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Story On Pegs 2A
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Charlotte Meek Pub Library
310 N. Tryon St .
Charlotte, N.C. 28202 HM
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^ Story On Page 11A
Gantt b BSC
Founders Day
Speaker
Barber-Sootia College will cele
brate its 118th birthday with a
Founders Day Program on Sunday,
January 27, at 1 p.m., in the College
Chapel Keynote speaker for the oc
casion will be Charlotte Mayer
Harvey B Gantt. '
In pursuit of his dreams, Mr.
_ Gantt entered Iowa State Universi
ty for the five-year architecture cur
riculum. After completing hla
second year at Iowa State Uni
versity, Mr. Gantt transferred to
Clemaon University and became the
first black student admitted to
Clemson. In 1966, Mr. Gantt grad
uated with honors and received his
bachelor of architecture. He also
received, in 1970, his master’s in dty \
planning from Massachusetts Insti
tute of Technology He is currently a
partner in Gaatt-Huberman Asso
ciates, an architectural and plan
ning firm in Charlotte, A1" Wl
Since 1974, Mr. Gantt has served
*» a member of Charlotte’s City
Council. He was later elected as .
Charlotte’s Mayor Pro-Tem. After
campaigning successfully in 1983,
Mr. Gaatt was elected Mayor of
Charlotte.
£
TWany Lunn
^ ^ ....Wonderful little lady
Tiffany Lunn Ranks At
v
Of Her Class
School has to be one of Tiffany
Luan’8 favorite activities. As a
second grader at Our.Lady of Con
solation, she has ranked academic
ally in the top group of her class for
two years straight. In school,
Tiffany claims, “We do math, En
lish, writing and phonetics My
favorite subject is science because I
enjoy reading about how the earth
was formed.”
Eight year old Tiffany also reads
books when she is at home. The story
she enjoys bast is ‘-‘Little Red Riding
Hood." Plus, she enjoys education
al television with her favorite
■bows being “Electric Company,”
and many of the programs aired on
the Disney Channel.
“I’d hke to be a teacher,” ex
plains Tiffany. And all these activi
ties Will surely help in that field.
She's already decided that she wants
to teach second grade. "Because I
like working with children,” she
adds.
Tiffany has many other interests
also. She studies piano under Mr.
Charles McCrae twice weekly. “I
played at a recital last year,”
recalls Tiffany “It was at the
United Methodist Church and there
no problem for this young lady.
She’s used to it from three years of
taking dance at Miss Donna’s.
Though she takes ballet, tap and
• jazz, Tiffany enjoys ballet the most.
“I like my ballet shoes and I can
stand on my toes. This year I’ll get a
trophy because it’s my third year in
dance school.”
Tiffany also enjoys roller skating
and she owns her own skates. She
likes roller skating so much that her
last birthday was celebrated at the
Skate Palace. Her teacher, Mrs.
Grisby, came, her classmates and
her cousins were there. "We had a
good time," says Tiffany.
Another very special occasion
happened for Tiffany last year. She
and her family Journeyed to Knox
ville, Tn., to see, none other
than, superstar Michael Jackson in
concert. “It was amazing," reveals
Tiffany. “I really got to see Mi
chael Jackson in person.” Of
course, she adds that Michael is
her favorite entertainer. “And I also
like Prince," she informs.
One person who was along for the
trip with Tiffany was her older
sister, Robin, IS. “I like having an
See TIFFANY aa Page It A.
Transportation Biggest
Problem Facing Elderly
By Teresa Simmons
Post Managing Editor
During many moments in history
being aged was synonymous with
wisdom and respect. Today, you
would think that retirement would
be a welcome event. But many elect
to work until they’re 70 or older.
The elderly don’t have it so good
these days. The percentage of low
income elderly is astonishing (ac
tual figures revealed below). But
what is more alarming is that pro
blems facing the elderly are
mounting.
Problems, such as transportation,
can take their toll upon those 60
years and over. But there are busi
nesses like Beasley’s Funeral Home,
located at 2706 Newland Rd. off 1-85
and Beatties Ford Rd., that are
providing needed public service for
the elderly.
Beasley’s van and car service for
doctor and clinic appointments pro
vide the elderly with the secure
feeling that someone cares. “The
people are so kind,” says one el
derly person who uses the free
service. “They take pains with old
people..and that’s what counts.”
ELDERLY POPULATION
Before we go any further about the
transportation problem, let’s take a
look at the figures for the elderly
population. Thanks to the Executive
Director of the Selwyn Avenue J^ife -
center - an adult day care center,
Stephanie Noonan, The Post can re
veal percentages of the elderly
population in Mecklenburg County,
the number of minorities and low
income individuals.
Part of this information was com
piled by Jim Dunn, Manager, Policy
Development, North Carolina Divi
sion of Medical Assistance, in
October, 1983.
In Mecklenburg County, 12.1 per
cent of the population is age 60 or
over. It ranks 94 in highest num
ber of aged population. Polk County
ranks first with 26.9 percent of its
population 60 years or older. Onslow
County ranks 100th with only 5.6.
In Mecklenburg County, there are
almost 49,000 people over the age of
60 with 2,674 over the age of 85.
According to the “Characteristics
of the Age 60 Plus Population by
County 1980 Census,” minorities
comprise 21 percent of Mecklenburg
County’s residents who are over 60.
Thirteen percent of all elderly in
Mecklenburg.County are considered
low income. Ibis 13 percent, by the
way, is the second lowest percentage
in comparison to all 100 N.C.
counties. The highest percentage
rate of low income elderly (60 and
*9
Several Mecklenburg County residents utilize the free transportation
service provided by Beasley's Funeral Home, a local business. (Photo By
Bernard Reeves)
over) can be found in Madison
County, where 39 percent of the
elderly are considered low income
WHY TRANSPORTATION?
Transportation is so crucial to the
elderly sector because of doctors’
appointments, clinic appointments,
transportation to and from hospitals
and for emergency transportation
for immediate medical attention.
Have you ever driven behind an
elderly person going 25 mph in a 45
zone area? Some unfriendly com
ments simply emerge: “He-she
doesn’t need a license anyway!”
While some elderly people have, in
fact, been turned down for renewed
licensing, there are others who have
restrictions. They may not be able to
drive at night, for instance.
Then there are other elderly peo
ple who have never learned how to
operate a car. These are the people
who depend on family, friends, go
vernment or private services for
their transportation needs
WHO CARES?
One of the community's most
prominent businesses, Beasley’s
Funeral Home, owned by Odell
Beasley, provides free transporta
for the elderly, handicapped and,
according to Beasley, “...to anyone
Charlotte’* Newest Hotel
Guest Quarters Celebrating Grand Opening
By Audrey C. Ledato
Poat Staff Writer
c Guest Quarters, Charlotte’s new
est luxury, all-suite hotel, celebrat
ed Its grand opening this week with a
tovtohracaptlon for community and
Mayor Harvey Gantt and County
Commission Chairperson Carla
brass ^
^CwtetrucUon SjMhe^na million
/ Harvey Gantt
ream provides because it's a more
reiaxUlg way to spaad nights
away from homo." Gusat Quartan,
with eight other all-suite hotels from
Washington, D. G.t to Houston, Tx
is geared to the upscale business or
private traveler and to small- to
medium-sis# groups, remarked
Mimi Voorhees, the hotel's Direc
tor of Marketing. ,, dk. ;
"Our philosophy." statsd Voor
hsss, “la to give each guest highly
persons!heed attention and to pro
vide him or her with the 'comforts of
TW '*P9 \ v-m—
V CmimDmPmy~T
home' and more." This “personal
touch” ia reflected in an array of
services and amenities, including
M-hour-a-day maid, valet and sidte
quest, babysitting and^astfS^V*
service, and tranaportatien to the
airport, restaurants, and shop*
around town.
3 Another amenity ia the hotels
Arbour Restaurapt, which offers
guests Continental and New Ame
rican cuisine for hreakfaet, lunch,
and dinner. Explained Food and
Beverage Director, John Stasick,
“New American cuisine specializes
in dishes from various regions
around the United States It’s a
culinary style fairly new to many
diners and we believe it sets The
Arbour apart from other Charlotte
restaurants and hotel restaurants.”
Dinner menus change weekly so
that Guest Quarters can offer the
freshest of seasonal foods For
lunch, diners can select from a wide
variety of salads, sandwiches, snd
delicious hot entrees, or a distinc
tive salad buffet which offers
breads, fruits, shrimp and meat
salads and cheeses, as well as all the
more familiar salad coodiments
The hotel's pastry chef prepares
fresh breads and pastries. There is
an outdoor cafe where guests can
enjoy their meals whils overlooking
the lushly landscaped courtyard.
Guest Quarters alse offers a bell
staff, a full oatertng staff, and
meeting rooms that can accommo
date groups of MO-300 people, yet
provide for smalar groups of B
“W#t* excited to be in Char
want our guests to feel at home, so
we’ve offered services that no other
hotel in town offers. In turn, we want
Guest Quarters to be a part of
Charlotte snd reflect the warmth
snd character of this dty ”
who needs it,” —
The company has been providing
transportation for the elderly since
1978, but about four months ago
added a van to its inventory and can
now provide wheel chair service.
This service is provided 24 hours a
day, seven days a week for the
Mecklenburg, Huntersville and Mt.
Holly areas.
“We only need a day or two
notice,” commented Beasley. “But
we also respond to emergencies .”
The number is 399-1666.
There is a vital need in the com
munity for transportation to and
from the doctors' offices, clinics,
and hospitals, Beasley continued
For the elderly, paying $15, $20 or
$35 round trip for wheel chair
service is expensive.
Even though Beasley's Funeral
Home's transportation is free, they
also provide transportation for hos
pital visitations and for people be
ing discharged from hospitals as
well.
Many of the employees of the
Funeral Home contribute to driving
the cars or vans designated for
transportation. Some of the drivers
include Odell Anderson and L. C.
Coleman, Rev. .1 W Kirkman and
Bishop Clarence Polite. The aver
age runs per-day is five to six,
according to Bob Curry, employee of
Beasley's.
Of the Beasley's service, "I think
it's wonderful,” says Mrs Austin,
who, at times, uses the transpor
tation to take her husband to the
doctor or hospital. “So many people
need the service There’s nothing
better.”
Mr. McClee is also transported by
the Beasley's Funeral Service. “It's
a good service and I appreciate it.
I’ve been using the service for about
five years. We get along fine
Anytime I need them they tel! me to
call them.”
Another person the Beasley's
Funeral Home helps is Ms. Buford
“I would have to get an ambu
lance or cab,” she stated. ”1 use the
service when my feet are inflamed
and the service is very nice.”
THE FUTURE