Gwen Harris Says: Women More
likely To Have Diabetes Than Men
The facts that woman are SO
percent more likely to have diabetes
than men, and non-whites are 30
percent more likely to have It than
whites, were not the main reasons
Gwen Harris decided to devote her
time to finding a cure for Juvenile
Diabetes.
"I am interested in being a part of
something that affects everyone,"
Mrs. Harris began. "Diabetes af
fects every race. I want to be
involved In finding the cure by fund
raising efforts to obtain money for
research and studies." Diabetes is
now the third leading cause of death
by disease.
As the only black on the 30
member Board of the Juvenile Dia
betes in Charlotte, Mrs. Harris
would like to see more blacks
involved in fund raising events. For
instance, in late September the local
Juvenile Diabetes Board will pre
sent its first annual Walk-A-Thon.
Gordon’s Jewelers is the sponsor. An
annual activity includes a roast of a
celebrity (this year Doug Mayes
received the honor). There are also
attic sales and other activities
sponsored by the feunjjatipfT
“We need volunteoim all of our
activities," Mrs. Harris pointed out.
As co-chairperson of the September
Walk-A-Thon, Mrs. Harris also
seeks increased membership in the
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation In
ternational. Locally there are over
300 members. Yearly dues are $15
per family. Sandy Tubor is also
co-chairperson for the Walk-A-Thon.
The Board is also directly in
volved in educating the public
about diabetes, awareness of the
disease and family support. There
are approximately 11,000 diabetics
in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and 200
300 new cases in the area annual
ly. The Charlotte foundation con
tributed over $30,000 to diabetes
research projects during ’83 and '84.
Internationally, the foundation
has contributed over $3 million.
There are now 172 chapters in 43
states and 12 counties.
Mrs. Harris is interested in edu
cating the public about diabetes.
Many may not realize that there are
two forms of diabetes: Juvenile
(insulin-dependent or Type I) and ‘ t
Maturity-onset (Type ID. .
Gwen Harris
* .Chairs Walk-A-Thon
/v>me irom devoting much of her
time to the Juvenile Diabetes
Foundation International, Mrs.
Harris is employed by the Hous
ing Authority as Human Services
Coordinator. She received her un
dergraduate degree from Clark
College and is now working on her
master’s in human development at
the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte.
Her parents are Hiomas and
Grace Wyche and she is married to
Randy Harris, who is employed by
Duke Power Company.
She attends First United Presby
terian Church, where she is a dea
con and is also a member of the
Friends of the Y and is a member of
the N.C. Association of Counseling
and Development. Her hobbies are
traveling, cooking, horticulture,
and working with the elderly.
Local president of the Juvenile
Diabetes Foundation International
is Lori Wojnowich. If you would like
to volunteer your time and energy
toward finding a cure for diabetes or
simply for more information, call
553-CURE.
National Juneteenth Afro-American
Cultural Society Will Celebrate Here
v aumcj v. ■ "TTf , r w.
Post SUIT Writer
The National Juneteenth Afro
American Cultural Society will
sponsor tta annual Juneteenth Ce
lebration in Charlotte from Jtme 14
through June 23 The theme this
yew is “We Wear The Crown - An
African American Cultural Explo
sion."
Juneteenth (June 19) celebrates
the end of slavery In the United
States and for yean was widely
celebrated in black communities as
' i Black Independence Day. In recent
years, and In Charlotte for the past
eight years, Juneteenth has made a
come-back as a day of celebration
for blacks. In Texas, it la a state
holiday. A statewide call is out for
black Texans who may be living in
North Carolina to Join the celebra
tion. Texas, was where the Union
Army finally freed the last slaves on
Jukeft, 1898.
According to Carrie Graves and
l Marcia Dean, memhaS df~1he—
Juneteenth committee, activities
are scheduled for each day of the
local eight-day celebration. Char
Junat«nth will-be-receiving
national coverage through Aiming of
both the celebration and interviews
on the history of blacks in Char
lotte and their contributions to the
Queen City.
Planned activities include the
following:
-June 14: “We Are The World"
Festival. Focus on youth. Black
youth in the community will pay
tribute to the youth of Ethiopia and
South Africa.
-'June 15: Walk-a-thon to raise
funds for the peoples of Ethiopia and
South Africa. Walk-a-thon route is
from the Afro-American Cultural
Center (Old Little Rock Church) to
Morgan Park in Cherry, with line
up at 8:30 a.m. People are needed to
sponsor walkers. Also on the 15th:
Teach-in on gospel music by the '
Dixie Hummingbirds at Undercover
Book Store and Afro-American
Cultural Center; and other activi
ties at Morgan Park at noon.
——June 15: A tribute to fathers,
with tbeDixIF Ttrnnrmngbirds in
concert at West Charlotte High
School auditorium at 3 p.m.
~ -done 17, 18, 20r -Tfcach-ins and
film festivals in various locations.
Subjects include economics, mili
tarism as it affects blacks, apar
theid, music and other art forms.
-June 19: Banquet (location to be
announced), with a memorial to the
late Senator Fred D. Alexander and
crowning of Juneteenth King, Queen
and Mother Queen. There will also
be a special radio Interview with
Stevie Wonder in support of the
Juneteenth celebration.
-June 21: Gary Byrd will con
duct teach-ins with youth on such
subjects as drugs and drunk driv
ing.
-June 22: Road Race and Pa
rade of Flags. Line-up for the 10K
race will be at 8 a.m.. West Char
lotte High School. The parade of
African and Caribbean flags will
begin at Johnson C. Smith at 9 a m.
There will also be activities through
out the day at Revolution Park,
including rapping and teach-ins by
Gary Byrd, the Harambee Singers,
Jhe Spirit of Life Ensemble, and
others. A family concert is scl*ed
See Juneteenth On Page 1*A
’ • M
,-Jfl
OR WHOLESALERS.
UPONS
SEE YOUR LOCAL A&P FOR COMPLETE DETAILS
Gr°CeA>
Savings
I REAL
IHellmann’s
I Mayonnaise
_*_ UMTT ONE WITH AN AOOmOHAL 10.00 OR MORE PURCHASE.
flrvSPPPIPI
) H I fg I I I I I I I I I I [ LJ ■ I I |
«
izmm I
OPEN SUNDAYS 9KMA.M.-9HM P.M. ~
• liliSSSmSn£?ii!f,<l'> * 4337 Mil l|. • 44M CEIlmi. IK.