Chain Letter Scheme
Has Blossomed Here
by Susan Ellsworth
Poet Staff Writer
Get-rich-quick schemes in
involving chain letters surface
sporadically and lure the
trusting into getting ripped
off.
A chain letter scheme
known as the "Circle of Gold"
has blossomed in Charlotte
and surrounding areas much
to the dismay of postal author
ites. ......
Le Verne Summers
...Professional actor
LeVerne Summers
Is Attending
AADA In N.Y.
LeVerne Summers, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Marion Sum
mers of Maes St., Bowman, is
now attending the American
Academy of Dramatic Arts in
New York City.
LeVerne, a 1978 graduate of
South Carolina State College,
_ was a member of the Hender
son-Davis Players for four
consecutive years while at the
college and appeared in num
erous production and experi
mental plays. Summers has
had roles in the following
major productions: Our Town,
Mr. Wonderful* David and
Goliath, A Streetcar Named
D<tiJre and others.
■ The foj^mer student at State ·
is pursuing a career as a
professional actor at the Aca
demy which requires that a
student pass two auditions
before a review board and also
requires recommendations
from instructors and directors
who are familiar with the
student's acting ability.
When contacted about his
study, he said, "This is the
opportunity I have been seek
ing all my life aqd I plan to
concentrate on my acting
Career."
Connie Fuller
Joins Epley
Associates
Connie Fuller, a former
newspaper reporter who has
served as newsletter editor
and Assistant Communicat
ions Manager for the Greater
Charlotte Chamber of Com
merce, has joined Epley
Associates, Inc. as s public
relations account manager
and writer.
Before Joining the Chamber
In December 1976, she was a
general assignment reporter
far The Dispatch in Lexington,
■C. A Fayetteville, N.C. nat
ive, she has also worked for
The Fayetteville Observer
and The Fayetteville Times.
' A graduate of Wake Forest
University with s bachelor's
degree in politics, she and her
husband Lou live in Charlotte.
I
The West Trade Street Poet
Office in downtown Charlotte
has received many complaints
about the chain letters, accor
ding to a clerk in the Foetal
Inspector's office. Many of
these Illegal letters have been
forwarded to the Postal In
spector in charge of the Fraud
and Prohibited mails section
in Chattanooga. Tennessee. 1
This "Circle of Gold" chain
letter operates by instructing
the holder not to mail the
letter. Instead, directions are
provided for mailing cash
only.
Any check, draft, money,
etc...for the purpose of any
share or chance in a lottery is
illegal. The "Circle of Gold" is
a lottery because it fulfills the
three necessary elements to
be a lottery—consideration,
prize and chance.
The consideration featured
in the "Circle of Gold" is 550
that a participant hands over
in cash to the person who gave
him the letter, and another $50
that he mails to a name on a
list. The prize is the anticipat
ed cash the sender will
Teceive. An individual takes a
chance by being dependent
upon other individuals added
to the chain.
now aoes une scneme worn :
In 12 days a person could
receive $50 bills from 2,048
persons. That number is
achieved by doubling the num
ber of participants each day
for 12 days without a break in
the chain. Watch out for the
swindle!
This pyramid scheme
makes it impossible for the
chain to continue unbroken.
Those who enter the scheme at
the end suffer the loss. If the
scheme was carried out
beyond 12 days—18 for exam
ple, 131,072' people would be
needed to keep the chain
intact. In 23 days 2,097,152
participants would be needed
and in 28 days, 67 million
participants are needed to
prevent the chain from break
ing. Since the numbers would
have to keep doubling, the
saturation point is reached
qiriddyr
"If it sounds too good to be
.••true, it probably is," consum
"SKPare warned.^
The "Circle of Gold" letters
are illegal because they cause
the mails to be used in further
ing the scheme. The law pro
hibits persons from sending
money through the mail when
it aids a lottery or fraud
scheme.
Those who are considering
participation in the scheme
should consider that it is an
illegal activity that will sub
ject them to a fine of up to
$1,000., imprisonment for a
poe8il51e~two- year- term, -or
both. The operators who initi
ate the chain benefit, but the
majority who join later suffer
the losses.
CBRC, CPCC To
Co-Sponsor 3
Tax Seminars
The Charlotte Business Re
source Center and Central
Piedmont Community College
will co-sponsor three Ta»
Seminars on the following
days:
Tues., Dec. 12-7-9:00 p.m
Subject: "Federal Tax Re
sponsibilities for profit mak
ing businesses " _
, Thurs, Dec. 14-7-9:30 p.m
Subject: "State Tax Respon
sibilities for profit making
businesses."
Sat., Dec. 16-8:30-11 a m
Gethsemane Education Build
ing, 509 Campus St. Subject
"Corporate Tax Responsibili
ties."
The program committee of the Charlotte
Pan-Hellenic Council met at the home of Dr.
Mildred Baxter Davis to pack and decorate
boxes of food for a needy family who was
secured through the Social Services Depart
ment. This project was a first for the
Pan-Hellenic Council, a 30 years old organiza
tion composed of members of this City's
sororities and fraternities and was founded by
the late Thelma Williams, a member of Delta
Siigma Theta Sorority. Officers of the Council
are: Marilyn C. McLean, president; R Ρ
Reeder, vice-president , Clarissy Knox, secre
tary; Grace M. Stevenson, corresponding
secretary; and Robert Woods, treasurer. The
Council's next project will be to visit the
residents of Green Acres Rest Home to share
in the Christmas spirit.
Can An Insurance Agent Make
A Successful Career Change?
by Susan Ellsworth
Post Staff Writer
Can a life insurance agent
make a successful career
change from insurance repre
sentative to musician? Aspir
ing singer-songwriter, Ann
McKey is seeking the answer.
Employed by the Durham
Life Insurance Company for
almost l'/j years, soft-spoken
Ann enthusiastically admitted
her willingness to leave a
well-paying job as an insur
ance agent.
"I want to express my feel
ings through my God-given
talents as a musician," she
explained.
Despite being kept quite
busy by her jpb. Ann uses her
spare time to seek out possible
job opportunities and further
her career by playing piano,
guitar or a recorder at wed
dings and singing at churches
and nursing homes.
Describing her music as a
cross between "eacred, pop
and folk, Ann writes love
songs, religious music and
ballads.
Her rich, mezzo-soprano
voice was heard during the
Bicentennial celebration held
at the Charlotte Music Hall,
where she represented blacks
in American History.
Born and raised ii· Liriio.
Ann attended Kent State Uni
versity during the 1960s and
studied secretarial science.
She took a job as a secretary
but soon resigned because it
made her feel trapped.
Two years ago, Ann sold her
house and moved to Charlotte
after h?<· divorce and her son's
departure u.io the army, to be
near her parents who live in
Gastonia
Attending Gaston College
for a short time, Ann studied
art, business law, psychology
and human relations. She fur
thered her educaion at CPCC
for a quarter semester by
beginning work toward a
degree in art and plans tc
continue her studies.
Tm on my own now ..will·
no sense of direction." con
fessed Ann who conveyed tht
frustration of wanting to be
come a professional singer
yet is presently unable t<
fulfill her ambition
Acknowledging "a need to
express feeling through her
material." Ann is disappoint
ed because of the 15 songs she
has written, and only one has
been published.
Music is a vital means of
communication to Ann who
wants her songs ' to convey
feelings to people." and she
wants to help them through
the sharing of her self-ex
pression.
If there are any musical
groups looking for a singer,
why not contact Ann McKey at
365-1486.
( lash Reunion
Local members of the Class
of 1935 will hold their quarter
ly meeting on Saturday, Dec
ember 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the
home of Mrs. Jurethra Davis,
6218 Farm Pond Lane
Members are asked to be
present and on time; plans are
being made for the 1979 Class
Reunion next July.
Check the ads in the Charlotte
Post each week for the best
bargains in town.
Merchants
»
Who Advertise In
The Poet
I
Are Telling You
FThey Appreciate Your
. t
Business!
Patronize Them!!
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