The holiday season this year brings not only the jingle of bells, but also the mystical ring of the Middle Eastern zils or fi nger cymbals when Sharifa Asmar and Qarisma Dance present Sa’hra Sa’eeda, an evening of Middle Eastern dancing and happiness with family and friends, on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge of Fayetteville, 2860 Village Dr.

“It is a perfect start for your holiday season,” Sharifa said during a recent phone interview. “The hafl a or dance party will feature classic Middle Eastern dance entertainment with Qarisma Dance students, instructors and guests artists, such as Oriental Expressions from the Triangle area and Ra’eesah Ra’naa from Greenville, S.C. The decorations will present a feeling of a Middle Eastern nightclub.”

Asmar, who has danced for more than 25 years, is known for her authentic, classic Oriental style. She has studied with many well-known dance masters and internationally known dancers, from New York to California, as well as Europe and North Africa. Her dance repertoire includes Egyptian, Lebanese and Turkish styles and regional North African and Arab- Asian dances. Though many describe Oriental dance as “bellydancing,” Asmar explained why she prefers the terms Oriental or Middle Eastern dance.

“The term bellydance is culturally loaded, on a negative side,” Asmar said. “It’s Oriental dance or Middle Eastern dance, which encompasses the Oriental and the folkloric dance. It’s shrouded in the ancients, right up there with the pyramids, 5,000 years and counting. It’s the oldest continuously performed folk dance that we know of,” said Asmar, “and Oriental dance at its modern source today is a communal dance. It’s a party dance. It’s social. When they turn on that music, it’s what everybody does.”

While Asmar has primarily performed as a solo act, in 2006 she brought her dance company, Qarisma Dance Arts, to the Charlotte Dance Festival –– the fi rst and only Oriental dance company to perform there. That same year, she received a Regional Artist’s Grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County.

A recognized resource for quality Middle Eastern Oriental dance education, Asmar offers workshops and currently teaches beginning, intermediate, advanced and performance Middle Eastern dance through Parks and Recreation at E. E. Miller Recreation Center in Fayetteville. Many of the dancers who will perform at the Sa’hra Sa’eeda include some of Asmar’s intermediate and advanced students.

“I started in a parks and recreation program in Las Cruces, N.M,” said Asmar, who also holds degrees in history, political science and foreign languages. “I’m one of two in that fi rst class who are still dancing!”

In addition to having a good time, doing a little dancing, and being treated to solo and group performances, guests of the hafl a will enjoy light refreshments and may peruse the vendors’ tables.

“It’s a family-friendly event,” Asmar said.

Tickets are $7.00 per person or $15 for a family, to include two adults and two children aged 10-18. Children under 10 are free with a paid supervising adult.

For more information on Sa’hra Sa’eeda or Qarisma at the upcoming World Holiday Festival on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Crown Arena in Fayetteville, visit www. sharifaasmar.com.

Don’t panic. Christmas is still a few weeks away, but the signs of the season have started to emerge. One of the most prominent is the performance of the Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, at the Gilbert Theater.

“[A Christmas Carol] is Charles Dickens most popular novel,” said Lynn Pryer, director.

Dickens wrote 37 books, but this was his most well known. He wrote it in October of 1843, during a time when he was having fi nancial trouble. Although he was already famous at the time, his most recent books weren’t doing well. According to Pryer, Dickens got the idea for this story, and he wrote it in just six weeks. His usual publisher wouldn’t publish it, so Dickens had to publish it privately, and it was a huge success from that very fi rst Christmas.

“We have taken this play, this novel, and adapted it ourselves, but this is just a long, long line of adaptations,” said Pryer.

Even though the book came out in December 1843, the fi rst play came out in February 1844, it was that appealing.

“This play lends itself beautifully to theatrical format, and there have been just so many movies and adaptations,” said Pryer.

“He went on to write a Christmas book every year, a total of fi ve, but this was his most enduring one. I think this is because it’s a story at Christmas time, a story of redemption which is a recurrence in our lives, and it’s very appealing to people…we like to see people change for the better,” explained Pryer.

Pryer, the founder of this award-winning theater, said that his goal is to make the audience “feel extremely taken care of, warmly and thoughtfully taken care of” as they watch this Christmas classic in one of the theater’s 99 seats. He also noted, “There’s not a bad seat in the house.” Performances of A Christmas Carol will start appropriately as Fayetteville celebrates a Dickens Holiday on Nov. 27 and will run through Dec. 13.

Throughout the day during the Dickens Holiday, you will fi nd the cast roaming the streets bringing their characters to life. As you pass through downtown and enjoy the sites and the sounds of the season, don’t be surprised to encounter Ebeneezer Scrooge, or perhaps the Ghost of Marley. Participation by Gilbert’s actors brings a touch of realism to the day, as well as adds excitment for the production.

Performances are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 2 p.m., and 8 p.m., as well as Sundays at 2 p.m. There will be no performance on December 10, and on Dec. 5, the 8 p.m. show is already sold out. Tickets are $10, and can be paid in cash or checks only. Reservations are highly recommended.

To reserve seats you can e-mail the theater at gilberttheater@ aol.com or call 910-678-7186. Large group discounts are available, and groups over 10 are asked to prepay reservation tickets. Gilbert Theater is above Fascinate-U museum at 116 Green Street.

Completing his student teaching this December at Terry Sanford High School, retired military artist Rick Kenner is imparting what he learned as a college art student to his students in the public school classroom. Working alongside his cooperating teacher, full time art teacher Kellie Perkins, Kenner is learning how to impart his knowledge of the arts and pedagogy to his students.

Knowing Kenner was going to open with an exhibit of his work at Gallery 208, located in the offi ces of Up & Coming Weekly on Dec. 3, I hoped his students from Terry Sanford High School might be interested in seeing what their teacherin- training does as an artist, and be able to ask him questions about his work.

I wondered if they had seen his series of paintings and how he integrates X-rays of his spinal cord into his paintings; or how his work can be totally non-objective in style, but always refl ective in content.

Kenner is the fi rst to admit his affection for the nonrepresentational.

“Abstraction offers me a vehicle to convey emotion through color and shape without getting lost in the narrative that is often associated with realism. I use color with varied opacity and geometric shapes to form compositions; an attempt to evoke an emotional response from the viewer,” he said.

As a teacher, he must focus on bringing the student to their own work. Do they know his personal philosophy as an artist?

“My current work is an exploration of the presence of technology in our lives. It is a personal attempt to fi nd balance and meld the ideas of mind, body, and spirit with the ever-increasing assault of technological advancement,” noted Kenner.

Since Kenner is a quiet and reserved fellow, I knew he would not have touted his achievements in academe, his many exhibitions in the community, selling his paintings, and also winning the 2008 Lois Ferrari Memorial Art Scholarship at the Cape Fear Studios in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

 A prestigious award, Kenner won the Lois Ferrari Memorial Art Scholarship by competing against regional art students majoring in the fi ne arts at Fayetteville State University, Methodist University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, the University of North Carolina-Pembroke and Meredith College.

It has been my experience that after asking him a question, you will usually get a one word answer like “Yes” or “No.” So, I was curious as to how he was working out in the public school classroom; I called Perkins, his mentor, at Terry Sanford to get the scoop.

Perkins was very patient and took time out of her busy schedule to talk about the arts in the classroom and the attributes of a good teacher. To his advantage, Kenner has made the grade with Perkins — she is the only high school art teacher in Cumberland County that is nationally certifi ed (a diffi cult and rigorous accomplishment).

I first asked Perkins about her experiences with other art teachers and what she felt were the skills that someone needed to have to be a successful art teacher. Perkins didn’t skip a beat, she stated without pause, “Someone who prefers one-on-one with students, is competent in art and education pedagogy, encourages and relates to students, and someone who gets along with their colleagues.”

She commented that Kenner had these skills, but that he also has other special attributes. “He can fi x anything and he knows a lot about technology, he’s organized, plans in advance, very thorough in what he wants the students to learn in content and very neat,” she said. “He can be very innovative and wants to help the students build a strong foundation in art.”

That is the Rick Kenner I know. When I asked him how he enjoyed teaching, he didn’t hesitate either. In as few words as possible, he told me he liked it and the students. I reflected on how fortunate Kenner was to have a veteran art teacher to model after; Ms. Perkins has taught for more than 20 years and has kept her enthusiasm for teaching in the classroom. She is presently pursuing a master’s degree in Art Education at UNC-Pembroke.

I feel as if Ms. Perkins is modest, too, after she said, “A classroom teacher is a role model for a student teacher, but at a certain point I turn my classes over to him, and then I am more like a coach, it’s a journey for any student teacher to discover the classroom and what works during their experience as a student teacher.”

My last question was in reference to the importance of an art high school teacher that was also a practicing artist. Her answer fi t Kenner.

“Remaining an artist is very important to being a teacher that is knowledgable about 21st century styles and the infl uences of technology,” she said. “Students need to know the about the latest styles and new techniques artists are using.”

Before the art students at Terry Sanford High School say farewell to their latest student art teacher, they have a chance to see Kenner’s work at his opening reception, Thursday, Dec. 3, between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Up & Coming Weekly, 208 Rowan St. The reception is free to the public and the artist is asked to do a brief presentation to the people attending the opening around 6 p.m.

Kenner leaves Terry Sanford High School in December; he will also have earned his B.A. in Visual Art and a B.S. in Art Education at Fayetteville State University. Future plans for Kenner and his wife, Anita, include relocating to Texas to be closer to their daughter and grandchild. While in Texas, Kenner has plans to continue to create art, seek employment as an art educator (preferably at the high school level), and work towards completing an MFA and possibly a PhD in Art Education.

There’s been a lot of changes over the summer to Fayetteville hockey. The FireAntz have welcomed a slew of new players to the team, and they have welcomed three new teams to the league. Even with all the changes, fans can still expect to a great season.

“We have brought back 10 players, but at least half of our team will be new,” said Dean Russell, the vice president of sales and marketing. “The guys are fi nding their place and getting to know each other. We got off to a slow start, but the players feel that they are coming together.”

As the team gels, Russell said fans can expect to see the hardhitting hockey they’ve come to expect from the team.

“This should be our year,” said Russell. “Last year we were one minute and a half away from winning the championship. The guys really feel like it’s their year.”

Leading the team will be veteran player Rob Sich, who has started the year in a big way. Sich leads the league in goals at this point of the season.

Bryan Bridges will keep the goal hot again this year. Russell said Bridges is playing very well, and he expects him to be key in the FireAntz success this season.

New faces to watch are Jesse Biduke, a forward who has been playing a three game tryout with the team. Biduke impressed the coaching staff, and he is expected to stay in the lineup for the remainder of the season.

Also new to the lineup is Connor MacDonald. MacDonald has been playing in Wichita, Kan., but was recently released. 

“He is a very tough kid,” said Russell. “We were very excited to pick him up.”

The team is going to need the added power, as they are joined in the league by three new teams.

“The dynamics of the league have changed,” said Russell. “We have added three teams that we are calling the I-10 rivalry. All three teams are located along Interstate 10.”

The teams, located in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida, have made a very noticeable change in the scheduling for this season. FireAntz fans will fi nd their team on the road a lot more; however, they will have more weekend-long stands and will be in the community more during the week. 

One of the new teams, the Ice Gators, has a little in common with Fayetteville — the city shares our namesake. The Ice Gators are based in LaFayette, La. In December, Mayor Tony Chavonne will issue a challenge to the mayor of LaFayette during a homestand here in Fayetteville. The winner of the best of three will pay up - either a southern barbecue meal from Chavonne or a Cajun dinner from the LaFayette mayor. 

“It’s all in good fun,” said Russell.

For more on the FireAntz, check out the team’s interactive Web site at www.fi reantzhockey.com. The site haseverything from player stats to upcoming appearances.

One could call it a "Pastapalooza" when the 51st "World's Largest Annual Spaghetti Dinner and Greek Pastry Sale" takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Hellenic Center of Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 814 Oakridge Ave. in Fayetteville. The cost for each meal is $6.00, and tickets may be purchased at the door.
If past years are any indication, volunteers at the church expect to serve approximately 12,000 dinners, according to Fr. Chrysostom Manuel, Pastor Emeritus of the church. The meals, which include spaghetti and sauce, cheese -- and napkins -- are available for takeout only.

"We have a special line for people to pick up 20 or more orders," said Manuel. "Those who bought tickets in advance can call and tell the people who sold them the tickets what time they will pick them up."
The annual fundraiser involves 30 or more volunteers who begin cooking the sauce on Monday, two days before the event. The sauce is a highly guarded secret recipe used only for the dinner.
"It is a very good sauce," said Litsa Da Rosa, church secretary. "It's made of all natural ingredients."

In addition to two tons of pasta and hundreds of gallons of sauce, volunteers will make and sell Greek pastries. Baklava, phyllo dough filled with honey, walnuts and pistachios; kourabiedes, almond shortbread-type cookies; koulourakia, lighly sweetened butter cookies and finikia, honey-dipped walnut cookies, will be available for purchase individually or by the box.

"We are also going to have homemade breads and pound cakes," said Da Rosa.

Proceeds from the annual dinner event go to charities, both local and out of town.

"Ten percent goes to city charities like the Care Clinic, the Autistism Society and the Red Cross," Manuel said. "The church also contributes to an orphanage in New York State and the theological school in Boston. We want to thank people who come and support us."

For more information, call the church office at 686-2010 or the Hellenic Center at 484-8925, or visit the church's Website at www.stsch.nc.goarch.org. Organizers say the whole event takes about three days to prepare, with many people working 13-hour days. The cost for each meal is $6. All proceeds go to local charities as well as an education center that is being built at the church.

Grady Bowman can't remember a time he wasn't performing. He cut his teeth on the theatre seats. He grew up performing. Grady, the son Up & Coming Weekly Publisher Bill Bowman and his wife, Merrilyn, spent countless hours at Cape Fear Regional Theater and at the Fort Bragg Playhouse as a youngster. Some of that time was spent watching his beloved uncle Leonard McLeod on stage. When he was old enough, he stepped out of the audience and on to the stage. He did what came naturally.

"I used to watch Leonard and think, I can do that," said Bowman. "It just seemed to be something I really liked."

Many local residents will remember Bowman from his stints on the stage at the CFRT or maybe from television's Young Indiana Jones, or even from his part in Forrest Gump. But while television and movies seemed to like Bowman, his eyes were set on the bright lights of Broadway.

With that in mind, he admits that he never actually chose performing as a career, it was just part of who he is.

"It was one of those things where it was always a part of what I did and what I was doing," said Bowman. "I can't ever remember a moment where I decided this is what I want to do. I don't ever remember there being a clear choice or a clear decision, it was kind of the natural progression of things and the natural path of things."

Bowman, an all-star athlete at 71st High School, attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, but his sights were always set a little higher, and he put in the hard work to make sure he could reach his goals.

At 27, Bowman has a resume that many life-long performers only dream of: he's traveled the world teaching and performing, and he's been in three Broadway productions (Pirate Queen, South Pacific and most recently Billy Elliot). South Pacific won seven Tony Awards last year and Billy Elliot received 10 this year.

Aside from talent and working hard, Bowman says that dedication and confidence really are key when it comes to succeeding as a performer.

"I just think it is one of those things, if you are going to decide to do it you can't be afraid of it," said Bowman. "I have a lot of friends who move up to New York to be in this business and they get up there and get a temp job or waitressing job and they don't go to auditions because they are just kind of afraid of the whole thing and intimidated by it. It is something you just have to dive into. If you make the decision to do it you've got to do it all the way or you can't expect anything from it."

In a move that surprised a lot of people, even to a small extent Bowman himself, he elected to leave the cast of the wildly popular Billy Elliot and take a stab at something new. He packed his bags and headed to Florida to work on a new show called Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure, and will be traveling through the beginning of the year. The music for Wonderland is by Frank Wildhorn, the composer of The Civil War and Jekyll & Hyde, with lyrics by Jack Murphy. Gregory Boyd will direct.

"I have to learn all the male ensemble tracks in the show and I only go on when someone is sick or injured," said Bowman. "Which is great too, because you see the show from several different perspectives, which I really like."

Once he returns to New York from the tour, Bowman intends to take some time to work on a few things that have been on the back burner recently. With a solid record as a performer, he is looking to make his mark in other areas now.

"I would love to work as much as a choreographer as I am as a performer," said Bowman. "I think that I should keep performing. I love to do it and I should probably keep doing it while my body is still able to do it. I guess the ultimate goal is to transition into choreography and choreograph a show that you are really attached to and really believe in. You wanna be able to work on projects that you believe in artistically and that fulfill you - even if they are not going to get you commercially recognized and what not."

Being a risk taker is just part of the deal when it comes to pursuing dreams, but Bowman doesn't have a problem with that - he's come this far and has no doubts that he can reach the heights he's been dreaming of.
"It is hard to find a balance between that kind of stuff and making money because you've got to make money to live in New York," said Bowman. "You just have to find that balance."

When it comes to war, peace keeping, nation building and the like, those in the military don't get a say in making the policies that they are expected to enforce and support. They get orders and carry them out - no matter how routine or how difficult. It can be easy to forget that while these men and women in uniform are serving and protecting the country on our behalf they are more than tools of the government, they are people with lives and commitments, concerns and fears. They are citizens of the population that
they protect.

On Nov. 16-18, Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke presents Letters From Home, a play that brings to life actual letters written by military members who have served in the Middle East and reveals what goes on in the hearts and minds of those who serve.

"I think that the audience will see, or have an opportunity to better see, what is in the hearts of soldiers," said Tasha Oxendine, director of marketing at Givens Performing Arts Center.

"That they are not just soldiers fighting for their country but these are fathers, these are sons and daughters, these are neighbors, mothers and fathers. They are people who are protecting the country, but they will see what they are feeling while their lives have been put on hold to defend the country."

The production gets its inspiration from the New York Times op-ed article "The Things They Wrote" and the HBO documentary that followed - Last Letters Home. Careful to keep politics out of the picture, the play uses a minimal amount of props, and relies heavily on its actors to convey the feelings being expressed in the letters.

"Collectively, the production gives voice to a generation that went to war against terrorism," said Oxendine. "To see these letters put to a theatrical tone in a play is a very rich way to portray people who have put their lives on the line. It will be an interesting evening."

The topic of war and deployment can be quite heavy but Oxendine suggests that there will be a variety of letters to portray more than just the tragedy of war, but also tender moments.

"I think it is going to be very heartfelt. I think people will come away with a different view than what they have seen and heard previously."

In a community with such a large military population, Oxendine is hopeful that it will shed light on the kind of life that service members lead.

"I talked to one vet (about the performance) and he had been injured in the war," said Oxendine. "But he said he felt like it was something that was good for the young people to hear. I thought that was an interesting view... for him to say he felt like it was something that they need to know about."

Tickets are between $5 and $20. Show time is 8 p.m. Check out
www.uncp.edu/gpac or call
521-6361
or (800)367-0778 for more info.

One of Fayetteville's Thanksgiving traditions,The Heart of ChristmasShow, is back for its 11th year, and according to Laura Stevens, the director of the show, it's better than ever. The show, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28 and Sunday, Nov. 29 at the Crown Theatre.

The show has at its base the performers in Voices of the Heart. After winning a national competition in 1999, the members of Voices of the Heart and Stevens decided to take the attention and momentum of that moment and do something good. That something good wasThe Heart of Christmas Show, which is designed to use children's talents to help sick and abused children. One hundred percent of ticket sales of that first show, or more than $8,000, was donated to the Friends of Children at Cape Fear Valley Medical Foundation. Since that first show, the intent has remained unchanged but the size of the show and the amount of money has grown tremendously, having raised more than $250,000 over the past 11 years for a number of agencies and the public schools.

"When we organized that first show, it was really just supposed to be a one-time deal," said Stevens. "I have to laugh now, because we are in our 11th year, but it's a whole lot bigger effort than it was 10 years ago."

The first show operated on $10,000 budget. Now the budget is closer to $100,000, but all of the money to fund the show is raised before the production ever hits the stage. That allows all proceeds from the show to go back into the community

"It's such a huge production and it takes hundreds and hundreds of man hours to pull it off," said Stevens. "It's grown so much from our school shows, which started selling out three to four years ago. The cool thing about school shows is that we turn what we sell into a fundraiser for the schools. It's been a wonderful fundraiser for them."

Stevens said there are three elements that are key to the success of the show. First and foremost in Stevens' mind, and that of the performers in the show, is the goal of raising money to help children in the community. 

"We are here to complete a job. Sing our very best, dance our very best and give the best we have so that people will come and return year after year," she said. 

"As the show grows each year, the more people that come, the more money we are able to give away. I hope that some day the kind of checks we are able to give away is $100,000, not $20,000 or $30,000."

"It's also an awesome opportunity for the cast - the 30 something children hand-picked to be in show. It's awesome for them to be in a show of this magnitude," said Stevens. "It's like New York comes to Fayetteville. It's a huge production.  These kids get a chance to work on their talent. Several members of Voices of the Heart have gone on to major in music in college, and they say they haven't had as big an opportunity asHeart of Christmas throughout their college career. It's a landmark memory in their mind."

Stevens said the show is a very professional, high-quality show. While a lot of the audience is from Fayetteville, many of them travel to the city from throughout the southeast. Stevens said those folks keep coming year after year, and they are bringing their friends with them. 

"Those visitors stay in hotels and eat in our restaurants and turn the weekend into a shopping trip," said Stevens. "So that benefits the community as well."

The third element, which Stevens finds really important is the fact that Fayetteville gets an early Christmas present. 

"Fayetteville gets an awesome, home-grown Christmas show, that doesn't have the flavor of home-grown show," she said. "In a city that does have some notoriety for some horrible things, here's one good thing that has been steady for 11 years now. It's a show that Fayetteville can be proud of."

Stevens said the business support for the show has overwhelmed her this year, noting that despite the hard economic times, businesses still put their full support behind the show. "I thought fundraising would be hard," she said. "But the businesses were 100 percent on board."

This year's Voices of the Heart group is one of the youngest Stevens has had. The ages range from 11-15. "We are very excited about this group," she said. "They are awesome in every way. We've been touring every weekend. The audience response has been overwhelming."

Stevens said that folks who attended last year, will still see some of their favorite skits, but they will also see new numbers. "We change the show every year," she said. "But there are some parts that we just can't change, because the audience won't let us change."

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at Hawley's Bicycle World or at all Ticketmaster outlets. If seats are available, you can purchase tickets at the door, for $18. Group rates are available. For more information, visit www.heartofchristmasshow.com .

According to the Center for Disease control, aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women. In 2005 (the most recent year numbers are available) 186,467 women and 1,764 men were diagnosed with breast cancer, 41,116 women and 375 men died from breast cancer.

On Nov. 7, Pilates of Fayetteville is participating in the nationwide event Pilates for Pink sponsored by Shape Magazine. From 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., instructors will donate their time to teach Pilates and yoga classes. For just $10 per class (or $20 to stay all day and enjoy unlimited classes) Fayetteville is invited to join in the fight against breast cancer. All proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
When it comes to breast cancer and helping patients heal, Pilates of Fayetteville is constantly and consistently looking for ways to help and this is one more way to do just that.

"I'm certified in breast cancer rehab and (my business partner) Chris is certified in physical therapy. We offer free classes for breast cancer patients," said Melinda Craven, co-owner of Pilates of Fayetteville. "Women come in and sometimes it has been a year or even 10 years since their surgery, but they never were taught to move so they have scar tissue that has built up and they can't move very well. They get to come in and move and focus on feeling better instead of being sick."

Last year was the first time that Pilates of Fayetteville participated in the event. They were able to raise more than $600. This year the goal is $1000. Craven says it doesn't matter whether you are a Pilates pro, a newbie or a wannabe; this event is a great way to exercise your body and support a great cause.

"We've added more classes," said Craven. "It is a good time for people to try Pilates. It is easy and we've got door prizes galore. Ravenhill donated a head to toe package that is worth more than $200 and a queen for the day package." The classes are varied so there is something for most every interest and skill level.

"Anybody can do it and you don't need to know anything to come and do it," said Craven. "Basically what Pilates does is strengthen (your core) all the way around which is what you need to be able to move well for everyday life. It teaches you great posture. Pilates is gentle and it has modifications for everybody if you have aches and pains then we adjust it for you or if there is someone who wants to work hard we can adjust it. With Pilates you feel better afterwards instead of just feeling like you've been beaten."

Craven recalled that last year several moms brought their daughters not only as a bonding experience, but as an educational one as well.

Register online at www.BCRF.org or pay at the door. Call 484-2163 for more info. Most of the classes at Pilates for Pink are 30 minutes long and scheduled for this order: 9 a.m. Mini Circuit, 9:30 a.m. Beginner Reformer/and Beginner Mat, 10 a.m. Jumpboard, 10:30 a.m. Ballet-ates, 11 a.m. Sculpture & Tone/Open Level Reformer, 11:30 a.m. Bosu Challenge, 12 p.m. Pilates Silver, 12:30 p.m. Upper Body Sculpt, 1 p.m. Yoga Flow
(50 min.)
 
 

These days, who couldn’t use a good laugh? And what better way to enjoy a good case of the giggles, guffaws and sidesplitting laughter than to support an excellent community cause at the same time? Just such an opportunity arrives in Fayetteville when award-winning author and musician Clyde Edgerton presents Wake Up Your Funny Bone: Readings, Stories and Music for the Friends of the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center’s 10th Annual Author Event and Library Endowment Trust Benefit on Monday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m., at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

Edgerton, a professor of creative writing at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, was raised in Bethesda near Durham. He has published nine novels, three of which have been made into movies, and a memoir, as well as short stories, essays and reviews. His numerous awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Lyndhurst Prize, the North Carolina Award for Literature, acceptance into the Fellowship of Southern Writers, honorary doctorates from UNC-Asheville and St. Andrews Presbyterian College and five notable book awards from the New York Times. Five of his books, Raney, Walking Across Egypt, The Floatplane Notebooks, Killer Diller and Lunch at the Piccadilly, have been adapted for the stage, providing an additional special connection to the Fayetteville/Cumberland County area.

“One of my good friends, Tim McLaurin, grew up in Fayetteville, and then also I have a long association with the Cape Fear Regional Theatre and Bo Thorpe,” Edgerton said in an interview. “Bo and the people at the theatre have been more open to and receptive of my works that have been adapted to theater than anybody else.”

The immense popularity of the stage productions of Edgerton’s works at the CFRT is just one part of his strong local appeal, explained Joan Ingalls, member of the Friends of the Cumberland County Library Speakers Committee.

“Clyde has done so much,” said Ingalls, referring to Edgerton’s multiple accomplishments in teaching, writing and music. Long before he started writing fiction, Edgerton wrote songs, and he’s played the banjo and guitar for 35 and 10 years, respectively. “We have this incredible talent in our little corner of the world, and we want to share it.” And Edgerton is happy to oblige with his one-man show that offers a sampling of his storytelling and musicianship.

“I’ll read from a variety of selections and do a scene from the musical readers theatre The Bible Salesman. I’ll also read from The Book of Dads, an anthology of essay by fathers. Mine starts off: ‘Before the birth you should go ahead and install the car seat and assemble the crib. This will take four to seven days.’”

All proceeds from the show will benefit the Library Endowment Trust generated by the Friends of the Library, a nonprofit organization whose mission “…is to create an awareness of the services and resources offered by the Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center, to focus attention on library needs and to enrich programming opportunities available to county citizens of all ages.” The organization sponsors lectures, exhibits and book talks, as well as quarterly book sales — with one coming up in November — using the money it raises “…for library needs beyond the budget provided by the Cumberland County government.”

“The Friends enrich our community’s library experience,” said Kellie Tomita, marketing and communications manager of Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center. “So much of the extras we do, like the summer reading programs, are due to the generosity of The Friends.”

Edgerton is very supportive of such generosity on behalf of the library.

“It’s difficult for me to turn down library events especially, because libraries are so important to our culture and life,” Edgerton said. “I started reading fairly seriously in high school and can remember the good smell of new library books. The library was especially important when my some of my books started being censored and librarians began coming out of the woodwork –– in my defense.”

General admission tickets are $15 and available for purchase at City Center Gallery, 112 Hay St. Tickets for a benefit reception at 6 p.m. in the Glass Block Room at the theater are $85 each or $150 a pair and include program admission, heavy hors d’oeuvres, beverages, a signed copy of Edgerton’s book The Bible Salesman and an opportunity to meet the author. For reception tickets, call (910) 483-7727 ext. 119.

Wow! The celebration of the first year anniversary of LocksCreek Seafood Grill and Campbellton Landing brought mixed emotions for Kevin Summers, the owner and general manager. No doubt, he'll never forget this one.

Last week Summers dodged the ruthless execution of his entrepreneurial dream development on the banks of the Cape Fear River. North Carolina's tax police, whose sole purpose in their bureaucratic life must be to shutter upstart, struggling businesses, put their mark on LocksCreek in a resounding way — they locked the front doors.

This isn’t an uncommon occurrence, as small businesses, trying to make their mark in the community and contribute to the economy, often falter in their first year of operation. Sure, it's the job of the North Carolina Tax Office to collect taxes due, and no doubt they have the authority. However, where’s the logic? You would think in this dismal economy, choking recession and with the state’s unemployment numbers closing in on the 10 percent range, they would apply the same logic to their responsibilities as the thousands of small, humble businesses and organizations that are trying to survive.

Everyone, and I repeat everyone, I know in business throughout the country is just trying to survive and keep their doors open. They are trying to “wait it out.” Surely, as in the case of LocksCreek, rushing in and padlocking a viable but struggling venue while putting 40 to 50 people out of work makes logical sense only to a government that is ridiculous, dishonest and "out of control."  

That being said, our entrepreneurial hat’s off to Summers and his small group of local investors (of which I am one) for their vision, perseverance and dedication to create something wonderful for this community by keeping alive Sol Rose's vision for the development of Campbellton Landing as a historic, fun, family destination.

Note: Summers isn't the only person with vision taking risk, spending money and investing in our community. Take a look around.

Look at the new owners of the Village Coffee Shop, the new location of the Southern Gourmet on Grove Street, Blue Moon Café, Huske Hardware, Circa 1800 and the Fresh Cafe — all locally owned downtown businesses. There is also Morgan's Chop House on Morganton Road and the northside’s newest venue, ScrubOaks on Ramsey Street. These are just a few examples of restaurants whose owners dared to risk their life savings and financial resources to raise the quality-of -life here in Fayetteville. There are hundreds of other small businesses aggressively doing their part to stimulate our local economy and get it back on track.

Unlike local bankers and other self-proclaimed financial geniuses whose arrogance and incompetent business practices contributed to this economic mess, local entrepreneurs are up front and out front working hard to pay the taxes of those who only want to shut them down or subsidize their “bailout.”

Well, it’s a strange world we live in, but thank God there are still many Americans who honor old-fashioned values and work ethic. Entrepreneurs are a tough bunch. So, hang in there, Kevin. Campbellton Landing is a wonderful historic asset to this community. Remember, bureaucrats may be able to shut us down, but they will never be able to shut us out. Seldom has doing the right thing, for the right reason not prevailed.

Up & Coming Weekly is your community newspaper and I would love to hear from you. Email me at bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com or call me at 910 391 3859. Your insights are important to us. You may also subscribe to our online edition absolutely “free” and receive our VIP Early edition. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

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by STEPHANIE CRIDER

Can you smell the scent of funnel cake and popcorn in the air? The fair is in town.

The Fort Bragg Fair, one of the c ommunity’s most anticipated spring events, is opening its doors, or fairgrounds rather, to the community and inviting everyone to come out and enjoy the festivities.

The Fort Bragg Fairgrounds, located on Bragg Boulevard is open to the public for this event.

“It is a great family-oriented event,” said Rhett Stroupe, event coordinator. “It is where families can come and enjoy a carnival atmosphere with games, carnival rides and live entertainment and just relax.”

Stroupe has been coordinating the Fort Bragg Fair for about seven years now and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to meet and be involved with so many different people.

“For me it is about the personal relationships,” said Stroupe. “Each year has is its own little challenges, which keeps it fresh and keeps it interesting; plus we try to keep it fresh for our customers as well.”

Speaking of keeping it fresh. There will be a few new rides this year, and some changes in the entertainment, too. 

“Traditionally, we’ve had mainly live bands but we are doing it a little different this year,” said Stroupe.

“We’ll still have live bands, but we are also doing a dance troop. We are having a magician perform for us and then we are having some Star Wars characters come out. It is going to be pretty awesome.”

Over the years, attendance at the fair has averaged about 42,000, but Stroupe is hopeful that they can serve even more this year.

“Because we have a large number of soldiers who have come back, this is an opportunity for them to reacquaint themselves with their families and I am very excited about it,” he said.

Noting the downturn in the economy, he looked to that as a factor in projecting attendance.

“A lot of people aren’t traveling away as much, which I look at as an opportunity for us as well.”

As in previous years there are discounts on certain days. Monday through Thursday is Customer Appreciation Day. Admission is $5 from 5-7 p.m. Mother’s Day is another special discount day for moms only. Moms pay just $5 when accompanied by a paying child 3-17 years old.

Regular hours are as follows: gates open at 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; and at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission rates vary depending on the day and time.

 After 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, general admission is $10, military/Department of Defense civilians, $8, children ages 3-9, $8, handicapped non-riders $5, senior citizen non riders (age 50 and older) $5. From 5-7 p.m. children 3 and older $5, children under 36” free.

Friday through Sunday general admission is $14, military/DoD civilians, $12, children ages 3-9, $12, handicapped non-riders, $5, senior citizen (50 and older) non-riders, $5, children under 36” free. There is also free parking throughout the fair.

For more info call 396-9126/6126 or visit www.fortbraggmwr.com.