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4B LIFE/ tC^t Ciatlotte $oit Thursday September 22, 2005 Hurricane evacuees historically find refuge with relatives 77/A' ASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO—Janet Riley is not from Louisiana, but her parents were bom there, and so she spent part of almost every summer in New Orleans, visiting with her aunts, uncles and cousins and marveling at how friendly people were—smiling and wishing “good afternoon” to the little girl from Chicago standing on her grandmoth er’s porch. Riley’s parents moved to Chicago following World War n to pursue the educational and economic opportunities a huge Northern city offered to black men and women. But roots and family always mat tered—and never more than now. The strong ties between Northern and Southern rela tions meant that when Riley’s 80-year-old uncle and his dau^ter needed a place to stay after evacuating Metairie. Louisiana, in Hurricane Katrina’s wake, she quickly offered her home in the Chicago submb of Calumet City, Illinois. “This is when you realize how important your family is,” said Riley’s cousin, Gail WUUams, 46. “This is when you know who the people are that really care about you.” Their story is being repeat ed in large luban areas like Detroit and St. Louis and throughout Chicago, where African-Americans have maintained strong cultural and family attachments to the South. Now these Northern migrants a^id their descendants are making room in their homes for Southern cousins, uncles and aunts, while black churohes in the North mount huge relief efforts. Black Americans first began leaving the South fol lowing the Civil War and the end of slavery But that trick le turned into a river during World War I—as many as 1 million Southern blacks moved to Northern cities between 1914 and 1919. Another million headed north in the n®rt decade, and the exodus continued in the following years, as men and women were drawn to the Northeast and Midwest by industrial jobs and the hope of better lives. Still, the roads home were never abandoned. Children are sent to the South for summers to get to know their extended family, annual reunions are antici pated for months, churches exchange choirs. Groups like the “Greenville, Mississippi Social Club” in Chicago allowed Delta migrants a place to interact and social- “There is a constant flow of communication in ideas, peo ple, money church choirs and bits of culture fium North to South, South to North,” said Christopher R. Reed, a histo ry professor at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Today’s phenomenon of storm evacuees finding homes with family up North “is the manifestation of a net work of self-help at work —a network that was put into place probably in the earliest days after the end of slavery,” said Reed, author of the just published “Black Chicago’s First Century” Black churches have taken a large part in relief efforts. In Detroit, for example, the Greater Grace Tbmple filled three 25-foot rental'trudss with supplies bound for Alabama, and at Oak Grove AME, pastor Robert Brumfield—a New Orleans native—has a brother, moth er-in-law, sister-in-law and nephew staying with him. “The outpouring of concern and compassion does not only express itself in people who have a direct family tie to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama,” he said. “But my congregation, there are thc«e who have family members and former church associates. ... Lots of people finm the South are here in Detroit.” Across the Mississippi River fium St. Louis, Tbrnmie Haynes has taken in nine family members —including his 75-year-old grandmother, his niece and her 6-week-old baby into his 5-bedroom house in Washington Park, Illinois. Haynes moved North almost 20 years ago, finistrat- ed that he couldn’t find a job in New Orleans, but he returned often for family reunions. Thanksgiving and the occasional Mardi Gras. “They came here on a wing and a prayer,” Haynes said of his relatives, who thought they would be displaced for just a couple of days. ‘It is crowded here, but we’re mak ing it.” Back in the Chicago area, Lou Johnson found refuge in his older brother George’s three-bedroom house in the southern suburb of Crete, Illinois. He brought his fiancee, her teenage dau^ter and his fiancee’s sist^, they evacuated New Orleans before the hurricane hit but were staying in an Alabama hotel when his brother called to offer a place to stay “It’s a long v^ay firom what was formerly home, but home will not be home again,” said Lou Johnson, who was tlie director of education at tfre YMCA of Greater New • Orleans. “It’s a blessing to be situated.” His brother George left Louisiana in 1971, after his stint in the Navy, because he wanted his five duldren to be exposed to the museums, the ater and other cultural oppor tunities Chic^o had to offer. Still, he and his wife sent their children, now adults, on what they called the “annual summer migration” to New Orleans to get to know their extended family The far-flung family also has a reunion every two or three years. George Johnson wonders if the next one, scheduled for Indianapolis, will be canceled because everyone from New Orleans is “starting over again.” On the South Side of Chicago, the newly reunited cousins, Janet Riley and Gail Williams^ attended a forum on hurricane relief efforts Thursday night at St. Stephens Evangelical Lutheran Church Williams was wearing clothes donated by members of the church, where Riley worships. As they prepared food for a reception afterward in the church basement, Williams joked about how poorly her cousin was carving the water melon and took over the task. “See Janet. I came to the rescue. I rescued you like you rescued me —theyll nev^ know that you murdered the watermelon,” she gigged. Riley, 45, who has lived alone for several years since her children left home, said the three adults are actuating to their new Hving arrange ment. Her uncle Robert Williams Jr. has taken over kitchen duties (he was at home bakir^ a sweet potato pie) and she loves to laugh and chat with her cousin. She has plenty of space in her three-bedroom home, but if she hadn’t, she would have made room for the Southern relations her parents wanted ha* to know aU these years ago. “When we would go to my grandmother’s place, she lived in a small place, but if there’ were not enou^ bed rooms, there was always the sofa,” Riley said. “You impro vise when you have to—that’s what family members are for. Family is the foundation.” Natural health store continues with new owners Continued from page 3B lion industry in 2004. Ihe Longs maintain that there’s enough business to go euound. “We’re empowering the cus tomer with the knowledge and then they have the choice to buy fiom whomever they want,” said Steve Long. “There’s enough people to support all of us.” The Longs have added a small educational center, with magazines and books about healthy eating and nutrition, as well as flyers and pamphlets for local ser vices related to health and wellness. Ihey’ve revamped the Web site and started an e- mail newsletter. They’ve spent $35,000 on the physical renovati;|U of the building _ a new sigh' on the outside of the building, repainting the black ceiling white and adding the store’s first computer and electronic inventory system. Until this year. Wall had managed the store’s 6,000-item inventory in her head “We’ve added a few more products, but we’re maintain ing the tradition,” Steve Long said. They also have added an office in the back comer of their store where they can operate a small practice. Nancy Long is a naturo pathic doctor, a form of medi cine combining traditional treatment and nontraditional medicine such as boteinical medicine and nutrition. Before the couple bought Harmony Farms, she worked as a store manager for GNC. Steve Long is a therapist with Healing 'Ibuch, an interna tional organization that trains therapists to use touch to influence people’s energy and improve their health. “We wanted to have a place where our practices were together,” Steve Long said. In the few months they have owned the store, the changes appear to be making a difference. Steve Long said sales so far have been up about 25 percent over last year. Harmony Farms held a grand reopening this week end. “It exceeded our expecta tions and went almost into the dream category” Steve Long said. “It was so much better than we could have even hoped for.” For Harmony Farms devo tees, Wall says she’ll be stick ing around for now. She helps customers and still does some of the ordering four da}^ a week, and is helping the Longs and her customers transition to the new owner ship. “It’s kind of like your baby,” Wall said. ‘You want to put it in good hands.” Customers say they keep coming because they like the smaller store, expertise of the six-member staff and selec tion of poxxiucts. Apex resident Nancy Cochran has only been shop ping at Harmony Farms for three weeks, but already they know her by name. Ccxhran is switching to an organic diet to alleviate add reflux disease and arthritis. ‘1 had a lot of questions because I was new, and I was made to feel very comfortable to ask them,” she said. ‘Even in the new Harris Tbeter (in Apex) there are only two doors in the fi^zen food sec tion that are organic prod ucts. Here, there’s better selection and that makes it worth the trip.” Ha\'ing Harmony Farms stay despite the change in ownership is a plus for Creedmoor Crossing, said Franklin Holmes, president of Hobby Properties, which owns the center. You Are Invited to Our Admissions Open House Kinilergarten: Septemter 29, 2006, 7:00 p.m. KinJer^jarten'^ Grade 12: Octoter 6, 2006, (^:30 a.m. Por more information please contact the Admissions Office at 704.846.7^7. CHARLOTTE LATIN SCHOOL 9502 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28m Tel: 704.846.1100 Web site: www.charlottelatin.org eston House on The PL laza A I...W Counlrv Reslauranl Where Everyday is a Holiday Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Dinner. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. 3128 The Plaza Charlotte, NC 28205 704-333-4441 Lots of good food and beverages We'll feed' you til we fill' you up, fuh true! Parking available on premises and shuttle services off premises. Absolute Auction Saturday, Oct 1, 2005 10:30 a.ra. 1624 Morningside Dr. No matter What you’ve been looking for, you ’ll probably find it in this auction filled with Jerry Kelley’s 7 buildings of "Junk." Spend the day, everything must go! 60 old cameras, 3 19th century cash registers, 400 albums, 250 steak knives, hundred of pieces of costume jewelry, 25 rakes, 48 cast iron kettles and frying pans, 12 brooms, 10 lawn mowers, 6 shovels, a telgraph machine from a railroad station, antiques, china, glassware, wood working and garden tools, and much, much more! Offered subject to confirma tion: ‘89 F150 pick up truck, 4-whecldrive. Terms: All sold “as Is-wherels” for cash or good check. 10% buyers premium, Viewing 8:30 til 10:30 sale day.. Auctions by Marshall, Inc 704-362-32ife • NCFL 7364 1222 Jules Ct., Cha. 28226 WWW. auctionsb^arshall. com The Three Little Words Every Woman Longs To Hear... 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