A shoebox isn’t that big, not really. But the amount of love that can fi t into one is amazing. Imagine the overwhelming sense of joy in receiving a box, unsolicited and out of the blue, fi lled with items intended to bring a smile to your face and let you know you are appreciated. Support Military Spouses delivers boxes like this all the time. It is their way of saying “Thank you, we appreciate you,” to military spouses.

This holiday season, to show love and support to local military spouses, the organization plans to deliver 1,000 boxes to Fort Bragg.

“We really just want these spouses to know that we are thankful for them and the sacrifi ces they make as they support their service members,” said Diane Rumley. “People who don’t live this lifestyle have no idea the sacrifi ces that military families make.”

The boxes are scheduled to be delivered to the Family Readiness Group center on Fort Bragg on Dec. 23 and will be disbursed from there.

Being America’s Most Patriotic Home Town, Fayetteville is no stranger to the military lifestyle. Its citizens see everyday the stress that 10 years of war has brought to the lives of military families. Its affect on marriages and children has been enormous.

While a shoebox may not feel like much to the person sending it, organizers say it’s more than plenty for the people receiving it, because it is the thought behind it that makes a difference. It’s the notes of encouragement and the prayers that people put in them that lift the spirits and inspire the families who receive them.

One of the many thank you notes that was written from a military spouse reads: “The shoeboxes are a wonderful change in our lifestyle as military spouses. We spend many hours making sure our soldiers are taken care of and forget to take a minute for ourselves … These gifts are a wonderful reminder that we need to take care of us in order to take care of our soldiers and families.”

There is still time to contribute and make a difference. Support Military Spouses gladly accepts shoeboxes, monetary donations and volunteers, too.

“To anyone who wants to help — in any way, shape or form we are thankful,” said Diane. “People can go to our website to see what volunteer opportunities are available.”

While the organization operates year round, there is a big push in the spring and at Christmas time to reach out and say thanks to military spouses.

Preparing a box is easy. Just fi ll a shoebox sized plastic container, include $7.50 for processing and delivery and take it to one of the many collection centers. Boxes can be dropped off at the Fayetteville-Cumberland Chamber of Commerce; Chick-fil-A’s in Fayetteville; Cary Towne Center Mall; Sanford, Leith Automall; Lumberton, Spring Lake, Holly Springs, Sanford, Hope Mills and Angier Chambers of Commerce,

Find out more about how you can contribute to the organization atwww.supportmilitaryspouses.org.

Photo: Organizers get shoe boxes ready to ship to military spouses at Fort Bragg.

The Fayetteville FireAntz may have been on the road quite a bit for the first few months of the season, but now with the holidays here, your FireAntz have returned for a holiday home stand.

With this busy home stand, there is still plenty of time to schedule a holiday party with the FireAntz. Scheduling your holiday party with the Antz will ensure a night of fun, food and most of all FireAntz Hockey, which is a great time for all ages.

We have luxury suites, ice suites and special group rates that most everyone is sure to enjoy.

On Tuesday, Dec. 20, come watch the FireAntz versus the Augusta Riverhawks. All school children 12 years old and under will be able to enter the game for free with student vouch-ers. The vouchers for this night can be obtained by contacting your child’s schools or at the FireAntz Office.

The game time for Dec. 20 is 7:30 p.m.

The next game is on Friday, Dec. 23 against the Knoxville Icebears. The FireAntz will be wearing their specialty Christmas jerseys.

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. There will be a post-game auction on the ice for these jerseys that night.

If you are in need of something to do with your family the night after Christmas, come out and cheer on your Fayetteville FireAntz as they play host to the Columbus Cottonmouths.

Are you looking for a way to ring in the New Year? The FireAntz will host the Huntsville Havoc on Saturday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Jan. 1, with a special puck drop time of 4 p.m.

For those who will be out of town for the holiday season, there is still a chance to see the FireAntz in action at the home game on Sunday, Jan. 8, against the Augusta Riverhawks. The game starts at 4 p.m.

Don’t forget to contact the FireAntz Office by phone 321-0123 to find out about our schedule or purchase tickets so your friends and family can come out and enjoy fun filled nights of Fayetteville FireAntz Hockey where Fire and Ice unite!

Photo: With this busy home stand near, there is still have plenty of time to schedule a holiday party with the FireAntz. 

Hugo (Rated PG-13)  3 Stars

For some reason I was convinced that Hugo (127 minutes) was a cartoon of some kind. Also, I had no idea about the plot or central conflict. This is very weird because it is based on an award winning children’s book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I usually have a pretty good idea of what is going to happen in based-on-a-book movieS because I have generally read the book prior to the film being made, or I read the book as soon as I found out it was good enough to make a movie out of it.

In this case, I went into the theater with no idea what was going to happen, which was a nice change. I hoped for some fantasy elements, and I was very surprised to find the story telling a real-life tale. While this was not an obvious Martin Scorsese film, he did interesting things with the material. I am not sure if he added all the borderline child abuse, or if that was part of the original story, but I did have a bit of a problem with the fact that the supposed “good” characters were so ready to ignore a skinny kid running around a train station in winter without warm clothes.

The story opens in a 1930s Paris railway station. Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) wanders around the enormous clock system, where he has made a home among the gears. A security guard (Sacha Baron Cohen) with a vendetta against orphans chases Hugo while working on his own little romantic subplot. Little by little, we find that Hugo was living with his father (Jude Law), a clockmaker, after the death of his mother. His father was killed in a bizarre museum fire, and his evil uncle (Ray Winstone channeling Bob Hoskins) becomes his legal guardian. I kept wait-ing for a subplot where the father wasn’t really dead and Evil Uncle had kidnapped Hugo, but it never materialized.

In between these snippets of backstory, Hugo (apparently now alone in the train station) steals food and tools to work on an automaton his father was restoring. Early in the film, he is caught by a toy-stall owner named Georges (Ben Kingsley), and the notebook he is using to guide the restoration of the automaton is taken. While events later in the film try to put this seemingly cruel action into context, as a whole the film does not sell Georges as a sympathetic character filled with righteous, inconsolable tragedy. From start to finish, I was left with the sense that I wanted to hit him repeatedly upside the head until he could develop a sense of propor-tion. I kept thinking there would be a good reason that a toy seller raising a child of his own (Isabelle, played by Kick-Ass cutie Chloe Grace Moretz) would ignore another child so clearly filled with misery, but nope. The character really comes off like a self-centered jerk.

Anyway, at least Isabelle is willing to inquire about where this kid is sleeping at night, and to attempt to undo the hideous emotional scars her guardian inflicts with his callousness. The two manage to uncover some family secrets related to the automaton, and this sends the film into a new direction.

Hugo is an adventure tale with a touch of historical fiction. Overall, it tells a nice family story with intergenerational appeal, more or less likeable characters, and a satisfying ending that avoids too much sentimentality. For those of you who care, there are some fairly obscure cameos worth looking out for. And FYI, according to IMDB.com Butterfield is going to play Ender Wiggins in the Ender’s Game adaptation! Look that up now if you don’t already know about it!

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

Ah, the holidays! For most, it’s a joyous season of festivities and treasured time shared with family and loved ones. Yet others in our area will fi nd themselves separated from home or family and friends this Christmas, among them soldiers of the Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) who are recovering from injuries sustained during military action overseas. To help ensure that these servicemembers experience the spirit and fellowship of the Christmas season and do not spend the holiday alone, volunteers with the American Red Cross (ARC) Ft. Bragg/Pope Field Station, partnering with the Olive Garden restaurant of Fayetteville and Operation Helping Hands for Heroes, will set up and serve a special Christmas Eve dinner from 6 to 7 p.m., in Moon Hall on Ft. Bragg as part of the annual Red Cross Holiday for Heroes.

Moon Hall, part of the Fort Bragg Army Lodging’s Airborne Inn complex, offers a temporary residence for soldiers in the WTB. While many soldiers recover from injuries received during their military service and return to duty when they can, others may spend a year or more receiving prolonged multidisciplinary care before either returning to duty or transitioning to civilian life. Moon Hall becomes “home” during this time of recovery and transition.

This year marks the third Holiday for Heroes dinner that the ARC volunteers will host. After discovering that many parties and events were planned for soldiers in the WTB before Christmas, but none on Christmas Day, Max Powell, a volunteer with the ARC and Warrior Transition Battalion Outreach Support Chair, organized the first Christmas dinner in 2009.

“Christmas is a high-risk time,” said Powell, noting that many of the soldiers suffer from serious issues in addition to being away from home and/or family. “For the past two years, we did this on Christmas Day, and we found fewer turned out than we would like, so what we’re doing this year, is we’re going to do the dinner on Christmas Eve in the hope that we might get a better turnout. On Christmas morning, we’re going to have a continental breakfast at 10 a.m., hosted by Operation Helping Hands for Heroes. It’s convenient for them to walk downstairs and come to eat. We’ll have something to give them — an interruption in their day both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.” Powell added that plans are still coming together.

But the event was not without its challenges this year

“This has been a hard year for the Red Cross,” said Penny Johnson, who serves as an advisor on the Advisory Council of the ARC at Ft. Bragg. “Money has been tight, and we had no leads. It was a matter of being in the right place at the right time,” she said, referring to securing the food donation by the Olive Garden. Johnson expects the group will serve 50 to 100 soldiers and family members.

“God works in mysterious ways. We are so very, very thankful.”

For more information about the ARC Ft. Bragg/Pope Field Holiday for Heroes, or to make a donation to the ARC, please contact Tiffany Shedd, Station Chair, Fort Bragg/Pope Field American Red Cross, at 396-1231, ext. 7.

Photo: Red Cross volunteers preparing to serve a holiday meal.

If you are searching for ways to get in the holiday spirit this year, look no further. With all of the festivities that Fayetteville has to offer, you and your family are sure to have a Christmas to remember. Whether you’re attending Christmas in the Park, Christmas at Lu Mil Vineyard, Christmas on the Farm, Holiday Lights in the Garden, Kinwood-by-the-Lights or viewing Methodist University’s lights, there will be many decorations to see, and many performances to enjoy.

The Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation celebrates this year’s Christmas in the Park at Arnette Park, off of Old Wilmington Road. Come see the dazzling 30-foot Christmas tree and view the beautiful scenery and Christmas decorations while strolling down the half-mile walking trail. Enjoy music, dancing, food vendors, arts and crafts, a fi re pit, live entertainment, and photos with Santa.

Christmas in the Park takes place Wednesday, Dec. 8 through Dec. 22 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Admission is $2 per person and $5 for a picture with Santa.

Another family-friendly Christmas event takes place at the Lu Mil Vineyard, just south of Cumberland County, in Dublin, N.C. Experience Christmas with a Drive Thru Festival of Lights, take the Kids to Kiddie Land, get some last minute shopping done at the Lu Mil Outlet Shops and grab a bite to eat at the Country Buffet. There is also an antique shop, free wine tasting, nativity scenes, visits from Santa and live entertainment.

The event began Nov. 25, and will remain open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through Dec. 23 from 6-10 p.m. Admission for the Drive Thru Festival of Lights is $10 per car, $20 per van, $40 per bus (12 or more passengers) and the Country Buffet is $10 per person.

In addition to the park and the vineyard, visit Gillis Hill Farm for “Christmas on the Farm.” Come hear the story of the first Christmas and Jesus’ birth with Bethlehem Remembered, narrated by the old shepherd (and puppet) named Uncle Aaron. After the show, take a wagon ride through historic Gillis Farm and a stop for hot chocolate, coffee, cookies and more at the Ole Grist Mill. There is a bon-fire at the end of the wagon ride.

“Christmas on the Farm” can be enjoyed on December 18 and 19 at 6:30 p.m., by reservations only. It costs $6 per person. Call 867-2350 to book your reservation now!

If you have a green thumb and love Christmas time, Cape Fear Botanical Gardens is the place for you. Visit the garden this December (Thursday through Sunday nights; 5-8 p.m.) for the unveiling of Holiday Lights in the Garden at the Wyatt Visitors Pavilion Complex.

Explore the winter wonderland fi lled with beautiful lights and decorations, view the gardens’ current exhibit, David Rogers’ Big Bugs, listen to live music on select nights and get your child’s photo made with Santa on Sundays. The Garden Gift Shop is open for souvenirs and Christmas gifts, while Café Cart serves seasonal refreshments each evening.

Admission to Holiday Lights in the Garden is $8 for non-member adults or $4 for member adults, $2.50 for children ages 6-12 and free for children ages 5 and under.

Other lighted communities that Fayetteville has to offer are the “24th Annual Kinwood-by-the-Lights” and Methodist University’s holiday lights. Celebrate Christmas with a tour through Kinwood Estates, Kinwood-By-The-River and Kinwood Oaks Developments, or take in the beautiful sight of Methodist University’s festive campus from 6 to 9 p.m. on December 17. If it starts to rain, no worries, the date will be moved to December 18th. For more information on these events call 630-7043.

Photo: Lu Mil Vineyards Sparkles during the annual Christmas Lights Drive Thru. This and many other special events are ongoing this holiday seasons

Who Let the Dogs Out? First, I want to commend (not condemn) Dr. John Lauby for the excellent job he is doing as the Director of Cumberland County Animal Control. He has a big job and, finally, for the fi rst time in many years, we have the talent and expertise needed to operate that vital county department. I hope we don’t run him off.

Unfortunately, with the recent rash of misinformation being spread about the department and the options informally discussed about how the Animal Control Board can deal with the crisis, Cumberland County is facing trying to control the excessive number of unwanted stray dogs designated as bully breeds.

These are dogs known for being aggressive by nature, showing sporadic hostility and behaving unpredictably. For the past week Lauby, his department and the Cumberland County Commissioners have been bombarded with thousands of phone calls and emails expressing protest and concern that the adoption of these animals (pit bulls, Rottweiler’s, chows) would be restricted with an automatic death sentence imposed after 72 hours.

This was just not true, and the rumor went viral over Facebook and the internet. In reality, the Animal Control Board’s (ACB) job is to “control the animals” and protect the public. The 72 hour policy applies to any animal.That being said, the outrage is misguided and unfounded and has an eerie resemblance to the crime situation we have here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

Consider this: Our community is experiencing a serious, some say massive, crime wave. The increase in the number of homicides, robberies and damage to personal property has law enforcement frustrated and working overtime while local residents and business owners live and work in constant fear.

Criminals, like the stray dogs, are excessive and an extreme nuisance taking over the county. Law enforcement, like the ACB, is working hard to solve the problem. Yet, if a certain group of people arbitrarily don’t like the solutions or techniques these agencies use to solve the problems they attack the individual and try to dismantle the entire system. Sure, we all hate crime but what if our “solutions” make it impossible to arrest the criminals? Sure, we hate packs of wild-stray dogs running amuck in our neighborhoods, but, like the criminals, when we catch them what do we do with them? Hostile animals cannot be adopted nor can they be rehabilitated. Again, it is the same for career criminals and again, like the captured animals, where do you put them?

The animal shelter, like the jail, is already at its max capacity now. So, many say turn them loose. Well, our local courts and justice system are already turning them loose. It’s no wonder our crime rate is escalating. The failure of our leaders to lead and our community’s failure to accept its social responsibilities and let them lead have resulted in the creation of our own customized “bully breed” of criminal. A hideous specimen of a human being who is bold, confident, aggressive and unafraid because they have been bred in the reality of no consequences or penalties for their actions. Unless this trend is reversed, Fayetteville and Cumberland County will be on its way to becoming the next Gotham City — without a Batman and Robin.

Back to the dogs. We must accept our responsibility as a community and stop griping and complaining about the situation and start offering up some solutions. After all, those dogs came from somewhere.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: Cumberland County Commissioners have been bombarded with thousands of phone calls and emails expressing protest and concern that the adoption of these animals (pit bulls, Rottweiler’s, chows) would be restricted with an automatic death sentence imposed after 72 hours. 

For the past 20 years, Christmas in Fayetteville has meant a staging of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. So, it seems a little unusual that the theatre’s new artistic director, Tom Quaintance, would choose to direct this tried and true show as his first venture on the stage after taking the reigns from Fayetteville’s First Lady of Theatre, Bo Thorp

.But there is a method to Quaintance’s madness. What others may see as a baptism by fi re, Quaintance sees as an opportunity to understand the heart and soul of the community — it’s families.

With that in mind, Quaintance jumped feet fi rst into what may actually be one of the most diffi cult shows produced by the theatre annually. Forget about the musicals with their demand for a range of vocals and dancing. Forget about the gripping dramas. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever presents a challenge that is unique. Quaintance had the dubious honor of watching the auditions of almost 300 of the county’s children, and then culling that number to about 180, and then, directing, not one, not two, but three separate casts in this year’s production of the county’s most beloved Christmas performance.

This is not a task for the weak of heart. Quaintance saw it not so much as a challenge, but as an opportunity.

“There are a couple of reasons why I wanted to direct this show,” explained Quaintance during a recent interview. “First, I felt my principal job coming in was getting to know the community, because that’s what this theatre is about — community.

“As one of the flagship arts organizations in the community, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre is all about the people in the community, so I think the biggest challenge coming into this job is getting to know the people and personally taking the pulse of the community for our organization. I can’t effectively serve in this position unless I know the community,” he continued.

So, Quaintance saw the chance to work with 180 plus children as a good way to start.

“I felt like this would give me the opportunity to get to know the families — one of the primary reasons I am here is because this is such a family-centered community,” said Quaintance, whose first child was born late this summer.

As an educator for more than 13 years, Quaintance also saw the opportunity to work with children tremendously exciting.

During the weeks of rehearsal leading up to the opening of the show this week, Quaintance has learned a few things about our community.

“The children have confirmed what I expected coming in,” he said. “This community is hard working, enthusiastic and appreciative of a high standard and good work. All of these kids want to do good work. In doing this show, they feel like they are a part of something that matters. Everybody from the smallest Baby Angel to the Herdmans has worked very hard.”

Quaintance’s second reason for choosing to direct the show is a love of the story.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is the story of why we do theatre It’s a about transformation,” he said.

In recent years, directors have taken the show to an edgier side. Quaintance elected to get back to basics — “let’s tell the story” has become his mantra.

“This is the first time I have directed this show, so the first thing I did was read the book” he said. “It’s a sweet story, but it is sharp, too. It’s not a sappy story, it’s really a great story about how outsiders are treated and how these ‘supposed good people’ treat those who are different It makes you question the labels, and is a surprisingly sophisticated show, while at the same time being tremendously fun with a beautiful message.”

Quaintance has made sure the actors in the play understand the message. Rehearsals have been part discussion and part acting.

“Are the Herdmans really just bad?” Quaintance asked the cast one Friday afternoon.

They quickly answered with a resounding “Yes.”

“Really?” asked Quaintance. “Listen to the way these good girls talk to and about the Herdmans when adults are present. How do you think they talk to them when they aren’t around?”

Wheels started turning in the heads of the cast, and as the discussion developed, the light went on. The kids started questioning who the real bullies were.

“I think the story is not just about the Herdmans transforming. It’s about the community’s transformation, not only in how they treat people, but also in how they view Christmas. The pageant has become something done by rote, with no meaning. The Herdmans come in with this completely unjaded view of the pageant. They want to know what it means. They want to get it right. They feel something. And in wanting to get it right and understand the miracle of Christmas, everybody goes on this journey.”

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever opens on Thursday, Dec. 8 and runs through Dec. 18. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children. For tickets and show times, visit the CFRT website at www.cfrt.org.

Photo: (Middle right) The story is not just about the Herdmans transforming. It’s about the community’s transformation, not only in how they treat people, but also in how they view Christmas.  (Bottom left); Quaintance has made sure the actors in the play understand the message. Rehearsals have been part discussion and part acting. 

Being Santa Claus may be magical, but it takes a lot of practice, too. So when Santa arrives in Fayetteville the weekend before Christmas, he’s here to hone his sleigh-driving skills and he’s taking Fayetteville residents along for the ride. The annual Downtown Alliance Carriage Rides with Santa are Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18 from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m.

“Now, Charlie! Now, Jacob! Now, Eli and Mikey! On, Rocky!” isn’t the usual chant you hear from Santa Claus, but no need for alarm. Local Belgian horses from Lumber Bridge fill in while Prancer and the gang is back in the North Pole training for the big day. The horses work their day jobs in the fields during the week and get one glorious weekend filling in for Santa’s reindeer once a year. It turns out that steering a horse and steering a reindeer is very similar. The children do not mind at all. “They love the horses. They want to touch the horses. The horses are very gentle,” says Kim Thomas, a longtime volunteer for Carriage Rides with Santa.

The kids have a big time of it. They get candy canes and sometimes Santa let’s them ride beside him. They are bundled up with their parents and having a good time. It’s special,” said Thomas.

The sleigh is actually a white, covered hitch wagon decorated for the holidays and accommodates up to six adults. Lap blankets will be provided to keep the chill at bay. It all makes for an enchanting night.

“The thing about the sleigh rides is that a lot of people get engaged. They pick that time to take their potential spouse out to ask the question. I’ve seen three proposals. The couples come back from the sleigh rides so happy and telling everyone about getting engaged,” said Thomas.

For Dr. Hank Parfitt, chair of Carriage Rides with Santa, the best part is the wonder in the children’s faces. “It begins when mom and dad come up with their little kid, say 3- or 4-years-old, and they are on the ground looking up at Santa, who is a pretty big guy in the first place, sitting on the driver’s box of the sleigh. It is over five feet above the ground, he’s way up there, and these little kids, who are all bundled up against the winter cold, with their head tilted back, looking at this giant Santa Claus up in the air and they are completely awestruck. It happens every time.”

The 20-minute rides begin at the Downtown Alliance Volunteer Center at 222 Hay Street and circles through Historic Fayetteville. Adults and children get the traditional children’s price of $5 per ride, because as Parfitt says, “Everyone is a child at Christmastime.” Reservations are not taken for the ride, but riders are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance on the day of the event. Any proceeds benefit downtown revitalization.

While it probably will be lovely weather for a sleigh ride together, riders can plan ahead by calling the Downtown Alliance at 222-3382 for weather updates and ride information.

Photo: Santa prepares for a carriage ride in downtown Fayetteville.

Calling all dreamers, princesses-at-heart and Disney fans as Disney on Ice Dare to Dream comes to the Crown Dec. 15-18.

This newest Disney on Ice production is princess centered, and provides all the glamour and fun filled antics that make Disney’s work so memorable. It includes not just the early princesses, but characters from more recently released movies, too.

Whether you prefer the classics like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty or newer films like Tangled and The Princess and the Frog, this show is sure to please.

Featuring Rapunzel and Flynn, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, Cinderella and Prince Charming and more, this show promises to be a royally good time for everyone. It’s Disney’s newest on ice production and it has the fans as well as the performers giddy with anticipation at every show.

James and Vicky Black have been skating for Disney on Ice since 2005 and 2003, respectively. They are both from the United Kingdom and relish the chance to get on the ice and deliver sparkling performances that audiences can remember for years to come.

“It is such a treat to be able to do something I love and at the same time bring a smile to someone else,” said Vicky.

James and Vicky play Cinderella and Prince Charming in the show, which is an easy transition, since the two are married in real life.

They bring more than real life romance to the show, Vicky has been skating since she was 7 and has many skating awards to her name. The joy of making other people happy while doing something she loves keeps her on the ice for Disney though.

“This is something I have loved since I was a little girl,” said Vicky. “Being a part of Dare to Dream is a chance to bring something special to people all over the world.”

James started skating when he was 10 and has earned several competitive honors, too. He loves performing and entertaining people. His hope for everyone who comes to the show is “… I want them to go away with a smile on their face and to feel like they’ve watched something very professional,” and he really enjoys “Seeing the smiles on people’s faces and feeling like I’ve helped them have a great time at the show.”

One of the things that Vicky and James love is seeing all the princesses who show up in costume at the show.

“We love seeing the young girls who come dressed as their favorite princess,” said Vicky. “They are so adorable and excited about the show and it energizes us too, knowing what it means to them.”

Tickets are available at the Crown Center box office and at http://disney.go.com/disneyonice.

Photo: Cinderella and Prince Charming take a spin on the ice.

The holidays often evoke thoughts of comfort food, a time for families to gather and give thanks for their manyblessings and even football. During this season, we tend to be more cognizant of everything we are grateful for. The focus of our gratitude is not on our fancy smartphones or discretionary income, but rather on our families, friends and good health.

In giving thanks, it is common to reflect on the adage, “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” Often times, we don’t know how true this statement is, until our own health or the health of someone we care about has taken a negative turn. Our local patients are not as lucky and rely on volunteers in our community to improve their health.

Cape Fear Valley Health transfuses on average 1,100 units of blood every month to local patients. In order to perform surgeries, be prepared for traumas, save premature infants and provide therapy to cancer or treat burn patients, the hospital calls on our community for volunteer blood donors. Fortunately, our community has our own blood bank so that local citizens can be a service not only to themselves but also to their loved ones and neighbors.

With today’s aging population, plus advances in medical treatments and procedures that require blood transfusions, the demand for blood continues to rise. About one in seven people entering the hospital need blood. The average red blood cell transfusion is three pints of blood, needed from three different donors. However, a single car accident victim could require up to 100 pints of blood. Blood has a shelf life; red cells have to be used within 42 days and platelets only last for 5 days, so there is a constant need to replenish the community’s blood supply.

As we approach the holidays, the demand for blood increases. We feel this on a national and local level. With the short list of blood donors in our community, the hectic holiday season and patients’ never-ending need of transfusions, it’s hard to keep a minimum amount of blood on the shelves. Blood donations are needed all year, but they’re most critical during holidays. There is an urgent need for blood during this time because during the holiday season there are more trauma cases, many businesses and schools are unable to host blood drives and there is a low turnout of donors due to vacation schedules, illness and inclement weather.

The week before and after Thanksgiving and Christmas, are our Urgent Days of Giving. Our local patients depend on healthy volunteers to donate lifesaving blood, so that they too can be thankful of another day. What better way to show gratitude for good health, than by donating life to those who are not as fortunate.

In this time of rushing through life, it is easy to not stop and take time to appreciate what we already have. For healthy individuals, you have the power to save lives. Each blood donation can save up to three lives. Volunteers can go to our community blood bank, Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center, at 3357 Village Drive in the Bordeaux Shopping Center. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and have valid photo identification.

The Blood Donor Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and every third Saturday of each month, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information on saving lives locally, call (910) 615-LIFE. This holiday season, show thanks by giving — giving.

It seems there has been quite a bit of interest in the topic of tattoos and tattoo studios. Let’s face it, in a military community there are certain industries that thrive, no matter in which part of the country you may reside. Tattooing is one of them. My fiancée Sarah and I are owners and tattoo artists of Hot Rod Tattoos in Fayetteville. We have read both articles recently featured in the Up and Coming Weekly, and would like to share our views and opinions with the community.

There are so many criteria to consider when choosing a tattoo studio and artist for your next tattoo. Yes, the studio being licensed, autoclave spore test results and clean atmosphere are important, but tattooing is a permanent procedure and consumers need to also be concerned with the artist’s experience. The tattooing laws in N.C. are very lenient compared to other states. Just as “E” of Cherry Blossom Studios quoted, “any idiot can buy a kit online and start jacking up his friends the next day with no idea about cross contamination or risk of infection”; any “idiot” can become a tattooist in N.C. An individual needs only to pay $250 annually for an artist permit and $1,000 annually for a privilege license. There is no state requirement for prior experience or specialized formal training in first aid or blood borne pathogens/cross contamination to become a tattoo artist or studio owner in this state. There is no requirement for artists to be vaccinated for Hepatitis A or B. Many of the above criteria are required for other occupations that pose a similar risk of contamination through bodily fluids. Some daycare and educational occupations require at least a formal first-aid certificate.

The state laws regarding tattooing need serious attention as they were put into effect back in 1994; or guidelines that supersede the N.C. State Statutes should be developed for the City of Fayetteville. There are nearly 30 tattoo studios that operate within the city limits, and clearly this is an industry that generates substantial revenue for the city through tattoo permits and studio licenses.

The process of creating stricter laws is lengthy and often is met with resistance. Until that happens, it is the responsibility for the sake of the tattoo industry, and public safety of the community, for all tattoo artists to hold themselves to a higher standard. There are tattoo artists in Fayetteville who actually care about the art of tattooing and hold the craft sacred. These tattoo artists will be proud to show off their portfolio and ensure you are educated about your entire experience.

As respected members of the Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce and members of the Military Affairs Council, Hot Rod Tattoos feels it is our duty to inform and educate the community about our industry. There are tattooists and there are tattoo artists, and there is a big difference between the two, i.e., the one who is out for your money and the one who has the heart for your interest, as well as our sacred craft.

Photo: Tattoo by Mike Kotlarek.

With today’s spiraling costs, you have probably worried about how you might pay for your child’s college education. Perhaps your solution rests with a new program instituted by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue, entitled College and Career Promise (CCP). CCP is an initiative that prepares high school students with career training credit or awards them college-level credit at no cost to the student. Through participation in the program, qualified students will gain access to an affordable postsecondary education.

In Cumberland County, CCP is administered through the High School Connections Program. High School Connections is a partnership between Fayetteville Technical Community College and Cumberland County Schools. This past year, more than 600 students participated in the High School Connections program, with more than 125 earning college certificates before they graduated from high school. Through the High School Connections Program, students can earn college credit that is transferrable to all of North Carolina’s 16 constituent universities as well many private colleges, or technical course credit in many exciting careers

Frequently asked questions about College Transfer Pathways:

Who is eligible?

• Qualified high school juniors and seniors as of January 2012.

• Students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 weighted scale.

• Students must demonstrate college readiness on an approved assessment.

What are the benefits?

• College credit will transfer to all 16 member universities of the North Carolina University System as well as many private institutions.

• The cost for a two- or four-year degree is greatly reduced.

• Students work on college credit while still in high school, free of charge; however, students are responsible for textbook and supplies.

Fequently asked questions about Technical Career Pathways

Who is eligible?

• Qualified high school juniors and seniors as of January 2012.

• Students interested in pursuing one of the 16 high school career and technical education career clusters.

• Students with at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 weighted scale or upon principal recommendation.

• Students who have demonstrated college readiness by meeting course prerequisites.

What are the benefits?

• A credential, certificate or diploma in a technical career.

• A credential that builds skills for an entry-level job.

What pathways are available through these certificates?

Associate In Arts (College Transfer), Business and Economics Pathway, Humanities and Social Science Pathway, Associate in Science (College Transfer, Life and Health Sciences Pathway, Engineering and Mathematics Pathway, Advertising and Graphic Design/Graphic Design Basics Certificate, Architectural Technology/ Green Sustainable Architecture Certificate, Business Foundations Certificate, Computer Information Technology/Hardware and Software Certificate, Criminal Justice Technology: Latent Evidence Certificate, Culinary Arts/ Demi-Chef Certificate, Electrical Electronics Technology Basic Electricity, Motors and Controls Certificate, Emergency Medical Science Certificate, Basic Horticulture Certificate, Infant Toddler Care Certificate, Manicuring/ Nail Technology Certificate, Medical Office Administration/Medical Coding and Billing Certificate, Networking Technology Cisco Networking Certificate, Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate and Simulation and Game Development/ SGD Basics Certificate.

If you would like to find out more about the College and Career Promise Program or High School Connections, contact your local high school guidance counselor or Suzanne Davis, High School Connections Coordinator at Fayetteville Technical Community College, at 678-8542.

Aging in Place

The odds are great that your parents will want to stay in the familiar surroundings of their own home and not move anywhere else permanently — not to a condominium in Florida, a retirement compound in Arizona or a nursing home across town. Still, there are some important barriers to seniors remaining at home. Fortunately, recent innovations have made what is called “aging in place” much easier, safer, more practical and more enjoyable for seniors who remain at home.

A book, Stages of Senior CARE: Your Step-by-Step guide to making the Best Decisions, written by Home Instead Senior Care® founders Lori and Paul Hogan, discusses the concept of “aging in place.” Today, many seniors can remain in their homes, while making the appropriate changes to keep up with their changing needs.

Here are some trends from Stages associated with the aging in place model:

Universal Design to Make Living Easier

With the retirement of 78 million baby boomers now under way, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has given more thought to creating a house that will last a lifetime, that is, one that will be easily habitable no matter what the age of the occupants or their handicaps, such as difficulty with sight, hearing or mobility. Universal design is intended to accommodate such needs.

Anticipate Safety Concerns and Make Improvements

Most seniors will want to stay in the home they have lived in for many years, and the odds are that their home was not built with senior compatibility in mind. However, there are many improvements that can be made in the house immediately and inexpensively. Suggest to your parents that they contact a local Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS)-trained remodeler to adapt their home.

Aging in Village: Networks of Services

A movement that shows great promise for supporting and supplementing the adaptation of the home to the changing needs of seniors is the aging-in-village initiative. A pioneer in the movement is Beacon Hill Village in the heart of Boston, founded in 2001 with the stated purpose of enabling a growing and diverse group of Boston residents to stay in and around their own homes.

Naturally Occurring Retirement Community

A companion movement to the aging-in-village strategy is the naturally occurring retirement community (NORC). NORCs are sponsored by government agencies, both federal and local, and philanthropic groups. Currently found in many U.S. communities, NORCs are expected to become more common as the population ages.

Multi-generational Homes

Multi-generational homes are very common. On a local level, more families are adding suites to their existing homes to accommodate senior loved ones. Motorized chairs are advertized constantly to restore a senior’s lost independence. Bathroom remodeling has become big business, which is demonstrated by the number of television ads for these companies. These are just a few of the considerations when looking into helping a parent to “age in place”.

A great Christmas purchase would be Stages of Senior CARE: Your Step-by-Step guide to making the Best Decisions, if you need in-depth answers on how you can best prepare for your parent’s care.

The book is available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Get more information about senior-related services through www.caregiverstress.com.

Photo: Today, many seniors can remain in their homes, while making the appropriate changes to keep up with their changing needs. 

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 

(Rated PG-13) 4 Stars

Critics hate the Twilight Saga films, and Breaking Dawn—Part I (117 minutes) is no exception. But as much as I enjoy making fun of the books and movies, I am totally willing to admit that nobody twists my arm to get me into the theater. So, let’s acknowledge the essential sexism and bizarre sexual politics of the books, which only become more impossible to avoid on screen.

What I am getting at here is that The Twilight books (and by extension the Twilight movies) are not Shakespearean by any measure. Ok, awesome, the author wrote something that a lot of people read. That is good. People should read more. However, that doesn’t mean they are not poorly constructed bits of dreck, borrowing elements from other better books being turned into movies that appeal to the lowest common denominator.

So, it’s ok to like the films, as long as we are all aware that 18 year-olds getting married is usually a mistake. And that Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who is not even old enough to vote, much less get into a bar, is showing both a prurient and inappropriate interest in the honeymoon activities of Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart). And that when you establish clumsiness as the defining character trait of your heroine, you might consider explaining to your audience how she avoids sinking her ten inch spike wedding heels into the soft forest floor. And that showing the wedding and honeymoon only needed to take about 15 minutes, not 45. So really, there was no need to have two movies.

After nearly an hour’s worth of nothing much happening (PG-13 remember?), we find out that Edward is an extremely abusive spouse, who leaves his new bride covered in bruises. But he didn’t mean to do it, and he’s really sorry, and feels really guilty, so that makes it ok. He even promises never to do it again! So then we get to see Bella the 18-year-old try to seduce her 107-year-old husband. When sex appeal doesn’t work, she tries beating him at chess, and when her intellectualism doesn’t do it for him, she resorts to crying and begging. Also, there are Brazilian housekeepers who have an in-depth knowledge, and a healthy fear, of the Cullen family, but somehow manage to not carry crosses and holy water around with them.

Their knowledge comes in handy however, when the plot finally gets moving and we find out that Bella is going to have a demon baby! So naturally, instead of relying on the experience (and advice based in both science and reality) of Doctor Daddy Cullen (Peter Facinelli), Edward insists that the woman who believes he is an evil murderer and gets her ideas from unproven legends is a great source of wisdom.

Despite the patriarchal attempts to control her body and make her decisions for her, Bella decides to skim through some pro-life literature and let the FX guys go to town on her already skinny frame. As she gets weaker and weaker, no one can figure out why her half-vampire baby isn’t thriving in her human body. The Cullen Brain Trust finally gets a clue and realizes what the rest of the audience knew as soon her pregnancy test produced a pink plus sign … Bella is going to need some blood smoothies to nurture her little miracle.

Meanwhile, there is some werewolf stuff going on, which culminates in the big vampire/werewolf fight during “slightly-toned-down-from-the-book birth of the demon baby with a stupid name” scene. Of course, Jacob’s “imprinting” on baby Renesmee is a key scene, but that is an entire thesis all by itself, so please make your own inappropriate relationship jokes here.

Overall, fans will love it, it will make a ton of money, and we can all do this again next year when Part II comes out!

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

It’s been quite a year for the Army Ground Forces Band band. They relocated to Fort Bragg this summer from Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Ga., and hit the ground running. If you were to look at their calen-dar, you would see they spend as much time in the community as they do in their ceremo-nial role for the Army.

This holiday season, the band is teaming up with the Fayetteville Symphonic Band to offer a free concert to on Dec. 15, at Reeves Auditorium on the Methodist University Campus. The public is invited to the free performance. Traditionalists and fans of more contemporary music are in for a treat at the holiday concert, and can expect to hear a wide range of musical styles.

The Army Ground Forces Band has 64 musicians in its ranks and various ensembles that perform approximately 300 concerts a year.

The Fayetteville Symphonic Band is 70 members strong and pulls its mem-bership from Methodist University students as well as area professionals, edu-cators and students from the Cape Fear region.

Army Ground Forces Commander/Conductor Treg Ancelet is looking for-ward to the performance and getting to know the community a little better. “This is a joint effort, and we are really looking forward to it. The night will be filled with music all the way through,” said Ancelet.

The brass ensemble performs before the concert, to set the mood. Once the concert begins listen for a Boston Pops rendition of Christmas Festival, a performance by the Holiday Dixieland Band as intermission winds down, vocal performances and, of course, everyone’s favorite — the holiday sing-a-long at the end of the concert.

“You can’t have a holiday concert without the sing-a-long,” said Ancelet.

Larry Stevens, public affairs specialist, U.S. Army Forces Command, moved to Fayetteville with the band this spring. Like many former Atlanta resi-dents who now call Fayetteville home, Stevens is impressed by what he’s found here. Fitting into the local arts scene has been an easy transition for the band.

“We’ve really been reaching out to the community,” said Stevens. “We’ve been in contact with the local school system and places like the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County to work on building relationships and becom-ing a part of the lively arts scene that exists here.”

The band played a big part in the Hero’s Homecoming celebration last month performing at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial dedication ceremony, the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center, the Hero’s Homecoming wreath-laying ceremony, the N.C Veterans Day tribute and in the Veterans Day parade.

Local schools are also benefitting from the band’s presence, as are the neighboring communities. Chances are, if you haven’t heard them yet, it won’t be long before they are playing at whatever local events you attend.

A peek at their website, www.forscom.army.mil/band shows the organiza-tion will be participating in tree lightings, local parades and a Wreath’s Across America ceremony this month, too.

“There is such a lively art’s scene here,” said Steven’s. “I haven’t even had time to see much in Raleigh yet because there is always so much going on here.”

The holiday concert is free and open to the public. To get a ticket, send a self addressed, stamped envelope by Dec. 8 to The Army Ground Forces Band, ATTN: Public Affairs, 4700 Knox St., Fort Bragg, NC 28310.

Stevens encourages anyone who misses the Dec. 8 deadline to come to the concert anyhow. “Because this is a free concert, the no-show rate is sometimes high and we would love to be able to fill those seats and have someone be able to enjoy the show.”

Find out more about the concert and the Army Ground Forces Band at www.forscom.army.mil/band/ or by calling 570-7226.

Photo: Staff Sgt. Frank Briscoe, trumpeter for the Army Ground Forces Band.

Christmas is a time for merriment. Our smiles are a bit bigger, our eyes are a bit brighter and our arms are a bit wider this time of year. I am a lover of the holiday season, mainly for the reasons listed above. I’ll admit that I’m one of those who gets wrapped up in the whole “finding the perfect present” hubbub of the season. I get so caught up in finding the perfect pres-ent for friends and family or attending the “it” social gathering of the holidays that, I’ll admit, I sometimes forget what Christmas is really about.

I received an email the other day from a friend that said “Put the CHRIST back in CHRISTmas.” This simple phrase really made me stop to think about trying to expe-rience Christmas on a much simpler level and I encourage you to do the same.

Grab a group of friends and sing car-ols around your neighborhood; take your children to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre; contact a local food kitchen and help pro-vide food for our homeless; visit the Cape Fear Botantical Gardens Festival of Lights; choose an angel or two from the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree; view A Christmas Carol at the Gilbert Theatre or attend a Christmas Eve service at a local church. Christmas shouldn’t be about how much money we spend on each other but about much time we spend with one another and how much time we spend helping one another.

The Fayetteville Young Professionals hope that you’ll consider joining us this holiday season as well as we kick up our heels and enjoy an evening of Christmas Karaoke and dancing during our annual Holiday Social — National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Tacky Sweater Eve on Dec. 15. Dig deep in your closet (or your parents’ clos-ets) and find one of those fun “creative” Christmas sweaters from long ago to dress up our festive evening! Who knows, there may be a visit from Cousin Eddie himself!

FYP will also be accepting $10 dona-tions at the door from our members and guests that will go toward buying presents for several Salvation Army Angel Tree children!

The Holiday Season comes once a year and I hope you’ll join The Fayetteville Young Professionals or whatever organiza-tion, church or friend circle you are a part of, in making this holiday count. After all, the best way to put the CHRIST back in CHRISTmas is by helping your neighbor and appreciating the fortune that we all have been given.

Until 2012... Happy Holidays!If you would like to learn more about FYP, become a member or purchase a mem-bership as a Christmas present for a friend, employee or family member, please visit www.fayyp.org or contact Brandon Plotnick at the FAY-CC Chamber of Commerce: 433-6766.

Photo: The Holiday Season comes once a year and I hope you’ll join The Fayetteville Young Professionals or whatever organization, church or friend circle you are a part of, in making this holiday count.

The stage is set. You enter the theater, clutching the playbill you received upon your arrival. The theater is filled with low chatter as you settle into your seat and read the synopsis and details about the artists. The lights dim, the curtain rises and you sit, enraptured by a live performance at the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre, founded in 1776, or the London Opera House or the Teatro alla Scala — Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Puccini’s La Boheme, the Royal Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet. Only you’ve never left town!

Balletomanes and opera fans can enjoy this world-class ballet and opera experience several times a year at the Carmike Market Fair 15 theater located at 1916 Skibo Rd. in Fayetteville — at a fraction of the cost of airfare, hotel and tickets!

Such a cultural adventure is possible through the unique partnership of Carmike Cinemas with Emerging Pictures and Emerging Cinema, using the digital technology of Microspace to beam live opera and ballet performances by satellite from all over the world. The Ballet in Cinema and Opera in Cinema programs are in their second year at the Market Fair 15, explained Allen McWhorter, general manager of the theater.
“This year we started the second season Sept. 28,” said McWhorter. “We did the opera Faust, and we’ve done a couple of ballets, like Esmeralda with the Bolshoi Ballet in London and the Bolshoi reopening gala on Oct. 28.”

The idea behind hosting the program was a result of the corporate office’s desire to “branch out to offer people something more than just movies.”

“We do a lot of sporting events,” said McWhorter. “Some NCAA championship football games and basketball games, NBA all-star games and a couple of things we’ve shown in 3D. Our company is venturing out, trying to get an extra audience other than just moviegoers.”

Because of the time differences between local time and Europe and Russia, many of the live performances take place in the morning, offering a perfect opportunity for school groups and those who enjoy a mid-day escape to take advantage of the live-theater experience. But no one needs miss out.

“For all the events that we show, we also show an encore performance, sometimes on the same day,” McWhorter said. “So we do a live version, then we show the recorded feed a few hours later on the same day and then we always do an encore performance a week out, usually at 7 p.m. on a Tuesday. All Carmike Cinemas have Stimulus Tuesdays. We offer dollar popcorn and dollar drinks all day, so we just matched the events with that day. It was the slowest day of the year, but now it’s the most popular weekday.”     

Tickets for the events are priced comparably to a performance on the stage — and are a real bargain as opposed to traveling abroad to view them in person! Opera tickets are $25, with a group rate of $21 for 10 or more. The ballets are all $20, $17 for any group of 10 or more. Additionally, the theater is exploring targeted promotions to involve schools and further expand its audience, like a recent two-for-one special rate offered on advance ticket purchases for senior citizens 62 and older and dance school attendees for The Sleeping Beauty ballet presentation, which was presented on Nov. 20.

The upcoming schedule for Opera in Cinema and Ballet in Cinema at the Market Fair 15 includes performances of the classic operas Don Giovanni, La Boheme and Rigoletto and ballets Romeo and Juliet, Le Corsaire and Raymonda. Of course, no holiday season would be complete without The Nutcracker.

“We’re doing The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec.18 at 2:30 p.m.,” McWhorter said. “The encore is on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.”

McWhorter and his staff work hard to enhance the overall experience for the audience, as well promote the programs to the area.

“When people come, we give them a playbill. We talk to them as they come in and try to find out how they heard about us. I definitely ask for their suggestions,” he said.

The Opera in Cinema and Ballet in Cinema websites, www.operaincinema.com and www.balletincinema.com, offer season schedule information and details about the individual presentations. Visitors to the sites may also join other opera and ballet super fans to help spread the word throughout the community about this exciting program that brings performances from some of the greatest ballet and opera houses around the world — right to Fayetteville.

For more information, contact the Market Fair 15 at 868-9791. Tickets may be purchased online at www.carmike.com, www.fandango.com or at the box office.

  At the end of November and during the early part of December, if you happen to run into an unusual number of young athletic men and women in historic downtown Fayetteville, speaking in languages from all over the world, accompanied by equally passionate and interesting people — you should know the Cirque du Soleil is in town! Performing in all the major cities around the world, Quidam, a production by the Cirque du Soleil, is in Fayetteville for eight performances Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 at the Crown Coliseum.

Cirque’s reputation is one of exceptional artistry, special effects, costuming and remarkable acrobats. So, being able to hang out with Jessica Leboeuf, the publicist for Quidam, before it arrived in Fayetteville, was a recent and quite remarkable experience. My task was to experience different facets of the production company before joining 4,000 other people in Washington D.C., who had purchased tickets to see Quidam.
What I learned backstage exudes in the performance. Passionate artists, acrobats, extremely skilled light and sound technicians, performers, high-art clowns, costume designers and choreographers have created a two-hour magical place for people of all ages to enjoy. Quidam is a faraway place where anything is possible — from acts of human strength to sublime human sensitivity; where the every day is quite remarkable and the dream believable.

Before the performance, I watched Banquine, a troupe of mostly Russian and Ukrainian acrobats practice their breath-taking performance — you will easily recognize them on stage as they methodically fling and flip each other through the air, landing on the multiple tiers of a human structure. 

Gabriel Dubé-Dupris, the general stage manager, explains that performances can change night to night due to the practice sessions. He noted, “Performances are organic and can change night to night. All performers have to be feeling 100 percent before they go on stage. Everyone in the troupe and the trainer has to feel their practice session was exactly where it needed to be in order for them to perform. In the interest of safety, we can alter who is performing what for the evening.”

I was able to interview Ana Ostapenko, a young athlete and acrobat from the Ukraine who performs with impeccable balance and amazing strength on the balancing canes. She, like Jessica Leboeuf and Gabriel Dubé-Dupris, exuded the joy and passion of having a career with the Cirque du Soleil.

The production company includes a traveling team that plans and carries out the logistics of the production. Then there is the training, practicing and performances that last 10 weeks. After that rigorous time on the road, the performers return home or take a vacation for two weeks — then they hit the road again.

For Cirque to come to Fayetteville, a lot of work is involved. The production company travels with a chef, all the sets, lights, costumes, weight-training equipment, technicians, washers and dryers and whatever else is needed to rebuild the set, scaffold, light and sound for the performers to begin practicing again.

The arch overhead in Quidam is moved and installed in each location. It is constructed of five all-aluminum rails for an overall length of 120 feet. Each rail of the arch houses two trolleys that run from one end of the structure to the other. One is used to transport performers and acrobatic equipment and the other raises or lowers them to the appropriate height and position for the particular act. The stage floor alone has more than 200,000 perforations to create special effects with the lighting.

Quidam is dramatic from the opening performance to the finale. The story begins with a young girl named Zoé who is bored; her parents seem distant and are ignoring her. Her life is forever changed as she opens the door to the “nameless passerby.” From that moment on, Zoé and everyone in the audience experiences the possibilities of the imagination and the idea that anything is possible!

From aerial acrobats to high-art clowns, the performance is multi-centered and layered, always shifting from the poetic and graceful to the seemingly impossible. A door opens on top of the stage with something humorous and unexpected; then, with an ease of transition, Jerome Le Baut and Asa Kuniak do a routine of sheer artistry and strength as they lift, carry and become entwined with each other as one. In the end, each performance lends itself to be interpreted by all the members of the audience.

During the performance, I heard the gasps of people in the audience as the acrobats did unbelievable feats of balance and strength; I found myself in awe at the talent and strength of the athletes. As well, I could hear the laughter of small children who found the silliest and simplest of things very funny. So funny, they would laugh out loud without hesitation, yet remain quiet as a mouse when anything dangerous was being performed above their heads or on stage.

Even the joy of skipping rope becomes artful in Quidam. What begins as two solo performances of jumping rope builds to more complicated rope jumping. As the rope beats time, the performance has been choreographed into an ever increasing manipulation of skill, rhythm and sound by 20 acrobats.

A gymnastic exercise, the German Wheel performance by Cory Sylvester, in the first act is unforgettable. Sylvester becomes a human spoke as he spins, turns, twists and maneuvers in an eight foot wheel on the stage. In his performance, Sylvester performs gravity-defying acrobatics.

There is always something happening on stage and above stage. Something is being lifted, lowered, swinging or hanging in the air. In Quidam, the Spanish web is an aerial group act. Artists fly over the stage, then drop into stillness, stopped only by the ropes around their waists or ankles. I just kept thinking “Don’t they need a net?”

For me, Quidam was a symbolic mix of dark and light, depth and surface, slap-stick and the dramatic. The production is a synthesis of traditional performance styles from around the world. We are each drawn into the performance with the music, lighting, costumes, the strength of the acrobats and the mystery of the story. In the end, it is a roller coaster ride of the unexpected and imagined seamlessly choreographed to become believable.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.atthecrown.com.

The holidays are about family, taking time to enjoy the simple things in life and remembering slower, sweeter times. There are many who have a hard time making that happen. It’s more about over-extended budgets, over-filled calendars, frenzied baking marathons and last-minute shopping.

It wasn’t always that way though. There was a time when the holidays were much less expensive and more family-centric. On Dec.4, at the Museum of the Cape Fear, peek into the past at the Holiday Jubilee and see what the holidays were like in Fayetteville during the Victorian era.

From 1-5 p.m. visitors are invited to a fun-filled day including musical concerts from acapella group Oakwood Waits, performances by A Fairy Tale Affair, ornament making and cooking in the Poe House kitchen.
See the Poe House adorned in period fashion with early 20th century accents and activities at every turn. It’s a different kind of hustle and bustle here — one that soothes the soul and calms the nerves, and even rejuvenates the spirit.

So take a moment, sit a spell on the porch and listen to the harmony of Oakwood Waits as they perform melodies that call back to an earlier time.

“Oakwood Waits is a wonderful singing group out of Raleigh,” said Leisa Greathouse, curator of education at the Museum of the Cape Fear. “One of the exciting things about having them here is that not only are they great performers, but they will be having meet and greets in between performances so people will have a chance to talk to them about their music.”
Dressed in red and green ball gowns, Princess Emily and Princess Anna of A Fairy Tale Affairs, will perform 13 traditional carols incorporated into a Christmas production. This is sure to captivate the youngest visitors and ignite their Christmas spirit.

“We’ll also have a crafting area where children can come and make what are called scrap ornaments,” said Greathouse. “They are called scrap ornaments because children used to cut pictures out of magazines and things like that and make these out of scrap paper.”

An addition to the annual celebration, this year the local doll clubs are involved. They are providing their expertise and even more significantly, access to their prized doll collections, which are part of the decorations in the parlor. These doll clubs have a national membership with the United Federation of Doll Clubs, Inc. A large variety of dolls and toys representing the early 1900s will indeed make the parlor “all dolled up.”

“The collections that these collectors have are amazing,” said Greathouse. “They represent many different countries and cultures and are representative of the kind of toys children had in the early 1900s. This is a very unique opportunity to share their passion with the public while educating them as well.”

Admission is free. Find out more by calling 486-1330 or visiting www.museumofthecapefear.com.

To hear Don Hudson tell it, there are two things North Carolina is known for —pottery and wine — and he is looking to bring the best of both to the Second Annual Sanford Pottery Festival Christmas Show and Wine Tasting Event. Don’t misunderstand. This isn’t Hudson’s first rodeo, or pottery show, if you will. He’s been participating in pottery festivals, as well as organizing and running them, for years. In fact, there is a Sanford Pottery Festival every spring. It’s the largest one in the state, and he has serious ties to the oldest pottery festival in the state, the Seagrove Pottery Festival. So, if you’ve been to either one and enjoyed it, you’ve already had a taste of the high-quality offerings to be had and won’t want to miss this one either.

Held on Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4, the Sanford Pottery Festival Christmas Show and Wine Tasting Event is set to include some of the area’s fi nest potters, including several from the Seagrove Area (of which Sanford is a part). Look about 45 oversized booths selling pottery and everything from artisan chocolates, woodwork, leather and purses to accent clothing, gourmet items, jewelry and more. And that’s before you get to the wine tasting event.

With 14 vineyards representing, Hudson promises everything from sweet muscadine wines to the more robust European varieties.

“We see this as an opportunity to promote North Carolina pottery and wines nationally, and throughout the military community,” said Hudson. “We’ve had military folks tell us over and over how they enjoy exploring the local culture. There is nothing more local than pottery and we’ve got some of the fi nest potters in the world here.”

With the holidays just around the corner, there’s no reason a person can’t serve a holiday meal on a piece of genuine North Carolina pottery with a glass of top-notch locally grown wine. Friends and family will be coming to visit from out of town. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to hand them a one-of-a-kind piece of handcrafted pottery or a bottle of wine that they won’t be able to get anywhere else in the world?

In addition to showcasing the best of what the local culture has to offer, Hudson is seeking to build a long-term relationship with the military, but fi rst he wants to show them why it is worth their while to investigate what the area has to offer. To show he’s sincere, anyone with a military ID (plus one guest) gets in to the festival free — both days. “I’ve been to events that have military appreciation and they’d give something like $2 off on Sundays. I just thought that was really chintzy,” said Hudson. “If you are going to appreciate the military, appreciate them!”

Admission to the event costs just $5 (except for military ID cardholders and children under 14; they get in free). The wine tasting costs $10 and is only for adults 21 and over. There are no discounts for the wine-tasting, although Hudson promises it will be worth your money. Wines will be available for sale by the glass, bottle and case as well.

Hours are from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center at 1801 Nash St. in Sanford. Find out more at www.sanfordpottery.org.

  Trey Taylor (12) and Caleb Fulton (11) are brothers. They were first introduced to pottery in 2003 when their father, Lewis Fulton, worked at D. K. Clay. Growing up around one of the largest pottery studios in NC was, for them, like a child being turned loose in a candy shop. Various potters are helping them develop a line of pottery to do on their own, working with clay slabs, fused glass and imagination. Their grandmothers want them to grow up to love the Lord, work hard and save money for cars and college. They want to buy clothes, sneakers and video games. A happy medium is being sought. To inquire about their work contact: donhudson@windstream.com.

Photo top right: Phil Morgan hard at work.

Photos above left and right: Trey and Caleb with Phil Morgan and Don Hudson and working in the studio

Cover and Story photos courtesy of Ben Albright.

Tucked away in downtown Fayetteville, above the restaurants and shops, awaits a side of downtown culture that many never see — except once each year during the annual Candlelight Loft Tours.

Every December, for one night only, a smattering of Fayetteville’s downtown residents open their homes to the public and offer tours of their residences perched above the streets of downtown.

On Dec. 11 from 5-8 p.m., spend $10 on a ticket and start a new tradition (or continue an old one) and take the self-guided candlelight loft tour.

Like their owners, the downtown lofts are fun and unique, each refl ecting the style and tastes of the residents. Some are quirky, some sophisticated, some modern, some traditional. All are original — from the fl oor plans to the décor — they add to the flavor and personality of downtown.

“Some of these lofts are really amazing,” said Leslie Saenz, event coordinator. “Once you step inside them it is hard to believe that you are right in downtown Fayetteville … some of these lofts are like something from another place and time. It is very exciting.”

So far, Saenz counts between five and seven lofts on the tour, but plans are still being finalized and the number may change before the big day arrives. Something Saenz finds interesting is the scope of lofts that will be on the tour.

“We have several that are in the 300 Block of Hay Street. One is above an antique shop,” she said. “They are just so original and different that it is hard to single out one or two as a favorite. They all bring something to the tour.”

While loft-tour fans look forward to this event each year, the event sponsor, the Downtown Alliance, is looking to add something unique and fun for the participants. Sure touring the eclectic properties is fun, but they are adding a twist this year. While the organizers are reluctant to pick one loft over the rest as the clear favorite, they are encouraging attendees to do just that.

Each person who takes the tour will get to fill out a survey gathering their opinions about the tour. At the end of the candlelit adventure, surveys are collected and entered into a drawing.

“The prize for the drawing has wonderful items in it that have been donated from downtown merchants,” said Saenz. “Our downtown merchants are very generous. The winner can expect to get some wonderful goodies.”

The tour is self-guided and self-paced making it a perfect event for enjoying more than just the living spaces downtown. There are several new restaurants downtown to try. Saenz suggests enjoying more than one of the downtown attractions — dinner, loft tour, followed by a cup of coffee, a movie or a night cap before heading home. There is plenty to see and do downtown, why not make a night of it?

Tickets are available Rude Awakening, So Chic Bebe, City Center Gallery and Books and The Pilgrim. The night of the event tickets can be purchased at the Downtown Alliance office on Hay Street. Call the Downtown Alliance at 222-FDTA (3382) for more information.

Let us contemplate the fl eeting nature of power. Case in point — Italy. I will miss Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian Prime Minister. Silvio loved wine, women and deficit spending. He was a major party animal. Because the Euro was going to heck in a hand basket, the Italians dumped Silvio. The B-man was as colorful as an explosion in a Paas Easter Egg dye plant. The guy rocked. The Italians replaced him with Mario Monti, a boring dignified financial technocrat dude who is the spitting image of Mr. Peanut.

Many moons ago as a Boy Scout, I went to Camp Durant, a Scout camp in northern Raleigh, every summer. You had to pass the Planter’s Peanut store to get there. The store had a guy dressed up in full Mr. Peanut garb dancing on the side of the road. Mr. Peanut waved to you as you rode by. This naturally set off a chorus of “Please stop at the peanut store!” from the Scouts in the back seat. Mr. Peanut is a dapper legume, sporting a top hat, fancy walking cane and a monocle. The new Italian premier looks just like Mr. Peanut without the personality. The Italians are still playing a shell game with the Euro.

I lost track of Mr. Peanut over the years. The last I heard, Mr. Peanut had moved to the Gray Havens Retirement Home in Lakeland, Fla., where he was living with his long-time companion Bilbo Baggins and their aging blind pet, Tony the Tiger. Frankly, I thought Mr. Peanut had passed away. I was overjoyed to see Mr. Peanut pulled out of retirement to become the Prime Minister of Italy.

Once again, as Mr. Rogers would say, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.” We truly live in the best of all possible worlds. There is so much fascinating stuff going on right now. I identify with my favorite Republican Presidential Candidate, Herman Cain, who told the TV cameras after fl ubbing a Libya question, that he has all sorts of things “Whirling around in my mind.” Don’t we all have stuff whirling around in our minds? The Herminator has it all: lots of ladies who adore him and a new found knowledge that the Red Chinese have had nuclear weapons for about 50 years. That’s a lot to keep up with. No wonder Herman had some issues with deciding whether he agreed with President Obi’s action in “that Libya.” The Herminator’s policy pronouncements should have taken some of the heat off poor Rick Perry, but they just haven’t helped our Texas friend.

As Frank Costanza said, all this Republican colorfulness has resulted in the road kill formerly known as Newt Gingrich “rising like a Phoenix from Arizona” into a tie with Mitt Romney for the Republican Presidential nomination. The Newt is back, baby! Mitt is still steady as he goes, but the Newtron bomb is trying to replace him at the top of the Republican heap. All of these Republican debates are like MacBeth said, “full of sound and fury, a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing.” The debates don’t matter. Their campaigns don’t matter. It’s Mitt’s turn to be the nominee. The Republicans always choose the guy whose turn it is to be the nominee. On that you can rely.

Mitt is going to be there like it or not. But the once beloved Joe Paterno is gone. The Penn State fans in Unhappy Valley rioted on behalf of a guy who apparently knew about child abuse for almost 10 years. Some might think it odd to rally behind a cover up of child sexual abuse, but Jo Pa was King. As we all know, the King can do no wrong. It’s called the doctrine of Sovereign Impunity. The mess that is the Penn State football empire is hideous.

Enough about Jo Pa’s troubles. He has strutted and fretted his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. Let us instead close with a touching poem about a suicidal peanut:

“A peanut lay upon a railroad track

His heart was all aflutter

A train came down the railroad track

Toot, toot

Peanut butter.”

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (Rated R) Three Stars

While I loved Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle for its ability to challenge stereotypes, I thought Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay was an ill-considered disaster. A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (90 minutes) falls some-where in between. While I am sure there are callbacks to both movies, I only really picked up on the references back to Famous Original and Far Superior Harold and Kumar. For example, half-way through the film they go to WhiteCastle! Which reminds me that we need a White Castle in Fayetteville. Krystal Burgers just aren’t the same.

It is strange that the overall quality of the films is so variable, since the main players are the same, and writing partners Hurwitz and Schlossberg scripted all three movies. I think we can chalk the difference up to directing … the first film was helmed by Danny Leiner, while the second was co-directed by the co-writers. Todd Strauss-Schulson takes the reins on the latest film, so at least the writers realize they were lousy directors.

A very scrofulous Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) visits Santa (Patton Oswalt, currently stinking up the small screen on Adult Swim’s The Heart, She Holler). In the scene that follows, the directing apparently consist-ed of telling Kumar and Santa to get high and act stupid. Mission accomplished.

The scene shifts to a clearly successful Harold (John Cho). His assistant Kenneth (the extremely irritating Bobby Lee) has picked up a 3D television for Harold’s father-in-law, which they parlay into some self-referential 3D humor. In a scene that is either a really cool coincidence or a very last minute add (or maybe I completely misunderstand the timeline of movie creation), angry protestors oc-cupy a New York street with class warfare signs. Then they throw eggs at Kenneth, showcasing the only way that 3D should ever be used (to throw things and have them appear to come straight at the audience).

Luckily, Harold manages to escape most of the barrage. His new friend Todd (Thomas Lennon) is waiting to pick him up and take him back to his lovely wife in suburbia (Paula Garcés). Harold arrives home in time to learn that in addition to his father-in-law (Danny Trejo), the rest of Maria’s extended family is also planning to visit. Many stereotypes and several references to a big party follow. At least we get to see Trejo wearing a Christmas sweater!

Back at Kal’s lonely apartment, a package for Harold ar-rives, and (SPOILER ALERT) Kumar learns he is expecting a package of this own. Kumar decides to drop off the mystery gift at Harold’s before heading to a party with his new friend (Amir Blumenfeld). Of course, the moment these two share a scene hijinks ensue, pushing them into the quest that will drive the rest of the movie.

At first Harold and Kumar are accompanied by their bud-dies and Todd’s daughter (Isabella Gelniak). Later, the bud-dies get their own subplot involving Elias Koteas, and Saint Neil Patrick Harris shows up to make the film better and to give Kumar a Wafflebot for Christmas. Arguably, it was his turn in the first film that turned him into the cultural icon he is today, so it is nice to see him here. As is a must for Christmas comedies, the real Santa Claus (Richard Riehle) makes a cameo. Plus, midway through the film there is a fantastic Claymation sequence.

Overall, Harold and Kumar is a film using a quest as a platform for potty humor and drug jokes while showcasing the best use of 3D since Friday the 13th Part III. If nothing else, it will make you laugh.

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

Free Web Conference Helps Caregivers Tune into Trouble

It’s easy for busy family caregivers to overlook the subtle signs that a senior loved one needs assistance. But the holidays, when many return to their childhood homes with aging parents, can highlight those red flags.

Signs of potential trouble can be evident in a senior’s home — such as spoiled food in the refrigerator and piles of unpaid bills — or personal indicators such as episodes of confusion or dirty and unkempt clothing.

Here’s what several noted national caregiving experts had to say about the issue:

Gail Hunt, the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, said: “If you’re a long-distance caregiver, perhaps you haven’t seen your loved one in a while. You may notice some real differences since a few months ago. The hometown caregivers might not see the signs because they’re so busy and the changes are so subtle.”

Countering senior resistance to assistance can be a challenge, added President and CEO of the National Family Caregivers Association Suzanne Mintz. “Family caregivers must recognize that their parents are adults and – unless there are cognitive or emotional problems – they can make their own decisions. We do not and should not become our parents’ parents. We must remember we will always be their children.”

You can learn more about those signs by registering for the free Home for the Holidays web conference, moderated by a representative from the Home Instead Senior Care® network. The event will be hosted by the American Society on Aging, and co-sponsored by the National Family Caregivers Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving.

The hour-long web conference will be available in the U.S. and Canada: Monday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Register by going to www.caregiverstress.com/familyeducation.

The web conference will be moderated by Director of Strategic Alliances Mary Alexander of Home Instead, Inc., the franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care® network. Alexander is a family caregiver and a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA).

Featured will be information about countering senior resistance to assistance as well as resources that can help family caregivers and senior care professionals.

Following are 10 signs that a senior might need more help at home:

1. A change in appearance or condition of the home. If Mom never cared much about her house, the fact that it’s a little messier than usual might not indicate a problem. However, if the house was always spotless and decked out for the holidays, a messy home might mean trouble is brewing.

2. Clutter. Piles of magazines or clothing could be an indicator that an older adult needs more help.

3. Dirty or unkempt clothing. Lack of interest in appearance can be a sign of depression in a senior.

4. Unpaid bills. A pile of unpaid bills or correspondence is an alarm-ing sign that could require a family caregiver to intervene immediately in the best interest of a loved one.

5. Fresh food replaced with junk food. A senior who loses interest in cooking sometimes resorts to junk food.

6. Spoiled food in the fridge or freezer. Spoiled food could be an early sign that a senior no longer has an appetite and is not eating prop-erly.

7. Bugs or rodents in the home. An older adult who no longer can clean a home properly may be vulnerable to bugs and rodents.

8. Confusion. Disorientation could be a sign of dementia, a problem with a medication or another medical issue that needs to be assessed by a doctor.

9. Unfilled prescriptions. Seniors could be forgetting to take their medications or cannot afford to refill them.
10. Spills on floors and countertops.

Older adults with mobility problems may no longer be able to clean up spills, reach high places to dust and change light bulbs, and bend under beds to take care of messes.Older adults often need help year-round, not just during the holidays. Professional caregivers are ready to assist with a variety of services including companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medi-cation reminders, running errands and shopping.

Photo: The hour-long web con-ference will be available in the U.S. and Canada.