West
from page .41
To ensure that only the most
'. needy get the five single unit cot
; tages available, male and female
? veterans who qualify must be
referred to the ESR staff by the
Salisbury medical center or by the
staff of the VA Out-patient Clinic
here in Winston-Salem.
And depending upon individ
ual situations, the vets will have a
set amount of time to reside in the
cottages,
ESR will refer residents to
Goodwill Industries, the Depart
ment of Social Services, JobLink
Center and a variety of other agen
cies that 'can provide additional
assistance.
"If it deals with ESR, I'm will
ing to do whatever," Congressman
Richard Burr said.
While Burr praised the organi
zation for its more than 30-year
commitment to helping the needy,
he said agencies like ESR cannot
do it alone. Burr urged the commu
nity to support the down-trodden
as they try to lift themselves up
through programs like those
offered by ?SR.
"Without your support, it does
n't happen," Burr said,
ESR was also lauded by Mayor
Jack Cavanagh and Alderwoman
Wanda Merschel. Merschel - who
represents the ward in which the -
cottages sit - said the agency did
wonders with a similar transitional
housing complex on Spring Street.
"("Hie) location had unfortu
nately fallen into disrepair, (but)
ESR turned it around. I can (speak
to) the character of ESR," she
said.
Over the years, the Vives Cot
tages have been used for a number
of transitional housing programs,
but for the last year or so the cot
tages have been vacant and in need
of repairs.
The job of making the build
ings suitable for human habitation
fell into the hands of the Winston
Salem Service Corps, a city-spon
sered program that provides a
group of 30 young people with
hands-on training in construction.
The students did everything
from installing the beige-colored
vinyl siding, to painting the porch
railings and laying down the car
pet.
"The only things they didn't do
were the skilled trade type things
like the electrical wiring and the
plumbing," said Monica Lett,
director of Winston-Salem Hous
ing & Neighborhood Develop
ment.
Each service corps student
received a certificate of apprecia
tion from ESR. They also received
a standing ovation as they marched
before the audience, at Wellmans
direction, during the ceremony.
"We are so proud of them,"
Wellman said. ,?.
Frank Williams is one of the
service corps students responsible
for the cottages' transformation.
Williams said the nearly six months'
that it took him and his co-workers
to complete the project was time
well spent.
"It was a wonderful experi
ence," Williams said. That's what
made it fun...because we were help
ing other people."
West - an Atkins High School
graduate and Winston-Salem
native - said homelessness in
America was a disgrace, but that
homelessness among veterans is
one of the nation's most shameful
secrets.
Supporting programs like
ESR's, West said, is one of the ways
his agency is trying to combat the
problem.
"America can do better. The VA
is concerned about housing (for
veterans)," he said.
Looking out at an audience
filled with many service men and
women. West hailed military ser
vice as one of the most honorable
professions one could enter, and -
quoting his boss. President Bill
Clinton - he reiterated why such
programs for homeless veterans are
so important.
"The most distinguished deco
ration that one can wear is an
armed service uniform," West said.
"President Clinton said that it's a
national disgrace when people who
lay their lives on the line for this
nation, have no place to lay their
heads."
A nearly $70,000 check was
presented to ESR by West from the
VA. The money will help offset
some of the costs involved in reno
vating the cottages. The city paid
for all the repairs up front, Lett
said.
West, Wellman, Lett and many
others made the short trip from the
YWCA to the cottages for a brief
ribbon cutting ceremony. Guests
were then given the opportunity to
tour the small, neat cottages.
Wellman said the first vets
should move by this week.
x Photos by T. Kevin Wafker
Vivos Cottages ? locatod at tho coriwr of Groan and Watkins Shoots - will provido transitional housing
for fhro votorans.
' ?
Members pf the Winston-Salem service corps were at last week's reception. The group did most of the
renovations on the cottages.
Chance meeting
? - Photo by Bruce Chapman
Lieutenant Colonel Mothew Murphy shares a laugh with Kerinit Britt. The two who served in Vietnam
together, were reunited at the CIAA tournament,
I _
Vietnam vets reunited at tourney
By sam DAVIS
The chronicle
The CIAA is well-document
ed as a meeting place for old
friends, teammates and class
mates.
But recently it provided the
backdrop for a chance meeting
between two old friends, who
hadn't seen each other in nearly
three decades.
The odds of the two meeting
again, even though separated by
only 30 miles, was slight. How
ever. when Lieutenant Colonel
Matthew P. Murray. Jr. of Clem
mons took his ROTC color
guard to Lawrence Joel Veterans
Memorial Coliseum to present
the colors prior to the national
anthem at Monday afternoon's
women's basketball game, he
received a pleasant surprise.
Murray was looking at the
action on the court when a tall,
distinguished gentleman made
his way up the steps. As the two
gazed at each other, the other
man smiled.
It a small one that Murray
recognized. It was the smile of
Kermit J. Britt, who served with
Murray during the Vietnam
War.
Although both had under
gone alot over the years, the
bond they established during
their days together with the 2nd
Battalion of the 501st Infantry
in the Army's 101st Airborne
Division during 1971-72
remained fast.
"At first I looked at him and
knew that smile," Murray said.
"I'm thinking that's Kermit.
We're both older and chunkier,
but I couldn't forget that
name."
Britt, who joined the reserves
after his tour of duty ended, is a
Shaw alum who relocated to
Greensboro recently. He was the
tournament to watch the Shaw
women's team compete in the
tournament.
Although Murray said he's
known a lot of people over the
years. Britt had several distinc
tive qualities.
"One thing I remembered
about him , even though he was
a Lieutenant at the time, was his
style." Murray said. "He always
had an air of distinction about
him. That's a funny thing to say
when you're in combat, but he
was a unique person back then."
Murray was a battalion oper
ations officer. He said he could
see the qualities in Britt, which
eventually led to him becoming
a Colonel in the reserves.
"He ended up out-ranking
me," said Murray, who was in
charge of the ROTC programs
at Wake Forest and Winston
Salem State for many years.
"You could tell then that he was
going to do well in whatever he
did "
%
NEIGHBORHOOD AWARD NOMINATIONS
Winston-Salem Partners in Progress
Best Practice Award Competition
The City of Winston-Salem is accepting nominations to recognize neighborhood
associations for their accomplishments in carrying out activities to improve their
communities. Neighborhood associations can be nominated for recognitipngn
one of the following categories:
.v 1
O Neighborhood Beautification
Q Neighborhood Capacity Achievement
O Neighborhood Safety
Nomination forms are available from the Housing/Neighborhood Services Dept.,
City Plaza, 225 West Fifth Street, 3rd Floor, 727-8575. For additional informa
tion please ask for Mr. Don Dwiggins.
Nomination forms must be received by 5pm. Friday. March 12.1999.
Presentation of Awards Ceremony - Monday, March 29,1999, 6:00 P.M.
Assembly Room of the LJVM Coliseum
afflaai
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