A Peaceful Event
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The 20th Annual Citywide (hsistmas Peace Toys for War Toys
Exchange program will be held at the Lawrence Joel Veterans
Memorial Coliseum Annex on Friday, Dec. 21 beginning at 6:30
pm. The new, larger venue is a clear sign that the program, cre
ated by Ben Piggott after his brother died as a result of violence,
has become a popular holiday tradition. Kids ages 3-14 will
exchange their sued violent toys - things like plastic guns and vio
lent video games -for new non-violent toys. Kids accompanied by
a parent or guardian must arrive no later than 6:45 p.m., at which
time the doors will be closed. The exchange is expected to con
clude about 8 pjn., at which time attendees will have an opportu
nity to ice skate until 9:30 pjn.
Goins, Davenport picked to lead School Board
CHRQNigjj STAFF REPORT
The newest member of the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
Board of Education is now the
board's vice-chair.
The Board elected John
Davenport
to the poai
t i o n .
Davenport
last week.
School
Board mem
bers picked
Davenport
more than a
year ago to
fill the seat
of Geneva
Brown, who exited due to med
ical conditions.
Davenport's appointment was
not without controversy. Brown
is a Democrat, but the over
whelmingly Republican Board
selected Republican Davenport
to replace her. Davenport, who
received the endorsement of
Brown, has maintained that it is
John Davenport
his commitment to the children
of this county and not his patty
affiliation that should matter.
Davenport, the owner of his own
successful transportation engi
neering firm, will have to sell
himself to voters for die first time
next year when his term expires.
The reshuffling on the board
is due to the departure of long
time Chair Donny Lambeth, who
wu elected to the N.C. House of
Reneecntatives last month and
will resign from the School
BomionDec. 31.
Jane Coins, who has Mrved
on the Board for nearly three
decades and was vice chair under
Lambeth, was elected as the new
chair after Lambeth nominated
her to succeed him.
The Forsyth County Board of
Commissioners is expected to
select someone to finish
Lambeth's term, which ends next
year.
In other news, the School
Board decided that the new ele
mentary school opening in south
eastern Forsyth County will be
known as Smith Farm
Elementary.
The school is schedoled to
open in August and will be locat
ed in Zone 1 between Hall
Woodward and Sedge Garden
elementary schools. The board
decided that Smith Farm will
have an international theme with
a language immersion program.
Book
from pat* Al
Inter-Racial Dialogue (PIRD).
McCutchan, a native of Monmouth, 111., launched the
dialogue in 1992, inviting Stevenson, the then-pastor of
Grace Presbyterian and Eversley, pastor of Dellabrook
Presbyterian, to break bread with him 20 years ago. It was
a racially tumultuous time both locally and nationally. The
while Los Angeles Police officers who beat black motorist
Rodney King were found not guihy after a heated trial.
Here in the Twin City, several racially charged incidents
had left this city divided, McCutchan recalls in his book,
"Let's Have Lunch: Conversation, Race and Community:
Celebrating 20 Years of die Presbyterian Inter-Racial
Dialogue."
McCutchan called his fellow pastors to see if the trio
could find a solution to salve the community's racial
wounds. Stevenson, a native of tiny Bolton, N.C., had
been embroiled in a series of battles with the Presbyterian
church, which had remained segregated until the late
1980s, prior to taking the pastorate at Grace. He admits he
questioned McCutchan's sincerity at first.
"Many African Americans have what we call 'a
healthy suspicion' (of whites). I was born into Jim Crow,
and I grew up in it, so I am colored by all of that," said the
68 year-old, who has since retired. "...(But) Steve was
insistent, and that became convincing. He did not turn
away because I was not so responsive to his invitation."
McCutchan, 71, said be recognized the hypocrisy that
existed within the Presbyterian church, where pastors
urged congregants to "love thy brother" and yet had little
or no interaction with pastors and congregations whose
skin color differed from their own.
"I've always had a yearning to get to know people who
were different from me," said the grandfather of two, who
penned "Let's Have Lunch" earlier this year in commem
oration of the Dialogue's 20lh anniversary.
The three men put their heads together and formed a
plan of action. They created PIRD, which brought together
the clergy and members of each of the three congregations
regularly for study, introspection and candid conversation.
It wasn't perfect, McCutchan wrote. Some of the members
disagreed or argued forcefully. Some just plain quit com
ing. All had other demands on their emotions and sched
ules, making it difficult at times for them to attend. The
founders admit it wasn't always easy or comfortable, but
they felt strongly that honest conversation was the surest
ioaid to building trust and understanding.
Despite setbacks, the group pressed on, and soon
attracted die participation of the other Presbyterian
churches and leaders in die area, including Rev. Laura
Spangler of Lloyd Presbyterian, Daniel Wilkers of
Parkway and Stewart Ellis of Trinity. The group's work
spread to the greater community, as members of die
Lett Have Lunch
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uiaiogue siooa siae-oy-siac to
oppose issues like the imple
mentation of die school choice
plan, which has been blamed
for re-segregating the local
school system.
"I think the Dialogue has
committed a structure so that
when things occur, they've got
the structure to talk about it,"
McCutchan said.
He and Stevenson were
deliberate in walking die walk
themselves. The two men
1 a! a t
ocgan mccung iwicc a monui
for breakfast at Jimmy the Cheek Kitchen, a tradition that
has continued for more than 18 years. They bring then
wives along for double dates - dinner and a show at
Greensboro's Triad Stage - several times a year. Though
he was wary in the beginning, Stevenson said he and
McCutchan have become what he calls "good old friends."
"1 am sometimes reminded of bow unconscious I am
of Steve's membership in die other group, and that's great
progress," declared the grandfather of two. "...What
we've got there is that latitude and freedom to be who you
are with the understanding that we're in this to grow, we're
in this to be more human, and each of us has a role to play
in it It (the relationship) is stronger and deeper than the
differences." t
Over the years, the Dialogue's outreach has grown to
include members of the Hispanic, Muslim and Jewish
communities, all of whom are well represented at the
Habitat for Humanity build that the Dialogue spearheads
annually. Eversley, a well-known community activist and
advocate for social justice issues, said the relationships
that have formed through the Dialogue - which has
spawned several interracial groups including The Voices
of God's Children Choir and the Moviegoers - is its most
significant contribution to the local community.
"I think the relationships ate die most important thing
because they generate everything else," Evcntley said. "I
think the Dialogue has become one of the most meaning
ful ministries for myself and die Dellabrook congregation
to have authentic relationships - which means relation
ships of trust and of mutual self interest - with the pre
dominantly white congregations. So often, those kinds of
gatherings are superficial and dishonest... but we've been
able to forge some teal trustful relationships."
Rngaging the entiie group in study of both cultures by
reading books that deal with race, culture and history
helped foster a greater understanding among the early
members of the dialogue, Eversley said.
McCutchan, who retired from die pulpit in 2006, has
produced five other books and two CDs. He said he creat
ed "Let's Have Lunch" in hopes of preserving the legacy
of the group, and encouraging others to start their own
movements.
"I want them to understand that if they're passionate
about something and start where they are, surprising
things can happen," he said of his readers. "In a way, it
should be a book of hope. It is saying don't despair
because things are not getting any better - you can make
a difference, and you make a difference by getting togeth
er with someone else. You start talking about it, and it mul
tiplies. Building community is one of the things we can
use to tackle those things that divide us."
"Let's Have Lunch" sells far $999. It is available in
paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon com. For more
information, visit wwwsmccutchan com.
?
MudPies MMTOWI MST
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Photo by Lay!* Gam*
City officials and Mudpits leaders break ground at the site of the new center last week.
Mudpies
from page A1
Park... The work that
Tony's doing here at
Mudpies helps to prepare
uicsc yuuiig pw
ple for those jobs
in the future, and
that's why I'm so
pleased to be
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ncrc.
Dr. Eric
Tomlmson, presi
dent of the
Piedmont Triad
Research Parte,
said he believes
the new center
will greatly bene
fit the Research
Park's burgeoning work
force.
This is a wonderful
venture," declared
Ibmlkison, who lives near
by id the Gallery Lofts.
The Research Park is die
fastest growing urban
based research park for
innovation in the US. By
the end of 2014, there 11 be
about 3000 folks working
U
in the Research Park ...
they are folks who will
desperately need child
development (centers)."
Michael Suggs, execu
tive director of die Goler
CDC, said the agency
Swan
plans to con
struct some
multi-family
housing units
on the vacant
two acre tract
adjacent to the
new Mudpies
location. Suggs
said he believes
the facility will
be an important
driver for the
growth of Goler
j .ti % a
projects ana an develop
ment efforts in the vicinity.
"We think this adds a
great mix as far as the
things that we want to have
in our community. One of
the key things people are
looking for is a full service
community, and we think
having a childcare facility
makes this area even more
attractive, especially to
people (already) living in
If
the downtown area," said
Suggs. "It's a welcome
addition to what we're toy
ing to do here in this com
muniiy.
Button told attendees
who braved the brisk con
ditions to be on hand that
he has big plans for
Mudpies going forward.
Those of you who
know me know that I
dream big," said Upton,
whose name graces hon
orary street signs sL the
intersections of Seventh
and Patterson, Seventh and
Cherry and Seventh and
Marshall Streets. This
dream is coming to
fruition, so Fm moving on
to die next one."
Mudpies Downtown
East will generate roughly
35 new jobs. For applica
tion information or to pre
enroll your child in the
facility, visit
www.nwcdc.org.
Commemorative bricks are
also available for sale
online.
*880 Value!
CaM Today, Protect Tomorrow!
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Habitat
*fVV tarHMaHy*
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