A sanctuary is a defined as a place of refuge from hardship; a consecrated area. When I hear the word sanctuary peace floods my mind. I am reminded of quiet Sunday evenings and lazy Saturdays at the beach. Weddings, funerals and family gatherings come to mind as well. The traditional sanctuary, within the church, has been a refuge for many. It is a place that holds memories of joy and grief, hope and despair.

On Aug. 6, the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum will host its Historic Church tour. The tour will take place from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.; however, it sometimes extends to 12:30 p.m. The tour will visit First Presbyterian, Evans Metropolitan AME Zion, St. John’s Episcopal, Hay Street Methodist and First Baptist. Each of these downtown churches are listed on the National Register of Historical places and are rich with the cultural and religious history of Fayetteville. The cost for the tour is $3 and you must preregister by Aug. 4 in order to attend. Participants will travel by bus for the tour, and some walking is involved.

This is not your ordinary tour.

“It is more than sparkly windows and pretty structures” states Heidi Beazley, the museum specialist.

Her eyes light up as she begins to speak about the tour.

“It’s a dynamic experience, it’s more than history. The tour paints the picture of religious development in the area,” she said.

You are able to see how religion developed here in Fayetteville. Some of the churches like First Presbyterian have been around since the 1800s. Every church on the tour has something unique to offer.

“If you think you have seen it, you haven’t seen it in this way,” Beazley explained.

Although the tour is centered on the churches, the various demographics that attend add a special flare, as many of them are able to share their own experiences because they have lived in the area, and in some cases attended services there and watched the churches grow and change over the years.

Among the stops during the tour are the Market House, a site for early religious services. In times past there were no formal structures for religious services. The people would meet in the local market area. Traveling preachers would visit the area and people would gather together in the Market House to hear sermons and to worship together. Over time formal structures were built for these religious services.

The tour’s beautiful architecture, rich history lesson and dynamic fellowship truly makes it remarkable. It is so remarkable in fact, that last year’s tour had a waiting list of approximately 30 people. Currently the 2012 Historic Church tour is already half-way full.

To register contact the Fayetteville Area Transportation an Local History Museum at 325 Franklin St. in downtown Fayetteville or call (910) 433-1457,1458 or 1944. Although preregistration is required, payment is not due until the day of the tour (no large bills please). Come and explore the religious structure and history behind these awesome sanctuaries.

Photo: St. John’s Episcopal Church in downtown Fayetteville, was established in 1817. It is one of several churches in the downtown area.

WCCG 104.5 FM has always been about the listeners. In fact, the hip-hop station throws a party for its listeners every year. It started as block parties in downtown Fayetteville. For several years, that was the venue of choice — and a good way to reach the community. Once Festival Park was built, the event really took off. Mark the calendar for July 28, and come downtown to hear a great line up of hip-hop artists.

Kalim Hasan, event spokesperson and WCCG employee, has enjoyed watching the event grow.

“When we first started, we would block off the streets in front of the Market House. Then we moved the event from the block party to Festival Park. From there it has just grown,” said Hasan. “Our first year it was a complete success and it has been growing since then.Last year we had a huge audience. We had about 8,000 people come out. It has been progressively better every year. We hope to see a crowd of 10,000 or more.”

Bring the family as there will be plenty of children’s activities, a local talent showcase and national recording artists.

The list of performers is impressive. According to Hasan it is the biggest line up in the history of the event. The performers scheduled to be on stage are: KStylis, Dj Unk, V.I.C., Diamond of Crime Mobb, Princess of Crime Mobb and Love and Hip Hop Atlanta, Boobe, Lil Ru, Ricco Barrino, Rell formerly of Rocafella, Kaleena formerly of BadBoy Dirty Money, Huricane Chris, Youngest Ones, Yayo of Maybach Music, Mr. 704, Jason Jetplane, Lil Chuckie of YMCMB, Montana Da Mack, Cadillac Don, Trillville, Slick’em of Pretty Rickey, J Money, Dj Infamous and Drumma Boy.

In addition to on-stage entertainment all day, Gamin’ Ride will be on hand with all the latest video games. This is a mobile interactive entertainment unit that can accommodate several players.

“That is a really fun technology addition this year,” said Hasan. “People will be able to sample new games and titles that are out and play amongst their friends. We will have a gaming tournament. We think this is going to be huge this year.”

Carlo Spann, the local owner of Gamin’ Ride is looking forward to seeing the excitement the gaming system generates.

“It’s like nothing you’ve seen before. We have multi-player games multi-sensory games. If you are playing a football video game, we can make it so you smell the grass and feel the motion of the game. That is just a small piece of what we can do.”

With all the latest titles, an air conditioned in-door space, an expandable mobile unit, vibrating simulation seating, game scents and XBOX 360, PS3, Wii and the ultimate in high-definition gaming, Hasan is looking for this new component of the event to be a big hit.

Gamin’ Ride will be pay-to-play and each play will be limited on time so that everyone in the crowd who is interested will have a chance to participate. Visit gaminride.com to find out more about the system and what to expect at the music festival.

The event is free. Bring money to buy dinner from the food vendors though. There will be stage side seating available for $5 and VIP access, which costs $20 and includes stage side seating.

“We have the fan zone this year, which is our VIP section. All the celebrities will be signing autographs and taking pictures and stuff,” said Hasan. “Once they come off stage they will be taking pictures and signing autographs. The fan zone is for the audience where they can be close to the artists. Everything else is free.”

The gates open at 3 p.m. and the party will wind down around 11 p.m. Lawn chairs are welcome, but leave the coolers and pets at home. Visit www.wccg1045fm.com for more information.

With the 2012 season nearing its end, the Fayetteville SwampDogs are as busy as ever.

On Sunday, July 15, fans and players teamed up for the 2012 Bowl for Charity event at B&B Lanes, where proceeds went directly to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage joined the lineup, assisting with the successful afternoon that saw countless participants win terrific prizes donated by a number of generous companies.

Fans were teamed with SwampDogs players over the course of two different sessions, as the various groups bowled. The team with the highest score at the conclusion of each session was awarded a prize, and all the money raised through registration and raffle prizes was donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Saturday, July 21 was yet another important day at “The Swamp,” as the Dogs’ Pancake Breakfast, Guns N Hoses softball game, and Striking Out Cancer Night all transpired over the course of the day.

The pancake breakfast gave fans a chance to eat breakfast with SwampDogs players, with all the money raised donated to the Wounded Warrior Project once again. Fans had their fill of the all-you-can-eat selection of pancakes, eggs and sausage, and spent a Saturday morning with the Dogs.

The Fayetteville Fire Department and Police Department squared off for the third annual Guns N Hoses softball game later that afternoon, as family and friends watched their loved ones compete on the playing field at J.P. Riddle Stadium, with proceeds benefi tting the two departments.

The night was capped off by the team’s sixth annual Striking Out Cancer Night, presented by Cape Fear Valley Health System. Fans bid on special pink jerseys worn by the players during the contest, as the highest bidders received the game-worn jersey, while the runner-up was provided a replica. The money raised was donated to the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundations’ Friends of the Cancer Center, as a select group of SwampDogs’ faithful were awarded a piece of team history.

With limited games remaining in the season, the SwampDogs remind fans that Fan Appreciation Night is fast approaching. The final regular season game will be followed by the final fireworks extravaganza of the summer. Fans can win giveaways and prizes all night long.

There are three games left in th season; July 25; July 31; and Aug. 2 Find out more at www.goswampdogs.com.

Photo: The SwampDogs recently hosted a bowling tournament to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Other agencies supported by the SwampDogs include the Fayetteville Police and Fire Departments, and the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.

Those of us who were around in April 2011 may never forget the scenes of devastation from the tornadoes that ripped through Fayetteville and the surrounding areas. Power lines were down, businesses were torn apart and homes were destroyed in an instant. Most of us watched the news reports wondering what we could do to help.

We never know when the next disaster will affect our community, or even just a single individual. What we do know is that when disaster strikes, the American Red Cross will be there to help.

Ironically, the time to help disaster victims is now while things are calm. The Red Cross, a 97 percent volunteer-based organization, hosts three major fundraisers a year to fulfill its mission to “provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.” Funded primarily from individual charitable donations and campaigns such as the United Way and the Combined Federal Campaign, the Red Cross also relies heavily on these fundraisers to be prepared when disaster strikes.

On Saturday, Aug. 4, the Highlands Chapter of the American Red Cross will host its sixth annual Run for the Red in Festival Park. Activities start at 7 a.m. with a 10k race, followed by a 5K race. The event fi nishes up with a 1-Mile Fun Walk/Run at 8:30 a.m. The American Red Cross will host a variety of preparedness activities on site, so be sure to bring the whole family.

“We will have our trained staff members on site to help your family make a fi re plan, learn how to make a disaster kit and prepare for all types of emergencies,” says Executive Director Victoria Raleigh. “We will have coloring books for the kids; and a variety of educational information available free of charge.”

Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three finishers for both men and women in the 10K and 5K races. Top three medals will be awarded in both men’s and women’s groups by age group. For participants of the 1-Mile Fun Walk/Run, medals will be given to all children who participate. Strollers are welcome for this event, as it is a family event for all ages — you can walk or run! However, iPods are not allowed for the 10K or 5K races.

Don’t forget your military unit. There will be a “giant trophy” and bragging rights for the military unit with the largest number of participants.

“Last year 3rd Brigade Combat Team won, but with more than 10 battalions signed up this year they have quite a bit of competition,” said Raleigh. “If you don’t see your military unit listed on the website, simply call us and we will add it to the list.”

Packet pick-up is Aug. 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter at 807 Carol St. Packet pick-up on race day and registration starts at 5:30 a.m. in Festival Park.

Says Raleigh, “By simply lacing up your running (or walking) shoes on Aug. 4, you can give back to an organization that has touched one out of every 10 individuals in our local area.”

The first 750 registered will receive a T-shirt at packet pickup. The goal for this year is 1,000 participants. Registration for the 10K race is $30, the 5K race is $25 and registration for the 1 Mile Fun/Walk is just $5 per individual. Online registration is recommended and will close on Aug. 1. Registration on the day of the event for the 10K and 5K races will be $5 more. All military ID card holders or groups of 10 or more will receive a $5 discount off the registration fees. Be sure to call 910-867-8151 to get the discount code before you register.

For more information or to register, visit www.highlandsarc.org or call 910-867-8151.

The Amazing Spiderman (Rated PG-13) 4 Stars

I was a huge fan of Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spiderman, and admittedly skep-tical that a reboot was warranted. Yes, the third film sucked like a Hoover, but isn’t tossing The Amazing Spiderman (136 minutes) into the mix sort of like dancing on the grave of a modern classic? And do we really need to sit through yet another origin story? I know we, as a people, have increasingly shorter attention spans and can’t retain memories for more than a few minutes, but I am getting deja vu all over again. Still, I will give credit where credit is due and confess that despite some logi-cal inconsistencies, the reboot could have been a lot worse.

The film opens with little Peter Parker being delivered to Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) by his parents (Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz). Peter grows up and develops into a fine young man (Andrew Garfield), attending Midtown Science High School with Gwen Stacy (Stone) and Flash Thompson (Chris Zylka). Circumstances combine to reveal a connection between Peter’s father and Oscorp scientist Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). Since it is so easy to get past security and sneak into top-secret corporate R&D offices, Peter joins a crowd of interns, coincidentally being led around by Gwen Stacy.

She realizes that he doesn’t belong in her group, but since her future with Oscorp means nothing compared to boys she lets him slide by. Which he does, right into a highly secured facility filled with enough chemicals and stuff to make a million WMD’s. Despite his supposed smarts, he shows no hesitation in fiddling with an experiment that he knows nothing about, which leads to a radioactive spider biting him.

That, along with Peter playing with his new spider powers, takes up about an hour of the film. Then, he rather unwisely decides to check in with Dr. Connors and provide him with some of the formulas his father had developed for cross-species genetic splicing. The two promptly begin testing a reptile-mice splice. Unbeknownst to Peter but knownst to the audience, Dr. Connors has been under pressure to make progress on his work or lose control of the project — and since Connors is missing an arm he is motivated to test the formula on himself.

It turns out to be a bad decision, since it turns him into The Lizard, and ap-parently drives him a little nuts (though maybe he was nuts to begin with, or just mad with guilt over something he did or failed to do that will be covered in future films). Meanwhile, Peter is being an angst-filled teenage boy, getting into trouble at school and disappointing his Aunt and Uncle with his self-centered behavior.

After a family fight, we get to see Uncle Ben get shot in the millionth version of the Spiderman “with great power comes great responsibility” scene. Depressed but super strong, Spiderman develops a cool new costume based on what the Olympians and Mexican wrestlers wear and sets out to find the guy that killed Uncle Ben. He quickly catches the attention of the Police Captain (a surprisingly well cast Denis Leary). Things get a bit cheesy and sentimental in the latter third of the film, but my interest was definitely piqued by the appearance of Michael Massee in an after-credits scene.

Between the two films, Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin easily outshines Ifans’ Lizard and the 2002 plot was more logical. On the other hand, watch-ing Emma Stone play Gwen Stacy (the Gwen Stacy stories were better any-way) only illustrated how out of her depth Kirsten Dunst was as Mary Jane Watson, and the new costume is way better. Fans will not be disappointed, and if nothing else, this version sets up a character arc that can sustain a trilogy.

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

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfi sh had washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched with amusement.

After some time a man approached and said, “Little girl, you can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed. But then she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it far into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”

Inspired, the old man joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and the starfish were saved.

                                                              — adapted from the Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley

At the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation, each of us sees ourselves, as that little girl. Each of us has become a star thrower for cancer patients, cardiac-care patients, preemie babies, those family members far from home, those struggling to rehab and regain their sense of independence and even those bereaved and left to pick up the pieces of shattered lives. Each finds inspiration in their stories. Some find their motivation in cancer survivors like Brad Lose. Others may model themselves after Lonnie Player, former foundation chair, who today still continues cardiac rehabilitation 16 years after his third heart attack and subsequent quintuple bypass.

Some may follow the lead of little Laura Bullard who sacrificed her birthday gifts in order to donate them in the form of stacks and stacks of children’s books to brighten the days for kids hospitalized at Cape Fear Valley.

Then there are the heart-warming stories like the Coopers’ preemie twins, nursed tenderly for months until they could finally come home. One local real-estate association collected teddy bears. A bowling league and a highschool volleyball team both gathered dollars and cents and pledges for those suffering with cancer and heart disease. The effort, the star throwing, goes on in both big and little ways.

All these foundation efforts and dollars cared for friends and families right here in Cumberland County. Each rescued starfi sh in his or her own way, in giving to the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.

Why give to the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation? For Lonnie Player, it was more than the expert cardiologists that performed the delicate bypass surgery. The foundation supported his cardiac rehabilitation, the nutritional plans and the careful, but vital exercise regimen he received. He follows those routines even today, more than 16 years later. According to Player, these donors and volunteers “provide things that are not traditionally provided for by a medical center, that make a difference, that give our patients the fi nest medical care that we can offer.”

As a prime example, foundation gifts helped fund innovative new EKG equipment for its ambulances that provide dramatically faster cardiac emergency diagnosis and response. Now Cape Fear Valley cardiologists can monitor heart attack and stroke patients, in real time, while they are transported to the hospital. That lets our physicians treat blockages in as little as 12 minutes, once they reach the emergency department. Most hospitals struggle to provide similar treatment in about 60 minutes.

Similarly, the foundation was able to fund unique Giraffe beds for neonatal intensive care patients. Premature infants respond as though the bed is an artificial womb, keeping the baby at proper moisture levels, warm and cozy. Laurin and Beverly Cooper had their twins at just 23 weeks; the Giraffe beds cradled and comforted them for months. Says Laurin, “I honestly believe that without [the giraffe beds], I don’t think our boys would have made it.”

Just as important, are the little things these volunteers do. Brad Lose and his mother, both cancer survivors, point to the wonderful things the staff and volunteers do at the cancer center. It’s a “magical place,” says Brad. “They are the most amazing people and the work they do is unbelievable.” Their efforts cover the costs of hairpieces for those undergoing chemotherapy. Transportation to and from appointments. Free or subsidized extended stay at the Stanton Hospitality House, for out-of-town families that can’t afford it. Foundation donations even provide for a burial fund for infants when parents, already wracked with grief, don’t have money for a proper burial. Foundation volunteers are star throwers who take pressure off, who understand how little things can make it easier for patients and family, who are genuinely happy to see you, who have their own stories of pain, fear and anxiety, and yet give of themselves to donate their time and money to help patients and families here in Cumberland County.

Despite all that the foundation staff, survivors, volunteers and donors do to comfort patients and families, there always remains more to do. That’s because hospitals like Cape Fear Valley Health continue to have their budgets stretched in ways that might otherwise compromise care. Unfortunately, we can’t all be in the operating suite or direct radiation therapy or unblock a clogged artery. Together, however, we can put all our efforts, big and small, to work for our neighbors, friends and family who find themselves needing the services of Cape Fear Valley Health. There are still starfi sh to rescue. They need star throwers like you.

Photo: Individuals can make a difference.

As the Fayetteville SwampDogs enter the dog days of summer, the team has continued to flourish and find success both on and off the field. In Perfect Game USA’s most recent rankings, the SwampDogs were once again included in the top 30 summer collegiate teams in the nation.

Fayetteville has been near the top of the overall league standings for the majority of the season, and has continued to remain involved in the local community.

The team recently held its annual bowling tournament to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The Dogs teamed up with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to combine family fun, charitable opportunities and competitive athletics for a day of fun-filled entertainment. SwampDogs staff members, players and fans came out to B&B Lanes on Fort Bragg Road on Sunday, July 15, and hosted what proved to be a successful event for all parties involved.

Two more events will take place on Saturday, July 21, as the team’s pancake breakfast and Striking Out Cancer Night highlight an exciting Saturday at “The Swamp.” Proceeds from the breakfast will once again benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, as the event gets underway at 8 a.m. Striking Out Cancer Night, presented by Cape Fear Valley Health System, is an opportunity for fans to bid on special pink jerseys that the team will wear during Saturday night’s contest. Fans can bid online leading up to the conclusion of the game, with all of the proceeds benefitting the Friends of the Cancer Center.

Other games this week include Family Fun Night on Friday, July 20. The first 500 fans will receive the eighth edition of the Fun-Go Bobblehead. On Tuesday, July 24, fans can wear UNC gear for ticket discounts.

As always, the Miller Lite Liberty Lounge will be open with eight different beers on tap, hot dogs and hamburgers, all for one dollar each. Free popcorn, peanuts and soft drinks are also available throughout the game.

For information regarding any of the SwampDogs’ upcoming events, visit or call the business office at 426-5900 and get involved today.

Photo: On July 21 bid on a pink SwampDogs jersey and proceeds help fight cancer.

Success. It is what parents want for their children. As a society it is what the nation desperately needs from the next generation. Getting them there is the challenge, and Dr. Teresa Pinckney is facing it head on, just like she has for almost two decades. On July 27, The Mind Over Matter Youth Development Institute hosts the Back-to-School Teen Explosion conference. It’s an end-of-summer event designed not only to empower and to motivate, but also to inspire teens to succeed in the coming school year.

The conference provides critical skills needed for academic success and is supported by local businesses, community agencies and colleges. The Back-to-School Teen Explosion Conferences aims to bridge the gap between youth and local businesses. When students understand the relationship between education and success, everyone wins. Students perform well and businesses have a competent and motivated workforce.

Pinckney specializes in youth program development: transition to high school, leadership, volunteer coordination, outreach, non-profit capacity building staff training and development. “I’ve always been actively involved in the community,” said Pinckney. “The greatest joy for me is seeing students that I have worked with in the past and them telling me what they are doing to be productive citizens.”

Empowering teens to think big and realize their potential as successful young adults is a win-win for the students and the organizations that take time to come out and support them. This event provides youth with the opportunity to meet local businesses owners and local college representatives. It’s not only informational it is a way to show young people that they can achieve their dreams.

“One thing I tell the kids is that knowledge is power. If you know something no one can take that away,” said Pinckney. “I teach them that persistence is important. I want to inspire them to do the best they can do in life.”

Students who attend the conference will learn skills that will help prepare them for the rigors of the school year, understand the relationship between education and work-force development, learn about potential career opportunities, complete a career assessment, learn about what to expect from life after high school. While the topics are serious, the day promises to be fun and engaging. Attendees will participate in thought-provoking discussions and interactive workshops. Local business leaders will be on hand to share their insights and experiences regarding the value of education in the workplace. Information and exhibits will be available providing the latest information to prepare teens for entering the workforce and preparing for college.

Scheduled breakout sessions during the event include:

• “My Character Prepares Me for Employability Skills”: Creative presentation of character education and workforce skills needed for after-school/summer employment and internships

• “Why Do I have to Learn this Stuff?” School Success for the 2012-2013 school year

• “Life Beyond High School”: College and Beyond, preparing for college with a 10-year plan

• “Show me the Money”: Financial Literacy and the importance of managing finances

• “I am Overcome by Anxiety!” Strategies on how to prepare for the SAT & ACT College Entrance Exams

• “Habits of Mind”: Interactive activities designed to utilize critical thinking skills needed for school success

• “STEM Factory”: Interactive activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

There are some great resources for students to take home with them, too. Everyone will take a learning-style inventory, which is great for helping students understand the ways they earn and how to use this information to their greatest advantage. A career assessment is provided to help attendees get an idea of what job will likely be a good fit for their personality and interests. A job skills readiness manual is also included for each student. The manual, combined with the insights and advice from local businesses gives a clear picture of what employers are looking for in today’s work place. Conference attendees will also receive a 2012-2013 student planner, a T-shirt, a Teen X Success Kit and a quarterly newsletter throughout the year.

As an advocate for youth, Dr. Pinckney has spent the past 25 years working with kids through programs like the Girls Scouts, various school systems, The Junior League, United Way and Partnership for Children to name a few. Her work with youth lead Pinckney to start The Mind Over Matter Youth Development Institute as a Division of T. Pinckney & Associates. The institute serves education, nonprofit and government agencies that serve youth. The organization is committed to supporting high standards in education and agencies that provide educational services.

She’s helped her fair share of young people in her time, and has no intention of stopping anytime soon. “I’ve gotten 1,000 kids into college,” said Pinckney. “I think it’s important to empower students. It’s about opportunity … having the knowledge and being prepared.”

The program runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes a continental breakfast as well as lunch. Individual registration is $35 with a $5 military discount; multiple-family registration is $35 for the first child and a $10 discount for each additional child. Group registration is $20 per student with a minimum group size of eight. Call 322-6198 or visit www.mymindovermatter.com to register or find out more information.

Photo: Top right- Dr. Teresa Pinckney, a long-time advocate for youth, has a great day planned for Teen Explosion.; bottom left - Youth today face some serious challenges on the path to success. Teen Explosion helps equip them for the future.

Downtown Fayetteville has always been a place of note, but more recently it has been for the lively cultural and artistic scene. Throughout the week downtown is buzzing with events and people enjoying the individual shops and delicious restaurants, but once a month they all band together and stay open late to give the public a venue to enjoy the cities wealth of culture and art. This month on July 27, downtown Fayetteville will be open and bustling, with most shops staying open later for the event.

This month the theme for 4th Friday is Christmas in July. The local kids museum Fascinate-U has fully embraced this theme by offering families a chance to come in and make mitten ornaments for their Christmas Tree. Additionally admission is free and everything in the gift shops is 10 percent off. The museum reminds patrons that the gift shop is full of perfect stocking stuffers for children. The museum will be open for 7 - 9 p.m.

For those interested in history, particularly history pertaining to Fayetteville, the Market House and the Transportation Museum are the places to be. The Market House in the center of downtown will be open from 6 - 10 p.m. hosting an exhibit on the Downtown Revitalization in its upstairs room. The Transportation Museum at 325 Franklin St. will be open to the public with history directly pertaining to Fayetteville and its growth as a city. It will have a model train room and many artifact filled exhibits.

The art scene in Fayetteville will also be alive and on display during the 4th Friday Festivities. The Arts Council will be embracing the green movement and promoting creative recycling by opening its newest exhibit “Recycle! It’s Second Nature.” This event is being sponsored by the City of Fayetteville’s Environmental Services Department and will be on display from 7 to 9 p.m. Mary Kinney, the marketing director of the Arts Council, explains that this exhibit has been on display before and is always sponsored by the Environmental Services Department. Local artists were given a list of materials that were allowed to use, but given no other specifi cations for this exhibit.

“What’s new this year is we will also be holding a recycling fashion show,” Kinney said.

Artists in both shows are given the same list of materials and access to a local recycling center to claim materials. Artists are free to be creative with their art with what they choose to make it.

“They could use plastic, newspapers, aluminum foil, cereal boxes, junk mail, newspapers, magazines,” says Kinney listing some of the possible materials artists could use. The creativity of the area is truly on display and imagination is the only limiting factor when transforming what many would consider garbage into art. The Arts Council will also provide cash prices for those who enter; a $350 prize for the winner of the art show and for the fashion show there is $250 up for grabs. Deadlines for forms and artwork must be turned in July 20-21.

Gallery One13 will also be open later than normal for the festivities. Located on 113 Gillespie Street the gallery will be open until 9p.m. displaying art for all to enjoy.

Headquarters Library located at 300 Maiden Lane will also host activities the entire family can enjoy. From 7p.m. to 8:45p.m.the library will present a Broadway Musical Review with refreshments provided by SYSTEL. Local dancers, singers and students as well as choreographer Rhonda Brocki, accompanist Adita Harless and Dr. Gail Morfesis make up the group Gail Morfesis & Company.

Summer is going by quickly at Methodist University. The last summer term started Monday, July 9, leaving just six weeks until the start of the fall term. Faculty, staff and coaches are preparing for the coming semester, while workers are also preparing the fi nishing touches on two new buildings that will open in the fall.

Hundreds of freshman will arrive for orientation Aug. 17, but many student athletes will move onto campus before then. The Methodist University football program will bring roughly 130 new students and 100 returning students on campus Aug. 8 to begin training for the upcoming football season. They will be joined by athletic training students, who help the school’s professionally certifi ed athletic trainers support the MU teams. Students in the marching band also come on campus at the same time, to start practicing for their season.

The Methodist community knows that the start of the new school year is right around the corner when they hear the marching band practicing on Coach Sink Field or see the players running drills on the football field.

Before any students move in, the housekeeping and maintenance staffs work tirelessly to get the residence halls back in shape for the opening of the school year. Between the times that summer camps end and the fall semester starts, activity in the residence halls is a whirlwind of cleaning and polishing, making sure students’ new home away from home is ready.

Adding to the activity this summer is the soon-to-be-completed Nursing Building and the three-story sophomore residence hall. Both buildings are slated to be open for the fall semester.

One hundred lucky students will be the first residents of the new sophomore hall in the coming months. The new 27,000-square-foot residence hall is located on the perimeter of Sink Field, flanked by the Greek houses on opposite sides of the intramural fi eld. The building will top off the development around the fi eld and be a centerpiece for a new community on the MU campus.

The new hall is very different from any other residence halls on campus, and embraces a modern living/learning model that is creating a buzz in higher education. As well as lobbies on each fl oor and a snack-bar store to service residents living around or visiting Sink Field, the new building will have a functional classroom space.

The hall will have 50 two-person rooms, each with its own private bathroom. Those 100 beds will also mean the end of subsidized off-campus apartments for the many students who wanted to live on campus but just could not find a space.

Across campus, work is nearly done on the new Nursing Building. Next semester will be the first full semester of nursing classes for the Professional Nursing Studies Program. For the past two years, pre-nursing students have been taking all their core and pre-required classes.

The jewel of the new $3.2 million facility is the MU General Simulation Hospital. About half of the 10,000-square-foot facility will be designed for the hospital — designed to replicate scenarios from the fi rst moment a patient arrives to be admitted until they are discharged. The simulation hospital also includes a pharmacy, nurse’s stations, pediatric ward, critical care rooms, triage suite, and six simulated patients who range from an infant to adult, including an expectant mother.

The patients — life-sized computerized mannequins — can breathe, speak, have audible vital sounds and progress through various medical scenarios from birth to death. The patients are not the only high-tech part of the hospital, either. Throughout the hospital, 41 ceiling-mounted cameras will record the action so students can go back and observe, and ultimately improve their performance. The cameras are part of the learning space by Medical Education Technologies, Inc., which acts as the brain of the simulation.

In addition to the hospital, the new facility will have a 60-seat auditorium, classroom space, a computer lab, faculty and administrative offi ces, and a student lounge.

To learn more about Methodist University and its programs, please visit www.methodist.edu or search for “Methodist University” on Facebook.

Photo: The new nursing building at Methodist University. 

As a CPA searching more than four years for a franchise opportunity that provided business-to-business services, Jim Pittman really didn’t know much about making signs. Nor did his wife, Dellmarie, with her background in marketing and banking. Yet that little detail did not prevent them from opening a FASTSIGNS® center on Raeford Road in Fayetteville more than16 years ago. Starting with one employee, two computers that didn’t talk to one another and a small plotter, the Pittmans have successfully grown their business – and outgrown their storefront. So at a time when other businesses may be downsizing or even contemplating closing up shop, Pittman and his wife will soon put up new signage at their new and larger location, just down the street from their present center.

Pittman grew up in Goldsboro and met his wife, who was from Shallotte, at Carolina. They moved to Fayetteville in 1987, and after leaving their respective first careers, partnered in their FASTSIGNS franchise. When the center first opened, Dellmarie directed outside sales. After the birth of their third child, she decided to stay at home, but remains active in the business.

The new building is the culmination of hard work, fl exibility and, as Pittman acknowledges, meeting the customer’s needs, noting that the military, builders and real estate businesses are important FASTSIGNS clients in a very competitive business field.

“Fort Bragg keeps us busy,” said Pittman. “Why do we get so much military business? Our reputation. Customer service. We know everyone says that. We consistently get very high marks. We survey our customers by email. We send them a little three-question survey. We’ve always done that, and we get really good scores. We’ve won ‘Best of Fayetteville’ two years in a row.”

A quick visit to the website, www.fastsigns.com/243-fayetteville-nc, reveals offerings from signs and graphics to interactive and digital product solutions. But Pittman explains that FASTSIGNS is more than just a sign shop.

“We want a relationship for a long time. We’re a service provider. We’re not a sign shop. We’re a sign center. Our new tagline just came out in April. ‘More than fast. More than signs.™’”

Noting that it was not easy to find a retail building for sale, Pittman is pleased with the location.

“All of our good customers are literally right around the corner,” Pittman said. “It gives us the ability to expand into new areas. It gives us more room, more parking and easy access. Most of our business is other businesses. Visibility is important. You want your customers to be able to fi nd you.”

And the increased size of the new location will provide plenty of space for the Pittmans and their staff, which has grown to 10 full- and part-time employees.

“It’s 6,700 square feet,” said Pittman. “We’re taking 4,600 feet of it and leasing out 2,100. It’s basically twice as big as our center is now.”

The Pittmans’ success with a franchise business in which they had no previous experience or knowledge is no doubt the result of their absolute commitment to customer service and long-term relationships with clients, as well as an advantageous business environment with close ties to Fort Bragg and the military community. Would he, looking back, make such a decision again?

“Absolutely! I’d have done it quicker!”

FASTSIGNS is currently located at 2703 Raeford Rd. The new center at 2807 Raeford Rd., is expected to open its doors this summer. For more information, call (910) 678-8111 or visit their website.

Photo: Fast Signs is looking to build new relationships as the business expands.

Excitement spreads across the face of a young boy as his mother hands him a used remote-control car she found at a local yard sale. It wasn’t just any remote control car, it was identical to one he had recently lost when their home caught on fi re. The Piedmont Aeromodlers Flying Club also knows the joy of remote controls. The club builds and fl ies all types of model aircraft.

On July 28 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., you can join in the joy and wonder of flying as the Cliffdale Regional Branch, Library hosts the Radio Controlled Static Airplane Show. Radiocontrolled static airplanes are scale modeled airplanes. The aircraft are normally built by the flyer, but can be purchased and are controlled by a transmitter. Radio signals are transmitted through the controller, which the pilot operates, to a receiver inside the aircraft.

The airplane show will feature various types of model aircrafts, and showcase flying masterpieces and their builders. Some of the builders have been flying model aircraft for more than 37 years. Aircraft flown will be controlled from a small box (remote control) and vary in wing span from 24 to 120 inches. These flying wonders will delight the hearts of all ages. A flight simulator will also be at the library during the show where visitors can experience flying a simulated aircraft.

This show is just one of the exciting features that the Piedmont Aeromodlers Flying club brings to the Cumberland County area. Located off of Haywood Road, this club is a high flyer when it comes to charities and local fundraisers. They have participated in supporting the Falcon’s Children’s home, Toys for Tots and other local fundraisers. Flight instruction is also available for children at the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

Each year, three main events are held by the club. These events are: the Aerobatic Contest, the Fun Flyers and the Scale War Bird, all of which are open to the public. Novices as well as experienced model flyers are encouraged to attend. The Aerobatic contest spurs interest from Florida all the way to Pennsylvania, the Fun Flyer’s event is normally held in the spring and features larger model aircraft, and around November, the Scale War Bird event features military or war related planes. For information regarding the Flying Club, go to www. piedmontaeromodelers.com.

If you are interested in modeling airplanes, intrigued by aircraft, or simply fascinated about aeronautics, take off to the air show. The pilots who have so caringly and carefully crafted these models would be delighted to see you there. Perhaps as they share their love of fl ying and model aircrafts you would be inspired to start a modeling hobby of your own. Or perhaps you may be inspired to soar in your life, to take fl ight past the blowing winds and demands and gain control. If nothing else you will have a chance to experience some outstanding fl ying works of art.

Photo: The airplane show will feature various types of model aircrafts, and showcase flying masterpieces and their builders. 

After 25 years, the Foxy 99 Summer Jam is still going strong, with Young Jeezy as the big name this year. Featuring both big names and local musicians, the Summer Jam draws thousands of people every year, fi lling up the Crown Coliseum. This year, the artist lineup is quite impressive, featuring not only Young Jeezy but Elle Varner, Yo Gotti, Kstylis, Driicky Graham, Shaggy, Sterling Simms, Pleasure P and Joe Moses.

North Carolina native Driicky Graham of Oxford is most famous for his song “Snapbacks and Tattoos” which fi rst was aired on NYC’s Hot 97. Since then, he has worked with eOne music (formerly Koch Records) and reached No. 63 on Billboard. With his new mix-tape, Ya Gotta Start Somewhere, available for download, he has to be on cloud nine. Hosted by DJ Ill Will, the mix-tape has 15 songs by Driicky, and word on the street is that he spits like Kid Ink and is a breath of fresh air in the rap world. There is sure to be more from him in the near future with his growing fan base and new mix-tape, Ya Gotta Start Somewhere.

When Summer Jam started becoming a large attraction for hip hop and rap enthusiasts, Foxy 99 decided to pull major artists into its lineup. With past performers such as J Cole, Rick Ross and Ludacris, Foxy 99 got into a major bind last year. They weren’t able to come up with any major artists for their 25th year of Summer Jam, so they postponed it, then cancelled the whole event. Cancelling wasn’t what Foxy liked doing, but the big names were on tour and weren’t going to be available in time. With that discouraging note behind them, Foxy 99 has decided to continue its tradition of Summer Jam this year by revamping the whole concert into a bigger event than years past, their intention is to attract more people and bigger names to perform in future Summer Jams.

With Young Jeezy as the headliner, people are excited about the concert. His career started in 2001 under an independent label, he joined Boyz N Da Hood in 2005, the same year his solo major debut Lets Get It: Thug Motivation 101 was released. With several records to pull from such as The Recession, Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition and several others, Jeezy can always surprise the audience with the songs that he chooses for the night. Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition debuted at No. 3 on Billboard 200 in December of 2011, selling 233,000 copies in its fi rst week. Needless to say, people are pretty excited for this event.

Summer Jam 2012 will be held in the Crown Coliseum, like previous years, and it will start at 6:30 p.m. July 28. Tickets cost anywhere from $10 to $60 and can be purchased on the Crown Coliseum’s website at www.atthecrown.com, or at www.Ticketmaster.com.

A Diamond in the Park Plan

There is a real diamond in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan that has not had much discussion. That gem is the Senior Citizens’ Center listed as an addition behind the Aquatic and Therapeutic Swimming Pool in Mazarick Park.

The verbal thunder is roaring over the referendum and the tax rhetoric is deafening. And rightly so, the tax questions need to be addressed and proper concern given to the financing in this difficult economy.

But there is a time (as in the darkest moments of the Great Depression) when a vision has to be offered up — especially if it potentially knits a sense of community.

As presented, the Master Plan for Parks and Recreation does offer something for everyone — youth to seniors.

My soapbox is the senior center — and it has been my rant for more than 13 years. $500,000 in encumbered funds was set aside several years ago for the exclusive use of building a senior center. And there it sits aging, just like the population in Cumberland County.

More retirees are choosing to remain in Fayetteville, a community they have come to know, enjoy and contribute to during working careers. Many are military with a wonderful heritage to share; others are locals and the guardians of the local history and legends.

In spite of recent setbacks that challenge the quality of living in our community (i.e. the closing of the Museum of Art), the Botanical Garden, Special Operations and Cape Fear museums, our theatres, the festivals and the historic ambiance of the restaurants and boutiques on Hay St. have started to build a “destination” label for Fayetteville.

But if you take an “investment” perspective into community growth, it has to be more than attracting another DOD contractor or building another multi-family complex. High density housing, stalled traffic, fast food paradise and high local taxes are not attractions to convince many new retirees to relocate into Fayetteville and are causing other (often more affluent) residents to reconsider a move to a quieter, greener lifestyle.

The pace of our present lifestyles often give short shrift to the older residents, but step back and assess their contributions both in money and as volunteers to our charitable and cultural organizations. (It may surprise many that more than 50 percent of the national GNP is generated from volunteers). They also are the heart of the craft manufacturing in Fayetteville, turning out pottery, paintings, sculpture, quilts, jewelry — and even moonshine jelly making a collectors and tourism market that turns a few dollars in the local economy. They sing, play in bands, dance and on the stage — and that results in more coins passing palms to support struggling nonprofits and local charities. Many seniors work part-time in small businesses that cannot afford a full-time workers requiring full benefits or babysitting so children can go to work. The day of “rocking chair” senior citizens is a myth.

The question of course is “What does this have to do with the senior citizen center proposed in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan?” If the stereotype of senior citizens should be burst so should the public concept of a senior center.

Fifteen years ago I went with a Fayetteville delegation to visit the senior center in Wilmington, N.C. Certainly it had the “required” activities — exercise areas, a card room, a billiard room, classrooms with computers, craft rooms and an area just get together for a cup of coffee. But it also was a successful model for public/private investment.

The center boasts a great restaurant (private) that also serves as the community distribution point for the meals-on-wheels program (public). A large auditorium with a stage is used to produce plays written by local playwrights (private) and concerts (private/public). The main floor is used for ballroom dancing and various exhibitions. And a local entrepreneur leases space as a consignment store for the arts and crafts being made onsite.

In times of community emergencies such as hurricanes, the center serves as headquarters for emergency responders and as a shelter for Wilmington, N.C. citizens.

And if none of the above convinces you that a senior center cannot only be self-supporting but a small but mighty economic driver — residents from Oak Island, N.C., pay fees to be able to use and attend activities at the facility.

Let’s find a way to finance the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and all the wonderful ballparks, swimming pools, stadiums, skateboard parks, green space and the multiuse Senior Citizen’s Center — whether $34 annually on a $150,000 home, a small sales tax or use fees. The Center already has $500,000 in its checking account. Let’s leverage it!! We have everything to gain and a huge opportunity to lose.

Craving authentic Italian cuisine? Conveniently located near Cape Fear Valley Hospital, Little Italy is truly a gem in Fayetteville. Their motto? “Where we eat and speak Italian.” And they mean that literally — both Joe and Antonella Scibila speak fluent Italian and Sicilian. Their goal is to provide Fayetteville with a true touch of Italy right in the heart of Fayetteville.

Giuseppe “Joe” Scibila, a native of Sicily, immigrated to the United States at the age of 18. Once here, he went to work at an Italian restaurant and fell in love with the owner’s daughter, Antonella. Antonella’s family, also from Sicily, had migrated to Brooklyn, N.Y., before eventually settling in the Carolinas.

Joe and Antonella eventually married. In 1995 the young couple opened their own restaurant, Roma Pizza Cafe, in downtown Fayetteville on Person Street. After 12 fruitful years in that location, they sold the restaurant to relocate to Myrtle Beach, S.C. However, the pull of long-time customers and friends convinced them they needed to move back to the area. Says Antonella, “When you’ve been in business so long, your customers no longer are customers, they become your friends.”

With their new venture, Little Italy, they were determined to give clients authentic Italian decor. They used their own photographs of scenery from their visits to family still in Sicily, and had them enlarged into murals to give customers the feel of sitting at an outdoor Italian cafe. A charming faux Italian terra cotta roof line and baroque arches frame the full color scenic snapshots completing the look. You will truly feel like you have stepped right into an Italian forum.

As you would imagine, their extensive menu is impressively Italian. Specializing in homemade pastas and sauces, you will find classic favorites like homemade lasagna, fettuccini alfredo, ravioli and veal or eggplant parmigiana. “All ingredients are fresh and most of our produce is from locally owned farmers markets,” explains Antonella.

Feeling a bit more adventurous? Be sure to try one of the house specialties like the chicken sorrentino. A sumptuous chicken breast is layered with a thin slice of ham, eggplant and fresh mozzarella then sautéed in a delicate wine sauce with fresh mushrooms and minced onions over a bed of penne pasta.

If you don’t see a favorite on their menu, just ask. According to Antonella they can probably make it for you. They have many items for vegetarian diners, as well as an option to have gluten-free penne pasta prepared with any of their pasta sauces.

For those in your party that are not in the mood for pasta, Little Italy also serves hot and cold subs, pitas, and of course, authentic New York-style pizza.

Be sure to save room after dinner. No Italian meal is complete without an original cappuccino accompanied by a piece of genuine New York-style cheesecake, tiramisu or a fresh baked cannoli.

Little Italy can be found at 1400 Walter Reed Rd., Suite 130. The restaurant is open at 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Saturday when they open at 1 p.m. They also do local catering. In a hurry? You can even get your dinner to go by calling 867-8700.

Photo: Little Italy provides a great atmosphere and delicious food.

Thinking of cool ways to escape the scorching days of summer? The Fayetteville area has many museums and galleries with activities and exhibits to suit most anyone’s interests. Engage your brain, support the arts and maybe even learn a thing or two.

Museum of the Cape Fear- The Museum of the Cape Fear is located near downtown Fayetteville on Arsenal Street. Permanent exhibits include displays featuring North Carolina ranging from the Paleo-Indian period through the early 1900s.

It’s Electrifying!Opens July 14 and runs through Sept. 16. The traveling exhibit, sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of History, showcases how electricity changed lives in the early 20th century.

Also located on the property are the Poe House and Arsenal Park. The 1897 Poe House offers a peek into life in the early 20th century in the south. Tours are available and highlight women’s roles, African-American history, children’s roles and technological, economic and social changes in southern North Carolina and the country during this era.

Arsenal Park was used by the federal government to manufacture and store ordnance in the mid-1800s. It was commissioned in 1838. During the Civil War the site was used to produce rifl es and ammunition. In 1865, Arsenal Park was destroyed by Gen. William, T. Sherman and his troops as they moved to Atlanta.

Programs at the Museum include the History Ranger Program, Mommy, Me and the Museum Makes Three and 2nd Saturday Art Festivals. Find out more at museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov or by calling 486-1330.

The Arts Council - A strong supporter of the arts and local artists, the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County switches out exhibits monthly. Through July 21, visitors can enjoy Reflections: Empowering People with Disabilities. July 27-Aug. 18 check out Recycle! It’s Second Nature, a show that will feature work by artists of all ages who submit artwork from recycled materials. This show is sponsored by the City of Fayetteville’s Environmental Services Department. The Human Form debuts Aug. 24 and runs through Sept. 29.

The Arts Council also hosts 4th Friday each month and provides grants to local arts-related organizations and and artists in the community. Neighborhood Art Attacks are sponsored periodically by the Arts Council, as are the International Folk Festival and Dickens Holiday. Find out more about the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County at www.theartscouncil.com.

Cape Fear Studios- Located at 148 Maxwell St. in downtown Fayetteville, Cape Fear Studios is an artist cooperative featuring the works of local painters, photographers, sculptors, potters, woodworkers, glass artists and jewelers. Offering a new exhibit each month, Cape Fear Studios hosts both national and local exhibits. Stop by and maybe you will catch a local artist at work in one of the many studios.

In addition to exhibits, the gallery offers classes in several mediums including painting, drawing and stained glass. Cape Fear Studios also partners with Cape Fear Botanical Gardens on projects and classes.

Find out more about Cape Fear Studios at www.capefearstudios.com.

Gallery 208 - An intimate gallery located in the corporate offi ces of Up & Coming Weekly at 208 Rowan St., Gallery 208 features the hyper-realism works of Phillip Kidd and Rose-Ann San Martino.

Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum - From Native-American trails to steamboats and trains, explore the importance of the early trade communities of Cross Creek and Campbellton. This museum outlines the development of the plank road system that connected Fayetteville to other towns throughout North Carolina. African-American slave labor was used to build the plank roads. Formerly, the building was home to the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad Company, which opened in Fayetteville in 1879 as a reorganization of the former Western railroad.

The museum hosts themed exhibits throughout the year and also participates in 4th Friday events and hosts the Fayetteville Farmers Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays during the harvest season.

Find out more about the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum by calling 800-255-8217 or visit ww.fcpr.us/transportation_museum.aspx.

Fascinate U - Filled with education hand-on exhibits, this kid-friendly museum offers a place for kids to grow, learn, create and play. With events like Make It Take It and Super Science Saturdays, kids can learn while participating in fun filled and interesting activities. On the first and third Saturdays of the month, the Cape Fear Railroaders hosts an open house from 12-4 p.m. The model-train exhibits include a winter wonderland and Thomas the Train.

Fascinate U is a strong supporter of 4th Friday and features a craft and free admission during 4th Friday. Find out more about Fascinate U at www.fascinate-u.com.

Airborne & Special Operations Museum - Located in the heart of downtown Fayetteville, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum offers a unique educational experience on the United States military.The museum is currently hosting The Animal Called POW: U.S. Special Forces Prisoners of the Vietcong, an exhibit that describes and shows what life was like for Special Forces and Military Assistance Command soldiers held as prisoners in South Vietnam. Tour the Forrest of Darkness, check out the inside of an indoctrination hut, examine a tiger cage (torture cell) and learn about how rescue missions are planned and conducted. The exhibit runs through January of 2013.

Permanent exhibitions at the museum cover the 1940s when the U.S. Army first tested parachute teams and concludes with airborne and special operations units of today.

The simulator adds excitement to any visit to the museum with exciting films that put the viewer at the center of the action.

N.C. Veterans Park is adjacent to ASOM and complements the museum. The park opened in 2011 and is built on the theme “Veteran’s Journey: life before, during, and after service.” The secondary theme is rebirth and healing.

The park features a 3,500 square foot visitors center that includes a Service Ribbon Wall made of fused glass that represents every service medal awarded since the Civil War. There is also a chandelier made from 33,500 dog tags.

The North Carolina Soils Wall is built with solids collected from the state’s 100 counties. Soils native to North Carolina are featured throughout the park.

Find out more about ASOM at www.asomf.org and the N.C. Veteran’s Park at www.ncveteranspark.org.

82nd Airborne Division Museum - Military enthusiasts are in for a treat at the 82nd Airborne Division Museum. The museum showcases the history and development of airborne forces. Check out the many artifacts related to all things airborne. There are several military aircraft on display as well exhibits covering World War I, World War II, post World War II, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Grenada, Operation Golden Pheasant, Panama, Desert Shield/Storm, Hurricane Andrew, Operation Restore Democracy: Haiti, Operation Restore Hope: Cuban Refugees, Operation Joint Endeavor: Bosnia, Operation Allied Force: Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom: Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom: Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and Division Reorganization.

The museum collects artifacts so that future generations can understand the past and learn from it. Find out more about the museum at www.82ndairbornedivisionmuseum.com.

The JFK Special Warfare Museum- The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum collects preserves, exhibits and interprets historical property used to support the training and mission of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. It is the regimental museum for the U.S. Army Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Military Support Operations. Exhibits range from World War I displays of the Office of Strategic Servic, the original special-service force to current military operations. Find out more about the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum Association at www.jfkwebstore.com.

Methodist University - Housed within the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts, the David McCune International Art Gallery coordinates exhibitions of art by students, regional, national, and international artists, educating students and the public through a diverse representation of fine art.

The McCune Gallery is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To find out more call the gallery at 425-5379.

FSU- Opening July 28 and running through Aug. 1, is the Discover Art exhibition. Aug. 4-18 the feature exhibit is High Times, Hard Times, North Carolina, curated by Soni Martin. On Aug. 16, don’t miss the lecture by Dwight Smith – Art: Abstraction, Social Change and Cultural Identity in My Postwar America. The lecture runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m. There will be a reception from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on August 18.

FTCC - Visit www.faytechcc.edu or call 678-8400 to fi nd out more about its galleries and fi ne arts programs.

Photo: Bottom right; Cool off at some of the local museums and galleries. 

WORDS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

The words make the difference
In the world of adult contemporary music what makes Christian songs different is primarily the lyrics. In this week’s edition of The Buzz, we highlight the words from a few of the more popular Christian songs of the day.

When Mercy Found Me – Rhett Walker Band
Album - Come To The River
But that’s where I met Jesus
In one moment everything changed
Who I was got washed away
When mercy found me
My savior’s arms were open wide
And I felt love for the very first time
When mercy found me

The Hurt & The Healer – MercyMe
Album - The Hurt & The Healer
It’s the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all our scars are understood
Jesus, come and break my fear
Wake my heart and take my tears
Find your glory even here
When the hurt and the healer collide

Forgiveness – Matthew West
Album - Into The Light
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those who don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When they pain they caused is just too real
Takes everything you have to say the word
Forgiveness, forgiveness

Like all great songs, the music and production are top notch. The difference is the impact the lyrics are having on the lives of those who choose to listen. Contemporary Christian music — give it a try…it could change your life.

Christmas isn’t what you typically think of in July, but for many bikers in the Fayetteville area, it’s all that’s on their mind right now. For nine years and counting, bikers from Fayetteville and the surrounding area have come together to help the children of The Children’s Miracle Network and Duke Children’s Hospital.

In years past, the bikers had to pay $15 and an unwrapped gift; addi-tional riders had to pay $10. The gifts are put in the “treasure chest” for the children at the Duke Children’s Hospital. Throughout the years, William Winford has seen changes in the event. Due to its location in Fayetteville, many troops have been overseas during the event, but there is still a good turnout from the other locals. Even with the downward spiral of the econo-my in the past few years, he has still seen how the area embraces the event and the numbers of bikers increase, it is a little bigger and more promoted every year, they have advertised in areas that they haven’t even looked at for advertising in years past.

They are expanding their advertising, so they can get more riders year after year because this event means a lot to the children of the hospital and to their nurses who give them the toys. It also means a great deal to the riders — some of whom were patienst at Duke or whose children have been helped by the facility.

In providing the best care possible to society’s most vulberable, Duke Children’s Hospital focuses on excellence in the clinical care of infants and children; innovation in basic and applied research; leadership in the educa-tion of health care professionals; and advocacy for children’s health. The in-sititution has 28 pediatric specialties, 178 total beds, sees 176,000 pediatric outpatients and 7,000 pediatric admissions each year. The average length of an in-patient stay is nine days. There are 34 regional outreach programs, and the hospital conducts 169 research studies each year.

The more riders that the toy run has, the bigger impact they can have. “I’ve got a number of bikers in mind that I want to come out this year,” said Winfred. “In years past we have had around 300 bikers come, but this year, I want 350 to 400 or 500 bikers to come out for the ride.”

There will be a lot of activities going on such as 50/50 drawings, raffles and other events to help raise money for the hospital. This will be the last year that Rocking Harley, a long-time sponsor of the event will be involved with the toy run, but next year the group organizers hope to have another supporter take their place.

“For the bikers, we will have live entertainment at Legends before the ride,” said Winfred. “Once we get to Duke Hospital, they will have a fresh lunch prepared for them by Texas Roadhouse.”

Once the bikers have had their lunch, they will make the official presentation of the toys and gifts.

If you are interested in participating in the ride, it will take place July 21, rain or shine. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the bikers depart at 10 a.m. from M&M Leather & Custom Cycle/Victory of Fayetteville on Bragg Boulevard. The cost to ride is $15 and an unwrapped gift, and any passengers are $10 each. The bikers will have police escorts through the whole ride. When you sign up, you will receive an vent T-shirt and event pin.

The Fayetteville SwampDogs continue to find success on and off the field in 2012, as the All American Summer of Fun has proven to be one of the best seasons yet for the Dogs. As the CPL regular season nears its end, the team has cemented itself as one of the premiere clubs in the league.

The league leaderboards are sprinkled generously with SwampDogs players, as individual success has translated to overall team success on the field.

Zach Gawrych (Tampa) has been an elite catalyst for the offense, as he consistently finds himself in the leadoff spot each night. His ability to put pressure on opposing defenses with his baserunning ability has led to his leading the league in runs scored.

Sal Giardina (Lynn) has emerged as the offensive leader of the club, as he currently leads the league in RBIs, and has hit the most home runs on the Dogs’ roster.

The pitching staff has been arguably the most impressive aspect of the team throughout the season. Their 2.45 ERA is far and away the lowest of any unit in the CPL. Layne Somsen (South Dakota State) currently leads the league in strikeouts and is a crucial part of the starting rotation.

The Dogs will play four home games in the next week, including this evening’s Non-Profit Night. A Lupus awareness group will be on hand to help inform fans about their mission. Freaky Friday will give fans a chance to participate in a costume contest, with next Monday’s Faith and Family Night followed by Lumberton Night on Tuesday. The first 500 fans, 21 & older, receive a pilsner glass courtesy of Healy Wholesale and Fat Tire.

As always, the Miller Lite Liberty Lounge will be open with eight different beers on tap for one dollar each, and hot dogs and hamburgers all night long. Free popcorn, peanuts and soft serve drinks are also available throughout the game.

Photo: Don’t miss another fun-filled game. There is always lots to do at the Swamp.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter(Rated R) Four Stars

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter(105 minutes) is a movie that knows exactly how silly it is, and demonstrates it by playing straight all the way through. Some people might argue that because it is so silly it should have been less serious, but those people are wrong. I, for one, do not need to be hit over the head with humor, and if this film had gone for more obvious comedy we would have ended up with another Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter. Yes, that is a movie and I watched it, and it is not nearly as cool as it sounds.

It is 1818. Vampires have infiltrated every level of American society thanks to the invention of sunscreen and CGI. A young Abraham Lincoln, confronting the realities of slavery, is also exposed to the creatures of the night. Eventually Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) grows up to resemble a young Liam Neeson and screws up his courage to slay some vampires. Seeing as how he doesn’t have a clue about killing the undead, he is lucky enough to make a friend willing to school him, Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper).

After a training montage, Lincoln is dispatched to Springfield, Illinois with strict instructions to keep a low profile and not hook up with any chicks. He immediately finds a room and employment with Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson). Since Jimmi Simpson is incapable of looking trustworthy I spend the rest of the movie waiting for him to double-cross the heroes. Eventually, the romantic subplot kicks into gear with Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) showing up to complicate his after-hours hobby, because Abraham Lincoln doesn’t follow instructions very well.

Even though the head vampire Adam (Rufus Sewell) is totally aware that Sturgess is training vampire slayers, he is apparently in no hurry to put a stop to that. I suspect that is because Adam is a poorly conceived character, and his sister Vadoma (Erin Wasson) is not much better. Basically, she is there to wear a corset and look hot while acting as a counterpoint to Mary Todd. They are both just so darn supportive of the men in their lives! When Adam finally figures out who is slaying vampires in his town via some shoddy plot convenience, he lays a trap. He kidnaps an old friend of Abraham’s, pretty, pretty Will Johnson (Anthony Mackie).

Despite the wisdom accumulated from a vast lifespan, the many powerful minions surrounding him, and Abraham’s stupid decision to bring an untrained civilian along on his rescue mission, our heroes manage to escape. The narrative skips over the specifics of their travel back home, probably because figuring out how they manage not to get killed and eaten by Adam on the way is too tricky for the writers. Once home, Lincoln marries Mary and enters politics on a platform of ending slavery, motivated by the knowledge that ending slavery will prevent vampire domination of America. No, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but really, you’re watching Abraham Lincoln killing vampires, so how much sense do you need this to make?

Director Timur Bekmambetov has a very distinctive visual style, and if the narrative isn’t doing it for you, at least it’s pretty to look at. You can even play a nice game of spot the Timur image — the scene at the end with the train going off the rails is reminiscent of the train scene in Wanted, for example. Overall, this is a movie that sticks close to its roots and should appeal to its target audience of comic book fans. If it does well enough at the box office, maybe we can get them to produce a sequel … George W. Bush and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

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

Words Make a Difference

The words make the difference

In the world of adult contemporary music what makes Christian songs different is primarily the lyrics. In this week’s edition of The Buzz, we will be highlighting the words from a few of the more popular Christian songs of the day.

When Mercy Found Me – Rhett Walker Band
Album - Come To The River

But that’s where I met Jesus
In one moment everything changed
Who I was got washed away
When mercy found me
My savior’s arms were open wide
And I felt love for the very first time
When mercy found me

The Hurt & The Healer – MercyMe
Album - The Hurt & The Healer

It’s the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all our scars are understood

Jesus, come and break my fear
Wake my heart and take my tears
Find your glory even here
When the hurt and the healer collide

Forgiveness – Matthew West
Album - Into The Light
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always go to those who don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When they pain they caused is just too real
Takes everything you have to say the word
Forgiveness, forgiveness

Me Without You - TobyMac

Like all great songs, the music and production are top notch. The difference is the impact the lyrics are having on the lives of those who choose to listen. Contemporary Christian music — give it a try…it could change your life.

Photo: MercyMe

Methodist University President Ben Hancock is proud to announce that Marty V. Cayton has been named the new director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the Reeves School of Business.

Cayton, a 1990 MU alum-nus, is owner and president of Amerizon, Inc. He will start his new position Monday, July 2. Along with the directorship comes an appointment as an assistant professor of busi-ness administration. Methodist University plans on expanding its educational offerings in en-trepreneurship, taking advantage of a minor in entrepreneurship available to students interested in going into business.

“Methodist University is so pleased to have attracted someone of Marty Cayton’s caliber to serve as the new director of the Center for Entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Hancock. “His experience as an entrepreneur, knowledge of the center and its programs and commitment to the community make him the ideal person to move the center forward, building upon the suc-cess of long-time director Dr. Sid Gautam.”

Gautam, who retired earlier this year, founded the CFE in 1973, with a mission to help entrepreneurs succeed in business. Since then, the CFE has delivered exceptional educational experiences, networking opportunities, and recognition for entrepreneurs, students, small business owners and profes-sionals in Eastern North Carolina.

Cayton has been very active with the center for Entrepreneurship for the last six years and also sits on the advisory board for the CFE. In 2009, the CFE named him Economics and Business Alumnus of the Year, and this year his company won the CFE’s American Business Ethics Award.

“We are so fortunate that we found an entrepreneur and successful business executive right here in the Fayetteville community who is prepared to direct the many community programs of the Center for Entrepreneurship and has many new entrepreneurial ideas to enhance the Center’s continual growth,” said Joe Doll, dean of the Reeves School of Business.

After an enlistment with the U.S. Navy, Cayton started working at his fam-ily’s company, North Carolina Communications, in 1988 while he attended Methodist University to earn a bachelor of arts in business. He was promoted to business manager and was responsible for the company’s sale in 1995. Cayton joined the new company, Mobex, and ran its Midwest division. After leaving Mobex, he purchased many of the company’s acquisitions, including the original family business. These acquisitions became Amerizon Wireless in 2003. Cayton also earned a master’s degree in business from Taylor University in 2005.

Cayton is a member of the YMCA Board of Directors in Fayetteville, and he is on the Board of Visitors and the Alumni Board at Methodist University. He and his wife, Joy, and three of their four children — Jed, Jenna, and Jocelyn — are active members at Village Baptist Church, while their oldest son, Jaron, is a junior at Methodist University and an active member at Fayetteville Community Church.

Methodist University is an independent four-year institution of higher education with more than 2,400 students from 41 states and 53 countries. Methodist University offers more than 80 majors and concentrations, 100 clubs and organizations, four master’s degree programs and 19 NCAA III intercollegiate sports. For more information, please contact Leslie Emanuel at the Reeves School of Business at 910.630.7047. To learn more about Methodist University, please visit methodist.edu or facebook.com/ourMU-world.

Photo: Marty V. Cayton

Visitors to Gallery 208 will be nothing short of astonished. While viewing the oil paintings by Phillip Kidd, you are going to have to control your impulse to peel the tape off the surface of one of Kidd’s oil paintings. You’re going to feel confi dent that a card from the game of Monopoly on the surface of a different painting could also be removed from the painting’s surface. Then you discover it’s all an illusion; Kidd is a painter of hyper-realism and every object in the painting has been meticulously painted to appear as if it actually exists.

Kidd’s style of hyper-realism is not something we often see in our local and regional art venues. Known as Trompe l’oeil (“fools the eye”), Kidd brings a unique sense of humor to his paintings; small in scale, his skill level is extremely high — looking at the paintings you feel comfortably uncomfortable. He stimulates our imagination and earns our respect for the talent it takes to create works in that particular genre of painting.

In one of his paintings, a crimped tube of Winsor Newton flake white oil paint is held to a vertical surface by a piece of masking tape. In another painting a Twining bag of tea is taped to a caulk board with a piece of masking tape; a line drawing of a cup is under the tea bag and appears to be drawn with chalk. Everything I have mentioned is an illusion, painted in oil.

In Kidd’s paintings the size of the object(s) is correct, he pays close attention to every minute detail; the fine distinction of light and color are skillfully incorporated to create an illusion of the threedimensional. He is part of a tradition, the pursuit of realism in art, which has dotted the western tradition, beginning with the Romans. His style is a genre that has continued to be practiced since the Renaissance. Today this style of super realism has been influenced by a modern quest — a preoccupation with perceptions in art and painting.

There is nothing traditional about the way Kidd learned to paint in this style. His father chose a career with the U.S. Air Force so the family did a great amount of traveling. While his father was stationed at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., Kidd attended high school in Montgomery. It was during his last year in high school that a field trip to an art museum infl enced his choice about his own career.

He shared the following with me: “It was during my senior year, we took a field trip to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and I saw a Trompe l’oeil exhibit featuring all the best of today’s artists. I had never heard of this style and never knew people were doing this or even capable of it. It hit me that this was what I had been working towards with my pursuit to make my work look realistic.”

The problem for Kidd was that most art schools or universities do not teach the techniques he sought to learn. So, starting in high school through his education in the arts at Auburn University at Montgomery, Kidd taught himself by study, trial and error how to paint in the Trompe l’oeil style. After seeing a work by Anthony Waichulis at the Montgomery Museum exhibit, he emailed him occasionally to ask questions about techniques. Kidd noted: “I maintain this communication with Waichulis today. I am also still inspired by the old masters and the history of art.”

Kidd doesn’t use any technology in his paintings, no transfer techniques. His panels are sanded and sealed as smooth as glass before he begins painting. As Kidd says, “There are no tricks to what I’m doing; it’s just brushes in oil on panel. The ideas in my paintings are simple and sometimes comical; I paint them simply for the joy of the fi nished product.”

The Leonard McLeod Gallery is hosting a totally different type of exhibit. Original colorful drawings by Rose-Ann San Martino were created to illustrate a recent publication by Sharon Murphy Yates: The Journey from Oz: Seven Steps for Finding Your Way Back to Places You Never Intended to Be.

According to Yates, “The Journey from Oz is a simple message of hope and encouragement for anyone confronting challenges in life. With warmth and understanding, it offers simple supportive advice to guide readers toward help and healing one step at a time.” Knowing the art work of San Martino, Yates felt she was the perfect artist to illustrate the book.

San Martino took the challenge with confi dence and vigor and felt Yates’ writing was very visual.

San Martino noted an example: “When I read, ‘Well I’m out of bed and I have clean underwear’ on is something I can instantly visualize. As well, ‘Figure out what you need and leave the crap behind’ is another example of the visual. For me it easily translates into a suitcase and packing; but what is it in your life journey you need to leave behind — anger, an attitude of pleasing everyone, lies, — these are things that weigh you down.”

Although the book is serious and therapeutic, the combination of easy reading and the illustrations make it highly user-friendly. Yates explains: “I wrote the book for adults who might be going through diffi cult situations, but never really thought about targeting any particular age group. No matter your age, everyone can use a little guidance and encouragement at different times in their lives.”

San Martino’s illustrations reflect her fine art painting style — colorful and the use of repeating patterns to create texture, meaning and rhythm. She reflected on her illustrations by saying, “I think the illustrations reflect what is said in the book in a cheery, colorful, literal way, but they also invite you to look a bit closer. The lack of depth, bright colors and purposeful naiveté are to remind the readers of childhood illustrations they might have read, pictures they might have drawn. I think the decorative design patterns tie the illustrations together and keep the mood from being too serious.”

The project took the artist and writer three years to complete. Both had input as to the layout of the book and the details for each section. San Martino did sketches, cropped and experimented with colors; Yates was there to give her personal feedback about each sketch.

“Rose-Ann and I talked about the book and the message I wanted to convey, she read the text and then brought me ideas. She made it really easy because she had a way of taking my ideas and adding elements that made them better. Sometimes (like in the illustration about packing) she would refl ect the ideas in the text in ways I hadn’t thought about. I think that creativity added a lot to the way readers can connect with the words,” said Yates.

Visitor to the Leonard McLeod Galley at Up and Coming Weekly get to see both exhibits and will meet Phillip Kidd, Rose-Ann San Martino and Sharon Yates at the opening reception on July 12 between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m. It’s free to the public, so everyone is invited. The exhibit will remain in the galleries through late August. For information call Up and Coming Weeklyat 910-484-6200.

Photo: The hyper-realism of Phillip Kidd brings a new dimension to the ordinary.

What do art, music, crafts, history and food have in common? They are all a part of the Museum of Cape Fear Historical Complex 2nd Saturdays Arts Fest.

The Arts Fest takes place on July 14 and August 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival is a delightful mix of history and local creativity. People attending the festival, which is located on the grounds of the 1897 Poe House, will have the opportunity to sample treats from the Poe House Kitchen, to explore the work of various artists and crafters, take in exhibits and listen to great musicians. The event is free; however, several vendors will be on site.

The idea behind the 2nd Saturday Arts Fest is to “display art in a cultural setting,” said Leisa Greathouse, curator of education at the museum. The Basket Buddies, Sally’s Beads, Jazzy Girl, Trink’s Store, Growing Stitches, a Bee Keeper and the American Red Cross are some of the vendors and exhibitors that will be present. Displayed and items for sale include, custom pet portraits, hand woven baskets, painted wood items, quilts, beaded jewelry, custom clocks, crocheted items and more.

Concessions will be provided by Big Ed’s Creek Sauce and Catering. The museum is still accepting applications for vendors and there is no fee to set up as a vendor or exhibitor. 

“We are willing to accept anyone who has homemade crafts or makes things themselves to help promote them and their craft,” said Greathouse.

For more information or for a vendor application call 486-1330. There is no deadline for vendor applications.

Promoting the creative industry to spur economic stimulus is one of the reasons that the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources started the 2nd Saturdayevents. Many of the items displayed, such as homemade baskets and candles, are “novelties today, but for people a long time ago it was a necessity.”

“Candle making was chore done on the farm in the fall. It was not for fun, but anyone who wanted light took the time to make candles,” said Greathouse.

Along with all of the great art, majestic music, exciting exhibits and flavorful food, visitors can enjoy the “make-it and take-it” stations. At these stations visitors can make hand-dipped beeswax candles, weave on a hand-held loom, make a bracelet or bookmark and paint a water-color picture. These are great activities not just for adults but for children as well.

The 2nd Saturday’s Arts Fest is not just another Saturday afternoon. It’s an afternoon stocked full of creative expression, historical content and community support. Come and be enlightened and inspired by the cultural arts. Take the time to explore the vendors and exhibits, engage in craft activities, try delightful treats such as BBQ and fritters and explore the Poe House, which displays life in the first decades of the 20th century. Music, crafts, arts, history and food — it’s all there, the only thing missing is you.

Find out more about this and other fun events at the Museum of the Cape Fear at museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov or by calling 486-1330.

Photo: Homemade items like baskets will be for sale at the 2nd Saturday Arts Fest.

The Feeney family is familiar with the military. It’s been their way of life for generations. In fact, it is the military that brought them to Fort Bragg.

As soldiers the Feeney men have travelled the world defending freedom and carrying out the will of the American people under the orders of various Commanders-in-Chief. Through the years, they’ve never forgotten the people who treated them kindly and shared stories and experiences over a cold one, so it only made sense that once their time in uniform was complete, they would open Feeney’s Irish Pub and offer the same hospitality and experience to friends and fellow service members.

On July 7 from 4 p.m. – midnight, Feeney’s Irish Pub and Concerned Veteran’s of America invite you to a patriotic welcome-home party in honor of veteran’s.

“We have been shown a lot of support over the years and this is what we are doing to say thanks, to show we care,” said Donald M. “Buddy” Feeney III. “It’s not just for vets though. It’s for anyone who has served, has supported those who serve or who just wants to come out and have a good time and say thanks to the many generations of the military who have served in our nation’s wars.”

Entertainment will include Autumn Nicholas, Strong Hold and the Cris Cox Band. Rock 103 is scheduled to broadcast the event live. Drink specials and door prizes are part of the event, too.

“This is going to be a fun event, everyone is welcome, military or not,” said Feeney. “Next month we are looking forward to honoring military spouses and we hope people will join us for that as well. The sacrifi ces of military spouses are really overlooked a lot of the time and we want to show them how much we appreciate what they do and endure on behalf of their soldiers.”

Although he is not a politician, Feeney recognizes the value of an informed electorate and the power of the vote, which is why Concerned Veterans for America is participating in this event.

“Military people have the right to vote by absentee ballot, but sometimes it is not always an easy thing to do. The laws can be confusing and the process is not always as streamlined as it could be,” said Feeney. “The laws change all the time and people never know it. The Concerned Veteran’s of America will have a booth to educate people about the process — not to try and sway them one way or the other on issues or even to register them to vote. They want to educate people about the process and share information with them and make it easier for military members to exercise their right to vote.”

Voting is just a small part of the CVA mission.

“In short “Concerned Veterans for America is an organization made up of veterans and family members of veterans who are dedicated to preserving the freedom and liberty we and our families so proudly fought and sacrifi ced to defend,” said Kate Pomeroy, communications director for Concerned Veterans for America. This includes standing for freedom and American strength, getting the country’s priorities straight, defending the American dream and fi ghting for the future. Find out more about CVA at concernedveteransforamerica.org.

Feeney’s Irish Pub is located at 3624 Ramsey St.

Photo: Members of the Concerned Veterans of America (shown above) are teaming up with Feeney’s Irish Pub to host a welcome home party for Fayetteville’s veterans.