Chronicle Profile She's dedicated h By AUDREY L. WILLIAMS Chronicle Staff Writer It Mama Wright thinks a young boy is a bit too timid, she'll make him put up his dukes and light her. It' a young girl isn't acting like a lady% Mama Wright pulls her aside and tells her about the respect "only ladies get." ~ * - kjueen "Mama" Wright, or "Grandma" as the little ones affectionately call her, is the assistant recreation director at Reynolds Park Recreation Center. And though it's not a part of her job title -- she's that mother away from home, too. Everyone one calls the active 59-year-old mother of 11 children "Mama," even her bossv former Harlem Globetrotters basketball player Robert Little and the center's director. A native of Winston-Salem, Wright, a genuine ?? r? yruvtU hring first p,n her list,.can.. 1 tamtty?bi? seated fut?live minutes?bl'luW h?T assistance is needed on game rules or to mediate a disagreement. If she wants the girls to know'the right way to jump rope, she takes over. If a youngster is having difficulty with a jump shot, she shows him how it's done. "I " >" ? ? i iv/?*r uuiui tn, ictys w ngm. i iove an cnuaren and 1 always wanted a large family." And family is what she has. In 20 years she has had over 20 foster children in her home, in addition to her own 10 children and a daughter she legally adopted. "If 1 had the funds," she says, "I'd take in every,, child nobody wanted." A 15-year-old foster son now lives with her and she talks of her hopes to win custody of his twin brother. Wright finds it difficult to talk about the alienation she suffered as a child because of her Indian and Spanish heritage. But in order to explain her love for W pro f was '? Mi< ' m >^R cor Mrs. Melonle Moultry Lowe Moultry and Lowe wed Melonie Ruth Moultry of Plains, N.J., Misses DenWinston-Salem and Sidney niese Bruce and Gloria Rochell Lowe of Raleigh Hines, both of Raleigh, were married Saturday, Miss Kim Hunt of Roxboro . June 23, at a 3 p.m. and Miss Lorise White of ceremony at Mount Zion Washington, D.C. Baptist Church, with the The best man was Derek Reverends Kelly O.P. Whittenburg of Glenarden, . Goodwin and Konnie G. Md. Robinson officiating. Groomsmen were the The bride, a 1980 groom's brothers, Edwin oraHnatp of Fast Forsvth Lowe, and James Lowe. Senior High School and a Robert Ager, all of 1984 graduate of North Washington, D.C., Clyde Carolina State University, Austin, Donald Bruce Jr. is the daughter of Mr. and and Dwayne Green, both of Mrs. Calvin J. Moultry of Raleigh, Archibald Banks 836 Rankin St. Ill of Reidsville, Lorenzo who was starting pbint Grace and Lamar Languard for the North drum, both of WinstonCarolina State Wolfpack Salem, the groom's team for four years and led brother, Willie Gwyn Jr. of the team to the NCAA Alexandria, Va., Darryl Championship, is a member Harris of Charlotte, of the Indiana Pacers Charles Logan of Newark, basketball team in In- N.J., and the groom's dianapolis, Ind. nephew, Kenny Lowe of I? ^ Ut? U?r A lovon/^r in \I n ^Jiven in mdMiagC uy llti aiCAauuna, ? ?. father, Moultry had her sister, Miss Ganelle GiGi Other ushers were Cozell Moultry of Winston-Salem, McQueen of Bennettsville, as the maid of honor. S.C., Reginald Moore of Bridesmaids were Misses Ann Arbor, Mich., Stacey Erica Brown, Demetra Spencer of Wilmington and Miller, Aileen Oliver, the brideVs brother, Robert Eleanor Phillips, Mary Moultry. Phillips, Lynn Stevenson, Flower girls were Miss Princess Watson, Dcbra Tramaine Brown of Welch and Tonya Withers- Greensboro and Miss Tracy nonn. all of Winston- Phillips of Dayton, Ohio. Salem. Bridesmaids from Ring bearers were out-of-town included William Slaughter of Misses Vickie Weaver and Washington, D.C. and Michelle Wilson of .lames Moore of WinstonDurham, Misses Prcncssa Salem. Michens and Ava Scott of The couple will make Atlanta, Ga., Miss Bonita their home in Raleigh, until Green of Greensboro, Miss they move to Indianapolis Audrey Horton of Scotch in September. __ * er life to cliildren children, site puis aside the pain she's harbored fors many years. "My childhood was a very unpleasant one," sa; Wright. "It was sad. The children would throw rod at me, call me names, pull my hair and tear ir clothes off." The name calling and t he badgering I'rot neighborhood children and classmates didn't en there for Wright, she says. It continued even throng hik>h school. StlC li:?H Mil fricM/tw ?1 - C-- - I'V . 1 ivtm.1, ,-?r?v r??jrr?, UIIU II majority of her tree time was spent with the gram mother who raised her and other adults. When Wright, a former first-grade teacher at it Seventh Day Adventist School in High Point, w; asked to help keep order at the Martin Luther Kir Recreation Center while the director was away, it w; soon discovered that she was a natural with childrei the onsb cowiUtersd troublemakers and tineo trotfaoie humbled in her presence, she says. And tl Bible-quoting Wright, whose husband, Elder Lonn Wright, is the former pastor of Baldwin's Chap Seventh Day Adventist Church in High Point, h been put to the test on many occasion. Before arriving at Reynolds Park two years ag Wright had held her ground and gained the respe and admiration of the children and parents as dire tor of recreation at the North Hills Recreatic Center. "They (the children) ran all the other directors o before I came," she saysT "1 told them when I g there if i left, there would be no more recreatic center. "When they would try to break in the center, "I call the police and then 1 go get'em. When the do| came in, 1 called the boys in my office that I km were selling it and I told them if they sold that stu r. John A. teemster h >r. John A. Feemster, a friends were the guests minent Detroit surgeon, Rep. Matthew McNeel recently honored by the speaker protem of t higan State House of Michigan House 1 >resentatives for his Representatives at a lu standing leadership, cheon where Rep. McNe< itributions and presented Dr. Feemster ievements in the medical framed copy of a "Reso fession. Feemster, a tion of Tribute" honori duate of Atkins "High him. 100I, has practed in During the lunchec :roit since 1974. Michigan Gov. Ray Bk :eemster, his wife, chard paid a special visit Idren, parents, two meet and congratuli ers and several close Feemster. Oth 1 | k J k 4 | flHHH I PRE-4 HOME . 2130 or, 33005 . JBMt ?6 OFF M Weatherbeater latex stain 4* fc Choose from ^ I K> **?coC>, ~ >f semi-transparent * I ^ * LutM***#1* or solid color exte- I ' l^twugy111 rior stains. jigagj 5?*?? 9" j $17.99 oil stain > gal. 11.99 1800 1900 | 5 VALUE-PRICE sPr?yer W? (s iL~ Craftsman spray j I j IJI er, carrying case, w\ suction tube kit, v more. For big or /gM small paint jobs! " - - > 6382 $6 OFF n # 32-gal. size 9200s trash can Full 2-year warHSfl"?ranty against |t I > cracking or breakb^hB,AGj#iins99'%'s"" ?- r \d WV BarbOursville Berkley BluefieM Charleston f .! ???? |Sfl|P3 ^ . v'~ . -^^BBW^ifcfc. ^BBBKMM^gSaB^B|piB|rBi| el as "Mama" Wright has the magic'formula for F (photo by James Parker). o, Cl c- to my children or the ones I had myself, they >n wouldn't have to worry about the law ? I'd get'em myself." ff That was the end of drug peddling at the North ot Hills center. )n _ After realizing that many of the kids in the neighborhood had no other outlets other than drugs 'd or crime, she started pulling in bands, two of which a pe son and daughter of hers sang in. ?w "I gave them something to look forward to," says iff Wright. "I knew 1 was going to have to give them \onored of distinguished guests present ^ ly, included Senator Jackie M he Vaughn, Mr. David Kelly, M of public relations officer of the Michigan Medical dy Society. Rep. McNeely and a Senator Vaughn are black lu- members of the Michigan HHHHi ng State Legislature. - Dr John A Feemstl Following the luncheon, >n, Feemster, accompanied by . _ . . .. r .. . f . . of Representatives at Lar an- his family and friends, was . . . . ... ing, Mich, to given special recognition . , j Feemster is the son ate during the afternoon sesier sion of the Michigan House Please see page A8 ^gpri ?81 r-i - 'MS o o*^; pj ^ ^ ^Hrh C**ng P??* jfchl^,,T^L?? O M***** cS xM SotUfoctlen gworontMd iL STORE or your mo?#y bock Jin^n^ns.on^m'0 Gr**?V",e 'SEARS ROE BUCK AND <^^01 i The Chronicle, Thursday, June 28, 1984-Page A7 ? ?> ^1 VMl? JP ILyM w^ X \ I 4? \ m ,K''r^? <#H M t SHE : 4* [on Gregg's timidness: "Put up your dukes" / i something and the kids that people called the worse ones, I'd put them irilcharge." Calling her "Mama" isn't just the name that everyone calls Wright. It goes beyond that. Every child in the Reynolds Park center has had to deal with her one way or another. She's kept hours as late as 7 a.m. in the morning entertaining children with cards, bingo or just having rap sessions in her home. Despite what may seem an adult becoming too involved, Mama Wright doesn't think so. As a matter of fact, it's the childhood she never had. J r CONVERSE all-stars A ?66 . I U pair Sizes 7 to 13 | White canvas^^T^ , *HI 0f l0? T?P " er LADIES I c. TRI-AXIAL SWIMSUITS SPEAKERS - 2 FOR 3?!, Pi 16" of Sizos 10 to 16 *2 PC Skirts 6x9 $ J Asst. 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