*■ CHARLOTTE P( 1ST =
JU TTm* Voice Of The Black (.onununilY
^ THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, June 14. 1984 -~ ITko: MK Vn.s'
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Mrs. Willie Dae
...wins $150 shopping spree
282o2
Initial Efforts
Off Handsomely!
Story On Page IB
Attending the latest session for the
financial progress report is 1-r: Sam
Haywood area superintendent for Char
lotte-Mecklenburg Schools; Stephanie
Counts, assistant principal at Randolph
Jr. High School; Barbara Ferguson,
campaign volunteer. The county school
system has contributed $6,000 toward the
goal. So far, the campaign totals $304,000
or 38 percent of the goal. (Photo by
Divine Reflections)
AAll Restoration Project
hAt ^ Preserving History
Special To The Post
There is aW of poetic
Justice In the campaign to
--aagaafiaBS
A ME Zion Church to house
the Afro-American
_Cultural Cantor
Ttq! restoration project
is about preserving history
and culture in a location
that has a rich history in
itself. But, the fundraising
drive is historically signifi
cant, too. Itis said to be the
largest single public fund
raising effort ever in Char
lotte to be orchestrated
mainly be the black
community.
“This does not mean that
it is a black project,”
emphasized Deedee
Murphy, project director.
“It does mean the black
community has never
before undertaken respon
sibility for the successful
promotion and leadership
of a project which so
greatly impacts on the
city’p community,” she
added.
The Afro-American Cul
tural Center Restoration
Project has broad com
munity support, but most
-e«*r-ate_%iiaed
black community’8 support
for it. The solicitation for
mula calls for about one
quarter of the money
coming from the black
community at-large in
cluding individual gifts,
contributions from black
businesses, and black
churches. The remaining
three-quarters would come
from majority corpora
tions and individuals.
The history associated
with this campaign dates
back to the 1870’s when the
City of Charlotte adopted
the Ward System. The
First Ward community
where the old Little Rock
Church stands and will
remain has a culturally
diverse background. At the
turn of the century when
the church was built in
1910, First Ward had
already established itself
as a racially mixed com
munity. It has been home
tBL-Coors To Sponsor
Scholastic Golf Tourney
The Charlotte Business
League-Coors Scholastic
Golf Tournament is a big
event planned for Wednes
day June 20 at Raintree
Golf Course.
Diane Jooes, coordinator
for the event gets excited
when she talks about it.
"The Business Depart
«it at Johnson C. Smith
varsity needs help,”
she said. "Our hope is that
alot of people will partici
pate. It is strictly a benefit
tournament with all
proceeds going to the
business department.”
sflM IS hue tournament is
open to anyone and will last
from l pm. to ftp. m
Man without woman
would bo as stupid a game
as playing checkers alone
The fee includes golf,
beer, cocktails, and hors
d’oeuvrps.
Diane Jones can be
reached at 376-0018 for
registration information.
for an ambassador,
mayors, bishops and other
leaders, as well as every
. dajrjardwocliing people...
people of both "races"black
and white.
“The Little Rock Restor
ation Project strengthens
the bond between Char
lotteans in general and
offers some unique oppor
tunities to preserve and
promote Afro-American
culture and history in par
ticular.” said Vivian
Nivens, executive director
of the Afro-American Cul
tural Center. “That is why
it is so very important that
this campaign attract the
full support of our entire
Charlotte community,”
added Nivens.
“This project will
succeed,” commented
Herman Thomas of the
Afro-American Cultural
Center Board of Directors.
“City Council has shown
good faith by appropriating
the first half-million
dollars to stop any further
decay of the building. We
have been given this
opportunity to raise the
necessary 5800,000 to make
this a reality. I have every
confidence in the world this
campaign will end success
fully,” Thomas assured
Persons wishing to
pledge or make contribu
tions may call the Afro
American Cultural Center
at 374-1565 or Deedee
Murphy at 394-4033.
Mental Health Services’
Future Is Questionable
Community
Watch Day
Proclaimed
RALEIGH - Governor
Jim Hunt has proclaimed
June 23 as Community
Watch Day in North
Carolina.
Hunt said. “North Car
olina has a proud tradition
of neighbors helping neigh
bors.” Community Watch
is a prime example of
neighbors getting together
with neighbors and their
foetti- 4aw. enforcement
officers to do something
about crime. Let us show
support for this vital
program and for the North
Carolina Community
Watch Association by
attending our state’s third
annual Community Watch
Day.
Crime Control and Public
Safety Secretary Herman
R. Clark joined with Gover
nor Hunt in support of
Community Watch and the
third annual Community
Watch Day. ‘‘We have
made major strides in
Community Watch since it
was lirst organized in 1977.
Today, people in more than
14,000 communities and all
100 counties throughout our
state are involved I join
with Governor Hunt in
support of Community
Watch and the Association,'
and all of those citizens
who are working hard to
make their neighborhood,
community, and state a
safer place to live," Clark
said.
Bruce E. Marshburn,
Director of the Crime Pre
vention Division, stated
that North Carolina leads
the nation in the involve
ment of citizens in the
Community Watch pro
grams
FELECIA ROBINSON
....East Meek sophomore
Felecia Robinson Planning
For Career In Modeling
By Jalyne Strong
Post Staff Writer
This September, Felecia
Robinson will be a sopho
more at East Mecklenburg
high school. A 1984
graduate of Carmel Junior
High, Robinson is excited
about moving on to high
school and she's looking
further into the future at a
career option.
“I want to be a model,”
asserts Robinson At 15
years old, this week’s
beauty has begun planning
for this goal
Following a visit to
TRIM modeling school.
Robinson reveals she's
decided to attend the school
next summer Her other
plans include signing up for
modeling courses at Belk's
and Ivey's department
stores
A modeling career is a
capricious endeavor but
Robinson points out that
there are residual benefits
of pursuing this profession
She notes, "Attending
modeling school may not
make me successful but it
definitely will help me t >
have a better outlook about
myself I'll have the oppor
tunity for greater personal
development I'll be able to
State NAACP Announces First Kelly
Alexander “Freedom Fund Dinner”
___:_
special To The Peet
The First Annual Kelly
Miller Alexander Sr.
"Freedom Fund Dinner"
will be held at the Sheraton
Centre Hotel in Charlotte,
Saturday, August 18, at 6
p.m.
- Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks,
Executive Director of the
National Association For
The Advancement of Co
lored People, will be the
keynote speaker for the oc
casion. . •> '' - f /• i
- It is named the "Kelly
Miller Alexander 3r 15b
nar” In recognition of Mr.
Alexander’s many years of
unselfish meritorious and
dedicated service to the
cause of equality and Jus
tice.
The first Humanitarian
Award will go to Mr. Alex
ander Sr. 11118 sward will
-k. , - /V*. . , tj"
--P
Kelly Alexander, Sr.
: ...NAACP chairman
dc given annually oy uie
State Conference of
Branches In succeeding
yean the award will go to
personages who have ren
dered outataiMBng service
to humanity.
For the past 36 years Mr
Alexander has served as
President of the State Con
ference of Branches Dur
ing his tenure in office, he
has led in the organizing of
the largest number of
branches of any NAACP
State Conference in the
United States. He initiated
and developed the Annual
“Mother of the Year"
Program of which the pro
ceeds are used for the
causes of freedom.
For the past 34 years Mr.
Alexander has been a
member of the National
Board of the NAACP and
for the post six years he
has served as Vice Chair
man of the Beard. In Jan
uary of 1984, he was elect
ed as Chairman of the
Board. He had served as
acting Chairman for one
year having succeeded At
torney Margaret B usher
Wilson
Local branches are plan
ning to car-pool, charter
buses and Strange plane
transportation to Charlotte
for the dinner. The Hos
pitality Committee of the
Charlotte Branch has ar
ranged hotel accommoda
tions at a reasonable rate
For further information,
contact Mrs. Carolyn Q
Coleman, NAACP State
Field Director, at 919
275-0851 or your local
NAACP Branch.
A warefftinDoy
The Charlotte Therapeu
tic Recreation Advocate
(CTRA) will sponsor "The
rapeutic Recreation,"
Awareness Day, June 16
The affair will take place
In Eastland Mall near Belk
Department Store.
improve my posture and
poise and this is very
important."
Furthermore, Robinson
informs. “I choose
modeling as a first career
choice but I'm considering
computer science as a
second alternative When
asked what she would do if
she became an immediate
modeling success. Robin
son responded, “I’ll set
aside time to go to college
to obtain a degree For
back-up," she assured
This young lady is
covering all the bases as
far as her future is con
cerned Her philosophy is,
"All that you want to do
you can achieve as long as
you hold on to your goals
and never give up " It is
precisely this attitude that
has yielded Robinson such
awards as* certificates of
accomplishment and honor
from Junior Achievement
and the National Junior
Honor Society and an out
standing achievement
trophy awarded by f’armel
Junior High
ran 01 ner arive comes
from parental support,
Robinson admits “My
parents have always
looked after me to make
sure I have a great future
ahead. They've always
been there when I needed
them."
The oldest of four child
ren, Robinson has one
brother, Octavius, and two
sisters, Cynthia and
This career-minded and
industrious beauty also
believes in having a little
fun. For entertainment,
Robinson enjoys listening
to her favorite soul and pop
recording artists on the
See Felicia on Page ISA
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I Memorial
May Take
Over Agent y
By Audrey < . I.odato
Post Staff Writer
The future of Mecklen
burg Mental Health Ser
vices is uncerta n There is
a good possibility that the
county agency veil’ be
taken over, in’whole or :
part, by Charlotte Memo
rial Hospital and Medical
Center. The fate of Mental
Health Services is lo he
decided by county coir,
mi-ssioners later th
month. The Mental Health
Authority meetsthisiriorn
ing to decide what their
recommendation ' :.e
commissioners will he
Mental Health Service
is a part of Area Menul
Health and Allied Ser
vices, which coordinate
programs for merit;,
health, developmental di
abilities. substance abuse
and specialized youth ser
vices.
The Center on Billings
ly Road operates a 58-lxd
hospital, but the vast
majority of clients are seen
on an outpatient basis
Doris Allison, Stuff De
velopment and Quality
Assurance Coordinator lor
Mental Health Services, re
ports that Center staff see
approximately loo people a
day Each month the Cen
ter’s screening personnel
have face-to face inter
views with an average of
450 people to determine
whether Mental Heaf h
Services is what they
need, or whether they n
best be helped by some
other agency. Of those tbO
about 250 are admitted to
outpatient services and p
other 90 are admitted to ’be
Center’s hospital The r»
cords department h,
about 2,300 cases presently
open
According to Ms \t
lison, a study done two
years ago revealed that V»
percent of the agency s
clients suffer from deprts
sion The second and third
most frequent complaints
are anxiety and psychotic
disorders
tlfu:l_ it_......
people with a wide range of
problems, one of the areas
where concentrated atten
tion is being placed at
present is on those persons
who have suffered from
severe emotional difficnj
ties for a lengthy period of
time
The New Directions pro
gram works with approxi
mately 650 of the chronic
ally disturbed In Meek
lenburg County These in
dividuals are generally un
able to work regularly
isolate themselves socially,
and tend to rely on family
or community agencies for
their emotional, social, SIR?
financial needs New Di
rections staff hope to be
able to expand services to
provide a community sup
port program modeled
See Memorial on Page 2A