There is so much going on at the Crown Center these days that it can be hard to keep it all straight.

With the Cumberland County Agricultural Fair in town, there are even more opportunities for fun and entertainment. You’ll get more than just rides and exhibits there — there are concerts and other events you won’t want to miss, too.

On Sept. 25 come check out the Invitational Step Show.

“The Cumberland County Agricultural Fair “Invitational Stepshow” is a great opportunity to come out and support local elementary, middle and high schools compete to qualify for the North Carolina Championship Stepshow,” said Crown Center Marketing Director Janine Lewis.

Kids of all ages will be performing and strutting their stuff for the audience as they compete to win cash and prizes. The event starts at 5 p.m. and costs $9 at the door.

Another “can’t miss” event — the country music sensation, husband and wife duo, Joey and Rory will be performing with Guy Penrod, former lead singer from the Gaithers on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

“The Crown Center and WKML are proud to present the husband and wife country duet, Joey & Rory, winners of the 2010 Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Vocal Duo, during the 2010 Cumberland County Agricultural Fair,” said Lewis.

Joey and Rory got their start on CMT’s hit series Can You Duet in 2008 and quickly became favorites on the show, building a strong fan base that continues to give them success in the country music world. Their music has a classic country sound that is big on harmony and traditional country sounds.

Their version of “Cheater Cheater” was met with wild enthusiasm and went on to become an Internet sensation. “The Life of a Song” was another fan favorite.

The couple is excited about their visit to the fair.

“We are super excited about it,” said Joey. “We are going to sing some songs off our new record, some off our our old record and some songs off the top of our head.” Fame wasn’t something they expected. “We didn’t really ever expect to go on a TV show and to be a singing duo traveling the country and singing country music together,” continued Joey. “We never saw any of that stuff coming, but we are so thankful that it did. We are really thankful that we get the opportunity to be doing this together. We work so well together; we are best friends already and it just makes sense for us to share in this. It also brings a different kind of atmosphere to the stage by us being a married couple. It is like our life is unfolding in front of you. We are sharing a piece of our life and our relationship through stories and song and music.”

For Rory, who has written a lot of well-known songs for other artists, their big break brought his wife, Joey into the spotlight.

“I’ve been a song writer for a long time and my wife has been here at home supporting me and my goals. I’ve been very blessed that she has been sitting in the sidelines for all that time. But while we were doing that she would sing at the kitchen table, and I was well aware of her dreams. She is so talented. We always believed and hoped that someday she would have a chance to be out there performing for people, and now it is here. My favorite part of singing together is that I get to be there as the whole world discovers how great she is.”

Penrod spent 14 years as lead singer with the Gaither Vocal Band before pursuing a solo career. His first solo album, Breathe Deep is meant to bring a new perspective to country music’s best attributes while focusing on his deep roots in faith and family. Fans of the Gaither Vocal Band are sure to enjoy seeing this musical icon on the stage again. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Crown Center Box Offi ce or by calling (800) 745-3000.

Last spring I watched The Long Way Round box set. This DVD set is a mini-series by the BBC featuring actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman riding around the world from England to New York. They were riding dual sport or what some people call adventure riding. It gave me an appreciation for a new type of riding and made me realize the world is a big a place with lots of places that I have not explored. I wanted something that would push me and to experience something new on my bike. I found it at the annual Miller’s Adventure.

This years’ Miller’s Adventure is Sept. 18 & 19 at Steel Creek Campground in Morganton, NC. The event is challenging and requires a streelegal dirt or dual-sport bike. The event navigates you on- and off-road zig zagging across the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail through North Carolina and Tennessee. The event is hosted by Ron Miller. He does not give out the route until you get there and receive your “roll chart” directions.

Roll chart are not maps but rather give you distances and turning instructions as you proceed from one point to another. The charts give you distances and turn information (right or left). This method forces you to navigate from start to finish. As I arrived at the event last year, I met up with Rick Lee and we decided to ride together. We took turns on navigational duties with one leading and the other double checking our progress. At each stop we would stop a moment to make sure we was on course. Last year’s trip took us about 120 miles the first day and 100 miles the second.

To prepare for the event I emailed Ron for some advice to see what I was getting into. I asked questions like what experience level do I need, what tires I should have, what equipment I should bring, etc. He was very nice and gave me very detailed suggestions including where to stay.

The event was attended by all ages, even a few in their late 60s. As we rode, Rick was giving me pointers along the way but I was having so much sensory overload with everything going on that I just wasn’t getting what he was saying. It wasn’t until that night while talking with Rick and other riders that I started my education. I say started because I am still learning. With a vast variety of experience present, I was in listening mode to hear advice on such things as tire pressure, body position, weight distribution and equipment needed for dual-sport riding. With so many different bikes and configurations there was only one common detonator I could find. That was the rider and the rider’s experience.

The next day I lowered my tire pressure, changed my riding position, lightened my load and was more mindful of my bike. I truly had to become one with the bike and started focusing on technique (more to follow on this subject).

After the event I was hooked. Up until that point, I had not had that much adrenal pumping in my veins since my jumping days. I felt more alive with every mile I traveled. If you are looking for something new and want to enjoy a challenge and the mountains you can contact Mr. Ron Miller at millerron@ bellsouth.net.

If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, please send your comments and suggestions to motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

(Photo) Miller’s Adventure at Steel Creek Campground in Morganton., NC offers a challenging, but good time.

 

 

(Photo) Miller’s Adventure at Steel Creek Campground in Morganton., NC offers a challenging, but good time.

The Cape Fear Regional Theatre has been celebrating imagination for almost 50 years. What better way for the theatre to begin its 49th season than by staging a musical that is all about the celebration of imagination? And, according to Kappy Kilburn, the director of the show, that’s what The Putnam County Spelling Bee is all about.

“During this run, we are going to ask the audience to play along with us,” said Kilburn, a Los Angeles-based director who is working with the theatre for the fi rst time. “We are going to ask them to not sit back in their chairs and watch. There is going to be some audience participation, and we are going to ask them to let their imaginations run free with us during the show.”

As its title suggests, the musical is about a spelling bee in, you guessed it, Putnam County. Held in the local school gym, the spelling bee brings 10 competitors together to test their spelling abilities. Six of those spellers are cast members, while four of the spellers will be a mix of “celebrity” spellers and members of the audience.

“It is a musical about kids being kids and growing up and finding who they are and who they want to be during a spelling bee competition,” continued Kilburn.

“It is a wacky, very eclectic mix of kids between the ages of 10 and 11 years old,” she explained. “It’s that crazy period when their bodies shoot up eight inches and their hormones kick in. It’s that time when you really need your mom’s guidance, but she’s off at an ashram for nine months trying to fi nd herself, and you have to fi gure life out for yourself.”

Kilburn calls the production “the most fun, best music I’ve heard in a while.” She added that there are a couple of ballads, and some really rocking numbers coupled with a lot of dancing and goofi ng off in the school gymnasium. The song “Pandemonium” lives up to its title, she added. “That’s where it all breaks loose.”

Just as this is Kilburn’s fi rst visit to the CFRT stage, it’s also her fi rst production of The Putnam County Spelling Bee.

“I saw the show in LA when the Broadway cast stepped into the tour for a few weeks and loved it,” she said.

While Fayetteville won’t get the Broadway cast, Kilburn says the CFRT cast is not too shabby.

“This is the most brilliant cast. They have been phenomenal to work with, and have been absolutely wonderful and welcoming to an LA outsider coming in,” she said.

While Kilburn may have lived in LA for the past 16 years, she is a southern girl at heart.

“My mother is from Atlanta, Ga., and my brother lives in Wilmington, N.C. My parents retired to the Washington, D.C., area, so I know about the south,” she said. “Coming to Fayetteville was a little bit of a culture shock, but in a good way. It is so much better here. There is a family environment — a graciousness that you don’t see in Los Angeles.

Part of that graciousness will be on display by community notables and audience members who elect to participate in the spelling bee with the cast.

“At each performance there will be four guest spellers that will join our regular six spelling bee contestants,” she said. “We have been pre-scheduling some notable Fayettevillians to join us, but we will also be plucking some unsuspecting people from the audience to play along with us.”

If you are interested in being a part of the cast, you can sign up in the lobby before the show starts.

“They don’t have to worry,” said Kilburn. “They are not going to have to dance or sing, just spell. We will coach them through it. It’s all about having fun with us.”

Kilburn said audience members should leave the show feeling uplifted.

“It is very a very uplifting show. It’s a way of us remembering the joy of us being kids. It’s about our fearlessness in the midst of our confusion in discoving who we are and what we are doing.”

If a speller is eliminated, it’s because they have taken a step forward in discovering who they are. So it’s always fun. I believe that we only grow old when we stop dreaming and this show is a nice reminder of that ideal,” she said.

The show opens Thursday, Sept. 23 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 10. For pricing and show times, visit the website at www. cfrt.org. To purchase tickets, call 323-4233.

4th Friday is always a good time, but this month it is going to be extra special. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County has plenty going on as they kick off the International Folk Festival.

“We will host the opening of our Cultural Expressions exhibit on the evening of 4th Friday,” said Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Marketing Manager Mary Kinney.

The exhibit is made up of pieces created by the different cultural groups participating in the International Folk Festival. The call for art included everything from 2D art to sculpture and mixed media.

Several artists will be demonstrating their skills as well.

Participating artists will showcase jewelry design and creation, painting, loom weaving, stenciling and more — including a live performance by Ghanian pop singer Ofori Amponsah.

“He will perform at Friday evenings festivities as well as on the Rainbow stage on Saturday,” said Kinney. “The Arts Council events are really enhanced this month in celebration of the International Folk Festival.”

The downtown shops and galleries will be open late in anticipation of the crowds that routinely fi ll the streets on the fourth Friday of every month. If you are near the Market House check out the Art Guild’s juried exhibition Contemporary Compositions featuring the work of N.C. artists created in 2-D and 3-D including photography, jewelry, pottery and more.

The Cotton Exchange Express will be giving free train rides for kids and their parents. Don’t forget, there is lots of great shopping inside the Cotton Exchange after the train ride!

Sharpen your Ninja skills at Fascinate-U. The Bite Training Center will be doing some martial arts demonstrations and teaching some cool moves, too. It’s free.

At the n2 gallery space at 106 Hay St., Pulitzer Prize-nominated photojournalist Chris Hondros’ works will bedisplayed. The exhibit is entitled “The Current Wars: Images from Iraq and Afghanistan, 2001-2010.”

Hondros has traveled frequently to both countries since 2001 and is one of America’s leading war photographers. His work captures the brutal realities of war as well as the beauty and serenity that can sometimes be found in the more quiet moments in the lives of the soldiers and natives facing such horrors.

“This exhibit really looks at the wars in a very personal, intimate way. I don’t pull any punches on this. Any war is brutal .The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have their share of brutality and some of that is included in the show,” said Hondros. “There are also lighter moments that people might not expect — things that I think are often missing in the coverage of Iraq and Afghanistan — the normal moments of life in these places. Life does go on under any conditions and there is more day to day normalcy in life there than people sometimes realize.”

You may have noticed painters around town last month during the Cape Fear Studios paint out days. The artists captured scenes from around town and will be exhibiting their works in the Plein Air Show through October 20th.

The Headquarters Library always has something interesting going on and 4th Friday is no different. It is hosting a panel discussion with Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants from Fayetteville State University. There will be visiting scholars from China, Kenya, Nigeria and Kuwait talking about their life experiences and what America means to them. A question and answer session will follow.

“We’ve got some really big events planned this month,” said Kinney. “There is plenty going on downtown for the public to enjoy.”

To find out more, visit www. theartscouncil.com or call 323- 1776.

(Photo top left) July 4th Friday Cotton Exchange train entertains the crowd.

(Photo right)  A photo of General Petraeus taken before the surge of 2007. Taken by Chris Hondros.

 

Every day, from the moment our feet hit the floor in the morning, we take steps and make moves toward goals. Sometimes these goals are minor. We move towards the post offi ce, the grocery store, towards the laundromat. Other times they are larger, more substantial goals, towards a higher education, a spiritual awakening, a closer relationship with someone we care about. And sometimes the steps that we take can help change the lives of our family, friends or someone we have never even met.

On Sunday, Sept. 19, the community of Fayetteville has an opportunity to progress towards a common goal in The Walk for Lupus, taking place in beautiful Festival Park. This is a great opportunity to get out and show your support for people suffering from this terrible disease, raise money for education and research, and show the 45,000 residents in North Carolina who struggle with this syndrome that they are not alone.

Lupus is a chronic and potentially life threatening autoimmune disease. No cure is in sight and the effects can be devastating, not only for the people suffering but for their friends and families as well. Lynn Rogers, who was diagnosed in 2002, says that having Lupus has drastically changed her life. She has become more health conscious, more aware of the need of others when they become ill and has learned to closely follow the guidance of her physicians. Most importantly, she has learned not to take the simple things in life for granted.

To the walkers, she sends her appreciation. “What they’re doing to raise money for Lupus sufferers is amazing and so selfl ess. Every dollar, every donation, every step is appreciated. It’s amazing what people will do in support of their friends and families, as well as strangers.”

Her daughter, Taleah Grimmage, is standing nearby and chimes in “I think it’s important for the community to show our support for other Lupus sufferers, even if it doesn’t personally affect them. I first started walking when my mother was newly diagnosed, and although she’s doing better now, (Lynn received a replacement kidney in 2004), I know that there are others just like her that still need our help.”

There are two different walks, for all types of physical ability levels. A one mile mini walk around historic downtown Fayetteville or a 5k stroll around the beautiful streets that surround it. If you are not able to physically walk, you can still participate with a Virtual Walker, where you can set up a personalized page to raise money and win prizes.

To find out more visit http://walkforlupusnow.kintera.org/faf/ home/default.asp?ievent=419941.

It is that time of year … (slightly) cooler weather, shorter days, back to school, and the county fair.

The folks at the Crown Center Coliseum Complex are hard at work preparing for the more than 45,000 visitors who come out each year to check out the exhibits, contests, rides and of course the food.

This is the 20th annual Cumberland County Agricultural Fair, and it is scheduled to run from Sept. 16 to Sept. 26. There is a lot going on this year so mark your calendar — you may want to make more than one trip just so you can take in as much of the fun as you can.

Cumberland County Livestock Association, the Cumberland County School System, the Cooperative Extension Service, the local Farm Bureau and several other business and media representatives, along with other volunteers who just have the love for a county fair in their hearts, started working on this year’s fair as soon as last year’s adventure ended.

All of the favorites will be there — the rides, the fair food (think funnel cakes, cotton candy, candy apples and more), the games, the exhibits and competitions.

“I’d like people to know how hard the committee has been working all year long on planning the fair,” said Event Coordinator Hubert Bullard. “There is a ton of entertainment and special attractions — all free once you get into the fair (except the concerts). We have the largest interactive petting zoo in the state, and that includes the state fair. We have several new things this year — the trout fi shing pond is new. Folks can fi sh till they catch a trout. The Star Family Circus is new this year too.”

There are some pretty amazing events lined up too that you won’t want to miss. This year’s event, according to Bullard, features two nights of motor cross racing, professional wrestling, two nights of professional bull riding and each night is full of entertainment showcasing the talents of local singers, dancers and karate groups.

Don’t miss the livestock shows and demonstrations and a sanctioned poultry show. The Cape Fear Cheerleading Championships and the Cumberland County Fair Step Off competition will also be held during the fair.

WKML is working with event organizers to host a country concert that will feature Guy Penrod, the former lead singer for the Gaither Vocal Band, and Joey and Roy, an act that is gaining popularity in the country music scene.

Daily entertainment will include Star Family Circus, Eudora Farms, helicopter rides, trout fi shing — catch & release, bumblebee monster truck rides, chain saw carving demonstrations, toddler driving school and camel and pony rides.

Special events will include Hispanic Day (Sept. 18), Senior Day (Sept. 24) along with Motorcross Weekend (Sept. 17 - 18), Diaper Derby and Parent Olympics (Sept.18), Fair Queens Pageant (Sept. 18), Ring Wars Carolina Professional Wrestling (Sept. 21), Cape Fear Cheerleading Contest (Sept. 16), Cumberland County Invitational Step Show (Sept. 25) and bull riding championships (Sept. 19 & 25).

“We change up our entertainment and add new things every year,” said Bullard. “We also have a number of live stock shows and hundreds of livestock exhibits, too.”

Honestly, there really is something for everyone at the fair, and Bullard and the other fair organizers look forward to seeing their efforts pay off once the fair opens and the crowds start pouring in.

“My favorite thing is seeing folks have a good time — especially the children.” said Bullard. “To see their smiling faces and know that people leave the fair with a warm fuzzy feeling — then we’ve achieved our mission.”

They are even making it easier than ever to avoid the crowds at the gates by offering advance ticket sales to the public. The $20 entry fee includes admission, unlimited rides and more than $25 in coupons for free food and drinks at the fair.

Tickets can be purchased until close of business on the day before the fair begins at local ticket outlets around the city and county and at the Crown Coliseum box offi ce. For the first time this year, tickets can also be purchased from Ticketmaster. Call 438-4100 for additional information. Look for special discount days too. Students get in free on Sept. 22, the military (and military family members) get a discount on Sept. 21 and on the last day of the fair patrons who bring a church bulletin will get in free, too.

To find out more, visit www.cumberlandcountyfair.org or call 309-5785.

Photo: The fair runs through Sept. 26. Don’t miss it!

This week marks a couple of anniversaries. They aren’t the kind that you celebrate, rather the kind that you look back on and probably shed a few tears over and then give thanks that you or your family or your friends made it through.

I’m sure you have figured out by now that I am talking about the anniversaries of 9/ll and Katrina. Both impacted our nation in very real, very painful ways and both found our nation unprepared.

I look back on pre- 9/11 days and marvel at the total lack of security we had in our communities. Think about it: Fort Bragg had just started putting up gates a year or so prior to 9/11, and none of them were staffed. I wasn’t at Fort Bragg’s command center the evening of 9/11, but I know it had to be chaotic. Within a few short hours, Fort Bragg became a veritable fortress.

As I tried to get to work on Sept. 12, I was met with a parking lot on All American. I left my home at 6:30 a.m. and drove to my baby’s daycare on Morganton Road. I got on All American at a little after 7 a.m., and I didn’t walk in the doors of Womack Army Medical Center, where I worked at the time, until after 5 p.m. Everything was stymied. No one really knew what to do, and none of us knew what to expect.

I did not expect to spend a whole day on the All American. I didn’t expect to field phone calls from the hospital’s PAO office all day on my personal cell phone, but I did. Imagine my surprise when I got my telephone bill and it was more than $300.

To me, having my vehicle searched by armed soldiers at the checkpoint for the post, and again at the checkpoint for the hospital, was like something out of a movie. That didn’t happen in our country. Not in my America. But when the Towers fell, our innocence was ripped apart, and the things that we saw on newsreel from foreign countries became our reality.

As I inched my way to post that day, I knew that our lives were forever changed. As a military spouse, I expected my husband to go on training missions and to be gone for a few weeks at a time. Never, in my wildest dreams did I ever think that the infant I dropped off that morning would grow to a 10-yearold, and have his dad deployed to war for more than five of those years.

That morning, as I grumbled about the wait, I couldn’t begin to perceive the loss of talented, caring people who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation. That wasn’t our America. But it is now.

None of us expected 9/11, but we have adapted because of it. We have changed. And it has made us stronger.

Katrina had a different impact on us. For some, the devestation of the storm shook their faith in our government’s ability to respond to us in crisis. I remember vividly watching the devestation in New Orleans through the lens of news reporters. They brought the hopelessness and the misery into our homes. We couldn’t think about being those people. They were our neighbors, even though they were miles away.

Like New York stood back up in the days and weeks following 9/11, New Orleans staggered to its feet and in its finest tradition thumbed its nose at chaos and chose to come back to life.

If the anniversary of these two events is to be more than sadness, it should be a celebration of the strength of our nation. A testament to our unfaltering ability to get back up when we are knocked down, and a witness to the way we care for one another.

Recently my wife and I bought neon-yellow motorcycle jackets for better visibility on the road. We were on the Blue Ridge this week and had our jackets on. Two different people asked us if we were dressed like this because we were going hiking. I was kind of speechless and could only think to myself “No, I want to be seen by people who don’t have a clue — like you.” On the positive side we were noticed and that is the point of this article.

Motorcycle season is about to pick up in the Carolinas. The fall is a beautiful time to explore our beautiful area and state. Above everything, safety has to be your biggest concern when riding. I have come to the conclusion that I cannot compete against the clueless. These are the people on their cell phones, emailing, texting or updating their MyFace post. When I am on my motorcycle I am constantly scanning my surroundings for danger, ever changing road conditions and situations.

When I see someone near me with their head down I know they are doing anything but looking for me. I want these people as far away from me as possible. The problem is that I can’t see everyone around me. So I need to do everything possible to increase my imaginary force field. I want to create distance around me. I started by adding additional front lights. On my K1200LT is a light kit that goes on the front forks. For my R1200GS I just replaced my PIAA lights for the new Denali’s LED lights. They are 2” square and are like laser beams when looked at directly. On the rear and side of my bike, I’ve added reflective tape that is visible at night. My neighbor Bob recommended that I add some blue license-plate holders. He added them to his Harley and said that when people got too close to him they back off because they think he is a police officer. I picked up a set at CycleGear and they seem to work.

I switched my black helmets to white. White helmets are supposed to be the most noticed color for a motorcyclist. After attending a few bike rallies I noticed some people with neon jackets. Out of hundreds of motorcyclist my eyes zoomed in on these people. I don’t really care to be sticking out like firefly in the daytime but these jackets catch your eyes. At that point I decided being seen is more important than being cool. I purchased a couple of Olympia Motor Sports jackets for both summer and winter riding. They come in both men’s and women’s styles. The jackets have a fair amount of protective padding for the back, shoulders and arms. I would not use them on a track or for high speed riding but for the average rider they are sufficient. They also come with a waterproof insulated jacket liner which can be worn alone for a rainy day or chilly nights.

No equipment or clothing will replace people’s responsibilities on the road, but everything you do to increase your visibility and distance from the clueless is an investment in yourself.

If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, please send your comments and suggestions to motorcycle4fun@ aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

We all know Americans are literally too big for our britches these days.

We hear and see it all the time. We are too heavy and it is affecting our health.

We eat too much processed food and not enough fresh. We eat restaurant and fast-food meals too often and the portions are too big. We sit at computer screens and TV sets too long and move our bodies too little. What is even worse is that our children are following our examples, and we are setting our own precious jewels up for a lifetime of weight-related problems, including social and health issues.

It breaks this mother’s heart to see school age children who actually waddle because they cannot get their thighs together for all the fat.

But who would have thunk it about Army recruits?

For the first time, the Army acknowledges that chubby, less-thanfit recruits are an issue, and in true military style, they are on it.

The Army screens out potential recruits who are obese or absolutely unfit, but they have other plans for those who still hold military promise but who have had too many burgers and fries, have played too many video games and have been offered too few school athletic activities.

Faced with the reality of potential recruits who fail their physicals because of weight — up a flabbergasting 70 percent between 1995 and 2008, and an official report by retired brass entitled Too Fat to Fight, our Army has a plan.

It is a new PT for a new recruit, one who has grown up with the less-thannutritious diet and sedentary activities of today and without the weight bearing work of past American generations. The New York Times reports that because an increasing number of young recruits were getting injured in traditional basic training PT, up alarmingly since just 2002, the Army has come up with a new PT program for its recruits, one heavier on stretching, core strengthening and balance and lighter on individual exercises like multiple sit-ups and the traditional long runs.

In other words, it looks more like yoga and Pilates and less like your daddy’s basic training workout.

Lt. General Mark Hertling, who heads the Army’s basic training program, says that weight is a national problem that has affected the Army as it has the rest of our culture and that the percentage of recruits who fail their physicals has risen 70 percent over the last two decades. More women recruits fail than men.

The new PT program, almost 10 years in the making and now challenging some 145,000 recruits a year at the Army’s five basic-training posts, is an effort both to whip recruits into shape and to prepare them for the challenging realities of combat in terrain like that of Afghanistan.

So what are our Army recruits doing in PT if not a bazillion sit ups and interminable runs?

The two former gym teachers who developed the new PT program and who run the Army Physical Fitness School at Fort Jackson, S.C., looked at what soldiers actually do in their work like tossing grenades, dodging bullets and climbing, and designed exercises to develop those skills, including side twists, back bridges and rowing-like exercises.

It is a multi-week course that increases in diffi culty as it unfolds.

Says one of the developers, Frank Palkoska, “What we did in the morning had nothing to do with what we did the rest of the day.”

And lest you think the Army has gone soft, First Lt. Tameeka Hayes, who leads a platoon of new recruits at Fort Jackson, says “It’s more whole body. No one who has done this routine says we’ve made it easier.”

The program also has a mess-hall component involving color-coded food choices which translates into more fruits and vegetables and fewer fried chicken nuggets and sodas.

I have never been through Army recruit PT, but I have been doing yoga for the last decade, and can promise you, it is not for sissies. My longtime yoga master, a former paratrooper and martial arts master, is someone you would not want to meet in a dark alley unless he is on your team, and I am convinced that the ongoing and life-long challenges of yoga will help me with strength and balance as I age.

The new PT regimen is for recruits at this point, but indications are it will spread. Even though every unit’s commander is responsible for its exercise program and current commanders came up under the older system, the new policy has been distributed Army-wide, replacing a 1992 version. The idea is to keep all soldiers more fit, since evidence suggests many pack on the pounds during or immediately after deployments.

In other words, can you say “hooah” and “om” at the same time?

It’s been a long, hot summer. Thankfully there has been plenty to do around town and the fall looks just as busy. As the Fayetteville Museum of Art finishes up its concert season, Fayetteville After 5, we can all relax and enjoy the music of Chairmen of the Board as we bid summer goodbye.

The weather is cooling off, (if only by the tiniest fraction of a degree) and what better way to send off the dog days of summer?

“This will be the grande fi nale for the 2010 concert series,” said Mac Healy, FMoA president. “We have enjoyed presenting the performing arts concerts for thousands of spectators to relax in the atmosphere of the park and take in the sights and sounds of each performance.”

In addition to the great tunes, the Ford Fiesta Little Big Tour will join the crowd with big giveaway promotions and fun activities for everyone. There will be two 2011 Ford Fiestas on static display, lots of giveaways, the chance to win a $500 Apple gift card, interactive activities/games — one of which will give participants the chance to win a $500 Best Buy gift card and the chance to win a 2011 Ford Fiesta. The winner will be chosen at the end of the tour.

There will be the usual vendors and activities and, of course, the performers — The Chairmen of the Board.

The Chairmen of the Board are no strangers to Fayetteville. They’ve graced the stage at Festival Park (and before that at the Fayetteville Museum of Art) for years performing at Fayetteville After Five concerts.

“Nearly forty years after crashing onto the pop and soul charts with the hit “Give

Me Just A Little More Time,” the Chairmen of the Board continue to satisfy their audience,” said Healy.

Based out of Charlotte, this band performs that distinctive and flavorful Carolina beach music that the local community has come to love. With an award winning play list of songs like “Want Ads,” “Somebody’s Been Sleeping,” “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” “If You Dance To The Music,” “You Pay To The Piper,” “Bring The Boys Home,” “Stick Up” and “Patches,” the Chairmen of the Board are real crowd pleasers who will have you dancing on the promenade and in the grass at Festival Park.

This is the 13th season for Fayetteville After 5. The proceeds directly benefi t the Fayetteville Museum of Art, which had to close its doors on May 31. There is still hope that the museum will reopen in the future, which makes this event not only a good time, but also an easy way to support a great cause.

“It has been a privilege to work with our generous sponsors,” said Meredith Player Stiehl, concert coordinator. “Their meaningful contributions support the Museum and at the same time allows for these events to be free to the public.”

Come on down to Festival Park on the evening of Sept. 16. The park opens around 5:30 p.m. There will be food and beverage vendors. It’s free. To find out more, call 485-5121.

Who doesn’t love it when a local citizen hits it big? Whether it is a sports legend, a music star, an academic/scientifi c discovery — you name it, it just feels good to to see or hear about that person and be happy for them and know that you have something in common even if it is only the fact that you’ve both fi lled up your car at the same gas station in town at some point in time.

Paul Papadeas is a Fayetteville native on the verge of huge success in the entertainment world. He’s a Terry Sanford graduate and an alumnus of Campbell University and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Papadeas spends his time writing and producing films for a living.

His current production, Yeardley, which was a collaborative effort with his former classmates from the School of the Arts, opened at the Santa Fe Film Festival in 2009 and was nominated Best Feature. It went on to win Best Feature 1st Runner Up at the Myrtle Beach 2009 Film Festival, the Platinum Reel Award at the Nevada Film Festival in 2009 and most recently was named Best Feature at the Malibu International Film Festival 2010. Papadeas and the cast and crew of Yeardley have their eyes set on a much bigger prize though.

“We are doing quite well with the film but because of budget cuts Hollywood is not sending many critics to these fi lm festivals,” said Papadeas. “It is difficult to get over the radar. So we decided to do a screening and try to raise money to establish a marketing budget so that we can show the f lm in New York and L.A. and other big markets. Then we can get into art house theaters where we can garner a New York Times or an L.A. Times review.”

Once that happens the hope is that the critics will recognize the value in the movie that the judges at the fi lm festivals saw and Yeardley will get picked up for national (or international) distribution.

Far from light hearted, Yeardley is a dark drama about a married narcissist who becomes unhinged during the economic downturn.

“It is pretty much the embodiment of the 21st century American male who doesn’t want to take responsibility for their actions,” said Papadeas. “We have the environmental damage of BP. We have the financial shenanigans of 2007 leading to the problems we have today. Everybody loves to blame everyone else but there have been no investigations. We have kind of a sociopathic, highly individualized culture but there is no collective responsibility at all.

“This character takes no responsibility at all for the decisions in his life but he fails to accept what he has done,” he continued. “He falls deeper and deeper into a dark hole where the state has to take over and there are tragic circumstances. It is a very dark character drama very much reminiscent of the fi lms from the 70s. It is a hard movie about adult situations. It is an art fi lm so it is not a gratuitous exploitive genre movie.”

There will be a screening of the movie in Fayetteville on Sept. 18. Currently the event is invitation only, however, there is a possibility of a second screening at a later date. To fi nd out more about Yeardley visit http:// yeardleymovie.com/welcome.php, or to fi nd out more about the screening or tax free donation opportunities email papadeas13@yahoo.com.

Fayetteville is having a birthday party for Lafayette! There will be a Party in the Park from 5 to 8 p.m., on Saturday, Sept. 11, to celebrate his birthday, as well as a full day of events — a French Toast Breakfast, a 10K Run, a Parade of Pooches, Cultural Heritage Trail Tour, the Festival of Yesteryear and a Fencing Tournament. Wow! Sounds like a great day of celebrating. But, why are we celebrating the Frenchman’s birthday here in Fayetteville, N.C.?

In 1825, the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette visited Fayetteville, North Carolina during his “Grand Tour” of the United States. Of all the cities named for him, Fayetteville was the only one that he actually visited. It was in 1783 that Fayetteville became the very first city named for this French nobleman, who came to America’s aid during its fi ght for freedom from England.

The Lafayette Society of Fayetteville began an annual celebration in 2007, the 250th anniversary of Lafayette’s birth. Because of that event and because of Fayetteville’s unique connection to Lafayette, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives proclaimed, “Fayetteville is the place where North Carolina celebrates Lafayette’s birthday.” Although the actual birthday is Sept. 6, the weekend after Labor Day has been designated for the public observance.

First up on the day’s agenda is a guided tour of the Lafayette Trail beginning at 9 a.m. The Lafayette Trail is one of the Cultural Heritage Driving Trails, a new program of the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. It starts at the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Headquarters and Museum on Burgess Street in historicdowntown Fayetteville. Space is limited and tickets are $25. For a sneak preview, go to the website for the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, www.visitfayettevillenc.com.

You can also start your day, from 7 to 11 a.m., with a French Toast Breakfast Fundraiser for the Child Advocacy Center. It comes with bacon or sausage and coffee for only $7 and you may substitute pancakes for French toast. For every plate sold, Horne’s Café will donate $2 to the Child Advocacy Center, a nonprofi t agency dedicated to stopping child abuse in Cumberland County. Horne’s Café is located at 124 Hay St., and tickets may be purchased in advance there or in the front lobby of the CAC at 336 Ray Ave. Tickets will also be available at Horne’s on the day of the event.

The Child Advocacy Center will also benefi t from your participation in the Parade of Pooches. Bring your canine pal downtown for an informal gathering and parade in honor of the marquis de Lafayette. Dogs of French descent, from poodles to bijons, will be the stars of the show but anyone can join in the fun! All breeds are welcome if they wear a costume with a French or Revolutionary War theme (think berets and bikinis!) Dogs (or owners) in costume will have the chance to compete for prizes in several categories. Come meet some of the Child Advocacy Center’s “welcome dogs,” part of a new program at the CAC that uses therapy dogs for some of their young clients. Gather at 9:30 a.m. with your dog (on a leash please) at the corner of Anderson and Hay Streets. The good folks from the Dogwood Festival are helping organize this event with the Child Advocacy Center. You can call them to register ahead of time at 910-323-1934. Registration for dog and owner is just $5.

For the more athletic among us, there is a Lafayette Rotary Club 10K, 5K, and 1-mile Fun Run or Walk covering a 10K or 5K course over gently rolling hills through some of Fayetteville’s prettiest neighborhoods. These races are sanctioned using the Champion Chip System. There is also a 1-mile fun run or walk for those who just want to enjoy the great outdoors. All participants will enjoy a valuable goodie bag, sharp T-shirts, and the friendliness and helpfulness of the host Rotarians! Registration starts at 8 a.m. at Fayetteville Technical Community College at the corner of Hull Road and FTCC Access Road. Proceeds will be used to buy dictionaries for Cumberland County school children. Go to www.active. com to register or call 910-964-3996 for more information.

The day continues downtown with a Sidewalk Sale in downtown Fayetteville and the Festival of Yesteryear at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex. This festival highlights the state’s Colonial and Revolutionary War history and is an amazing historical experience for all ages. For more info, visit the museum’s website www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov or call (910) 437-2603.

The celebration will conclude with a French Wine and Cheese Tasting at the Fresh Cafe on Hay Street and the Party in the Park at Cross Creek Park from 5-8 p.m., featuring, food music, games for kids and much,much more! For more info on the celebration visit www.lafayettesociety.org.

The world renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) and The Imani Winds are the highlight attractions for the 2010-2011 Performing and Fine Arts Season at Fayetteville State University (FSU).

The Department of Performing and Fine Arts is pleased to welcome the Imani Winds as its artistin- residence for the academic year. The Imani Winds has redefi ned the classic woodwind quintet by commissioning new works and reaching out to diverse audiences of all ages. During their residency, members of the group will be available for master classes, private lessons, group lessons, clinics, and workshops both on the FSU campus and throughout the community.

Imani Winds Residency dates are September 27-29, November 15-17, February 14-16 and April 18-20. They will culminate their residency with a concert featuring the ensembles they coached during their tenure. The concert will be held April 19 in Seabrook Auditorium at 7 p.m. Highlighting the evening will be a composition for the FSU Concert Choir and Jazz Ensemble by Imani Winds flautist Valerie Coleman. The performance is free and open to the public.

Imani Winds has established itself as more than a wind quintet. Since 1997, the Grammy nominated ensemble has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, genre-blurring collaborations, and inspirational outreach programs. With two member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African, and Latin American traditions.

DTH will perform an evening of traditional and classical ballet on April 3, 2011 at 6 p.m. in the J.W. Seabrook Auditorium. Admission cost will be determined at a later date. Proceeds will benefi t the FSU Department of Performing and Fine Arts as it seeks to raise needed scholarship dollars for students in music, dance, theater, and visual arts. An interactive performance for students will be held April 4 at 11 a.m. It is free and open to the public. A workshop for FSU dance students will be held at 1 p.m.

DTH will enchant and enthrall with a new production called the “Interactive Performance.” Central to the “Interactive Performance” is a ballet performance that opens audiences to see the world in a whole different light. It features live piano music, a narrator to serve as a guide “to take you along the journey,” and classic DTH repertoire by choreographers Arthur Mitchell, Robert Garland, and John Taras, as well as repertoire specially created for the DTH Ensemble (by choreographers Keith Saunders and Lowell Smith). The variety of the high quality artistic content gives the presentation a fast pace. Proceeds from this event will provide scholarships for students in music, dance, theater, and the visual arts.

Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a “Classically American” dance company, a leading arts education center and “Dancing Through Barriers,” a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance Theatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment towards enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts.

This is just a small taste of the exciting season that FSU has in store. Look for Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Lalo Davila and Friends Salsa Band, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, The Diviner’s, and “Framless: New Mexico Printmakers among other exhibits and performances.

To find out more call 672-1006 for info on the Butler Theater Series, 672- 1309 Rosenthal Gallery Series, or 672-2143 for the Harmony Series.

Photo at top:  Imani Woods

Now in it’s 20th year, the Fayetteville Greek Festival is right around the corner. On Sept. 10-12, the congregation of Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church is opening wide the doors of their church and inviting the community to share, once more, in a celebration of their culture, their faith and the friendship they have with the people of Fayetteville.

What better way to catch a glimpse of the collective spirit of a people than to break bread with them and sample the food and beverages of their homeland, dance to their native music and hear of the faith that binds them as a community?

“We are in an economy where you can’t get to the islands, you can’t get to Greece quite so easily,” said advertising chairman and pastor’s wife, Kelly Papagikos. “Of course, our military is in a rare position to get to these places that we can only see in pictures — we bring a part of that to you here. We bring the ethnicity, we bring the religion, the feeling that you are in Greece, right here to the Greek Festival.”

For Father Alex Papagikos, there are several things that he would like to see the event showcase. At the top of the list is the church, which is such a huge part of the community, its traditions and culture.

“They remind us of our or roots and where we come from,” said Father Papagikos, of Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, of the church members who resettled here from Greece. “Many of them brought their faith with them from overseas, and we are always grateful for that. That is why it (the Greek Festival) is an all encompassing kind of experience. We highlight the food, the dancing, but the religious as well.”

The religious portion of the event will include church tours led by Father Papagikos and an open door policy that encourages everyone to come into the sanctuary and learn what the Greek Orthodox Church is all about. He will explain the Greek Orthodox faith, its associated iconography as well as answer any questions people may have. Religious literature will also be available for purchase.

“First and foremost, it is our religious background we are the proudest of in reaching out to the community,” said Papagikos. “We welcome anyone to come and worship with us. We always include both the religious and the cultural since they are so intimately connected.”

Kelly added that tradition plays a huge role in the local Greek culture, keeping alive memories and culture from the old country that they can then share with the local community.

“I think that here in America we hold our traditions so much more dear than they do in other places. I know that the families here are like that — tradition is a huge thing. They never forget their roots. The members of the Greek community are truly so friendly and they are people that want to share their traditions — not because ‘I am Greek’ but because of their warm personalities.”

With that in mind, there will be a new exhibit this year showcasing what a typical Greek home might look like.

“We are going to show what a traditional Greek house looks like in the village,” said Kelly. “The linens they use, the foods that they might have in the pantry, the way that they live today. We’ll have the dried flowers, and put some figs out since figs are synonymous with Greece. Homes in Greece, because of the weather, are just so floral, so beautiful! So, we are going to bring all the aesthetics of Greece to everyone this year.”

Of course there will be all of the favorites that festival-goers have come to anticipate with great relish each year, too. Traditional fare will be available for purchase — everything from snacks to dinners of gyros, souvlaki, spanikopita and Greek salads, as well as beverages.

The coffee shop will serve Greek and American coffee. There will be a Greek grocery store with items for sale, and even a cooking class.

Fayetteville residents wait in mouthwatering anticipation for the Greek Festival to get their fill of the pastries — fresh, homemade, handmade, delicious pastries. While Baklava, phyllo dough layered with butter, nuts, honey and spices, is a definite favorite, look for other yummy treats like Kourambiedes — the traditional wedding cookie rolled in powdered sugar; Kataife — a shredded wheat phyllo dough with nuts and syrup; and Galaktoboureko — custard pie wrapped in phyllo dough.

The music and dancing are another favorite. This year there will be four troupes from the church demonstrating the dances of the isles dressed in native costumes. Before the music ends it is not unusual for the audience to join in the fun, clapping and dancing hand-in-hand with the congregation. Zyphoros, a Greek band from Baltimore, will provide the music throughout the weekend.

Vendors carrying cultural items as well as jewelry and art will be on site, offering various items for purchase.

Once you are at the festival and have absorbed every last ounce of the culture, sampled the food and drink, danced with the congregation and had a great time in the process, don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket or two on your way out. You may just win a chance to visit the Greek Isles, as the grand prize is two plane tickets from the Raleigh-Durham Airport to Greece.

This year the weekend kicks off at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church at 614 Oakridge Ave. at 5 p.m. on Friday and festivities run until 10 p.m. Saturday the hours are 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday 12 - 6 p.m. For more information, visit the website at www.stsch. nc.goarch.org/GreekFestival or call the church at 484-8925 or 484- 2010.

4th Friday celebration in downtown Fayetteville is once again changing. What began years ago to focus on the arts with a gallery walk along Hay Street, then Maxwell Street, became less and less about the arts and more and more about, well, I’m not sure!

Six months ago the Arts Alive initiative welcomed artists back to Maxwell Street, this time artists are not only in the galleries but also on Maxwell Street to show and demonstrate their art and their craft under individual canopies. Lights illuminate the artists and their work when night falls.

Visiting Maxwell Street you see artists showing you first hand what they can do as they demonstrate their art — from glass blowing and metalsmithing, to a relatively new group called the Feral Arts Collective. All of the artists are ready and willing to talk about the process and answer any questions.

Gallery One13, run by the Fayetteville Art Guild, has rented the space to a young group of artists known as S.T.U.N. Art. The S.T.U.N artists hope their juried exhibition, Exposed, will produce evidence of their mission to “provide a venue for local underground artists to exhibit their work and network with other artists.”

S.T.U.N. also strives to “source art from the genres of post modernism, electronic art, pop surrealism, low brow, installation, new-media art, performance art, outsider art, street art, graffiti and other less traditional genres.”

Angela Williams, the daughter of a military family who retired in Fayetteville, and Shantel Scott, from Las Vegas, Nev., came up with the idea for S.T.U.N. While art students at Fayetteville State University, the young artists became close friends, and after graduating they assessed the arts in Fayetteville and wanted to find ways to exhibit their works of art and include others in their pursuit.

Always ready to talk about S.T.U.N., and welcome people into the fold, Williams was eager to share her opinion and experiences as a young artist: “Fayetteville has a pretty established arts scene and it can be pretty intimidating when you are a young artist fresh out of college.”

Williams noted how she, Scott and their other classmates felt there was a void in the arts for them, so they decided to organize their own organization. Williams noted, “When we had our senior art exhibit, my introduction gave the first hint of S.T.U.N. It’s an acronym that stands for Social Therapy Un-Noticed. If you don’t understand, just read S.T.U.N. backwards.”

Scott declared the sentiments of both young women: “Exposed presents work from artists who have never before exhibited in Fayetteville and a wider variety of genres. Through word of mouth and social networking sites such as Facebook we have obtained a substantial following of artists and art enthusiasts and have received quite a few inquiries about the second show and expect to see a lot of foot traffic on 4th Friday. Bottom line — we provide the venue, you bring the creative vibe.”

Both artists predicted Exposed will be even better than their first attempt at an exhibition at Gallery One13 in March 2010, in a exhibit titled Indie Visual. Scott was enthusiastic when she reported Indie Visual consisted of a variety of genres including, work from tattoo artists, assemblage, ceramics, relief sculpture, found-object sculpture, digital art, photography, Afro futurism, geometric abstraction, figurative abstraction, pop surrealism, and mixed-media pieces.

Scott made this remark about Indie Visual exhibition: “More than150 people attended the opening. I’d say that’s a pretty hefty accomplishment for two neophyte art school graduates.”

Congratulations to the Fayetteville Art Guild for sharing their exhibition venue to support and encourage young artists in the area who are trying to make a difference in the art community. Making a difference includes people taking the time to visit Gallery One13 each 4th Friday and buying artwork helps keep artists in Fayetteville.

There is plenty of time to stop by Gallery One13 and see Exposed since the exhibit will remain up until September 19. Visiting the gallery is the best way to support S.T.U.N.’s mission to “bring underground artists together, bring exposure to their work — and network with other artists. Visit their online site: www. stunart.org

If you start real early for 4th Friday, before 4 p.m., there is still time for you to see Discovering Art 2010 at Rosenthal Gallery on the campus of Fayetteville State University.

Highlighted on the Arts Council’s website, Discovering Art 2010 is an exhibit with more than 200 works from three different student art programs — fall and winter 2009, spring 2010 — and summer 2010 art programs provided by the Fayetteville Art Guild at Fayetteville State University. The art classes included: art history and introduction to artists, ceramics, paper-bowl making, making a sketchbook, wet on wet painting, printmaking, pencil drawing, graphic computer art, personal image collages, portraits in acrylic, watercolors, masks, tessellations, making stencils and spray painting, making paper airplanes, perspective drawing, monoprints, free drawing, jewelry making and abstract acrylics.

What is particularly important is more than one hundred atrisk young people had an opportunity to create, explore different art mediums, think in new ways, and have fun. The program was made possible by the funding and support of the Cumberland Community Foundation with its Summertime Kids Program, The Junior League of Fayetteville, CommuniCare, Inc., Cardinal Clinic, FSU Department of Fine and Performing Arts and Fayetteville/Cumberland County Arts Council with its Project Support Grant.

Rose-Ann Bryda, one of the programs coordinators was eager to talk about a program that is going into its fourth year. Bryda explained how they “began with just a fall program and one collaborating treatment partner with classes in the meeting room of the CommuniCare building. After collaborating with Dwight Smith at Fayetteville State University, we began to hold classes at FSU. Later, Dr. Rollinda Thomas at FSU joined the team. It is just great for the children. For some of the children it is their first interaction with a college campus.”

Bryda continued, “We have carefully grown the program over the years and now it encompasses fall, spring and summer community-art programming with classes at FSU. We collaborate with two treatment programs, one at Cardinal Clinic and Cumberland County CommuniCare and a program at the detention center. We get funding from The Arts Council, Cumberland Community Foundation, and The Florence Roger Charitable Trust.”

In the Discovering Art programs there is much to celebrate. Bryda also commented on how they have documented growth evidenced in pre and post tests as well as in their work product.

Bryda stated: “We have collected anecdotal evidence that the program is making a difference in the lives of young people. For example, at the detention center there was a decrease in displays of negative behaviors because kids wanted to take part in art class, parents of participants look at their child and their work with pride sometimes for the first time, relatives get invited to an art opening instead of being regaled with stories of probation and suspension, former participants are seen enjoying 4th Friday downtown, counselors learn a new way to interact with those they serve, kids learn new ways to solve problems and learn new ways to interact.”

All the coordinators in the Discovering Art programs and the art teachers believe the purpose of the program is to be a gang prevention initiative and to improve life out comes for at risk and incarcerated youth.

Bryda said all the instructors and teachers feel “art is a level playing field. Look at what we offer young people: an opportunity to view themselves as artists instead of their various labels such as delinquent, and at risk. We provide positive role models and an alternate way to look at life. As well, we provide a positive environment for young people to express themselves and new tools with which to do so. Best of all, we bring the arts to an otherwise unserved population.”

Discovering Art 2010 will remain up until September 3. To participate in the various Discovering Art programs as a paid art instructor, interested art teachers or recent art graduates are encouraged to send a resume to mailto:ra.bryda@ earthlink.net. For information call Dwight Smith at 901-672-1795 or Rose-Ann Bryda 910-425-6670.

Although this article has focused on S.T.U.N and Discovering Art 2010, everyone should stop by all the galleries along Maxwell Street and visit the Arts Council on Hay Street — even after 4th Friday.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is hosting two small exhibits, The Parade of Homes competition and this year’s winners in the annual competition by the Fayetteville Art Guild titled Visual Pleasures. For information call the Arts Council at 910-323-1776.

The Cape Fear Studios on Maxwell Street is hosting the reception and exhibition of the ceramics of Takuro and Hitomi Shibata. Both artists represent the studio of Touya Wood Fired Pottery. For information on this exhibit and future exhibitions call the Cape Fear Studios at 910-433-2986

As I began the close of this article, I realized the Fayetteville Art Guild has, in some way, been involved in three of the five exhibitions listed. For a 40-year-old art organization, with many established artists, I’m thinking the Fayetteville Art Guild is doing their part to make the arts viable in Fayetteville. For information about the Guild call 9910-223-2787.

Megan Traficante is fairly new to Fayetteville. She has been here about two months working with Dr. Karen Goldsmith at Atlas Chiropractic, and she is excited about what the future holds for her here.

Coming from a family of chiropractors, Traficante knew from a young age that she would spend her life helping others.

“I grew up with chiropractic all my life. My uncle and my brother are chiropractors,” said Traficante. “In under-grad school, I did the whole pre-med background curriculum but I wasn’t sure if I was going to go to chiropractic school or medical school. I knew I wanted to do something in the healthcare field. I never was into taking any drugs and growing up with chiropractic I knew that that is what I preferred to do rather than push drugs. I couldn’t push drugs — that is why I chose chiropractic over medical school.”

With her degree in hand and high hopes for what she can bring to the community, she’s joined Atlas Chiropractic with every intention of making a difference in the lives of her patients. She’s heard the stories all her life about how this particular form of medicine changes lives and has even witnessed first hand the benefi ts of chiropractic when she was in college.

“When I was in school, I had a patient who came into the clinic in a wheel chair. He was a Vietnam vet and he was on so much medication that when you asked him questions he would just repeat himself,” she explained. “We worked with him, and after a few adjustments, he was walking into the clinic which was a amazing! He told us that for the fIrst time in I forget how many years it was, he could walk to his mail box and take his dog out to walk. That was a pretty good story/testimonial.”

A native of Pennsylvania, Traffi cante sees Fayetteville as a happy medium between Florida, where she attended chiropractic school and her family up north. “I was kind of nervous when I moved to Fayetteville. I always had school and you are forced to meet people there, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to meet people in Fayetteville,” said Trafficante.

Turns out, that hasn’t been a problem.

“The people here are so friendly. I really love it down here. My first weekend I met people. It was July 4th weekend and I went to the symphony concert at Festival Park. I met people there and ended up going to a pig roast. People are very welcoming here. I really can’t name just one thing that I like best here. I love going downtown and just sitting outside and going out to eat down there or for a drink I really like that area of town.”

Atlas Chiropractic is located at 4542 Raeford Rd. 426-2272.

Up & Coming Weekly had a chance to talk with Lt. Gen. Stultz, the commander of the U.S. Army Reserve Command about their transition to Fort Bragg. Stultz, a South Carolina native, is excited about the move, and how his command can integrate into the community.

UCW: Most of the attention for the BRAC move has been focused on U.S. Army Forces Command. Tell us a little about your command.

Stultz: The US Army Reserve Command is composed of more than 206,000 Soldiers permanently stationed in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Saipan, Guam, Germany and Italy. On average the Army Reserve has approximately 30,000 soldiers mobilized everyday serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ugandas primarily Combat Service and Combat Service Support units such as Engineers, Military Police, Transportation, Medical, Civil Affairs, Military Intelligence, Signal, Logistics, Aviation and a number of other key enablers for the combat forces. In my role I am dual-hatted as the Chief Army Reserve with an office in the Pentagon where I am an advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army for Army Reserve matters. I am also the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Reserve Command serving as the commander for all Army Reserve Forces around the world. The U.S. Army Reserve Command is currently located at Fort McPherson in Atlanta and will be relocating to Fort Bragg next year.

 UCW: How many people/jobs will your command bring to the area?

Stultz: The Army Reserve Command is comprised of approximately 1,500 personnel with full-time military, civil service and contractors comprising the headquarters. While the full-time military positions will be filled by soldiers who will PCS to Fort Bragg, a number of the civil service and contractor positions will need to be fi lled because the personnel currently occupying the positions do not desire to relocate from the Atlanta area. We have already started recruiting and hiring personnel to fill some of the positions. One of our newest hires as a Senior Executive Service Employee is Mr. Addison “Tad” Davis. You may remember him as Col. Tad Davis, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, from 2000 to 2003. As we begin to migrate functions from Fort McPherson to Fort Bragg beginning early next year, we will accelerate the process of filling positions at Fort Bragg. Between Forces Command and the U.S. Army Reserve Command, there should be some exciting opportunities for people in the Fort Bragg area.

UCW: Many of your jobs are fi lled by reservists. Tell us about the training that is ongoing with these citizen soldiers to integrate them into the work force.

Stultz: Over the past three years we have developed the Employer Partnership Initiative where we have established formal relationships with businesses across America to identify and help fill their critical needs with skilled Army Reserve soldiers. W first started with the medical community who identified critical shortages in the medical technology field, radiology, respiratory, surgical etc. We signed partnerships with several major medical organizations where the Army Reserve will either identify existing soldiers who are already qualified or recruit new soldiers, train them and certify them and then make them available for employment. It’s a true win-win-win situation because we get a qualifi ed medical technologist for our Army Reserve hospital units, the medical community gets a drug free, physically fit, battle tested, leader to fill their needs and the individual has a career in both the civilian and military establishment. We quickly expanded to the trucking industry with our military truck drivers, law enforcement with our military police force and on and on. Today we have more than 1,000 employers across America including such big names as Wal Mart, General Electric, Schneider and Conway Trucking, Washington, D.C., Police Department, and many others who are employer partners with the Army Reserve. We have now taken our program and expanded it to include all Reserve-components and the Federal Government Employment Offi ces. We can truly tell an individual “Join the Army Reserve and get a career.” I am certain that we will bring a high-level quality workforce to Fayetteville that will enhance the local business community.

UCW: What are your thoughts on the move, and how do you plan to integrate your command and your staff into the community?

Stultz: We are excited to be coming to Fort Bragg. I was born in North Carolina, grew up in Dillon, S.C., just 50 miles south on I-95, went to Davidson College in North Carolina and married the love of my life, Laura, 35 years ago in her hometown of North Wilkesboro. This is a homecoming for me. The key to the Reserve component is the community. We are part of the community. Our soldiers work and live in the community. They serve as your policemen, firemen, school teachers, coaches, etc. As we relocate to Fort Bragg, one of our number one priorities will be to establish our relationship with Fayetteville and surrounding communities. The Army Reserve is composed of citizen-soldiers. We want to excel as soldiers and as citizens in our communities. We depend on the community support for our soldiers and families and must ensure that we give back to the community in service and support with every opportunity. In closing, let me say a personal thank you to everyone in the Fort Bragg area for the support, love and care that you have continued to give to our soldiers and families. Our men and women in uniform are a true national treasure. They raise their hands and take an oath voluntarily to serve their country knowing that they are most likely going to be asked to go in harms way. They do so because they love their country and they know their country loves them. God Bless them all and God Bless America.

About 15 months ago, the North Carolina Business Association embarked on a mission to increase the number of Department of Defense (DoD) contracts that are won in North Carolina.

“We do that by providing networking opportunities for folks in that industry, or who want to be in that industry or want to work with folks in that industry,” said Joy Thrash, executive director of the North Carolina Defense Business Association (NCDBA). “We provide networking events for them to come together and build relationships so that they can team up for contracts or be vendors for someone going after a contract and provide a service for them.”

With several military installations in the state, the NCDBA is focused on more than just the impact that BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) will have in Fayetteville. The organization’s focus is on reaching out to businesses throughout North Carolina. So far, the growth has been steady.

“Out of 100 counties, 98 had a business in them in 2009 that won a DoD contract,” said Thrash. “Our focus is around bases, but a company doesn’t have to be at one of those locations to win a contract. We have more than 250 members — we just recently reached our 250 mark, so we have gone from 0 to 250 members in about 15 months.”

An example of their stellar success includes a recent event in Fuquay-Varina, N.C., called breakfast with a prime.

“That is where we have a prime contractor come and present information, and we allow other companies to present information on their company,” said Thrash. “Then we invite about 50-60 attendees. We limit it because we want it to be a good networking event and not one that the room is so full you can’t move around and circulate in the room.”

That particular event was a shining example of networking at its best. In Thrash’s 10 plus years of networking experience she says that she is constantly amazed at the synergy created at NCDBA events.

“It was a spectacular event — it was networking at its best because you just never know how you are going to make a contact,” said Thrash.

“There was a gentleman from Wrightstville Beach, N.C., who joined after the meeting because he said that he had made two contacts for his business in Wrightsville Beach at an event in Fuquay held by an association headquartered in Fayetteville,” she continued.

By working with local Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Associations, the NCDBA has been able to increase opportunities for businesses throughout the state and help make connections between companies and people that will have an impact on local economies for decades to come.

For more information or to contact the NCDBA, visit www. ncdba.com

This November a lot of good elected public officials — along with, it must be said, some sorry ones, too — are going to lose their jobs.

When times are bad, or when voters are angry for any reason, there are few options for them to register their discontent other than voting against whoever happens to be in office.

Maybe you heard the story of the older blind woman who was assisted in the voting booth by a younger friend. “Do you want to vote for John Brown or Bob White?” the young friend could be heard asking. The older woman’s voice boomed through the hall, “Which one is ‘in’?”

“Mr. Brown.”

“Then vote for the other one.”

Down the ballot, the older woman directed “the other one,” after finding out which candidate was ”in.”

Does irrational behavior like the older woman’s voting choices pay off? Does it accomplish things that perfectly rational conduct just cannot achieve?

These are the kind of questions that Duke professor Dan Ariely deals with in his new book, The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home.

Ariely’s new book follows up his best selling Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. That book’s main point was that many important decisions we make every day are not based on a rational determination of what is best for us from an economic viewpoint.

The new book’s title indicates that there might be a considerable “upside” to all the irrational decisions that we make. Actually, Ariely mostly continues to point out the downsides of our irrational choices and make suggestions about how to make better choices. But he does give some interesting exceptions.

For instance, he shows how there may be some “upside” to the normally irrational response of revenge when we are done wrong. He describes why a donkey thief might pass by the opportunity to steal an animal from someone who “is not always rational and … in fact … the dark-souled, vengeful type who would chase you to the ends of the earth, take back not only my donkey but all of your goats, and leave you a bloody mess to boot.”

Would you steal this man’s donkey? Ariely: “My guess is that you would not.”

Even when there is no social utility to it, the compulsion for revenge is powerful.

Ariel measured the compulsion in a “trust games” experiment. Each of two people were given $10. One person is given the option to keep his $10 or give it to the second person. If he gives it to the second person, that person gets an additional $30 so that he has a total of $50. He then has the option to keep the $50 or to give $25 back to the first person.

In the game, some gave and some kept it all.

Ariely added a twist. For the people who got nothing back, he gave a chance to get revenge. They could put up their own money to punish the ones who had failed to share with them. For every $2 the first person put up, $4 would be taken away from the second person. So, if he put up $25, the second person would lose all his winnings.

Many players took the full revenge. Most interestingly, says Ariely, he measured the brain activity of the revengers. Their brain activity indicated they took great pleasure with their actions — those who punished the most taking the greatest pleasure.

The revenge that some voters take this fall may not be in their long-term best interests. But if we could measure the pleasure their acts of electoral revenge give them, we might understand better why democracy does not always deliver the most rational result.

From deep within the Sandhills of Fayetteville, the talented folk emerge from their homes, and throw off the drab covers of ordinary life to don the sequined leotards of the stage and reveal to the world their talents in the local competition, Fayetteville Has Talent.

This is the second annual talent competition put on by Cape Fear Regional Theater. It was began as just a way to see the different talent in Fayetteville according to Leslie Flom, the marketing director for Cape Fear Regional Theater.

“Sometimes people just feel more comfortable auditioning for something like this rather than an actual play,” says Flom.

Fayetteville Has Talent is open to people of all ages — open to everyone age eight and up — and according to Flom that’s part of what sets this talent show apart from other shows in the area. Iits contestants are multigenerational and multi-talented.

“There’s no telling what you’ll see with such different performers, said Flom. “Everyone from eight to 55, 56. Well, actually I don’t know how old the oldest adult is.”

For those not actually in the talent show there is still a way for you to come and support your favorite act. This yearyou can vote for your favorite in the semi-finals as well as the finals, where as last year you could only vote in the finals. Votes count for 40 percent of each competitors score in this competition. Your vote does matter. In fact, it matters a lot.

Tickets for the semifinal eliminations are $10, and votes are $2 each or you can cast three votes for $5. The youth semifi nals will be held on Thursday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. and the adults will be on Friday Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. Voting starts at 1 p.m. the day of the competition and you can call (910) 323-4233, which is the number for the Cape Fear Regional Theater Box Office, or you can actually go down to Cape Fear Regional Theater which is located at 1209 Hay St. To pay for votes you can use either credit cards, debit cards or cash.

Finals will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 21. Tickets cost $15, and voting will begin at 11 a.m. that day. Votes are $5 per vote or 5 votes for $20. You can call (910) 323-4234 or visit Cape Fear Regional Theater at 1209 Hay St. to vote for your favorite act.

So even if no one you know is in the show, come on down and observe as the hidden treasures of Fayetteville emerge. According to Flom it’s a fun thing to do, and no one wants to miss a good time.

Remember to bring a few bucks because your votes do matter!

Umoja is the Swahilli word for unity, and at the Umoja festival that is what they strive for. A unity in interest, education,and just general acceptance. The history of African Americans is rife with hardship and trouble, but that’s what makes it such an interesting and rich culture. There is so much that can be learned from their stories and the hardships that they have overcome, and the Umoja festival is about presenting those points of view to every one open to learning.

On August 28 from noon-7 p.m. at Seabrook Park, the 19th Annual Umoja Festival is being held. The Umoja Festival is the annual African American family festival. This is a place where all people are welcome to come and celebrate and learn about African American history and culture.

At the festival there will be a variety of fun things like the Health Fair, Storytellers, FSU and E.E. Smith bands, and the FSU Retirees Fish Fry. There will also be assorted vendors and from 10-11:30 a.m. “Rescue Men” the story of an all-black life saving crew on Pea Island which will be presented inside the Smith Center. Also a special attraction is the appearance of Conversations with Treasures of Our Heritage: Charles and Gerdine Stevens, from noon until 1:30 p.m. Seabrook park is at 1520 Slater Avenue in Fayetteville.

Karen Chandler was the namesake of the Karen Chandler Trust. She was also its fi rst beneficiary, a single mother and local musician, struggling to conquer breast cancer. That was in 1999. Unfortunately Chandler succumbed to the cancer shortly after the first benefit, but her family and friends continue to champion this cause in her memory.

Each year the trust holds a benefit to raise money that is used to help cancer patients and their families with the fi nancial burdens that often come with this dreadful and long-term illness.

The Team Daniel Foundation is a much younger organization. It was started in 2008 by John and Denise Mercado after their son Danny died from complications of H.Flu Meningitis, which he contracted as an infant. He was a 24 year survivor of H.Flu Meningitis. The mission of the Team Daniel Foundation is to provide resource information to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

This year, the Karen Chandler Trust and the Team Daniel Foundation are teaming up to bring A Little Help From My Friends Music Festival to Fayetteville, featuring a Beatles Tribute Band, BritishMania.On Saturday, Aug. 21, there will be fun, food and music for two great causes at the J.P. Riddle Stadium.

Local musicians Chris Hurst and Atlantic Groove, will also perform. There will be a Carolina Idol karaoke competition, a car show, kids zone and a pig pickin’.

Paulette Reinhardt is an administrator with the Karen Chandler Trust, and she’s dedicated to helping as many folks as possible.

“We’re really hoping that our line up this year will bring in some nice traffic and that we’ll be able to raise about $30,000 this year,” said Reinhardt. “There is no overhead in our organization. We are completely volunteer run, and we use the funds to assist local cancer patients with everyday expenses while they are going through cancer treatment. We are in a position where we can be a transitional kind of service.”

Since most people live just within their means, according to Reinhardt, a serious illness can send them reeling fi nancially so that they end up having problems dealing with utility bills, rent or mortgage, car payments, auto insurance and the like. 

Team Daniel has a similar mission. They provide resource information to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

“We are very passionate about Team Daniel because their cause is not unlike ours,” said Reinhardt. “We are dealing with people who are battling a disease — they are helping people who have become disabled.

They have the same problems. They still have issues with income because a disabled person requires so much attention and they still have the same kinds of issues that our families are dealing with, so it seemed like a good fit to partner with them.”

So why a music concert? This is all started because of a musical fundraiser done for Chandler before she passed away, so it only seems right for the event to include music.

“We have some local musicians playing,” said Reinhardt. “Chris Hurst is playing as well as the Several Devils Band. They are a country/rock/rock-a-billly group. They have a really unique sound. In addition to these two local groups we have the Atlanta Groove Band coming in from Salisbury, N.C. They do a variety of music that everybody will know and enjoy singing to and dancing to — they are a party band.”

The headliner this year is a band from New Jersey called BritishMania. They are a Beatles tribute band.

“When I say tribute I mean a fullblown tribute,” Reinhardt said. “These folks are going to do two acts to include four costume changes. They are going to start out the show with the Ed Sullivan-era with the Beatles in the black suits and white shirts and go all the way through their last performances together in their hippie-ish attire. It is just going to be a wonderful show, and for $15 I just don’t think you can beat it. To see four outstanding groups it is going to be fabulous.”

Folks seeking the limelight will also have a chance to show off their talent at the Your Voice, Our Choice competition. Reinhardt sees this as a way to highlight some of the local, unknown talent

“There are a lot of folks who go out and do karaoke. I have been sitting in some of these clubs and hearing some of the most wonderful voices and wonderful talent out there,” said Reinhardt. “It left me wondering what these people do for a living. I thought ‘They must be singers!’ and then I found out that no, they are nurses or waitresses or guys who works on power lines, and they have such fantastic voices. There are younger people out there with wonderful voices, too, who don’t have a clue about how to get started so we thought ‘Hmm, let’s high light these voices.”

Some of these folks may have a career ahead of them, and it only seems right to give them a chance to shoot for the stars. Digital Wave Recording has jumped in and for part of the prize package, they are going to record a three song master CD in their studio. The winners will have to provide their own soundtracks as far as the music back up though.

So whether you are looking to entertain or to be entertained, there will be plenty going on at the A Little Help From My Friends Music Festival.

Don’t forget the food, the Kids Zone filled with activities and bounce houses and the car show that will feature classic muscle cars and antique vehicles too. The fun starts at 1 p.m. and lasts until 9 p.m. For tickets or more info., call 487-8755.

For the past 50 years or so Carver Falls has remained a personal treasure of the Bryan family. Occasionally the family would open the property up to the Boy Scouts for projects and the like, but otherwise it went pretty much unnoticed and unused by the citizens of Fayetteville. That has all changed.

On July 25, Zipquest Waterfall & Treetop Adventure opened, which has allowed the Bryans to make the most of the beautiful landscape and natural resources that have been tucked away, right off Ramsey Street for decades.

“We have really tried to make this course as eco-friendly, and exciting as possible,” said Phil Kroll, director of operations for S.T.E.P.S., Inc., the company that custom designed and built the course. “We wanted it to be challenging but still offer a chance to make the most of the great views and natural resources that you have here.”

The new entertainment venue is located on 55 acres of pristine forest in the heart of Cumberland County. Carver’s Falls is named for Samuel Carver who received it along with 640 acres from King George II of England in 1735.

There is little known about the use of Carver’s Falls, however a Mill House that was used to mill grain was erected on the property. The mill was powered by the waters fl owing through a canal diverted from Carver’s Creek. The Old Mill House still stands today and can be seen from several zipline runs.

Carver’s Falls is located on the west side of the Cape Fear river in North Fayetteville. It occurs at the intersection of Carver’s Creek and McPherson Creek creating a waterfall that is over 150 feet wide and two stories tall. The stone-like formation is known as the “Cape Fear Formation”. The two combined creeks are known as Carvers Creek which empties into the Cape Fear River.

Great care was taken in preserving the natural fl ora and fauna that abound along the course. The Bryans’ goal was to create an exciting venue while preserving the beauty and timelessness of the natural habitat.

Zipquest is a thrill a minute. A fast paced and intense zip-line tour, the course includes 16 tree platforms, eight zip lines, three sky bridges, three spiral staircases and two highly trained canopy guides. It is designed so that once adventurers are geared up and hooked to the line, their feet don’t touch the ground until the tour is over — which can be up to three hours give or take.

It costs $79 per person and zippers must be 10-years-old and weigh 70 lbs. to try the course. Zipquest offers group excursions and discounts are offered for active duty military and there are also group discounts available. The park is open seven days a week with the fi rst tour starting at 8 a.m. Book online at www.zipquest. com or give them a call at 488-8787.

  Photo top left: A birds eye view of Carver Falls.

 

 A Thrill Every Heart-Pounding, Breathtaking Minute

 

When I opened the press release for Zipquest, I was slightly intrigued, and then I didn’t think about it anymore — mostly because I am the biggest non-adventuring scaredy cat ever, — and never expected to fi nd myself anywhere near an adventure course.

The eight zip lines, each seemingly higher and longer than the next, the three bridges (one of which is the longest in the state), the amazing treetop canopy, the beautiful waterfall, the eco-friendly way the course was constructed and the top-notch safety procedures they follow on the course didn’t cross my mind again until my boss emailed me an invitation to join her at media day. I (very) reluctantly agreed to go — but not to participate.

When all of the information gathering, interviewing and picture taking (from the ground) was over, I thought I was going to escape unscathed; however, Tiny, the course manager, threw down the gauntlet: “Stephanie, if you will trust me, I know that I can get you through this course.”

I knew I could not do it in front of my peers in the media, but I agreed to return the next day, when there would be no peers there to see me fall apart, no one in line behind me angry and appalled at the multi-phobic mess of a woman hyperventilating, shaking and covered in tears keeping them from enjoying their adventure.

The second I heard myself say “Okay, two o’clock tomorrow then,” I started praying for whatever combination of natural disaster and horrible illness it would take to get me out of my commitment to try the zip line because I am petrifi ed of heights, falling and being strapped to things.

My prayers went unanswered. The weather was beautiful the next day and apparently, Tiny was feeling fi ne, judging from the big smile on his face when I got there. (I think he was surprised that I actually showed up, and honestly, so was I.)

Since I had killed and maimed myself 10,000 times over in my mind since agreeing to this lunacy, signing the release form was a piece of cake. I signed, dated, crossed my heart and handed it back to Tiny with shaking, sweaty hands.

Shea and Tiny (my two ever encouraging and patient guides) escorted me to ground school — the 10 minute course where you learn all the safety rules and intricacies of how not to spin out of control and slam yourself into trees as a method of stopping. Eventually, I was pronounced competent and ready to zip.

The next two and a half hours are a blur. I came off the fi rst zip line severely frazzled, but physically unharmed — and was very disappointed to have to tell Tiny that no, in fact, it was NOT awesome.

And so it went, from line to line. I forced myself into position, each time thinking that surely, by the time I got to the next tree, I would have conquered my fears, felt the rush of exhilaration and joy that all the other riders I’d seen the day before had so obviously felt.

Instead, I grabbed onto Tiny at every platform like a drowning person latching on to a life preserver, and as quickly as he could peel me off I would glom onto the nearest tree, near tears, sweating and panting like I had just run a marathon. I gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “tree hugger” that day.

I was so scared that I never actually stepped off any of the platforms. I would get into position, Shea would hold the cable and I would close my eyes and say “Okay.” Then she would let go. I would scream, tense up, bump my helmet on the cable a few times which resulted in a loud GZZZT and get right into the braking position and start frantically looking for Tiny to give me the signal that I could stop.

I knew there were three bridges when we started, so I don’t know why it was shocking to see the first one emerge from the canopy.

I nearly sprung a leak as I reached (with some insistent guidance from Tiny pulling me onto the bridge and Shea nudging me from behind) toward the cable railing. My feet became cement cinder blocks and my fi ngers turned into sausages as I gripped that cable for dear life and scooched my feet a centimeter at a time towards the other end.

Tiny kept reminding me to keep my eyes on him, but whenever I did that I only saw the platform we were trying to get to which seemed to be getting further and further away. Then my eyes would fi ll with tears, which made it hard to see, which scared me even more so I would stop, making the next step even harder.

When we got to the other side, Tiny congratulated me and reminded me that we only had two more bridges to go.

I guess being at such a high altitude (they say it is only 125 feet or so, but I don’t believe them) I had lost my ability to count. I just knew for a fact that there was only one more! I am telling you, I was devastated when I realized there really were two more bridges to cross — and I’m not talking about “no dessert after dinner” devastated, I’m talking left at the altar or fi nding out you are one credit shy of graduationdevastated. 

I did finish the course with some of the fi nest coaxing, cajoling and encouraging I have ever witnessed.

While I did not conquer my fears of height and speed that day, with Shea and Tiny’s help I was able to accomplish something I never thought I would even have the nerve to try. I walked away from Zipquest a better person for the experience, determined not to be defi ned by my insecurities and inspired to push myself to try new things... and a little jealous of all the folks out there who don’t have my phobias who will be having remarkable adventures and making great memories on this course — like my 11 year-old daughter who experienced it with her dad and loved every minute!

— Stephanie Crider 

 Photo right: A thrill a minute, Zipquest was not only an adventure for me, but a confidence building course too.

 

The Other Side of the Bridge

While my coworker Stephanie was not so excited about the Zipquest adventure, I was ready and willing to jump in with both feet! Although I am not a huge fan of heights or roller-coasters and the like, I am finding that, as I get older, I am more and more willing, even eager, to try something new. I’m starting a new adventure next month as I get married and head off to Costa Rica for our honeymoon. I saw Fayetteville’s new Zipquest as a chance to try out zip lining before I am thousands of miles from home soaring above a jungle accompanied by howler monkeys. And, I admit, I also thought “This is relatively fl at Fayetteville, how scary (or amazing and adventurous) can it be?” And I was intrigued — I’ve lived here my whole life, and went to Methodist College — and have never heard of any waterfalls back in the woods!

As I was strapped in to harnesses and shown the ropes by the guides, I told them of my plans to visit Costa Rica and zip line there. Many of the staff and bystanders commented that they had been to Costa Rica, Belize and the like and that Fayetteville’s zip line was better. I was a little skeptical at those glowing reviews, but off I headed on my adventure. As I went up to the fi rst platform, my heart beat a little faster and the adrenaline started pumping. I mentally went over the instructions on hand position and stopping to make sure I would get it right. As I stepped off the platform and whished along to the other side, I thought “Wow, this IS fun!” Unlike my dear coworker, I was never scared on the course. The guides took every safety precaution, always making sure that they and each zipliner were hooked in to the cables. As the tour progressed, I was extremely impressed with the design of the course. The timing of the tour was just about perfect. At a little over two hours, I felt like I received a great experience without feeling like “can this be over already.”

Our guides were friendly and knowledgeable about the construction aspects of the course, as well as the property itself.

I’m looking forward to the zip line in Costa Rica now, if nothing else, just to compare the construction and the safety features (I sure hope it is as good!). I can’t wait to go back in the fall, when my son turns 10, and experience Zipquest in autumn with him and my husband. A year-round adventure, it will also be spectacular in the spring when the wild dogwoods are in bloom. I think I could return time and again to experience Fayetteville’s seasons (yes, we have seasons!) from the treetops.

— Joy G. Kirkpatrick 

A primary concern for seniors is proper nutrition. “Proper” may include not eating enough healthy food or possibly eating too much food. Both areas can cause problems for the senior, but today we will focus on “too much food.”

For those overeaters, an interesting idea to consider is a diet plate with markers to show how big portions should be. A study in a recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that the cereal bowl and plate helped older obese patients with diabetes lose weight and decrease their use of glucose-controlling medications.

Restricting calories has been shown to improve blood sugar control in diabetics by helping them lose weight. “The increasing prevalence of obesity is paralleled by increasing portion sizes in the marketplace,” the authors write. “Portion sizes are an important determinant of energy intake; the number of calories ingested by subjects at a meal has been directly correlated with the serving size offered.”

Sue D. Pedersen, M. D.,F.R.C.P.C. and colleagues at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, conducted a six-month controlled trial of commercially available portion control plates and bowls. The plates were divided into sections for carbohydrates, proteins, cheese and sauce, with the rest left open for vegetables.

At the end of the six-month follow-up, individuals using the portion-control dishes lost an average of 1.8 percent of their body weight, while those receiving usual care lost an average of 0.1 percent. A significantly larger proportion of those using the dishes — 16.9 percent vs. 4.6 percent — lost at least five percent of their body weight.

Also if the senior is overeating due to being bored, having a companion might be a benefit. Consider whether eating with friends would help place the focus on the friendship instead of the food.

If companionship is needed, a senior could contact an agency such as Home Instead Senior Care to get a caregiver to help with meal assistance as well as nonmedical services.

For more information you may contact Susan Guy and Martha Owen, local owners of the Home Instead Senior Care, @ 910-484-7200 or visit www.homeinstead.com.

On Thursday, Aug. 19, the Fayetteville Museum of Art is sponsoring a concert free to the public. It is part of the Fayetteville After 5 series, and the “ambassador of Beach Music,” Craig Woolard and his band, are going to play.

The band consists of seven people. Keith Stone who plays the trumpet, Donald Jordan on the guitar, Andy Swindell playing the keyboard and acoustic guitar, Grey Watson on the bass and vocals, Alan Wentz as the sound man, Russ Whitman on drums, and of course Craig Woolard as the front man.

The front man, Craig Woolard, has been in music since he was 14, and had been with his previous band the Embers for more than 27 years. When they parted in 2004, he created the Craig Woolard Band (CWB). He has also won many awards including the 2004 Carolina Beach Music Awards (CBMA). He won Entertainer of the Year, 2004 Male Vocalist of the Year, and Best Duo for “Cruisin’” with Marsha Handcock.

Craig Woolard is most known for beach music, but he has an extensive variety of music in his repertoire.

“Craig’s catalog of music is well diversified. Included, of course, are all the standard songs you would expect to hear from a legend in Beach Music, but with Craig you get so much more. If you were to hear him sing “Georgia on My Mind” you would swear Ray Charles was in the house. His version of “Hot Legs” and “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” might even fool Rod Stewart,” his website claims.

When describing Craig Woolard, the most common words that come up are charismatic and showman. “Craig is committed to giving the audience more than their moneys worth. When you attend a function with Craig as the featured performer, you will be caught up in the fun. More than just an artist, Craig relates to the crowd, and insists that they have a good a time as he has, Many people can sing, but Craig has a special gift that is light-years above the rest — he is a showman, and that’s the difference,” proclaims the official Craig Woolard Band website, and since Fayetteville after 5 is free there is simply no going wrong there.

On Aug.19 you can come on down to Festival Park at the corner of Ray Avenue and Rowan Street, downtown, across from Headquarters library, and watch the “Soulman of Beach” perform free of charge.

Bring a chair or blanket to relax on the grass, and a couple of bucks for the vendors around the park. Leave pets and outside foods and beverages at home. At 5 p.m. the gates open and at 5:30-6 p.m. the opening acts start. CWB will come on at about 7-7:30 p.m. and will last until about 10 p.m. It is a family friendly event, but adult beverages will be available from a vendor in the park.

Just remember, according to the CWB website, “If you want a band with high energy, charisma, a variety of music, and unsurpassed showmanship, then it is simple — you want the Craig Woolard Band.”