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4 X THE CHARLOTTE P0ST' Thursday, August 28, 1986 Price: 40 Cents
_
Rosalinde McClain
....Sixth grader
By Jalyne Strong
: $ Post Staff Writer
Can you remember what it was
like to be ll-years-oid, going to the
sixth grade, returning to school
Rafter a free and easy summer? Well
if you can’t or if you cpn just barely,
this week’s beauty Rosalinde
McClain may help bring back a
few memories of those reading,
.writing, and arithmetic, formative
•years, ■ , '
» She is ti years old and is beginning
ler first week in the sixth grade at
jOaklawn Elementary School. But If
ft was up to Rosalinde, summer
vacation could have preferably
[stretched on to Christmas She says,
{“I'm not really looking forward to
[going back to school. I most
definitely enjoyed my summer
->acation.
“I had a lot of time to spend with
my friends, going outside to play,”
she recalls. Rosalinde also spent a
Jot of time playing with her Barbie
< Dolls, which 8hows that much hasn't
changed for little girls at play. Then
again, sortie have. Remember when
pummer was the time to hassle your
parents about helping you make a
stand and lemonade so ypu could set
up in front of your bouse and brow
wbeat your neighbors into buying cups
of lemonade for a nickel? Well enter
3988. Now all .you need is a home
Computer end a program called
^’Lemonade Stand.” “It shows you
h-.w to set up the business and gives
yovt the cost-profit margin."
explains this well-informed ll-yitfev
old. "I wasn't really interested in
setting up a stand but it’s fun to play
’With/7Times have changed, haven’t
they? Rosalinde also enjoyed play
spg space games on her computer
this summer. ■
Additionally, she went to the
mountains and practiced her flute
which she plays for her school’s
band*** • *
5 But it is still back to school for a
Saaii&flMiMliflHliM
•T7*"!;.';.
Prayer it a virtue that pre
I vail* against all temptation*
reluctant Rosalinde. She doesn’t
mind the thought of continuing her
classes in her favorite subjects
which are math and science. Yet
health, social studies and language,
courses she's having a little
difficulty with, she knows will
require that she “study a little
harder.”
Once homework is out of the way,
Rosalinde can spend time doing her
favorite things like watching
television; "Gimme a Break” is a
favorite show; and listening to the
radio, tuning into the sounds of New
Edition, Force MD’s, and Run DMC.
“I like the beat and the rhymes of
rap music," Rosalinde tells.
She also has a keen interest in
gymnastics. Rosalinde watches the
sporting events on ESPN. She’d like
to take gymnastics one day.
In her family, this week’s beauty
has two brothers, Chris, nine, and
Kevin, seven, plus one sister
Tawana, 13. “Weall get along well.”
I :
Kosalinde reveals. "And 1 like
having an older sister.” About her
little brothers, she smiles, ‘They
like to get on my nerves. ”
There are several people
Rosalinde greatly admire. First and
foremost her father, Michael
McClain, who she says, “Helps me
with a lot of things.” Best friend
Kisha is next on Rosalinde's list.
“She’s someone I can tell my
problems to,” she points out.
Finally, she has a favorite teacher,
Ms. Frazier.
In her future, this young lady is
considering pursuing a career in
either law of nursing. “I like to help
people,” she contends. Whether to
help them with legal problems or
health ailments is yet to be
decided.
Rosalinde is a member of First
Mayfield Baptist Church, where her
father is pastor. She sings on the
Youth Choir and is a member of the
Junior Usher Board.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
^ j ,V« t*V' <T **;• ;/
To At UNCC
Dr Ruth Westhelmer, America's
best known sex therapist, will speak
at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte Monday.
September 8, at 8 p.m. in McKnight
Auditorium. :
Sponsored by the University Pro
gram Board, the lecture is open to
the public. Tickets are on sale and
are pricedat 812 for the public and 85
for UNCC students. Only one ticket
per student will be sold at reduced
price. Tickets may be purchased
at the Candy Shoppe in UNCC's Cone
Center from 8 am. to 5 p.m.
weekdays. Mail order reservations
will be accepted through
September l and must Include a
stamped, self-addressed envelope
Only money orders, made out to
University Program Board, will be
accepted by mail. For more in
formation, call 547-2921 v
Dr. Westhelmer is a psychosexuaI
therapist who helped pioneer the
field of media psychology with her
radio program, “Sexually Speak
ing.” It began in September UNO as a
18-minute taped show that dtred
after midnight on WYNY In New
York. A year later it became a live,
one-hour show airing at 10 p.m. on
which Dr. Ruth, as she became
known, answered listeners'
called-in questions.
Now "Sexually Speaking” cqn be
heard In 81 cities across the country
for two hours via NBC radio and is
part of a communications network.
including a national cable television
program on Lifetime’s, "The Dr
Ruth Show,” three books, a game
and home video. Her books are
”Dr. Ruth's Guide to Good
Sex,” “First Love” and "Loving
Couples."
Bom in Germany in 1928, Dr
Wes'heimer was sent to school in
Switzerland at age 10. She went to
Israel at age 16 where she fought for
the country’s independence as a
member of the Haganah She then
moved to Paris, studying
psychology at the Sorbonne and
taught kindergarten She immigrat
ed to the U S. in 1056 and obtained
a master's degree in sociology at the
New School of Social Research and a
doctorate in education from
Columbia University.
Dr. Westheimer Is a fellow of the
New York Academy of Medicine and
1st addition to having her own
private practice, she is a consultant
at New York Unlverstty-Bellevue
Hospital hi the Department of
Geriatrics and at Kingabrook
Jewish Medical Center in the
Department of Rehabilitation
She la married, has two children
and lives in New York City.
Port To Close
The Charlotte Post will be dosed
Monday September f; In obser
vance of Labor Day
Our office will reopen Tuesday.
September 2. at 6 a m.
Needs $150,000
Without Operation
Lekeon’s Future Is Dim
By Loretta Manago
Post Managing Editor
Lekeon has leukemia That's the
fact It is also a fact that unless
Lekeon undergoes a bone marrow
'ransplant operation he'll never live
'•> have his first crush over a girl
And surviving long enough to get his
driver's license without the opera
tion is only a pipe dream. Also, the
chances that he will ever know the
thrill of getting his first job is
obscure.
Virtually, the future is on hold for
Lekeon It’s not that Lekeon needs a
donor for the operation. His two year
old sister. Tashanda, will be the
donor for her sibling
Where the problem lies is that
when Lekeon was diagnosed with
leukemia three years ago, his
mother, Toni Davis had no
insurance. And now John Hopkins
Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland,
refuses to consider Lekeon for the
operation unless the family can
-ome up wUh«t minimum of $12,000.
rtotatV.peration wih eos^V
$150,000 ' - ^
.\eedless to say. Lekeon's mother
is very concerned about where the
funds will come from “Already the
operation has been postponed When
he had a relapse back in ‘April,
that’s was when it was suggested
•hat a bone marrow transplant be
performed.” related Ms. Davis.
Ms Davis is also concerned
because she knows that the longer it
takes before the needed money is
raised the bleaker Lekeon's
chances become. “I just pray that
we get the money we need "
Until the operation, however,
I-ekeon and his mother, who reside
in Mount Holly, take a trip to Chapel
Hill's medical facilities every 10
days. There, Lekeon undergoes
chemotherapy
“Other than the weakness and
the weight loss that Lekeon is
bothered with, his spirits are pretty
good.”
A very typical seven year old
lekeon loves to ride his bike and
untypieally, he likes to read
“Mr T is my hero," Lekeon
assures, "and I also like Hulk Hogan
and Dusty Rhoads ”
What Lekeon doesn't like, he says,
“is green beans and carrots and
raisins." Other than that Lekeon
assures that he eats everything He
attends Pinewood Elementary
School and is a second grader If
not for his thinning hair and the tape
applied to his chest which peaks
over his shirt, there are no visible
signs that Lekeon suffers from
anything. Much less something as
serious as leukemia
He’s a lot luckier than a lot of
Lekeon and Tashanda
.Deal with crisis
other children who are leukemia
victims At least he has a good
chance of survival, if the money
comes in
I-ekeon admitted that he some
times wonders why he has leu
kemia but that's not what worries
him Not even the pending opera
tion seems to upset him. “I'm not
afraid." he valiantly replies. "I'm
just concerned about how my sister
will be."
“He’s a very special boy."
commented Ruby Alexander She is
the first lady of Mt Moriah
Baptist Church in Mount
Holly, where the Davises attend
“We pray that our prayers about
Rekeon are answered." Her
husband. Rev. Kenneth Alexander,
informed that a group of concerned
citizens would be forming an Action
Committee for Funds on Saturday,
September 6, at 6 p.m at Mt
Moriah “We are also asking for the
prayers of others that our efforts
will be blessed by God, bolh
financially and spiritually "
But until the day comes when
enough money has been raised for
I/Ckeon's operation to take place,
Ms Davis just has to wait “I handle
'he situation a lot better now than I
did when I first found out that
‘•Pookie" had leukemia At first I
was shocked It just didn't seem
real Now I've learned to talk to the
Lord because I know that He really
is the only One who can help ”
As far as Lekeon while they wait,
he sure would love to have one of
those talking animals that tells
stories and jokps
If you would like to help the
Davises, please send your contri
bution to any branch of BB&T
Bank, in care of The Lekeon
"Pookie' Davis Fund Please send
receipt of deposit to Lillie Smith,
Rt 1. Box 77 B Mount Holly NC
2R120. or call 704 827-9277
Parren Mitchell Opens Convention
Baltimore, MD - “The gulf that
separates black people is greater
than the gulf that separates blacks
and whites," Congressman Parren
Mitchell bellowed in his keynote
address to the National Alliance of
Postal and Federal Employees 37th
National Biennial Convention
Mitchell delivered the address at the
recent Public Meeting which opened
the five-day convention at the Omni
Hotel
Mitchell challenged the 600
convention delegates and visitors in
attendance to "dispel the notion that
•here are gradations in the black
community” and to renew their
commitment to civil rights saying
•he destiny of all blacks is exintric
abl# linked. The Maryland Con
gressman and candidate for U.
Oovernor criticised those who are
afraid to speak out against the
“indignities being heaped upon
blacks."
The address was enthusiastically
Pongrl«»man Parr mi Mltd»«ll
.Cai««a Bratntmat. ckrm
recdved The Congressman. a
l<»ng-ftme fMeod «rf NAPPE the
nation’* oldest Independent blade
led federal industrial union, was
introduced by NAPFEs former
legislative director and lobbyist
John W White In remarks follow
ing Mitchell's keynote.
NAPFE National President Robert
L White said, The National
Alliance of Postal and Federal
Employees will help to make Parren
Mitchell the Lt Governor of.
Maryland
James McDougald, Division
Manager Postmaster (Baltimore,
MD) said he listened to the keynote
address but felt a need to remind the
audience, "We’ve got a business to
take care of We've got to keep this
postal service business going "
McDougald spoke warmly of
NAPFE and he indicated that
NAPFE 202 members are helping to
make the postal service live up to its
motto. ’'This is a new postal service
and we’re changing "