My Fond Memories of Japan
.1) MUI
Cornell
Jordan
Guest
Columnist
One year ago, 1 had faith
that my travels to Japan with
the People To People Student
Ambassadors program were
ordered by God. just as oth
ers events in my life, such as
being an honor graduate of
Parkland IB Magnet High
School in June 2009: an
Eagle Scout in January 2009;
and an incoming freshman at
UNC Chapel Hill this Au
gust.
In July 2008, my parents,
Setvyn and Lydia Jordan, put
me on a plane to Tokyo with
three trained, internationally
qualified leaders and 28 high
school students from across
North Carolina. 1 was thank
ful to be given the opportu
nity to travel with People To
People Student Ambassa
dors. which was founded by
Dwight D. Eisenhower in
1956 as a way for people of
all ages to develop and pro
mote peace through interna
tional relationships, by
embracing and learning other
cultures.
Most of my life has in
cluded national and interna
Tional travel with my family,
but my travels to Tokyo and
Kyoto were a completely
mind-changing experience.
The opportunity to travel to
other countries changed my
perspective of the world, es
pecially without family along
with me. Although America
is called the "melting pot of
the world." our cultural
awareness is relatively low.
Having the opportunity to
travel out of this nation
greatly reduces the lack of
cultural ignorance.
Japan is not like the
United States and Europe.
The country's Eastern culture
makes the people more mod
est and willing to accommo
date your needs without
monetary incentive. The citi
zens are generally more re
served and nice. There was
never a moment where I felt
un- welcomed or mistreated.
As far as the actual stay, I
had wonderful hosts, and re
siding in their country for 14
days was a once in a lifetime
opportunity. 1 took 1 ,500
pictures during my visit,
some of which are high
lighted here.
PFLAG chapter will use grant
from Blessings to support youths
SPEClAt ro HUE CHRONICLE- ? -
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The Winston-Salem Chaprter, of
Parents. Families and Friends of
LesbianC and Gays (PFLAG)
received a $4,000 grant from
Blessings Project Foundation to
provide training and education on
issues facing lesbian, gay. bisexual
and transgender (LGBT) youth.
The grant will also provide local
entities with the tools. necessary , to
better serve and ensure the safety
and well being of LGBT youth and
to advocate on behalf of homeless
and abandoned LGBT youth in our
community.
"This grant from the Blessings
Project Foundation will enable us
to do the very sensitive and neces
sary work of facilitating a relation
ship with the entities that serve our
youth on issues facing LGBT
youth." said PFLAG Board
Member TaMeicka Clear. "I am
very grateful to
the Blessings Project for assisting
us with this effort and look forward
to developing an ongoing relation
ship with them to impress upon our
community that safety and human
treatment for all, including LGBT
youth, is paramount for the
Winston-Salem community."
Amy Garland. Blessings
Garland
Farmer
Clear
Projecl Foundation director said,
"We are very pleased to support
PFLAG of Winston-Salem in this
important endeavor, and proud to
partner with organizations
throughout, our community who
support our mission and commit
ment to humanity, the environ
ment and the arts."
PFLAG Board President
Thomas Farmer said that one of
PFLAG 's main priorities is work
ing to help youth.
"This grant from Blessing
Project Foundation will help us
better train, educate, and advocate
on behalf of homeless, aban
doned, neglected, and mistreated
LGBT youth in the Winston
Salem area," he said. "We believe
that providing a voice for those
that have no voice will lead to
better understanding and recon
ciliation among families with
LGBT youth and a more enlight
ened community as well."
It is the mission of PFLAG to
promote the well being of LGBT
persons through support to cope
with an adverse society; advoca
cy - to end discrimination and
secure equal civil rights; and edu
cation - to enlighten an ill
informed public.
Atoid^ August 3rd - Ftiday, Ai^gust 7th
7:00pm Nightly
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
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For Add&gi^gfagMjkxi, contact
Binhop Tim Jadwm /3>?-7ZO-4 1 (> 1
Daggett earns 'Hero' award
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Local Attorney David
Daggett was recently present
ed with the Everyday Hero
Award by the 2009 Ford
Ironman Coeur d'Alene, a
grueling physical challenge
that pits the world's top ath
letes against one another.
Daggett, an
accomplished triath
lete. won the honor
for being the com
petitor who has con
tributed the most to
a person, charity or
organization in a
significant way
while continuing the
challenge of train
ing for arduous
Ironman competi
tion, which includes a 2.4
mile swim. 112-mile bike
race and 26.2-mile marathon
run.
This honor recognizes
Daggett's positive contribu
tion to the community
through Safe Sober Prom
Night, which he founded with
his law partner, Michael
Lewis, 19 years ago. The pro
gram encourages positive
peer pressure for teenagers on
the road to success. Since its
inception, more than 4(H) .(XX)
students have taken the "Do
It Right!" pledge to stay Safe
and Sober. Daggett. Lewis
and other members of the law
firm's staff personally pay for
and distribute more than
15. (XX) free t-shirts to stu
dents who "Take the Pledge."
Daggett also regularly
Daggett
drives home the safe and
sober message through per
sonal appearances. This
spring alone, he has made
more than 50 appearances,
presentations and speeches at
schools and community
events.
"We truly believe that
unless the futufe generations
turn out better than
ours, that both
have failed. So, we
each have an obli
gation to do our
part in order to
succeed," says
Daggett. "That
obligation extends
far beyond prom
night. When you
transform a life,
you know you
have made a lasting differ
ence - it can't get any better
than that!"
Daggett was also selected
to be a part of the exclusive
Ironman Executive Challenge
(XC) this year, where he was
the oldest competitor.
"I always knew that one
day I would be the oldest, I
just didn't know it would
happen so soon," he joked.
Daggett placed fourth in
the XC. with an overall time
of 11:35:43. This was
Daggett's 1 8th Ironman com
petition and his 15 1st
triathlon.
Video footage of
Daggett's Everyday Hero
award presentation was to be
included in broadcasts of the
competition slated to air on
NBC and ESPN.
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