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The Chronicle
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Volume41,Number 16 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, December 25, 2014
Parkland senior's resolve
to whip cancer is strong
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
Alexis Fegan takes two chemotherapy
pills every morning before she goes to
school; She goes for radiation treatment
afterward.
In the 17-year-old's war against cancer,
the drugs are her arsenal, but her armor is
her indomitable spirit. Alexis doesn't
mope. She is not lachrymose.
"My favorite thing about Alexis and
being in this journey with her is her mes
sages to me where she sounds so strong, so
upbeat and she knows that she's going to
beat it. It's really cool for a 17-year-old to
have that type of outlook," said Peter
Zimmerman, owner of the Sides Branch
Road (off Peters Creek Parkway) Chick
Fil-A, where Alexis works.
The restaurant held a "Spirit Night"
fundraiser on Thursday, Dec. 18 to help
Alexis and her family offset medical
expenses. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
Zimmerman donated 15 percent of sale
proceeds. Alexis' coworkers came in on
their day off to support the effort. They
Photo by Chanel Davis
Alexis Fegan (right) poses with her parents.
designed and sold "A-Team" T-shirts.
Jordan Roels said it is fun working
with Alexis, who she says is one of the
most outgoing people she knows.
"Every time we work together, it has
been nothing but laughs. We are never seri
ous. She is a really good friend to me," said
See Alexis on A8
Photos b\ Todd Luck
(Right)
Assistant
Police Chief
Connie
Southern
helps a young
man shop.
(Below) Sgt.
E D
Branshaw
helps his teen
shop.
Officers help kids holiday shop
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Police and firefighters
took youth from The
Children's Home on a holi
day shopping spree at Target
on University Parkway on
Friday. Dec. 12.
The "Heroes and
Helpers" event started after
an early morning breakfast at
the store, courtesy of Chik
Fil-A. After all were satiated,
17 kids were coupled with a
public safety officer. The
pairs set off through the
store, pushing one of Target's
signature red shopping
carts.
Each child was provided
with a $150 gift card, provid
ed by the WSPD and Target,
and could purchase whatever
caught their fancy.
"It's just one way we can
work with the community,"
said Police Chief Barry
Rountree, who was on hand
for the event but had to leave
for another event after the
shopping commenced. "We
understand not all people in
the community are as fortu
nate as some of us are."
In addition to Heroes and
Helpers, the Winston-Salem
Police Department also
recently held its "Stuff the
Patrol Car" initiative at the
Walmart on Hanes Mill Road
to collect new toys for needy
families. The WSPD will
also be providing precooked
meals for some needy fami
lies this holiday season.
"All our interactions are
not arresting people," he
said. "Most of what we do is
service, so this is one branch
of our service to the commu
nity."
Winston-Salem Fire
Department Chief Antony
Farmer, who also dropped in,
said Heroes and Helpers was
a "humble and noble" thing
for police and firefighters to
do.
"It speaks good for our
department and our city, and
I hope we keep doing it," said
Farmer, who is retiring at the
end of the month.
Many of the young shop
pers made a beeline to the
electronics section of the
store to explore video games,
movies and hi-tech gizmos.
Clothing was also a popular
choice. Officers, aided by the
calculators on their cell
phones, helped the kids stay
within their $150 budget and
made helpful suggestions on
how they could get the most
for their money.
The teenage girl teamed
See Heroes on A 7
WSSL Photo by Garrett Ciartns
Donald Reaves stands in the heart oj
WSSV's campus.
Reaves
confident
in his
legacy
BY DONNA ROGERS
IHI CHRONICU
It was a long time coming, hut Donald
Julian Reaves, 68, achieved his desire to
lead a historically black college when he
was appointed chancellor of Winston
Salem State University in 2007.
"1 always said that I would like to lead
an HBCU (historically black colleges and
universities)," said Reaves, whose decades
long academic career included serving as
CFO at both Brown University and the
* T_ ? . - r
university 01
Chicago. "This job
was kind of the cap
stone in higher edu
cation."
As he prepares
to retire Dec. 31,
Reaves says he is
leaving a solid lega
cy at WSSU.
"This institution
wasn't held in the
highest esteem. We
think that we made a
Miller
lot of progress in that regard We've
improved the quality of everything," he
said, including the students admitted and
and who graduate, the faculty and his
administrative staff. "And all of that has
worked. I believe, to change the percep
tions that people hold about this institution.
That's critically important because it
speaks to the value that people place on
your degree."
During Reaves' tenure, student reten
tion rates jumped from 65 percent to more
than 80 percent; the six-year graduation
rate increased by more than 10 percent: and
the number of students graduating annually
jumped from 824 (in May 2007) to 1.600 in
May of this year.
The campus has grown to facilitate the
burgeoning student body with the construc
tion of several new dorms and buildings,
including the student center that bears
Reaves' name. Reaves is also credited with
bring back dominance to WSSU Athletics.
After a short stint in the Division 1
MEAC. WSSU returned to the C1AA to
rack up 15 conference titles.
"As 1 look at all the statistics that indi
cate the accuracy of that direction, 1 am
amazed that so much has been accom
See Reaves on A8
New Building, Same Mission to Serve
Samaritan Ministries
settles in at new digs
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
Samaritan Ministries Soup
Kitchen clients saw a change of
scenery last week as the agency
served its first meals in its new
building.
The $4.1 million, 20,000
square-foot building at 414 E.
Northwest Blvd. also houses an 80
bed shelter and special features like
a "healing room", for sick homeless
clients and computer lab. The build
ing is adjacent to Samaritan
Ministries' longtime headquarters
at 1243 Patterson Ave.
Executive Director Sonjia
Kurosky said both the agency and
Sec Samaritan on A 7
PtxXcvs by Chanel Davi
Kurosky
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