First Friday hopes to cure Friday night blahs I
- Monthly social returns
[ to Winston-Salem
k
I BY FELEC1A P MCMILLAN
J COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT
|k
After a three-year absence,
? First Fridays is back in Winston
J Salem.
The monthly event, a network
i ing social for African Americans,
! was held last Friday at The Domi
h cile.
According to Jeff L. Smith of
SCNTriad Event Communica
tions, who spearheaded the event,
the group is trying a new approach
to drawing the First Friday crowd.
The original local gathering
; began as a part of a national
movement. Large cities such as
Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and
-Los Angeles have long promoted
1 First Friday events as a way to
; build relationships in communities.
In Winston-Salem, the func
! tion, which was organized largely
by volunteers, fizzled out. Smith
. said.
"First Fridays had never been
an organized event. People just
said, 'Let's meet at a bar,' and a
volunteer qrganized that day's
meeting." he said. "That kind of
responsibility begins to wear on
somebody's nerves after a while. So
I decided this past spring that
maybe it was time to take the event
to an events planner."
LaTonya Broome Richardson
of Event Experts fit the bill. Smith
called her in July and asked for her
assistance.
Smith and Richardson say the
event isn't really a singles gather
ing. ,
"We want everybody to come
out to mingle and network," Smith
said. "We often don't have the
opportunity to sit and talk to peo
ple outside of business. We wanted
to bring this opportunity to those
in the community who are often
looking for activities outside of
bars and clubs. There are not so
many forums for them to do so. It
seems that the city has been in a .
malaise for the last four years. We
got past the RJR leverage buyout,"
the layoffs related to the recession.
People have gotten in the habit of
not being involved."
The 40 or so people who gath
ered for the function agreed.
John Hinton, who works
downtown, said, he came out to
meet new people. ?
> "1 don't get to see many people
during the day, so I think First Fri
days is a good idea," said Hinton.
"There needs to be more places for
professionals to get together.
Many black people work down
town but don't know each other.
They may work for a big operation
or a big corporation, and their
work often takes them out of
town, or they just put in their
hours and go home."
According to Smith and
Richardson, the Fourth Street Jazz
Series, Alive at 5 and the commu
nity revitalization have encouraged
locals to get more involved in the
community and in coming to the
downtown area. Since these events
have come to a close, the duo think
First Fridays has the potential to
provide opportunities to meet with
other professionals until summer
comes around again.
"Fourth Street Jazz and Alive
at 5 are entertainment-oriented
rather than social relationship-ori
ented," event-goer Ty Daurity said.
"In the past, socially-related
groups such as the Jaycees and
other organizations tended to be
more inwardly-focused, so there
were not as many opportunities to
reach out to the community as a
whole. This event is held on a
national level in order to bring
together people from different pro
fessions, different races, to give
them a chance to build meaningful
relationships."
Smith said the location of the
event, a spacious downtown art
gallery with an outdoor gallery,
provides more than a little ambi
ence.
"They will have exposure to
art, a professional crowd in order
to mix, mingle with other profes
sional people," Smith said. "We
want to give people the chance to
come to the Art District. This is
See First Friday on A10
La Tonya Broomm Richardson, events coordinator; Jeff Smith of SCNTriad and Ty Daurity of Bank of Amer
ica chat in the courtyard.
diking to children about divorce I
BY PAUL COLLINS
THE CHRONICLE ? 1 ,
GREENSBORO - When you
are talking to your child about
divorce, remember that children ,
think differently than adults. This
conversation will not occur just
once. Encourage your children to j
express their feelings over coming
weeks and months. ,
I
The Family Life Council of (
Greensboro offers these tips about \
talking to your child about j
divorce: * - ,
? Sit down together with all the
; children to tell them about the sep- |
.J aration. ,
* ? Include positive, supportive,
reassuring comments to the chil
? dren, assuring that both parents
" will continue to love them.
? Tell the children how the
divorce will affect their lives.
? Restate that the divorce is
- between the two of. you, not
between you and the children.
? Restate often that the chil
I dren are not responsible for this
I happening
? Do not blame each other in
the children's presence.
? Assure children they can
communicate with the absent par
ent.
? Talk about any changes in
routine living.
? Listen to the child's feelings
and concerns about living arrange
ments, visitation.
? Assure that the child is free
to love,you both.
A - ? ?
? Encourage questions to con
tinue and allow expressions of
feelings.
? Include grandparents.
Children's basic rights in
divorce/separation:
? I have the right to love
whomever I choose without guilt,
pressure or rejection.
? I have the right to love as
many people as I want without
Feeling guilty or being made to feel,
disloyal. The more love I receive,
the more love I have to give. ("Peo
ple" include parents, stepparents,
relatives, friends, etc.)
? I have the right to have a reg
ular daily and weekly routine, not
one filled with disruptions, incon
sistencies and alternating patterns.
? I own visitation. It is my
right, not the right of my parents.
I have the right to visit both of my
parents, regardless of the grown
ups' wants or wishes regarding
convenience, money or personal
feelings.
? I have the right to be angry,
sad and fearful, and to express
those feelings.
? I have the right to love both
parents, since they are both a part
of me, and to be reassured that my
feelings are OK.
? I have the right not to lay
blame or choose sides.
? I have the right not to make
decisions which should be made by
adults.
? I have the right to remain a
child. I should never be expected
to replace my parents in their
duties nor be placed in the role of
an adult companion, friend or
comforter to my parents.
? The .< decision regarding with
whom I should live should never
fall on my shoulders.
The Family Life Council offers
a class that focuses on teaching
parents to deal with the issues
raised by divorce. The goals of the
class, called Children of Divorce,
are to: focus on the needs of your
child; identify the positive things
you are doing, both individually
and together; help you understand
what families normally experience
during the divorce process; learn
general guidelines on how to deal,
or not deal, with your children
during the separation and divorce.
Other goals: find ways to con
tinue to share responsibilities with
your spouse; understand what can
be positive about such a process - .
it may mean the end of a long peri
od of unhappiness, tension con
flict and pain; it forces adults and
families to redefine themselves in
what can be be healthier ways; it
may restore a positive and calm
home environment for all con
cerned- and identify resources in
the community which can be help
ful.
According to the Family Life
Council, 74 percent of the parents
who have attended the Children of
Divorce class report creating a less
.acrimonious, more businesslike
relationship with their child's
other parent because of what they
learned. Call 333-6890 ext. 221 for
more information.
Beta Lambda hosts cluster meeting
? '??? ? : I V
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Beta Lambda Chapter of
Phi Delta Kappa hosted the soror
ity's Cluster No. 5 meeting Aug.
* 28.
Cluster No. 5 includes Alpha
Tau, Beta Zeta, Beta Lambda,
Epsilon Eta and Epsilon Sigma.
Representatives of all chapters
? were in attendance.
The cluster meeting started
with pep singing and an ice-break
er, which was led by Soror Kathy
Allen, cluster leader.
Roll call by chapters and offi
cial opening were led by Soror
Etta F. Carter and Member-at
Large Soror Hazel Clay, followed
by greeting from the host chapter's
Basileus, Soror Daisy Staten, and
the regional director, Etta Carter.
The theme of the meeting was
"The Pursuit of Excellence - A
Challenge to Fulfill." Workshops
included such topics as recruiting
and retaining members, strength
ening the chapter, youth involve
ment, sisterhood.
Honey-baked ham was served
for lunch. Belinda Staten Womack
provided musical entertainment
during lunch.
Sorors were given highlights of
the 1999 Conclave.
Sorors Evelyn W. Sanders and
Daisy Staten put up displays that
received many favorable comments
from the guest sorors.
Door prizes were drawn
throughout the meeting.
The local chapter presented
j gifts to sorors Hazel Clay and Etta
? F. Carter at the end of the meet
ing.
The Cluster No. 5 meeting was
very informative and affirming.
Sorors in attendance expressed
their appreciation to the host
chapter and commented on how
much they had enjoyed them
selves.
Seven educators founded the
National Sorority of Phi Delta
Kappa Inc. in 1923.
Phi Delta Kappa Sorority is a
professional organization of
teachers dedicated to the task of
training youths' of America to
cope satisfactorily and effectively
with today's problems.
The purpose of the sorority is
to stimulate professional growth
among teachers, to foster true sis
terhood. to promote the highest
ideals of the teaching profession
and to encourage the development
of the potential of youths.
The local chapter of Winston
Salem Beta Lambda Chapter - is
involved in community service
projects such as Reading Power,
Teach-A-Rama, black history.
Commission on Civil Rights and
other projects to support, encour
age and work with youths in edu
cation, social skills, ethics, atti
tudes and cultural standards.
To qualify for membership in
Phi Delta Kappa, women must
hold a degree, be certified by a fed
eral or state department of educa
tion. be currently engaged in the
field of education and meet other
requirements of the sorority. Inter
ested educator? may contact Soror
Evelyn W. Sanders at (336) 788
9456, Soror Helen Johnson at
(336) 724-5656 or Soror Daisy
Staten. Basileus. (336) 661-1625.
From loft to right: Sorort Votoria (dwordi, tvolyn Sanders, Member
at-Lorgo Hazel Clay, Regional Diroetor itta F. Carter, Basileu? Daisy
Stoton and Patsy Squire.
Ml MOU?721 ZIcZter StrlZ Wtnston^Z Nc"" \\V
H9 nrnudlv nivim/ a \ I
pruumy present u mm
- Uvwwww%/m M eL %9\Mmor ?
J "Nevertheless, Alwaysthemore, Sometimesinbetween" ^
V (A comical, thought-provoking, mind-probing, who-dun-it mystery) 1
Joyce McMillan
at the
Little Creek Recreation Center ? 610 Foxcroft Drive ? Clemmons, NC
Saturday, October 9, 1999 ? Dinner @ 5:00 PM ? Theatrics @ 7:00 PM
i Tickets.....$20.00 (Includes the production and a seven-course meal)
I'' *Special rates for children under 12 j
? (For additional information, call (336) 722-2624 J
B /fev. Yvonne H. Hines, Senior Pastor B
Thank you OOP for Blessing
the overall production.
4U ' - : ;
?!
^ the Voice af ?
the Community
^oo
Thank you for
making this a
huge success!!!
Thank you to
everyone who
attended the
concert.
WSHX1500MI I
2nd Annual Listener
Appreciation Concert
Special Thanks to the following people -
James People, Sound Technology;
Tim Watson, Photographer;
Marion Watson, Alteration Plus (WSMX Shirts);
and Stephen Morris, Video Production
Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors -
mm NO^ANTV^Anht) MODEM I
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(ffattfiA* (flucicA FOO? LION The Source for African American News
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