Hope you’re feeling lucky on Friday, March 25, because that is the evening that the Highland Country Club will be transformed for Casino Night, complete with roulette wheels , black jack and poker tables.

One night a year since 2006, the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville brings Vegas to Fayetteville. The glitz, glam and adrenaline that come with a night of gaming not only offers attendees a fabulous night out, it also benefi ts the community.

“Two years ago we made a commitment that this event would always benefit a nonprofit organization,” said Natalie Woodbury, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville. “This is the 6th Annual Casino Night and we have raised $81,372 over the past five years.”

This year, Habitat for Humanity will be the lucky benefi ciary of the proceeds. The Executive Director for Habitat, Ann Griffi n, is excited about how the money will be put to good use in the community. “I want to say how excited and proud we are to be the chosen charity this year for casino night. It is a real honor,” she said. “The money will go towards our mission — we build and sell homes to partner families who cannot afford a conventional mortgage ”

This year Griffin has plans in the works for Habitat to build nine houses. That’s nine families that would not otherwise be able to afford a home. Both Woodbury and Griffin see this as a great fit for their organizations, since the vision of the Home Builders Association is that home ownership can and should be within the reach of every American family and Habitat for Humanity works to help families achieve the dream of home ownership.

“It is a perfect fit, the Home Builders Association and Habitat for Humanity — it just goes together,” said Griffin.

On the night of the event, there is a place for everyone at the (poker) table, even if you’ve never played before.

“There are all kinds of games complete with professional dealers,” said Woodbury. “And for those that don’t know how to play, the dealers are really nice and will teach you, which is great for people who maybe have never played those games but who still want to participate and join in the fun.”

Tickets are $75 and every ticket includes entry to the event, one drink ticket and $500 in funny money. There is no real cash at stake, unless you choose to spend yours to purchase additional funny money as the night progresses. Heavy hors d’ouevres will be served throughout the evening as well. 

When it’s time to cash in your chips, Woodbury says that there are plenty of impressive prizes that are up for grabs. “At the end of the night the top three winners will choose from our three top prizes. One is from Hinkamp Jewelers, another is a flat-screen TV and the third is cash.” She added that “For every $1,000 that you win, you get a raffle ticket. Once the top three winners are announced, then we start pulling tickets. We have more than 50 prizes, so a lot of people leave that night with something in their hand — which is good.”

The fun goes from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Prizes will be distributed at 10 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville Offi ce. Find out more at 826- 0648 or www.fayhba.org.

Photo: The Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville is hosting Casino Night on March 25. Proceeds will benefi t Habitat for Humanity..

When a big rig passes by, Little Johnny straightens up in his seat. When he hears the engine roar his heart speeds. He ogles the enormous tires. He hopes the driver, who sits much higher than he does, will shoot a glance in his direction. This month, Johnny will touch, climb and sit in the driver’s seat.

St. Andrews Academy will host its fourth annual Truck Touch event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 26 at 121 Lofton Drive off Ramsey Road in Fayetteville. The event is a fundraiser for the school, which is hoping to raise monetary support to improve classrooms and buy additional supplies and books, according to Candice Moody, the organizer of the event.

“The purpose for Truck Touch is to provide a great family event that everyone can enjoy. Last year the money we raised went to our beautiful new playground. This year we will use it for improvements and expansion,” said Sara Ryberg, the coordinator of St. Andrews Academy’s parent group, Parents of Preschoolers.

Truck Touch will feature more than 15 different vehicles ranging from basic street vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler to humongous headliners like a cement truck and 18-wheeler. The City of Fayetteville is providing a Police K9 Team and street sweeper truck. 

“This is the first time we’ve been involved with something like this,” said Scott Thornall, Street Maintenance Superintendant for Fayetteville. “The kids will have fun with it and it will give us a chance to educate the community.”

It’s important to Thornall that the kids learn something about street sweeping and storm water maintenance. “It’s not just about aesthetics, we are cleaning oil and greases that could be harmful to the environment,” Thronall said.

Not to worry, Mom and Dad will have something to do as well. In addition to the trucks, St. Andrews Academy will host a silent auction, a yard sale featuring community-donated items, vendor sales, face painting, bounce houses and more.

 “I am very excited for this year’s TruckTouch. Besides the vehicles and bounce houses, we have added an inflatable racetrack for the kids to enjoy. The adults will also be able to have fun while shopping at our small-business expo and yard sale,” Ryberg said.

Tickets for the event are $4 and can be purchased at the event. Early birds can save a dollar and buy tickets at the school office prior to March 26. The rain date for the event is April 2.

“I liked big trucks as a kid,” said Thornall. “The truck has lots of knobs and controls and the kids will be able to sit in the cab.”

Next time Little Johnny heads down I-95, he’ll see another big rig. This time, when his eyes meet the trucker’s, he’ll nod with a respectable, “I’ve sat in your seat before.”

PHOTO: St. Andrews Academy will host its fourth annual Truck Touch event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 26.

Gnomeo and Juliet (Rated G)

Gnomeo and Juliet (84 minutes) leaves some burning questions unanswered: where was Torchwood when all the gnomes were running around? Exactly how many poorly chosen Shakespeare references can you squeeze into 84 minutes? Why don’t the owners of the side-by-side houses get along better? Why don’t those owners ever notice all the destruction caused during mid-afternoon/overnight gnome romping? What are the Freudian implications of the big hats? How much money do you have to pay Sir Patrick Stewart to voice act in your horrible movie? And most importantly, where do little gnomes come from? How long do their parents treat them like children? And how is their apparently eternal childhood (which resembles the protracted adolescence of Claudia in Interview with a Vampire) not super-creepy?

There’s more, but it’s time to move on to making fun of Director Kelly Asbury — who took an idea with tons of potential and turned it into stale flavorless marshmallows. I mean, he may have started out on Stallion: Spirit of the Cimarron, but he moved on to do Shrek 2, which was totally cute! For all the talent involved, he got nada out of his actors. There are no genuinely likable heroes to root for, no attempt to reach beyond a straightforward Romeo and Julietrip-off for kids, and all the secondary characters sound like they are voiced by Robin Williams. And that is not a good thing.

At least the opening of the movie is fairly cute. A little guy in a big hat stands on a stage and introduces the “two houses, alike in dignity …” while avoiding a cane that aims to remove him from the stage. Enjoy the laughs while they’re easy to come by, because they get few and far between as the movie progresses.

Mrs. Montague (Julie Walters) and Mr. Capulet (Richard Wilson) own two halves of a duplex. Their yards are filled with tribes of warring garden gnomes and other kitschy objets d’art. The blue gnomes include Gnomeo (James McAvoy), Benny (Matt Lucas), and Gnomeo’s Mother (Maggie Smith). The red gnome camp consists of Juliet (Emily Blunt), Nanette the Frog (Ashley Jensen) Tybalt (Jason Statham), Fawn the Deer (Ozzy Osbourne), and Lord Redbrick (Michael Caine).

Wait — for real? Michael Caine? Maggie Smith? Am I missing something? This movie sucks! Where did all the star power come from and why isn’t it helping the movie to not suck so much? Maybe I’m getting cynical in my old age, but the script seems to go from set piece to set piece without any real plot or substantial narrative innovation. And let us not forget the soul-destroying Elton John reboots!

A child begins screaming in the middle of the theater. I am sure we would both feel a lot better if the movie would just end already. Or maybe we just need the introduction of a cool Mercutio type character to make this all a bit more int

eresting. Hey! A pink lawn flamingo (Jim Cummings) just showed up! Maybe he’ll be cool? No. Nope. The pain goes on. The movie limps to an unsatisfying conclusion. I have no idea where all the box-office success is coming from. You’re welcome to send an e-mail and explain it to me. 

The Mighty Male Mentoring Program (3MP) is a goal-oriented program designed to support the educational and professional aspirations of minority males (also known as mentees) at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC). The 3MP seeks to increase completion of developmental and curriculum courses, retention, graduation rates, and transfer to a UNC four-year institution. To accomplish this, the program increases exposure to academic and financial aid advising and to educational, professional, and civic opportunities.

It’s uncontroverted that minority males face many personal challenges and obstacles when it comes to college education-program admittance, financial resources, job skills, job placement, stereotypes, low grade point averages, low Accuplacer test scores, and a sense of future direction, to name a few. This is where the 3M Program steps in with mentors and academic advising.

Advising students in the Mighty Male Mentoring Program at FTCC involves developing a more personal relationship between student and advisor/mentor. Regular contact (at least twice a month) allows the student to bond and identify with his mentor.

Larry Vick, a 3MP mentor/criminal justice instructor, notes that “As college faculty and staff members, we’re often called upon to lend our time, effort, and expertise to various projects. These projects are often worthwhile, but sometimes we’re left to wonder if our investments have achieved the sought-after results. For those involved with the Mighty Male Mentoring Program, or 3M, as it’s called, the answer is clear. The 3M Program is more than just worthwhile – it’s a game changer. That’s because its benefits are permanent. By matching students who have demonstrated a desire to succeed with dedicated faculty and staff members who serve as mentors, relationships are forged that create win-win situations. Not only do the mentees reap tremendous rewards, but the mentors benefit greatly.”

The process begins with potential mentees filling out an application that memorializes their commitment to improve both as students and as male members of their communities. Upon acceptance, the mentees complete a contract with their mentors wherein they attest to a plan of action. Mentors are pre-screened to identify their areas of expertise and level of commitment. To ensure program participants stay motivated, twice monthly plenary meetings are scheduled to augment any individual meetings between mentor and mentee. In addition, there are numerous activities available that reinforce the program’s mission, purpose, and expectations.

FTCC’s 3M Program is still in its infancy, but significant strides have been made under the leadership of Theodore Thomas, James Steadman, and Bryant Youngblood. Their efforts have been supported by a group of dedicated volunteer mentors. Equally encouraging has been the caliber of the mentees who have been participating.

Recently, there have been trips planned to Tarboro and Winston-Salem to engage in 3M leadership conferences and mentor training. Mentees are also scheduled to participate in such hands-on activities as mentoring eighth graders from the Ramsey Street Alternative School as part of the Future Seekers Career Exploration Project.

Please take the time to speak with members of the 3M Program when you see them in your neighborhoods performing community service. They’ll be the young men with looks of determination and purpose, as well as a smile.

PHOTO: The Mighty Male Mentoring Program (3MP) is a goaloriented program designed to support the educational and professional aspirations of minority males.

The 50/50 Rule

A national study of U.S. family caregivers, sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care® network, shows that the dynamics of family relationships can thrust one sibling into the role of primary caregiver for an aging parent. This can create an “anything you can do I can do better” tug and pull between brothers and sisters who should be working together for the best interests of their senior loved ones.

The study, conducted by The Boomer Project, included 711 adults ages 35-64, with living siblings or stepsiblings, who said they either currently provide care for a parent or older relative, or did provide care in the past 18 months.

This inability to effectively work together often leads to one sibling becoming responsible for the bulk of caregiving (true in 43percent of families) which can contribute to a deterioration of sibling relationships.

Three key factors, more than any others, will determine if relationships between the adult children will deteriorate, and whether the quality of care to the parent will be compromised. Those factors are the adult children’s ability to make important decisions together; their ability to divide the caregiving workload; and their level of teamwork. The lower the self-reported scores on these measures, the lower the overall grade they give themselves and their siblings in working together to provide care to their parents.

Forty-six percent of caregivers who say their sibling relationships have deteriorated say their brothers and sisters are unwilling to help.

Furthermore, survey participants were much more likely to give themselves excellent ratings for important personal caregiving traits than they were their brothers and sisters.

The implication is that sibling relationships and caregiving quality suffer when there are not effective family processes or dynamics in place to help brothers and sisters make successful decisions, equitably divide the workload and build a caregiving team.

In response, the Home Instead Senior Care network has developed The 50-50 RuleSM (www.solvingfamilyconflict.com). The 50-50 Rule refers to the average age when siblings are caring for their parents (50) as well as the need for brothers and sisters to more equitably share the planning responsibility (50/50).

The stakes are high — sibling relationships and the quality of their parents’ care are at risk. But with new approaches and a focus on building better family relationships, caregiving can make families stronger.

Over the next several weeks we will share specific approaches suggested to siblings who are caring for their parent(s). So stay tuned, help is on the way!

If you would like a copy of “The 50-50 Rule” booklet, stop by the local Home Instead Senior Care office at 2825 Arlington Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28303 or call us at 910-484-7200.

PHOTO: With new approaches and a focus on building better family relationships, caregiving can make families stronger.

According to www.rapecrisisonline. org: one out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime and about nine out of ten rape victims are female. One out of every 33 American men has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years. Girls ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of sexual assault.

Adding to the outrage of such a horrific event, almost 2/3 of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim and only about 6 percent of rapists ever serve a day in jail.

On Saturday, March 19, the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County and Musha Dojo are offering a free women’s self-defense class. According to Ze Suratt-II, the victim’s advocate and volunteer coordinator, “The main purpose is to help empower women so that they can feel more safe when they are out and about. They won’t be learning how to fight per se, but they will be learning some key strike moves.”

She added that the instructor “is very passionate about helping women to prevent, as much as possible, an attack — by teaching about the somewhat small things they can do that would possibly give them those few valuable seconds or minutes to scream out loudly or run.”

The class is free, and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Space is limited though. Participants should be at least 15 since the material will be sensitive. Physically impaired women are especially encouraged to attend. Call 485-7273 to make a reservation. Space is limited, however, there will be more self-defense classes offered on April 23 and July 19 as well.

While preventive measures are always a good thing, the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County are there to help when the damage has already been done. They take calls from victims of sexual assault, rape or domestic violence and provide them with local resources and help guide them through the different stages of reporting(if a victim chooses to report the crime) and healing. 

“There are a lot of resources available that women are not aware of,” said Suratt-II “We try to give them all the information that we can about these resources so that they can make decisions about the things they may want to do next. We also advocate for victims.”

That includes going to the hospital with them after an attack, should the victim choose to go, and helping them through the hospital exam and dealing with the police by letting the victim know what is going to be happening and how it is going to happen as well as what courses of action are available. T

he support does not stop there. The Rape Crisis Volunteers will go with a victim to court proceedings too. Surrat-II pointed out that reliving their experiences in the court room is also a very traumatic time.

While the goal is to help in healing and recovering from such traumatic events, the Rape Crisis Volunteers are very firm in their belief that each person must feel safe and confident in how they choose to handle their situation.

“It is our job to let them know what is available and let them make that decision (whether or not to report the crime) themselves. We are not going to tell a victim what they should or shouldn’t do. We want them to be able to make their own decision. It is important that we keep it that way,” said Surrat-II.

“When we do speak with victims we do try to suggest and recommend that they go for counseling because we do believe in counseling being a very healing tool for recovery.”

The organization is always looking for kind hearted and compassionate volunteers and theyhold training sessions quarterly. They next rape sensitivity training sessions will be held May 14 and 21. Call 485-7273 to find out how you can be a part of the healing. 

PHOTO: On Saturday, March 19, the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County and Musha Dojo are offering a free women’s self-defense class.

  For more than 20 years the Cape Fear Botanical Garden has been inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of visitors. Its self-proclaimed role in the community is “In addition to showcasing nature’s beauty, our garden serves in many roles: environmental stewardship, education and research, the preservation of our agricultural heritage, a unique setting for activities and events, a prime attraction for visitors from near and far, a valuable economic resource for our community.”

On April 1, the CFBG is hosting the Second Annual Rhythm and Blooms Benefit Concert. The gates open at 7 p.m. and the concert is at 8 p.m.

“We are featuring the Blue Dogs who are from Charleston, S.C. Their sound has kind of like a blue grass, bluesy, kind of country feel,” said Anna Grantonic, assistant director of development and marketing at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens. “It is going to be kind of neat because you will get to see the new pavilion — it won’t be open but it will be kind of a sneak peak before the grand opening the next day. It will be a fun and relaxed event where you can hear some good music, have some drinks and eat some good food.”

The food will be provided by the Invisible Chef. It will be light fare including things like sandwiches and salads, according to Grantonic. There will be food and drinks and a cash bar available. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

With all that the garden provides to the community, this is an opportunity for nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts, music lovers and folks who want to see Cape Fear Botanical Gardens prosper to come out and not only support a good cause, but enjoy a fun and relaxing evening in the garden.

“Rhythm and Blooms is a fundraiser for the garden,” said Grantonic. “Proceeds will go toward our expandedprogramming. With the new building and future special events we want to expand the type of events we offer. And of course, it will also support general operations. We are facing big changes and want to be ready.”

On April 2, the public is invited to come and check out the new Wyatt Visitors Pavilion Complex. According to Grantonic, the visitors pavilion has been on the drawing board since the garden was founded more than 20 years ago. After much planning, fundraising and construction, it is finally ready to unveil to the public. The garden will open at 10 a.m. that day and there is no admission charge.

“We will have children’s activities and special speakers. Since it is the grand opening it is the fi rst time the public can come and tour the building,” said Grantonic. There are going to be tours available, face painting, live music, food and drinks. “Local columnist and gardening expert Roger Mercer — he was one of the gardens founding members — will be there to talk about the journey of the garden, its history and how it got to this point. It is going to be a fun day; we want everyone to come and enjoy it,” she added.

The visitor pavilion is 33,000 square feet and boasts several different areas perfect for meetings or other special events. The biggest special event area is called “The Orangery” and it is 9,000 square feet. It has wood decked ceilings and is designed to provide a lovely natural feel. It has the capacity for a standing reception of about 1,000 people making it perfect for things like wedding receptions. It also has arched glass doors so even though it is an indoor space, it has an outdoorsy feeling. The pavilion also boasts a grand hall which can be partitioned into three smaller rooms, which Grantonic pointed out is great for a conference or meetings. The garden staff will also benefit from the building, and will have new offi ces.

Once the pavilion is offi cially opened, the folks at the garden are planning to maximize its use. They have a new gift shop which will have specialty garden items, souvenirs and nature related things. The public is welcome to browse and shop there and they will be able to do that without having to pay admission to the garden.

During nicer weather, and on peak days, they are also are going to have the Invisible Chef providing lunches, so visitors can come and have lunch at the garden, without paying admission.

“There is a lot of new stuff,” said Grantonic. “We are so excited.”

They aren’t wasting time putting their new space to good use. On April 9, the public is invited to the Spring Plant Sale and Symposium. It’s an expanded version of the spring plant sale that the garden has offered for years. The vendors and garden centers that people have come to expect and anticipate will be there. What is different is the addition of speakers and presentations. The sale starts at 9 a.m.

From 10-11 a.m. check out the Orchid Potting Demonstration and Help Session with Keith Clayton of the Sandhills Orchid Society. From 11 a.m. to noon walk and talk with Roger Mercer about his favorite plants and places, including Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

At 12:15 p.m. stop by and catch a Container Gardening Demo with Sandy Connolly of Green Biz Nursery and Landscaping.

With all of the extra activities going on, don’t forget that the garden is open daily as an oasis to the public. Take a walk, get inspired, catch your breath and refresh your spirit. It is open Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission is currently $6 (Military and AAA receive a $1 discount), children ages 6-12: $1 and children 5 and under are free. Prices are expected to increase slightly after April 2. Find out more about Cape Fear Botanical Gardens at 486-0221 or www.capefearbg.org.

PHOTO: On April 1, the CFBG is hosting the Second Annual Rhythm and Blooms Benefit Concert.

March 25 is a special day in Downtown Fayetteville. That’s the day community residents are invited downtown to participate in another 4th Friday.

Sponsored by the Downtown Alliance in partnership with Miller-Motte College, an evening filled with laughter, music, food, art and other forms of entertainment is planned. This 4th Friday is centered around the theme Community Can Do. The result? A host of downtown businesses and other local organizations will be collecting canned goods to donate to local hunger-relief agencies.

Students of Free Enterprise from Fayetteville State University are holding a contest inviting high school students to put together teams to compete in the Campbell’s Let’s Can Hunger Challenge, sponsored by Campbell Soup Company. With an FSU mentor, each team must use a minimum of 500 cans to build a structure during the 4th Friday event. A challenge that sounds so simple can prove to be quite diffi cult. Teams are only allowed to use rubberbands to hold each sculpture together, all other adhesives are prohibited.

Tammy Frutchey, from FSU, says that this is not “just an opportunity” for “FSU students to get involved and give back,” instead it is an opportunity “for the entire community to come together; and create an awareness that there is a very serious hunger issue in our town, state and country.”

Like all competitions, there will be a winner. The contest winner will be determined by votes. Each vote is $1. At the end of the contest Students of Free Enterprise have a goal of collecting at least 5,000 pounds of non-perishable foods and $1,000 in cash donations that will be donated to the Fayetteville Second Harvest Food Bank.

Sponsors of 4th Friday are doing their share to make sure this event helps the Fayetteville community. However, one featured merchant wants to give to community residents. While enjoying the downtown events, stop by the Downtown Alliance table at 222 Hay Street and register to win dinner for two at Pierro’s Italian Bistro.

Young country-pop duo Summerfield is scheduled to perform at the Twisted Jeweler throughout the evening. The duo, which was recently featured in Up & Coming Weekly, will perform songs from their new CD. Called a cross between Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum, the duo has a pop/country sound much like that of another country duo, Sugarland.

Jill Charles is also a scheduled performer. She will perform from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Horne’s Cafe and So Chic Bebe. Charles will be perform some original songs as well as some familiar country and pop cover songs. First arriving in Fayetteville by way of the military, Charles has become a part of the community through her musical abilites. She has performed “God Bless America” for the SwampDawgs baseball team, the “National Anthem” for the Fireantz Hockey Team and has been in concert several times at local churches. Charles is a well known local, but she is no stranger to big name stars and she has opened for Chris Daughtry.

At the Arts Council, join in the celebration of the opening of We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. The Fayetteville State University Jazz Trio will perform. Join the Arts Council for smooth jazz, great food and an awesome exhibit.

See amazingly talented artists demonstrate their work every 4th Friday Arts Alive on Maxwell Street from 6 to 10 p.m. Artists inside Cape Fear Studios also demonstrate their techniques — and you are invited to watch them create!

Be sure to catch free rides around downtown on the Cotton Exchange Express.

Arts Alive artists showcase baskets, jewelry, glasswork, painting, loom weaving, pottery and photography. Artists interested in participating in Arts Alive must submit a jury application. Jury and booth fees are waived through April! The only fee is a $10 city selling permit, if you plan to sell your artwork. (Demonstrating only is free.)

For more information, call Ashley Hunt, the Arts Council’s special events coordinator, at (910) 323-1776, ext. 230.

4th Friday’s have received great responses since the initial conception, the March 4th Friday is hoping to continue this trend.

When visitors to our community stay in Cumberland County, we hope that they also play in Cumberland County. To that end, the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) oversees the monies collected from the 6 percent occupancy tax funded by visitors to area hotels. The TDA is responsible for the distribution of these funds to promote travel and tourism. The Arts Council, the Crown Center and the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (FACVB) receive dedicated funding from the TDA. A percentage is also used to fund specifi c grant requests.

The Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority recently received grant requests of $25,000 each from the City of Fayetteville to help fund marketing for Veterans Park and Downtown Fayetteville. The Airborne and Special Operations Museum also requested a $25,000 grant for marketing. The TDA requested that the Convention & Visitors Bureau coordinate a marketing plan incorporating the three requests.

“The TDA stepped back and looked at the fact that if we give each of these grants individually, they will promote themselves singularly. So, why not combine those resources with what the CVB is already doing?” said John Meroski, CEO of the FACVB. “Then, go back into the private sector and get matching dollars so we can have a 12-month marketing strategy for the downtown area.”

According to Meroski, it’s a matter of effi ciency and putting out a unifi ed message. The TDA questioned “What’s the best return on investment? How can the investments be measured and know they are used in the most effi cient manner?” Meroski adds, “You get a bigger bang for the buck when it’s used in a co-op fashion.”

Vivek Tandon, chairman of the TDA, echoes that. “We felt since all three requests were positive downtown assets, that a combined effort by the CVB would give each asset a better return on the investment that TDA would make on their behalf,” said Tandon.

“The CVB is hired for marketing and that is their specialization, so with their abilities to market in the right areas, streamline from their databases, and their experience of knowing what works and does not work, we feel that the CVB would be the best source for each of the downtown assets,” Tandon added.

The TDA contracts with the FACVB to promote travel and tourism for Cumberland County. “I think it works well for Cumberland County. You contract with the CVB who does an ongoing program, 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Meroski. “Since 2006, all of the downtown attractions are already worked into the CVB products.”

On March 28, the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (FACVB) will host a meeting for downtown area merchants and organizations to discuss the TDA marketing initiative which will include $75,000 from the TDA and $50,000 from the CVB. But according to Meroski, downtown is more than Hay Street and the area near the Market House.

“When I say downtown, I mean from the Botanical Gardens, to the river, all the way through downtown to Haymount,” explained Meroski. He went on to explain that the Airborne and Special Ops Museum has 100,000 visitors a year, but Cumberland County has 160,000 overnight visitors a month. “That’s nearly two million people staying overnight in our community. Our job is to get them to Veteran’s Park, to the restaurants to eat, to attend events and to plan return visits,” Meroski says. “Why not add to that and encourage people to stay longer. If you are going downtown to eat, let them know, here are the shops that are open when you will be there; here are specifi c things to do during different times of the day.”

Currently, the different organizations and businesses downtown do not have a consistent marketing message. Millions of dollars from the city, county, state and private organizations have been invested in downtown projects. “But whose responsibility is it to market downtown?” asked Meroski. “The CVB, Chamber of Commerce, city, Arts Council events, the private businesses through the Downtown Alliance? What’s contributed to the revitalization of downtown is all the agencies that help promote downtown.”

“We’re talking about packaging destinations, working together. It’s really facilitating information and getting a consistent message out there and really working together.”

“On March 28, that’s where the CVB can really help,” Meroski continues excitedly. “We can deliver that target audience of visitors, military, visiting family and friends. That can be done by sharing our knowledge. We can build on a good co-op plan that matches the TDA funds, some CVB funds, and we will be selling other partnerships so people can invest in this. Then we can leverage it over a 12-month p

eriod to build a consistent marketing message. Really get the message to resonate with the people.”The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. on March 28 at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library, and is open to people in the greater downtown area who are interested in a 12-month marketing plan.

“If people are interested in co-promoting, we would really like to hear from them. The Downtown Alliance has 70 business members, but in this area there are over 500 businesses. We are trying to reach those folks to be part of this effort,” said Meroski.

Jami McLaughlin, Downtown Development Manager for the City of Fayetteville, is optimistic about the marketing initiative. “I think partnerships are always a good thing, especially when it comes to marketing. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said McLaughlin. “As downtown continues to grow and we have more vision, more possibilities, this is the best time to all come together and unify those marketing decisions. All in all, this is a good thing.”

Chris Villa, the President of the Downtown Alliance, is also optimistic about the future of downtown. “For us, our intention is to get people to shop local and shop downtown. Shop, eat, play, live is our mantra,” explained Villa. “We are encouraging our members to come out to the meeting and have a voice.”

The CVB will build the marketing plan and then they will go back to the TDA to present the plan. “We’ll present the plan, the funding requests, who the supporting partners are and a recommendation of how to proceed with the funding — whether in full, in part, individually or not at all,” he said. “We can facilitate something that is very much needed. If we can get all the players around the table with the common goal of a 12-month plan, some really good things can happen.”

To say he is excited about the prospects of the project is an understatement. Meroski says “In our business we say ‘everything begins with a visit.’ It takes getting that person to visit fi rst. It’s a big task and there are some fun challenges. But like our mascot of Uncle Sam, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and work hard at providing a solution.”Photo courtesy of FACVB, by Tim Sciandra.

PHOTO: The proposed TDA and FACVB marketing initiative will shine a new light on the greater downtown area.Photo courtesy of FACVB, by Tim Sciandra.

WHAT'S YOUR BEEF?

I have never understood quite why, but we Americans do love our statistics.

Which NBA basketball player who once played for Carolina scored the most points ever in a second half?

What was the box offi ce take for The King’s Speech the weekend it opened?

How are President Obama and Governor Perdue doing in North Carolina’s political polls this week?

What are the top 10 vacation spots in the world?

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper has just released some stats from his office in honor of National Consumer Protection Week, so now we know our state’s Top 10 consumer areas that drive us crazy — what we and our fellow Tar Heels, almost 22,000 of us, complained about last year.

And for the sixth year running, the winner is — what else? Healthcare!

More than 4,600 of us were so upset about some aspect of healthcare that we took the time and effort to complain to our Attorney General. Complaints included medical care providers, their services and charges, medical insurance providers and how they handle or do not handle claims and various healthcare products. More than 4,600 more reasons our country needs healthcare reform.

Next up, lending issues.

More than 3,900 of us were unhappy with some lending practice, including high interest rates, various fees for late payments and pre-payments, adjustable rates mortgages and continuing foreclosure problems. Our AG reminds us that it is illegal to charge an upfront fee for foreclosure assistance. Sadly, we in North Carolina are hardly alone in facing such lending issues with the industry many believe brought us the Great Recession.

Numbers 3 and 4 include my personal pet peeves, unwanted telemarketing calls and telemarketing fraud. Both my home phone and my cell phone numbers are listed on the Do Not Call Registry, but I still get those calls on both phones. It is to the point that I simply do not answer any 800 or like calls, and I delete their voice mails without listening to them as do many people.

But enough of us must be taken in by whatever they are saying, because they keep calling. It is frightening to think about how many people must be hoodwinked by these callers, including senior citizens. Roy Cooper would tell you that if someone we do not know calls and asks for personal information — Social Security numbers, credit cards, bank accounts — we should just say no and hang up.

Scams to “repair” poor credit, pushy debt collectors and identity theft generated more than 1,600 calls, and with good reason. In our electronic world, unscrupulous people are indeed stealing the identities of others and running up debts in their names. In many cases, the victims do not even find out about this until well after the fact, and these cases are diffi cult to unravel, much less prosecute.

Most of us cannot do without our vehicles for transportation to and from our jobs and other places, so it makes sense that there are often issues in this arena. They include problems with purchases and repairs, trouble getting titles from sellers and warranty disputes. I would be hard pressed to think of anyone I know who has not dealt with several of these.

If our homes are our castles, then we want them just the way we want them, and that sometimes presents problems. More than 1,600 of us had issues 7 and 8, revolving around home furnishings and home repairs. A friend learned a hard lesson when she convinced her skeptical hubby to spring for a custom sofa costing several thousand dollars. Payment was made and but no elegant sofa appeared. Not surprisingly, the seller quit taking her calls. The sofa did turn up a full fi ve years late — after my friends had moved to another community and had a new home and a new decorating scheme.

Home repairs can be equally painful, often involving contractors who disappear with money, leave an incomplete job, miss deadlines and go over project budgets. And then there are scammers who talk people into unneeded repairs and sometimes simply disappear with the money. Trusting seniors are often the targets of these cheats.

In our electronic age, there are bound to be complaints in this area, so television services and cell phone issues round out the Consumer Protection Top Ten. Whether the problem was bundled bills that do not provide the promised savings or poor reception, about 2,000 of us got mad enough to contact Roy Cooper.

Just thinking about some of my own experiences in these areas is enough to make me consider giving Roy’s offi ce a buzz. If you share my sentiment or if you have specifi c issues you need advice about how to resolve or you want to fi le a complaint, the Consumer Protection Division is just a few keystrokes or a phone call away at www.ncdoj.gov and 1-800-5NO-SCAM.

Our tax dollars at work for us.

Unknown (Rated PG-13)      3 STARS 

Unknown (113 minutes) is an entertaining drive through the spy genre even if the plot holes are big enough to drive a finely made German taxicab through. This particular version of a well-tread story is based on a French novel, but Director Jaume Collet-Serra doesn’t do a whole lot to distinguish his material from any other mysterious man films.

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his daughter Elizabeth (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a biotechnology summit. He gets a little handsy with her during the taxi ride over, which might explain her overall shirtiness when dealing with the hotel staff. That’s no way to love your daughter, Dr. Harris!

While his daughter checks them into a fancy suite, he realizes he left his briefcase with all his secret spy papers and espionage stuff at the airport so he runs to get it. He ends up in Gina’s (Diane Kruger) cab, and then Gina’s cab ends up in the river. In the first of many, “Gosh, should I save him? Yes, Yes I will save him” moments, Gina pulls an unconscious Harris from the river, and he is taken to a hospital.

During his coma he has many inappropriate flashbacks about his daughter — whoops, my bad, apparently that’s his trophy wife — and then wakes up to find that he has been in a coma. Since patients recently woken from a coma with no identification or any way of proving who they are get to do whatever they want in German hospitals, he checks himself out.

He manages to get back to the hotel he left from only to find another man macking on his wife and claiming to be Dr. Martin Harris (Aiden Quinn). Since secret agents have absolutely no survival instincts to draw on when they find themselves in bizarre situations, the man with no proof of his identity proceeds to raise a ruckus and draw lots of attention to himself. When that doesn’t work in his favor, he gathers his wits and tricks hotel security into getting him a cab back to the hospital, then tricks the cabdriver into letting him out immediately. Very tricky, this guy.

He draws on the apparently limitless funds he was carrying (while leaving all his important paperwork in a briefcase that he totally left at the airport) to blunder around Berlin for most of a day, never thinking to check in at the embassy. Because of the conspiracy? Or something? Eventually he decides that he is, in fact, as crazy as all the conspirators keep telling him he is, so he heads back to the hospital and stays safely out of the way until the end of the movie. Just kidding! A dude totally kills like, a million important people, and tries to assassinate him thus revealing that all is not as it seems. Duh. All in all, it’s not an awful movie.

Why the three stars? Well, when 58-year-old January Jones (or Kruger, for that matter) gets to run around with a 33-yearold James Franco, then we’ll start talking about an extra star. I would LOVE to provide a simpler example … but the male actors who are 25 years younger than January Jones are all currently starring on the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. So the only film where they work as romantic leads is the Lifetime Movie Network’s The Mary Kay Letourneau Story. And I don’t think January Jones has the chops for that. Because she can’t act. And while we’re on the subject, Maggie Grace, who played Neeson’s daughter in Taken is only five years younger than January Jones. Yeah. Think about that.

Wow. What a shame that busting on Unknown is so easy … it’s really not such a bad little movie. True, Liam Neeson has pretty much played out his “man with certain skills” range, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to watch him drive around crashing into things.

Always a huge production, Winter Jam is set to be bigger and better than ever this year. It’s Christian music’s largest annual tour and breaks attendance records every year. Produced by Premier Productions and presented by Holt International, the tour will feature the most artists and dates in its 16-year history. The concert is on March 19, at the Crown.

The concert will be hosted by GRAMMY nominated performers Newsong. NewSong’s 28 years in ministry have yielded 17 albums, 20 #1 singles, a Dove Award, and a GRAMMY(r) Award nomination, among numerous other achievements. The band’s latest recording, Give Yourself Away, released last fall.

Newsboys; David Crowder Band; Kutless; Francesca Battistelli; RED; KJ-52 and guest speaker Tony Nolan will be featured too. In addition, the show includes a Pre-Jam Party presented by the American Bible Society with Sidewalk Prophets, Chris August and Chris Sligh.

“This year’s tour will be unlike any other Winter Jam in history,” says Roy Morgan, owner, Premier Productions, producer of Winter Jam. “Winter Jam 2011 will have tons of surprises that no one is expecting. You will not want to miss this. Also, if someone has never experienced a Winter Jam event before, then this is the year to come.”

Winter Jam was the number one tour in America for the first quarter of the year. It landed at number 2 in pollsters 2010 Worldwide Ticket Sales “Top 100 Tours” chart with a showing of more than 400,000 people in attendance.

Approximately 74,000 people made decisions for Christ in 2010. More than 10,000 sponsorships to Holt International were garnered through Winter Jam 2010 too. Holt International helps to meet the needs of orphaned children around the world.

“It’s amazing and humbling to see how God has continued to bless the Winter Jam Tour over all these years,” says NewSong’s Eddie Carswell. “We specifically created and designed this tour to impact the lives of others for the sake of the Gospel. Our prayer is that God will continue to use Winter Jam for His glory and honor.”

The show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call the Crown box office at 438-4100 for tickets.

PHOTO: NewSong will host the 2011 Winter Jam.

As Chair of the Fayetteville Young Professionals, I would like to thank Up & Coming Weekly for the first of what will be a monthly column written by a member of the Fayetteville Young Professionals on topics of interest to our members and the community at large. I hope that you will look for this column, or check us out if you have not already.

As many of you may know, the group was started in August of 2009 by the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce to bring together young professionals from across the community to not only socialize, but to organize a number of professional development and civic events. The Chamber was responding to younger chamber members who felt a disconnect with some of the events which were geared toward networking, but they felt were only attended by more established members of the community.

As one of those members who only attended Business After Hours because my dad asked me to, I can attest that I did not really get what was in it for me or frankly for my business.

Also, as someone who moved back into this community after college to work at my family’s business, it was really hard to meet people unless you went to school with them or worked with them. Many of my peers were simply not going to Chamber events. Now you can be guaranteed to see a Young Professional member at every Chamber event.

While this group was started by the Chamber, it was led and created by 20 outstanding steering committee members who stepped up to organize it and make it the group that you see today. From creating a website, to decorating an event, to leading professional development seminars, this organization was formed and maintained by the vibrant young individuals that make this community so great.

Over the next several months you will hear from the members of the FYP executive committee who have stepped up to lead this effort. These are people like you and I who are just as busy at their jobs, with their families and with other community organizations. However, they step up to lead FYP because they want this group to be successful and they are willing to squeeze one more minute out of everyday.

From their leadership, we have raised thousands for area civic organizations, hosted more than 15 professional development events, placed second in co-ed softball, played close-quarters dodge ball and partied like it was 1999. I know that personally I have made so many friends, that my social calendar is booked into 2012.

Even though we are a young organization, we have more than 350 members who are teachers, entrepreneurs, doctors, airmen, realtors, bankers and yes, we even have some lawyers too.

While we have a lot of differences, the one thing that we have in common is that we enjoy meeting each other and giving back to the community. If you have not had an opportunity to join us at a Fireantz Tailgate or at our lunch and learn seminars at Sammios’ please contact me at chair@fayyp.org.

I look forward to meeting you and telling you more about the organization and how you can get involved. For more information, please visit www.fayyp.org or look up Fayetteville Young Professionals on facebook.

Methodist University plays an integral part in Fayetteville’s arts and culture scene. The Friends of Music offer concerts several times a year and Reeve’s Auditorium is often filled with the musical talents of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Now add to that the William F. Bethune Center which holds 2D visual arts courses as well as art history courses. The 8,844 square foot fl oor plan includes a printmaking studio, a painting studio, a graphic design lab, a photography lab, a digital photo studio, and a drawing and art education space — as well as an exhibition gallery. The exhibition gallery is named after local artist and contributor to the project and is called the David McCune International Art Gallery. The gallery hosts student shows as well as local, regional, national and international artists.

On Saturday, March 12, Methodist University welcomes the public to the latest exhibit opening in the David McCune International Art Gallery.

The works of the gallery’s namesake, David McCune will be on display in an exhibition titled Heavy Metal. The Heavy Metalopening reception is from 6-8 p.m. on March 12.

Although McCune works in water color, acrylics, makes furniture and jewelry and even has a few songs to his credit, just like the name implies, this exhibit is all about fabricated metal. “It is all one of a kind with lots of colors and lots of interesting shapes,” said McCune. “It is amazing how you can take a fl at piece of metal and within moments give it shape and form that makes it look real. That is what I am doing in this exhibit, too — shape and form.”

With everything from ecosystems and wildlife to abstracts and patterns represented in his work, McCune brings life and color to each piece, striving to create work that will have an emotional and visual impact on the viewers.

“That is pretty much it — what I try to do is just to create the magic for people,” said McCune “That is what I try to do in art — create the magic the mystique and the illusion.”

McCune uses two different techniques when he creates metal wall art. First he makes the piece into its shape, from there it is either powder coated in black and then color is added to it, or a clear coat is applied and then color is added. Because McCune’s work can be displayed indoors or outdoors he is careful to make sure that everything is very well protected from the elements.

Once the surfaces are prepared, the creativity and fun kick in.

“The way I paint, it is like looking through a microscope,” said McCune. “Under a microscope you can see different layers of the tissue. That is how I paint — in layers. It really adds an element of depth.” Look for annual exhibits by McCune, but the other eleven months of the year expect to see high quality work from students, local talent and national and international names as well.

“Another reason for the art gallery is to try and step up our art community. We have a really nice art community right now,” said McCune. “But we are trying to bring it to another level where people can start seeing all the different arts and artists... to bring in some international artists that our community can enjoy and then get to the point to where people from Raleigh and Greensboro will drive to Fayetteville to see art displays.”

The exhibit will be open from March 14 to April 4. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 630-7100 or visit www. methodist.edu/art/gallery.htm for more information.

PHOTO: David McCune works on a piece for the Heavy Metal exhibit.

For 25 years, American girls have been playing with, and reading about, American Girls. The books and dolls at the center of the American Girl company have put a new spin on play by encouraging young girls to be confi dent and strong, much like the girls in the books.

Since 1993, the Child Advocacy Center has been working to build strong, healthy children in Fayetteville. The center, located on Ray Avenue, just across from Festival Park, provides a safe, child-friendly place where its 19 partner agencies come together to interview, investigate and provide support for abused children. In the absence of the center, victims of child abuse would be required to visit numerous agencies and tell their story over and over.

Each year, the agency hosts a number of events to raise funds to support its operation. None are as highly anticipated as the annual American Girl Fashion Show. This year’s event is slated for March 26-27 at the Crown Center Ballroom. The fashion show, which features hundreds of local girls, showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls.

This is the fourth year that the Child Advocacy Center has hosted the American Girl Fashion Show, and according to Jean Harrison, the marketing director for the Child Advocacy Center, each year the attendance has grown. Last year 800 people attended the event, which netted more than $28,000.

“We hope to sell out all shows this year,” said Harrison. “We have a capacity for, 1200 people at all four shows.”

Harrison added that there are more than 120 girls modeling this year.

“Many of the girls are from Cumberland County but we also have some models from Raleigh, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Leland, Jacksonville, Raeford and other North Carolina communities,” she explained. “The event could not happen without the dedication of many volunteers under the leadership of Julia Adkins, Cindy Huguley and Carol Jones.”

For Adkins, participation in the event stems from her strong belief in the organization’s mission.

“I became involved with this project for a couple of reasons. I believe in this center and what it does for its victims,” she said. “It takes special people to deal with the stories that come through these doors. The people here are amazing.

“Another reason for my involvement is that this event is a way to involve today’s youth in volunteerism and communityawareness. My daughter is a prime example. Through my involvement she has now actively become an advocate for the CAC. My dream is that after becoming involved with the American Girl Fashion Show these little girls and their moms will fi nd something to dedicate their time to.”

While at the fashion show, attendees will be delighted with the fashions while lively commentary, music and decorations will create a memorable experience. Audiences will delight in historical clothing that resembles what the popular American Girl characters might have worn.

Contemporary “Just Like You” outfi ts for older girls and sweet Bitty Baby fashions for little ones complete the program. This year’s show will include new, special occasion fashions and commentary and a celebration of the 25th birthday of American Girl dolls.

The event includes elegant refreshments, party favors, raffl es and door prizes. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Center Box Office, 1960 Coliseum Dr. in Fayetteville. In addition, tickets are available at Ft. Bragg Leisure Travel Services.

Advance orders of souvenirs, party packages, guest model opportunities and more are offered at the Child Advocacy Center’s website, www.childadvocacycenter.com, or by calling(910) 486-9700.

The Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation will host its Second Annual Golf Tournament on March 18, at 12 p.m., at the Stryker Golf Course, located on Fort Bragg. Paul Galloway, the Executive Director of ASOM, said that the museum “had a great turnout last year.” Jim Ryder, a representative for the museum, says that the museum hopes to reach their goal of 120 golfers, exceeding last year’s numbers.

The tournament is to benefi t the museum with all proceeds going towards programs and direct support to ASOM. Ryder says “that the museum has a number of projects they are supporting including the Medal of Honor Wall, the Vietnam/POW exhibit and the NC Veterans exhibit.”

To participate in the golf tournament registration is required. Individual and group registration costs are offered for the event. The price for individual registration is $65 and $225for a four-person group team. Registration will be available the day of the golf tournament. However, there is no need to wait until the day of the event to register; teams and individuals can register one of two ways. Register by calling 910-678-2778 or by accessing the registration form online via the Airborne & Special Operations Museum website at www.asomf.org. To offer further help with this community event, businesses and individuals can become sponsors by calling 910-678-2778.

The Airborne and Special Operations Museum Golf Tournament is a highly anticipated event. Ryder hopes that people in the community plan to attend “because it’s a lot of fun, a great way to relax and enjoy some time with friends and meet new friends.” He also says that the tournament “supports a wonderful cause — the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation.”

ASOM Features Author for Book Signing

On March 12, the ASOM will welcome Douglas Waller, author of Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage. The author will talk and sign copies of his book at the ASOM, from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Donovan was one of America’s most exciting and secretive generals and was director of the Offi ce of Strategic Services (the country’s fi rst national intelligence agency) and the father of today’s CIA. He introduced the nation to the dark arts of covert warfare on a scale it had never seen before.

Donovan’s life was packed with personal drama. He fought heroically in World War I, where he earned the nickname “Wild Bill” for his intense leadership and the Medal of Honor for his heroism. After the war, FDR tapped him to be his strategic intelligence chief. A charismatic leader, Donovan was revered by his secret agents. Yet at times he was reckless, risking his life unnecessarily in war zones and engaging in extramarital affairs that became fodder for his political enemies.

Wild Bill Donovan reads like an action-packed spy thriller, with stories of daring young men and women sneaking behind enemy lines for sabotage, breaking into Washington embassies to steal secrets, plotting to topple Adolf Hitler, and suffering brutal torture or death when they were captured by the Gestapo. It is also a tale of political intrigue, of infi ghting at the highest levels of government, and of powerful men pitted against one another.

The book is available in the museum gift shop.

Hey, where has good customer service gone? “When the going gets tough... the tough get going!” Really?

Well, economically speaking, it seems the last few years have been as extremely “tough” as it can get for maintaining a business and customer service. Recordhigh unemployment, cutbacks, exploding gas prices and a wave of fi scal restraints are crashing over our community like a tsunami. This has many business owners struggling and wondering whether they can or will survive.

Well, of course, we hope they do.

However, the low-level of customer service we are experiencing in the marketplace does not refl ect much of this “sense of urgency.” Usually, when business is off and sales and production quotas are not being met, the level of customer service, which costs next to nothing, gets better as businesses compete and attempt to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Well, at least you would think it would. However, not so much, in reality.

In too many cases, customer service is getting worse or being eliminated all together. This is not good. As a community, and as a nation, we must be careful not to forget or diminish the positive effect customer service has on our productivity and how it defi nes and fulfi lls the American dream. In other words, we should be working harder in these tough economic times and all Americans need to step up their customer service and productivity levels for the betterment of the community and nation.

Everyone must realize that we cannot work at the same intensity during a recession and tight economy as we did in a vibrant, stable economy. It just doesn’t work.

Businesses need to work harder, smarter and more effi ciently in a tight economy. Eliminating and cutting back services and productivity are the worst things a person, business or organization can do in these challenging and stressful economic times.

So, to improve our community and our local economy, I recommend that businesses step up their levels of productivity and customer service. Consumers should expect and demand excellent products and customer service and settle for nothing less. In doing this, everyone one will be contributing to getting America back on the road to fi scal stability and out of the grips of this stifl ing recession. So, let’s all get to work.

Thanks for reading.

Pam Kelly loves fiber — every aspect of it. She enjoys knitting, dyeing, nuno felting, needle felting, spinning and weaving.

In fact, she is so enamored by the world of fiber and fiber art that she opened her own shop this past August where customers can not only purchase supplies, they can also take classes. It’s called Sunfl ower Fibers and is located just of Hay Street at 123 Anderson St.

One of the things that makes Sunfl ower Fibers unique in this day of big-box stores and one-size-fits-all establishments is that Kelly builds relationships with her customers and does everything in her power to meet their needs.

“If someone comes in and tells me that they are interested in learning a certain technique, I try to put a class together for them as quickly as I can,” said Kelly. “If you come in here with a question about fi er and I don’t know the answer, call me back in a few days and I will have answer for you.”

Kelly is so dedicated to her customers that she’s been known to loan out her personal knitting needles for them to use while they wait for her to special order the right size.

“It’s always worked out,” said Kelly. “I always get my needles back and they end up buying the one I’ve ordered for them.”

The list of yarns that can be found at Sunfl ower Fibers is enough to thrill any knitter or crochet buff out there. There is everything from Abuelita, Feza, My Muench, Louet yarns, Shepherds wool and even hand-painted knitting yarns. If she doesn’t have it in stock just ask and Kelly will make a special order.

“I have the staples like wool and angora. I’ve got cashmere and other higher end yarns too,” Kelly noted. “You won’t find the types of yarn that I have at Wal Mart. Most of what I carry are novelty fi bers that you can use to make very high quality pieces”

Being just the slightest bit fascinated in fi ber is reason enough to check out the store. Once you cross the threshold, Kelly will help match you up to a class that most fi ts you, if you are interested in learning something new or want to meet new people and make some new friends. If getting in and out with supplies in hand is the primary goal, rest assured, that is not a problem either.

In addition to teaching the basics, Kelly offers things like Flick night where participants bring their fi ber project and watch a movie while they work. There is a sweater knit along club, a scarfof- the-month club, a club that makes an afghan block each month and at the end of 12 months they assemble the blocks into a quilt. There is a shawl class as well. If there is a class you are interested in, just mention it to Kelly, and chances are it will be offered before you know it.

If needle work is not your thing, pick up a loom, either triangle or square, and weave your own wearable work of art. The looms come in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 foot sizes and are handmade by Kelly’s husband Jim.

They are adjustable and designed to bring countless hours of pleasure to the owners, with wonderful results to show for it.

“I’ve used my loom for more than making shawls,” said Kelly. “I’ve been able to make sweaters with it too, and they just turn out wonderfully.”

Visit her website www. sunfl owerfibers.com or giver her a call at 223-1314 to find out more.

Photo: A loom and sample of yarn that can be found at Sunflower Fibers.
 

OMG. Is Cumberland County on the road to becoming North Carolina’s “county of corruption?” Or, is our county leadership just overwhelmed and helplessly mired in a tradition of ignorance and mismanagement?

The recent situation involving the Cumberland County Work Force Development Program begs the question: Have our trusted county offi cials again turned a “blind eye” to blatant in-house waste, stupidity, neglect and mismanagement of Cumberland County taxpayer’s hard-earned money? Well, the answer to these questions will be forthcoming as we wait to see how the Cumberland County staff and elected officials deal with this saddisturbing situation.

One thing is for sure; county residents will need and deserve an explanation as to how the Cumberland County Work Force Development Program, under the direction of Geneva Mixon, could be so blatantly mishandled. Especially, under the oversight and stewardship of the recently retired, and honored, Cumberland County Deputy Director Juanita Pilgrim.

This is the near perfect example of why taxpayers are disgusted and frustrated with government, politicians and political hacks at all levels.

The Cumberland County Work Force Development situation recently brought to our attention demonstrates and accentuates such irresponsible behavior and our unsavory reality.

The question now is: Who will be held responsible and what is going to be done about it? After all, it certainly looks like all the Cumberland County foxes have been in charge of guarding Cumberland County’s hen houses. And, let it be known, Cumberland County residents are getting pretty fed up and weary of the “Oops, sorry. My bad!” defense and, the meted out “wink-wink, nod-nod, gentle slap on the wrist” justice.

Probably the most disturbing facet of this situationis that it surfaced in a redfl ag “anonymous” letter to Roger Shackleford, the North Carolina director of the organization. Anonymous? Why anonymous? Allocations refl ect that the County Manager, James Martinand some county commissioners were aware of the situation for nearly a year and took no action. After all, it’s not as if these were small subtle indiscretions. Think about it — a Cumberland County organization (mis)spends more than $18,000 on an out-of-county retreat at Fearrington Village and no one notices? Worse yet, no one objects? Oh, my aching wallet. Grant money designed to train military wives is returned to the state because it is not used. Really? We hear cries of nepotism and overbooking of the program so that no one is trained. Were we really paying people to oversee this program? What were there qualifi cations?

Worse still is that there was a designated 23-member Cumberland County board charged with the oversight of this organization where services are not rendered, grant money is not spent, crucial deadlines are ignored or missed and millions upon millions of taxpayers dollars are misspent, wasted and unaccounted for. What kind of board is this, and when are county leaders asking for their resignation?

Cumberland County residents will want to know: Who is responsible and what is going to be done about it? Yes, curious taxpayers and Cumberland County voters want to know!

Make no mistake about it, Up & Coming Weekly is a quality-of-life newspaper publication and this is a “quality-of-life” issue. Stay tuned. Thank you for reading.

So, if you read my preview of this play, you know that I forecasted that this play would be funny. Little did I know just how funny it is. This play is Hysterical with a capital “H.”

Ongoing at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Rumors, written by Neil Simon, and fantastically directed by Dirk Lumbard, might just be the “must see” theatrical production this year. (Never mind the might be, it is!)

The production has it all: stellar talent, a great script, wonderful physical comedy and the perfect setting. It just doesn’t get much better than this. And, I know of what I speak. I’ve been seeing shows at the CFRT since late 1997, and this show is, bar none, the funniest show I’ve seen there in the past 14 years.

Bjorn Thorstad, playing Lenny Ganz, was a laugh-a-minute. From the moment he stepped on the stage, he owned it. Thorstad, from New York, has marvelous comedic timing. At times, his style reminded me of funny man John Lithgow — think Third Rock From the Sun — but he never missed a punch line and his delivery was always on the mark.

Veteran CFRT actor Nicki Hart played Thorstad’s wife in the farce. Hart is a multi-talented actress, but she shines in comedy. If you saw her in The Odd Couple, multiply that performance by 10 and you have her hilarity factor in Rumors. With her big red wig and mile-high shoulder pads, she personified the ‘80s trophy wife, but she gave as good as she got.

Also stellar in their casting and their chemistry were New York artist Lynne Rosenberg and Robbie Gay as Chris and Ken Gorman. The two sparked off of each other. Rosenberg, who plays the self-medicating yuppie lawyer, plays one of the best drunks I’ve ever seen. And, Gay is the master of physical comedy. I think that element in the show owes a lot to him.

Libby Seymour, another CFRT veteran, kept the audience in stitches with her back spasms and one liners. John Doerner, a transplanted New Yorker, played her spouse and was a perfect match. The first act is going to leave you in stitches, and while the second act starts out a little slow, the ending is going to leave you breathless. With this in mind, unless you are hurt, dying or in another country, clear your calendar and get down to the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. You don’t want to miss this one!!

Rumors runs through March 13. For tickets, call 323-4233 or visit the website at www.cfrt.org.

It goes without saying, a large part of the arts community, art venues and art patrons miss the Fayetteville Museum of Art. Yet, as the museum board reorganizes, local galleries are still doing their part to support the arts in Fayetteville.

Two galleries in particular, Cape Fear Studios and Fayetteville Technical Community College Gallery, are raising the standards for their exhibition space. In the effort, both galleries are hosting exhibitions that are well worth visiting during the month of March.

The Cape Fear Studios opened February 24, 2011 with Robert Levin: Glass Artist. From Burnsville, North Carolina, Levin, an internationally known glass artist, was invited to exhibit his blown glass works in a one person exhibition. As an art form, Levin brings a level of glass blowing to Fayetteville that has only been viewed in the past at the Fayetteville Museum of Art.

The craftsmanship and artistry of Levin is masterful. Visitors to the Cape Fear Studios will immediately see how hand crafted glass objects from a master are dramatically different from the machine made object. In Levin’s glass, an essence of hand and spirit exude from forms having extraordinary fluidity, beauty, grace and luster.

Levin’s artist statement best describes the glass experience visitors can have if they think about his results from the process of working with hot liquid glass. He stated, “I have always tried to capture an element of the elegance, fluidity and whimsy which I feel are inherent properties of glass. The glass itself can be a symbol of human characteristics: fragile, but durable; fl uid, but hard-edged. This all has something to do with the possibilities for change and transformation, both with the material and with the person doing the creating.”

Levin’s resume is lengthy and high powered. Formerly the resident glass artist at Penland School of Crafts, he has lectured and taught throughout the United States, in Ireland, and in New Zealand.

He has exhibited widely in the US, Europe, Japan, and the former Soviet Union. His work is in many public and private collections that include, but are not limited to, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Museum of American Glass, the High Museum in Atlanta, the Contemporary Glass Museum in Madrid, the Ebeltoft Glasmuseum in Denmark, the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

In addition, he has received many grants and fellowships, to include the Southern Arts Federation/NEA Visual Arts Fellowship, two North Carolina Arts Council Fellowships and a NC Arts Council Project Grant. His work has been featured in more than 36 publications and includes American Craft, New Zealand Crafts, Craft Arts International, New Glass Review and many other noted magazines and text books.

Levin includes mixed media, often wood, with his glass objects. So it’s easy to see why his most recent commission involves creating a mixed media sculpture near or on the Town Square in Burnsville, NC. As stated on Levin’s website, “the sculpture will be part of the Toe Valley Trail Project, a program that brings public art by local artists to one of the most attractive “built” environments in our state. The sculpture will be made of local locust wood and native stone and will stand 7 - 10 feet tall.”

An established and recognized artist, visitors in Fayetteville and the region should take the time to visit the exhibit Robert Levin: Glass Artist, the exhibit will remain up until March 23, 2011.

Before, or after, seeing the glass exhibit, the 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition at Fayetteville Technical Community College Gallery is another striking exhibit. Fayetteville Technical Community College has a gallery tucked away next to their performance theater and opened February 18, 2011 with their 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition.

FTCC’s second international competition is small, but well worth the trip to the gallery. Twelve artists were selected to exhibit multiple works to include prints, paintings, textile and photography. All 12 artists represent 10 different states.

Local artist and lecturer at Fayetteville State University, Dwight Smith, juried the competition and awarded fi rst place to Charmaine Ortiz from Carolina Beach, NC for her work titled “GR 1”. A monoprint mounted on panel board, Ortiz fi nished the surface by applying graphite to create greater depth to a work that straddles two mediums — painting and a large mixed media print.

Smith selected a range of mediums for his awards so textile artists will enjoy seeing that a wall hanging earned 2nd place. Pat Kumicich from Naples, FL earned a 2nd place award with her textile wall hanging titled the “The Eyes Have It”.

Beautifully detailed, the textile is a close up of three women. Not only is the work well crafted, but the composition is strong and the glance of each woman is haunting. A beautiful arrangement of fabric and quilting, the red lips on all three women unifi es the work.

Next to Kumisich is a relief work titled “Either/Or Sebago” by Eric Standley from Blacksburg, VA. Winning 3rd place, “Either/Or Sebago” is a relief sculpture that seems to reference a book format — yet viewers will look into layers and layers of delicately cut paper as they look into the form. A fragile mini-world, Standley draws us into his work as a heightened sensoryexperience.

There were many works in the exhibit which could have easily received honors. From the silk screen print integrated with dry point mark making or the many small paintings — all the works are well crafted, the subjects vary and many are thought provoking.

When I think about the art faculty at Fayetteville Technical Community College, I know that teaching itself takes a lot of time and much effort out of class. When I visit the gallery at FTCC, I have to honor Chuck Lawson and Sean McDaniel, members of the art faculty, for coordinating exhibitions for the public and their students. And that they have both been raising the caliber of their exhibitions for years.

In particular, I like the reflective statement on the gallery sheet by McDaniel, Chairman of the Fine Art Department, about the value of the 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition. He states, “In a show such as this we do not have a common thread to connect the artwork. What we have is the common denominator of the need to create and the power of observation.”

He continues, “Although we do not always understand what the artist is saying or why they have chosen to present us with a particular image, we know that each of these works were the product of many hours of labor. Perhaps the piece is a moment we have seen and can relate to; in other works we are challenged to understand a concept which is foreign to us. In the end, we must look and strive to appreciate what we are standing in from of.”

In short, McDaniel’s words fi t both the gallery at FTCC and the Cape Fear Studios. Both galleries are working to bring artists from outside the area to share their vision and ways of working in an effort to bridge the big world of art with Fayetteville.

For information you can call Cape Fear Studios at 433-2986. The exhibit at FTCC runs until March 27, 2011 and interested visitors can call 678-8209 for hours of operation.

PHOTO: Top left: “GR 1” by Charmaine Ortiz. Bottom right: Glass by Robert Levin.

127 HOURS (Rated R) 4 Stars

So, allow me a moment to make a Public Service Announcement. Yes, The King’s Speech is all kinds of classy, and way more sophisticated than watching a dude cut off pieces of his body. But just because you are retired and walk with a cane and want to see the classy movie, you still have the wait your turn in line behind those of us there to watch James Franco cut pieces off of himself. In other words: the person behind the counter opened up that extra line for those of us who had been waiting … they did not see you walk in the door and think, wow, older people need a special line. Please apply this rule to the line for getting into Aspen Creek, depositing money into the bank, and checking out at the grocery store as well.

The Internet Movie Database manages to sum up 127 Hours (94 minutes) pretty quickly: “A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.” Now I ask you — how can I possibly write 500 words when that is literally all that happens? Luckily for the readers, I know a bit of background, and when I run out of interesting historical details I can always make fun of James Franco for his guest role on General Hospital.

Danny Boyle knows what he is doing as a screenwriter and behind a camera. I mean, if he can turn five minutes of a little boy swimming in crap into two hours of Oscar Gold (his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire), he’s doing something right. It took him four years to translate the true story of climber Aron Ralston into the big screen, and he made very few alterations to do so. In fact, the only major change occurs in the beginning of the narrative.

Ralston (Franco) prepares for his midnight drive into the canyons of Utah by listening to some pretty killer high energy techno-pop … carefully chosen/crafted/arranged by previous Boyle collaborator A.R. Rahman. The high energy introduction allows for periodic breaks that give the audience a sense of Ralston’s ability to pause and appreciate life, only to jump immediately back into action. The frenetic early action is especially intense when compared to the later moments of forced inaction … although even when pinned under boulders Boyle and Franco manage to inject the scenes with purposeful motion.

After the techno drive, followed by starlit camping, it is time for techno bike-riding and then techno running. Which is interrupted by lost, hot, girls (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara). Who are hot both appearance-wise and because it is the middle of the day and they are hiking in the desert. Here is where the dramatic narrative veers off a bit … in real life Ralston showed them some climbing moves. In the movie, he manages to convince them that following a scruffy dude into the middle of nowhere is a great life choice. And that there is nothing wrong with following him into a situation he is deliberately vague about. And when he jumps off a cliff, you should totally jump off the cliff after him.

So after his love of life utterly charms them, they invite him to a Scooby Doo party and he runs off. Because he is full of life! And, why walk when you can run? Once he is on his own he does some nifty canyoneering moves. Unfortunately, about 30 minutes into the film, just as he is well into the outdoorsy spirit, his nifty moves turn a rock into a projectile, projected at him. So, prepare to spend the next hour or so watching Ralston get progressively nuttier, wishing you had lots of water to drink, and, if you’re me, laughing at the other people in the theater who are closing their eyes for all the best scenes. Or, possibly laughing at all the best scenes. Because I find humor in people drinking their own pee to survive. Is that wrong? No. No it is not.

Firmly ensconced on the music charts since his debut with “Austin” in 2001, Blake Shelton has spent the last 10 years recording hit after hit for his fans. On Friday, March 11, Shelton is performing at the Crown Coliseum. Tickets have been on sale for awhile, so don’t miss your chance to see this big music star.

Born in Ada, Okla., in 1976, Shelton wrote songs as a teenager and played in honky-tonk bars. When he was 17, Shelton met Mae Boren Axton at an event honoring her contributions to music. Axton is most famous for her role in co-writing “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis Prestley’s first single with RCA. Shelton was in the entertainment line up at the event. Axton heard Shelton sing and told him that she believed he would find success as an entertainer, but to do it he would have to move to Nashville. Shelton had been out of high school only two weeks when he decided to pack up and move to the country music capital.

It wasn’t long until Shelton was pumping out hit after hit and had made a name for himself on the country music charts. His tunes are catchy and easy to relate to. His series of chart-busting hits can attest to that.

Rik Knopp, the director of Marketing and Sales at the Crown Center, had this to say, “We couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming Blake Shelton show. To get such a high caliber performer at a time when he is one of the hottest acts touring is a big win for this community.”

With 17 singles on the country charts in the past decade, Shelton has seen seven of his songs race to the number one spot; “Austin” (2001), “The Baby” (2003), “Some Beach” (2004–2005), “Home” (2008), “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” (2009), “Hillbilly Bone” (2010), a duet with Trace Adkins, and “All About Tonight” (2010). Additionally, three more of his singles have reached Top Ten: a cover version of Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time”, “Nobody but Me” and “I’ll Just Hold On.”

Shelton’s latest release LOADED: The Best of Blake Shelton debuted on the country charts in the top 10 placing him in the unique position of being one of the few artists who have charted three records in one year. Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson are also in this group.

Shelton was recently nominated for his first Grammy award for “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals” for his single “Hillbilly Bone” which has won an award at every major Country award show this year — the ACA’s for “Music Video of the Year” and “Music Video: Male,” the ACM Award for “Vocal Event of the Year,” CMA Award for “Musical Event of the Year” and CMT Award for “Collaborative Video of the Year.”

Knopp added that “A Grammy nominated winner of two American Country Awards and the Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of the Year, not to mention that just this week he hit number one on the Billboard charts for the third time in 10 months and eighth time overall — this is a homerun for us. Just check Ticketmaster’s fan reviews if you’re sitting on the fence about coming – fan’s are raving about his live performance and opening acts — they give him a 4.8 out of 5 stars. While you’re checking those out go ahead and buy your tickets and make March 11th a night to remember.”

Tickets are $49.50, $37.50, $32.50 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Crown box office at 438-4100.

PHOTO: Country music star Blake Shelton will perform at the Crown on March 11.

Avoid Identity Theft

One of the most prevalent forms of consumer fraud is identity theft, according to Erik Miley of eHow.com. This occurs when person-al information is used by an individual who is not lawfully authorized to possess or use that information. Examples include the illegal acquisition of a credit card, bank account number or Social Security number. When an individual other than the lawful owner of an account or line of credit obtains information that al-lows him to access funds within those accounts, identity theft has occurred. This individual may use information to transfer money from a victim’s account to one previously established and held by the perpetrator of the theft. Such funds can be extremely difficult to track down once the theft has occurred.

To protect yourself from becoming a victim, Mr. Robert Valentine, a Certified Senior Advisor from seniorjournal.com has the following tips to prevent identity theft.

Checks:

• Use your initials and last name when ordering printed checks. A check forger won’t know how you sign your checks, but your bank will.

• Do not have your home phone number or Social Security number printed on your checks. Use your work phone number. Use a post office box or work address instead of your home address.

• Order new checks from your bank and pick them up at the bank, rather than having them sent to your home mailbox.

Credit cards

• When paying credit card bills, write only the last four digits of the account number in the check memo line.

• Do not sign the back of your credit card. Instead write, “Photo ID required.”

• Photocopy both sides of your driver’s license, credit cards and other impor-tant contents of your wallet. In the event it is stolen, you’ll know exactly what is missing.

• Keep a list of your credit card numbers and their toll-free customer service numbers so you can cancel cards quickly if lost or stolen. Keep the list in a safe place in your home, not in your wallet.

Social Security Number

• Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Memorize the number and put the original card in a safe place.

• If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, contact the Social Security Administration fraud line 800-269-0271.

PINs and Passwords

• Do not write your PIN on the back of the card or on anything else in your wallet.

• Use different PINs for each debit and credit card. If you have too many to remember, consider reducing the number of cards you carry in your wallet.

• Do not use easily available information, like your birth date, phone number or part of your Social Security number, for PINS and passwords.

Mail and Trash

• Use post office collection boxes for outgoing mail, rather than your home mail box.

• Shred any trash that may contain personal information, including charge re-ceipts, credit applications, insurance forms, medical statements, checks and bank statements, expired credit and debit cards and direct mail credit offers.

• You can opt not to receive direct mail credit offers by calling 888-567-8688.If your wallet is stolen, you should immediately:

• File a police report to document the theft and the wallet contents.

• Contact one of the national credit reporting organizations (listed below) to have a fraud alert placed on your name and Social Security number. The orga-nization you contact is required to contact the other two. If the thief’s purchases initiate a credit check, the credit reporting organization can alert the merchant. Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports.

• Equifax 800-525-6285

• Experian 888-397-3742

• Trans Union 800-680-7289

• Close all accounts for missing credit cards. Check your credit reports for accounts opened fraudulently.

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which maintains a da-tabase of identity theft cases, online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. This database assists law enforcement agencies and helps the FTC learn more about identity theft.

• Notify your bank if your wallet contained a checkbook or debit/ATM cards.

When is a football team more thanjust a football team providing fans withaction-packed entertainment? When itbecomes a Force in the community —make that a force for the community.

And that’s exactly what AndrewBondarowicz, president of the FayettevilleForce, hopes to bring to the Fayettevillearea with the return of indoor footballplay — and the revival of a familiar teamname. The Fayetteville Force, one of 16teams in the Southern Indoor FootballLeague (SIFL), will open its inauguralseason at the Crown Coliseum againstthe Carolina Speed on Friday, March 18.

Bondarowicz, successfulsports agent, lawyer and founder ofFanteractive, LLC, a new subscriptionbasedinteractive system enabling fans totake part in the game from the sidelines,sees the team as a force for good.

“It’s kind of funny because theForce name actually has a two-fold recreation,”said Bondarowicz. “One is forthe Fayetteville Force hockey team, andsecondly, there was a team called theForce in the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) in Greenville, S.C. And in both ofthose instances, I would say that the situations ended badly; however, the name Forcereally embodies a lot of the things that we wanted to espouse here.”

Bondarowicz sees a far more positive future for the Force, and the community.“The notion with a lot of sports teams is, ‘Hey, we have a team in town. Come supportus and buy tickets,’ and that’s kind of where the relationship remains, whereas one ofthe things that we want to really try with this team is to be an impact on the community.Being a force in the community, being a force in the classroom, being a force ineverything you do. It’s not only a tagline, but it’s really a theme around what ourorganization is looking to do.”

And the Fayetteville Force is certainly looking to do more than just scoretouchdowns on the field.

“I mentioned about being a force in the community,” Bondarowicz said, “and oneof the things we want to do is recognize a lot of unsung heroes. There’s a lot of peopledoing a lot of good things every single day and most go unnoticed, and we can kindof use the platform that we have to bring some recognition to those people. Secondly,volunteerism, especially in difficult economic times, is something that’s very important,too, because nonprofi ts as much as anybody are stretched with donations going down,and an extra pair of hands always comes in handy. So one of the things we’re looking todo later this spring is have fans and friends of the team essentially volunteer for differentorganizations around the city. And not just the city, but in the region to build on thatcommunity aspect and also to lend a hand in need. We have some school programsthat we’re working on that we want to establish before the end of the school year. Ourchallenge has been that there’s a limit to how much we can accomplish in a very shorttime frame.”

In addition to promoting and contributing positive things in the community, theFayetteville Force expects to play the kind of football fans won’t want to miss. 

“Basically, we expect to put a strong product on the field every week,” saidBondarowicz. “We have a veteran coaching staff. We have a lot of players that havea game-established history, and we expect to have a strong showing and make thecommunity proud that way.

“We plan on adding fun events and unique aspects to every game. We kind of lookat each individual game as its own event, so we have six different events that we’re goingto be running during the regular season that are built around a football. You can expectsomething different every time, and we hope to have some entertainment, a lot of pregametailgates. We’re going to make this a fun atmosphere because one of the uniquethings about football, is that it’s part of Americana, and the more entertaining we canmake it, the more engaging we can make it, the better it is for the community at largeand their fan base.”

For more information on the Fayetteville Force, includingschedule, team members and coaching staff, Fanteractive and ticketsto the inaugural season’s games, as well as sponsorship opportunitiesand more, call 910-920-9200 orvisit www.fayettevilleforce.net.

PHOTO: Fayetteville Force Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Charles Gunnings.