| Community Calendar |
Pruning workshop
T}ie Forsyth
Cooperative Extension,
1450 Fairchild Road, will
sponsor a Fruit Tree, Bush
& Vine Pruning Workshop
at Forsyth Cooperative
Extension, at 1 pjn. today
(Thursday, Feb. 19). Learn
the proper way to
prune. We will cover prun
ing grapes, blueberries, fig
and apple trees .This will be
a free demonstration with
hands on participation.
This event will be outside.
Dress appropriately for the
forecasted weather.
Scott Welborn, exten
sion agent and Consumer
Horticulture, will speak.
The workshop is free, but
registration is
required. Space is limited.
Call 336-703-2850 or send
an email to: coop-ext-regis
tration@forsyth.cc.
Class worshipping
The A. H. Anderson
Class of 1969 , will be wor
shipping at New Hope
Missionary Church, 1201
New Hope Lane, on
Sunday, Feb. 22 at the 11
a.m. service. We invite all
members of the class to
come join us for the service
and fellowship. Hostess:
Pat Stevenson Miller.
Brown alumni meet
The Winston Salem
State University Brown
Alumni Chapter will meet,
Friday Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. for
refreshments and fellow
ship followed by the meet
ing at 6:30 p.m at Forsyth
Technical Community
College/Mazie Wodruff
Campus, 4905 Lansing
Drive. Final plans are being
made for the Founders' Day
Celebration and the
Cherokee Bus Trip. For
additional information con
tact Randon Pender at 336
575-2006.
QEA seeks students
Quality Education
Academy, 5012 Lansing
Drive, is currently accept
ing applications for the
spring semester. For more
information see the website
www.qeschools.org or call
336-744-7138.
Effective childcare
seminar
The workshop "Soaring
High with Effective Lesson
Plans in Child Care" will
be held Tuesday, Feb. 24
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at
the Carver Road Library,
4915 Lansing Drive.
Forsyth County
Cooperative Extension
Agent Deborah D.
Womack will lead it. It is
free, but pre-registration is
required by Friday, Feb. 20
by calling 336-703-2910.
Republican women
meet
Forsyth County
Republican Women will
hold a dinner with special
guest Miriam P. Aikens,
NCFRW chairwoman of
diversity, on Thursday,
Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at
Lone Star Steakhouse,
1110 Creekshire Way.
Arrive at 5:30 p.m. to order
dinner.
QEA seeks students
Quality Education
Academy, 5012 Lansing
Drive, is currently accept
ing applications for the
spring semester. For more
information see our web
site www.qeschools.org or
call 336-744-7138.
Sign Language classes
The nonprofit
" The Adaptables" is
offering Basic Sign
Language classes every
Tiiesday to March 3 - April
7 from 6 to7 p.m. at 3908
Westpoint Blvd., Suite B.
Students will learn basic
grammar, vocabulary, fin
ger spelling, numbers and
deaf culture. The fee is $25,
which includes printed
materials. To register or for
questions, contact
Christina Moore at 336
767-7060 or
Christina, moore @ theadapt
ables.com. Monday, Feb.
23 is the registration dead
line.
Book Sale fundraiser
The Shepherd's Center
of Greater Winston-Salem
will hold its 28th Annual
Used Book Sale on
Thursday, April 30 and
Friday. May 1 from 9 a.m.
to 9 p.m. and on Saturday,
May 2 from 8 a.m. to 1
p.m. in the Education
Building at the Winston
Salem Fairgrounds.
Parking and admission are
free.
There will be thousands
of used books and other
items on hand at exception
al prices. All proceeds of
the sale benefit the min
istry's programs and serv
ices for older adults in our
community. For more
information contact the
Shepherd's Center at 336
748-0217 or Visit
www.shepherdscenter.org.
Hall of Fame
applications
Applications for 2015 W
S Foreyth County Sports Hall
of Fame arc now available.
Applicants must complete an
application and submit a port
folio and a sport resume to The
Winston-Salem Sportsmen
Club, Inc. Hall of Fame com
mittee, P.O. Box 4353,
Winston-Salem. NC 27115
4353. The deadline for sub
missions is March 17.
Applications can be obtained
from the athletic director of the
local high schools, by visiting
the Winston Lake Family Y,
901 Waterworks Road, on
Thesday nights between 7:30
8:30 p.m. or online at
www.wssportsmenclub .org.
For further information, con
tact Robert Wynn at 336-767
4656 or Chris Kirkpatnck at
336-287-1707.
Anderson Class of '66
The A.H. Anderson
High School Class of 1966
will meet at ,4 p.m. on
Saturday, Feb. 21 at the
Golden Corral Restaurant
at 4965 University
Parkway in Winston
Salem. All members inter
ested in working on the 50
year class reunion are
encouraged to attend. The
contact number is 336
7 6 7 - 8 5 0 9 i 1 :
jshaw@agapesdx.com.
Paisley Alumni Cruise
The Paisley High
Alumni group is sponsor
ing a biennial cruise
abroad on the Carnival
Glory on Saturday, Sept.
19, and a deposit is due
now. For more informa
tion, contact Robert Noble
at 336-971-7816, Cheryl
Philson at 336-724-6864
or Juliet Odom at 336-722
7710.
Sweetheart Ball
The Magnificent
Seniors Social Club will
host its annual Sweetheart
Ball on Saturday, March 7,
from 7 p.m. until midnight
at The Hawthorne Inn, 420
High St. All are welcome
to the dinner and the
dance.
The event benefits
Hospice and Palliative
Care of Winston-Salem.
Semi-formal attire. For
tickets, which are a tax
deductible donation of $40
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Wake presents three
with MLK honors
SPECIAL TO THE
CHRONICLE v
Associate librarian Hu
Womack and seniors
Nehemiah Rolle and Joe
LeDuc have been named
Wake Forest University's
2015 Martin Luther King
Jr. "Building the Dream"
award winners. They were
recognized at an annual
banquet celebrating Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. held
at Wake Forest on Jan. 20.
The award is tradition
ally presented to a student
and a professor or adminis
trator from both Wake
Forest and Winston-Salem
State University who
exemplify King's qualities
and promote diversity
within the community. This
year, one campus leader
and two students were rec
ognized at Wake Forest.
In addition to his work
as an instructional librari
an, Womack is a faculty
fellow for South Hall and
an academic adviser. He
creates programs that are
helpful and engaging to
First year
students and shares his
time and energy supporting
and mentoring members of
Wake Forest's LGBTQ
community. Womack, who
earned his undergraduate
degree from Wake Forest in
1990 and his MBA in 2000.
has been a full-time
employee in the Z. Smith
Reynolds library for more
than 20 years.
Rolle, a native of
Atlanta who is studying
politics and international
affairs, is an active leader
in the Roosevelt Institute at
Wake Forest, a student-led,
student-run organization
dedicated to progressive
public policy change and
idea
empow
erment.
He is
also an
associate
editor of
? the Wake
Forest
Journal
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V* I
International Affairs and a
resident adviser.
LeDuc, a native of
Spokane. Wash, studying
politics and international
affairs, serves as a steering
committee member of
"Forward Together," Wake
Forest's interest group of
the NAACP.
He champions inclu
siveness and justice for all
members of the campus
community.
Faculty, staff and stu
dents at Wake Forest sub
mit "Building the Dream"
award nominations for
their respective universities
and a committee of repre
sentatives from each school
selects winners.
LeDuc
Rolle
Womack
Tax preparation, FAFSA
assistance available at
some local high schools
AARP is offering free tax help,
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The POINT, a financial education and
training mobile unit, will be onsite at local
high schools to offer free tax preparation
through the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance) program and FAFSA (Free
Application for Federal Student Aid) assis
tance for families who earn less than
$53,000 annually.
On FAFSA assistance day, volunteers
will be available to help students and fam
ilies complete the FAFSA application.
Families who earn less than $53,000
annually qualify for the Tax Preparation
Service.
High School seniors who are interested
in applying to college need to fill out the
FAFSA.
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Research nas shown mai nigri scuuui
seniors who fill out a FAFSA have a
greater college attendance rate.
This service allows parents and high
school seniors to get help filing for federal
student aid.
Filing taxes, particularly this year with
the Affordable Care Act subsidies, and fill
ing out the FAFSA can be very challenging
to families.
This is an important service to maxi
mize refunds for working families, includ
ing receipt of the Earned Income Tax
Credit (EITC), in addition to helping more
students find aid for college.
The service is available at:
* ATKINS HIGH SCHOOL. FAFSA
?2/26 from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guidance
Dept. contact number: 336-703-6759
?CARVER HIGH SCHOOL FAFSA
2/19 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guidance
Dept. contact number: 336-727-2230
?EAST FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL.
Tax Day ? 2/27 from 12 to 4 p.m. FAFSA
? 2/27 from 12 to 6 p.m. Guidance Dept.
contact number: 336-703-6792
MT. TABOR HIGH SCHOOL. Tax
Day ? 2/28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Guidance Dept. contact number: 336-703
6728
PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
FAFSA ? 2/24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Guidance Dept. contact number: 336-771
4711
REAGAN HIGH SCHOOL. FAFSA
? 3/3 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guidance
Dept. contact number: 336-703-6776
WALKERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL.
FAFSA ? 2/25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Guidance Dept. contact number: 336
703-4152
AARP tax assistance
Also, AARP Tax Aide will be offering
free tax assistance this year at the
Centenary UMC Annex, 657 Fifth St.,
across from the main entrance of the
downtown library,
on Wednesdays and Thursdays from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Returns for all ages and income levels
are prepared at no charge. You do not have
to be an AARP member.
To get help with your taxes, you need
to bring a picture ID, Social Security card,
your W-2 and/or 1099s, Employer ID
numbers or Social Security numbers of
child care providers and, if possible, last
year's tax returns.
If you want to file jointly electronical
ly, you will also need to bring in that infor
mation for your spouse.
If you want direct deposit of any
refund, you should also bring your check
ing or savings account information.
t *
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools photo submitted
Patrick King is shown here at work at the Special Services Center.
Custodian tells amazing
story of survival in war
BY KIM UNDERWOOD
WINSTON-SALEM/FORSYTH COUNTY
SCHOOLS __
The people who work at the Special}
Services Center know Patrick King asfthe
custodian who comes in each morning at
5:30 a an. to open up the school. He spends
his day taking care of his responsibilities
with meticulous attention and a consistent
ly positive attitude.
"Whatever he does, he wants to do
right, said Blanche Stevens, the
Exceptional Children preschool intake
coordinator who serves as the building's
informal manager.
"The building is always clean, and he's
pleasant ... He is a good-hearted person
and a hard worker. ..It's a nice combina
tion," she said.
It's a job that King finds quite satisfy
ing. "I love it," he said. "Everything is cor
rect. I like my bosses."
The Special Services Center on Mock
Street serves as home for a number of pro
grams for the Exceptional Children's
Division, which serves students with spe
cial needs. The people at the center aJso
know King as a man who has seen and
experienced much during his 68 years of
life.
He was born in Jamaica and grew up in
Liberia, where his father had gone to serve
as the priest for an Episcopal church. King
grew up to become a police officer, got
caught up in the country's civil war and
fled the country. After spending eight years
in a refugee camp in Ghana, he came to the
United States.
"He still does a lot for Liberia,"
Stevens said.
For instance, when textbooks in the
United States are discarded as outdated, he
will ship them to Liberia where they are
still valued. The Special Services Center is
a close-knit community, Stevens said, and
King is part of that. He comes to potluck
gatherings, and, on the billboard in the
lobby that announces, "Our staff is full of
shining stars," King has a star.
With the work that people in EC divi
sion do, Stevens said, they are accustomed
to learning people's stories, and, over time.
King has told people stories about his life.
King's wife, Emma Yah King, works
as a custodian at Glenn High School. His
younger brother, Aston Stanford King, is a
teacher assistant at Hanes Magnet School.
They look enough alike that people have
mistaken one for the other.
During the first civil war in Liberia
from 1989 to 1997, more than 200j000
were killed.
"The whole country was upside
down," King said.
King's brother William went to work
one day and never came home. King heard
k
that he had been beheaded. A foster brother
was also killed King heard that he, too,
was beheaded.
As a police officer in Monrovia, the
capital of Liberia, King was considered a
threat by some factions. One day, he was
captured by a group of men. It was not a
day he expected to live through. When a
man he had once helped saw him, he res
cued King by telling the men holding him
that King was his father and put him some
where where he
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King sees that
as the hand of God.
"Only God got
me out of there," he
said. "I got free. I
fled the civil war."
Although he
was unable to get
help through
American embassv.
people from King
Nigeria - a country
to the east of Liberia - were ready to do
what they could to help.
"I got on a Nigerian warship, and I fled
to Ghana," King said. "1 got out with my
two sons."
Earlier, he had lost his first wife to ill
ness.
"I stayed in the refugee camp in
Ghana," he said. "I lived in Ghana for
eight years."
While in Ghana, he married again. His
second wife later died from breast cancer.
Other members of his family had also been
able to get out of Liberia and eventually to
the United States. With their help and the
help of a program sponsored by the
Lutheran church, he finally came here in
1998. In 1999, a second civil war broke out
in Liberia.
Alter working part-time tor WS/PCS
and other organizations for a few years, he
became a full-time employee of the school
system in 2005. At the Special Services
Center, King works a split shift. After com
ing in at 5:30a.m. to open the building, he
works until 8 a.m. and leaves. He returns at
11 a.m. and stays until it's time to close the
building.
Along with adult children. King has
children who are still in school and live at
home. At home, he likes to putter around
the house and tend his garden, where he
grows sweet potatoes and other vegetables.
He is always doing something. "My wife
says, 'You can't rest.'"
At times, he does extra work on the
side - cleaning houses or painting.
Sometimes, when he is out and about, the
sound of a police siren will stir memories
of more turbulent times.
f