Vol. XXXV No. 48 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, July 30, 2009
Runners
sprint to
Durham
track meet
-See Pane BIO
Political
star will
be missed
greatly
-See Pane 49
Ladies
exercise
the night
s??Vnol*
c^ebraV
75 cents
Organizers asking crowds to be patient and courteous
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONIC 1 I .
Excitement is building across
the city, as the National Black
Theatre Festival (NBTF) draws
closer. In a matter of days,
Winston-Salem will be trans
formed. infiltrated with the influx
of tens of thousands of purple
clad theatre-goers, as is the
Festival's* 20-year tradition.
While the large crowds have
become hallmarks of the NBTF,
they have also, at times in the
past, been a hindrance.
The thousands that descend
upon downtown can bring pedes
trian traffic to a standstill.
Although clashes have been few
and far between during festival
week, there are bound to be a few
bad tempers as a result of the
?massive influx. NBTh organizers
are asking festival-goers to bring
their good manners and patience
along with them next week.
"We just want people to be
patient and show that -good.
North -Carolina warm hospitality
because we will have guests. from
all over the world here," said
Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin. the
widow of NBTF Founder Larry
? l
Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin
Leon Hamlin.
The 2007 NBTF saw a large
number of teenagers venturing
downtown to try to be a part of
the NBTF action in some way.
Gerry Patton, the executive
director of the N.C. Black
Repertory Co., which puts on the
NBTF, hopes that this year's slate
of "Teentastic" NBTF events
gives young people ages 13-19 a
more creative outlet for their
energies.
Most of the "07 Teentasic
events were held at the Dixie
See NBTF on A5
1
Photos courtesy of DD&G Entertainment
Tosha Thompson (sealed) and Bern Nadette Stanis in
"CAUTION! Heartache Ahead."
Do-It-Yourself
Filmmaking
' Good Times' actress among stars of
Greensboro woman s first short film
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
A budding Greensboro
screenwriter/director will see
the fulfillment of a lifelong
dream when she watches her
very first film premiered in
Maryland on Friday.
Dornycya
C
ougg:* wiuic,
directed and pro
duced "CAU
TION! Heartache
Ahead," a short,
independent film
shot in her adopt
ed hometown of
Greensboro aj}U
starring Bern
Nadette Stanis,
the actress
famous for play
ine Thelma on
"Good Times." She had
always dreamed of making
movies, but wanted to do it
the right way.
"A lot of people think that
anybody can make a movie
and everybody can make a
movie, but not everyone can
make a movie well," said
Suggs.
"CAUTION!" is the story
Suggs
of a young married couple
struggling to keep their rela
tionship alive after the hus
band breaks his vow of fideli
ty. Suggs said she did not
want to make another film
about an outraged wife who ,
discovers her husband's
indiscretions. Her film focus
es on the wife's
decision 'to stay (
with her man, .
despite his wan- 3
dering eye.
"It was just a ]
story I knew that <
people could
relate too," said ,
Suggs, who says |
she has friends <
who have experi- ,
enced similar sit- |
uations. "I had ,
nlentv of materi
Although Suggs always
yearned to be a filmmaker,
when it came time for her to
choose a college major, she
picked architecture, a field in
which she worked for a year.
She wrote screenplays as a
hobby. After she married and
became a stay-at-home mom
See Suggs on AS
A worthy Investment
* Photo by Layfa Farmer
Little Sasha Galloway shows off her work last week during a session of
HAWS' Summer Teaching Enrichment Program (STEP). The program
has been made possible this year by the support of a number of partner
agencies. See the full story on page' A3.
PfrbU) by t-ayla Fanner
HBBS volunteer Frank Thornas.
A Few
Good Men
Agencies seek to recruit 100
male mentors for kids
BY LAYI.A FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Big Brothers Big Sisters Services Inc.
has initiated an ambitious campaign in
conjunction with Big Brothers. Big Sisters
Of Greater Greensboro and Hijih Point
based Big Brothers Big Sisters of the
Central Piedmont.
Launched July 24, the "100 Men. 100
Days" campaign is designed to recruit
new big brothers to the programs. -all of
which are lacking volunteers of the male
variety.
"We all need more male volunteers."
said Judi Saint Sing, of the local BBBS
office. "On average, we have about 300
little brothers waiting (for big brother
matches) across the Triad."
The Big Brothers Big Sisters organi
zation provides mentoring opportunities
for area children, ages six to 1 3 , who are
in need of positive influences in their
li \ es.
"Most of them come from single par
ent homes, or arc being raised by extend
ed family, and the (adult) males are not in
the picture." Sing explained, "...we
believe that these kids need guidance and
reinforcement. If they're living with their
moms, they just need a male's perspec
tive."
See Mentors on A5
Fire victims find allies in ministers
BY TODD LUCK
FHj CHRONICLE
Victims of rccent fires
that damaged three local
ipartment 'complexes were
^iven the royal treatment
ruesday, by members of the
Minister's Conference of
Winston-Salem and Vicinity.
In the past three weeks,
separate blazes at Alder's
Point. Colonial Heights and
Countryside Villa apart
nents have left many home
ess. The Red Cross is pro
viding temporary shelter and
ither necessities. Members
jf the Conference wanted to
Jo their part as well,
ruesday they treated fire
victims to a hearty lunch and
jave them $25 WalMart gift
;ards, clothes. shoes and
jags of toiletries like soap,
ooth paste and deodorant.
Minister's Conference
President Dr. Carlton
Eversley said that churches
Photo by Todd |,uck
A volunteer helps a fire victim to pick out some clothing.
have an obligation to help
those in distress.
"It's a very straight for
ward Christian commitment
from the community of faith
to people in need." said
Eversfey. who says he is
proud of how the faith com
munity has responded so far
to the tragedies.
Sec Ministers on A5
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