Photos by Courtney Gaillard
Paul Donohoe looks ovr the shoulder of his "little brother T.J. Hood , as T.J. works on the
computer in Donohoe 's office.
Kids are sometimes waiting
years for Big Brother/Sister
Most on waiting list are African-American
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE '
"Paul Donohoe, 30, has pic
lures of his little brother, T.J.
Hood, 1 1 . on his desk at work.
The two aren't biologically
related but have been friends
for the last four years thanks
to Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Forsyth County.
For years Donohoe consid
ered volunteering with the
program, but he never felt he
had enough time to commit to
it. A television commercial
seeking volunteers prompted
Donohoe to finally sign up.
"I remember seeing an
advertisement on TV a long
titne ago for mentors," said
Donohoe. "I thought the com
mitment was much greater
than what it really wds."
Despite his job as presi
dent of a local marketing firm.
Quest Companies Inc., Dono
hoe manages to make time to
attend school functions and
meetings at Kernersville Mid
dle School, where Hood is a
sixth-grader.
"I ?do get involved. It's
something that I know a lot of
big brothers or big sisters
need to do, but he lets me get
involved so I do. as much as I
possibly can." said Donohoe.
Hood enjoys playing video
games and sports. He said he
wanted a big brother because
he was lonely.
"He's fun to go out with. I
like to play video games with
him. He helps me with my
homework," said Hood.
Donohoe said a change in
Hood since the two met is evi
dent to him and to Hood's
teachers. Like any big brother,
Donohoe dotes on his little
brother's athletic skills too.
"He does well in school,
he works hard, and he does
well in sports. He's on the All
Star team in basketball and he
plays football."
Nearly five years ago.
Donohoe was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis (MS). He
said his unexpected illness
motivated him to get involved
in the community. He experi
ences minimal symptoms and
now has the disease under
control thanks to medication.
He's also a volunteer at
Samaritan Ministries and with
the Central North Carolina
Chapter of the Multiple Scle
rosis Society
Ho&d hangs out at the""
office with Donohoe some
times. and the two friends
enjoy adventurous outings
like trips to the mountains, the
zoo or playing golf. Accord
ing to Donohoe, Hood's golf
swing is pretty good.
Submissions for
The Chronicle's
Community
section are due by
5 p.m. Monday
"We do a lot of fun stuff.
He helped me decorate the
Christmas tree. His family is
great: They let him come over
to my house," said Donohoe.
"We have just as much fun
'"We don't care about
matching people up by
race. But there's a
need for more African
American volunteers
and white volun
teers. "
- Bert Grisard,
president BBBS
going to the library as we do A
Wake (Forest Universft^
game."
Hood's grandmother. Mary
Gass, thanks God for Dono
hoe's involvement in ( her
grandson's life. She describes
him as being a thoughtful per
son who rarely breaks a date
with Hood.
"(Donohoe) has gone all
out of his duties as a big
brother. 1 want to thank his
lovely parents who ' have
accepted T.J. and love him as
Paul does." said Gass.
Hood was on the waiting
list for a 'big brother for two
years before being matched up
with Donohoe. Bert Grisard.
president of BBBS. said there
are a hundred kids like Hood.
the majority of them African
American. on the waiting list
today.
"We don't care about
matching people up by race.
But there's a need for more
African-American volunteers
and . white volunteers," said
Grisard. adding that there is
also a need for more male vol
unteers. ?
According to Grisard.
mentors must agree to spend a
few hours each week with
their little brother or sister for
at least a year. He said the
majority of mentors stay in
touch with their mentees
beyond the one-year obliga
tion.
"I can't tell you how many
little brothers and sisters have
been in their big brothers' and
sisters' weddings. You don't
sign up as a volunteer for a
lifelpng commitment, but they
often turn into that." said
Grisard.
He doesn't spend time
with Hood to make himself
feel better, said Donohoe, but
he does it because he kncfwx
that kids like Hoqd ?need
someone to spend time with.
"We're not just buddies
anymore. We do a lot of good
stuff that won't just fade
away," said Donohoe. "He's a
great kid. I've always wanted
to be an older brother since
I'm the youngest. You defi
nitely can make a difference
pretty quickly."
For information on volun
teer opportunities .at Big
Brothers Big Sisters, call 724
7993.
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Winston-Salem. NC 27106
Bus: 759-3911
Fax: 759-9192
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News
Clips
Compiled from staff, wire and
submitted reports
DWSP elects new members;
officers *r
The Downtown Winston
Salem Partnership has elected
new board members and offi
cers.
Jones
The
follow
ing peo
ple have
been
elected
to three
y e a r
terip*. on
* the brga
n i z a -
lion's
board of
directors: Gena Knighten of
Chelsee's Coffee Shop &
More; David Gall of David E.
Gall, AIA. architect; Marcus
Schaefer of Truliant Federal
Credit Union; Rence Callahan
of Walter Robbs Callahan &
Pierce; and Miriam McCarter
of Special Occasions.
McCarter is also the head of
the Winston-Salem Black
Cham
ber of
Com
merce,
The
follow
ing peo
ple were
elected
board
officers:
Steve
S n e I -
McCarter
grove
was elected chairman:
Lafayette Jones was elected
vice chairman; Robert McCoy
is secretary; and Steve Wiggs
is treasurer.
The Downtown Winston
Salem Partnership is a mem
bership organization dedicat
ed to making the center city a
destination by creating a core
of vibrant, intense mixed uses
in a pedestrian-friendly envi -?
ronment with emphasis on
major employment centers.
restaurants, retail, entertain
ment and residential uses.
YMCA or Northwest North
Carolina is new name for a
growing association
The 115-year-old YMCA
of Greater >Vinsion-Salem
will have a nw name in 2004
to reflect its expansion into
adjoining counties. The new
name is YMCA of Northwest
North Carolina.
Since adopting the former
name 20 years ago, the
YMCA has expanded its serv
ices in Forsyth. Stokes. Davie.
Yadkin and Wilkes counties
and now has 1 1 branches serv
ing these areas.
"The new name better
describes who we are and who
we serve." said Tom Looby,
president and chief executive
officer. "It also allows for
continued growth in the
region should other communi;
ties desire the services of the
YMCA. Although our name is
changing, our mission
remains the same: to help peo
ple reach their God-given
potential in spirit, mind and
body,i'
Looby said administrative
offices will remain in Win
ston-Salem.
Jigsaw puzzle artist
featured at SKCCA
The Southeastern Center
for Contemporary Art will
feature a rare museum exhibi
tion of the work of Houston
based artist Al Sou/.a from
Jan. 24 through April 3. The
exhibit, Al Sou/a: Inverse
Warp Field, features a series
of paintings using commer
"ciaHy manufactured jigsaw
puzzles and cut paper works
from a range of source materi
al, including atlas pages, sheet
music, and weather charts.
For the past several years.
Souza has created visually
stunning paintings swirling
with vibrant, colorful images.
These paintings don't use
paint in theMraditional sense:
instead, the artist skillfully
arranges large, found portions
of jigsaw puzzle pieces scav
enged from thrift stores and
garage sales.
Before becoming an artist
in the 1960s, Souza trained as
an aeronautical engineer and
spenl sortie time designing
helicopters.
An opening reception for
the exhibit will he Jan", 23
from 7-9 p.m. Sou/a will give
an artist talk at 6 p.m.. prior to
the reception. The reception
and ArtTalk are free for
SECCA members. $5 for non
members. For more informa
tion. call SECCA at 725-1904
or visit www.secca.org.
lial Atkinson, M.I).,
receives career award
Hal Atkinson. M.D.. of
Winston-Salem, an instructor
in gerontology at Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical
Center, has received the Geri
atric Academic Career Award
from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
Atkinson will receive five
years of
support
t o
develop
h i s
career
as an
academ
ic geria
trician.
The
purpose
of the
Atkinson
award is to promote the
careers of academic geriatri
cians who emphasize -teach
ing. Despite fhe rapicl aging of
the population, there is a criti
cal shortage in fellowship
trained geriatricians to lead
educational efforts in academ
ic medical centers throughout
the United States..
Atkinson will develop pro
grams to enhance Medical
Center geriatric education
programs for medical stu
dents. residents and interdisci
plinary teams. He also will
pursue a master's degree in
clinical epidemiology to fur
ther develop skills in clinical
research and in the interpreta
tion of geriatric research find
ings for medical education
programs.
He earned his medical
degree from Medical Univer
sity of South Carolina and
completed residency and fel
lowship training at Wake For
est University Baptist Medical
Center. He is board -certified
in internal medicine and geri
atric medicine.
(Benefits
ients
Generic Prescription Drug Benefit
$15 copay with no annual limit
^ .
Outpatient-Surgiry
- 1 00%?covered
Inpatient Hospitalization
$250 copay per admission
$39 Monthly Flan Premium
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Sales Representative will provide details or < l.m
and answer your questions.
Thursday. January 15, 10:30 a.m.
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(Hwy 52 to University Pkwy)
Winston-Salem
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