Community
Senior Citizens Showcase Talent at
Rupert Bell Recreation Center
By MARK R MOSS
Chronicle Staff Writer
The talent show didn't feature
young people dancing and spouting
rap. There were no musicians show
casing their talents. Nor was there a
prop-filled stage. In fact, there was
no stage.
Nonetheless, a talent show
went on - senior citizen style.
About 50 of the city's elderly
gathered at Rupert Bel) Recreation
Center last Friday to see about a
half dozen of their peers sing and
read poetry. One woman showed
off the Army helmet and gear her
father wore during World War I.
Dorothy Gibson, whose father
was one of a platoon of African
American soldiers who were sent to
fight overseas, wore the helmet
while reading information she had
gleaned frotm a textbook on the
black soldiers who fought in that
j war.
The material she Tecited
focused on the hardships a soldier
encountered in the midst of battle.
To the delight of the audience, Gib
son, still wearing the helmet,
donned her father's gas mask and
posed for a photographer.
Mar^Britt, the center s super
visor, explained that the pageant
show was one of five annual events
held annually and sponsored by
District 5 of the North Carolina
Association of Senior Citizens.
District 5 is comprised of senior cit
izens groups throughout the county.
Among the most creative of the
_ poetry readings was Deloise Joyn
er's "The Meanest Mother in the
World," a tribute to her mother and
a sarcastic slap at the leniency
today's parents show their children.
"I had the meanest mother in
the world!
While other kids ate candy for
breakfast,
I had to have cereal, eggs, grits,
sausage, bacon and biscuits ...
I am really shame to admit it,
but she actually whipped me;
Not once, but each time we did
?as we pleased ..."
Joyner went on to talk about
having to be in bed by 9 p.m. and
the cold reception young men
received from her mother when
. they came courting.
"And who do 1 have to blame
for the way I turned out?
My mean old mother ..."
Geneva Britt read two poems,
one humorously critical of the mod
em woman and her relations with
men and another that took a comi
cal but critical look at men.
Frances Griffin, who repre
sented a senior citizens club in Sky
land Park, sang, a cappella, an orig
inal rendition of "Amazing Grace."
Through Drug Treatment Program ,
An E^Qffender Gets a Fresh Start
By DAVID L. DILLARD
Chronicle -Staff Writer
One day last year. Cathy Caesar
and several friends were driving to
another friend's house for a get
together. She neve* knew, she said,
that cocaine was stashed under the
hood. But minutes later she would
be charged with possessing and traf
ficking cocaine after police found
the drugs. .
Caesar, a former user of the
drug, was angry at first but later
became more content after being
allowed a chance to clean her sys
tem and her criminal record. At her
lawyer s advice, she entered the
DONT (Drug Offenders Need
Treatment) program last December
to avoid a felony drug charge.
"I went (to the program) to get
myself back to where I wanted to
be, get my self-esteem back," said
. Caesar, who now is a volunteer for
the program.
Because of the benevolence of
an anojiymous donor, DONT will
be able to the help others like Cae
sar.
The Winston-Salem Founda
tion announced last week two chal
lenge grants of $20,000 each to
DONT and ARCA (Addiction
Recovery Care Association). Henry
M. Carter Jr., the foundation s exec
utive director, also said the founda
tion has met one of the challenges
by approving a grant of $40,000 to
DONT from Crosby Tournament
funds.
DONT has been operated for
the last two years by the Winston
Cathy Caesar , right , chats with DONT program director Anita Evans.
Salem Police Department. Police
Chief George Sweat said the pro
gram will help prevent prison over
crowding and gives offenders a new
start in life.
"This program will forever
change the outlook of the criminal
justice system," Sweat said. 'Treat
ment is the answer to the drug prob
lem, not a jail cell." ?
Anita Evans. DONT program
director, said participants must have
a possession charge with no other
drug charge, must complete 50
hours of community service and
must pay a $240 waivable fee.
Sweat said the program, which
has 33 successful graduates, is try
ing to expand and allow more peo
ple to attend. Sweat said those who
complete the program are not prose
cuted and have the felony charge
removed from their record. Those
who do not complete the program
will be prosecuted, he said.
Caesar, who is upgrading her
office and clerical skills, feels her
being arrested was a blessing in dis
guise, because it allowed her a
chance to get a new start in life.
"Had I not been a user, I would
not have been with them. Every
thing happened for a reason," she
said. "I'm stronger now than I've
ever been. I know where I want to
go."
Biblical Scholar to Speak at Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church will
observe its annual Christian Educa
tion Convention this weekend with
celebrated scholar and author Cain
Hope Felder as guest lecturer.
Felder is professor of New Tes
tament Language and Literature and
editor of "The Journal of Religious
Thought" at Howard University
Divinity School.
After eight years of research,
his book Troubling Biblical Waters:
Race, Class and Family , was pub
Cain Hope F elder
lished in 1989 and immediately
gained recognition as a ground
breaking study that is revolutioniz
ing biblical studies.
Recently, he served as general
editor of The Original African Her
itage Study Bible , which deals with
the bible from an African perspec
tive.
Felder's research has served as
a catalyst for renewed interest in
biblical interpretation in many uni
versities and churches throughout
the world.
Did you live in this
city before 1950?
If so, I need'your help. There is an ongo
ing effort to restore the original St. Philip's
Church, located in Old Salem. If anyone has
recollections pertaining to this Moravian
church before it was moved from Old Salem
(March 16, 1952), I would like to talk with
you. I would also like to talk with people
who lived in Happy Hill Gardens before
1952.
If you have anv information, please con
tact me, Tanya Thacker, at 721-7300 from
8:30a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.
Thank you!
Dorothy Gibson shows off her father's Army gear.
Frances Griffin sings a solo.
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