Methodist University is putting together a unique weekend of jazz, with its 3rd Annual Methodist University Jazz Festival March 18-19.

The evening concert begins on March 18, followed by an all-day concert on March 19 featuring an orchestra, a jazz ensemble and more.

The Jazz Festival will start with an evening concert featuring the Methodist University Jazz Ensemble and special guest Howard Lamb.

Lamb is the director of the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, and a retired member of the Navy Commodores Jazz Band, where he was the featured trombone soloist. The concert starts at 7:30 pm in Reeves Auditorium on the campus of Methodist University. The concert is free to the public.

On the second day, the Jazz Festival gives an opportunity to local talent that features various middle school and high school jazz bands. The students will perform in front of the audience as well as with the guest clinician who will work with each group sharing knowledge and experience for the advancement of these local talents.

Proceeding with the evening at 5 p.m., The Methodist Jazz Ensemble will perform, followed by the Fayetteville Jazz Orchestra at 7 p.m.

The culmination of the festival will include an exclusive event held in conjunction with WFSS, featuring nationally recognized smooth jazz artist David Wells.

Dumas who is the Director of Jazz Band at Methodist University noted, “The entire weekend is designed as a kick-off to recognize April as Jazz Appreciation month, which will include several major events.”

This event makes it an ideal way to appreciate Jazz while supporting our local talent at the same time.

Tickets are available for Wells’ portion of the event and can be purchased by contacting WFSS or by contacting Charles Dumas at cdumas@methodist.edu.

PHOTO: Enjoy some jazz at Methodist University March 18 and 19.

It’s time for the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce’s top-ranked trade show. ShowBiz 2011 Surviving and Thriving will be at the Crown Expo Center from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on March 9.

The Chamber is excited about the opportunities this brings to the community and businesses alike and they are betting that when the doors open, both vendors and attendees will catch the spirit of excitement too.

“Showbiz is our premier business to business networking trade show. It is an opportunity for small businesses and businesses in the Fayetteville, Cumberland County area to come together and to showcase their products and services to the community,” said Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce Events Manager Sonia Ramirez-Garza. “We tell the vendors who are participating that what they need to take away that day is networking amongst themselves but also with the attendee’s that come in, since the show is open to the public and it is free admission.”

The Chamber of Commerce chose this year’s theme, Surviving and Thriving, to illustrate “the resiliency of our community’s real estate and retail markets, show how Fayetteville and Cumberland County are working through the economy’s shortcomings and gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their business practices and products in a thriving community. ShowBizis a gateway to a world of resources that enables attendees to buy locally and boost the economic activity of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

Last year’s show brought in about 100 vendors and more than 1,000 attendees — that’s plenty of opportunity to make a few connections.

This year looks to be just as busy and exciting.

There will be three seminars throughout the day, centered around the Surviving and Thriving theme.

The American Red Cross will host a CPR demo along with fi re safety and other home-related safety and survival issues.

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Plant Manager Billy Taylor is scheduled to speak about leveraging a business in our economy.

Elite Training Group will also be on hand to do a demonstration on survival techniques and how you protect yourself in survival situations.

“It is going to be really fun,” said Ramirez-Garza. “I am excited to see what everyone has to offer.”

During the day Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center will conduct a blood drive from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. so not only is this a chance to make a few connections, there’s an opportunity to potentially save a life and help your fellow man. Blood donated to the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center goes right back into the community and keeps our local hospital patients surviving and thriving.

Of course, the day will be filled with fun give-aways and prizes, too. The prizes will be provided by the vendors at the event.

Look for everything from hotels, car dealerships and banks, to beauty consultants and other home-based businesses and some of Fayetteville’s newest small businesses, too.

“I love the fact that it is different every year,” said Ramirez-Garza. “Every year it brings new challenges and exciting vendors and people. People always want something different and that makes it really fun.”

Contact the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce at 484-4242 or www.fayettevillencchamber.org for more information.

Each year the Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation hosts a dinner theatre event as its annual fundraiser. This year, local audiences will have a chance to view a familiar and classic play while they support a classic institution.

Planned for March 11-13, the event will feature A Raisin in the Sun.

According to Sean Davidson, the chair of the Fine Arts Department, they wanted to produce a play that the community could relate to, adding that he feels the audience will enjoy seeing their friends, family and other members of the community involved. Davidson believes A Raisin in the Sun will resound with the audience, especially in today’s economy, because they will be able to relate to the harsh struggle that many families are going through.

Ever since Lorraine Hansberry’s play debuted in 1959, it has been a relevant piece of contemporary African-American history, as well as one of the standards to which many playwrights hold their work. Done and re-done numerous times, from stage play to television program, and featuring phenomenal stars like Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Louis Gossett Jr, Phylicia Rashad and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, A Raisin in the Sun continues to strike a chord amongst all who have a chance to view this amazing production.

Derived from a poem titled “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, the play tells the story of the Youngers, a disadvantaged African-American family struggling to make ends meet in Chicago, sometime between World War II and the 1950s. As the play opens the family is on the brink of a dramatic change in their circumstances, due to a $10,000 check they are due to receive in a few days.

The money comes from the life-insurance policy left by the deceased Mr. Younger. His wife, the leader of the family, has decided to use it to buy a house and fulfill the dream she shared with her husband.

Her son, Walter Lee, wants to use the money to invest in a liquor store, which he believes will solve the family’s financial problems and give them a more solid future. His mother disagrees however, not only with the plan but with the type of business he is looking to invest in, as it is against her religious beliefs. You also get the impression that this is not the only “fl y by night” scheme that Walter has invested in or attempted to invest in with dismal results.

Walter’s wife Ruth wants to put the money toward something more concrete, to give their son Travis a better future, and agrees with Mother that they should move to Clybourne Park (a predominantly white neighborhood).

Walter’s sister Beneatha, wants her mother to use the money however she wishes, although her Mother did mention that she may use it on Beneatha’s medical-school tuition. The family continues to clash over what to spend the money on throughout the duration of the play.

While on the surface the production seems to be just about the family’s investment, it quickly becomes clear that there are many other underlying issues. The Mother’s struggle to keep the family together despite their newfound wealth, Walter’s feelings of insecurity at not being able to fi ll his father’s shoes and take care of his family, and Ruth’s conflicted feelings between wanting to stay loyal to her husband and do what’s best for her family.

When a representative from The Clybourne Park Improvement Association approaches the family to “buy them out” to keep them from moving, the family is ultimately forced to make a decision. Stick together and continue to help each other, or separate and strike out each on their own.

The play will be staged in two locations. On March 5-6, the show will be on stage at Fort Bragg’s York Theater. On March 11-14 and March 18- 20, the show will be on stage at Cumberland Hall Auditorium on the campus of FTCC. The March 18 performance is slated as the foundation’s dinner theater. This annual event raises funds for scholarships and materials for FTCC students. Tickets to the March 18 performance are $15, while all other performances are free.

For more information, call the Fine Arts Department at 678-0042.

The Gravitational Pull of Family

Each and every human life is unique, and the path of each and every human life is different as it traverses our diverse world.

There are, though, common threads woven through our life stories, and one of them is the seemingly universal desire to connect with our families — with the people whose genes we share even if we have not shared their lives and their experiences.

People who left their birth families for whatever reasons and who were brought up in other families, however loving and nurturing, often want to know about their biological relatives. People who relinquished children for whatever reasons often want to know how those children have fared both as youngsters and as adults and maybe even want to meet and know those now grown children. People who adopted the biological children of others often have mixed feelings about this yearning from both biological sides of what is called the “adoption triad.”

North Carolina continues to have among the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding access to identifying information contained in sealed adoption records, even though a Confidential Intermediary program requiring mutual consent among birth relatives has been established in recent years. The yearning to know continues, though, as both a birth mother and an adult adoptee related to me recently.

Claudia’s words make her mother’s pain clear.

“I had five beautiful children, three boys and two girls, in Germany between 1971 and 1976. The relationship with their father was terrible and mainly physically abusive. I fi nally managed to flee from him but the Social Services took four of the children away from me and later forced me to agree to adopt the children out. I could not stand to see my children suffer any more and figured adoptive parents would better their lot in life. I never ever got over having to make this agonizing and soul tearing decision. My two oldest kids went to the same family. Turning 17 my daughter found me in the USA and I was reunited with them and later on also with my youngest daughter. My two oldest were abused and neglected for 13 years and no one helped…. To find that out was agony for me. My adoption story is a lot longer and contains the story of my children who are now back in my life but too far away to see them in Memphis and Virginia. I want to have my children at one table before I die!”

Katie is a young adult who grew up in an adoptive family and yearns to know about her birth mother.

“I was put up for adoption at birth. North Carolina is really hard to search for answers as an adoptee, but with luck I have learned so far that I was born by C-section in New Hanover County in October 1987 at 11:27 to a 37-year-old woman. She is now 60-years-old and was known to have many problems. One major one was drinking.

“I am a very forgiving person and hope to find her and tell her that there is nothing to be ashamed of and I would just love to know where I came from. I also learned that I have two half sisters, one 42 and the other 26 and a half brother who is 40. The 42- and 40-year-old siblings are full brother and sister. The 26-year-old has a different father.

“It has been tough growing up wondering who I look like and wondering where my artistic traits came from! I hope that I can fi nd my family soon and that they are open to meeting and helping me find out who I really am!”

Katie was unaware of the Confi dential Intermediary program and is interested.

“I am just glad that people are starting to take interest in this situation now instead of forcing adoptees to ignore their feelings of wondering…and the urge to know the truth. Then a lot of people like to make adoptees feel very ashamed that they want to know the truth because they say adoptees should be grateful for having been adopted. I am grateful but it doesn’t take away my want to know my original family.”

I feel blessed that the family photos in our house sport images of people who look at least a little bit like me and that I know who they are.

PHOTO: North Carolina continues to have among the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding access to identifying
information contained in sealed adoption records,

Gallery 208 located at Up & Coming Weekly on 208 Rowan St. is open to the public weekdays from 9am - 5pm. Stop by to experience art and sculpture from local and regional artists. For more information, call 484-6200.

 

Rumors — we all love to hear them. We like to get people’s take on them. Some of us like to spread them. Rarely, if ever, what starts the rumor is what makes it completely around the circle.

This month, The Cape Fear Regional Theatre takes a comic look at Rumors through the eyes of playwright Neil Simon, and if the show lives up to the interview, this is going to be one show you don’t want to miss.

Directed by Dirk Lumbard, a Cape Fear Regional Theatre veteran, the play revolves around the anniversary party of the deputy mayor of New York. Set in the ‘80s, the play puts the lives of the affluent under a microscope and opens it up for all of us to laugh at.

“We have an ideal cast for this production,” said Lumbard. “It was fantastically cast. This is a very strong cast. We have the best of Fayetteville’s talent, with a couple of New Yorkers thrown in.”

The play tells the story of four couples who are attending an anniversary party for their best friends. The play opens with the sound of gunshots, and where it goes from there is the stuff that comedy is made of.

“This is Neil Simon doing farce,” said Lumbard. “And it is excellent. We watch as everyone tries to cover-up what has happened and try to take care of their friend. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Lynne Rosenberg, a New York actress, plays the wife of Robbie Gay, a Wilmington, N.C., actor who had audiences rolling in the aisles in last year’s production of Peter Pan.

“We are both lawyers. Robbie plays a very by-the-book litigator, while I am more content to be behind the scenes,” explained Rosenberg. “So when we arrive at the party, I don’t know what to do so I proceed to medicate myself by getting riproaring drunk.”

As the attorney for the deputy mayor, Gay’s first thought is how to protect the politician’s reputation.

“I set the ball rolling,” said Gay. “I make up the first lie that we tell, but I haven’t communicated it to my wife. So we are both lying and trying to send clues to each other.”

The second couple to join the party is played by Bjorn Thorstad, also of New York, and the CFRT’s own Nicki Hart.

“We were in a wreck on the way to the party,” said Thorstad. “We arrive at the party thinking we are the victims.”

While they are at it, they add to the rumors by suggesting that the deputy mayor may have been having an affair.

Even though the story is set in 1987, Hart points out the relevance today with the stories that break on an almost daily basis about the personal lives of politicians.

“This play is still really relevant,” she said. “And this cast is phenomenal. You really have to be on it because they are all acting and reacting so quickly. We laugh at each other all the time.”

Lumbard noted that the four couples all have unique personalities, and that the audience will be able to identify them with people they know, maybe even themselves.

“You are definitely going to see somebody you know up on that stage,” said Lumbard.

CFRT’s production of Rumors runs from February 25-March 13. Tickets are $10 – preview; $18 – Fridays and $21 Saturdays; $16 – Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Show times are 8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sunday evening. Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. CFRT’s traditional discounts of $1 are available for seniors 55 and older, active-duty military and their dependants on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturday matinees.

Buy your tickets online! Go to www.cfrt.org. To make reservations, call 910-323- 4233.

While most teenagers are focused on school, clothes, cars and members of the opposite sex, two Fayetteville teens are focused on the music industry — and in the words of the late, great Frank Sinatra — they are going to “do it their way.”

Fifteen-year-old Summer Collins and her cousin, Isaac Ball, just 19, make up the rising musical duo known as Summerfi eld. The name, which many think is a play on Collins’ name, actually is significant to the two.

“We think Summerfield and it’s a thriving meadow,” said Ball. “Like our music, it’s a changing, growing thing.”

The two have been involved in music all of their lives, but it was only last year, when they opened at the Dogwood Festival that the band gelled. Ball and his brother came up from Florida to back Collins up for the festival and her performances. Ball and Collins clicked and the idea of becoming a band was born.

Two months later, Ball moved to Fayetteville from Florida and the pair began writing. Over the summer they wrote more than 30 songs and ultimately selected 15 for their CD, Sunlit Destination.

“There was something there. We knew it was right, and we knew we could be successful at it,” said Ball.

The band’s sound is eclectic. They are not quite country and not really pop. Their sound has most often been referred to as Lady Antebellum playing Taylor Swift — minus the angst of Swift.

The duo writes music based on their lives to this point — what they’ve learned and are continuing to learn. Collins had written four songs prior to her partnership with Ball. Three of those songs made it on to the CD. Ball, a classical violinist, had also been writing prior to his move to Fayetteville, but both found that the combination of their talents opened up their creative juices.

“We had weeks where we were writing together that we were writing all week, and then weeks that we just sat and played chess,” said Ball.

“Last summer was song writing, chess, writer’s block, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Raisin Bran,” added Collins.

“We have seasons that we write in,” said Ball. “It’s a very on and off process.”

 

“Sunlit Destination, the title track, is a southern rock anthem about roads not taken and possibilities. “Everything,” another song on the CD is about Ball’s dad.

“You don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. I got up here and realized how much I missed my Dad, and the fact that I realized that he made me who I am,” he explained.

After spending the summer writing songs and learning about the music industry, the pair headed to Nashville, Tenn., where they recorded the CD.

“We went up there twice,” said Collins. “While we were there, I sang all of the songs on the CD and Isaac laid down all the violin tracks. It was really awesome being behind the mic and singing all of our songs.”

In between takes, Collins sat on the couch and did her homework. The music is the focus, but both Collins and Ball have had to learn how to balance their lives.

“When she’s at school, school is her job, and I work part-time at Huske,” explained Ball. “But when we are home, Summerfield is our business.”

And business is booming.

“We are completely and totally independent,” said Ball. “We were approached early on by a lot of producers — multi-platinum producers, A&R agents and labels. Summer even had a written letter from the producers of American Idol to allow her to compete because at the time, she was too young. But we turned all of that down. We both own Rock the Boat Records and Summerfield Entertainment, the business arm that owns the publishing rights to the duo’s music. We do this entirely independent and will continue to do this independent.”

Taking the independent route is not easy, and the two have had to learn about the music industry quickly.

“We already have some of our songs on iTunes and other sites for distribution,” said Collins. “With radio play it will become a supply and demand — if people really want to hear our music then they will play our songs on the radio.”

“We’ve really had to dive into the business aspect of our music. We have had to learn about Web presence, publishing, distribution — getting our music on the radio,” continued Ball. “We’ve spent a lot of time reading and learning. A lot of the producers that we talked to early on have been a great resource. They’ve said, ‘OK, if you aren’t going to come with me, at least listen,’ and they’ve given us great advice. It’s really become a full-time job.”

Pairing that full-time job with their daily lives makes for long days.

“When I come home I have to do my homework and then I work on Summerfi eld,” said Collins.

“Summer is being modest,” added Ball “She has been nominated for Governor’s School. She’s an A student and is in honor courses. She is one busy girl, but we stay on her.

“For me it’s been rearranging my schedule. I work part-time at Huske. We are “indipreneurs” — we run an independent label, it’s a full-time job. Our business is our life. That’s what it has become for both of us. It takes until 3 or 4 a.m. before you go to bed, and we do that because we believe in our music.”

That belief has led to the development of a fullblown campaign that began with the recording of their CD. The next step is getting out and getting their music heard by the public.

“Part of that is playing shows,” said Ball. “We are going to headline at the Duck Derby and we will perform at the Dogwood Festival and at other shows. It is important that we get out and put our music in front of the public and let them hear us live.”

This grassroots approach is directed at Fayetteville first and then the surrounding area.

“We want to get Fayetteville behind us,” said Ball. “Our heart is in Fayetteville. We started this as a grassroots campaign, but in the age of YouTube, and Facebook, France is also grassroots.”

With that in mind, the other half of their campaign is focused on web dominance.

“We spend a lot of time online,” said Ball. “We are on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, My Space. We have more than 1.4 million channel views on YouTube and we are speaking to people all over the world on a daily basis through blogging and Twitter. That’s a full-time deal.”

“People are really liking our music and they seem to like us,” said Collins. “When they listen to our music and watch our videos, they leave really nice comments.”

The videos, by the way, are also produced, filmed and acted out by the pair.

“It’s awesome to get a message from somebody in Austria who said they downloaded the song and it made their day,” said Ball. “It can be overwhelming.”

But the two have the grounding presence of Collins’ father Josh, and his wife, Tonia, to help them out when they get overwhelmed.

“Josh and Tonia are always there to give us advice,” said Ball. “Sometimes we hash out decisions with them, but we make the majority of our decisions. We’ve never had any conflict because we all share the same values.”

To keep up-to-date with the band, visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Summerfield/175839475765506 or see them on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSummerfieldBand?feature=mhum.

 

SANCTUM (Rated R)     4 Stars

Why does everyone seem to hate Sanctum (109 minutes) so much? I mean, I get all the criticism about wooden acting, but people still seem to watch Nicolas Cage films and he hasn’t actually “acted” in anything since 1990’s Wild at Heart. And I think everyone else on the planet who wears glasses can agree with me that 3D is a huge pain in the tuckus and should be forbidden by law — but if you MUST film in 3D, underwater waterfalls and falling rocks won’t do you so wrong.

Admittedly, there really isn’t anyone to sympathize with. Daddy Dearest (Richard Roxburgh) is overbearing. Sonny Boy (Rhys Wakefield) is pretty whiny. Moneybags (Ioan Gruffudd) is exactly as entitled as you’d expected. Pretty- Girl-Who-is-Not-Anna-Paquin-But-Sure-Did-Look-Like- Her-in-One-of-the-Previews (Alice Parkinson) seems OK at first, but it turns out, that like all women, she is completely useless in a survival situation. Not that any of her traveling companions try too terribly hard to inform her of the consequences of her actions. After all, she climbed Everest! So, since was smart enough to get up a mountain she is smart enough to understand the implicit dangers present in a wholly unfamiliar and unexpected situation, so anything that happens to her is totally her fault.

The setting for all the high drama is an underwater cave in Papua New Guinea that IN NO WAY resembles or works as a metaphor for any female body parts. Daddy Dearest is the world’s most famous explorer, and he is forcing his son to work for him for free over summer vacation. As the story begins, the expeditioners are preparing to shut down the mission and wait out a cyclone. Moneybags helicopters in with his girlfriend Not Anna Paquin and spews entitlement all over the encampment. Sonny Boy and Luko the Expendable (Cramer Cain) escort them down into the dark depths.

As we all know when you have money, telling people what to do always works out well, and the mere presence of Moneybags inspires Daddy Dearest to take one more crack at navigating the newly discovered dark wet channels of the unexplored cave. Too bad for the explorers that the expected cyclone decided to come way earlier than it was supposed to, flooding the camp and blocking the surface access.

In a pretty rocking scene, Luko the Expendable dons a stunning red shirt and gets bashed around while trying to rescue the pretty and/or rich people. A succession of fairly visceral scenes follows, in which the cast gets tore up until the group is down to a single rebreather and they’re all out of love.

The group steadily fragments and Sonny Boy manages to put aside his convictions that Daddy Dearest lacks a moral guidepost in time for an impromptu poetry lesson delivered amidst a column of reeking bat guano. Male bonding complete, the two head towards the Solomon Sea. Now is a good time to make bets on who will survive the movie.

I enjoyed the movie. The scenery was pretty, the underwater shots spectacular, and the nasty bits featured truly impressive effects work. However, for some people, that might not be enough to make up for the fact that the plot limps along and the characters suck.

If ever there was a musical group with staying power it would be The Lettermen. They’ve been in the music industry for more than 50 years, and have no intentions of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, they’ll be performing at Fayetteville’s Crown Theater on Feb. 26.

In 1960, The Lettermen, Tony Butala, Jim Pike and Bob Engemann signed with Warner Brothers Records and released their first singles “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,” “When” and “The Magic Sound,” and “Two Hearts.” By 1961 they’d moved on to Capitol Records and released a single titled “That’s My Desire.” On the B side of the album was “The Way You Look Tonight.” It was different from the sounds of the day, but it rocketed to number 13 on the Billboard Chart.

Since then, the faces in the group have changed a few times. There have been eight Lettermen in 50 years. They’ve produced 76 records, and traveled anywhere from 300 days a year, in their early years to 100 days a year in the past decade or so.

While five decades is indeed a long stretch of time, it is by design and not by chance that The Lettermen are still performing so regularly.

“This is what we do,” said Lettermen founder Tony Butala. “We are entertainers. Show business has two words show and business, but back when we started people didn’t see it that way. They considered it more of a lark. When I formed the first group in 1958 — it was the first boy band. I looked for the best looking guys I could find and the best soloists I could find. Instead of a strong lead singer and weaker singers doing back up I wanted three strong singers. The outlook of the band has always been professional. It was a different concept back then.”

The current version of the band, Tony Butalla, Donovan Tea and Mark Preston has been together since 1984, the longest any members have stayed together. They have traveled about 100 days a year for the past 26 years, bringing their brand of music to fans old and new around the country and the world.

“Over the years we’ve changed our product — like Cadillac changing the chrome or fins on a model of their car — but you don’t change the essence below, it is still a smooth ride, and a great quality car,” said Butala. “We are a product. We learned from the beginning, it is not a lark. We didn’t’ go out there and play it like it was a game. We ran it like a business.”

The “hip to be square” image that Butala and the rest of the band have adhered to has paid off in spades with loyal fans, a stellar reputation, shows booked throughout the year and no end in sight. A much different ending than some of the other musical groups that have come and gone in the years the Lettermen have been delivering great performances.

In 2010 the group released a new cd titled The Lettermen: New Directions 2010 in conjunction with Les Brown Jr.s Band of Renown. This new CD features such songs as “After The Love Is Gone,” “Listen To The Music,” “Pure Imagination” and “Come Fly With Me.” Readers interested in purchasing this CD can contact the Lettermen Society office at 724-444-0778 or go to the website at www.thelettermen. com.

If you haven’t experienced the Lettermen yet, don’t miss out. Butala joking says “For people who people haven’t seen us and don’t know us, tell them what we are not — we are not three elderly, balding, kook headed guys trying to relive the past. This is a 2011 entertainment package that happens to have had hit records in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It is an entertainment group, not a recording group.”

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Call 438-4100 or visit www.atthecrown.com.

So you’re a football fan. You attend the games. You follow the players, can recite their stats –– where they came from, their strengths, weaknesses, records. You know precisely where the game was won –– or lost. Think you have what it takes to pick the next great quarterback or running back? Well, you may have your chance! A new subscription-based service, Fanteractive, offered through the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL), the minor league that includes the Fayetteville Force, hopes to create the ultimate fan experience and bring the fans as close to a team as possible. Andrew Bondarowicz, president & CEO of Fanteractive, LLC explained this new approach to bringing the fan experience to a whole new level.

“I’ve been an NFL-certifi ed agent since 2004, so one of the things I noticed is that it’s become very apparent that scouting is in the eyes of the beholder,” said Bondarowicz. “A player that one person may think fi ts may totally not be the right fi t for a different team, for a different coach. We were at a college all-star team back in 2006, and there was one quarterback that everybody was screaming about. ‘He’s going to be all pro one day.’ He gets drafted in the second round of the draft, has a mediocre career so far and you look back and say, ‘Well, what was everybody raving about?’ It’s just the luck of the draw. A year later, ESP [Entertainment & Sports Plus, a national, full-service athlete and entertainer management fi rm] comes out with a players report that the best general managers in the business only get it right 55-60 percent of the time interviewing the top draft picks.”

Bondarowicz reasoned that perhaps fans could offer better odds.

“More and more, there’s such an appetite for the business side of the sport — not just football, but any sport. We’re all obsessed with what kind of contracts the players get, what kind of deal did they sign, what kinds of trades get worked out between teams, and it’s a whole drama that fans never get to be a part of. We can all talk about what we think is the best thing to do, but when’s the last time the GM of an NFL team called up the fans and said, ‘What do you think we should do?’ What we want to do is create the ultimate fan experience. With Fanteractive, we have a database of players where fans can go in, write scouting reports, familiarize themselves with players who are available so that they can make decisions and recommendations to the coaching staff on the players that we want to bring in. We’re not going to be able to accomplish it for this year, but in future years, we’re going to have a fan draft, where fans are literally going to draft a number of the players who are going to come in for training camps, and then have the fans make decisions on the fi nal rosters.”

After all, where would the players and the league be without the fans?

“At the end of the day,” Bondarowicz said, “the fans are the ones who are our customers. They are our profi t, so what better way to give our fans what they want than to allow them to weigh in on the process? We have football coaches, we have closet football coaches, we have guys who have never played the game or never coached the game, but they have an eye for talent. It’s a pretty systematic process that we’re putting into play, and when you have 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 people weighing in on a player saying, ‘Hey, I think this guy’s pretty good,’ chances are, he’s going to be halfway decent. When you look at the NFL, the second biggest event on the NFL calendar, second only to the Super Bowl, is the NFL draft. What we’ve patterned our Fanteractive after is to simply recreate that on a minor league level.”

Fanteractive within the SIFL is live for the first year, so not every option of the system will be available in its “kick-off.”

“For this year, what fans will have the ability to do is to essentially interact with the players and coaching staff during the season. They’ll be able to work with the coaches on roster decisions. They’ll make decisions on the fi nal rosters at the start of the season. They’ll be involved in certain game-playing decisions,” said Bondarowicz. “We’re trying to work in certain in-game elements, for example, when it’s fourth and one, and whether we should take the fi eld goal or go for it. We want to incorporate some of those elements to really get fans into the game.”

Bondarowicz also explained that although the system is ready to go “full boat,” the fans will necessarily encounter a bit of a learning curve as they share the responsibility of providing their valuable input.

“We want to give the fans as much opportunity as possible, so we have to scale it back to administrative feasibility. From the fan perspective, we have to bring the fans along the way, too. We almost have to coach up the fans along to a certain point where they understand the decisions they’re making. They’re understanding the implications of some of those decisions from a player personnel perspective. It can’t be a popularity contest. You have to try put the best players on the fi eld. You have to look for the right parts to put into a system, so just because somebody may be a hometown hero, there may or may not be room on the roster for him, depending on what the team’s needs are going to be, so it’s a change in mindset from the stands just as much as anybody else.”

And the cost for fans to have their say? A bargain, especially when compared to the cost of owning one’s own franchise –– a $50 fee for the season. The option is included in the ticket packages for season-ticket holders. Response to the Fanteractive system has been positive, and it’s being extended to all players and ticket holders across the league –– potentially tens of thousands of people.

“People who are on the system really like it because the system itself incorporates the social media aspect,” Bondarowicz said, “so it’s kind of like Facebook wrapped up within a whole larger system. Right now, fans are voting on some of the league rules, player celebration rules, like how far are we going to let players go as far as celebrations, making some decisions about playing the ball off the wall. We’re giving the fans the ability to go through a full gamut of decisions, and it’s on a league-wide level.”

Although the Fanteractive system is essentially being done in the SIFL this year, Bondarowicz sees the application advancing into other sports as well.

“It’s really to infuse technology and fans back into the games. One of the challenges you have with minor league sports is that a lot of fans don’t really know who the players are, so you go to a minor league baseball game, and you go there because it’s affordable family entertainment, and you watch the game, but you don’t necessarily get engaged in the games in the same way because a lot of times, there’s just not as much information available. The history of the players is not as traceable to you. This is just one of the ways to really kind of make minor league sports relevant in a different way. You give people a reason to care. You care who your quarterback is or who your second string guy is because you’re making decisions on him, so you want to make sure you got the best players available. We’re also working on an element where the cheerleaders will essentially be selected by the fans, so it’s through the same premise; you go through, and you scout and you judge criteria, such as dancing ability, appearance, poise, character, and you assemble a team. We’re a Dancing with the Stars and American Idol generation now, where we tell you those things,” said Bondarowicz. “So we really make this fun. We really want to make this interactive and create a whole new experience.”

No more will fans be relegated only to painting their bodies in bold team colors, sporting jerseys and hats and waving giant foam hands promoting their favorite team as “number one.”

Fanteractive puts them right in the game from behind the scenes. For more information, visit www.fanteractive.com and www.fayettevilleforce.net.

Photo: Fanteractive, a new subscription-based service hopes to create the ultimate fan experience.

After a long and oddly white winter, it is at last once again time for spring to make an appearance. An iconic image of the long awaited season would be fl owers, but an upcoming show is highlighting a lovely little plant that adds some color to the winter white, camellias. On March 5, The Fayetteville Camellia Club will host the 65th Annual Camellia Show.

Jack Dewar, co-chair of the event, Camellia Club member and fi ve-year camellia enthusiast, says that they expect to have more than 850 blooms for the event. Growers from places such as Georgia, Virginia and all over the southeast bring their fl owers in to compete for prizes. The show will also offer camellias for anyone who would like to buy a plant, and seminars to educate anyone interested in growing them as well.

“Camellias are unique to the southeast, and to the coastal areas around Louisiana, Texas and then to California, up the coast. So, we are in a unique position in Fayetteville with a long tradition of growing camellias,” explained Dewar, who also recommended the collection of more than 300 fl owers at the Botanical Gardens for anyone curious to see the flowers.

Camellias are beautiful, though surprisingly simple to grow according to Dewar.

“Once you get them planted they require very little. They like shade, some varieties that grow in the fall tolerate the sun. The big deal is that they bloom all winter if they aren’t frozen,” he said.

Unfortunately the snow and ice this season hasn’t been the best for these fl owers, but it’s still expected to be a magnifi cent show. When asked about the frosts potential affect on the show Dewar said, “It may mean that we will have less blooms grown outdoors. You can grow them in green houses, that’s what people who are very serious about them do, and that’s why we will always have a nice show.”

“The next couple of weeks look promising,” he added.

The annual Camellia Show is being sponsored by the local Fayetteville Camellia Club that has monthly meetings, and is open to anyone interested in the flowers. They often have guest speakers, seminars and participate in workshops to learn about the flowers.

“We show people how to grow them, how to prune them, how to propagate them. Take little cuttings of branches, and turn them into camellia plants,” Dewar said in reference to the subject matter of the monthly meetings.

The show will be held at Methodist University in Reeves Auditorium on March 5 and 6. The show will run from 12-4 p.m. each day. People who wish to enter their blooms from their back yard need only to bring them on Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m. for registration. From 10 a.m. to noon, the flowers will be judged by trained judges from the America Camellia Society. There are cash prizes for the winners, and the American Camellia society will have a seminar on winning blooms past and present all on Saturday between 12 and 4 p.m.

The show is free and all are welcome to attend.

If you have never stopped in the art collective known as Cape Fear Studios in downtown Fayetteville, then you are defi nitely missing one of the community’s greatest assets. The member studio is home to a number of Fayetteville’s most talented artists. While the artists use the venue as a workspace and as a means of marketing their work, they also use it as a vehicle to give back to the community. All of this comes with a price, and in the coming weeks, the venue is taking advantage of their unique skills to raise funds to support their involvement in the community.

The annual Silent and Live Art Auction is one of the ways Cape Fear Studios gets the support from the Fayetteville community. Held on Friday, March 4, the auction will showcase various local artists as well as artist members of Cape Fear Studios.

Ideal for a savvy art collector, this event will display diverse forms of art, which will consist of paintings, handmade jewelry, pottery, contemporary fused art glassware, wood art and more. To support this worthy event, local restaurants and businesses are also participating by donating gift certifi cates and an assortment of non-art items for the live auction.

Chris Kastner, the executive director at Cape Fear Studios, encourages the local community to support this auction while pointing out that, “This is our primary way of raising funds.”

She also encourages art enthusiasts, collectors and all those who would enjoy an evening of live music, complimentary wine or beer, hors d’oeuvres and fusion art to come out to support the studio. Tickets for the event are $35.

Some of the artists portraying their work include: Rose Kennedy, Paula Fitzpatrick, Erica Stankwytch Bailey, Nancy Rose, Pandy Autrey and more. All of the featured artists donated their work, so all of the proceeds will benefit Cape Fear Studios.

Cape Fear Studios also reaches out to the community via their Ashton Woods Kids Art Program that targets children ages 7 and up, and most notably concentrates on improving important factors such as self-image and confi dence while teaching them to express their unique artsy and creative side.

Moreover, Cape Fear Studios also offers monetary scholarships to local college students enrolled in fine-arts programs. All of the community work done by Cape Fear Studios is possible because of the contributions and funds received through auctions, fundraisers and the sale of artwork created by members at Cape Fear Studios.

In order to carry out such extraordinary support to the community, the studio needs its own support system, which consists of the local community and artists alike. Be sure to attend the auction on March 4 as a way to support the only visual art cooperative non-profi t organization in Fayetteville.

The mission of Cape Fear Studios is “to involve, educate and enrich Cumberland County and surrounding communities with the opportunity to create and freely view art.”

The event begins at 7 p.m., and will be hosted at the Arts Council. Matthew William Buchanan and David Sinan Esensoy of The Fayetteville Academy will provide musical entertainment.

The event is dressy, so take the opportunity to don your favorite festive attire and come out and support the artists at Cape Fear Studios.

For more information, call 433-2986 or e-mail capefearstudios@yahoo.com.

Photo: This piece of pottery is one of many artworks up
for auction at Cape Fear Studios.

The Vietnam War has always been a sensitive topic in my family. My father was called Gramps by the young men who served with him. He was not the normal soldier. He was in his 30s. He had five children.

I was a toddler during those years. I grew up hearing stories of how much I missed my father while he was gone. Prior to his going to war, I would wait patiently at the front door for him to come home. No matter how hard they tried, my family couldn’t break me of that habit while he was gone. My mother and my grandfather would try to coax me away from the door, but I wouldn’t budge. Only after I fell asleep could they move me to my bed. When they got up in the morning, they would fi nd me sleeping in front of the door.

Patiently, I waited.

The father who left my family wasn’t exactly the same one who came home. He was wounded in an explosion, and spent quite a bit of time in the hospital when he returned home. That father cried out in his sleep. It wasn’t wise to surprise him. His patience wasn’t what it had been.

He had no love for hippies or protesters and even today, the name Jane Fonda is an anathema in his home. He recalls the protesters, the anger, the lack of a welcome home. He, like his fellow service members, had no heroes welcome. There were no ticker tape parades. No yellow ribbons. Flags did not fly to symbolize a service member. It was more a mark of shame than anything else.

Knowing this, you now know that the Vietnam War shaped a part of my life. The idea of Fayetteville finally holding a welcome home for Vietnam veterans holds a special place in my heart. The controversy raging around it does not.

To me, the old saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions seems apt in this situation. I believe Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne and his volunteer group have nothing but good intentions. I also believe that their intentions are not shared by Chuck Fager or those in his organization. (Note: I support their right to believe what they want, but I don’t have to agree with it. Bottom line, up front, I don’t agree with them.)

I believe that veteran’s groups and other volunteers should step up to the leadership position for the welcome home event — not because Mayor Chavonne’s heart is not in the right place, but rather that circumstances and people — the Quaker House and members of the media who have sensationalized the reporting around the controversy — have compromised Chavonne to the point that he is becoming a distraction.

That being said, I hope that all those who have it in their hearts to honor the service of our Vietnam veterans step forward and support this endeavor. I implore the veterans and others in the community not to let the controversy ruin the event. Participate. Mend wounds. Ignore sensationalism. Become a part of the solution.

To do less is just another slap in the face of the heroes the event is designed to honor.

The bass trombone is probably not the first instrument that comes to mind when one thinks of a solo musical recital. But music lovers will have the chance to see, hear and interact with Dr. David Krosschell, an accomplished bass trombonist, tenor trombonist and music educator, in an evening performance on Friday, February 18, at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of Methodist University. The performance at Hensdale Chapel is free and open to the public. “David Krosschell is newer to the area via North Texas State University and Northwestern University,” said Deanne Renshaw, Fine Arts Coordinator with Methodist University and Orchestra Personnel Manager of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. “He is a fantastic bass trombone player. It is unusual to hear solo bass trombone recitals. It’s a unique and cool situation, and whatever he plays will be engaging.” Krosschell received his BA in music education and music performance from Western Michigan University, his MA in trombone performance from the University of North Texas and his PhD in music performance from Northwestern University. He presently lives and works in the Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill, N.C., area as a freelance trombonist and music educator. Before moving to North Carolina, Krosschell performed and taught in the Washington, D.C. area, Chicago, Il., and Dallas/Ft. Worth, Tx. His repertoire includes classical, jazz and commercial styles, and he has played with the North Carolina Symphony, the Opera Company of North Carolina, Fayetteville Symphony, and the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, as well as the 1 o’clock Lab Band and North Texas Wind Symphony. The performance is part of the Friends of Music (FOM) series at Methodist University. “Friends of Music presents a concert almost every other week during the school year,” Renshaw said. “It’s not just to bring in national artists for the public, but also for the benefi t of Methodist University’s music students so they can see what they might do in their careers. The concerts are less formal than typical concert performances, and the artists talk and interact with the audiences. They are free for the public, and of course, we couldn’t do it without the generous support of the Arts Council.” For more information, contact (910) 630-7100 or visit www.methodist.edu/music.

 

David Krosschell will perform on Feb. 18 at Hensdale Chapel at Methodist University. The event is free and open to the public.

Warmer weather will be upon us soon and with it the long list of projects and home improvements that have been put off through the cold winter months. Whether it’s an upgrade to the garage, re-tilling the garden or painting the front porch, there is always something to be done, and fi nding the most effi cient and productive way to do it is not only smart in the long run, but often more convenient in the short term.

The Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville is here to help with that, just as they have been for the past 11 years, providing inspiring ideas, innovative products and plenty of encouragement for whatever project needs to be tackled.

On Feb. 25-27 visit the Carolina Home and Garden Show at the Crown Center to see the latest products designed to keep your castle in tip-top shape. There will be vendors for pretty much any home upgrade or improvement project you can think of, as well as outdoor things like landscaping, play sets and even decorative curbing and fl ag poles.

With so many folks on tight budgets and looking for ways to keep their homes running as effi ciently and as inexpensively as possible, look for vendors to help with everything from saving money through conservation to the latest high-tech ways to make the most of our natural resources.

“There are several vendors that will be there to talk about energy conservation and renewable energy,” said Natalie Woodbury executive offi cer of the Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville. “One guy has solar panel attic fans — renewable energy. PWC will be there and they will defi nitely be talking about how to conserve.”

There will even be vendors with earth friendly cleaning products.

“We have several new pool and spa vendors that will have their pools and spas on display,” said Woodbury. “Green Biz will be there, too. His booths are going to feature his garden center which is something new that he has built on his property. He will be bringing products from that.”

In addition to all the great products to choose from there will be free classes, too.

“There are speakers every day on a variety of topics, so I would suggest people go to the website to see the topics and times,” said Woodbury. “There are seminars that go on all three days.”

Want to take up organic vegetable gardening? Join Shauna Haslem for a spell and learn the basics. Jen Smith and Leslie Keiwra will teach the benefits and how-to of worm composting while Kimberly Van Borkulo will share her knowledge of waterwise gardening.

Fayetteville’s favorite gardening expert Roger Mercer will also speak at the home show about favorite perennials for the Sandhills.

Special guest Roy Underhill, host of the PBS show The Woodwright’s Shop will be in attendance as well.

“We are excited to have him back,” Woodbury said.“He is a crowd favorite.”

Underhill eschews power tools and high-tech gadgetry in favor vintage, musclepowered tools to make everything from furniture to Victorian-era toys. Learn the tricks of the trade as our forefathers knew them and see what amazing pieces Underhill will come up with next. Check him out on stage, or visit him at his on site workshop and try out some of his tools.

Whether ideas are on the agenda or a big project is in the working, Woodbury is sure that there is something for everyone at the show.

“It is a place to go where you can go to one building and see a variety of things for your home — from your garden to your bathroom to your kitchen. It is one stop shopping.”

The show runs Friday, Feb. 25 from noon - 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 27 from 12 - 5 p.m. Admission is $6.

Children 10 and under are free. On Sunday all military ID Card holders receive a food voucher that they can use at any of the food vendors at the show.

For more information, please visit www.carolinahome andgardenshow.com.

Photo: Roy Underhill of The Woodwright’s Workshop will be at the Home and Garden Show again this year.

Up & Coming Weekly readers know that this paper supports art and artists in the community. We cover the events, do profi les as space permits and try to keep our readers informed about the goings on in the art community. We cover everything from concerts to plays and exhibits throughout the area and even have our own Gallery 208 and Leonard G. McLeod Gallery in our corporate offices. In fact, if you’ve never been, we have a new exhibit coming up that you won’t want to miss.

On Feb. 24 from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Up & Coming Weekly invites you to join us for the opening reception of Bayscapes and Other Reflections: The Works of Clarence Schumaker in Gallery 208.

Shumaker’s works in this exhibition are primarily, as the name suggests, water scenes. The oil paintings capture the magic of the bay at different times of day and in different seasons, evoking both the calming effect of a still, quiet day on the water and the harshness that ice and winter can bring to the coast.

This collection is a body of work that Schumaker has assembled over time. Living on the Chesapeake Bay and having nonstop access to the water has proven to be a source of inspiration for him.

“I live in a little fi shing village and there is a beach that is just a short walk from my house — I’m just enamored with the water and the qualities of it that are always changing,” said Schumaker. “I’ve got this view that I don’t care what day, what time of day it is, it is always different and there is a certain timeless quality to that.”

His love of the water has inspired Schumaker to investigate the bay from every angle he can, from the shore out and from the water in, there is always something new to paint.

“A lot of my pieces are from the water — views that you wouldn’t normally get if you are a land lover. It gives a whole different perspective of living on the land when you get to see it from the water and see how small everything really is,” said Schumaker. “I am just trying to make pieces that will make someone pause and take their time and soak it in just like you would in nature. I think everybody is on a 24/7 news cycle and there is nonstop chatter going on and that is why people do like to get away. I am just trying to capture the feelings people have when they go to the beach — they kind of take their time and gotta stare at the water a little while.”

While this particular exhibit is about the water, Schumaker is also a sculptor, muralist and graphic artist. Check out more of his work at www.daybreakstudios. com or come to the art opening and hear what he has to say about his work.

“We are always excited to feature talented local artists in our galleries,” said Up & Coming Weekly Publisher Bill Bowman. “We look forward to these openings as a time to interact with the arts community and with our readers. There’s always great food and a good time is usually had by all.”

Also featured at this event will be the works of Chris Pruitt in the Leonard G. McLeod Gallery.

Up & Coming Weekly’s corporate offi ce is located at 208 Rowan St. Join us for refreshments and networking. For more information, call the Up & Coming Weekly office at 484-6200.

Photo: Twilight Reflections by Clarence Schumaker

4th Friday is right around the corner, and as usual the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the local downtown merchants have an evening of food, fun and entertainment planned.

Starting this month, 4th Friday will be a themed event. The new format kicks off with a Mardi Gras theme, as the Downtown Alliance joins in sponsoring the art and entertainment that the community anticipates the 4th Friday of each month.

“For 2011 we’ve decided to do different themes or activities for 4th Friday,” said Sherry Collins, 4th Friday coordinator for the Downtown Alliance. “One month is a street dance, other months will have a theme. We have a variety of fun and exciting things planned.”

With kids in mind, and keeping things family friendly, there will be a children’s wagon and stroller parade.

“We are inviting people to decorate a wagon or stroller and dress up their children and come out to be part of a parade that will start at Person and Green Streets right near Fascinate-U and travel through the Bow Street commons and back to the corner,” said Collins. “We are trying to enlist a couple of musicians to lead the parade with jazz, too.”

All of the children will get a prize and there will also be special prizes for different categories, like the best stroller or wagon and best costume. No need to pre-register, just show up that day and sign up. Registration is at 6:30 p.m., and the parade will start around 7-7:15 p.m.

After the parade, parents can take their little ones to So Chic Bebe where they can make their own Mardi Gras masks.

Horne’s Deli is carrying on a favorite Mardi Gras tradition, the sharing of a King Cake with 4th Friday attendees.

“That is something that is a big part of any Mardi Gras celebration,” said Collins. “They bake a cake and put a plastic baby trinket in the cake and whoever gets the slice with the baby in it wins a prize. This is a must if you are having a Mardi Gras celebration.”

Grown ups won’t be left in the cold, as there will be a Spirit of Mardi Gras adult costume contest sponsored by Miller Mott College. Just stop by their tent on Hay Street and register for the contest.

“We are trying to keep it to Mardi Gras costumes more than Halloween-type things,” said Collins. “Jesters and jokers and beads and boas would be appropriate.”

Winners will be announced at 9 p.m. and the Mardi Gras king and queen will each receive a Visa gift card.

Hay Street United Methodist Church is hosting the 4th Annual Bread and Bowls fundraiser. Stop by and have a steaming hot bowl of Brunswick Stew served in a handmade pottery bowl (that you get to keep) for $15 or enjoy your stew in a bread bowl for just $7. There will also be a silent auction along with entertainment by local musicians.

After a bite to eat, stop by the All American Fencing Academy at 207 B Donaldson St. Watch a few demonstrations by the fencing team, perhaps have a chat with the team members, handle some of the equipment, find out more about the sport and check out their collection of fencing-related art.

Headquarters Library is hosting author Kimberly Johnson — Destination Imagination for an interactive storytelling session. She will share stories from her books as well as pieces from other authors. Johnson received the 2005 Paul Harris Fellow Award presented by Rotary International for her work in literacy and has published 11 children’s books.

After Destination Imagination, there will be a question and answer session for audience members who have thought about writing a book of their own. Topics will include, but are not limited to, the pros and cons of self publisher versus using traditional publishers.

Arts Alive! on Maxwell Street kicks off at 6 p.m. and runs through 10 p.m. Stop by and see artists educating, creating and performing. At 7 p.m. 4th Friday comes alive as Hay Street and the rest of downtown fills up with exhibits, artists and folks who have come to have a good time.

Photo: This 4th Friday enjoy the Mardi Gras themed events that will begoing on downtown.

The Rite(Rated R)  4 Stars

Honestly, The Rite (112 minutes) looked pretty boring. One more exorcist horror-drama, and I’m not even that huge of a fan of the genre, The Last Exorcism notwithstanding. Admittedly the presence of one Sir Anthony Hopkins drew my attention, but be warned … he doesn’t show up until almost halfway through the film.

Little Michael Kovak (Colin Donoghue) experiences some borderline mental abuse while attempting to overcome his Oedipal complex. In a scene repeated approximately 20 times throughout the course of the movie his father (Rutger Hauer) lovingly paints the nails of his dead wife while whispering sweet nothings into her … nose? I think? This is a formative experience for Michael, since he evidently thinks about it whenever he touches dead bodies. Which he does a lot, because he is a mortician.

In an effort to make his own way in the world and discover what life has to offer other than girls who give him free beer, Michael decides to explore the vast unending possibilities open to a young man of his character and, ahem, vigor. Since an ancient family curse apparently dooms him to be a mortician or a priest, and working as a mortician for his creepy father isn’t working out, Michael checks out the priesthood.

Fastforward. Despite the fact that Michael apparently had no real interest in the priesthood, he made it through four years at seminary. Then flunked the final exam in theology. Then wrote Priest Hey! It’s That Guy! (Toby Jones) a lame letter of resignation. Which we get to see in extreme close-up for some unknown reason. Priest Hey! It’s That Guy! refuses the letter and blackmails Michael (as priests are oft wont to do) into traveling to Rome to take a class on exorcism.

He arrives late to his first class, and he’s all like, Sorry Priest Dude. And the teacher, Father Xavier (Ciaran Hinds), is all like, “I prefer punctuality to apologies,” which is both mean and awesome. Angelina (Alice Braga, professional voice of reason) notices that Michael is devoted to irritating Father Xavier, and further notices that Father Xavier is sending him to see a practicing exorcist. She insinuates herself into his good graces, and follows him around for the rest of the movie.

The practicing exorcist is Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins, channeling Dr. Van Helsing and Dr. Hannibal Lector). He lives with a bunch of cats and is currently focused on exorcising a pregnant 16-yearold girl. Here is where the movie starts to get ambiguous and cool, with subtly disturbing sound effects and close-ups on gross rashes and hair loss. Father Lucas is unable to break through Michael’s skepticism, even after the girl does some totally weird psychic-type stuff. Despite the assistance of Michael the untrained faithless skeptic, the girl continues to worsen. She eventually ends up in the hospital/roach motel.

Wracked with guilt, Father Lucas wanders around semi-nude, slapping small children. Basically, sucking as an exorcist turns him into a total jerk, in a sort of if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them moment. Up until that point, this was film of ideas. As the climax approaches, this is less a film about what you believe and more a film about demons possessing the innocent, which isn’t nearly as interesting, but wasn’t as boring as I thought it would be.

During the past 10 to 15 years, many steps have been taken to reduce medical errors. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published “To Err is Human,” an article about this staggering problem in healthcare. The article suggested that Congress create a Center for Patient Safety to track, monitor, and address National Patient Safety goals. This was done, and much progress has been made; but the numbers continued to be troubling.

In 2009 the Chief Medical Officer of England cited disturbing statistics in his annual report: “When you step on a plane, your chance of dying in a plane crash is one in 10 million. When admitted into a hospital, your chance of dying or being seriously harmed by a medical error is one in 300.” One of his recommendations states, “Simulation training inall its forms will be a vital part of building a safer healthcare system.”

When did healthcare begin to incorporate simulation into education? The beginning dates back to 1960 with the introduction of the Resusci-Anne manikin for CPR training. Students at that time remember shaking the manikin’s shoulders and shouting, “Annie, Annie, are you OK?” For many years, Annie remained silent and motionless, never giving a response. Now, times have changed!

Today healthcare education has computerized human patient simulators (HPS) that can talk (or cry, depending on their age), can display numerous heart rhythms on a cardiac monitor, and have pulses in their arms, legs, neck, and groin. Some simulators even have pulses behind the knee and can display cyanosis (a blue color around the mouth or on the fingertips) that indicates a problem with oxygenation. Students can perform a head-to-toe assessment that includes taking blood pressure and listening to lung, heart, and bowel sounds. In addition, there is one HPS that will go through the stages of labor and delivery of a baby.

FTCC purchased its first high-fidelity adult HPS in 2005 and currently has a total of six. In 2009, FTCC received a grant to bring together a task force of instructors from the nursing, EMS, CNA, respiratory, and dental programs to design and implement a way to more fully incorporate simulation technology into the curriculums. In April 2010, one lab area in the Health Technology building exists, exclusively devoted to simulation training. In November, a full-time position was added to coordinate the lab.

Many FTCC health students come to the simulation lab regularly as part of their training. Scenarios can be chosen to meet specific learning objectives related to their current class content, such as diabetes or asthma. Unlike clinical settings where instructors must hover closely and supervise every step, simulation lab students can be left alone to think through situations for themselves. If the student chooses a correct course of action in a timely manner, the vital signs and other indicators on the HPS will improve. Conversely, if the student makes a mistake, the conditions of the HPS can worsen and a simulated death can result. All this training takes place with no risk to any patients. It is clear to both students and faculty that teaching with simulation is one of the most exciting advancements in healthcare education.

SENIOR CORNER

Last week’s broadcast of ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer closed with a story featuring Home Instead Senior Care, as “Person of the Week!” This is part of a series called “Families on the Brink: What to Do about Mom and Dad.”

Sue and Skip Hollcroft are two of the more than 20 million people struggling to take care of their children and their aging parents. In January, when her widowed father, John C., almost 86-years-old, wrecked his car, it got even more difficult. Because of her father’s declining health, the family decided that it was unsafe for him to live in the house he loved and had lived in for more than 30 years. Though Sue Hollcroft said it was terrifying to have her dad living alone in the house, he refused to move. He said he felt comfortable there.

For months, the family searched for a solution as Sue and Skip’s stress increased. “That’s where we said, We’ve got to find something. How can we? What can we do?” Skip Hollcroft said.

Finally they found a compromise, and today John C. is home but he’s not alone. A caregiver provided by a service called Home Instead Senior Care visits John C. for four hours a day, five days a week. The caregiver helps him with household chores, accompanies him to his favorite restaurant and provides him with comfortable companionship. “It’s kept him inhis home and that’s what he wants,” Sue Hollcroft said. 

Nine out of 10 people over 60 want to stay in their homes as long as possible. They are able to do that thanks to new technologies — like seniors alertingfamily members of a problem — and the help of neighbors and caretakers, according to the AARP. Amy Goyer of the AARP said that now there is a trend for seniors to age at home. “That is the goal of most adults as we live longer, most people want to stay in their own homes,” she said.

“That means that families have to be involved in support, neighborhoods, communities, but there is also the industry of technology that supports and aids people to stay in the home,” Goyer said. She pointed to such innovations as vibrating pill boxes that sound an alarm when it’s time for a person to take their medication and a website created for seniors so they can stay connected with family members in one place.

Goyer said franchised organizations and local nonprofit agencies also provide personal care to aging adults living at home. 

Home Instead Senior Care is one of the many services designed to allow seniors to stay out of nursing homes.

Offering the “Families on the Brink” series shows how this topic is clearly on the minds of Americans. Sometimes just starting the conversation is the most awkward position for the family member. Having a conversation around the dinner table might be the benefit that gets everyone informed. Accurate information is essential.

Home Instead Senior Care is one of the
many services designed to allow seniors
to stay out of nursing homes.

There’s the Kentucky Derby and the Boy Scouts have the Pinewood Derby, but a Duck Derby? You betcha — and you’re invited to participate.

The Fayetteville Duck Derby has been in the making for well over a year. It all started with Fayetteville Urban Ministry. The organization was looking for a fundraising idea and wanted to do something different. A little bit of research and imagination — and a lot of hard work later, event co-chairs Katie Crenshaw and Aurora Alexander are ready to introduce Quacky and the whole Duck Derby experience to the community.

They’ve made the rounds, gathered the support of local businesses and several fellow nonprofi ts and now it is time to share their vision and watch the fun begin!

You might be asking yourself what exactly is a Duck Derby? And we can understand that, because we asked the same question. 

The Duck Derby will take place on May 7 at Campbellton Landing. If you are on hand that day, you will see a rare site. Between 5,000 and 15,000 yellow rubber ducks will be launched into the Cape Fear River in a race to support Fayetteville Urban Ministry and many other local non-profi ts.

To make it to the river, a duck needs to be adopted. Anyone can adopt a duck, it costs $5 per duck, less if you buy a package of fi ve or more.

“The actual duck drop is going to be really cool,” said Crenshaw. “They’ll drop off the bridge by Campbellton Landing and the end is right about where the railroad trestle begins. We’ve timed it and that is about a 10 minute race.”

The prizes are impressive — a 2011 Toyota Camry generously donated by Rick Hendrick Toyota, a Las Vegas getaway, a Myrtle Beach escape and a catered Cape Fear River cruise. 

When you purchase a duck, your name will be entered onto a tag. May 5 is the tagging party. This is where the thousands of ducks that have been purchased by caring members of the community will be assigned numbers and prepped for the big race. Crenshaw is hoping for plenty of volunteers, since they are expecting a sizable amount of work.

“We have a minimum 5,000 ducks to tag,” said Crenshaw. “Our goal is much higher than that though, and they all have to be tagged.”

While Fayetteville Urban Ministry is the lead nonprofi t for this event, duck sponsors can help other nonprofi ts even if they only adopt one duck.

Visit the website, and click on “Teams.” There will be a list of nonprofi t organizations that are participating in this event. Choose your team, then adopt a duck, or two or three — or more.

“Choose your team and $1 for every duck you purchase will go to that nonprofi t,” said Crenshaw. “The rest will go to Fayetteville Urban Ministry. It is no cost to the other nonprofi ts to sign on. We have such a good working relationships with these other organizations and we are all working together to better the community. We just wanted to share a little bit with them. We thought ‘Let’s all combine our efforts. Let’s all work together.’”

Organizers timed the event to coincide with the month-long celebration of Days of Glory, which occurs in May. Throughout the month of May, local organizations put together events honoring and celebrating Fayetteville’s military heritage with ceremonies, art exhibits, sport and charity events and much more.

“This is part of the 31 day salute, and it is just so special because so many people have come together to support this in the community,” noted Crenshaw. “It is so much more than a one person event.”

While the actual race is short, Crenshaw and Alexander are planning an entire days worth of fun on the big day. From 1-6 p.m., Campbellton Landing will be fi lled with music, kid-friendly activities and educational resources.

“It will be an opportunity for all our non profi ts to share their mission, if they choose. We’ll have entertainment on the stage the entire day, too,” said Crenshaw. “We have Rattler Jake coming. He talks about different snakes and will educate the children. We have riverboat tours. Basically, it’s a free event with tons for the kids to do.”

May might be a long time away, but there are other things you can do now to support the Duck Derby.

“Just like the Kentucky Derby has the Mint Julep, we are looking for that perfect signature drink for the Duck Derby, and an appetizer, too.” said Crenshaw. “We’ve asked our local restaurants and the community to be part of this and help us with that.”

Eleven local restaurants (Huske Hardware House, The Hilltop House, Pierro’s Italian Bistro, Morgan’s Chop House, It’z Entertainment City, Scrub Oaks, Circa 1800, Luigi’s, Riverside Steak & Oyster Bar, Latitude 35 Bar & Grill and Chris’s Steak House) are pulling out all the stops in a competition to see who can create the signature cocktail and appetizer for this event. From Feb. 11 until May 6, the community is invited to visit these restaurants, sample their creations and then vote for their favorite at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. The winner will be announced at the derby. The possibilities are incredible, and the competition is sure to be intense, so don’t miss out on a chance have your say.

May 7 will be here in no time, so you need to buy a duck, taste an appetizer, cast your vote and sign up to help. To do all of this, visit www.www. fayettevilleduckderby.com.

Middle Right: Quacky the duck stands by the Toyota Camry that is the grand prize in
the Duck Derby. Bottom Left: Tom Costello, of Hendrick Toyota gives Quacky a hug.

You don’t hear from me often in this spot. I like to stay in thebackground, writing about the facts and keeping my opinions tomyself, so I leave it to my Publisher Bill and Associate Janice to penthis space and share their opinions. After all, my momma alwaystold me “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything all.”But this week, I actually havesomething nice to say.

We read week after week,and hear day after day, ofthe evils in our present-dayworld... how uncivil we areto each other, how our kidsare bullies, and our teensare selfi sh, lazy and spoiledrotten. But I’m here to tell youthat there is hope. And that’ssaying a lot coming from me,the eternal pessimist.

During one of our recentsnow and ice storms, perhapson the second or third day asthe city was fi nally dustingitself off and coming backto life, I came to Fayettevillefrom my home in Harnett County, fi nally heading back to work.I was making a quick stop at my mother’s to deposit my son forthe day, as schools were still closed. As I neared my mother’shouse, I saw two young boys — maybe in the neighborhood of13 or so — cleaning the snow and ice off her neighbor’s car. Likemy mother, her neighbor is an elderly widow, and these kids didnot belong to her. “Oh,” I thought to myself, “there are someentrepreneurial kids out making a buck in the cold. Good for them.At least they have initiative.” Pulling up to my mom’s house, I sawthat her car had also been cleaned off. Entering the front door, Icommented on it and asked her how much they charged for that.“They volunteered,” she responded. “Yeah, volunteered for FREEor volunteered for a few bucks?” was my skeptical response. Sheexplained that they had, in fact, volunteered for FREE.

They were the boys that did her yard for her (albeit, not forfree) and came by and offered to clean off her car. Wow! I wasalmost stunned, which is sad. Once, that would have been acommon neighborly thing to do for each other. But these days,unfortunately, a kind simple act as that seems extraordinary. Iwatched out the window as the boys headed across the street tothe home of a disabled personand cleaned off yet anotherneighbor’s vehicle.

I took this as a teachablemoment for my own 10-year-oldson and let him know what a nice,admirable and unselfi sh act theseboys were performing. Insteadof playing with their friends, orsitting in front of the TV with acup of hot chocolate, they wereout in their neighborhood helpingtheir neighbors — and providingexcellent customer service andadded value to their lawn-mowingbusiness customers. Sometimes,it’s all I can do to get my own dearchild to take three steps acrossthe hall to put his laundry in thelaundry room, or to feed his own cats. And many businesses inour community could learn a thing or two from these kids aboutcustomer service!

Every now and then my faith in humanity is restored. There arestill some people who do the right things for the right reasons. Allhope is not lost for our youth. And to the parents of those two boys,whoever they may be, I applaud you for a job well done. I hope thatmy own will turn out so well, eventually.

And as for all this cold winter weather we’ve been having, toborrow a line from Grady Bowman’s Facebook post, “I’m snowover it.” Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weeklyand thank goodnessthe Groundhogpredicted an earlySpring!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and the downtown merchants and restaurateurs are doing everything they can to make it easier than ever to impress, please and woo that special someone.

In addition to romance, downtown wants to share some good fortune with those who could use a hand this year. Through Valentine’s Day merchants will be collecting canned goods and nonperishable items for Second Harvest Food Bank. Look for the red heart in the window and take your donations inside.

While there is plenty to do, here are just a few fun ideas if you are at a loss on how to impress your date.

Show up at their door with a traditional sweet treat. The Chocolate Lady is offering confectionery delights that will satisfy most anyone’s sweet-tooth. Get a box of chocolate covered strawberries for $20. Call her at 480-2000 and place your order while there is still time.

Just Desserts is offering Valentine’s Day treats like chocolate covered strawberries, heart shaped cookies and red-velvet cake, as well as many other goodies that will impress your sweetheart. Give them a call at 860-2253. They are accepting advanced orders.

Then treat your Valentine to a carriage ride through historic downtown. Rides are available from 1-8 p.m. Feb. 12 and last about 20 minutes. Tickets are $15 per person if you don’t mind sharing the carriage, (kids under 12 are $5) or book a private ride for $50. Call City Center Gallery & Books at 678-8899 to make your reservation.

From there, check out one of the many deals that the local restaurants have for couples.

Circa 1800 is offering specials on Feb. 12 and 14 for a three-course dinner and wine fl ight. Discount movie tickets are included in the price. Give them a call at 568-4725 to make a reservation or get more details.

Blue Moon is celebrating Valentines Day with fondue — for two. A cheese fondue entree to share followed by a round of chocolatey fondue goodness for dessert.

For $50 Lido’s is offering an appetizer, two entrees, two glasses of wine and a dessert. They’ve got dancing and entertainment later in the evening, too.

Enjoy a laid back dinner at Haymont Grill where a surf and turf dinner for two costs $34.95 and includes a salad, potato and dessert. For more information, give them a call at 484-0261.

Stop by Huske Hardware for a dinner of salad. N.Y. Strip steak, a side, dessert and wine or champagne — for two. This special will run you $49.99.

Pierro’s is having a sweetheart of a special, too. It costs $59.99 and includes wine, appetizer, salad, an entree and dessert for two.

Hang around downtown and dance the night away or check out the Cameo Arthouse Theater. They are having a special showing of Blue Valentine, which earned awards in 2010 at the Independant Spirit Awards, the London Film Critics Association and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Call the theater for show times at 486-6633.

Adventurers seeking something different for their sweethearts may want to consider Zipquest. Just off Ramsey Street, Zipquest was named one of USA Today’s 10 great zip lines and it’s right here in our own backyard. It costs $79 per person and is an adventure you won’t soon forget.

Then head home with a nice bottle of wine to enjoy the rest of the evening. Bob & Sheree’s Beer & Wine Shoppe has his and her baskets fi lled with wine and chocolate — Sweetheart baskets for the ladies and Lionheart baskets for gents. Baskets start at $50. Mention downtown’s “Have a Big Heart” program and receive $5 off.

Of course these are just a few of the options for a fun Valentine’s Day date. Check out pages 18 and 19 and see what else is going on downtown.

Fayetteville State University’s Seabrook Auditorium will have magic in the air as Aladdin comes to the stage this month.

The magical story of Aladdin is a well traveled and long loved one. The tale is said to have started as a Middle Eastern folk tale, but is also said to have Arabic, Persian, Indian and Egyptian roots, dating well back to the 15th century. Like most great stories, the initial origin may be cloudy and some details may have changed but the heart of the story survives.

The story revolves around young Aladdin, an impoverished youth with dreams of being rich and respected. By a series of events, he comes to acquire a magical lamp containing a powerful genie, that he has tricked an evil magician into relinquishing. He then uses the genie’s power to win the heart of beautiful Princess Jasmine and impress the Sultan, making his dreams come true. In a twist however, the magician regains the lamp and kidnaps the Princess, and in order to set things right, Aladdin along with his monkey sidekick Alakazam, must face Chop-Chop the ruthless executioner and help set things right!

This story has survived and has been woven into history many different ways for the simple fact that it has all the components of a wonderful adventure. Love, betrayal and magic have always been a recipe for a good story. We cheer for underdog Aladdin and hope for evil villains comeuppance.

This February Fayetteville State University Theater put it’s own spin on this yarn, with this non musical version of the classic tale. In this delightful version, experience all the magic and suspense you’ve come to associate with Aladdin, as well as meet three genies, the whining Ali “Bubba,” the fire-breathing dragon and the haughty sultan’s wife.

Fayetteville State University has been putting on exciting productions since about 1973 and is still going strong, putting on more than 20 shows a year.

Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Phoebe Hall, who has been with the company since 2000, is enthusiastic about this months feature.

“I think that Aladdin will be well received, Tim Kelly has done an excellent job in bringing his adaptation to life. The students, as always, worked really hard to make this story one that the audience will really enjoy.”

The proceeds from Aladdin, as well as the theater’s other productions go right back into the theater fund, and is used to continually provide Fayetteville with genuinely entertaining performances.

Show times are Feb. 17 and 18 at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and Feb. 18 also at 7 p.m. The tickets for the two mornings shows were sold out as of Monday, Feb. 1, but tickets for the evening show is still available.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for staff, faculty and senior citizens, $3 for children and $2 for students with a valid ID until curtain time. After curtain the full adult price will apply.

For more information feel free to contact the theater at 910-672-1006 or at their website http://www. uncfsu.edu/theatre.

The Carolina Philharmonic has had an impressive season of performances in Fayetteville. It started with the Latin Serenade, followed by In Memoriam — In Celebration of the Faithfully Departed. The orchestra celebrated the holidays with Christmas in New York — Jazz Piano with Joshua Wolff and Twelfth Night. Now Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and the philharmonic is set to impress once again with Valentine’s Soiree— The Night They Invented Champagne Movie Music From the Golden Era which will be performed at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on Feb. 13.

Fairly new to the Fayetteville music scene, the Carolina Philharmonic debuted in February of 2009 as the West Side Chamber Orchestra to standing ovations. The group then joined Maestro David Michael Wolff’s New York orchestra, The Manhattan Chamber Philharmonic, at Carnegie Hall on April 4, 2009. Again, the group received accolades and were invited back to perform on March 3, 2011.

Since then the orchestra has incorporated, and has changed its name to the Carolina Philharmonic, while continuing to impress and inspire local audiences. The musicians currently remain a chamber orchestra, and are dedicated to meeting the needs of the community through solo performances, small chamber groups, small and large chamber orchestra formations, as well as occasional expansions to a full symphonic orchestra.

The Carolina Philharmonic website notes, “If there’s a defi ning feature of the Carolina Philharmonic, much more than its virtuosity, it’s the tangible joy of musical expression that brings its audiences repeatedly to their feet, from Fayetteville to Carnegie Hall.”

Kathy Wilford, the Carolina Philharmonic spokesperson, credits the group’s success to Maestro David Michael Wolff.

“The heart and soul of the philharmonic is our maestro, principal conductor and artistic conductor,” said Wilford. “He is an exceptional human being, number one, but an amazing musician, too. We are a growing organization. Like our website says, we are still a small philharmonic — with big ideas.”

With Music from An American in Paris, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, Gone with the Wind, My Funny Valentine, Fats Waller’s Valentine Stomp and The Night They Invented Champagne, music lovers are sure to delight in this latest performance.

“This was our maestro’s idea,” said Wilford. “This is an era that has exceptionally elegant music and it kind of came together as a natural combination.”

Musicians will include David Michael Wolff on the piano, Young Mee Jun, soprano, Yang Xi on the violin and viola, Izabela Spiewak on the violin and Nate Leyland on the cello.

There will be a champagne reception as well.

“We are trying to bring exceptional music back into the mainstream of America, and we are starting in North Carolina,” Wilford said. “Our audiences are growing exponentially, we’ve been very blessed in that, and it is coming together nicely. Once you see what we can produce you will just be amazed.

”The performance starts at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $5 for students and go up to $25. They can be purchased by calling 910.687.4746.

 

Photo: Maestro David Michael Wolff will lead the Carolina Philharmonic in its Valentine’s Day Performance.