" Vity^ ??*Sn?giT So?M 5"DrOIT 27101 ^gjM^0? |^ 'MM CtivON ICLE vol. XXXIII No. 42 THURSDAY, July 5, 2007 Coach excited about new opportunity -See Page B1 Church opens doors for lunch event A&T to o welcome its new chancellor File Phoco Always behind the scenes Lawrence Evans watches from the shadows during a recent NBTF press conference. The Stars' Star Evans has kept track ofNBTF celebrities from the beginning BY LAY LA FARMER THE CHRONICLE The name Larry Leon Hamlin is synonymous with the National Black Theater Festival. As the founder and creative impetus behind the event, Hamlin certainly deserves such acclaim. However, one of Hamlin's strongest attributes, according to those who worked with him, was the ability to delegate tasks to people who were equipped to han die mem adeptly Lawrence Evans is one such person. A longtime resident of New York City, Evans has worked with various theater companies across the country and currently holds a recurring role on "As the World McLaughlin "He came to New York auditioning for this play, 'On Midnight, Friday the 13th,'" he explained. "I had already done the play here in New York, and 1 auditioned for the role and got it and I came down there. 1 think (we were) one of the first groups of professional actors to come down to the North Carolina Black Repertory Company." That first trip to North Carolina left a lasting impres sion on Evans. "We stayed down for about three weeks; it was really nice - they had a very active theater guild and people would have us over for dinner and take us out; it was just great," he said. "I just started coming back almost every year." Turns" as Officer Evans He has served as the NBTF's celebrity coordinator since the festival's inception in" 1989, handling everything from the stars' travel arrange ments and hotel accommoda tions to their special appear ances "Lawrence is the celebrity coordinator - that's the official title - but it goes way and beyond," said N'BTF Media Relations Director Brian McLaughlin. "He was one of the first people that Larry called on . . with the vision of the National Black Theater Festival." Evans studied theater at Jackson State University and University of Michigan. He first met Hamlin - who died last month- in New York City while auditioning for a play in the early 1980s. Like the fledgling compa ny that had brought the two together in the first place, Evans' and Hamlin's friend ship grew. "I ... became close to him and his family - they're like an extended family," he said. "The North Carolina Black Repertory Company became my theater home away from home." Evans remembers the early years of the NC Black Rep fondly. "At that time, early on, some of the actors used to stay in people's homes," be related. "The first year we came down . . . they split us up - some peo ple stayed at Larry's house. They lived in this little house and we used to call it 'Little House on the Prairie.'" Hamlin's dedication to this See Evans on All Mmm, Mmm Good Photo by Layla Fanner A young boy, one of droves of children on hand for a recent community gather ing in Lakeside Apartments, enjoys a hot dog. There was perfect weather and high attendance for the city-sponsored event. Read more on page B12. Teens finish SriTech program BY TODD LUCK THE CHRONICLE Summer offers many sorts of camps and activities for young people. The SciTech Summer Technology Institute included no basketball, arts and crafts or sack races. The 21 students who graduated from the program last Friday spent their time learning math, science and surefire ways to get into college. The gradation was held at the Union Chapel Baptist Church where the students, all rising eighth graders, began and ended their week days for the last two weeks The program involved daily educational trips to places such as Winston-Salem State University, the county's Dell Joshua Gilliam Manufacturing Facility, Piedmont Triad Research Park, SciWorks and the city's water treatment facility. The SciTech Institute is a collabo rative of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, WSSU , Union Chapel Baptist Church, Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools and the Piedmont Triad Research Park. The students adorned lab coats as they marched into the church for graduation. They entertained parents, SciTech staff and volunteers with singing, music and stories of what they learned at SciTech. Students read essays on inventions they hoped to cre ate. One student, DeVaughn Nance, wished to perfect the air-powered car. Joshua Gilliam's dream was the J Cord, a set of wireless head phones with an MP3 player See SciTech on A9 200 finish anti-bias program Honor ceremony packed with well-known names BY LAY LA FARMER THE CHRONICLE More than 2(X) Winston Salem residents have now completed the Institute for Dismantling Racism's (IDR) program The celebratory service in honor of the insti tute's most recent graduates, held at Home Moravian Church June 25, attracted some big names in the antiracism struggle. In the audience were Jo Ann Goetz, Darryl Hunt's sixth grade teacher and a charac ter wit ness at his first trial and 1 Tyson commu nity leader and longtime activist the Rev. Carlton Everley, pastor of Dellabrook Presbyterian Church. Larry Litde, a WSSU pro fessor widely known for his work on the Hunt case, and Tim Tyson, author of "Blood Done Sign My Name," served as the keynote speakers. Founded by Rev. Willard Bass in 2(X)4, the institute is a collaborative effort that encourages community mem bers and organizations to face issues of race through honest interracial dialogue and inter action. The goal is to break down prejudicial barriers, on the institutional level, as well as within the hearts and minds of individuals. "This has been a journey that we've been on for a minute or two," Bass said at the service. "The people that have been with us on this journey for about four years now know where we've been and how far we've come. We've come this evening to acknowledge that." Sec IDK on A5 Salem Gardens gets angel in Sowell BY T. KEVIN WALKER THE CHRONICLE The smell of grilled food and the laughter of children got the attention of many Salem Gardens residents late last month on a balmy Saturday afternoon. They proved to be far better advertising than the fliers Stefany SoweU had printed and distributed* to promote the Community Day event she had spent weeks planning. Besides the food, residents who ven tured out of their apartment units also left with a handful of information. Representatives from the College Foundation of North Carolina were there to show residents that financing a college education for their children or themselves is quite possible. The Forsyth County Health Department also set up shop, tout ing safe sex, infant mortality prevention and other wellness methods. A table filled with free clothes and Mary Sanders, from left, along with I Moore and Robert Conrad. shoes was well perused Even the resi dents' City Hall representative. Council Member Evelyn Terry, stopped by to chat . Photo by Kevin Wiilkei mela Patterson, Stefany Sowell, Dave with constituents and encourage Sowell and the others w orking to make Salem Sec Salem Garden* on All In Grateful Memory of Our Founders , Florrie S. Russell and Carl H. Russell, Sr. "Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better" ffittgggll fflmtmtl Hgme Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support 822 Carl Kun.nc-11 Ave. C?t Martin Luther KJknjt I>i-.) Wlnfiton-Salcm, NC 27101 (3345) 722-3459 Fa* (336) 631-8268 nisfliome?>lH'lls?uthj?cl