Happy Hill Garden Reunion
celebrates 22nd year
BY FELECIA PIGGOTT-LONG, PHD.
FOR THE CHRONICLE
The New Dynamic Voices of Praise
welcomed the community to the 22nd
annual Happy Hill Garden Reunion. They
sang about prayer, praise and love as the
elements that have held members of the
community together over the years.
William "Rock" Bitting and Ben
Piggott, co-founders of the reunion since
its inception in 1994, served as the masters
of ceremonies.
Bitting grew up in Happy Hill. He is
proud to have a connection to such a
respected neighborhood.
"One of the main goals we have for
this reunion is to delete stereotypes that
have been used to limit those who lived
here in Happy Hill," said Bitting. "This has
always been a great community. Stand up
and give yourselves a hand for living in it."
Many native sons and daughters stood
and cheered for their heritage in Happy
Hill.
Happy Hill Garden is the oldest liberat
ed African-American community in North
Carolina. The 22nd annual Happy Hill
Garden Reunion was held at the William
C. Sims Recreation Center on Friday, July
10. More than 100 supporters attended the
gathering. Piggott, Bitting and the reunion
committee decided to restructure the
organization of the reunion based on the
Five R's - respect, reconnect, recommit,
replenish and revive.
In the spirit of these values, the com
mittee conducted a reunion survey to
determine who the supporters are, their
willingness to contribute time, talent, and
resources to continue the reunion for a full
weekend as it has been done in the past and
their evaluations for improvements.
Cedric Moser was the master of music.
East Ward Councilman Derwin
Montgomery and Tim Grant, Winston
Salem Recreation and Parks Director,
brought greetings to the community.
Poet Vanessa Ware, author of the book
Love Fire, and Actor and Spoken Word
Artist Tim Howell wowed the crowd with
poetry. Minister Johnell (Debra) Hunter of
The Bless the Children Family Outreach
Gardens directed the children in playing
African instruments for the audience.
Maurice Johnson, a member of the Happy
Hill Reunion Committee, shared the histo
ry of the Happy Hill Reunion.
The theme for the evening was "The
Importance of the Father in the
Community." Three speakers addressed
this topic: Thomas Orr, Phillip Carter, and
Ricky Graves. Each of them received a
certificate of participation. The Happy Hill
Senior Citizen's Club received recognition
for their support of the community and
their strong love for Piggott's mother Mae
Clarida Piggott, a member of the club for
22 years.
Piggott presented awards to fathers in
the audience. Johnny "Peanut" Austin, 50,
received recognition for being the
youngest father in the house. Hubert Rice,
74, who lived on Foster Street, received an
award for being the most "seasoned father"
in the reunion. Artist Jerry Hanes received
recognition for being the most creative
father. His paintings are widely recog
nized.
Submitted Phou,
Reunion co
founders
William
"Rock"
Bitting, left,
and Ben
Piggott pres
ent Maurice
Johnson an
award from
the reunion
committee.
| Community Calendar I
WSSU Brown
Alumni Bus Trip
The WSSU Brown
Alumni Chapter is sponsor
ing an overnight bus trip to
Maryland Live Casino and
Arundel Mills Mall.
Hanover. Maryland, leav
ing Aug. 13 and returning
Aug. 14. For more infor
mation respond immediate
ly to Vera Hillian,
Fundraiser Chair, at 336
722-9505.
Art Exhibit
"We are the Music
Makers", a photography/
multimedia exhibit featur
ing the pioneers of south
em music will open in the
Simona Atkins Allen
Gallery from July 7 to
August 29 at the Delta Fine
Art Center on 2611 New
Walkertown Rd. Tim
Duffy, Music Makers
founder will speak on
Thursday. July 9 at 6 p.m.
with music from John Dee
Holeman. The closing
reception will be on
Thursday, Aug. 27 from 6
p.m. - 8 p.m. with "We are
the Music Makers" blues
revue. Free and open to the
public. For more informa
tion, call 336-722-2625 or
visit deltaartscenter.org.
iMoontime urgan
Recitals
Old Salem Museums
and Gardens is hosting a
series of free conceits on
Wednesdays throughout
the month of July at noon
in the James A. Gray, Jr.,
Auditorium in the Old
Salem Visitor Center.
There will be different per
formers playing on the
Tannenberg Organ. For
more information, visit
oldsalem.org or call 336
721-7300.
Artist Meet & Greet
Triad Cultural Arts will
sponsor an Artist Meet &
Greet with Photographer/
Photojournalist, Owens
Daniels of Owens Daniels
Photography's. His art
work, "LIf%: In Black &
White Street Photography"
exhibit will be displayed at
the Sawtooth School for
Visual Art in the Corridor
Gallery/ 3rd floor from
July 8- through Aug. 8. The
Meet & Greet will be held
on Saturday, July 18,1 to 3
p.m. Storytelling behind
the lens and the stories of
the images will be featured.
Gallery admission is free
and open to the public.
Sawtooth School Of Visual
Arts, 215 N. Spruce St. For
More Information: Cheryl
Harry 336-283-1709.
E-Waster Recycling
Drive
The Salvation Army
Family Store at 680 Peters
Creek Pkwy. is having a
free E-waste recycling
drive on Friday, July 17
and Saturday, July 18 from
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Items that
will be accepted include:
LCD (flat screen) Monitors
and TVs, Laptops, Copy
Machines, Computer
Towers, DVD Players,
Cameras, VCR's, Stoves,
Refrigerators, Washers,
Dryers, Printers, Phones,
Kitchen Countertop
Appliances and more! For
more information contact
Stephen Wilson at 336
785-3842.
Countermand
Amendment Seminars
Charles Kacprowicz,
Founder and National
Director of Citizen
Initiatives, will be the fea
tured speaker at several
Countermand Amendment
Seminars on Friday, July
17. The two locations he
will be speaking is at the
Cities Grill and Bar on
2438 S. Strafford Rd., from
noon to 2 p.m., and at the
Carriage House Restaurant
on 1409 S. Strafford Rd.,
from 7 to 9 p.m. There will
be a Q&A session. Seating
is limited. For more infor
mation go to
director@countermands.us
or call 828-374-0009.
Bowling with the
Adaptables
The Adaptables Inc.
Center for Independent
Living is asking everyone
to join them for an evening
of bowling on Sunday. July
19 at 6 p.m. at the AMF
MAjor League Lanes on
811 Jonestown Rd. Join
them for AMF's Sunday
Funday offer of $6 for two
hours of unlimited bowling
after 6 p.m. The fee
includes shoe rental! For
more information call 336
767-7060.
The Big Chill
The Shalom Project, in
partnership with The Dash
and BB&T Ballpark is
hosting The Big Chill: an
afternoon of ice-cream and
baseball on Sunday, July
19 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the
BB&T Ballpark. Ticket
prices are $6 per person
from 3 to 6 p.m. at the
Founder's Club Entrance at
the gate of the Ballpark.
The price of each ticket
includes entrance to The
Big Chill and a general
admission seat for that
day's ballgame (which
happens to be a double
header). For more informa
tion or interested in partici
pating, please contact Scott
Chappell by phone at
336.721.0606 or by
email at theshalomproject
@gmail.com.
Matter of Balance
The Peace Haven in
partnership with The
Shepard's Center and the
Piedmont Triad Regional
Council on Aging will have
a Matter of Balance: Fall
Prevention classes starting
on Monday, July 20 and
will continue weekly on
Mondays for eight weeks
from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. The
classes will be held at the
Peace Haven Baptist
Church on 3384 York Rd.
Information session will be
Monday, July 13 at 1 p.m.
To register for the classes
contact The Shepard's
Center at 336-748-0217.
for additional information
contact Allison Gollon at
336-703-3147.
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AMBASSADOR CATHEDRAL, INC.
1500 HARRIET TUBMAN DR.
WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27105
FOR MORE INFORMATION (336) 725-0901
APOSTLE EDWARD L. ALLEN, SENIOR PASTOR
NORTH CAROLINA'S
Pre-College Program
The Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education fCMSTE)
MC Mathematics and Science Education Metwork (HC-MSEN)
2015 Leao Robotics Camp
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For Middle and High School Students (grades
When: July 20-24,2015; 8O0a.m-5S0pm
Where: Winston-Salem State University
Cost: $150.00 (lunch wW be provided each day)
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