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RED
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disease) and taking residents to the hospital
and fixing them food," Johnson told her nearly
25 party guests Saturday.
ACS officials noticed right away that clients
immediately bonded with Johnson, a regal
woman with a big laugh who prefers hugs and
kisses to handshakes. Johnson was asked to
serve on one of ACS' boards and has been an
active member for years. She has also held sev
eral "Red" parties over the years.
The party-throwers have freedom to give any
type of event they choose. Some of this spring's
ACS Red events will be formal, sit-down din
ners; others will be floating receptions at art gal
leries with live music. Party attendees are asked
to make a donation to ACS during the event.
Johnson held a lively affair with goodies like
fruit punch, sauce-drenched meatballs, red vel
vet cake, salsa and chips, strawberry cheesecake
and even barbecue pigs' feet to set the color
theme.
Her late son was known as Mr. Marvtastic for
his larger-than-life "Hollywood" personality.
Johnson is known as Mama Marvastic or simply
"Mama" to those who love and admire her. Larry
Leon Hamlin often credited his mother for giv
ing him his star qualities. Johnson showed
Saturday that she has plenty of her own as well .
She provided the entertainment by improvising
several skits, with the help of her unsuspecting
dinner guests, that tackled the touchy subject of
AIDS. She said she wanted to drive home to her
guests that all people need love, regardless of
what medical conditions they have ? -
"You don't get it by touching, hugging; hold
ing hands," Johnson told her guests. "We need to
learn to love everybody, no matter what they got
or how they got it ... because how they got it,
really ain't none of our business anyway."
Sammy Gray was one of Johnson's party
guests that especially appreciated her frank
words. Gray heads Union Baptist Church's AIDS
Ministry, of which Johnson is an active member.
Gray says that even in 2008, HIV/AIDS is a dif
ficult subject for most people. He thinks people
like Johnson, who have no direct connection to
the disease, can help open the eyes of others.
"There is still so much fear," said Gray, who
is proud that Union's 15-year-old AIDS Ministry
is oldest of any local black church. "If we had
more people like her, it would be wonderful."
Johnson can attest to Gray's statement about
fear. She recalled that she once tried to get one of
her girlfriends to go with her to Holly Haven to
bond with the residents there. She said her friend
rebuffed the offer by stating that people would
think that she or someone in her family had the
disease if she were to volunteer at Holly Havep.
"I don't understand that," said Johnson. "I
have been blessed that no one in my family has
had to deal with it, but we have: to help people,
regardless because God loves all of us."
Annie Hamlin Johnson performs a skit with
Gwendolyn Russell.
Lack of knowledge is also still an issue, as
was apparent at Johnson's soiree. Guests used
the occasion to clear up questions they had about
HIV/ AIDS. One woman said that she had heard
that the virus could be passed through perspira
tion. Johnson and Gray quickly shot down that
myth, telling the guests that the transfer of blood,
semen and/or vaginal fluids is how the disease is
spread.
Amy Lindsey, ACS' community relations
director, said it is always a win-win when Red
events serve as both a fundraiser and an educa
tion forum.
"It is always good when we can raise aware
ness because it is still not something that people
are generally talking about," said Lindsey, who
attended Johnson's party.
About 45 Red parties are planned this spring.
Half of them have already taken place, Lindsay
said, and brought in about $25,000 for ACS.
Johnson says that as long as there is air in her
lungs, she will continue to give her time and
energy to those in need. Some of those at Holly
Haven have been abandoned by their families as
a result Of their HIV/AIDS status. Sometimes -
when Johnson transports residents to their doc- .
tor's appointments - they ask her to accompany
them into the examination room. Sometimes she
holds their hands.
"I'll be their mother," Johnson said. "They
are not really my child, but they are someone's
child."
For more information on AIDS Care Service,
go to www.aidscuresery-ice.orf; or call (336)
777-0116.
Photos by Kevin Walker
Members of the Ladies of Excellence Red Hat Society, of which Johnson is a member, were on
hand for the party. They are Geneva "Blackburn, from left, Deloris Monsanto, Pearline Howard,
Annie Johnson, Lucille Monroe, Linda Davis and Barbara Donaldson. o
IdWPYW!
That's right, Until Sam could owe you money. II you paid fadaral excise tax on long-distance
phona sarvica during tha last thraa yaars, you may ba aligibla tor a talaphona tax ratund.
Tha standard ratund ia $30 to $60 and tor some paopla, who had larga phona bills, it could ba
even more. 60 to IB8.gov for details. Or dial 1-S00-S29-4477 and select recorded tax topic M11.
Photo by LayU Fanner
Professor Larry Little with some of his students.
Protest held for early voting sites
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Demonstrators young and old
gathered on the sidewalk in front
of the Government Center
Tuesday afternoon. Some came
in wheelchairs or leaned on
canes. Others huddled together
and shivered in the breeze. Yet
their spirits were high.
"This is the '60's again," one
protester commented with a gig
gle. "I'm loving it."
The miscellaneous group
gathered in support of an ongo
ing effort by State Reps. Earline
Parmon and Larry Womble. The
two legislators are calling for an
increase in the number of early
voting sites in the county.
Womble, who is recovering from
hip surgery, led the rally from his
wheelchair.
"This is too important not to
at least make a statement," he
said. "This Board of Elections
... kaid they were going to have
four sites ... for the entire county
and didn't have but one site in the
African American community."
This isn't the first time the
BOE has heard from the group.
The board entertained comments
from community members on
the subject at its March 6 meet
ing. Several organizations, such
as Democracy NC and Triad for
Obama, also spoke out in support
of adding locations at that time.
Additional sites will provide
greater accessibility for disad
vantaged citizens and reduce the
lines at precincts on Election
< Day, supporters say.
"Four sites are not enough,"
Womble asserted. "Greensboro
has 12 ... there's something
wrong with that picture."
The Rev. Benjamin
Humphrey, of St. James AME
Church in Winston-Salem, was
among those in attendance.
"Some folks wish something
would happen; some folks don't
know what in the world is hap
pening; and some folks make
things happen," Humphrey
declared. "I am about trying,
through the grace of God, to
make things happen worth
while."
The rally also piqued the
interest of several political sci
ence majors at Winston-Salem
State. They accompanied their
professor, Larry Little, at the
event.
"We want to set an example
for all of the schools," Little said.
"And after we organize the cam
pus, then we've got to deal with
(organizing) the community."
The upcoming primary is old
hat to the students. Some of
them have traveled as far as Ohio
to garner support for Barack
Obama.
"It was just a great experi
ence," commented sophomore
Christopher Taylor, a political
science and psychology major.
"It's just been wonderful getting
involved in something like this
after seeing ... other people
doing it for so long."
Many fellow supporters
expressed gratitude to the stu
dents for their presence. Womble
praised them for the work they
have already done elsewhere.
"Don't tell me you?g people
are not involved," he bellowed.
"They are not only involved, but
they are dedicated and engaged."
After the rally, the group
moved upstairs to attend the 4
pjn. BOE meeting. BOE offi
cials declined to allow public
comment, which distressed
Womble and Parmon. The duo
distributed a letter outlining their
concerns to board and communi
ty members instead.
"... We are concerned that
today's meeting is not open to the
public for comments and input,"
the letter read in part. "It is
important that the citizens of
Forsyth County be granted every
possible opportunity to take an
active role in the electoral
process, which includes provid
ing input at meetings such as
this."
The board voted two to one
to add five additional sites to the
early voting roster. Board
Member Jerry Jordan, the
board's only Republican,
remains steadfast in his opposi
tion to adding sites. Because the
vote was not unanimous, it is
now up to the State Board of
Elections to make the determina
tion. llie board will reconvene
April 1.
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