^ ?-j| the carolina indian voice ^|||ff| "~ *ost OFFICE BOX jo75 PUBLISHED BACH THURSDAY PEMBROKE, N.C. 20372 91 I ????i?^????? ??^? ?????mmmmt^mmmmmmm^?? i i ????????|?J VOLUME 9, ) NUMBER 31 25c RR COPY THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1901 V ? PEMBROKE AREA PRESBYTERIAN MINISTRY EXPANDS WITH LARGE GRANT FROM V . t WOMEN'S BIRTHDAY OFFERING I The Pembroke Are* Pres byterian Ministry announced today that the Women's Birthday Offering of the Pres byterian Church U.S. will fund a major undertaking to dramatically affect the nutri tional self-sufficiency of low income persons in the Pem broke area. The amount of the grant will be dependent upon the size o5 the offering made nest spring by the Women of the Church groups throughout the Presbyterian Church U.S. The grant may be as much as $250,000 based on previous offerings. The project will encompass expansion and support of the Farmers Market in Pembroke, Nutrition Education tailored to the needs of this Indian community, a Mobile Cannery for community gardens, and Voluntary Home Demonstra tion Cubs. The project will be funded fof five years, and itis hoped that.the program will ?j. - i be carried on\>y the com munity after that funded period is over. The program will be ad ministered by Fayetteville Presbytery through its Pem broke Area Presbyterian Ministry. This grant will be potentially the largest single gift to Native Americans from the Presbyterian Church U.S. The Reverend John Rob inson. Director of the Pem broke Area Presbyterian Ministry, responded to the announcement. "I am very excited about the prospect of this Nutrition Program com ing to Pembroke. There are several aspects of the pro gram which are unique not only to community ministry programs but also to nutrition programs in general. First of all we are taking a holistic approach to the problems of nutrition in the county. Rather than teaching nutrition edu cation, while assuming that a person has sufficient food supply; to eat and feel better but also in obtaining the very whole foods which can make them healthy. "Another aspect that I like very much is the participation of the community in the whole program. In affect the church's making possible some self-development rather than just giving money away. For the program to succeed, people from the community will have to be involved not only in receiving benefits of the Ministry but also in planning and doing the Min istry. This is the kind of program which makes for lasting change." The largest single item in the project is the plan to purchase and operate a mo bile cannery, which will make it possible for people with gardens to can produce for the winter. Rather than setting up a stationary cannery in one I place in the county, plans call for a mobile cannety which can be moved from place to place within the county to make it more accessible to more persons. At the same time the participants are canning their own vegetables, they will be asked to con tribute some of their Uryduce to a community food closet. This will provide a op-going supply of emergency food stuffs for families in need over the winter months. Another major undertaking of the program will be de velopment of nutrition educa tion materials rewritten spe cifically for people in Bobeson County. Approximately 37% of the adults in Bobeson County are functional I v il literate, which means that most of the nutrition edu cation information that is available to them is anusea-~ ble. By using more illustra tions and simpler wording, in an easy to use format the program will provide nutrition information to new readers. In order to increase the supply of low cost food to low income families four com munity garde its will be es tablished in various locations in the county so that parti cipants can grow their own food during the summer. Part of the funds will be used to acquire the necessary equip ment, seed, and fertilizer for the gardens. The funds for the project, which will include support for two additional staff persons, will not actually be received until next summer. Even so a great deal of preparation work needs to be done before the gift is received, according to Robinson. "We hope to be using seminary interns and recent college graduates as the staff for this program. They tend to be more ener getic and creative in ac complishing goals. Therefore we need to begin this fall interviewing potential interns and seniors in college so that we will have a staff which is ready to operate beginning next summer. Also we can begin doing some of the research which will be neces sary to provide the educa tional resources early on in the program. And of course we have to begin now to build our volunteer network of persons who will be willing to work with us on this project, so that we will be ready to go as soon as funds are received. So we will not be just biding our time waiting for the gift. "At a time when things seem to be getting harder and harder on low income fami lies, it is gratifying to see the church offering the possibility of developing some resources for self-help," Robinson con tinued. "4- really do believe that this is where God wants us to be, working along side of those who need help provid ing them with the opportunity to do things for themselves. God calls us to wholeness, and a part of that wholeness is relating to communities of need. This grant, which we are so excited about, is sym bolic of the continuing com mitment of the Presbyterian Church to be with and for people." The Pembroke Area Pres byterian Ministry was initiat ed by Fayetteville Presbytery six years ago as an exper imental Ministry among the Lumbee Indians of Robeson iCounty. The Ministry has worked in Community De velopment, Campus Ministry and Youth Ministery during those six years. Among other projects of the Ministry have been a Dance Center, a Youth Center and the Pembgnke Community Workshop. Food Co-op Receives $2,000 Donation from Lutheran Church T1 r? I a _ _ _ mc rooa v.o-op, sponsorea by the Community Food and Nutrition Program, a com ponent of Lumbee Regional Development Association, Inc. recently received a dona ? tion of $2,000. ? The donation was presented on June 23, 1981, by the Rev. A1 Peuster, pastor of Our Redeemer Lu theran Church in Fayetteville, N.C. on behalf of the National Indian Lutheran Board. According to Shirley Lock lear, Director of the Com munity Food and Nutrition Program, the funds are being used to purchase food pro ducts for the Food Co-op. She explained that the food co-op - was established in February to assist low-income indivi duals living on fixed incomes in buying food at reduced prices. The co-op began with IS families and is now serving 80 families ? throughout the county. Locklear said that co-op food products cost about 20 percent less than the average grocery store prices. She noted that the co-op stocks about 70 different non-per ishable items. The C.F.N.P. Director not ed that the co-op has been successful because of great support trom L.R.D.A. and other benefactors and the co op participants. She explained that the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs provided a grant of SI,100 to purchase paper products. A donation of S500 from the Rev. John Robinson, Director of the ? Pembroke Community Work shop, was used to purchase a refrigerator and build shel ves. Hardees of Pembroke and Burger King of Lum berton donated containers to store food in. Locklear said that the Community Food and Nu trition Program, which is funded through the Com munity Services Administra tion, plans to expand the co-op into other areas of Robeson County. Co-op par ticipants must pay a $5.00 membership fee, work at least 2 hours per month in the co-op, and meet income eli gibility requirements for par ticipation in the Food Stamp Program. The co-op does accept food stamps for pur chase of foods. Persons interested in par ticipating in the co-op should contact the C.F.N.P. Staff at (919) 521-8602. Tte Ci?>) 9m4 mi * -* ?WMMi vMHHil kf Umakm Ba^MMi Dm ? ahMh tmm >??. AJ Hmtrn, MMf rf *? UMm WMM MM F?d. PMmM Ml to ?m MM* B. NM' A IMNNvi Dlmlwi tkm$r m. lnMm, crw MM A TRU^ "FRIEND to 'Strike at the Wind!' Dora Chavis, a Lumbee Indian from Pembroke. N.C., returns to delight the audience for her sixth season as Aunt Mary in 'Strike at the Wind!' Mother of two, she is a eighth grade teacher at Upchurch Junior High School in Hoke County. Carnell Locklear, General Manager, had nothing but praise for Dora Chavis, stating, "She has always been devoted in supporting the drama in every aspect, including serving as a Board Member of Robeson Historical Drama, Association." Dora Chavis is a hard working individual as a Board member. She has been involved in every fund raising activity we've had this year. If every Board member was as devoted as Dora is we could function very well." In the drama Aunt Mary is a person who is very close to the Lowrie Family, always giving advice in affairs, in cluding taking care of Henry's mother, Momma Cumbo. after Henry leaves to go to Georgia. Dota states that "She loves the drama very much and encourages everyone to get involved with the theatre and let's do everything we possibly can do to support the arts because it lets our local people show ~ their talents." She further stated. "I would love to see all my friends at 'Strike at the Wind!' this year." North Carolina Theatre Arts recog nizes 'Strike at the Wind!' as a professional theatre and provides grant assistance to this theatre from funds appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly. 'Strike at the Wind!' plays every Thursday. Friday, and Saturday night through August 29, 1981. Preshow is at 8 p.m. and showtime at 8:30 p.m. Follow the signs to the Lakeside Amphitheatre at Riverside Country Club, 3 miles west of Pembroke, Vt mile north of U.S. Highway 74 on State Road 1354. Adults are S4, seniors citizens S3.50, and children under 12, S2. For more information one may call 'Strike at the Wind!" at 919 - 521-3112. A special guest at tonight's pro duction [Thursday] will be Dr. William Friday, President of the state-wide University System of which Pembroke State University Is a member. II* mmmmI F#w2#f*e Day I?