A Doggone Good Law
Stale of N.C Photo
Susie, a pil-bull mix. joined legislators and slate leaders earlier last month as Gov.
Bev Perdue signs a bill into law that is named for the canine. Susie's Law, which
passed the X.C. Senate 47-0, makes sentences much harsher to anyone who harms
an animal. Susie is one lucky dog. When she was just a pup, her owner beat her and
set her on fire. Public outrage was sparked when he received probation for his
actions. Susie has since been adopted by a loving family.
Submitted Phoi<><>
Art of Change poets pose inside of Diggs Gallery.
MOA
frbmpagi 17
year. The Art of Change is
gaining popularity in the
local community.
"I'm trying to keep it
very classy," said Art of
Change Founder LaShun
Huntley. "I wanted a nice
environment for people to
come out and have a good
time."
Huntley, a visual artist,
said he was inspired to create
The Art of Change, which
raises money for MOA
through its ticket sales, after
listening to a song by old
school rapper KRS One that
had a socially conscious
message He worked with a
five-member committee to
form the Art of Change,
which fuses music, poetry
and food to create a unique
affair that holds its perform
ers to only two rules: they
cannot use profanity and
their poems must have a
"community conscious"
message.
"I can really see it grow
ing into something big."
commented Charles "Chuck"
Crouch, who helped to
organize The Art of Change
"...Every event gets belter
and better because I think
people are starting to see
what we're trying to do."
Crouch, whose pen name
is "Silcntwar." was one of
the performers at the inaugu
ral event, and has graced the
stage at every Art of Change
gathering since. A city
native. Crouch has to make
the trek from. Raleigh, where
he now resides to take part,
but he says the long com
Chuck Crouch
mute to the Twin City is well
worth it.
"Anything that's going to
help build up strong black
men. I'm definitely for that,"
he remarked. "...The thing I
like the most about it is it
shows us in a different light
as black men. It shows that
some of us are trying to do
positive things."
The Art of Change is the
chief fundraiser for Men of
Action, which is slated to
officially launch around the
start of the 2010-11 school
year. The program, which
Huntley founded with
Marcallus Sunday, a well
known local mentor, is cur
rently working to obtain non
profit designation. Huntley
says the MOA will be housed
at at least three different
locations throughout the city,
where small groups of boys
will gather to meet with
mentors and participate in a
variety of workshops and
training sessions
"We have to stand up and
be role models to young
men," he stated.
Huntley and Sunday
founded MOA last summer,
after reading a study that
found that many male high
school dropouts have men
tall;. and emotionally
"dropped out" of school by
the time they reach the third
grade.
"There's a high percent
age of African American men
who are not graduating high
school, who are not achiev
ing higher education." said
Huntley, who currently
serves as coordinator of the
Forsyth County Department
of Public Health's Healthy
Community Coalitions.
"That's a major problem."
Huntley has spent much
of his career mentoring men
and boys. The 42 year-old
father of three has served as
an educator in the local
school system and as a case
manager with Big Brothers
Big Sisters. In 1999. he
founded the MECCA (Men
Excelling in Character
Courage and Achievement)
program for middle school
aged boys, which he later
merged into a joint effort
with Sunday. Most recently,
he worked with the Health
Department's Fathers and
Friends program for men
who are supporting pregnant
or parenting females.
"I see this as part of my
service to humanity,"
Huntley said of his extensive
community involvement.
"...I look at it as my respon
sibility. I think God places
things on people's hearts for
a reason."
For more information
about MO A. The Art of
Change, or to volunteer, con
tact Huntley at (336 ) 686
0680 or
MenOAction? gmail.com.
( HBiNTSIS llNSTBIi SHE* FKRTSERSHIF FlIlFmii
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PhoU>s b> Lay la Farmer
ShatSe Butler wails with some of the children from the Communities In Schools program
outside Kimberley Park Pool last week.
Pools
from ptiRf A I
Kimberley Park Pool on
Wednesday were not happy
about the regulations. A
group of children and coun
selors from the Willows
Peake branch of
Communities in Schools day
camp waited outside the
pool for nearly an hour after
Pool Manager Hannah Sweat
refused their admission.
Sweat said all groups that
enter the pool must have
registered with the city and
completed an orientation
process before they can
bring children in
CIS Site Coordinator
Willie Coker said he was
aware of the new safety reg
ulations. but knew nothing
of the registration process.
"We are not going to ever
fool with that pool again
because that was a big
turnoff for us," said Coker,
who was eventually forced
to bring the chil
dren back to
Willows Peake
after being
denied admis
sion. **..,1
understand them
being safe over
here, but there
are such things
as being too
drastic."
Coker's
niece, Unsite Coordinator
Shante Baker, said she sup
ported the regulations,
despite the fact that they pre
sented an inconvenience to
the group.
"To save a life, we'll do
anything; I don't care if we
have to stay out here for an
extra hour," she declared.
"...I think it's needed
because nobody's parents
are here. I don't want any
thing to happen to anybody's
child."
Butler said the one-time
registration process has been
in place for some time and is
Cokrr
nvxi* oy L*yjj? r timet
Hannah Sweat
not part of the new policies.
Liability papers must be
filled out and signed by each
group leader, and an orienta
tion is conducted to accli
mate them with pool rules.
Groups must also notify
pools of their inten
tions to visit, so that
pool managers can
ensure there are
enough life guards
on duty, he
explained.
Sweat said she
likes the new regu
lations. even though
they do sometimes
cause discord with
would-be pool
goers.
"We haven't had any res
cues this year, which is awe
some." she said, noting that
in the past, life guards have
had to aid weak swimmers
who become fatigued in the
water or non swimmers who
venture out over their heads.
"...I'm still observing the
pool and I'm still on edge,
but it makes me a little less
stressed out. I feel more
safe knowing that 50-90 per
cent of the kids are in life
jackets."
Butler thinks the new
regulations are a good move
Life jacket policies are post
ed in Spanish and English.
for the city, and may have
even helped attendance at
the pools.
"I am noticing more peo
ple at the pools ... more
families at the pools, which
is very positive," he related
"We are very excited."
For the first time, the city
is also offering free swim
ming lessons at all of its
pools, waiving the $20 fee
that was traditionally
charged for a three- week
session The change has
resulted in a boom in partic
ipation. Nearly 350 swim
mers signed up for the first
session. Grant said.
"At a time when the
economy is hurting every
body. we felt it was impor
tant to move towards that,"
he stated. ".. I think it's
providing them an opportu
nity to learn how to swim,
but it is also helping their
wellness and fitness."
For more information
about pool regulations or to
register a group, contact
Butler at (336) 734-1212.
" Spotlight
I in
; me the opportunity to
work closely with the Chamber. Ifs been
very good for me and the company to
engage with the other businesses in
Winston-Salem through the Chamber,
while we look for ways to make Winston
Salem a better place to live and work."
Not a member yet?
us today to find out how we can
help your business succeed.
CHAMBER
JuiraraTiMft
L
www.winstonsalem.com ? 336.728.9200