Project faces obstacles
BY SHERIDAN HILL
TOE CHRONICLE
Through the Freedom of
Information Act, The Chronicle
obtained reports earlier this year
(hal the CDC has provided to the
Inderal government to explain the
project's progress. In a report to
HHS dated April 20. 20(11. Grace
wrote that obtaining financing
?-and raising money have been
problems, and that he has a "writ
ten letter of commitment from
First Union Bank to provide the
debt financing for the project."
But when The Chronicle con
tacted spokespersons at First
? Union in Winston-Salem and in
the. Charlotte headquarters, both
ifcinfirmed that no one in their
(Jtfices "is aware of any type of
Ipens or verbal or written com
mitment that First Union has to
the East Winston Community
!
Development Corporation."
The project has had many
detractors ever since stock was
sold and then two years went by
without the purchase of land or
the beginning of construction.
According to the report distrib
uted by Grace to shareholders last
year, David Capital received
income of $434,3(X) and spent
$364,600 between November
1998 and February 2001. Most of
the expenses (nearly $3(X),(XXJ)
were for fees to consultants,
including $I(X),(XX) to the CDC.
One stockholder who
declined to be named told The
Chronicle in a May 14. 2002,
telephone interview. 'The CDC
is not giving us information. I
tried to get my money back and I
was told to get in touch with Ear
line Parmon. and 1 just gave up. 1
wish somebody would do some
thing."
CDC
fipm page AI
into decision-making but to
cjear up the minutiae standing
ip the way. This is a $3.1 mil
lion project that will employ
1-25 people, with a business
plan growth rate at 5 to 7 per
cent." Grace said the group had
"raised $136,000 through a
stock offering."
When the presentation con
cluded. Merschel reiterated her
initial concern.
"We have opened Pandora's
box," she said. "This \&ts pre
sented under the guise of a
biisiness plan, and now we've
hjpd a public hearing without
the public here. So 1 ask again,
why is it here? What were the
issues that were so time sensi
tive that we had to hear it
tonight?"
Mayor Alan Joines asked.
"Js all other financing in place
ejtcept for the city's?"
? Chin stepped to the podium
and said, "The bank will not
step forward if the city won't
commit." He then asked for a
letter of support and said that
the CDC planned to meet with
Bunk of America next week.
"So this was not just a for
your-information event," Mer
schel said. "How much are you
going to be asking from the
city?"
Chin said financial plan?
included a $250,000 grant, a
$450,000 loan from the city.
$400,000 from the N.C. Initia
tive, $250,000 in new equity,
and a bank loan.
Alderman Dan Besse said,
"I feel strongly that this must
go through the Finance Com
mittee before it comes to the
boarjlj I want to be assured by
the city staff and secondly by
the Finance Committee that
this is a viable project."
The board agreed that the
Finance Committee would
study the matter at it<, next
meeting. June 10.
During a telephone inter
view hours before the Board of
Aldermen meeting, city Devel
opment Director Derwick
Paige said he had not received
enough financial information
from the CDC to recommend
the project to the Finance Com
mittee.
Audit
from page AI
At issue is a David Capital
financial report prepared by
the East Winston CDC and
distributed to stockholders in
March 2001 that showed the
organization had spent all of
the $250,000 HHS grant, pri
marily on consulting and pro
fessional fees. Mott told The
Chronicle that the HHS
money was designated specif
ically for equipment and
building renovation.
Boogie Night
City holds annual
prom for people
with disabilities
> BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
nil CHRONICLE
Safiya Griggs couldn't wail
for the attendees of the 12th
annual Spring Prom to arrive
Friday evening. Most of these
promgoers never went to their
high school proms, yet many
always wanted the chance to
dress in their best and dance the
night away to loud music. After
all, having a disability doesn't
mean you don't like to dance.
Once the big night arrived,
Griggs said she looked forward
to "watching the participants
enjoy themselves. They seem to
have a really nice time, and their
parents - I think they have more
fun." Griggs said that parents
often accompany their children
to the big event.
Griggs and the rest of the
special populations unit of the
Winston-Salem Recreation and
Parks Development sponsor the
prom, whose theme this year
was "Manhattan Mystique." The
prom catered to young and older
adults who enjoyed music spun
by a DJ and decorations includ
ing a New York City skyline
with replicas of famous sky
scrapers from the Big Apple.
According to Griggs, a
spring prom is the perfect
chance to have an event for peo
ple who never attended a prom
and have aged out of the school
system. Individuals come from
group homes from all over
North Carolina, and Griggs said
this year she received RSVPs to
the prom from as far as
Statesville and Banner Elk. Last
year, so many people showed up
for the prom that Griggs and her
staff had to put out five more
tables to accommodate every
one.
William and Bemice Whit
ley have been attending the
Spring Prom for the past eight
years with their 26-year-old son,
Anthony, who is confined to a
wheelchair. Once Bemice Whit
ley saw an advertisement in the
newspaper for the prom, she
said that she immediately insist
ed her son and his peers from
Horizons Residential School in
Rural Hall be included in the
special event.
"They enjoy coming; they
enjoy getting dressed up - the
music, the food and all of the
festivities that go along with it;
and it makes them feel grown
up. independent. They just enjoy
themselves," said Bernice Whit
ley, who appreciates the oppor
tunity for her son to mingle with
other disabled persons.
"You can see that they like
music and they're just normal
just like anybody else. They
really enjoy themselves when
they get out here and get
involved," Bernice Whitley said.
She confirmed that son Anthony
indeed likes music, especially
when it is played loudly.
Of course no prom would be
complete without an opportunity
for pictures, and all of the prom
goers were able to have their
pictures taken by a professional
photographer. Some of the gen
tlemen were decked out in tuxe
dos, and many of the ladies were
dressed in elegant gowns and
formal wear. It was truly a night
made for dancing and fun for
this deserving group of people.
Photos by Courtney Gaillard
Young people dance to the sounds of a deejay at a prom sponsored by the city's special pop
ulations unit.
William and Bernice Whitley have brought their son, Antho
ny, to the event for the past eight years.
Name: Brenda B. Diggs
Title: Senior Vice President
Current Community Service: Chairman of the Board, Winston-Salem State University Board of Trustees;
2002 Campaign Chairman, United Way of Forsyth County;
Advisory Board, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Poor and Needy Division,
Board Member, Winston-Salem State University Foundation
Additional Service: Member of Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority;
Sunday School Teacher, Assistant Financial Secretary, .
Church Announcer and Deaconess, St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church
Past Service: City/County Utility Commission; Chairman of the Board 1998-2000,
United Way of Forsyth County; Leadership Winston-Salem;
Chair 1992-1993, Project Blueprint Program
It is mydaasic belief that every individual is given an opportunity to contribute to the health and prosperity of his or her community through some act of service We have
an obligation to take advantage of these opportunities and strive to improve the quality of life for others. 1 feel very fortunate to be able to touch and positively impact
many people in this community through my involvement with-Unite'd Way, Winston-Salem State University and the Kate B Reynolds Poor and Needy Trust. Wachovia
has supported my efforts by both allowing me the flexibility to schedule my volunteer service dunng work hours when necessary and partnering with me On several
community projects More than 3,000 of my Wachovia and First Union colleagues and 1 are here. Working for our customers and working for our community Working
to make a positive difference in Winston-Salem every day.
LET'S GET STARTED?
ApCHOVLA