Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Dec. 24, 1997, edition 1 / Page 1
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The ews Journal 'If it happened, it's news to us' No. 38 Vol. 89 50 cents Wednesday, December 24,1997 Christmas stories from |oe Rockholt and Lonnie Bounds 3-4A West Hoke Community Watch wants youth center 4A index Calendar 2B Classifieds 7B Deaths 5A Editorials 2A Legals 6B Religion 5 A School 6A TV Listings 4-5B Weather 8A Socials 3B Around Town By Sam C. Morris Contributing Editor The weather has warmed a little and this brought rain into the area on Monday. The tem perature for the day was in the 40s both day and night. It was forecast that it would be in the 6()s on Tuesday. 1 hope the rainy weather doesn’t hamper the Christmas shoppers. We all are looking forward to Santa’s visit Wednesday night. Christmas day should be sunny with temperatures in the 50s. The forecast for the remain der of the week, Wednesday through Saturday, will have the highs in the 50s and the lows in the high 30s or low 40s. Rain is in the forecast for Wednesday. ♦ * * * + We all like to celebrate dur ing the holidays and many people think that you must have whiskey or other alco holic beverages during these occasions. In listening to the reports on television and read ing in the daily papers, it ap pears that the law enforcement officials will be out in full force from now until January 4. They will have check points (See AROUND, page lOA) Spirit of Santa lives on Old Farm Road Knight Chamberlain Editor This spirit of Santa Claus is alive and well on Old Farm Road near West Hoke Middle School in Raeford, even though every one knows the real Santa lives at the North Pole. But Rick John is as close to being the real thing as you are likely to find in these parts, and he fits the role with a spring in his step and a twinkle in his eyes. John, 36, is active duty Air Force and stationed at Pope Air Force Base. But when he’s away from the tarmac, this helper in Santa’s clothing and self-taught carpen ter will most likely be found in his workshop making toys for children of all ages. And as December 25th ap proaches you’ll see him out in the neighborhood dressed in his Santa suit and joined by his own elves; daughter Jessica, who’s five, and son Justin who’s eight. Together they make the rounds, knocking on every door and de livering the hand-crafted nut crackers, gumball machines (Justin’s idea), train whistles and cars to whoever might be home. “This is my fifth Christmas in Raeford,” said the Texas native, who moved to Hoke County with his wife, Sharon, and children after being transferred from Nor way. “1 think the neighbors thought I was a little nuts before they got to know me. The first year I did this was at night and it was raining. Some folks didn’t want to open the door. “I actually started doing this about 15 years ago and each Christmas it got a little bigger and a little more organized.” John said the spirit of giving really hit home one year in Nor way when thousands of refugees, many of them children, arrived from war-torn Bosnia. “There we had volunteers who helped us gather toys for the chil dren,” he said. “We had this old ‘69 Volkswagen bus and we just kept filling it and filling it with toys over and over again, and let (See SANTA, page JOA) '1 V 4- .1 Knight Chambcriain/News-Journal Santa (Rick John) and his elves (jessica and Justin John) greet their neighbors, Clayton and Janet Buoyer, with gifts for Christmas. Funds available for youth programs Knight Chambcriain/Ncws-Joumal Linda Richards presented Sam Morris with a plaque Thursday, honor ing him for his years of support and service to the United Way of Hoke County. UW reaches third of goal Richards, president, who wel comed members, board members and guests. A motion made by Emma Mims and seconded by Lynn Hendrix to accept the newly re vised by-laws carried unani mously. The purpose of the revision was to get the by-laws more in line with the current operation of United Way. (See UNITED WAY, page 7A) From staff reports The Hoke County Youth Ser vices Advisory Committee (YSAC) for Community Based Alternatives (CBA) has reported that $74,009 will be available to operate CBA programs for the upcoming fiscal year. Pre-applications can be ob tained by contacting Wayne Gardner, Hoke County YSAC chairman, at 875-5111. Com pleted applications are due by Friday, January 30,1998. A major objective of CBA programs is to provide services for troubled or potentially troubled youth that offer an al ternative to placement in train ing schools. CBA programs must provide services to impact juve nile justice-related behaviors for youth ranging from age 7 to 17. The Youth Services Advisory Committee, through an exten sive planning process, has iden tified three problem areas—ju venile justice, family and com munity — to be addressed by potential programs. Here are the top five problems for each area: Juvenile Justice 1.) L^ck of positive self im age; 2. ) Absence of positive role models; 3. ) Lack of respect for author ity; 4. ) Lack of self discipline; 5. ) Lack of socially accept able values. Family 1. ) Inadequate parenting skills; 2. ) Lack of parental supervi sion; 3. ) Lack of socially accept able values in the home; 4. ) Parents unwilling to coop erate with treatment; (See YOUTH, page 7A) From staff reports United Way of Hoke County campaign chairman John Jordan reported last Thursday that United Way is currently at $17,000, or 33 percent of goal, with additional pledges forth coming. The local chapter held its an nual meeting on at the Hoke County Public Library. The meet ing was called to order by Linda Five Points grows with new church By Kristin Guthrie Staff writer In early November, Perry and Becky O’Berry saw evidence of the fruits of their labor when their new church’s facility, the Chapel of Jesus Christ, was fi nally completed and the first for mal worship service and wed ding was held. The actual building of the fa cility, which took well over a year, was without a doubt a labor of love, not only by the O’Berry’s but for many members of the congregation. According to Becky, the church collected $40,000 up front before the fa cility was completed and many church members donated time and materials throughout the building process. The new facility expands the * church’s meeting place capacity from 50 to 130. Indeed, the O’Berry’s agreed they have seen growth since the new facility opened just two short months ago and even more drastic changes since the church started more than six years ago. The Chapel of Jesus Christ six years ago when Perry claims that the spirit of the Lord im pressed upon him to become a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He became a licensed minister by the Baptist Associa tion and served in the evangelis tic field for a year before God revealed to him that he would start his own ministry. With just three attendersat his first service in 1991, Becky, Perry and their son, Dwayne, Perry and the small congregation founded the Chapel of Jesus Christ. They met in an old tobacco bam situ ated outside their home on Horace Walters Road. From there, theO’Berry’ssaid friends and family members be came a part of the church body. Now everyone in the church is actually began to form more than (See CHURCH, page 7A) Hoke D AV chapter brings Christmas cheer to vets 11* fc' - gpt - . I ■ — ..J- -JL Kristin Gulhric/Ncws-Journal Nativity scene The Raeford United Methodist Church displayed this nativity scene outside the church before and during the Christmas season. To all our readers, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and best wishes for a prosperous New Year. By Pat Allen Wilson Staff writer Tanya Tucker’s recorded ren dition of “Silent Night” gave way to the songs of a live choir from Zion Hill Baptist Church, and resi dents of Autumn Care nursing home listened to holiday music, ate cupcakes and ice cream, and received Christmas cards with a monetary gift inside. The party is an annual event sponsored by Disabled Ameri can Veterans Chapter 17of Hoke County. It was the second such party for Jessie Burrows, a tWo- year resident of Autumn Care, who showed photosof his family and talked about the people he knows from back home. “We’re free today because of these veterans,” said James Hall, (SeeDAY, page 7A)
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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