Brown: Too many teens angiy about absent dad
Former NFL lineman
speaks at church
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
Former NFL defensive
lineman Robert Brown’s
roots in Chowan County
run deep. So when his cous
in, .Willie Mae Stallings,
asked him to speak at her
church on Saturday morn
ing, he quickly agreed.
Brown, who spent 11
seasons as a defensive end
for the Green Bay Packers
of the National Football
League, spoke at Ryan’s
Grove Missionary Baptist
Church about the impor
tance of motivation and
Trick
Treat
STAFF PHOTOS BY REBECCA BUNCH
(Bottom photo) Lynn Holmes, with candy bowl, and Katie Ferebee, right, hand out candy from their perch at a Halloween Slumber Party on
Monday night. Destination Downtown Edenton sponsored Trick or Treat Night. (Top photo) Showing off their Halloween finery are Naja’h Gas
kins, 8 (l-r); Tatyana Armstead, 7; Jamyah Phelps, 4; Jayla Phelps, 4, as they trick or treat in downtown.
Edenton Farmers Market to run through Nov. 19
Attendance has
been down
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
On a typical Saturday
morning about 100 people
seek fresh vegetables and
baked goods at the Eden
ton Farmers Market.
But in recent weeks at
tendance has been down,
organizers say. They are
concerned that because
fall has arrived people may
Edenton-Chowan Kiwanis Club launches book drive
Object is to get books
in hands of kids
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
The Edenton-Chowan
f:: Kiwanis Club is launching
a children’s book drive.
The project’s goal, ac
cording to Steve Lane, Ki
wanis president, is to put
character in building a
successful life. And while
think they have closed for
the season. But that’s not
the case.
“We want everyone to
know that we are still here,”
said Dr. Vero Brentjens,
who coordinates the mar
ket, now in its second year.
Brentjens said the mar
ket would remain open
through Nov. 19, the Satur
day before Thanksgiving.
Brentjens said that the
difficult economy might
have left people with less
money to spend. And the
uncooperative weather
books into the hands of
as many local children as
possible. He said the books
will be ones that young
people can take home and
keep as their own. y
The project will be car
ried out in conjunction
with the Book Buddies pro
gram at D.F. Walker School
and the local Boys & Girls
Club.
“We will collect chil
1
his remarks were direct
ed primarily toward the
during the growing season
has been a challenge for
those who sell there.
“But we do still have
many wonderful things
people can find here,”
Brentjens said. She added
that new vendors continue
to set up at the market.
For instance, Gaspare
Misseri began bringing
his baked goods to the mar
ket for the first time this
spring. He said that he has
been pleased with the re
sponse.
“It’s been wonderful,"
dren’s books so that kids in
these programs can take a"
book home that has a stick
er in it that will read, ‘this
book belongs to, followed
by the child's name,”’ Lane
said. “That will make it
even more special, give
them a sense that the book
really is theirs to keep.”
Stephenie McLean, exec
utive director of the Boys
& Gills Club in Edenton,
STAFF PHOTO BY REBECCA BUNCH
Former NFL lineman Robert .
Brown, left, was the guest
speaker at a program on
motivation and character Sat
urday morning at Ryan's Grove
Missionary Baptist Church.
Here, Brown, an Edenton native
who played 11 seasons as a
defensive end with the Green
Bay Packers, signed a team
helmet for fan Wallace Elliott.
young people in the audi
ence, his life lessons apply
to everyone.
Brown recalled grow
ing up near Wildcat Road,
where the church is locat
ed. He said he grew up in
a family-oriented environ
said Misseri, who also
owns and operates Luigi’s
Gourmet Pizza in Edenton.
“It’s meant more work but
it’s been more fun than it
has work because of all
the great people I’ve met
there.”
Misseri said his baked
goods have developed a fol
lowing among those who
make shopping at the farm
ers market part of their
Saturday morning routine.
“I have a customer base
now that loves the cinna
mon rolls,” Misseri said.
said she was pleased to
hear from Lane that the
project was underway.
“The Boys & Girls Cub
is very pleased with this
project because it puts a
book directly in the hands
of a child, which puts him
or her that much closer to
a great future,” McLean
said.
McLean added that edu
cation is a major focus of
ment with a love for sports.
He played for the Edenton
Aces from 1974-78 earning
All-Conference and A11-A1
bemarle recognition as a
tight end.
“At the end of my senior
year in high school, I had
to make a decision about
where I wanted to go in my
life,” Brown said.
Brown was offered a
football scholarship by
Chowan College (now
Chowan University) in
Murfreesboro. Brown said
he knew his parents could
not afford to send him to
college, and figured going
to a small junior college
would give him more of an
opportunity to work on his
academic studies as well.
“That’s probably my best
seller.”
Misseri said that other
popular items he provides
are cheese bread, French
and Italian breads, and a
sesame bread that he said
is good for making sand
wiches.
“I try to change up, and
not have the same thing
every Saturday,” Misseri
said. “That keeps it kind of
interesting for the people
who come.”
Among the regulars who
frequent the market is
activities that take place
at the club. This effort will
complement the work al
ready being done, she said.
“Also, reading is a key
indicator for success,”
McLean said. “Accord
ing to a national poll, 90
percent of youth who par
ticipate in the Boys & Girls
Club graduate from high
School. This program will
be one more way to recog
“I was the first person
in my immediate family
to graduate from college,”
Brown said. “If you get
a chance to further your
education, definitely take
advantage of it.” ,
Brown spent two years
at Chowan, again excel
ling in football. Brown was
inducted into the Chowan
University Athletic Hall of
Fame in 1996.
Brown transferred to
Virginia Tech in 1980 on a
full athletic scholarship.
While there he earned nu
merous honors and played
in the Hula Bowl in 1982.
In 1998, Brown was induct
ed into the Virginia Tech
See BROWN, 6B
Person of the Month
Girl writes
to aid
animals
Emma Brentjens, 12,
volunteers at Shelter
By REBECCA BUNCH
Staff Writer
For 12 year-old Emma Brentjens, giv
ing back to the community isn’t some
thing she thinks about a great deal. It’s
just something that she does.
Over the
past few years,
her efforts
have focused
on improving
the lives of
animals at the
Tri-County
Animal Shel
ter where she
adopted her
cat, Lucy
Emma start
ed three years
ago with a
simple idea. She was playing around
on her computer and began writing
about the adventures of her cat. Those
tales about Lucy morphed into an en
tire newsletter named Lucy Life.
Soon Emma decided that the funny
stories she shared in the newsletter
about her cat’s antics - like how the
mean cats in the neighborhood were no
longer a problem in her family’s yard
once Lucy showed them who was boss
— might be appreciated by a broader
audience.
So she took some copies of the news
letter — along with a collection jar for
donations to benefit the animal shel
ter — to local businesses to see if she
might put up a little display. All of them
— the Soda Shoppe, Urban Village, the
See BRENTJENS, 4B
Frances Inglis of Edenton.
“It’s a fun thing to do on
Saturday morning,” said
Inglis. “And the vegetables
they have are delicious. I
think it’s just a wonder
ful community enterprise.
And I hope more people
will come and check it
out.”
The Edenton Farmers
Market is located at the
corner of North Oakum
and Dicks streets adja
cent to the old D.F. Walker
School. Hours are 8 a.m.
until noon.
nize kids for their academ
ic achievements.”
Another partner in the
project will be Terri Fox,
who operates the Garden
of Readin’ — a bookstore
located inside the Edenton
Coffee House. The store of
fers gently used, donated
books for adults and chil
dren for sale. In return,
See DRIVE, 6B