When someone has cancer, getting the right support can make all the difference. It might be what gives a person the strength to power through one more treatment or what gives them the boost of confidence and peace of mind they need to endure another day. The staff and volunteers at the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center understand this and are about the business of saving and changing lives. In fact, many of the volunteers are cancer survivors and they truly understand what the patients they serve are going through. On Saturday, Sept. 15, join the fight and make a difference at the Ribbon Walk & Ride. If participating in the event is not an option, register and make a donation or come out and cheer on the participants.

Since its inception six years ago, the Ribbon Walk has grown from 140 walkers that raised $3,000 at the inaugural event, to 750 walkers last year that raised $88,000. This has enabled the Friends of Cancer Center to provide more services and programs that help local cancer patients.

Tara Brisson Hinton is the Friends of Cancer Center coordinator, and she is serious about making a difference for cancer patients and their families because for her, this is personal. “My grandfather and other family members had treatments at the cancer center and all three have since passed away,” Hinton explained.

So it makes sense that one of the things Hinton loves best about this event is that every bit of the money raised stays in the community. The money is used to support all of the programs that the Friends of the Cancer Center provides: emergency funding for patients in need; medications; help with utilities; dietary supplements and more. “We are able to meet patients’ needs but we are looking to add new programs and services,” said Hinton. “The Friends of the Cancer Center also provides a resource center, assistance with transportation to and from treatment, wigs, turbans, hats and scarves, cancer screenings, spiritual support and the Oasis Program.” Under the umbrella of the Oasis Program, cancer patients have access to massage therapy, healing touch, reflexology and artful reflections. Hinton said that she hopes to add research programs and services as well in the near future. The Friends of Cancer Center is supported 100 percent by gifts and donations.

While supporting cancer patients is the primary goal of the Friends of Cancer Center, the Ribbon Walk and Ride is a wonderful time to honor survivors. There will be a Survivors’ Reception on Sept. 14 at SkyView on Hay from 7-9 p.m. “We want to celebrate with them for a few hours the night before the walk,” said Hinton. “Every survivor who registers for the walk will receive two tickets to the reception and will be able to come to the event. A lot of survivors are unable to walk the 5k, but you can still register and you will receive two tickets to the reception.”

So far, the response has been impressive. The venue holds 650 people “… but we are having many survivors sign up each day,” said Hinton. “We are excited to see such a great response. I think after this — our first year — it will grow just like the walk.

”The survivors’ event will be catered by Elite Catering. Attendees will enjoy a live jazz and blues band, a silent auction, door prizes and a photo booth. The attire for the evening is dressy casual. “We just want them to come and relax and have fun,” said Hinton.

Registration deadline to guarantee the survivors’ reception and t-shirt size is August 31. Find out more about the walk at www.RibbonWalkForCancer.org.

The walk starts at the Medical Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville and includes small hills. Volunteers will be available along the route to help anyone who needs assistance. There are three water stations along the route. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

There will be prizes for teams that raise the most money and the names of the winners will be on the event website and in the spring issue of Making Rounds, the Cape Fear Valley Health System magazine.

Dogs must be on a leash at all times and owners are asked to clean up after their dogs. Strollers are welcome but children on bikes, scooters and skateboards create a dangerous situation andinsurance liability.

The motorcycle ride also starts at the Medical Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville, and departs at 9:45 a.m. for the 40-mile round-trip drive.

It is easy to register early. Before Sept. 3, mail the registration form and $25 payment to Ribbon Walk and Ride, Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation, PO Box 87526, Fayetteville, NC 28304. Please make checks payable to Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. Please do not mail cash. After Sept. 3, registration forms may be dropped off at the Foundation office, located in the Medical Arts Building, 101 Robeson Street, Suite 106, during normal business hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Find out more about the Friends of Cancer Center and how you can make a difference at 615-1434 or visit www.capefearvalley.com.

Don’t miss another opportunity to make a difference later in the month … if you would like to be a part of saving lives, Friends of the Heart Center invites you to the first In Step with the Beat Dance. This dance features beach music by the Entertainers. This event will be held on Saturday, September 22, from 8pm to 11pm at SkyView on Hay in downtown Fayetteville. Tickets for the event are $50 per person and include the entertainment, heart healthy hors d’ oeuvres and beverages. For more information, tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rachel Richardson at 615-1449 or rrich2@capefearvalley.com. Come get your Shag on and help save more lives!

Photo: Friends of the Cancer Center provides: emergency funding for patients in need; medications; help with utilities; dietary supplements and more. The walk/ride on September 15 raises funds to support the Friends of the Cancer Center.

If you are new in town, or just haven’t made it to 4th Friday lately, this month there is a lot to see and do downtown.

The Visual Arts Alliance has coordinated a collaborative exhibit that includes several organizations. The focus of the city-wide exhibit is the human form.

At the Arts Council the exhibit features the works of four artists: Cameron Johnson, Dustan Elliott, Jovian Turnball and Mima McMillan. The exhibit is titled “The Human Figure: Likeness and Presence.”

“The focus of the VAA collaboration of the human form at the Arts Council is to highlight the works by four artists whose approach to representing the fi ure is diverse,” said Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County Gallery Manager Soni Martin. “The likeness of the figure in each work is self evident; but the way in which each artist interfaces the figure in a pictorial environment results in a type of ‘presence.’ For each artist, all the elements of composition or design are there, but the depth and meaning of the works, the ‘presence’ reflects each artist’s personal views about social constructions — a type of reality by each artist is being presented.”

Cape Fear Studios hosts “The Human Form” featuring the works of Alexandra Bloch (painting, drawing), Holly Fischer (sculpture), Sarah Fredericks (painting, drawing) and Robert H. Way (painting).Find out more at www.capefearstudios.com or by calling 433-2986.

At Gallery One13, the Fayetteville Art Guild offers Original 2-D and 3-D works of art in all mediums, including oils, acrylics, photography, jewelry, fabric, graphic, pottery, sculpture and follows VAA theme of the human form. An opening reception is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. during 4th Friday celebrations. The exhibition “celebrates the human form — realistically or abstractly — in portrait, figure, hands, feet, etc. in moments of motion or stillness in all visual mediums. The exhibition theme at Gallery ONE13 is in conjunction with all the art venues in Fayetteville.” The public is invited to the opening reception from 6-9 p.m. on 4th Friday Call 484-6849 for more information.

Also relating to the human form, Fascinate-U explores the different character traits that make up the human race. Kids can make a pony-bead bracelet that represents their hair color, eye color and other physical traits. Admission is free. 7-9 p.m. Learn more at www.fascinate-u.com or by calling 829-9171.

The Downtown Alliance celebrates health and wellness with free yoga, zumba and salsa classes. There will also be fencing and crossfit demonstrations. Pick up a 4th Friday Fanatics card at the Downtown Alliance at 222 Hay Street (they are free) and cash in on all the great deals and discounts offered by downtown merchants. Find out more about what the downtown alliance has to offer at www.faydta.org.

Enjoy a night at the museum at the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum. The museum is open from 6-10 p.m. during 4th Friday events. Patrons are invited to check out the exhibits. In the parking lot, crafts and local produce are available for sale. Check out the vintage car exhibit and listen to live music, too.

At the Headquarters Library, the Cape Fear Mineral and Gem Society showcases fossils and minerals. Come and see jewelry artists at work, as they turn ordinary-looking slabs of rock into beautiful jewelry-quality stones. This exhibit takes place from 7 to 8:45 p.m. in the Pate Room.

Find out more at www.cumberland.lib.nc.us.Find out more about 4th Friday at www.theartscouncil.com.

Photo: Relief print by Cameron Johnson.

Walk or drive down the streets of Fayetteville during the busy workweek (or during one of the city’s many special events in the evenings and on the weekends) and one can’t help but notice the revitalizing effects of the city’s renaissance over the past few years. The changes are impressive. The renovation of older buildings and new construction have brought a variety of new businesses and dining and entertainment venues, as well as elegant living spaces to a place with a history that dates to pre-Revolutionary War times, before the merging of the settlements of Campbellton and Cross Creek to create the city of Fayetteville in 1783.

On Sunday, Sept. 9, history buffs, teachers and anyone interested in Downtown, architecture, historic planning or historic preservation can take a walk through time as they stroll Fayetteville’s historic Downtown District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for a tour of the area’s architectural styles. The tour, free and open to the public, begins at 3 p.m. at the Cumberland County Library, 300 Maiden Lane. Tour members should wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes.

Bruce Daws, City Historian and Historic Properties Manager, will lead the tour, as participants explore Downtown Fayetteville’s collection of commercial, public, residential and religious buildings dating from the late eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.

In addition to examining how Fayetteville was designed, its layout and historic landscape features that helped define how early Fayetteville was developed, participants will visually examine the various layers of development, as well as learn about the form and function of the Market House, the only National Landmark in Cumberland County.

“The Downtown Historic District has statewide significance as a remarkably intact town center,” said Daws. “Government, commercial and residential buildings from 1788 to the 1950s stand along the picturesque meanders of Cross Creek and the elegant classical avenues of the 1783 town plan. And Fayetteville is the only town in North Carolina to retain its antebellum town hall (Market House) in the center of market square.”

The tour also includes the opportunity to examine the character-defining architectural details found in the Historic District, to include Federal, Greek revival, Second Empire, Italianate, Romanesque, Colonial, Art Deco and Moderne. Participants will receive educational handouts and review new construction in the Historic District and the requirements for these projects.

“Fayetteville’s historic built environment provides a tangible link with our past and defines the character of our city,” Daws said.

For more information, please call (910) 433-1457, 433-1458 or 433-1944.

Photo: Liberty Point played a significant role in Fayetteville’s history.

Form is defi ned by dictionary.com as an external appearance of a clearly defi ned area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration; the shape of a thing or person. There are many forms that catch our attention daily; the form of butterfly wings in flight, or the form of shadows on the wall at night. We can think of the beauty and rarity of a butterfly. The metamorphosis that it goes through captures our attention and presents a sense of awe and wonder. In the darkness of night we can take our hands and form the shadows of bunnies, dogs and ducks; however, there is one form that captures our attention each and every day — the form of the human body. No two are alike. They are all exceptionally unique, priceless masterpieces. From the full and robust to the slender and sleek, there is an appeal to each form we pass and meet; the human form how wonderful indeed.

Artists are known for seeing with the eye and creating with the heart and the mind. Their work is manifested in many mediums — pictures, sculptures and interpretations of different forms. The Visual Arts Alliance has come together to present just that in their exhibition “The Human Form.” In this exhibition “artists will investigate all aspects of the human body,” says Dwight Smith, curator of the exhibit. Videos of the human body, and much more will be displayed as each artist takes the theme and interprets what it means to them.

“The Human Form” is a celebration of the human body. It speaks to the core of humankind displayed throughout time. It speaks to us. What form do we know better than our own? From the hands that touch and feel to the silhouette of a torso and wrinkles that line our faces revealing time’s passing, the human form captures it all.

“The Human Form” is the first group exhibition by the Visual Arts Alliance which includes: Fayetteville Sate University, Rose Gallery, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Cape Fear Studios, Methodist University, Old Town Gallery, The Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Fayetteville Art Guild. The alliance presents high-quality visual artwork and uses an idea and theme to further art education. Work from artists ages 18 years and older will be on display. The exhibit is formally set to open on Aug. 24, and will run until Sept. 22, at Gallery One13, which is located at 113 Gillespie Street. The gallery hours are: Friday and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. An opening reception is scheduled for the fi rst night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

When you awake in the morning and face the mirror you see a form which has changed over time; maybe you like what you see, maybe you don’t. Nevertheless, the image that stares back at you is a rare one-of-a-kind treasure. What’s seen on the outside does not compare to the greatness that lies within — systems and functions that consistently work together to support life. It’s amazing, and so is “The Human Form.”

Rekindle your relationship with wonderful you. Go to the exhibit and be inspired and reminded of the beauty of the human form. For all of our body’s frailties and fl aws there are numerous strengths and successes — and that is worth celebrating. For additional information on “The Human Form” exhibit call 223-2787.

Photo: “Backside” by Alexandra Bloch.

A Problem Without Solution

I have been unable to get the story out of my mind since I read it earlier this month.

A 66-year-old former welder in Ohio took a taxi to the hospital where his wife lay in an intensive care bed, unable to speak following a stroke the week before. Hospital staff heard a pop and rushed to the woman’s bedside to fi nd that John Wise had just shot his wife of 45 years in the head.

“Please tell me she is dead,” he said to a doctor. The next day, she was.

Blessedly, this is not a common story.

Sadly, it is not a rare one either. Mr. and Mrs. Wise fit a documented pattern of an older man using a firearm to end the life of an older woman close to him, usually a relative, whose health he perceives as failing. There are many other human configurations as well.

Such actions are sometimes referred to as “mercy killings.” They arise from profoundly painful situations and spark controversy wherever they occur. Widespread public debate has been underway in Great Britain for several years, and the Wise case may trigger similar debate in our country.

Wise has been charged with aggravated murder, although the charges in and outcomes of such cases vary widely. Many are not prosecuted at all, sometimes because the person who causes the death is depressed or otherwise ill. Wise himself is a cancer survivor, a diabetic, and suffers from nerve damage. Sometimes the person doing the killing is overcome physically and mentally by the unrelenting stress of caregiving. When such cases are prosecuted, juries are often sympathetic. Millions of families have coped with and understand the toll illness and incapacitation take not only on the sufferers but on those who love them as well.

Earlier this year, a New York man received a six-month jail sentence after killing his 98-year-old mother and attempting suicide himself. Authorities said the man had been diagnosed with cancer and was afraid there would be no one to care for his disabled mother. A Washington state man is awaiting his fate after shooting his terminally ill wife to death. He said she begged him to do so.

Donna Cohen, who directs the Violence and Injury Prevention Program at the University of South Florida, studies such cases and is at work on a book, Caregivers Who Kill. Cohen fears an increase in so-called mercy killings as millions of Baby Boomers age with longer life expectancies and spotty mental health services and respite opportunities throughout the nation. Watching a loved one suffer with nowhere to turn can be the trigger that sends an otherwise loving caregiver over the edge, she says. Difficult situations are complicated as well by a medical system that has the technology to keep people alive regardless of the quality of the life they are enduring.

Excruciating as some mercy killing situations are, American law has no provisions for the legal killing of another human being, no matter how much that person may be suffering.

Nor should it.

Physician-assisted suicide is legal under strictly limited circumstances in three states — Montana, Oregon and Washington. Any other killing is a crime everywhere, and with good reasons. Every religious faith I know of is clear that no person has the right to take another person’s life. In addition, people outside faith communities agree — because of the potential for abuse. Who has the right to make the ultimate decision for another? Who has the right to implement such a decision? How should such a decision be executed — literally?

The reality of mercy killing is as old as mankind. It has been practiced by health-care workers and on battlefi elds since before recorded history. I even read a British commentator who alleges that a gravely ill King George the V, Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather, was administered a lethal shot by his physician just before the doctor announced that the “King’s life is moving peaceably towards its close.”

We are now a very public culture, though, and there are few secrets and even less discretion. Pair current culture with longer life spans, fragmented families and communities, medical technology, and uneven medical access and we are here. John Wise and others have faced situations no one wants and cracked. Others will as well.

The answer is not changing long-held legal and moral concepts.

The best approach — for there is no real answer to this most agonizing human dilemma — is more thorough palliative care, more accessible respite opportunities and doing for others as we would want them to do for us.

In the end, we are all human beings and we all want to be treated that way.

Photo: American law has no provisions for the legal killing of another human being, no matter how much that person may be suffering.

Like many non-profits these days, the organization has the same mission but less money than in previous years. That hasn’t slowed down progress though. In fact, on Aug. 24 and 25, Kelly invites you to join in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Find-A-Friend Program. “We’re inviting everyone to come to725 W. Rowan St. on Aug. 24 and join us for an open house,” said Kelly. “There will be food and games and you can hang out in the park. This is really a chance to tell people about what we do.” It’s also an opportunity to plug into the local organization and meet some of the volunteers and community resources that support the program. The event is free and lasts from 4-8 p.m.

On Aug. 25, celebrate in style with the Fayetteville Celebrity Idol at the Marquis Market. It’s the last weekend before Labor Day, so take advantage of it and join the fun at the All White Affair. “This is going to be a good time with people singing karaoke and competing,” said Kelly. “We have a great list of people who are going to perform to support our cause.”

Stick around after the performance and enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar and coffee shop. The event is open to patrons 21 and older. The fun starts at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 483-4661 or 483-5944 or at www.fayurbinmin.org.

Find-A-Friend is about making a difference in the lives of young people. The program includes free tutoring, mentoring, afterschool leadership and life skills workshops and a 6-week Summer Achievement Camp for approximately 200 at-risk youth each year.

Brandon Price is the community liaison at Fayetteville Urban Ministry. He’s thrilled to be a part of an organization that has an impact in the community. The Find-A-Friend program serves 200 kids a year, which is up from 30 kids ten years ago when they started. “One of our goals is to help keep kids out of juvenile detention centers. In the state of North Carolina it costs more than $125,000 to pay to send a kid to a juvenile detention center for a year. It costs $1,500 to send a young person through Find-A-Friend. When you talk about the fact that this program saves our community and our state more than $1 million each year, I think that is astronomical.”

For number crunchers and donors, it is good to know that the program is making a difference. For the kids in the program, there is no way to put a price on what they get out of Find-A-Friend — for some it is self-esteem, for others it is encouragement and refi ned coping skills, for everyone it is a sense of belonging and a source of support.

“What makes us unique is that each of us as staff can relate to these kids in some form or fashion,” said Price. “It is a place where kids can go for behavior modification services, but it’s also a place to call home — where they can be themselves. We can’t take them out of the homes they live in but we can give them tools to survive.”

On the 30th Anniversary of the Find-A-Friend program, Fayetteville Urban Ministry is launching its 30/30 campaign to raise funds to continue making a difference in the community. “Our goal is to raise $30,000,” said Kelly. “We are asking people to team up with friends and organizations, or if they are able to give as individual supporters to do that. We are asking for 30 contributions of $1,000 each from the community.”

“We strive to be transparent with the work we do with these kids,” said Price. “We want to continue to grow and to help more kids. Our organization is based on being good servants and we have seen that this attitude makes a difference in changing lives.”

While youth are the focus of Find- A-Friend, Fayetteville Urban Ministry has other programs that meet different kinds of needs in the community. Emergency Assistance is provided in the form of food, clothing and financial help. According to Fayetteville Urban Ministry, in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, this program helped more than 5,000 family members and more than 300 people in the homeless community.

The Nehemiah Project repairs the homes of low-income homeowners at no cost to the resident. The program partners with contractors, volunteers and other programs and serves between 170 and 200 elderly and/or low income home owners every year.

The Adult Literacy Program serves between 150-185 adult students each year. It costs about $320 to put an adult student through the program, but the difference it makes to the individual is priceless. Find out more about Fayetteville Urban Ministry and how you can make a difference at wwwfayurbmin.org. 

Saturday, Sept. 15, will be a day to celebrate, honor and support our family and friends; our children and siblings; our co-workers — maybe even you.

Chances are, you know someone with cancer. Many people who receive the news that they have cancer feel as if their lives have been turned upside down. Even when they come to accept the reality of cancer, they may feel their life is changed, for cancer can affect you emotionally, physically and fi nancially.

For Mary Acker, Saturday, Sept. 15, will be personal. She’s a survivor. In June 2011, Acker was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer and began treatment at Cape Fear Valley Cancer Treatment and CyberKnife Center.

After putting off her annual mammogram for years, Acker decided to fi nally get one at the urging of her physician. Her initial mammogram showed she needed more scans. An eventual biopsy confi rmed that she did in fact have breast cancer. While the initial diagnosis scared Acker, she felt confi dent in the physicians at Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center.

“The thing that impressed me the most about Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center is how the system is so interdisciplinary,” she said. “My doctors met and reviewed my case at every stage to determine the best methods of treatment for me. I did not feel like a number or a nameless medical record. It was personal.”

She underwent two surgeries and radiation treatment at Cape Fear Valley over the course of a few months. Treatments left her anxious and depressed, but she found help in the Cancer Center’s free Complementary Medicine program.

“I was naturally anxious and sometimes depressed over my situation, but massage therapy and other programs helped me relax and re-focus on the blessings in my life,” explained Acker. “I felt my mind, body and spirit were in good hands.”

The Cancer Center’s Complementary Medicine program offers individual sessions in massage therapy, refl exology and healing touch. Art therapy, nutrition classes and “Look Good... Feel Better®” sessions are offered for small groups. Most of the services are free, and all are relaxing, fun or informative. Some services may even help manage the symptoms experienced during traditional cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Patients who are currently undergoing cancer treatment or have undergone treatment within the past year may use the oasis’ services at either of the Cancer Center’s two locations: Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and Health Pavilion North.

Cape Fear Valley’s Complementary Medicine services are offered free or at minimal cost due to the generosity of donors and fundraising events like the Friends of the Cancer Center’s annual Ribbon Walk & Ride. Proceeds raised through the Ribbon Walk & Ride go directly to the Friends of the Cancer Center, which provides hundreds of cancer patients and their families with emotional support, information resources, food supplements, free wigs and turbans and emergency needs funding. In addition, each year, Friends of the Cancer Center sponsors Camp Rockfi sh, a camp to celebrate life for cancer patients and their families.

Lucky for Acker, her cancer responded quickly to the treatment and she is back on the path to good health. She is a survivor, and this year she is joining hundreds of others to walk downtown in the 7th Annual Ribbon Walk & Ride for Cancer.

Proceeds from the event will benefi t Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center. The support you give will make a difference in the lives of hundreds of cancer patients and their families. For more information or to register, please visit www.ribbonwalkforcancer. org or call (910) 615-1434.

Submitted for your consideration is my annual “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” column. We spent some time in the Blue Ridge Mountains where I encountered a fascinating canine Zen Master. I refer to the Most Exalted Spike 7, a three-legged philosopher dog who lives in the back country near the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Spike 

can impart much wisdom if you will carefully listen to his bark. He has a profound grasp of what is important and what is merely passing like the wind through the willows. Consider if you will, the parable of Spike to explain the mysteries of life in the waning days of the Summer of 2012.

The answers from Spike came blowing in the wind. As you may recall, in late June, Fayetteville had its brush with a giant hail storm powered by an ill wind called a Derecho. Derecho is Spanish for “I’ll blow your house down.” The same set of Derecho winds blew through Walnut Knob which is a mountain in Virginia where my wife’s family owns a cabin. The wind did not knock down the cabin, but it uprooted the bridge to a very small island in the pond in front of the cabin. According to a neighbor’s wind gauge, about 85 mph of Derecho blew through Walnut Knob. The wind picked up the bridge and twisted it into a wooden mountain pretzel. 

No man is an island. And what good is an island if you can’t walk across a bridge to drink coffee on it in the morning? The engineering feat of repairing the bridge is far above my pay grade. After asking around for a Mr. Fixit, we located Ike the Cattle Farmer who can do anything. Ike came over to survey the damaged bridge and brought his dog Spike 7. 

Turns out Ike has had seven dogs, all of whom were named Spike. Like the lady in the old Herman’s Hermits song “I’m Henry the Eighth” who only married guys named Henry, Ike only has dogs named Spike. The mountains, although beautiful, are unforgiving as the law of nature ain’t a bean bag. After a run in with an angry Momma Cow, Spike now has only three legs. Ike explained that coyotes have infi ltrated the mountains and are killing calves. The killing of her calf enraged Mamma Cow.

The coyotes murdered her calf and left Spike to take the blame.

Cows have memories but are not particularly sophisticated when it comes to telling dogs from coyotes. Mamma Cow spotted Spike after the killing and decided that he was the Dingo who took her baby. She kicked him so hard that his left front leg had to be amputated. Ike got a $1,400 veterinary bill. Spike lost his front leg. Mamma Cow got sweet, if mistaken, revenge.

Spike had to wear a T-shirt for a few days to keep him from chewing at his new stump but has now recovered famously. Spike is a very happy guy despite now being a three-legged dog. He sat on the front porch smiling, except when he went happily hobbling through the yard looking for something interesting to eat. Spike’s only problem is that when he lifts his leg to pee, he falls over. He gets up, grinning despite this issue. Through everything he grins.

The message is to strive to be like Spike. Keep grinning and don’t worry if you pee on your leg. It was suggested to Spike that he use the lady-dog method to relieve himself. No way, Jose. Spike is a manly dog. He is macho and refuses to squat. If he pees on his leg, he pees on his leg. Imagine that, a male doing something stubborn.

Spike does not care about who eats Chick-fi l-A sandwiches. He doesn’t care about the Presidential slime-fest going on all around him. He doesn’t even care that porn star Jenna Jameson has endorsed Mitt Romney for President. He is abundantly unconcerned that NASA’s space ship Curiosity landed on Mars. He just likes being outside and smiling at the world.

He does not even bear a grudge against cows, although Ike says he is now cautious around them. Spike told me he really isn’t mad at the coyotes because the coyotes were just doing what coyotes do.

Spike is all Zen, all the time.If we could all be like Spike, the world would be a better place despite an increase in wet trouser legs.

Okay, so it might seem that I’m on a social-media kick — but there is a method to my madness.

I am on Facebook a lot. Not during work hours — one because government computers don’t allow it, but more importantly because I have better things to do then talk about what the fashionchallenged wear to work. And believe me — I could talk a lot about that.

But that’s not the point.

Like many people, I use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family who are far away. Being a military spouse, that’s the majority of the people who are my friends. Not to say that I don’t have a number of people who are near and dear who live in Fayetteville.

But that being said, I use Facebook as a means of being social. I don’t use it as a means of proselytizing, or making political statements. I make my political statements at the polls where they count — not where they just annoy people.

If I want to make a political statement, then I will write a letter to the editor. And, you can bet before I do that, I will have researched what I am talking about thoroughly and my thoughts won’t be from some political machine, but rather from my convictions.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case with the majority of people. Before you post something, make sure it is true. And most importantly, know your audience.

I, for one, am not a big fan of all the posts by folks who think they shouldn’t have to pay their student loans back. I’m the girl who worked from 4 in the morning until 11 at night every day of my summer break to pay for school. I’m also the girl who couldn’t have cable and drove a rickety car for years to pay back my student loans. I don’t want to hear why you shouldn’t have to pay yours back because I’m still too tired from paying mine back.

I also don’t want to read the statements that begin with “Know the truth” only to get to the end and fi nd out the truth you are pushing is paid for by some special interest group whose truth is obviously not a truth but rather their interpretation of the truth.

If I want that kind of truth shoved in my face, I will stand in line at the grocery store and read it on the pages of the tabloids.

As the political season heats up, I may borrow a page from my husband’s play book. He doesn’t like to receive game requests and political statements. If one of his friends begins to inundate him with those kinds of things, he simply blocks their posts from appearing on his page and they are none the wiser. Smart man.

Each of us can’t be there to directly tend to the needs of our loved ones. That’s where the Foundation at Cape Fear Valley Health can step in. The donations to the Foundation go directly to support cancer patients right here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

The Ribbon Walk (and Ride), as well as golf tournaments and charity drives at companies and schools in the area, all help support Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. Each help fund both major acquisitions and seemingly small comforts for patients of Cape Fear Valley Health.

The work of the Foundation helps make Cape Fear Valley Health a “magical place”, according to Brad Loase, a cancer survivor. “It’s the little things they do, not just for patients, but for families as well, to make things easier for them. I always felt wanted, that people were happy to see me. I remember all their faces.”

Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center provide assistance with transportation to and from appointments. They can help with emergency funding for medications and utilities, mammograms, and a range of personal needs. And sometimes they just sit and wait with you, providing emotional support and a smile. Brad says “They are the most amazing people.” Friends of the Cancer Center is a community of dedicated volunteers who nurture, support and guide cancer patients and their families through a profoundly emotional time to improve the quality of our patient’s lives. FOCC provides many support programs such as Artful Reflections (painting every Friday), Coming Together (kids and parents group), Man Talk, and the Oasis Complementary Medicine Program.

With your help we will continue to work to make a difference for each of our patients, each of our starfish. You can make a difference by participating in the 7th Annual Ribbon Walk & Ride for Cancer. This year’s event will be held on Sept. 15 downtown at the Medical Arts building. The 5K (3 miles) walk will take participants through downtown Fayetteville, Linear Park and back. The motorcycle ride will be on a separate route.

Registration is $25, but only $15 for survivors and t-shirts will be provided. Registration will open at 9 a.m., ride begins at 9:45 a.m. and walk at 10 a.m. All survivors registered by Aug. 15, will be invited to join us for the 1st Annual Survivor Reception on September 14 at SkyView on Hay. Join our community as an individual walker/rider or team in honor and memory of your loved ones while helping our patient’s right here at home. To register, and for more information, please visit www.ribbonwalkforcancer.org, or call 615-1434.

In last week’s issue, the author of the Ribbon Walk Article was Ginny Deffendall.

Photo: The Friends of the Cancer Center plays an important role in helping families of patients.

When Fascinate-U Children’s Museum opened its doors on Green Street in 1999, Susan Daniels, the executive director used to get calls from nervous parents asking where it was safe to park so they could bring their kids to see the exhibits. Fascinate-U had 10,000 visitors that year. Things are different now.

More than 48,000 visitors came to the museum last year. The building also houses the local model train blub and Gilbert Theater, which is known throughout the community for it’s stellar performances.

Progress like this is nothing to sneeze at, but Daniels, along with supporters of the museum and local organizations see no reason to stop now. In fact, there are some pretty exciting things in the works.

At the top of the list is a new exhibit — a farm. “We had a scouting badge workshop in here recently and the kids brainstormed eggs as a dairy product … it is in the dairy section at the store,” said Daniels. “There is such a disconnect these days. Many people how no idea where their food comes from or how it gets from where ever it is grown/made/processed to the dinner table.”

A visitor to the museum also noticed the absence of the food chain in the museum exhibits. Daniels and the Board of the museum took note and started looking for ways to add this information to their exhibits.

Thanks to some very generous local nonprofits, industry, and personal contributions from donors, Fascinate-U is looking to open the new exhibit in the near future. “There is so much potential here, “ said Daniels. The exhibit will include root vegetables in plexi glass under a grow light so kids can actually see what the food looks like when it is in the ground and farm animals like hens, pigs and a cow. “The cow is going to be great. It’s a milking cow with a pump inside so the kids will actually be able see what it is like to milk a cow,” Daniels added.

The exhibit also includes an orchard. “We will be able to Velcro the fruit to the wall and give the kids the opportunity to “pick” the fruit and make the connection that our fruit grows on trees,” said Daniels.

That is just the beginning. Daniels plans to use the exhibit as a platform to talk about nutrition and healthy meal planning and food preparation, to engage local farmers and possibly include them in educational programs, to explore the process of how food gets from the farm to the table and the carbon footprint that process leaves. “There is a lot we can build on here,” she said.

In addition to the new exhibit, the museum is set to get a few upgrades, too. Having 48,000 visitors a year is a wonderful thing, but it can involve some wear and tear, so new paint on the walls and new flooring are in the works. That may take a bit longer, but it’s something that Daniels knows will make a difference for people who come through.

“The flooring may take a little longer because we also hope to redo some of the mini-city exhibit,” said Daniels.

Bringing almost 50,000 people a year is not small feat and it doesn’t happen over night, but the strong programming and community outreach has built a strong following that many in the community hope to build on.

The museum works with both the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of America on badge workshops and other educational and community service projects.

Super Science Saturday and Make It Take It Saturdays provide hands-on learning experiences and include some creativity for patrons. There are three snakes, a tarantula and several rats that are a part of the programming at various time through out the year. Every 4th Friday there is a kid-friendly project for children to enjoy and admission to the museum is free. The Cape Fear Railroaders invite visitors (as well as the general public) to the museum to an open house on the first and third Saturday of each month, too.

During the summer, science and art camps fill the calendar at Fascinate-U. Kids can choose between art and science or stay all day and enjoy them both — once mom and dad sign them up. If camp is out of the question, Daniels suggests holding a birthday party there or hosting a group event for the kids at Fascinate-U.

During the school year, local schools benefit from the outreach efforts of Daniels. The museum has been in the classrooms in local schools for the past three years. “Last year we were in four local elementary schools 14 times during the year,” said Daniels. “We reached 5,000 kids last year through our science programs, and we’ve shared our “Simply Science” program in Bladen County, too.”

In order to continue to grow the programming, the inaugural Fascinate-U Children’s Open is scheduled for Sept. 14-15. “We were looking for something fun and different to do — something wholesome and family friendly,” said Daniels.

It’s a miniature golf tournament that will include nine holes, made by sponsors, so each hole will be a one-of-a-kind. “We really hope that the sponsors will make their holes distinctive and unique — something that reflects who they are and their place in the community,” said Daniels.

There will be other fun activities during the event, too. Look for bounce houses, face painting, games, food, a silent auction and local mascots from area teams and businesses. “We hope to see hundreds of people come out for this. It is family friendly and something everyone can enjoy,” said Daniels. “Our goal is to raise $10,000 this year.”

Find out more about Fascinate-U and how you can help at www.fascinate_u.com or by calling 829-9171.

Photo: An artists rendering of the new Fascinating Farm exhibit that is coming to Fascinate-U.

For many the idea of leaping from an aircraft is absurd, leaping from a mechanically sound aircraft seems downright crazy. None the less, 72 years ago some brave souls took the plunge at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, and changed warfare and recreation drastically. Fayetteville in particular has been affected by airborne operation, being the home of the 82nd Airborne Division, and so it comes as no surprise that the history is celebrated here.

This holiday honoring airborne troops was established in 2002 by President George W. Bush, and recognized by the Senate in 2009. It is however, the 72nd Anniversary of the first parachute jumps taken in Ft. Benning, Georgia that is being celebrated — as well as the museums 10th anniversary. Paul Galloway the executive director of the Airborne Special Operations Museum explained this by saying, “It’s in honor of all the paratroopers and special operations soldiers that have come before us. It came about because of the 40 soldiers that first jumped out of the airplane for the army, and it’s important not to forget those guys.”

Airborne Operations were integral in the Allied victories in WWII, (like D-day) and there is a tremendous sense of pride amongst all airborne soldiers. To honor these soldiers, and those who have fallen in these operations, there will be a ceremonial wreath laid at the feet of the iconic Iron Mike statue. That is not the only memorial to paratroopers as ASOM has a memorial to the original 40 jumpers. “We have a monument on site, outside of the museum, that has all their names on it,” Galloway says. The day’s festivities include free-fall parachute demonstrations for the public to enjoy, executed by the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Black Daggers of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and the 82nd Airborne Division’s All American Freefall Team. This demonstration will give spectators a taste of the excitement and joy felt by those who opened the doors to these possibilities by taking the very first plunge from an aircraft.

Fort Bragg will also provide soldiers to set up both modern and WW II equipment for visitors toexplore and learn about how much technology has changed over the years. Further highlighting the changes the Army has experienced, re-enactors will be walking around amongst the current soldiers wearing uniforms from WWII. Galloway acknowledges the Army’s role in this celebrations by saying, “It’s an Army event, not a (Airborne Special Operations Museum) Foundation event, and they always lay a wreath in honor of all the army paratroopers and special operations soldiers that have died from today to the past.” 

The event will be taking place on Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum located at 100 Bragg Boulevard. For more information visit the museum’s website www.asomf.org or call 910-643-2766.

Photo: Airborne Operations were integral in the Allied victories in WWII, (like D-day) and there is a tremendous sense of pride amongst all airborne soldiers. 

How can two people walk together unless they agree? They can’t. Have you ever done the three legged race? One of your legs is tied to another person, in order to get to the finish line you must work as a team. During the race there is no time to discuss strategy or to go through a long discussion about a teammate’s weaknesses or strengths. You just get together and work with what you have to successfully complete the race. It’s not about the individual but about the group, it’s about Umoja! Umoja is a Swahili word that means unity. The focusis on building communities that stand together with mutual respect and cooperation.

On Aug. 18, 2012 the Umoja Festival will be held at Seabrook Park at 1520 Slater Ave. in Fayetteville. The Umoja Festival is an African-American cultural, family and community festival. The event is from noon until 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public. The festival is sponsored by Umoja Group, Inc. of Fayetteville, a nonprofit organization whose mission initiates and supports African, African-American and Caribbean positive history, art and culture.

The event is truly festive and includes: storytellers, cultural displays, music, ethnic food, a fish fry and vendors. The Fayetteville State University and E.E. Smith bands will be present along with the Delta Steppers. Radio station107.7 Jamz, 3rd World Soundz, Fayetteville/Cumberland Parks & Recreation, the African-American Education & Research Organization, as well as Cape Fear Valley Health will also be participating in the festival. According to the project director, Isabella Effon, you don’t want to miss the good food. “If you are on a diet that day, take a day off and enjoy the food.”

Although the crowds will be delighted with the food Effon states that the festival is really about bringing families together. “The festival is more family oriented; the elders of the African-American community come out in great numbers. They look forward to it,” says Effon. Many of the elderly come out to talk about their history. Some of them have been interviewed by the Umoja groups’ presidential director Dorothy Fielder. During the festival you will have an opportunity to converse with these “treasures of heritage.” They are walking books of culture and heritage.

This festival has been held since the inception of the Umoja group. This year marks the 22nd year of Umoja Festival. The Umoja group has hosted other events in the past twenty years as well including Kwanza, the Malcolm X Forum, and it’s first Women’s Conference, which was held February of this year.

The group also holds international exhibits. In the coming year they will hold a music exhibit from the West Africa Department of Performing and Fine Arts, so mark the calendar and plan to attend. And while celebrating Umoja, take some time to look at the Fayetteville State University mural on Seabrook Dr. This mural is painted and cared for by the Umoja group, partners in both the community and education.

As a partner in the community the group is offering free health screenings. The health screenings are sponsored by Cape fear Valley Health and the African Physicians Association of Fayetteville. These spectacular screenings are the highlight of the festival. The screenings provide many on site services, such as glucose & blood pressure screenings, rapid HIV testing, one on one doctor consultations, EKGs, BMI ( body mass index ) screenings and the opportunity to sign up for a mammogram. So while you are there be sure to go by and get a free health screening, just do some dancing before the screenings and eat after your BMI check.

It’s a family affair. It’s about coming together. It’s about linking up. It’s about sharing and moving forward as a unit, as a community; mutual respect, mutual effort, mutual support and lots of fun.

In case of rain the Umoja festival will be held on Aug. 25 instead of Aug. 18. For more information call 910-483-6152. Vendors please call 910-488-7130.

Running a small business is difficult and time consuming, but often rewarding. Many times, the biggest challenges are unnecessary, but unavoidable for those who lack experience and information. This is not death sentence however, and help is available for small business owners, and it’s called the Center of Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED). CEED, which is an organization designed to help support local small business owners, kicks off the Partners in Progress. Laura Solano, the CEED business consultant described the program’s purpose by saying, “It’s not only a networking meeting, it’s a mentoring group … and also we offer information, something of interest for small business owners. It’s an opportunity to network with other business owners and to get your information about what’s going on out there and what resources are available for small business owners.”

In this time of economic hardship, it is undeniable and unavoidable that businesses have suffered all over the country, particularly small businesses. This does not mean however that growth must stop. It is the entrepreneurs who charge ahead with their brilliant ideas and business confidence that revitalize economies. “We want to bring information to our small-business owners. There are programs out there that might not be promoted as much as we wanted to so we try to put together three great speakers and offer the programs that the community is looking for, especially small business owners,” Solano explains.

The Partners in Progress program meets once a month, and for the kick off — Mentoring Roundtable — three speakers that will provide valuable information for small business owners searching for success. “I have a representative from work force development. She will be speaking about the Adult Experience Program. Jess Hunt is the Family Chamber President and CEO, and he’s going to be talking about how to go from a home-based business to brick and mortar, and the regional representative for the Small Business Association is coming to talk on the 504 Loan Program,” says Solano. The 504 Loan Program, has $7.5 billion in financing available from the Small Business Association.

Perhaps the most valuable resource these meetings provide is the networking opportunities. Deals and partnerships can propel businesses into new success and open doors for opportunity, but they cannot be made without relationships. Solano expresses the importance of networking further by saying, “Networking is a very essential part of business. It must be a constant activity, trying to establish that it is an everyday thing just like a marketing strategy, and everyday taking care of your business.”

The meeting will be held at the Marquis Market in downtown Fayetteville. There is a $30 fee for those who attend, but it is reduced to $20 for non-members as an introductory price if they join CEED on that day, but free for members. To register or for more information contact Laura Solano at lsolano@ncceed.org or call 323-3377. The meeting is on Aug. 16, at 116 Person St. at the Marquis Market.

Photo: Small business owners find support as well as educational and networking opportunities.

The Dark Knight Rises(Rated PG-13) 4 Stars

Where to begin? First off, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that The Dark Knight Rises (164 minutes) isn’t an entertaining film. It is. This baby is going to make millions, fulfill the expectations of many fans and sell a lot of popcorn. What I am saying is that for the final film in a groundbreaking series it wasn’t that good and I was rather underwhelmed. And I say that speaking as someone who really likes Batman. When it comes to the eternal question of whether Batman or Superman would win a mano-e-mano, I always pick Batman. But to put it frankly, I was bored.

It’s been eight years since the events depicted in The Dark Knight. Gotham is fairly peaceful, and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) is questioning his decision to hide the truth about Batman (Christian Bale) from the public. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is a recluse, and Alfred the Butler (Michael Caine) is pretty fed up with tending to him. But being a recluse doesn’t mean you can’t throw a party! And despite the common sense practice of running background checks on the people you allow within a hundred miles of your secret lair, somehow a cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) manages to make her way onto the kitchen staff. During the party she infiltrates the inner sanctum of Bruce Wayne and sets the second half of the film into motion.

Through a series of inconvenient coincidences, the details of the Batman/Harvey Dent cover-up are revealed to the main villain, Bane (Tom Hardy). He hangs out in the sewer to ponder this information whilst mumbling to himself. This leaves the burden of advancing the plot to the rest of the characters. For instance, Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) hosts a charity ball so Batman and Catwoman have a place to meet and exchange banter. Deputy Dumba … I mean, Deputy Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) draws some astonishing conclusions based on a logical leap coupled with a lucky guess, thus winning over both Commissioner Gordon and Batman.

The plot moves forward at a snail’s pace, so this is probably a good place to mention the flaws inherent in the MPAA rating system. With all the people getting shot, and the implied rapes taking place in the background, it seems a bit odd that this film would end up with a PG-13 rating. The series of comics the movie is based on was meant for a more mature audience, and while I am not advocating for censorship (the MPAA is biased in a number of ways), it seems like this is at least as disturbing as the documentary Bully — and the filmmakers behind that had to engage in some hardcore lobbying to get its rating changed from R to PG-13.

Overall, the main problem with the film was the pacing. The first half was positively sluggish, and the timeline of the last third was all kinds of screwed up. Seriously. Watch the movie and try to figure out the timeline of events. It just doesn’t make any sense without some major suspension of disbelief. The grand climax doesn’t seem scientifically accurate. Finally, if Gotham City does indeed have more than 3,000 police, why do I only see the one chick in the background police shots? I will admit that the twist is worth waiting for, and the very end of the film includes a nice emotional touchstone. The average viewer will like it — just don’t overthink it (I did. See how that worked out for me?).

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

If you haven’t been in a while, head over to the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

The Fayetteville Farmers Market and City Market have joined forces with the museum to provide a destination where patrons can shop, learn, relax and be entertained. On Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings the parking lot of the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum is filled with farmers, artists and entertainers … and the hundreds of people who come out to enjoy the market each week.

Bruce Daws, City of Fayetteville historic properties manager loves seeing all the activity just outside the museum, because of the opportunities it provides both the vendors and the patrons. “We host both the events as the Market at the Museum. We provide the space and block the parking lot and help set up with logistics,” said Daws. “The museum opens its agriculture exhibits because of the ties between historical agriculture and today’s farmers. It also provides an opportunity for people to cool off during the heat of the day and learn a thing or two.”

He added that the goal is to create a destination that will draw people to the market not only to buy fresh food and local, high-quality art, but to spend time downtown getting to know the vendors, local businesses and organizations and become invested in the community.

Like other farmers markets, the Fayetteville Farmers Market offers fresh produce and seasonal vegetables — and more. “We have 24 vendors. Some just sell certain products like blueberries and other berries,” said Crystal Butler, Fayetteville Farmers Market president. “Some new vendors are coming this fall that have pumpkins and sweet potatoes and things like that. We have vendors selling baked goods, we have local honey, fresh flowers, organically raised beef, lamb, chicken and pork. You can come to the market and leave with an entire meal.”

Don’t just come and grab a few tomatoes and head home though. Every second Saturday the Farmers Market offers kid-related activities, and the vendors are eager to educate their customers, too. “The farmers enjoy talking to their customers about what it takes to get their food from the farm to the table. There is so much that goes into it that most people don’t event know about,” said Butler. It is a system that works. “You meet someone new every Saturday. Once you start talking to them and they walk around and see how good everything is they always come back. You (the vendors) get to know a lot of customers on a first name basis. It is rewarding and you know your hard work is worth it.”

Daws sees the Market at the Museum as an event with a lot of potential. The intent is to bring more people downtown and to create an event that is family friendly. “We like to encourage people to come down and spend time,” said Daws. “That is why we set up rocking chairs and we have a band that plays for the crowd. It is to create an event that supports the revitalization of downtown. It is working very well. On an average Saturday we have anywhere from 300-400 visitors or more.”

So far it is working, the Farmers Market opens an hour earlier now on Saturdays. “We used to open at 9 a.m., but we would get here and have people who had been waiting since 8 or 8:30 a.m. for us to open so we moved the time up,” said Butler. “We don’t want to miss a chance to connect with the people who come to the market.”

The City Market vendors consist of handmade, original crafts such as pottery, hand-blown glass, organic soaps, soy candles, glass crocheted jewelry, blended teas and herbs, custom water colors and signs, fabric jotting books for your inner poet, wreaths, birdhouses, original photography and much more. Local musicians appear regularly and serenade the crowd with their mellow tunes. Face painting, clowns, balloon animals, ring toss and a bounce house are just some of the family friendly activities that can be enjoyed on any given Saturday morning.

“We hope to add antique vendors to the market soon,” said Daws. “Of course, like the rest of our vendors, the antique dealers will go through an approval processes so that we can make sure our patrons are getting good quality items.”

The Market at the Museum is open on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and during 4th Friday celebrations. Find out more about the Farmers Market at www.thefayettevillefarmersmarket.com, or by calling 703-7708. To fi nd out more about the City Market or the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum call 433-1944.

Photo: The Fayetteville Farmers Market and City Market offer fresh foods, art and entertainment and more.

Whether you are a survivor or you know someone who is fi ghting, cancer is a disease that touches us all.

Sherry Jackson, an RN on the Cape Fear Valley Pediatrics Unit, knows all too well the strength needed to battle cancer. In 2004, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. What followed were three rounds of chemotherapy that took a rough toll on her body. But Jackson knows Cape Fear Valley’s cancer patients need never fight alone. They have the support of Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center.

“Every penny the Foundation raises goes straight to the Cancer Center to help patients that need it so badly,” she says.

The Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center and CyberKnife Treatment Center does not receive any fi nancial assistance from any national cancer support foundations. Instead, the center relies solely on donations and gifts provided to the Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center.

Friends of the Cancer Center provide hundreds of cancer patients and their families not only with emotional support and information resources, but also prescription medicine, food supplements, wigs and turbans, emergency funding for utilities and travel assistance for treatment — all at no expense for the patient.

Now in remission, Jackson serves as co-chair for the organization’s largest fundraising event, the Annual Ribbon Walk & Ride. The first Ribbon Walktook place in 2005, with 140 walkers — including Jackson —joining together to raise just over $3,000. The event has grown over the years. The 2011 walk added a riding portion for motorcycle enthusiasts. Altogether 750 participants banded together and raised more than $88,000 for local cancer patients!

On Saturday, Sept. 15, hundreds of walkers and motorcycle riders will gather together in support of Cape Fear Valley’s cancer patients and the Friends of the Cancer Center for the 7th Annual Ribbon Walk & Ride presented by HealthKeeperz.

“I am so extremely emotional and excited for this event,” says Jackson. “My goal is for the Ribbon Walk to be larger than Fayetteville’s Dogwood Festival.”

Tara Brisson Hinton, Friends of the Cancer Center Coordinator at Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation is also hoping this year’s walk will be even bigger.

“We are so excited for this year’s event as it keeps growing,” Hinton says. “We’re holding our fi rst Survivor’s Reception on Friday, Sept. 14, at SkyView on Hay to kick things off.”

The reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., and will offer food, music, a photo booth, silent auction and door prizes.

The Survivor’s Reception is not this year’s only change. This will be the fi rst year that walkers will not be taking on the steep hill on Hay Street into Historic Haymont. Instead, walkers will start at the Medical Arts Center and walk down Hay Street and through Linear Park (the motorcycle route will go out to River Road and back). There will be small hills and a few steps, but the climb up Hay Street will not be necessary.

The flatter walk is a benefit because for the 2012 Ribbon Walk we are calling all cancer survivors.

“I’ve walked the new route,” says Jackson. “Most of our cancer survivors can walk it because there are only three or four steps and someone will be posted there to help survivors up and down those steps.”

Walkers and riders register for $25 and receive a t-shirt, but survivors can participate for only $15 and they will receive a special “I am a Survivor” t-shirt.

Survivors who register by Wednesday, Aug. 15, will receive an invitation by mail with a ticket for them and a guest to attend the special Survivors Reception.

There will be prizes for the Ribbon Walk & Ride individual and team who raise the most money and friendly competition is strongly encouraged.

The team that raises the most money will get ownership of The Crystal Ribbon trophy with the team name engraved on it.

If you would like to join the Ribbon Walk & Ride this Sept. 15, Sherry Jackson and the Friends of the Cancer Center would love to have you. For more information, please call 615-1434 or visit www.ribbonwalkforcancer.org.

For many areas, particularly the more agrarian states, it took years to get the benefi ts of electricity. It was often a very expensive endeavor to install and many households choose to stick to the traditional ways of doing things. Since then electricity has become a necessity. Blackouts now mean the halting of all work and an extreme inconvenience to all, sometimes even resulting in fatalities. “Today, we have become accustomed to rapidly changing technology and how it affects our lives. Imagine less than a century ago, most North Carolinians lived without electricity,” David Reid, the museum (WHICH MUSEUM) administrator, said.

The new exhibit at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, which is a traveling exhibit from the North Carolina Museum of History, highlights the tremendous difference in pre-electric and post-electric devices. “It looks at how electricity was life altering to the people of this country and of this area. People don’t realize that less than a century ago many parts of north Carolina did not have electricity. Cities had it at the beginning of the 20th century but rural areas didn’t get it for as late as the 1940s,” Reid said.

Reid explained the exhibit as having three cases. One of them talks about the development of electricity and Edison creating the light bulb, and once he invented the light bulb how he had to create an electrical distribution to get the power across communities. Another case has electrical appliances and the tools being replaced by these electrical appliances such as clocks, toasters, fans, items like that. And the third case has to do with how all of that was promoted. How companies like General Electric advertised to try and get people to buy their products and promoted the use of electricity, unlike today where we have advertising for people to conserve electricity.

Once electricity was wide spread there was a huge surge in the invention of electrical appliances intended to make house work easier for the stay at home moms. This exhibit will show the pre-electricity devices side by side with the electrically driven ones to give their patrons a more complete understanding of how drastically life changed with the use of electricity. “What we do after people look at the items in the exhibit, is to then go over to the Poe house and think about as they walk through the house how life would change for the Poes as electricity was introduced and they started acquiring electrical appliances. Because the house dates from 1897 and we interpret it up to ww1 so that would be the time that electricity would be introduced to the house,” Reid explains.

This exhibit will be on display until Sept. 16 at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal avenues. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.

Photo: The new exhibit at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, which is a traveling exhibit from the North Carolina Museum of History, highlights the tremendous difference in pre-electric and post-electric devices.

It’s a Palazzo! The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local history Museum really know how to celebrate. As a part of the Fayetteville’s 250th Anniversary Celebration they have an extraordinary line up of educational activities. They have left no stone unturned. From July to October numerous activities have been planned to exhibit the wonderful and vast history of Fayetteville. From the Market House to the churches, from historic buildings to the flowing river, even to the men and women of our military who fought to uphold our freedom; the museum has it all covered in their tours and programs. The scheduled events are an eye opener to the wonderful community of Fayetteville.

There is a longing in each of us to know our history. It somehow helps us to find our place in the world. From the young child that asks “how did I get here?” and “where do babies come from?” to the adolescent that wonders if they truly matter and the young adult who is “trying to find myself,” there is a part of us that longs to know the past that produced the present. Connecting with the struggles and successes of our ancestors helps us to connect with the greatness that we each have inside us. It also helps us to imagine how our own contributions will affect society for those who will follow behind us.

Fayetteville’s history is a combination of all those who have lived and sacrifi ced long before our time. Among these great individuals are the contributions of many African-American’s. Although the month of February is often set aside to celebrate the impact and contributions these individuals have made, the Transportation and History Museum has once again taken the time to recognize their heritage on the Africa-American Heritage tour scheduled to take place on Aug. 13. According to Heidi Bleazey, museum specialist, “The city has offered numerous African-American themed tours and programs over the years and incorporated African-American heritage into many of the various themed tours and exhibits conducted through the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum. This is the fi rst one led by Charles Anderson and the fi rst one packaged in this format for the 250th Celebration.” Charles Anderson is a professor at Central Texas College on Fort Bragg.

This three hour tour will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., exploring the downtown area while noting the contributions of African Americans. Scheduled stops on the tour include: Brookside Cemetery, E.E. Smith’s home, the Orange Street School and the home of the Chesnutt sisters. The Chestnutt sisters were educators in Cumberland County and are the sisters of Charles Waddell Chesnutt, noted African-American author for whom the Fayetteville State University Charles W. Chesnutt Special Library & Archives is named.

More than African-American heritage, this tour is the heritage of our beloved city, the place we call home today. It was woven together by all of our ancestors. Each piece of unique history connects us all.

To find out more about this tour or other tours offered by the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local history Museum contact 433-1457, 1458, or 1944.

Photo: Charles W. Chestnutt

In 2004, the North Carolina General Assembly created the North Carolina Military Business Center — the only statewide Military Business Center in the United States. A statewide business-development component of the community college system, the NCMBC leverages military and other federal business opportunities for economic development and quality of life in North Carolina. Since opening in January 2005, NCMBC business development specialists have supported N.C. businesses in identifying, competing for and winning more than 1,230 contracts worth $2.8 to $8 billion.

Throughout the year, the NCMBC hosts multiple strategic, industry-specifi c major events to help educate N.C. companies on the upcoming trends, opportunities and current and future needs of the industry, as well as provide the opportunity to network with major defense contractors, Department of Defense buyers, government and military agencies to build teaming relationships and to learn more about defense procurement processes. Major events that have already occurred this year include the N.C. Federal Environmental Symposium (June 2012) and the N.C. Federal Advanced Technologies Symposium (July 2012).

Below are upcoming events this year:

• 11th Annual Defense and Economic Development Trade Show Hosted at Fayetteville Technical Community College since 2001, the Defense and Economic Development Trade Show is the premier defense trade show in North Carolina. Hosted by U.S. Senator Richard Burr, U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, Congressman Larry Kissell, FTCC and the NCMBC, the 11th Annual DTS will be held on Aug. 7, at FTCC’s 2201 Hull Road campus. The purpose of the DTS is to build relationships among representatives of the Congressional delegation, Department of Defense, federal agencies and numerous defense contracting fi rms, including both large and small North Carolina businesses. This event is free. For more information or to register, visit ncmbc.us/2012DefenseTradeShow.php

• 2012 North Carolina Aerospace Supplier Conference (August 13-14, High Point, N.C.) The Aerospace Suppliers Conference, cohosted by Senator Richard Burr, the NCMBC, the N.C. Aerospace Alliance and the N.C. Department of Commerce, connects aerospace suppliers and subcontractors in the state with major aircraft manufacturers and fi rst-tier subcontractors. The conference features briefi ngs by major aerospace companies about their current requirements, vendor qualifi cation processes and future opportunities; general sessions on workforce training, quality management systems and industry trends in military; commercial and general aviation; and a trade show of North Carolina aerospace companies. For more information or to register, visit ncmbc.us/2012NCAerospaceConference.php

• 2012 North Carolina Federal Construction & Infrastructure Summit (October 10-11 – Wilmington, N.C.) The FEDCON Summit will bring together more than 800 representatives of the Corps of Engineers, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, United States Coast Guard, Department of Veterans Affairs, GSA Public Buildings Service, other federal agencies and installations, general and specialty contractors, designers and construction suppliers in North Carolina. The Summit program will focus on traditional military construction, sustainment, restoration and modernization (SRM) construction and energy and other environmental construction and engineering opportunities at bases in North Carolina. The Summit will include a business expo, general and breakout sessions, and speed networking with major primes and federal agencies. For more information or to register, visit ncmbc.us/2012FEDCONSummit.php. For more information on the N.C. Military Business Center, visit ncmbc.us/index.php.

Learn more about Fayetteville Technical Community College at www.faytechcc.edu.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

This week in The Buzz we are reminded that indeed all good things must come to an end.

Downhere, a Canadian band with two lead singers, one of whom sounds so much like the late Freddy Mercury that he toured on the Queen reunion tour this summer, has announced that they will end their music ministry in January 2013.

Here is the official statement from Downhere:

Hello Friends,

It is with many memories and deep feelings that we relay to you the decision we have made over the course of the last year. January 1, 2013 will mark the end of our traveling ministry for the foreseeable future.

It has become very clear to us that this chapter of our journey, initiated by God, is drawing to a close. While we mourn the end of this season we also celebrate over a decade of ministry. It has been hard work and our families have paid a big price. The friends, songs, experiences and lives changed as a result of hearing the truth of God’s love has sustained us through many years and miles.

For those of you who know us well you know that this is not a band breakup. In fact, we are open to playing a select few shows or events in the future. After many years and miles spent together we have become a band of brothers who love each other dearly. There is not one single variable that has initiated this change; rather it would seem the same sovereign hand that has guided us together for this season is now leading us in different directions. We are grateful for the role everyone has played in our lives. Your encouragement and support over the years has carried us through thick and thin.

We have always wanted to finish well. We believe that means finishing together, as a band... and that is what we are going to do. We are working on setting up a few wrap-up shows this fall. More information will be forthcoming as things get solidified.

Downhere is ending well with their final project On The Altar of Lovewhich is available now. Find them online at www.downhere.com.

Hip-Hop is alive and well in Fayetteville, N.C. This is something I would not have believed until it was pointed out to me. So Fayetteville, please introduce yourself to Ezzie B and Doomgotbeats, collectively known as Prosthetik Intelligentz.

The group was formed back in April 2010. In that same year they released two mixed tapes that received local and international rec-ognition in the underground world of Hip-Hop. They soon adopted “journeyman-alien” Hip+Hop as an oc-casional member to the group who traveled with them on a trip around the world to help promote their music and ideas. The trip served them with invaluable inspiration for their upcoming projects. Prosthetik Intelligentz planned on working on their third mixed tape when they returned. During the process they met Raleigh-based produc-er Eric “Gravity Movement” Bannister. Quickly they all clicked together and started recording Sounds & Wonders ep.

Sounds & Wonders ep was released this past winter and contains six songs of head-bobbing smooth Hip-Hop with a message. There’s a heavy influence of New York’s ‘90s Hip-Hop scene all over the album. These guys fit right in with groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, maybe even Nas in his early days on the scene.

The mood is set right from the first track for the ep which isn’t a bad thing since it’s only a six song ep. The album doesn’t drag on and get boring, instead it’s over before you know it and leaves you craving more. The beats are laid back, easy going and spacey sounding with lots of cool breaks and samples. Layered over these beautiful beats are samples from various speakers giving inspiration with Ezzie B’s intelligent lyrics showcasing his plea for people to use their minds for positive actions and his love of music.

If you’re looking for some club music about random hook ups, pushing dope and taste for extravagant clothing and cars then this is not for you. The intro track to the album, “Sunlight”, features a sample excerpt of a speech from Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator where the speaker talks about a world where we all help one another and strive for the happiness and liberty for all mankind. These are the ideas and concepts you will hear on Sounds & Wonders. The lyrics are very positive while slightly touching on some of the darkness and troubles of the real world. Ezzie B has a very nice flow to his rap too which helps deliver his message, making the listeners ears willing and wanting to take in his Andre 3000 meets Pusha T flow.

Prosthetik Intelligentz is not a group to sleep on. If you’re a fan of Rap and Hip-Hop, you want this album in your collection. It’s especially exciting talent like this coming right out of Fayetteville. For more information and free music from Prosthetik Intelligentz, visit www.prosthetikintelligentz.com. The physical copy of the CD will also come with a bonus disc, The Sade Experience by Doomgotbeats. On this disc Doomgotbeats remixes classic Sade tracks in Prosthetik Intelligentz style. The project was inspired by his recent trip to Africa and the songs sound just as beautiful and classic as Sade herself.

The Fayetteville SwampDogs would like to take this opportunity to thank the greatest fans in the Coastal Plain League for another outstanding and memorable 2012 season. After the frightening concession-stand explosion before the season, fans willed the SwampDogs to success both on and off the field. The team once again led the league in attendance, as SwampDogs Nation filled J.P. Riddle Stadium on a nightly basis. Fans created a palpable excitement for each home game that yielded one of the best game-day atmospheres in the league. Fayetteville realizes that The All- American Summer of Fun would not have been possible without the loyal contingent of fans, and is ecstatic to get to work on the 2013 campaign.

The 2012 regular season will conclude tomorrow evening with Fan Appreciation Night at “The Swamp.” The final Fireworks Extravaganza of the season will follow the action, with plenty of giveaways and prizes distributed all night long. The first 500 fans through the gates will receive the latest edition of the Fun-Go Bobblehead, as the fan-favorite collectible is finally unveiled. Fan Appreciation Night is the best way that the SwampDogs know how to thank the thousands of fans that came through the gates this year; with more exciting SwampDogs baseball. It’s the final opportunity to see the best fireworks show in town, and the Dogs want every fan to be a part of it at “The Swamp.”

Fayetteville will take part in the Petitt Cup Playoffs once again this year, with playoff baseball returning to “The Swamp.” For all updated information regarding the playoffs, including tickets, log on to www.goswampdogs.com or call the business office at (910)-426-5900. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the Dogs chase down the Petitt Cup Championship in 2012.

Photo: The first 500 fans through the gates will receive the latest edition of the Fun-Go Bobblehead. 

Free Alzheimer’s Training Now Available

To Local Family Caregivers

The local Home Instead Senior Care® office is offering a unique approach to help Cumberland County and Hoke County families manage the challenges of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, diseases that eventually rob seniors of their memories and independence. Free training for families caring for these older adults is now available through online e-learning modules, available at HelpForAlzheimersFamilies.com.

The Alzheimer’s or Other Dementias CARE: Changing Aging through Research and Education Training Program offers a personal approach tohelp families care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease at home, where 60 to 70 percent live, according to the Alzheimer’s Associatio

n. “Until there is a cure, we offer an interim solution,” said Susan Guy, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care office.

The foundation of the Alzheimer’s CARE Training Program is an approach called “Capturing Life’s Journey®” that involves gathering stories and experiences about the senior to help caregivers provide comfort while honoring the individual’s past. Because people with Alzheimer’s disease have difficulty with short-term memory, the Capturing Life’s Journey approach taps into longterm memory.

The Home Instead Senior Care network assembled the top experts in Alzheimer’s disease to develop the CARE approach. “The training we’re offering to families is the same kind of training our professional CAREGiverss receive,” she noted.

The program for family caregivers consists of four classes: Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias Overview; Capturing Life’s Journey; Techniques to Manage Behaviors; and Activities to Encourage Engagement. Also available is a free guide for those who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Called Helping Families Cope, the guide includes advice to help families keep their loved ones engaged and manage behaviors.

“CARE is a wonderful hands-on approach that helps caregivers deal with the behavioral changes that too often accompany these disorders – one of the biggest stressors for caregivers,” said Dr. Jane F. Potter, chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “There was previously no good program available using adult education techniques to provide hands-on practice in learning how best to help people who suffer from dementia. This is huge,” she added.

“The preferred environment for those with dementia is generally at home,” said Potter, who served on the expert panel to help develop content for the Alzheimer’s CARE Training Program.

And yet, families caring for seniors with Alzheimer’s at home are dealing with challenging behaviors such as anger, aggression, wandering and refusing to eat, according to research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care network.

“That makes the Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias CARE Training Program a solution for the many families in our area who are being impacted each day by devastating side effects of this disease,” Guy said.

For more information about free, on-site Family Caregiver Training, contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office at 484-7200 or for more information about the free Family Caregiver Training and other resources, visit HelpforAlzheimersFamilies.com to engage in an e-learning course.

Photo: Free training for families caring for these older adults is now available through online e-learning modules, available at HelpForAlzheimersFamilies.com. 

After these past few years of economic stress, it is no surprise that many families are strugglingwith back to school shopping. Unfortunately, some families just can’t handle the cost and children are returning to school without any of the basic necessities required for efficient learning in the schools. In an effort to combat this deficit Cumberland County Education Foundation is partnering with Cumberland County Schools and Operation Homefront to provide school supplies to the under privileged with their Stuff the Bus! drive.

With the rise of global media the news is increasingly fl ooded with cries for help from distant nations. Mailboxes are crammed full with fl iers to save starving children or donate a cow to a village, and while it is a responsibility as a global community, particularly a wealthy and relatively stable country to assist our foreign brethren as much as possible, it is feared that this wave of pleas drowns out those problems closest to home. Children in our own towns and even neighborhoods have to face every day without the necessities they require to succeed. It is hard to complete assignments without the paper to write on nor the pencil to write with, and the schools cannot provide the supplies every student requires so it is often diffi cult for students to succeed. Some of the world’s most brilliant minds came from underprivileged backgrounds, but it was because of the kind and generous people in their lives that helped them that they were able reach their fullest potential.

A donation of simple things like pencils and paper, will enable children that would otherwise struggle in school to succeed, and perhaps unlock a passion for learning. If nothing else, even if these children are not the next presidents or inventors, it will help them to improve their lives, and the lives of their children.

For many it can be a source of shame to ask for help, and to admit that they cannot provide for their own children. This drive provides the opportunity for the community to support families without questions, or shame. It is the opportunity for the community to open its arms and support its neighbors in need and to invest in its own future by ensuring that its children become well educated and productive. The donations to this cause will benefit children in Cumberland County and on Fort Bragg.

The drives will take place on Aug. 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Wal-mart Super Centers on Hope Mills Road, Raeford Road, Ramsey Street and Spring Lake locations. It is requested that all school supplies are newly bought and donation checks should be payable to Cumberland County Education Foundation. The most needed items are backpacks, 3-ring binders, flash drives, loose-leaf paper, composition notebooks, pocket folders, colored pencils, and pencils/mechanical pencils. Gift cards are also appreciated.

For more information, call School Social Services at 678-2621.