Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Oct. 24, 1985, edition 1 / Page 27
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Winston-Salem's Napper Singers Members are, left to right, Wy Sullivan, Calvin Napper, Belinda Parker). Nappers ai By ROBIN BARKSDALE Chronicle Staff Writer What do you get when you take a group of five sisters with talented singing voices and mix in a strong sibling bond and a determination to sing for the Lord? Locally, you would end up with a gospel group closely resembling the Napper Singers of Winston Salem. The Napper Singers are Carolyn Napper, Berlene Smith, Constance Napper, Belinda Daniels and Wynette Wilson. They began singing together when the oldest of them was about six years old, and they've been together ever since. "When we were real small, we would travel with our father wherever he was preaching. Our mother was a soloist, and we'd sing a lot of times," says group member Carolyn Napper. "But sometimes we'd go and we didn't want to sing. We were just little kids, and singing was something * - we aid tor tun." Now, 25 years later, the group \ still sings together and recentlyperformed in High Point with the national gospel group the Softwfcids of Pa|erson, N.J. uWe met the Softwinds when they performed in the area. People seemed to like them, and they've got a great record out called "The Goodness of Jesus," says Carolyn. "This was my project -- we each are responsible for r a project -- so 1 made a date for them to come back to the area Spencer Memoi Spencer Memorial Christian Church, 1410 Douglas St., and the pastor and selected members of Dellabrook Presbyterian Church have announced a new program in Christian education and after-school child development. The program is called "Students Making a Real Transformation" or SMART. The basic thrust of SMART will be homework tutoring. Thirty students from the first through Htiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiniiiiiiniiiiiiimitiimiiiiiiiii ? F OCUS From lllllllltltlllflllMimiimilHIIIIttltlllltMtlllllllllllllllllllll and the same amount of money they were spending for monthly rent will go toward buying their own home. Habitat gives a family a nointerest loan to buy a house, and the family has up to 20 years to repay the loan, Case says. "We keep the cost of the house down because we use as much volunteer labor and materials as possible," he says. The family for which Habitat for Humanity decides to build the K/mica \ui! 1 / / xritri Knt** nn tn dm livsuav " in wvyiui tu uiv up w tw hours of "sweat equity." This is where the family members actually help in the construction of their home or the home of another needy family. "This not only builds character," Case says, "but builds pride in the house for the homeowner. When it's all over, they can say, 'I helped build this house.' " Case says another reason for the family's helping to build the home is to build a bond between t > prepare for performance with 1 nette Wilson, Carolyn Napper Daniels, Berline Smith and Har e talented! and appear with us in concert." Carolyn fays that the fivemember group sings mostly traditional gospel songs but also mixes in upbeat, contemporary songs. "We generally will sing the well-known, slow, soulful kinds of gospel songs, and then we'll go to something faster and more contemporary," she says. Gospel singer Shirley Caesar serves as a sort of role model for the group, says Carolyn. She adds that she and her sisters feel that the gospel vocalist has a "gogetter kind of voice" which the group admires. The Napper Singers have performed as far away as Chicago and Atlanta, but Carolyn says the arnnn hoc ?r?a/4 ? * ?? giv/up lino ll l(U IU 3 1CCI ticctl UI gospel competitions. "We don't like to compete. We just like to sing for the Lord," she says. "We felt it was not godly to think more about beating somebody else than offering a gift. If you're going to sing, just sing for the Lord." Wynette Wilson says the chance to sing with her sisters over the years has been a positive experience that has given her much pleasure. . "We're just sisters who truly enjoy singing together. It's something we've done all our lives, and it's been a great experience," says Ms. Wilson. "We are a group of sisters that has had our share of problems and disagreements, but we're still together, and that's what tuums. ial to host SM^ fifth grades who are members of single-parent families and whose parents work full time will meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. In addition to the academic emphasis, SMART will engage in cultural studies, follow the Congressional Black Caucus monthly planning schedule and participate in rituals of basic moral and religious instruction. Larry Leon Hamlin of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company and Dr. Debra Winfrey, a child psychologist, will be among the iiiiiifHiiNiiiimiiiiiiiiittniiiiiiiMiHiiiiiHiiiimiiiiiiuii Page B10 IIHIHIIIIHtltlMtllllllltttltltHllllllllltHltUIMItllttltlllll the potential homeowner and Habitat. "We don't want the people to feel that we're building a house for them," Case says. "If that were the case, they would simply take the keys when the house is finished, and that would be the i _ r n .A i *i i - ena 01 ii. ?ui we are ounaing houses with people. This builds a bond." Case says that Habitat doesn't build houses for "street people." "The people we select must have some sort of income," he says. "We don't give them the house; we sell it to thA." According to information from Habitat's national office in Americus, Ga., the average house the organization builds has a value of approximately $25,000. The Rev. Carlton A.G. Eversley, pastor of Dellabrook Presbyterian Church and a member of the board of directors of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, says that Habitat is \ the Softwinds of Paterson, N.J. , Constance Napper, Rudolph ry Cockerham (photo by James sibling mix Group member Berlene Smith agrees with her sister and says, "We are very, very close to one another, and we're Estill together because we're doing something that we all enjoy." Although the Napper Singers are content with their success thus far, group members say some of their friends have pushed them to do more. "Sure, we'd like to be successful, and we strive every day for that," sfcys Carolyn, "but that's not orir primary purpose. We'rejooklng to have a great timefin the Lord." Ms. Wilson says all members of the Napper Singers have other occupations and have interests in performing that are not careerrelated. "What we do is not a career. It's something we enjoy doing," says Ms. Wilson. "We try to reach out to people through our singing, and we pray that it will touch somebody. That's our reason for singing. We don't have to get a penny for our singing as long as we touch somebody." In December the sisters will celebrate their 25th anniversary as a group, and while it is rare for groups to spend so long a time together, the Napper Singers anticipate many more years of singinn Illg IV/5VUK1 . "We'll be together through thick and thin," says Ms. Wilson. "We've got a bond and we'll keep singing together for the rest of our lives." k.RT program special guests. There is a $1 per week tuition* fee for the program, which will begin Nov. 5 and run through the end of the school year. Snacks and transportation will be provided. Registration for SMART will be held at Spencer Memorial on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. Daisy Chambers is director of SMART; the Rev. Kenneth Davis is pastor of Spencer Memorial. For more information call the Rev. Carlton A.G. Eversley at .722-8759 or 725^274. ItfllllMtltttlttltlllltllllltlllltttlillltltttMllllltlllUIIHttltl doing a needed service, but blacks need to be more involved. "The black people are letting the white people take care of them too much," he says. "The black churches could be more involved with Crisis Control Ministry, the Samaritan Soup Kitchen and Habitat." Eversley says that there is Irresponsibility on the part of blacks and whites alike. 4iTVi#?r#?'c mark' irr??crw-?nciKi1it v a i ivi v vj uiuvn hi vo pv/ luiuitu j and white irresponsibility because the whites don't openly invite blacks to be involved," he says. He says that as Christians blacks should be seeking genuine fellowship. "We are not participating well in the things that already exist," says Eversley. About the importance to the community of Habitat's work, Eversley says: "Housing is more than housing. It speaks to environment and culture. It's selfesteem. There are black children* Please see page B13 I The ( ??????? WE GUA OUR LOW IN WINSTC Wl TRIPLE DIFFEI INC (?, Kroger promises to pay you Triple the Different shopping for less at any other supermarket in promise because we have thousands of low I purchase not less than 25 nor more than 100 < (excluding advertised specials and items that i prices with any other Winston-Salem supermai less at any other supermarket in Winston-Saler Bring your Kroger register tape plus the oth< yourself who really has low prices in Winston-S this guarantee for tobacco products, alcoholic fetfmZ r U.S. GOV'T GRADED CHOICE ^ GRAIN FED BEEF CAP-ON 9-11 -LB. AVG. Whole Boneless Sirloin Tip Pound SLICED * 100% PURE FLORIDA CHILLED Sun Gold Orange Juice V?-Gallon Cost Cutter Saltines 1-lb. Box Fresh Broccoli Bunch A f Chronicle, Thursday, October 24, 1985-Page 011 RANTEE / PRICES DN-SALEM TH :?tuca HENCE ASH \ :e in cash if you can do your normal weekly food the Winston-Salem area. Kroger can make this Cost Cutter prices throughout our stores. Just different items' totalling $20 or more at Kroger equire an additional purchase). Compare these pket. If the total amount for the identical items is n this week, we'll Triple The Difference in cash, jr store's prices to your Kroger store. See for alem Please note we are not permitted to honor : beverages, and other items prohibited by law. A KROGER , Brown & Serve Rolls 11-02. ! t i i s Crisco Shortening 3-lb. Can | $|99 LIMIT 2 PLEASE )! / > 1 1 Embassy Mavnnnako w M j wa eweww } 32-oz. i * 'I ( \ ; NON RETURNABLE BOTTLE, 1 MTN. DEW, PEPSI FREE, Diet Pepsi j or Pepsi Cola i AM* / Liter I ; I y81| ^PVRIGHT 1985 THE KROGER CO ITEMS AND PRICES )OD SUNDAY. OCT 20. THROUGH SATURDAY. OCT 26. 56. IN WINSTON-SALEM ^ E RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES NONE SOLD ) DEALERS I j p A0VERT1SE0 ITEM POLICY \ ~h of these advertised items is required to be readily available for e in each Kroger Store, except as specifically noted in thw ad If t do run out of an advertised item, we will otter you your choice ; a comparaow item, when available, reflecting the same savings a raincheck which will entitle you to purchase the advertised "n at the advertised pnce within 30 days. Only one vendor jpon will be accepted per item purchased } i ?
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Oct. 24, 1985, edition 1
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