4 MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2008 Greensboro residents celebrate bicentennial BY BECCA DENISON STAff WRITER GREENSBORO Friday marked the beginning of an almost two month-long birthday celebration in Greensboro, one that featured green foam tricorn party hats emblazoned with “Greensboro 200." To commemorate its bicenten nial, Greensboro organized a four day torch relay, beginning March 25 to coincide with the day the city 's land was sold on deed 200 years ago. The bicentennial s May 17 finale parade is the anniversary of the deed's official record. Almost 2,500 citizens gathered at New Bridge Bank Park on Friday evening to witness the final stretch of the relay. The torch entered the haseball stadium accompanied by 200 citizens, ages 9 to 95, repre senting the city’s 200 years and its diversity. “It was fun watching all the kids and old folks come into the park," said Al Lineberry Jr., co-chairman of the Bicentennial Commission. “It's very important to have a sense of history wherever we are because it gives us a platform for our future. It’s been a great experi ence so far." The opening celebration included a performance by rising country star Lisa Dames, who has worked with a professional theater in Greensboro. She sang until dark, when fireworks pro vided a lively conclusion to the evening. UNC students who hail from Greensboro said they w-ere look ing forward to the city’s bicenten nial. "1 think it’s cool because it rep resents the fact that Greensboro has really come back," said Steve McQuaid. a UNC junior w'ho grew up in the city. “To have people wanting to hang out in Greensboro is cool." McQuaid said he remembers elementary school field trips to the Greensboro Historical Museum, adding that there is a lot of history about the city that seems to have been forgotten. “It's hard for a city not to be historic after 200 years," Jessica Dickerson, a first-year UNC law student from Greensboro, stated in an e-mail. "There’s a lot of his- - —— - —— ——..—■ VINTAGE INSPIRED A "D a WP m W Boston College fjL Uk P| | A Brigham Young rifil *Hh dfc rfßb MM WT Clemson Connecticut tßefrfkwjHg" \ \ Duke Florida SBL Florida State |FbH9 Fresno State " Georgia H 9 Gonzaga minois p|| '■-*■9* w. Kansas Kansas State 9 j 9 Kentucky I 1 f k W\ ,ft JKfElr N Louisville Bet T' B 9 W ■ I|l UMljl |l and ■j Jj Marshall |B£F wSf ' *G 0r 4MJLS Montana ~ Nebraska New Mexico College Vault a • | - Oklahoma tradition and spirit of America’s top Purdue jffiflHP conscious fan. 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Texas Tech Virginia register to win cool College Vault Washington .jHK 'JhIHSIE A- MsjKSSSU apparel and other fun prizes Washington State HHppnßP|BßoW4Bl[9^*999l9P9F"^^^^^B9[ Wl WWW. college vault, com | gp Is&snl |f||| Manraa “"T,. eimiai ci • , v £ j• **>..% , OTH/ANKIT GUPTA Greensboro residents Peapod, 5, and Cailie, 4, proudly display their bicentennial hats representing 200 years of Greensboro's history. 200 Years of Greensboro History 1808: Greensboro is established as Guilford's county seat. 1828: North Carolina's first steam-powered cotton mill begins operating in Greensboro, spurring the development of the city's textile manufacturing industry. 1851: Construction of the North Carolina Railroad, envisioned by John Motley Morehead as a way to connect the eastern and western parts of the state, begins in Greensboro. 1860s: Greensboro a major hub of the underground railroad, as town Quakers help slaves escape to Ohio. 1891:With plants and the expansion of railroads leading to 60 trains per day passing through the city, tory in Greensboro." Dickerson mentioned that the city is home to important battles from both the Revolutionary and Civil wars as well as the new Woolworth’s Museum honoring the 1960 sit-in that spurred the civil rights movement. While Greensboro is home to two UNC-system schools, the opening celebration was mostly attended by families. Throughout the evening, chil dren ran around the stadium, watching men in colonial garb Greensboro earns the nickname 'The Gate City." 1943-46: More than 300,000 soldiers train at the city's Army camp. 1960: Four young men from N.C. A&T University sit down at the white-only Wool worth's counter. Black students around the country join their silent protest. 19705: Greensboro integrates its school system. 1979: Five members of the Communist Workers Party are killed by Neo-Nazis and members of the Klu Klux Klan during a march. 2009: A FedEx hub will open, bringing more commerce to the city. It has been under construction for several years. stroll through the stands. While she didn't go home for the ceremony. UNC senior Brooke Bauer said she maintains a soft spot for the city. “Families and adults thrive there, though," she said. “All in all, the local government and systems are top-notch. It’s a wonderful Southern city to call home." Staff writer Jake Ratliff contributed reporting. Contact the State £2 National Editor at stntdexkfa une.edu. News I 3*/ Lmfßi'iiHKli s. Be— V BA •*4 DTH/iENNIFER ZENG Erika Littman (center) weaves under a ribbon for a maypole dance with her fellow Carolina Garden Co-op members. The maypole was one of the activities at the "Garden Grow Down" to bring awareness to the garden. ‘Grow Down’ emphasizes environmental initiatives BY ANITA RAO STAFF WRITER An emerald-colored lizard sits perched on a bed of periwinkle and crimson flowers in a draw ing on Rachael Francis’ prayer flag, which hangs in the Carolina Garden Co-op's garden behind Kenan Residence Hall. At the co-op's Garden Grow Down on Friday. Francis and others made prayer flags about their wishes for the environment and the world. “I wish for life and its beauty to be untroubled and undisturbed," Francis said. With a cakewalk and bake sale featuring items like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and vegan and pumpkin pies the event raised about SIOO for the group, which meets weekly to tend its vegetable and herb garden. Money will be used for buying seeds and tools, composting and financing group T-shirts, co-op member Jordan Treaklc said. Co-op member Bryce Koukopoulos said she hoped the event also would bring people together to learn about the gar den. have fun and unite around a common cause. “1 think it’s really great to be out side and be at an event where both little kids and college students are equally welcome," said sophomore Mary Ellen Pearce, winner of a honey-walnut cake in the cakewalk. Small children balanced on a purple slackline between two trees and had their faces painted with the help of co-op members. In addition to three-legged rac ing. square-dancing and weaving a rainbow-colored pattern on the maypole, attendees also had the opportunity to speak with repre sentatives from environmentally conscious organizations such as the Orange Water and Sew-er Authority, UNC Sustainability- Office, Earth First and Carrboro Fanners’ Market. “We try to help people under stand that just being responsible for yourself is not enough if you don't want to see the planet destroyed by human excess," said Mike Ketch, a representative of Earth First. OWASA spokesman Greg Feller handed out low-flow shower heads, water-saving toilet flappers, dye tablets for checking toilet leaks and water conservation tips. Despite the growth in the size ehr Daily ear Hrrl of the campus, the per capita per day consumption of water has gone down consistently, said attendee Terri Buckner, a research associatc at the UNC Sustainability- Office. She said she appreciates the hard work of students in both their efforts to conserve water and be environmentally conscious. “They do an excellent job of orga nizing students around important issues and helping people become more aware that what we put into our body matters," Buckner said. Whether it’s getting down in the dirt and working in the gar den, composting in her own yard or "dumpster diving," co-op mem ber Molly Rose said she tries to be environmentally aware. "A good way to start think ing about sustainability- is to be extremely conscious of what you are consuming and how it affects the environment," Rose said. “It’s great to see that this many people have come out to enjoy the beautiful weather and support the forming of a connection to the food we eat" Contact the Features Editor at une.edu.