsals have been going well and the cast is very diverse. They contribute much of the success of the future production.

“Our cast has many different backgrounds and we use every bit of their talents,” Fiebig said. “We have a great group of folks that have made the process fun.”

Fiebig noted that the play is told in an interesting way that will be very entertaining.

As You Like It has continued to remain popular among audience members throughout the world and in different media such as radio, film and musical theater have adapted to Shakespeare’s work of art.

Founded in 1994 by Lynn Pryor, this theater has allowed the Fayetteville community to view many contemporary and classical plays and productions. The theater is unique in the sense that they cater to all walks of life. Diversity is vital to the Gilbert Theater. Local residents are given the opportunity to use the venue to produce and showcase their own plays and production for all to see. The theater has shown the works of many playwrights such as Edgar Lee Master, Dylan Thomas, and of William Shakespeare, to name a few. The theater has been an active member with excellent standing in the American Association of Community Theaters since 1999. Gilbert Theater also includes children’s puppet shows, staged reading, and they have even created a standing company of Commedia dell’Arte. The Gilbert Theater continues to entertain and service the diverse community.

For more information on ticket prices and show times for Shakespeare’s play As You Like It at the Gilbert Theater visit www.gilberttheater.com.

On Saturday, April 14, the March of Dimes hosts its third annual March for Babies event at Methodist University. This 2.5K walk is an exciting way for everyone in the community to get involved and help a great cause. The students of MU have made this a part of their yearly curriculum in an effort to help the MoD meet its goal of $100,000. You can help them meet this goal by being a sponsor, creating a family or corporate team or being an individual walker in the event.

Hilton Hutchens Jr., of Hutchens, Senter and Britton Law Firm, is serving as the walk chairman this year. The walk is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. following registration at 9 a.m. and the opening ceremony at 9:45 a.m.

The work of the MoD is made possible by millions of people and thousands of companies volunteering to help in the mission of the MoD. “Our mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality,” says Catherine Heindselman, director of the Cape Fear Division of the MoD.

There is a headquarters located in Fayetteville, N.C., and from here they service eight counties in the region. In 1970, the first ever charity walk was founded and now the organization hosts three signature events to bring our community together for one walk, one voice and one day to help babies be born healthy. Each year, the MoD chapter awards grants to external organizations across the state in order to address unmet maternal and infant health needs. These community grants are one way that the MoD pursues it mission.

Nearly 1,000 people are expected to walk in this year’s event and there will be activities for the kids and food and fun for the whole family. March for Babies is the largest fundraiser hosted by the MoD so they would like everyone to come out and be a part of something great. “We are so excited to continue our relationship with MU,” Heindselman stated. MU students coordinate the walk by handling the logistics, the route and all necessary equipment needed to make this a safe and fun event.

The students have created two sources to promote this event and for anyone to register early. You can also become a volunteer for the event if you visit the site on Facebook at MU March of Dimes Team or on Twitter @ MUMOD. The University is eagerly anticipating this wonderful event and preparing for the year to come in which the school newly inaugurated President Dr. Hancock will be the Fayetteville Regional March for Babies Chairman. This year’s Ambassador Family includes twins Brendon and Cameron Cooper. The twins were born at 23 weeks at the weight of 1.61 lbs and 1.75 lbs respectively. They were born at Cape Fear Valley Hospital’s Neonatal Unit to parents, Lauren and Beverly Cooper.

Find out more about the March of Dimes and its mission at www.marchforbabies.org.

Photo: Walkers prepare for the 2011 March for Babies walk at Methodist University. 

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Throughout the year, the Child Advocacy Centerencourages the community to play a role in making Cumberland County a place that prioritizes children’s healthy development and safety.

There has been much media attention on child sexual abuse for the past several months, particularly surrounding events at Penn State University. Sadly, as we learned again from that incident and others like it, silence among those in authority empowered an alleged child abuser. How can this sort of thing happen to children when somany well-meaning adults are around?

The fact is: Child abuse occurs when adults don’t take the necessary action steps to end the abuse and stop the offenders’ access to children. As awful as such news is, this sort of incident can serve as a teachable moment to empower adults to recognize the signs, have the courage to react responsibly and, ultimately, prevent child sexual abuse before it happens in the first place.

Children cannot be expected to protect themselves from sexual abuse. Research shows that child victims of sexual abuse fear that revealing the abuse will bring harm to them or those they love. Child sexual abuse is a crime that thrives in a climate of silence, secrecy, shame and fear.

Research also shows that most child sexual abusers don’t wear trench coats and lure children into dark alleys. Hundreds of thousands of children are sexually violated by adults they know and trust each year. That is why it is crucial for every adult in our community to become educated on how to prevent and recognize child abuse and how to make a report if abuse is suspected.

Here are some positive actions you can start doing today:

• Ask if the youth-serving organizations in your community have policies in place that govern how adults interact with youth.

• Do these organizations offer regular trainings for staff and volunteers so that no one is left wondering what their legal or moral obligation is when abuse is suspected?

• Do they know how to make a report and whom to call?

• Do they perform background checks on staff and volunteers? How do they monitor adult/youth interactions?

• Pledge to not keep silent if you see, hear, suspect or in any way become aware that a child is being abused. Contact your local department of Social Services. In Cumberland County, call 910-677-2450 or 911.

The Child Advocacy Center offers child abuse-prevention programs free of charge to the community. These programs include: Darkness to Light – Stewards of Children Child Sexual Abuse Prevention, Internet Safety 101 and Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse. The center will provide trainers for your group or organization. For further information, please visit our website at www.childadvocacycenter.com or call us at 910-486-9700.

Sadly we cannot change what has already occurred but we can learn from the mistakes made, and we can all pledge to become better educated and more aware of what goes on in our own community.

21 Jump Street  (Rated R) 4 Stars

21 Jump Street(109 minutes) is funnier than it had any right to be, considering that dumb gross Channing Tatum co-stars, and considering the overall cruddiness of Jonah Hill’s most recent “comedy” (The Sitter). Overall, directing team Lord and Miller manage to find the comedy inherent in sending 25-year-olds back to high school to play at being teenagers, a quality neglected in the classic 1980s crime melodrama. Let’s hope they manage to avoid screwing up the inevitable sequel.

The film doesn’t waste a whole lot of time playing exposition footsie, quickly introducing Morton Schmidt (Hill) and Greg Jenko (Tatum) and establishing their defining characteristics in short order. Schmidt is the nerd and Jenko is the jock who mocks him. Fast forward seven years later and both are trying to get into police training. One isn’t quite fit enough to get through the physical training and the other isn’t quite smart enough to pass the written test (guess which is which).

Schmidt decides that quietly forgiving Jenko will do him more good than working out his high-school scars and repressed rage in therapy, so they become best friends and end up as bicycle cops together. They screw up their first big bust, and get yelled at by Captain Hardy (my fictional husband, Nick Offerman). He then reassigns them to a recently revived undercover pro-gram led by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) that places youthful police into high schools in an attempt to entrap underage students and infringe upon their First Amendment rights. Darn Patriot Act.

They stay with Schmidt’s parents and promptly mix up their identities, stranding Jenko with the Dungeon & Dragon’s players and honors students while Schmidt ends up goofing around in the academic B-track. They easily establish themselves as high-schoolers, despite having 5 o’clock shadow by noon. After a few minutes in class with Molly (Brie Larson from The United States of Tara), Schmidt finds the drug hook-up he is looking for. That is some remarkably quick detective work. Or possibly kids today hand out contact information for their drug dealers a lot more quickly than they did when I was in high school.

As the kids do, they text the dealer to score some dope. Naturally, the dealer immediately responds because dealers are nothing if not accessible to unknown buyers within minutes of being contacted. Of course, through the use of sitcom logic the two narcs are forced to dip into the drugs, and hilarity ensues. The track coach (Rob Riggle) nails them in the hallway, which leads to visions of his head melting. After their success in identifying the dealers, the two men-children begin hunting for the supplier. While the smart one is collecting cool kids like flies, the dumb one is getting Mary Kay Letourneau-ed by Ms. Griggs (a shamefully misused Ellie Kemper).

They decide to cement their in with the dealers by hosting a high-school party. This leads to a major breakthrough in the case and the two officers into a high-speed chase. Hilariously, they keep waiting for things to explode as seen on TV only to be repeatedly disappointed.

The writers manage to illustrate just how quickly high-school norms change, even if they then fall back in to high-school clichés that were new when Adam Sandler was still culturally relevant (see Billy Madison). Overall, the film works as a comedy, reminding me of Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller transforming Starsky and Hutch. Finally, kudos to Casting for digging original 21 Jump Streetactors Peter DeLuise and Holly Robinson Peete out of whatever TV movie grave they were taking a nap in; I thought they were dead.

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

Sirens blare, red lights spin, information streams from the radio and tension is high. When tension is high and the stakes are higher, Cumberland County Emergency Medical Services are there to take the call.

Think your job is high pressure? Thirty minutes into the 12-hour shift, para-medics Crystal Todd and Erin Daly have already made one trip to the hospital and are wheeling their second patient into labor and delivery so she can finish pushing and meet her first born in the hospital instead of the back of the ambulance.

Calm and confident, the paramedics comfort the patient while gathering necessary information on the computer, getting stats, while getting her exactly where she needs to be.

All that excitement happened before the paramedics even got their breakfast. But paramedics are used to an unpredictable and grueling schedule. The Cumberland County Emergency Management Services of Cape Fear Valley average about 10 calls per 12-hour shift. There are almost 200 employees supporting 14 trucks scattered throughout the county during the high-risk hours and nine during the hours that have proven to be less busy.

Not only are Cumberland County EMS members national award winners, they have proven their effectiveness in the field as well. When the tornados tore through Fayetteville and surrounding areas last fall, members of the EMS were there providing medical attention and hope for those affected by the devastation.

According to Daly, everyone pulled together during the chaos. People kept working far beyond their shift. One paramedic lost his house in the tornado, but he didn’t stop. He just kept working.

Todd explained it’s the camaraderie and the wonderful team that makes the demanding job easier.

“In this job you can easily get stressed and burn out, but the people we get to work with are awesome. Having the support of a family to joke around with and de-stress helps.” Todd said, adding, “A day without laughter is a wasted day.”

The friendships are only a small part of why these paramedics enjoy their job.

They agree that the adrenaline rush is a part of it, but the bigger part is the opportunity to use their brains in a creative way while treating someone and affecting their outcome.

“I like being on the road better, instead of confined to the four walls of the hos-pital,” Daly said. “You have a lot more independence — you have to think more often on your own because you don’t have a doctor with you on the road making those judgment calls and giving you the orders.”

The job requires fast-paced, creative problem solving.

“You have to be confident in your skills; knowing what you are looking at and what you are doing for patient care,” Daly said.

The paramedics compare what they do to putting the information available together like puzzles pieces EMS gathers the pieces and finds the missing pieces to help the patient.

“EMS saved me on my way to nursing school. I was in nursing school and I had gotten out. I was working upstairs in the hospital when I took basic and I loved it, something in my brain just snapped,” said Todd. “With EMS, this is our patient, this is what we do, what we see, how we fix it.”

There is a certain passion and instinctual skill set obviously needed to be a paramedic because each call is completely dif-ferent requiring different approaches and needs. Just halfway through the day, Todd and Daly had already helped five patients, ranging from assisting the police with a suicidal individual to responding to a patient experienc-ing chest pains. The paramedics quickly set up an EKG in the patients living room to determine if he was having a heart attack.

“You put the pieces of the puzzle together and then you have this aha moment when your patient says, ‘Oh, that’s better’,” Daly said.

“It helps that I enjoy coming to work every day. There are defi-nitely hard days but the good days far out weigh the bad.” Daly said. “It’s about “positive patient outcomes because of what you were able to do.”

Photo: Not only are Cumberland County EMS members national award winners, they have proven their effectiveness in the field as well.

Drunk Driving in Cumberland County

If you enjoy two or three brewskis at your favorite watering hole and then enjoy getting in your car and weaving your way home, Cumberland County is the place for you. Not that your likelihood of arrest and receiving a citation is less here than other jurisdictions, it’s just that arrest, appearance before a magistrate and a court date are about as far as it goes.

A case in point to support this thesis occurred Sunday morning, March 18, 2012. One Omar D. McEachern was driving drunk, wrecked and his passenger was killed. He has been subsequently charged with second degree murder. That charge will undoubtedly be pleaded down to vehicularhomicide, a much less serious crime. His license had been revoked due to a 2010 arrest for driving while impaired. His case was continued for almost two years. Had it been heard on a timely basis, and had McEachern received his just desserts, a young life would likely have been spared, certainly not his, but that of his young passenger.

A DWI charge anywhere should be serious business — but maybe not in Cumberland County. A DWI conviction surely affects your automobile insurance costs, your wallet and sometimes even your employment. But in Cumberland County, the offender only needs to retain a certain clique of local attorneys and then just sit back and relax.

The attorneys’ fees for handling DWI cases are significant, so the miscreant needs to take a rather large check to the attorney/client sit down. From there, a strategy is developed to circumvent the intent of the law.

And the assortment of available strategies can effectively keep someone charged with DWI out of a courtroom and facing a judge for years, if not forever. As of Feb. 25, 2012 there were 2,364 DWI cases in the Cumberland County court system, with some of them dating as far back as 1990, with 689 older than 2010. Many, if not most of those cases, will never be adjudicated. They will just drift into the night and fog of our county’s system of justice, as it applies to DWI cases.

In 2009 Dominic Tearry was speeding early one morning on Yadkin Road. He was traveling at a speed of more than 100 miles-per-hour in a 40 mph zone when he, as one would expect, wrecked. The wreck killed his cousin, a passenger. Tearry’s blood alcohol was about three times the legal limit, which is .08. The legal limit can be reached by the average adult after the consumption of just two beers, two glasses of wine or two shots of liquor within an hour.

He was charged with second degree murder. That sounds about right. But when Tearry’s case was heard in Judge Greg Week’s court, he was convicted of vehicular homicide, a lesser charge, with no explanation to the victim’s family from the district attorney’s offi ce. Superior Court Judge Weeks sentenced Tearry to 90 active days of incarceration. A young life, a husband, snuffed out and the penalty was 90 days. It gets more outrageous. Tearry may serve his time on weekends, and he may apply to his overworked parole offi cer to be excused from weekend jail time if it doesn’t fi t his schedule. So there you have it — in Cumberland County justice is not only blind, it is to drunken driving, inexplicable.

One might well ask what the district attorney’s role is in this misdirection of the justice system. Certainly the judges should not get all the blame, nor should the sly defense attorneys get all the credit, if credit is the appropriate word. Assistant district attorneys try district court cases and are often inexperienced and therefore sometimes outmaneuvered by seasoned and sophisticated defense attorneys. Another aspect of this problem of a dysfunctional criminal justice system in regards to drunken drivers is the judges who assumed their seats after a career as defense attorneys or as public defenders. It would seem that in too many instances they cannot disabuse themselves from the concept of defending the defendant rather than awarding a measure of justice to the people.

Consider carefully how, and for whom you vote for the judge seats up for election or reelection this year. Ask at public forums about the candidate’s position on DWI, repeat offenders and the clogged dockets, because judges leave court in the middle of the day and most importantly, why do they, if they are currently seated, grant continuances time after time?

DWI Victims and Advocates of Justice Speak Out

Many people are frustrated and are beginning to think that American justice is under siege. Politics, slick lawyers, inept court systems and big money seem to be influencing how justice is meted out at all levels.

Basically, our nation is slowly redefining the term illegal and the defi nition of justice. To many Americans, lady justice is no longer blind, and her scales are far from balanced. No place is this more evident than in our own community of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, where hundreds of families struggle with the consequences of being victims of someone charged with driving while impaired.

Here, the wheels of justice turn much too slowly for victims, families and friends of those devastated by these people. DWI victims suffer every day, not only from their injuries and cherished loss of life, but equally from the indignities served to them by a judicial system that seems to have reached an all time high in new lows for how it uses the law, lawyers and the court system itself to become advocates for the perpetrators and criminals. This leaves the victims and their families frustrated, without justice or closure, sentencing them to a lifelong purgatory of sadness, humiliation and unreconciled grief.

Over the next five weeks, you are going to hear from these victims and their advocates for justice. You will read first-hand accounts about their actual experiences in Cumberland County court. You will hear how they cope with a legal system that projects a greater advocacy for the crime and criminal than justice for the victim/plaintiff.

Our purpose? To make our community aware that this problem really does exist. It is also to acknowledge that as long as this injustice continues to be perpetuated on the residents of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, our children, residents, streets and communities will never be safe from the growing and impending danger of DWI violations.

During the next five weeks, we will try to find the answers to these questions and many more:

Why is the state considering moving the federal courtrooms to Raleigh where local traffic and DWI offenses on Fort Bragg would be heard more than an hour away? If you think justice is slow now, wait until this move becomes a reality.

Would this not further delay justice by creating hardships on the victims, their attorneys and the arresting law-enforcement offi cers by dragging out the adjudication process?

What responsibility do the district courts have in actually trying to hear a case, as opposed to simply continuing them or dismissing them for inexplicable reasons? And, why are more cases not being heard?

How much is it really costing Cumberland County taxpayers to have local police offi cers and North Carolina Highway Patrol officers sitting in a district court room needlessly for hours just because the case might be called? What is the cost in terms of loss of productivity, public safety and crime prevention as they spend most of a day doing nothing at taxpayer’s expense?

Have the above procedures become the standard practice for granting “no reason” continuances while stalling for time, hoping for dismissal because the arresting offi cer has fi nally left the force and cannot testify? No testimony… no conviction.

I hope you will read and study these accounts. Share them with your friends. Contact these victims. DWI is a very bad, bad, bad thing. DWI is not a victimless crime and it should not be made to look that way by a system that rewards the criminals, persecutes victims and makes a mockery of justice while slick lawyers get paid big bucks because they have learned how to manipulate our courtrooms like so many puppets on a string.

Do criminals have more rights than their victims? Here in Cumberland County … I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. We love to hear from our readers. Send your letters and comments to us at editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. If there is something you would specifi cally like to share with me, you can always reach me at bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com.

The 61st running of Stoneybrook Steeplechase is scheduled for Saturday, April 7 at Carolina Horse Park in Raeford. Horse racing fans are in for a treat, but you don’t need to be an equine enthusiast to have a great time at the event.

It’s a good time for all ages and walks of life, according Nicole White, marketing and communications manager at Carolina Horse Park.

“We are thrilled to be experiencing growing crowds from Fayetteville and Cumberland County and want to extend a specific invitation to them for this year’s Stoneybrook,” said White. “This is one of the few events in our area that is this unique and is really for everyone. Stoneybrook brings together all walks of life. There is a great array of activities all day long and it’s fun to see all types of people come together and enjoy themselves.”

The day starts bright and early with registration for the Cancer CARE Fund Run for the Ribbons 5K and 1K. The race starts at 9 a.m. Proceeds from the event benefit local cancer patients. Last year more than 600 runners participated, and White is hoping for even more this year. Not only is it a good cause, it is a beautiful run.

“The race starts and ends on the race track, where mere hours later horses will be thundering by, and goes through portions of our 250 acres and the cross-country course,” White said. “Those who do the footrace get free admission into the event for the rest of the day,” she added.

The vendor area, known as Merchants Crossing, and the beer garden open at 10 a.m. With the Kid Zone, Merchant Crossing and the Beer Garden in the same area, you won’t have to travel far to find something fun to do.

Traditionally scheduled for the first weekend in April, Stoneybrook Steeplechase falls on Easter weekend this year and will feature Easter egg hunts and a visit from the Easter Bunny to entertain the younger guests.

“We have some new kid’s events this year including a John Deer/Quality Equipment tricycle race,” said White. “The winner gets to take home their tricycle.”

Other fun Kid Zone activities include pony rides, an appearance by Truman the dragon of Kidsville News!, pony rides, a climbing wall, bounce houses, a mechanical bull and more.

Merchants Circle promises to be a one of a kind shopping experience.

“We are looking at more than 40 vendors including food and retail … anything and everything from sponsor booths to frozen yogurt and hotdogs to specialty equipment and high end clothing will be available.”

The Huske Hardware House Beer Garden is located near Merchants Circle and will offer a variety of beers for the tasting and spaces for socializing throughout the day.

At 11:30 a.m., the contests begin. There will be a wine cellar tailgate contest, the Hawkins and Harkness Hat Contest and the Jefferson Inn Kids and Celebrity Stick Horse Race.

The opening ceremonies begin at noon and include the Turf Club VIP Luncheon, the raising of the flag and the singing of the National Anthem. Another highlight this year is the opening ceremony.

“We will have the Dugan Briggs Veteran Parachute Team — many of whom are current and prior Golden Knights,” said White. “They are going to jump in with the American flag, which will kick off the opening ceremonies.”

Fayetteville’s own Summer Collins plays a part in the ceremony as well, singing the National Anthem.

Following the opening ceremonies, contest winners will be announced, and at 1 p.m. it’s the call to the paddock as riders and viewers prepare for the races.

After the horses have run, there are Easter egg hunts for children 0-5 and 6-12 years old.

Gates close at 6 p.m.

This year Stoneybrooke Steeplechase has partnered with area Harris Teeter stores in Whispering Pines, Aberdeen, Fayetteville and Lauringburg. Stop by one of these Harris Teeter stores and purchase a general admission ticket with your VIC card and receive a 20 percent discount. This deal is good through April 6. Tickets are available at the customer service desk in the stores. Military members can receive a 20 percent discount on general admission and tailgate spaces by purchasing a ticket through Carolina Horse Park.

Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 on race day. Find out more about tailgating options and other race day events at www.carolinahorsepark.com/stoneybrook.

Photos: (Middle right) The 61st running of Stoneybrook Steeplechase is scheduled for Saturday, April 7 at Carolina Horse Park in Raeford.  (Bottom left) Mad Hatters are always a big hit at the steeplechase.

 Window Box Gardening Cultivates Senior Interests

As March comes to a close, people are thinking of Spring and the beautiful flowers that burst into color. It forces thoughts of getting the planters ready for the porch or patio. Gardening is one of the most popular activities for seniors. But many can no longer get outdoors to enjoy this activity. That’s what makes simple pot or window gardening so appealing. Companionship, too, can help.

Q. My 82-year-old mother can no longer get outdoors much. She used to love to garden. What are ways that I can help her continue to enjoy this hobby?

A. How about a window box? They’re easy to assemble and your mother can watch flowers and even vegetables and herbs grow all year round.

According to the National Gardening Association, you can help your mom assemble a window box with the following tools and procedures:

• Use a container that’s at least eight inches wide and deep. Be sure the container has drainage holes or plan to drill your own. If mounting under a window, use a box that is a couple of inches smaller than the width of the window for best appearance.

• A sterile potting mix containing peat, perlite and other ingredients that improve drainage, aeration, fertility and water-holding capacity. Consider using a water-absorbing polymer to decrease watering frequency. Fill your window box about half full with the potting mix, and add water to moisten the mix if it’s dry. (Do not use regular garden soil.)

• Set plants about two to five inches apart in the box, depending on their mature size. Slip plants out of their pots without pulling on the stems and gently untangle any circling roots. Set the tallest plants, such as geraniums, in the back of the box. Let the trailing plants, such as lobelia, hang over the front and sides. Fill in with the fluffy plants, such as pansies or impatiens. Fill the spaces between plants with soil mix, tapping gently. Water thoroughly to settle the soil.

• Window boxes require frequent watering — often daily in hot, dry weather. Soak the soil completely at each watering. Use a water-soluble flowering plant fertilizer dissolved at one-quarter strength once a week or according to package instructions.

Making a window box-or more than onewill also be a fun bonding experience for you and your mom. For other project ideas, log on to the National Gardening association website at www.garden.org.

If you don’t have time to help your mom with these projects, consider hiring a companion. Many like to garden, too.

Photo: Making a window box with a loved one can be a fun bonding experience.

The Department of Defense continues to support the popular MyCAA program, with several key changes in eligibility and dollar amounts.

Here is a summary of the changes:

• Be available to spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 including the spouses of activated guard and reserve members within those ranks. Spouses of guard and reserve members must be able to start and complete their courses while their sponsor is on Title 10 orders.

• Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000. Waivers will be available for spouses pur-suing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assis-tance of $4,000.

• Require military spouses to finish their program of study within three years from the start date of the first course.

• Be limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures.

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program provides up to $4,000 (over two years) of financial assistance for military spouses who are pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to employment in portable career fields.

The MyCAA Benefit Details

MyCAA Financial Assistance pays tuition for education and training courses and licensing/credentialing fees. This includes state certifications for teachers, medical professionals and other occupations requiring recognized certifications; licensing exams and related prep courses; Continuing Education Unit classes including those offered through professional associations; and degree programs leading to employment in Portable Career Fields. MyCAA also pays for High School Completion courses, GED tests and English as a Second Language classes.

More Details

: • MyCAA does not pay for education and training programs that include com-puters (CPUs or laptops); application, graduation or membership fees; student activ-ity cards; child care; parking; transportation; or medical services.

• If a spouse enrolls in a course without an approved MyCAA Financial Assistance (FA) document, the spouse will be responsible for paying course costs.

• MyCAA does not provide reimbursements of any kind to spouses for any reason.

• MyCAA FA payments are made directly to schools using MyCAA’s electronic invoicing system.

• Unfortunately, Coast Guard spouses are not covered by the MyCAA Spouse Employment Congressional mandate: PL 110-417 Sec 582. The Coast Guard is a part of the Department of Homeland Security, not the Department of Defense.

The MyCAA Application Process

Eligible spouses can establish a MyCAA Account by visiting the MyCAA website https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa. Once spouse profile information is provided, MyCAA will verify spouse DEERS benefit eligibility. Eligible spouses will be allowed to create the Career and Training Plan and request FA within 30 days of course start dates. Additionally, spouses are responsible for applying to their selected school or program and enrolling in each course included in their approved MyCAA Career and Training Plan.

Military spouses can help themselves by:

• Visiting www.careeronestop.org to explore Portable Career Fields and find schools that have programs of study leading to licenses, certificates and degrees.

• Finding their school in the MyCAA website using the School Search function. If the desired school is not listed, follow the direc-tions shown at the end of the School Search.

• Establishing and managing their MyCAA Account at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa, use MyCAA resources to create a Career and Training Plan, and apply for FA.

Photo: Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts provide tuition assistance to eligible military spouses.

Story telling is an art form like no other. Long before Twitter or newspapers, oral story telling wove words together to impart wisdom, provoke thought and draw out emotions of listeners to educate, inspire and entertain. To celebrate that rich tradition, the Storytelling Festival of the Carolinas will be held March 29-31 in Laurinburg, N.C.

The festival has been featured in Our State magazine and attracts people far outside the boundaries of the Carolinas. Last year, more than 4,000 visitors flocked to the event, traveling from as far away as Washington state and Texas.

“It is such a big hit, we found no one around here does it like we do,” said Brenda Gilbert, the chair of the Storytelling and Arts Center of the Southeast.

The festival features nationally renowned storytellers and published authors, but on a much smaller scale than the national festival. The smaller scale is attractive to a lot of people because of the intimate setting, Gilbert explains.

“Story telling is give and take,” Gilbert said. “Storytellers draw the energy from the audience and thrive off it. The crowd connects to the performer and draws in all the details.”

Both national and regional storytellers will host workshops as well as perform on different topics to share their talent and tips.

“We really have fi ne tellers, no one as ever been disappointed,” Gilbert said.

Eth-Noh-Tec, the San Francisco-based kinetic story theater group of Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo and Nancy Wang, will be on hand. The group brings precision choreography, lyrical word weaving, graceful, playful and poetic. Eth-Noh-Tec has created an exciting new blend of storytelling and physical theater.

Gene Tagaban, whose heritage is Cherokee, Tlingit and Filipino, shares contemporary and traditional Native American stories, bringing them to life with the use of traditional flutes, drums, dance, masks and regalia.

Donald Davis grew up in a family of traditional storytellers who have lived on the same North Carolina land since 1781. After 20 years serving as a United Methodist minister, Davis became a fulltime storyteller. Now he gives more than 300 performances a year.

Whether he’s singing about catfi sh, pontificating on possums or extolling the virtues of dandelions, Doug Elliott will take you on an unforgettable, multifaceted cultural tour of North America’s backcountry.

The Storytelling Festival of the Carolinas kicks off with a preview show on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m., at the Storytelling & Arts Center of the Southeast. The storytelling festival continues Friday and Saturday with one-hour storytelling sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will also be craft and food vendors on hand.

You’ll become instant friends with people, whether you come with a group or head out to listen to stories yourself. You are sure to have a good time.” Gilbert said.

Guests can register for one day or the entire weekend. For registration and more information visit www. storytellingfestivalofcarolina.org.

Photo: Thousands flock to the Storytelling and Arts Center of the Southeast in Lauringburg, N.C.,
annually to attend the Storytelling Festival of the Carolinas.