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Vol. XXXV No. 37
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C
19 .120409 1' * * ? ".'5-DIGir 27.4.
\0R7H CAROLINA ROOM
FORSYTH CTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
660 W 5TH ST
UTtfcnAvt on-t-%/ vt/-> -v-.
2009
Middle
school
runners
excelling
-See Pave RIO
YWCA
gives
awards
to women
Smart
fud*
fetedForsyt
at Sa^,ns"
Piggott
is leaving
Happy Hill's
Sims Center
He will be new director at
Carl Russell Center
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE ,
After nearly 20 years as director of the Sims
Recreation Center in Happy Hill, Ben Piggott is
mo\ ing on.
Piggott received word from city officials last
week that he
would be trans
ferred to the
Carl H. Russell
Sr. Recreation
Center on
Carver School
Road at the end
of the n^onth
Over the
past two
decades,
Piggott has
made his mark
on the Happy
Hill communi
ty. founding
innovative pro
grams and pos
itively influ
File phow encing the lives
Ben Piggott at a recent Happy of countless
Hill Reunion celebration. young people,
"He has
been so won
derful. doing different jobs with the children in the
community." said Earl Byers, a deacon at Rising
Ebeneezer Church, Happy Hill's oldest church.
Byers, who has known Piggott for nearly two
decades, says the church and community center
have established a rapport during Piggott's tenure.
He says he is sorry to see Piggott go.
"1 don't really like it," he said of Piggott's
transfer. "He has been so close to Happy Hill. (If
he leaves) it will be a big loss to the community
and to the people that know him."
See Piggott on All
Julian Murphy-Long holds up his degree.
WSSL' Photos by Garrett Garms
MXKINC POSSIBILITIES LIMITLESS
Actor uses Obama to tell
grads that the sky 's the limit
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Actor Hill Harper told graduates at
Winston-Salem State University's com
mencement to think outside of tradition,
just as his former college classmate.
President Barack Obama, did.
Harper, bucking tradition himself, did
n't give his speech on stage, but instead
used a cordless microphone an?fc gave his
speech walking freely among tnte sea of
700 graduates seated on the floor of the
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial
Coliseum on Saturday.
Harper, one of the stars of the TV show
"CSI: New York," was in the ' same
Harvard Law School class as Obama.
See WSSU on A4
Hill Harper addresses the graduates.
Photos by Felecia
McMillan
Annie Mae
Medley with
her grand
da u g h t e r ,
Natasha
Lindsey, and
great-grand
daughter,
Bella.
100-year-old shares party with other seniors
BY FELECIA PIGGOTT-LONG, PH D
THE CHRONICLE
One would need a calculator to
add up the combined ages of the
most senior members of Mars Hill
Baptist Church's Ladies Working
Society. But the extra years have
not slowed these inspirational
women.
Mars Hill thanked them
Saturday for their service during a
celebration centered around a
belated birthday party for the
Society's oldest member. 100-year
old Annie Mae
Medley. Not
only did
Medley
receive gifts
and a cake
with her name
written across
it, but so did
each member
of the Society
70 nr
older. The other Golden Girls are:
Dorothy Mae Armstrong, Wyvetra'
Carter, Bertha Davis, Alma Hart,
Marie Robinson, Susanna
Roseborough and Alberta Watkins.
Each woman had her own nice
ly-decorated table, where they
enjoyed the celebration surrounded
by family and friends.
State Rep. Larry W. Womble
was among those who gave special
remarks.
"I am honored to stand before
such a distinguished group of
See Seniors on A9
Johnson
Accomplished
Demon Deac eyes
graduation, future
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE ' ' " ? ? ? ? ?
? ; : l?'V " . ' ? ' ; V .
Like most graduating seniors this time of year.'Travonna Floyd is anxious
ly awaiting Commencement Day.
For Floyd, the Monday morning
service at Wake Forest University
will mark the close of four of the
most formative years she's experi
enced so far.
"It's been a really great experi
ence for me; Pve enjoyed every bit
of it," the 22-year-old said of her
collegiate experience "Every
aspect of my life has been
enhanced by my being a student
here."
While at Wake Forest, Floyd
served as an aide to the school's
president, traveled abroad to South
Africa, led a service trip to
Magnolia. Arkansas; and helped
found an intercollegiate confer
*| knr
ence, among uuici imup. om na,^
decided to stay on at Wake Forest
next year, serving in the school's
Division of Student Life.
We couldn't be more fortunate to have her stay on at the university, saiu
See Flovd an Alt
Photo hy Layla Ftrmcr
Trayonna Floyd has packed a lot into
four years of college.
DON'T
PASS
THE BUCK
BUY LOCAL
C HUME K