Pep rally motivates
NBTF volunteers I
Editor's Note: The
National Black Theatre
Festival has ended, but the
North Carolina Black
Repertory Company, which
sponsored the Festival
always needs volunteers
Below is a taste of what it
means to be a volunteer
BY FELECIA PIGGOTT-LONG
PH. D.
FOR THE CHROlsiio p
Put on your purple and
black!
The Festival is back!
La*y Leon's Black Rep
got it goin' on!
A family reunion lovin'
to the bone.
This is Holy Ground'
o, annual National
Black Theatre Festival vol
unteer pep rally opened
with this cheer. Hundreds
of volunteers responded to
the cheer as they stood to
their feet.
More than 1,000 volun
teers helped to make the
2015 National Black
Theatre Festival a success.
Most of those supporters of
the Festival participated in
the pep rally on July 30 at
the Wake Forest Biotech
Place on Patterson Avenue.
Elwanda Ingram per
formed the libation. Ingram
called out the names of the
ancestors such as Larry
Leon Hamlin, August
Wilson, Ruby Dee, Ossie
Davis, Amiri Baraka,
Maya Angelou, and so
many others who have con
tributed so much to Black
Theatre.
Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin
offered thanks to all of the
volunteers for their contin
ued support of the Festival
over the years. She thanked
the many sponsors and the
members of the fund-rais
ing committee for exceed
ing their goaPoTS5Q0,000
this year She also
expressed her gratitude for
the opportunity to hold the
pep rally at the bio-tech
center.
"They made it so con
venient few us to partner
with them. They set up the
chairs and provided ,he
technology we needed for
event," said Sprinkle
Hamhn. "All we had to do
was show up!"
She also informed the
volunteers that two local
supporters would mount
'"e sta8e at the Gala as
honorees - Rachel p
Jackson and Warren D.
Leggett. She asked both of
"|em to stand and be recog
nized. 6
"In 1979 when Larry
began the North Carolina
Black Repertory Company,
Rachel Jackson opened her
home and hosted for the
production of 'Emperor
.nes, one of the early liv
ing-room theatre perform
ances. She has continued to
otter her services in sup
port of the company," said
Spnnkle-Hamlin.
She also honored
Leggett as the "Numbers
Man who helped the
North Carolina Black
Repertory Company secure
its 501(c)3 status.
Warren Leggett
worked day and night to
ensure that the company
was financially solvent.
Eyen after we received our
501(c)3 status, he worked
with us for 10 years just to
make sure that all money
matters were in order," she
said. "We appreciate all of
his hard work."
Luellen Curry and
Patrice Toney, volunteer
coordinators, recognized
the volunteers from various
segments of the National
Black Theatre Festival.
Toney has been a volunteer
since 1999.
"Once I got involved, I
enjoyed all of the energy of
such a large project. The
Festival has a huge eco
nomic impact on our city.
The culture, the energy and
the spirit of it brings so
many people together,"
Toney said.
"The National Black
Theatre Festival could not
operate without the support
of our volunteers. Some of
them are ushers, house
managers, security, conces
sions volunteers, trans
portation workers and the
medical nightingales who
assist with health-related
emergencies," said Toney.
"Many businesses around
the city got on board this
year, including the Wake
Forest BioTech Place."
"We also tapped into
some faith-based compa
nies- who agreed to help
with transportation needs.
We used three churches to
help transport some of the
large casts," said Toney.
"For example, Union
Baptist transported the cast
of 'At Last: A Tribute to
Etta James.1 Calvary
Baptist Church transported
the cast of 'It's a Hard
Knock Life,' which had
fifty people. Also the New
Hope Baptist Church
helped us with 'Gogo and
Big Sister' and the per
formance of 'Hands Up.'
These churches picked
them up from the airport,
for rehearsals, for eating
lunch and dinner and also
transported them to then
production. This was a
huge blessing.
"Another faith-based
partner was the Salem
Town Moravian
Retirement Community.
They responded to our let
ter by sending $1,500 as a
contribution because they
were not able to release
their van for transporta
tion," Toney said.
Shaunda Eggleston
gave closing motivational
remarks. Eggleston has
been volunteering since
2003. She became a house
manager in 2005 and
became a coordinator for
the house managers an ush
ers. She wouldn't take any
thing for her journey.
"I just love the arts! I
love working behind the
scenes to make sure that
everything is in order so the
shows can proceed,"
Eggleston said.
Wake Forest*
Baptist Health
BestHealth"
In pvtnwihip with ^MEDCOST*
October community health
seminars, screenings and events
Visit WakeHealth.edu/BestHeaKh for class descriptions and other events.
Events are FREE of charge and require registration, unless otherwise noted.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5
Discovering Fall Veggies
4 to 5 pm
Lowes Foods,
2890 Reynolds Road,
Winston-Salem
WEDNESDAY,
OCTOBER 7
Estate Administration
Basics \ 2 to 3 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Medical Plaza-Country
Club, 4610 Country Club Road,
Winston-Salem
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
Chronic Knee Pain Management
Noon to 1 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Davie
Medical Center, Plaza 1, 4th floor,
Conference Rooms 1 and 2, Highway
801 N, I-40 (Exit 180), Bermuda Run
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
Discovering Fall Veggies
Noon to 1 pm
Lowes Foods, 2501 Lewisville
Clemmons Road, Clemmons
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
Glaucoma Screening
11 am to 2 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
Apples, Apples, Apples
1 to 2:30 pm
Brenner FIT in the William G. White
Jr. Family YMCA, 775 West End Blvd.,
Winston-Salem
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Halloween Safety Tips
5:30 to 6:30 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
Zumba \ 9 to 10 am
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
Advance Directives \ 2 to 4 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
Ringing in My Ears: Tinnitus
1 to 2 pm
Vertigo: Benign Positional
6 to 7 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
To register, call or visit:
336-713-BEST (2378) \ WakeHealth.edu/BestHealth
Inaugural
Christian Music Festival
BB&T Ballpark//
Winston-Salem, NC
September 26-27
FEATURED ARTISTS
*Two days of Christian music's leading performers
co-headlined by Kirk Franklin and MercyMe on
September 26 and Jeremy Camp on September 27.
The festival also will include a diverse range of other
musical performers, speakers and local church groups.
Tickets range from $25 to $75 per day.
Group discounts available.
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