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75 cants winston-salem greensboro high point Vol. xxviii No. 35
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Miracle on 14th Street
Families set to move
into new Habitat
houses along a once
run-down stretch of road '
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
A couple of years ago, Odella
Conrad set a goal for herself. She
vowed that by the time she
reached age 35, she would aban
don apartment living for good and
be the owner of her own home.
Conrad can cross that goal of
her list now. Sunday, her new
home and the houses of six other
families were dedicated during a
special ceremony hosted by Habi
tat for Humanity of Forsyth Coun
ty
Conrad beat the time she set
for herself by more than a year.
"I am a year and a month
ahead of my own schedule," she
managed to say in between
receiving congratulatory hugs
from a throng of Wake Forest
University students. Conrad is a
much-loved cashier at the cafete
ria at the school. Dozens of the
students to whom she has
endeared herself to showed up for
the dedication, many bearing dish
towels and other housewarming
gifts.
"This is just a great day." Con
rad said with a smile.
That sentiment was shared by
many - from the thousands ot
local Methodists who raised
money and volunteered to build
the seven homes along a once
dilapidated stretch of 14th Street,
to people like Conrad who will
soon move into the attractive
three-bedroom houses.
The Winston-Salem District
of the United Methodist Church
and Habitat have a long history
with the area, which is sand
Sec Miracle on A A
Photo by Kevin Walker
Odella Conrad waves to supporters from the porch of her new home. To her left
are her fwo children, Gregory and Shyree, and the family's dog, Tyler.
Sangin'
Photo by Ke\ in Walker
Apita "Boss Lady" Dean was not
scheduled to perform at the gospel |
train concert April 14, but during a
break in the action, she picked up a
microphone and treated the crowd
to a powerful rendition of a gospel
classic. Dean, a well-known on-air
personality on WAAA, serves as
mistress of ceremonies for the popu
lar monthly gospel train events,
which are hosted by Brother Bill
Pratt and the Gospel Crusaders, a
well-respected local gospel act with
roots here that go back more than
three decades.
Pratt is trying to bring gospel back
to the forefront in Winston-Salem, a
city that Pratt says used to be a
great gospel town. Read more about
the gospel train and about the histo
ry of the group on the Community
Focus page (CI).
Bennett
lands Cole
for top job
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE
Johnnetta Cole was named Bennett Col
lege's 14th president Saturday. The school's
board of trustees' decision was unanimous
and was announced at the Anne Merner
Pfeiffer Chapel to a crowd of students, facul
ty and alumnae who graciously gathered to
welcome and support
their new leader.
Cole, a 65-year-old
retired Presidential
Distinguished profes
sor and college admin
istrator, has received
high accolades for her
superb leadership and
fund-raising efforts at
Spelman College in
Atlanta. Spelman's
financial and academic
status shot up the
national ranking under Cole's 10-year reign
as the first African-American woman presi
dent of Spelman College.
Aware of the recent turmoil that the
school has endured, from building renova
tions, enrollment quotas and money matters.
Cole's remarks were very frank Ijpt promis
ing for the future of Bennett College.
"To whom much has been given, much is
required," Cole said. "So, my sisters, y'all
live in a high-rent district. You have to pay
serious rent for the privilege you have in
being here."
Gloria Wilson, a Bennett alumna who
heads the Winston-Salem alumnae chapter of
the school, was on hand to hear Cole's state
ment after word was announced of her
appointment. Wilson, a research and devel
opment associate in toxicology for R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco Co., shares in the excite
ment of the addition to the Bennett College
family.
"All of the sisters are just elated," said
Wilson. "(Cole) delivers a message that is so
clear, you can't help but want to be on her
team. She has a charisma about her and such
a wonderful, warm smile. The students (at
Bennett) will be happy under her leadership."
Wilson anticipates it will take some time
See Cole on A4
Cole
Locals weigh in on the
Middle East conflict
during emotional forum
Mosque says that
media are not telling
both sides of the story
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
Adel Srour was 8 years old
when the Israel War of Inde
pendence came to his small
Palestinian town. It was 1948
when soldiers invaded his
hometown. Srour told a crowd
at the Forsyth County Main
Library last week.
Srour. a Palestinian Christ
ian who now lives in Winston
Sajem. said that several Pales
tinians were killed during the
Israeli conquest of the land.
But when he tried to tell the
crowd that his own brother
was one of the causalities, he
lost his ability to speak clear
ly and tears fell from his eyes.
His wife.' Victoria, then
spoke on his behalf.
"We are living proof of
what happened to Palestinian
children." she said with one
eye on her sobbing husband.
"There are so many Palestin
ian children in 2002 going
through more horrific stories."
The Srours were among a
panel of local residents who
spoke during "America's War
on Peace." a forum sponsored
by the Community Mosque
and designed to raise issues
that organizers say have been
ignored by the media and gov
ernments throughout the
world in regard to the current
Middle East conflict and
America's much-talked-about
War on Terrorism.
The forum had an
unabashed Pro-Palestinian
theme. Dozens of recent pic
tures showing devastation
caused by the Israeli army
served as a backdrop for panel
speakers and literature show
ing the amount of money
Israeli lobbyists reportedly
funnel to U.S. politicians was
passed out and referred to sev
eral times during the forum.
About 100 people attend
, ed. Like the panel, the crowd
was diverse, with African
Sit Forum on A10
Photo by Ke\in Walker
Abdul Hanif Derious looks at images from Middle East con
Wake Forest creates award
to honor deceased student
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE- ?
Although the time Levar
Antwain Hairston spent at
Wake Forest University was
limited and usually at a dis
tance from his hospital bed. the
impact
he made
on those
who had
t h e
chance to
work
with him
in and
outside
of the
class
room
was monumental. The Cal
loway School of Business has
decided to honor and recognize
Antwain's courage, faith, dig
nity, grace and tenacity by
establishing The Levar
Antwain Hairston Pursuit of
Excellence Award.
The award is to be given to
a Calloway student who. like
Antwain. overcomes great
hardship in pursuit of their
degree. The Pursuit of Excel
lence Award's first recipient
was Westley Britt, a WFU sen
ior who attended college
despite a younger sibling's bat
tle with cancer and the unex
pected death of his father. Britt
received the award last week
and will graduate from WFU in
May with a degree from the
Calloway School of Business.
Hairston was born with
sickle cell anemia, a disease in
which red blood cells take on a
sickle-like shape; therefore,
making blood difficult, which
results tn excurating pain for
those who sufffer from the ali
ment. was becoming to much
to handle.
Stephen Hairston,
Antwain's father, a retired city
police officer, tearfully shared
that he and his wife, Iona.
See Hairston on All
LeVar Hairston
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University
Stephen and lona Hairston were presented with their son's
degree last week during a special ceremony at Wake Forest.
I
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