Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Feb. 21, 2002, edition 1 / Page 3
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Woman walking for a cause BY COURTNEY GA1LLARD THE CHRONICLE Forty-year-old Kim Denmark walked away from her stable family life three years ago and has been walking ever since. She has walked 11 states and plans on walking through all 50 states. She is easy to spot. She will be walking and more than likely sporting her orange sweat suit covered with messages from the places she has traveled by foot. Denmark is so determined, that weather is not a factor; she walks in rain, sleet, snow or sun shine. Every mile of the more than 2,000 sift has walked so far has been for someone else, says the Dayton, Ohio, resident who start ed her trek Jan. 5, 1999. She is collecting signatures (10,000 so far) on her sweat suit every step of the way with the hope of get ting the attention of Congress so that it can act more swiftly on issues such as welfare reform, homelessness and poverty in America. Denmark not only walked away from her life, but she walked away from a plush life with a nice home, a Mercedes and a jewelry box full of dia monds that she earned by becom ing a self-made private business owner. Denmark is also a single mother of four children. They are living with family members while Denmark is walking across the country. She says she left her success ful employment agency in Ohio when she embarked on her jour ney. But she says her outlook on life changed when her bank account skyrocketed. "I made so much money that my attitude changed. I became very uppity, very bourgeoisie black, very nasty." Denmark said. "(It was) just an attitude that Photo by Courtney Gaillard Clockwise back row: Kim Denmark, Shirley Mosleyf Rose Patton/ Vicky Glenn and Bill Franklin at WSNC Radio at Winston-Salem State University. came with being wealthy and going to the top and not remem bering who I was." (y In the midst of all her suc cess, Denmark says, she became consumed by her affluent lifestyle and worldly possessions, meanwhile treating struggling entrepreneurs badly, unwilling to share with them the secrets to her own success. She says that she became very ill and soon became a sick recluse in her home She said she was unable to letRe her bed while doctors could not determine the cause of her condi tion. Weeks passed and. Denmark says, she grew tired of being sick and stuck in her bed. She even contemplated suicide. One night. Denmark recalls, her condition worsened to the point that her body froze, leaving her unable to move at all. Drown ing in her tears, she was deterio rating and wanted to die. She says she experienced what she called a "spiritual movie" that occurred in her bed room. She said her life flashed before her, a life that never once involved giving back to others or acknowledging God. "This movie that was going on in my head showed me all of the times that I could have helped someone. It showed me not one time did 1 give honor to God or thank Him." Denmark said about her spiritual vision from God. At the time, Denmark says, she was having a stroke but did not realize it. She then decided to accept what was happening to her because of "all of the dirt she had done." Once deciding that she deserved what was physical ly happening to her body, she was visited by Jesus in her bed room. she says. He awakened her and instructed her to "get up and walk for the very people whose heads (she) had stepped on." "When I stood on my legs, they weren't the same; they were different. All of this energy and crystallization went on in my body, and I was enlightened, full of energy and life!" Denmark says that Jesus told her to walk for the poor and tell everyone that He was coming back. Within 24 hours, Denmark says, she left her life behind in four feet of snow, unaware that she would never return. She sold her lucrative temp agency busi ness as well as all of her belong ings when she decided to start walking for single mothers on welfare and their children. "1 chose to follow God and listen to what He said do and be a messenger and go and tell people to help each other and that there is a true and living God," Den mark said. She relies on generous strangers for money offerings, food and lodging in the cities she i passes through. The Kopper Kitchen was one of the local businesses that provided Den mark and her camp with food during their stay here. Denmark says she has refused endorsement opportuni ties from shoe manufacturers and sports drink makers because "it will take away from the plight." She shows up in a town and shares her testimony with the churches, schools, colleges, wel fare mothers, gangs, city officials Jf they give her the opportunity. In some, cities such as Philadel phia and New York, rallies have been held in support of Denmark and her efforts. Word is spreading about her walking protest and some radio stations, hotels and restaurants are opening their doors free of charge to her and her public rela tions assistant. Rose Patton, Pat ton. a 37-year-old ex-Army ser geant from Ohio, met Denmark through her temp agency and volunteered to help her walk across the United States. Sec Denmark on All HAWS hosting winter workshop SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE The Housing Authority of the Winston-Salem is hosting the Carolinas Council of Housing Redevelopment and Codes Offi cials' (CCHRCO) winter work shop, Feb, 19-22 at the Adam's Mark. The CCHRCO is made up of 140 housing authorities through out North Carolina and South Carolina. Monte/, C. Martin Jr.. executive director of the Charleston County. S.C.. Hous ing Authority serves as the presi dent. Other officers include: pres ident-elegt. L. Thomas Rowe. executive director of Fort Mill. S.C. Housing Authority: senior vice president. J. Reid Lawrence, executive director of Winston Salem Housing Authority; first vice president. Rebecca C. Holmes, executive director of Anderson. S C.. Housing Author ity; secretary. Marv in Stephens, executive director of Lexington. N.C., Housing Authority: and treasurer. Darlene Maynard. executive director of the Dunn. N.C.. Housing Authority. When , ? .. V as A u i iv c u about the workshop and it being held in Win s t o n - Salem. M o n t e z C. Martin Jr. said. Holmes .. 0 u r workshop theme is Building a Strong Foundation for a Brighter Future." This theme reflects our continuing commitment to expand our knowledge of the housing industry. As profession als. we must continue to expand our knowledge to keep up with today's competitive market. Reid Lawrence and his staff' always do an excellent job in hosting events, and they have done an excellent job again. We are delighted to be here because Winston-Salem makes us feel welcome." City dignitaries on hand at the opening luncheon welcoming workshop attendees included. Mayor Allen J. Joines (former HAWS commissioner), Emest H Pilt (HAWS board chairman and owner of The Chronicle) and Pastor Bryan Rainbow (former HAWS commissioner) of First Assembly of God. The keynote speaker for the opening luncheon was motivational speaker and author Thomas Barksdale o)' Greensboro. Various HUD offi cials throughout North Carolina and South (. around will brinj greetings and updates during the course of the work shop. A n Lawrence ^ "slate ?of presen ters are sure to captivate the audi ence of housing professionals. The Winston-Salem Housing Authority proudly boasts two of its own in the maintenance and crime prevention tracks. Kenneth Love, director of facilities, main tenance and national trainer for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). is presenting "Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) Inspections - Will Your Units Pass the Test?,** and William "Bill" McClain. coordinator of youth Services* will assist in presenting "Getting Youth Involved in Crime Prevent tion." Other presenters include: Richard B. Martin Jr.. chief of the N . C . Crime Preven ion Unit: ? Martin \ 11 g.e I "ruz. chief of security, and >>nna Gilbert, director of resi lent programs, both of the Columbia. S.C., Housing Author ty; Gary Robinson of Kids Com See HAWS on A11 F"" ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? "7~
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