Entertainment

All-White Charity Ball - Shining light on single parent resilience

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Monarch Family Single Parents Non-Profit Inc. is gearing up to host the 2nd Annual All-White Charity Ball, an event that celebrates and supports single mothers and fathers who raise their children alone. The ball will take place on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the SkyView on Hay, a prestigious venue located at 125 Hay St. in Fayetteville. The event will start at 6 p.m. and end at 11 p.m..

Ashley Graham, the event organizer, is committed to creating an elegant and purposeful evening that genuinely embraces and bolsters single parents.

"It's pivotal to accentuate their unwavering commitment and fortitude in nurturing their children,” said Graham.

The All-White Charity Ball provides an opportunity for attendees to network with diverse businesses, gain invaluable insights and support, and contribute to a movement championing the resilience and unwavering dedication of single mothers and fathers.

Monarch Family Single Parents Non-Profit Inc. is a community-based organization that provides essential resources, educational platforms, training and family-centric events to support single parents and their families. The proceeds from the All-White Annual Charity Ball will be used to amplify the organization's mission, ensuring a sustained influx of aid and resources for the single-parent community.

"Monarch Family is devoted to furnishing indispensable resources, educational platforms, training avenues and orchestrating family-centric events," shared Graham. "Our overarching goal is to weave a safety net that empowers single parents to thrive in their roles."

The event offers the community a chance to unite in solidarity with single parents and celebrate their unwavering commitment and fortitude in nurturing their children.

Tickets for this highly anticipated event are available for purchase, promising an evening teeming with camaraderie and celebration, all while tangibly impacting the lives of single-parent families. For further details and ticket acquisitions, individuals interested in contributing to this noble cause can visit https://www.monarcfamily.com/all-white-annual-charity-ball or directly contact Ashley Graham at ashley.graham@monarchfamily.com.

Celebrate music at Carolina Country Music Awards

CCMA LogoIt’s not the CMAs that get people excited south of Nashville, it’s the CCMAs. The 8th Annual Carolina Country Music Awards are set for Jan. 20th at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at 6 p.m.

The awards are bringing the best and brightest in the local music scene under one roof, a night to recognize the region's music excellence. Not to be mistaken for any other award show, the Carolina Country Music

Awards boasts a roster of 28 performers for the night. More than an awards show, it’s a major country music concert.

The 8th Annual CCMAs has dozens of industry achievement awards to be presented to a star studded lineup of talented country music singers and songwriters. Co-hosting this year’s show with CCMA founder Christy

Andrulonis, otherwise known as radio personality Sweet Tea, is local WBTW-TV chief meteorologist, Frank Johnson of and Bill Bowman, publisher of Fayetteville, North Carolina’s community newspaper Up & Coming Weekly.

Previous CCMA award winners Greg Parrish and Paige King Johnson are both set to hit the stage with a very special performance by Texas native singer/songwriter, Donice Morace, who has opened for chart-topping artists such as Kenny Chesney.

The CCMA recognitions and awards will include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Male and Female Artist of the Year, Christian Country Single of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, the Sweet Tea Making a Difference award, and the Gold Medal awards.

One of this year’s Gold Medal award winners is classic rock and country bassist legend, Michael Andrew McKinney, or as he prefers to be known, Andy McKinney. McKinney has played with the biggest names on the Billboard charts, like James Taylor, and managed the stage for names just as big, like KISS. With over two decades in the business onstage and off, McKinney is truly humbled to be recognized and honored by the CCMA.

“[This is] a huge thing for me. I went through some sacrifices throughout my life…with being in music… to come out of it … it feels really good,” McKinney said.
McKinney will be joined by Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame member Lynne O’Quinn, who is his long time friend and manager. Also appearing is Eastern North Carolina’s popular band, recording artists, and former CCMA award winner, Rivermist. They will open this year’s show performing the National Anthem. Greg Adair, Rivermist’s drummer and general manager, loves the musical experience Sweet Tea Andrulonis has created with the CCMAs.

“Christy and Jeff Andrulonis are wonderful people doing great things for the country music industry. They have a great event that supports and nurtures a lot of young local musical talent. I mean, we are not considered a country band, but we have a couple successful crossovers. We’ve won the CCMA Best Group of the Year 2021, and Rivermist has again been nominated for that award this year. It’s going to be fun and exciting night.” Adair said.

Winner to performer is a common theme with the CCMAs, proving that it can be a catalyst for local artists' careers.

“Some of these performers don’t get the recognition or publicity for the talents they were blessed with. There are extremely talented singer/songwriters that are 20 to 25 years old trying to make it somewhere in the Carolinas. This event gives them a chance to showcase their talents. This is their Special night! Many CCMA award winners have gone on to very successful careers in the music industry,” Adair said of the opportunity the CCMAs provides for its winners. The CCMAs don’t just help catapult careers, it validates them. The Carolina Country Music Association Hall of Fame hosts some big names in country music. According to Jeff Andrulonis “Over the years we have inducted into our Hall of Fame Zakk Turner, Greg Rowles, and Mark Herdon from the band Alabama.”

That’s pretty impressive. This year’s Hall of Fame Inductee is Billboard‘s, Multi-Gold, and Platinum recording artist, John Berry. Berry’s career has had longevity and success, with hits Change My Mind, She’s Taken A Shine and There He Goes in the ’90s, Will You Marry Me, Time In A Bottle, Lady, and Let’s Stay Together in the 2000s. Berry also had a show that aired for two years here in the U.S., the UK, and New Zealand called Songs and Stories with John Berry, introducing his name, voice, and songwriting skills to a brand new audience. Berry is currently keeping busy performing in theaters and churches around the country. His induction will mark the 30th anniversary of his debut album, a fitting mark of this momentous occasion in his career.

The CCMAs were founded by Christy Andrulonis, Executive Director of the Carolina Country Music Association, entrepreneur, radio host, and music advocate. She hits the airwaves every day as the mid-day host of Carolina Country Radio (100.1 in Fayetteville, 93.9 in Myrtle Beach, and 106.3 in Wilmington) as Sweet Tea.

She and her husband Jeff own the radio station and started their business right here in Fayetteville in 1995. When asked what inspired her to create the CCMAs, she said, “The Carolinas have some of the most amazing singer-songwriters. Their musical stories tell about their lives in the Carolinas. This is a night to celebrate their accomplishments in the country music industry.”

The CCMAs are Andrulonis’ passion, the event is a labor of love.

“For me, it's like a family reunion when I see all of our artists and catch up with old friends,” she said. Her hope for the future of the CCMAs is “Years of stories of the Carolinas for generations to enjoy.”
Tickets are still available and range in price and experience. For those who just want to come, support, and enjoy the show, main-level tickets are available for $45. VIP tickets are available for $130 and include second-level VIP lounge access, food, and a choice of beverages from water to adult beverages.

For music lovers who want to see how the show works behind the curtain, watch rehearsals, and see how the show comes together for one of the greatest nights in the Carolinas, there’s the VIP Box Seat and Backstage Pass option.

These ticketholders have exclusive box seats, this space will provide the best views of the show and each box seat area can hold up to 8 guests, backstage passes for all 8 guests, and access to the VIP lounge. An extra perk of this level ticket is the ticketholder business logo being placed on the CCMAs’ promotional material. No matter the price of your ticket, everyone gets to walk the red carpet and network! Dress to impress the camera and talk to the industry’s leading experts. All tickets can be purchased online at https://www.carolinacountrymusicassociation.org/carolina-country-music-awards.

Pull up Poet to be featured on Amazon Prime Video

pexels suvan chowdhury 144429 1Growing up in the ’90s and being a fan of poetry meant staying up late to watch shows like Def Poetry Jam and spending endless hours roaming the library's stacks to find the poet that spoke to the soul.

With the environment of the poetry scene changing along with the evolution of technology and digital spaces, the face-to-face poetry scene has slowed. Dre Sansbury is looking to change that with Pull Up Poet. The event is hosted by Fayetteville State University and the FSU Department of Performing and Fine Arts, with the support of The Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County on Jan. 27th at 7 p.m. at Butler Theater on 1200 Murchison Rd. Tickets are $10 for the general public and free for FSU students with a student ID. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/30441983/pull-up-poet-fayetteville-butler-theatrefayetteville-state-university

Six legendary poets will hit the stage for a captivating and interactive night of spoken word poetry and some surprises that you’ll have to be there for. Featured poets are Suave the Poet, Nick Courmon, Sh8kes, Poetic Zae, Megan Rickman, and Tam’ia King.

Sansbury promises the event will move the soul through the words about the human experience. Each performer has taken great care to create a journey for the audience, unlike anything they have experienced thus far in poetry.

One thing that won’t be a surprise is the event’s live taping to be featured on Amazon Prime Video. Even with the event set for release on the mega platform, Sansbury has secured the freedom to keep everything from production to sponsors local.

“I’m being allowed to use my own team. I’m being allowed to produce it…Everything is self-made in terms of everything being authentic and everything being Fayetteville. I’m allowed to use Fayetteville-based everything. All the poets are from North Carolina, but not from Fayetteville,” Sansbury said of his dedication to keeping this event fueled by local experience and creativity.

This event is not the first event for Sansbury. As an active veteran member in the poetry community, Sansbury has made a living from his words, literally. He currently hosts shows up and down the East Coast, mainly in Philadelphia and Atlanta. He also teaches poetry to middle and high school students through his collective Lost Voices. Not to leave the little ones out, he just added a poet who is creating a curriculum for teaching poetry to elementary school students.

Schools interested in bringing the Poetry Education program to their school can contact Sansbury directly via email, andresansburyjr@gmail.com.

For those looking to become a sponsor, there are options for businesses of all sizes. Smaller sponsorship packages range from $100 to $500 with some sponsorship perks like business logo placement on flyers, tickets to the event, and t-shirts.

For businesses looking to invest more, sponsorship packages range from $750 to $1,500 with sponsorship perks including business logo placement on banners, front-row tickets to the show, performer meet and greet, and logo featured in the Amazon Prime Video. Details about sponsorship packages can be found online.

To stay up-to-date on the latest poetry events happening around the city, join the Facebook group Poetry in Fayetteville at https://www.facebook.com/groups/480905015309199.

Fitness for everyone: Anytime Fitness Strickland Bridge

image1According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “two effective health practices to address obesity are eating a healthy-reduced diet and exercising regularly. The establishment of and maintenance of exercise/physical fitness at a gym is a proven modality for treating the diseases of obesity and overweight.”

Anytime Fitness Strickland Bridge in Fayetteville is an available option. There is also the option of an Anytime Fitness App.

“The Forbes survey results are fitness, losing weight, and improving diet are the top New Year’s resolutions. The paradox is that 22 percent of the respondents fail to keep these gym-related resolutions after two or three months,” said Connor Pitre.

Sayvon Sampson, trainer, Anytime Fitness Strickland Bridge, addresses the question, “what makes it so hard to stick with New Year’s resolutions that are gym-related?”

“There are quite a few reasons that fitness-related New Year’s resolutions usually always fail. They fall under one of these categories: money, misinformation, and lack of direction. Starting with money, a lot of people are under the assumption that all they need to get in shape is to start coming to the gym.

"There are so many material things that can be purchased to drastically improve your gym experience and the likelihood of sticking with your goal. So, they grab their 5-year-old running shoes, throw those on while having eaten one time that day, and scoop down C4 before going to the gym. The person makes a commitment to work out 7 days a week. These actions are not conducive for sustaining the gym-related New Year’s resolution,” said Sampson.

The five-year-old running shoes have outlived their effectiveness. It is recommended that exercise shoes be replaced at least yearly. When the shoes are too broken in, there is a loss of support to feet, ankles, and knees for various impact-related activities.

Over the next few weeks, it can become painful and too painful to walk. Constant pain from minimal stimulus is not easy to “tough it out.” Purchase a good pair of running shoes at minimum.

The average meal consists of 300 to 700 calories. A person can burn 1200 to 1800 calories for daily maintenance. When a person adds an hour work-out after leaving the job, that is an additional 400 to 1300 calories they can burn. The person coming to the gym after work in many cases ate a meal in the early afternoon.

The misconception is eating less is effective for getting in shape resulting in weight loss. During the early days of the fitness journey, the body needs to recover from the exercise. If the body cannot recover from the exercise, there are physical reactions. Everything is going to hurt; you are going to get weaker and in some extreme cases experience rhabdomyolysis.

Simply, you are over-training and under-recovering. It can take weeks, months, for the body to recover well from a 7-day in a row training. The body recovery requires supportive energy and protein foods.

C-4 pre- workout supplements contain beta-alanine, creatine nitrate, arginine, and caffeine. It is a source of energy, enhances performance and enhances focus. It is advisable to check with a physician or pharmacist for interaction with prescribed medications before ingesting pre-workout supplements. C-4 has a side effect of anxiety, an itch or a tingle, diarrhea, headache, and stimulated blood pressure.

Lack of direction is a significant factor contributing to not keeping gym-related resolutions.

“What do the goals of getting in shape or losing weight actually mean in practice? How does a person know if the practices are achieving the objectives? If the person sees the loss of a few pounds on the scale, is that good?” said Sampson. “The person can be losing fat or muscle. Losing muscle is not a good thing. Losing weight and keeping in shape are not the same practices. Training, eating, supplements need to coalesce with each other. The bodybuilder, advanced gym goer, and marathon runner have different protocols. The new gym-goer also has a specific protocol.

"New gym goer needs to do more foundational exercises or compound movements to bring up their guaranteed imbalance. The recovery time for the body after exercising is different for the bodybuilder, marathon runner, advanced gym goer, and the new gym-goer.”

The Anytime Fitness Strickland Bridge training program focuses on high intensity training and meal plans that complement the person’s goals.

“We have software that calculates how many calories our clients are burning with us, so we can be accurate as possible. Body composition scanner to measure muscle gained and fat lost. We have nutrition consultations to teach clients how to measure and track their macros to ensure we are meeting the necessary deficit/surplus,” shared Sampson.

Power up at Anytime Fitness Strickland Bridge 951 Strickland Bridge Road, Fayetteville.

The gym provides amenities such as Aerobics, Zumba, Personal Training, Day Training experience, Base Burn workout, Free weights, My Zone Belts, Group Training Cardio, Free Fitness Consultation, 24/7 Access, 24/7 Security, 30-Day-Training Experience, Cycling, Coaching Service, Virtual Coaching and World-Wide Access.

For more information, contact Anytime Fitness Strickland Bridge by phone at 910-425-2542.

Be Their Voice: Fayetteville Running Club fights against human trafficking with 5K

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The Fayetteville Running Club, together with The Child Advocacy Center and community partners, is organizing the annual "Be Their Voice 5k" event at Methodist University. The event, scheduled for Jan. 27th at 8 a.m., aims to raise awareness and combat the harrowing issue of human trafficking, especially during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Partnering with W.O.R.T.H. Court, Fayetteville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Methodist University, and the Child Advocacy Center, the 5k run/walk is a family-friendly event that underscores the significance of combating human trafficking. The event is a pivotal initiative to engage the community in the fight against this pressing issue.

Pre-race packet pickup is scheduled for Jan. 26th at The Coffee Scene Prince Charles in downtown Fayetteville from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. On race day, the schedule unfolds as follows:

• 8 a.m.: Race day registration and packet pickup opens/food trucks open
• 8:45 a.m.: Packet pickup closes
• 9 a.m.: 5k Starts
• 10:30 a.m.: Race course closes
• 11 a.m.: Food trucks close

Participants can register for the 5k for $30, with a price increase to $35 after Jan. 25th. Each registrant receives a commemorative t-shirt to mark the occasion. Further race details and registration information can be found by calling the Child Advocacy Center at 910-486-9700 or by visiting cacfaync.org.

The Child Advocacy Center, a cornerstone in the fight against child trafficking, offers comprehensive services to children and families in need. It serves as a platform where children can feel safe and heard and share their experiences in a secure environment. Additionally, the center is critical in nurturing the Multi-Disciplinary Team process by facilitating ongoing professional education and collaboration among various agencies involved in child welfare and protection.

Mr. Shawn Wussow, a representative from the Fayetteville Running Club, emphasized the significance of community engagement in combating human trafficking.

"Events like the Be Their Voice 5k serve as a platform to rally our community in the fight against human trafficking. It's about raising awareness, fostering unity, and channeling our collective efforts to address this pressing issue,” he stated.

The Be Their Voice 5k event stands as a beacon of hope and solidarity in the fight against human trafficking, showcasing the power of community engagement and advocacy. As the event approaches, the Fayetteville community stands united in pursuing justice and protection for the vulnerable.

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