OPINION
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The Chronicle
Ernest H. Pitt
Publisher Emeritus
1974-2015
617 N. Liberty Street
336-722-8624 I 42 ?
www.wschronicle.com
Elaine Pitt Business Manager
Donna Rogers . Managing Editor
wali D. PlTT Digital Manager
Our Mission
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.
Obama
moves to
save lives
Who would have thought that Winston-Salem
State University would have to deal with the death of
one freshman let alone two within one-and-a-half
months.
Both freshmen died from gun violence at times
that should have been joyous. One was killed on
WSSU's campus just as its homecoming Weekend
was winding down. One was killed two days before
Christmas.
Both accused gunmen have been arrested. In both
cases, the gunmen did not randomly shoot their vic
tims. Both accused shooters and the victims were
young and black. In both cases, other people were
hurt in the shooting.
Anthony White
I
Kari Watson
The university family barely had time to moum
over the fatal shooting of Anthony White Jr., 19, a
freshman from Charlotte, when the news about the
fatal shooting of Jtari Omyea Watson in Raleigh just
came out just before Christmas. Watson, 18, who
was home in Raleigh during the WSSU winter break,
was buried on Jan. 2. _ 4; ?
These two young people had full lives ahead of
them at Winston-Salem State. So many good things
are happening there, and those students had such
high expectations.
Watson was a 2015 graduate of Southeast Raleigh
Magnet High School and earned one of the first
Wake County Future Teachers scholarships. She
made the dean's list her first semester at WSSU and
hoped to pursue a career in education.
White "was real cool and laid back," one fellow
student said. "He was really serious about his educa
tion and he encouraged others to take it seriously as
well."
So why did students with such bright futures die
at the hands of gunmen? One might say that the ease
of access to guns led to their deaths. The accused
gunmen had records or were wanted on other charges
when the shootings happened. Both are 21 years old.
Gun violence has shaken Americans to the core,
in one way or another. Whether it's mass shootings
or relationship shootings, people die needlessly
because of gun violence.
President Obama took action by himself because
he hasn't gotten help from Congress. He issued exec
utive orders on Tuesday to help decrease the number
of deaths. Go to www.whitehouse.gov for informa
tion. He will be featured in a town hall meeting
tonight (Thursday, Jan. 7) on CNN at 8 p.m.
This issue has divided Americans for several rea
sons, including the debate over Second Amendment
rights, but Obama appears to be the one taking lead
ership in trying to do something about it without
infringing on Second Amendment rights. It has come
too late for two WSSU freshmen.
Where do you stand? We would like to hear from
you. Send your brief Letter to the Editor to let
ters? wschronicle.com, post a short note on
www.wschronicle.com or drop off a brief opinion to
our office at 617 N. Liberty St.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
H
Organization
thanks community
for helping with
1,000 deliveries
To the Editor:
Lifeline Shoebox Ministry is a
nonprofit organization that provides
personal need items to nursing home
and assisted living residents at
Christmas time. After collecting
donations and products all year long,
it was time for the deliveries to begin.
On Dec. 20, there were a host of
volunteers of all ages, sizes and eth
nicities from the community. The
Girl Scouts along with the Sigma
Beta Club were among the many vol
unteers. You could see the unity for a
cause in action as they unloaded the
U-Haul truck that was donated to
present the much-needed gifts to the
residents of these facilities.
Each gift contained between 12 to
15 full-sized personal need items for
each resident accompanied with a
smiling face that was also a "BOX
OF LOVE." The many volunteers,
both young and old; were emotional
ly moved by the impact of giving a
gift to someone who they did not
know yet knew it was appreciated. A
few of the volunteers have been
annual participants in the cause since
Lifeline started the first delivery in
2008.
Lifeline Shoebox delivered a
record number of boxes this year.
Volunteers delivered 1,000 shoebox
es to 1,000 residents in 10 facilities
(eight nursing homes and two assist
ed living facilities).
The facilities that were served
were Grace Health Care, Oak Forest
Nursing Home, Brian Center Health
Care, Springwood Nursing Home,
Brookridge Retirement Community,
The Oaks, Kindred Transitional Care
(Silas Creek Manor), Trinity Care
(Lutheran Home), Forsyth Village
and Somerset Court at University
Place.
I am coordinator and project man
ager. Over the past few years deliver
ies have hovered around 550 resi
dents each year. It is truly a mile
stone, that we have gone to four dig
its. I hope to reach even more resi
dents in 2016 because of the need
being so great.
The organization is looking for
donated space to centralize the opera
tion. Currently the organization is
using three separate sites to house the
product, supplies and donations.
Because the organization collects
donations all year long, the organiza
tion will need to locate a place that
can house its growth. I am very grate
ful to all of the community for their
support of this endeavor each year.
We could not function without the
support of the community and their
compassion for j those who have a
need.
A special thanks to silent finan
cial partner and friend. Derrick
Holland, who has provided his vehi
cle and home to support the mission
of Lifeline Shoebox. To each and
every one and the countless volun
teers and supporters of this cause.
Thank you.
Lifeline Shoebox will begin plaiP
ning for 2016 deliveries Jan. 15,
2016. I am requesting that if there is
anyone who has available space or is
able to help to locate a donated space
or would like to participate with
Lifeline Shoebox, please email me at
info@lifelineshoebox.com or call
336-546-7015.
Wanda Reid
Coordinator and
Project Manager
Lifeline Shoebox Ministry
\ Photo by Timothy Ramsey
In this photo are members of Girl Scout Troops 41688 and 01929from Winston-Salem, the Delta Alpha
chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity (at WSSU) and the fraternity's Sigma ft eta Club. Wanda Reid is far
right. )
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