I
June 21, 2001
BERLE SNE
YOUR CALL
Cleveland Co. Commissioners:
Willie B. McIntosh Jr., Chm.
219 New Bethel Church Road
Lawndale, NC 28090
538-3768
Torn Bridges, Vice-Chm.
129 Candlewood Dr.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
482-2747
Ronnie Hawkins
316 Countryside Rd.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-7078
Charlie Harry
P.O. Box 79
Grover, NC 28073
937-7434
Mary S. Accor
944 Dixon School Road
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
937-7508
Cleveland Co. Sheriff:
Dan Crawford
Cleveland County Courthouse
00 Justice Place
Shelby, NC 28150
484-4817
Clerk of Superior Court:
[Linda B. Thrift
Clavalong County Courthouse
100 Justice Place = *
Shelby, NC 28150 id
484-4852
Register of Deeds: . -
Bonnie Reece
Cleveland Co. Administrative Bldg.
311 E. Marion St.
Shelby, NC 28150
484-4834
County Coroner:
Ralph Mitchem =!
708 N. Washington St:
Shelby, NC 28150
482-1938
Kings Mountain City Council:
E.O. “Rick” Murphrey, Mayor
402 Garrison Dr.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-7401
Bob Hayes
807 Rhodes Avenue
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-3704
Jim Guyton
707 Groves Street
wold Prin
Ki Rings Mountain, NC 28080 11 nioT .
139. 2480" 5121 811911
Carl B. DeVane
1308 Wales Road
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-4882
Clavon Kelly
701 Woodside Drive
Kings Mountain, NC 28086 (iis
739-2184
Dean Spears
301 Maner Road
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-5192
Howard B. Shipp
507 Mitchell Street
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Gene White
315 Fulton Drive
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-1574
State of North Carolina:
Mike Easley, Governor
State Capitol, Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 733-4240
Walter Dalton, State Senator
409 Legislative Office Bldg.
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
Office: (919) 715-3038
: .ocal Office: (828) 286-8222
Fax: (919) 733-3113 or 715-5815
e-mail: Walterd@ncleg.net
uaa enn a a te ta tu
David Hoyle, State Senator
300-A Legislative Office Bldg.
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
Office: (919) 733-5734
Local home: (704) 922-4969
Fax: (919) 733-3113 or 715-5815
e-mail: Davidh@ncleg.net
Andrew Dedmon, State Rep.
- 2213 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Office: (919) 733-5732
Local Office: (704) 487-7272
Fax: (919) 733-2599
e-mail: Andrewd@ncleg.net
Debbie Clary, State Rep.
1211 Legislative Building
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Office: (919) 733-5654
Local Office: (704) 471-2022
Fax: (919) 733-2599
e-mail: Debbiec@ncleg.net
John Weatherly, State Rep.
502 Legislative Office Bldg.
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Office: (919) 733-4838
Local home: (704) 487-0039
Fax: (919) 733-3113 or 715-5815
e-mail: Johnw@ncleg.net
United States Government:
George W. Bush, President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20300
(202) 456-1414
Jesse A. Helms, Senator
403 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6342
Local: (828) 322-5170
Fax: (202) 228-1339
John Edwards, Senator
825 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3154
Local: (704) 344-6154
Fax: (202) 228-1374
Local Fax: (704) 344-6161
Fax: (704) 864-2445
Cleveland County office:
Chamber Building
200 S. LaFayette St.
Shelby, NC 28150
(704) 484-1976
Sue Myrick, Representative
230 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-1976
Fax: (202) 225-3389
e-mail: myrick@mail house.gov.
website: www.house.gov /myrick
Gastonia office:
318 South St., Suite B |.
i= Gastonia, NC 28052 :
(704) 861-1976
Members of the Kings
Mountain Board of Adjustment:
Bob Myers, Chm.
124 Dixon School Rd.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-3793
Clavon Kelly, Vice-Ch.
P.O. Box 454
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-2184
Mrs. Lou Ballew
202 Edgemont Dr.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-4583
T.B. Ballard
304 Garrison Dr.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-2622 .
‘Herman Greene
' 302 Maner Rd.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
739-3817
Howard H. Shipp
507 Mitchell St.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
39-4214
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The ud Mountain Herald
SLE NER
Ad Litem
program
protects area
children
To the Editor:
Every year in Cleveland
County hundreds of children
are abused and neglected by
their parents and as a result end
up in foster care without a home
to call their own. In May 2001,
the North Carolina Child
Advocacy Institute Report com-
pared the well being of our
state's children by county and
found, while the national abuse
and neglect rates fell in the past
decade, North Carolina's rate
rose. The report specifically
identified Alexander, Catawba,
Gaston, Iredell, Cleveland, and
Lincoln County as a "concern
because the child abuse and/or
child death rates are above aver-
age and rising in comparison to
the rest of the state.
This is heartbreaking and
should be shocking information.
These facts are not merely statis-
tics...they are our children!
Fortunately, the Guardian Ad
Litem Program cares and wants
to make a difference in the life
of an abused or neglected child.
The Guardian Ad Litem
Program recruits and trains con-
cerned community citizens to
speak for the best interests of
children who have been
removed from their abusive and
neglectful homes. The fate of
these children is decided by a
Juvenile Court Judge. As the
child's volunteer advocate, the
Guardian Ad Litem makes sure
that the child's needs are
addressed in the court hearings
so that every child can grow up
in a safe, permanent home.
Currently in Cleveland
County the situation is critical
with more than184 children in
foster care and only 24
Guardian Ad Litem volunteers:
Every child deserves an advo-
cate, a Guardian Ad Litem vol-
unteer, to be its voice in court.
With your help, ‘we will be able
to ensure these youngsters are
in safe, loving and permanent .
homes.
I'm asking that you promote
the Guardian Ad Litem Program
and encourage your readers to
learn more about becoming a
volunteer. The Cleveland
County program has additional
material, including PSAs.
Joanne Cranke, the program's
District Administrator, will be
contacting you within the next
few weeks to share that infor-
-mation with you.
Once the readers of Kings
Mountain Herald know about
the impact, the difference, they
could make in the life of an
abused or neglected child, they
can change those statistics for
Gaston County from a concern
to a celebration. Together we
can give every child the chance
to look forward to a positive
future.
Thank you for your time and
your cooperation. The local
GAL office will contact you
soon.
Jean B. Harwell
Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer
Recruiter
Questions
still remain
on the new
playground
To the citizens of Kings
‘Mountain
In the past I would never
imagine myself writing a letter
to the paper, but this issue has
raised some thoughts I think
need to be expressed. I don't
think the citizens of Kings
Mountain have been informed
of the plans to dismantle the
softball /baseball field named
Jake Early Field. There is a plan
to remove the existing fencing
and lighting to provide room for
a playground for children. The
plans also call for a gazebo and
new Tee Ball field. On the sur-
face this sounds like a great
idea, but let's look at it under
the surface.
1. The field could be updated
and utilized not only by adults
but any age league the YMCA
oversees.
2. Parking is already a prob-
lem at the YMCA during the
summer months, where are we
going to put the extra vehicles.
3. Will the gazebo be another
place for after hours activity
such as drinking and maybe
drugs. This next to a children's
playground.
4. Where is the money com-
ing from? Private donations? If
people haven't noticed, the
economy in this area has slowed
to the point where business
can't stand another handout.
With this project scheduled to
be constructed in September, it
seems to me the City will have
to pay for equipment cost and
hope volunteers show up to
build structure. First cost esti-
mates are over $100,000.00.
I don't have an answer for the
money situation but I do have
an idea for relocation of the site.
If the playground becomes reali-
ty, build it at the walking track.
There is a small playground
already there along with ample
parking for everyone who uses
the track. Lighting is already in
place so the only security mea-
sures would be a fence if it is
. desired. Also with the many
activities already using the
grassy area of the track a gazebo
could be used as a staging area
for large groups or activities
such as The Relay For Life
Cancer fund raiser.
In closing let me say, "Let's
congratulate the YMCA on their
use of the building and inside
facilities but don't be so eager to
dismiss the use of this field
because of the lack of leadership
in forming new adult leagues or
the lack of interest in using the
facilities already on hand.
James N. Childers (Chip)
Kings Mountain
can help.
Page 5A
“asm,
NEW BOOK - Above, Diane Johnson shows off her new book, ‘Faith :
Through Life's Struggles.’
Johnson got the inspiration for the
publication after recording in a journal her personal experience of >
dealing with her late husband's battle with cancer. )
Johnson hopes book can help:
people through
By TODD HAGANS
Special to The Herald
Diane Johnson can now add
the title of author to her many
career-oriented endeavors.
Johnson, who currently serves
as director of the Bessemer City
chamber of commerce, recently
published the book titled, 'Faith
Through Life's Struggles,’ that
tells of her personal struggles
and how faith in God got her
through life's tough times.
The book stems from a journal
she kept while her late husband
battled cancer.
"When my husband had cancer
in the last three or four months, I
wrote everything down," said
Johnson, who said she had no
reason to record that time in her
life on paper.
About a year after his death,
Johnson said she picked up the
journal, began reading and later
realized that the pages showed
the hurt and grief experienced
by her and her family and how
their faith helped them cope
with death.
Johnson said it seemed almost
logical to share experiences
recorded in the journal with
others who may face similar
circumstances.
"T said, 'If I can take this
journal and have some good
come from it, [ know it will be
worthwhile'," said Johnson. "I
wish I could afford to give a
copy to people who are going
through a struggle."
Johnson said her late
husband's ordeal with cancer
and eventual death often caused
her to ask why bad things
happen to good people. Living
in Myrtle Beach at the time, the
former television personality
said her life seemed perfect, then
she got the news of her
husband's cancer.
"He had never been sick a day
in his life," she said. "Within two
years, he went from being a
in the mirror.
there may be a cure.
1-800-ACS-2345
W
—— hy
life's struggles .
healthy person to being buried.”
The loss left grief- -stricken
Johnson feelin empty and
alone.
"After thé'loss, I was just
devastated," she said. 2
Then, Johnson said, she turned
to:God. 222
"As long as we live on this
earth, we are going to have bad
things happen to us," said
Johnson. "The only way we are
going to survive those things is
to have a strong faith in God.
That's the only way I survived
it
In addition to her personal
“stories, the book also includes
testimony of others who held
close to their faith in times of
desperation.
She mentions a local woman
who lost her husband to a heart
attack and two children to
, swimming and automobile
accidents all within only a ew’
years.
"The only way that lady
survived is with God's help,"
said Johnson. "She turned to
God."
In addition to publishing the
book, Johnson recently started
‘Ministries of Faith’ and will host
the program, 'A Night of Song
and Inspiration,’ on June 29 at
the Lincoln Citizens Center i in
Lincolnton.
The 7 p.m. event will feature
testimony and song from
Johnson, the Melody Masters,
Leslie Faith Hipps, the Rick
Webb Trio and Tracy and Kevin
Bolin.
Tickets are $10 and can be
purchased by contacting
Johnson at 704) 869-0955.
Johnson, who plans to do both
her chamber and ministry work,
said the book and her ministry is
one way she can share how God .
changed her life,
"God has been so good to me,"
she said. "I feel if I'm giving my,
time adequately for God, He ~
provides the time’ for everything
else."
ave a PATIENT who is no Longer afraid to Look
are a SURVIVOR, speaking out so that tomorrow
| www.cancer.org