OPINION
The Chronicle
617 N. Liberty Street
336-722-8624
www.wschronicle.com
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Ernest H. Pitt
Donna Rogers
Elaine Pitt
Publisher/Co-Founder
Managing Editor
Business Manager
Our Mission
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The Chronicle is dedicated to serving the
residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County
by giving voice to the voiceless, speaking truth
to power, standing for integrity and
encouraging open communication and
lively debate throughout the community.
File Photo by Erin Mizellc for the Winston Salem Chronicle
Salvation Army Center of Hope.
Now what, as
SalvationArmy
withdraws
its request?
The Salvation Army of Winston-Salem has ended
its quest to obtain re-zoning for the property at 939
Cleveland Avenue in order to renovate it and move
its homeless shelter for families there. The organiza
tion has decided to look elsewhere for a new home
for the shelter.
The Army's Center of Hope, which is on Trade
Street, fueled heated debate among stakeholders in
the Cleveland Avenue area of the East Ward. The
Center of Hope already is in the East Ward, but not
in the Cleveland Avenue area; not in the "backyard"
of those who live in the Cleveland Avenue area and
those who say they have that area's best interest at
heart.
On any given day at The Salvation Army's Center
of Hope for homeless families, 50 percent of the res
idents are children.
The Salvation Army's goal is to quickly rehouse
shelter residents into permanent housing and help
them improve and stabilize income so that they can
make an even greater positive impact on the commu
nity.
The arguments made against bringing The
Salvation Army into the neighborhood were that the
children need to see positive role models instead of
what is there in the Cleveland Avenue area. Also, the
anti-Salvation Army crowd said the residents of the
Center for Hope would only add to the distress in the
community.
So the bickering ends and the status quo remains.
The question is now what?
The Salvation Army requests help from "the
entire community, and our city leaders, to help us
continue the search for the appropriate location for
the continuance of this vital service with in our city."
It is still seeking a place to relocate its shelter.
The East/Northeast Winston Neighborhood
Association and the Housing Authority of Winston
Salem and others who shouted "NIMBY (Not in My
Back Yard)" can lower their voices and remain in a
neighborhood that has a lot of problems, including
lack of economic development. They have a plan to
implement, but no telling how long it will take for
the plan to bring the desired results.
And the owners of the property at 939 Cleveland
Avenue, Greater Cleveland Christian Church, will
have to find another buyer. Will the NIMBY effect
keep the church from selling the property at all?
The effort to re-zone 939 Cleveland Avenue from
a day-care facility to a homeless shelter brought out
some issues residents have. It showed that the resi
dents, along with some City Council members, know
how to stop entry into the Cleveland Avenue area.
The question is, do they know how to bring the kind
of businesses they want to the area?
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thank you
for the help in
trying to gain
East Winston
building
To the Editor:
The Salvation Army of Winston
Salem is announcing today [Friday,
July 17] our decision to withdraw the
re-zoning request for the property at
939 Cleveland Avenue.
Our intent had been to provide a
shelter for women, families and chil
dren on this site. But after much
deliberation and with a concern for
what is in the best
interest of the homeless families
we serve as well as our mission of
meeting^
of the shelter
for women, families and
children .Throughout this process,
we have respectfully listened to the
concerns of manyvoices in the
Cleveland Avenue community. We
agree with those who point out
that the Cleveland Avenue com
munity has been long overlooked,
underserved
and passed over in years past.
However, we do not believe the
presence of a shelter for some of the
most vulnerable members of our
community would be a detriment to
the neighborhood or a deterrent to
economic development in the com
munity. Nevertheless, The Salvation
Army will no longer seek to place a
shelter on Cleveland Avenue. Nor
will we place shelter residents in a
context where they are seen as a
detriment to progress.
The goal and desire of The
Salvation Army remains constant - to
serve our homeless neighbors in a
way that honors their humanity, pro
vides resources for them in a season
of uncertainty and transition, and
enables us to fulfill our
mission in a manner that is con
sistent with our core values and
vision. We extend a special word of
thanks to the residents of East
Winston who supported our efforts
and who engaged in conversations
with us to learn more and better
understand this need.Our neigh
bors who find themselves in a season
of homelessness need the support
of the entire Winston-Salem
neighborhood. The Salvation Army is
committed to
the care, safety, and well-being of
our neighbors and requests the assis
tance of the entire community, and
our city leaders, to help us continue
the search for the appropriate loca
tion for the continuance of this vital
service with in our city.
Thank you for your time, care and
interest in this ministry.
Major James Allison, Area
Commander
The Salvation Army of
Winston-SaJem
Keep supporting
N.C. NAACP by
going to trial
To the Editor:
A big THANK YOU to everyone
who came out to support the N.C.
NAACP and the Moral Monday
Movement at the March and Rally
for Voting Rights!
The case is currently being heard
at the federal courthouse downtown
and is expected to last up to three
weeks.
An easy way to continue to show
your support is by going to the actu
al trial. Court
starts at 9
a.m. and
goes till
roughly 5
p.m., but you j
may come I
and go as
you please -
^fcdpf
Here are
some helpful things to remember:
1) NO electronics are permitted,
and yes, that includes cell phones, so
leave your devices at home or in
your car.
2) You must have a photo ID to
be able to get into the courtroom.
3) The H.B. 589 trial is being
held on the second floor, which
means you will have to pass through
TWO security checkpoints - be pre
pared to take off your belt, shoes,
and anything else with metal.
4) We know tensions are high
and fraught with emotion, but while
you are in the courtroom, you must
remain respectful and quiet (if you
don't, the judge can have you
removed or even hold you in con
tempt of court).
You really should go sometime
in the upcoming weeks. Trust us -
it's a true education!
Forsyth County Democratic
Party
Historic Class
of 1970 at
Anderson High
plans celebration
To the Editor:
Returning 45 years later ..
The 1970 Anderson High class
was the last class to graduate before
busing was used to integrate the
WS/FC Schools. The planning com
mittee invites all the graduates and
friends of that class to return to the
Anderson Center on Aug. 1 to cele
brate, reflect and appreciate the
foundation of our molding years.
We have a
unique experience
to share with each
other and to be
grateful for the
experiences we
shared as class
mates and friends.
That commir
nity has primarily
been absorbed by
WSSU to continue
educating future
generations. Many
of us attended pri
mary, elementary
and high school in
that community
formerly known as the Heights.
Some of these students were togeth
er for 12 years and have been life
long friends.
Many of these graduates have
become responsible and productive
citizens. All of these graduates have
a unique story to share. Teachers,
administrators and friends are invit
ed to join us as we continue to share
the good times we had at Anderson
Jr. Sr. High School.
Join the planning team of Greg
Davis, Paulette Moore, Fleming J.
El-Amin, Mable Millner, Patrice
Scales, Linda Flynt, Wayne
Ledbetter, Gloria Flynt, Denise
Harris and Rudy Anderson as we
return 45 years later to Anderson.
Our meetings at Forsyth Seafood are
about to materialize in a thundering
celebration of the last class to gradu
ate on Aug. 1 at the Anderson
Center.
Fleming El-Amin
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