Greensboro Daily Photo

Opt Outside & the Really, Really Free Market

After preparing yesterday's post, we decided to dig a little deeper to learn about REI's # Opt Outside initiative. By closing their stores on Black Friday, 15,000 employees have the opportunity to spend time outside. They launched the initiative in 2015 and they encourage the nation, especially their 24 million members to have that mindset. (read more HERE).

The Really, Really Free Market on Black Friday is also an initiative with a purpose driven mindset. Greensboro's first Really, Really Free Market was  in 2008, offering people an alternative to mass consumption.  Kathy Clark,- in the red overalls in the above photo, welcoming us to the market in previous years-  replicated the market that started in Miami and Raleigh in 2003.*  At the Really, Really Free Market, people bring items to give away and everyone is free to take what they want. You do not have to barter, exchange, or even talk to anybody about what you are taking.  And, indeed, you never know what you're going to get. Today's event if from 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at 1312 Glenwood Avenue. The Glenwood neighborhood remains committed to this event, and is hosting it again this year. By the time the event starts, so many items will available; however, people will be bringing items all throughout the event. So many of us have an abundance of items we don't need, use, or wear. It is so nice to send them on to someone who would really appreciate them. 

So, today, you can spend the day outside, biking, hiking, walking, and swing by the free market. They day can be so meaningful, without being part of mass consumerism. If you are going to make retail purchases, remember, tomorrow is Small Business Saturday; you can get a jump start on it a day early.

Happy, Not-So Black Friday!

*read more about the Really, Really Free Market  HERE in Triad City Beat).

Sunset Hills Getting Ready for "The Running of the Balls"

The neighbors of Sunset Hills are out getting ready for displaying their lights. In the above photo, Jay and River Jung were out with their fishing poles yesterday afternoon, getting their strands of light balls hurled into the tops of trees. Their technique it to cast a fishing pole, with a carabiner clip on the end into the trees. Once they loop the fishing live over, they attach a string of lights to the line. They get about 3 strands completed a night, and, when completed, will have 65 lights in their yard alone. They said they knew when buying a house on Ridgeway Avenue four years ago that they would have to be "all in" with the light balls. 

So, just know, if you participate in "The Running of the Balls" or, if you drive through Sunset Hills to see the lights, that residents take a lot of pride and joy in knowing how much others appreciate their efforts. The whole project is a big fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank. the Greensboro area struggles with food insecurity, and every non-perishable item donated, every entry fee, and every dollar donated goes to a worthy cause. People in-person, as opposed to screen time, really makes a community feel special and, Sunset Hills is just that, a special community. Drive by and see for yourself. Thank you to the Jung family and to everyone else who participates in this holiday tradition.

Happy Tuesday!

Sunset Hills at Sunset

We don't usually post nature photos two days in a row, but yesterday's sunset was so beautiful. This is an east-facing view of Sunset Hills yesterday, a little after 5:00 p.m. The western sky was a fiery red glow, but something about the pink tint cast here was so warm and calming. The archway shows you one of the many architectural details found in this well-established neighborhood. Sunset Hills was first established in the mid 1920s and has continued to be a popular neighborhood for the last 100 years. Development here continued through the 1950s. Over the last couple decades, the trend has been to take the smaller houses and add on to them, as is the case with the above home.  In an earlier iteration, it was a one-story, red brick home without a two car garage.

While visiting in the neighborhood, yesterday, we were reminded that next week, Sunset Hills residents will once again be shooting those round, chickenwire light balls way high in the trees. This has been a Sunset Hills tradition for over a decade. Twelve years ago, the annual, 5K run/walk was instituted beneath a breathtaking canopy of lights. Nearly 50,000 people have participated in "The Running of the Balls" and almost 6 million meals have been provided via Second Harvest. We don't know if they are still accepting reservations for the December 12th event (see HERE). We do know, if you want a calm, unadorned chance to enjoy a walk through the neighborhood, you might want to do so soon, as it is about to be the most jolly, festive, adorned time of year for this neighborhood with so much character.

Happy Tuesday!

150 Trees Recently Planted at Bennett College

Do you see that young magnolia tree? It is one of 150 trees planted on the campus of Bennett College on November 2nd. In collaboration with with Greensboro Beautiful, volunteers planted these trees-- a combination of willow oaks, white oaks, cherry laurel, sugar maple, and southern magnolias. They were planted to help restore historic and native trees that have been lost over the years.  Bennett staff member, Dr. Anne Hayes, Executive Director of Global & Interdisciplinary Studies at Bennett,  coordinated the partnership with Greensboro Beautiful.  

Greensboro Beautiful is a 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1968 with the purpose of conserving and enhancing the beauty and ecology of Greensboro. According to Christina Larson, Chair of Greensboro Beautiful's Executive Committee, there was actually enough space on the Bennett campus to plant over 200 trees; however, 150 seemed very special since this is the 150th anniversary of the founding of this historically black college for women in east Greensboro. Current Bennett students should take their photo with these trees, return to Founders Weekends in the future and monitor how much the trees have grown. They can show their children and grandchildren their photos with the trees over the decades.  Bennett College is a small, liberal arts college that provides students with many special experiences such as the tree planting, interaction with Fulbright scholars, and the She Wellness Pods we wrote about last week.  By the way, the green container is the back of the wellness pods.

Happy Wednesday, dear readers!

Ruth Rachel Roberts

Ruth Rachel Roberts died on August 16, 2017, at the age of 96. She would have been 103 this year. The above photo was taken at the estate sale held at her home on 4235 Ashland Drive. We wish we'd met Ruth*  and interviewed her for GDP; she lead such a long and interesting life.  We are grateful for our friend, local singer/performer Jessica Mashburn, for urging us to attend the estate sale.  Jessica was right. The house and its contents are quite a time capsule and window into Ruth's life that was as full as her house. Ruth graduated from Greensboro Senior High School (Grimsley)  in 1938 and went on to work for and retire from the United States Internal Revenue Service.  One of eight children, in her family, she was the last living member of her generation. The contents reflected a century's worth of household items and collections.

We photographed the wooden skate in the living room as Ruth was a competitive roller skater, traveling for competitions. She also officiated for competitions. Ruth was a master seamstress, making her costumes as well as clothing for daily wear. She was also an avid doll collector and was a member of Piedmont Doll Club. We're estimating there were still 300 dolls for sale in the last hours of the last day of the estate sale.  In addition to sewing, Ruth was a talented crafter. Boxes and boxes of crafting supplies and yards and yards of fabric were available at the sale.  Among other crafts, Ruth was known for making Chrismon ornaments-- ornaments with Christian symbols on them to remind people that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. **  Ruth was a lifelong member of Presbyterian Church of the Covenant and taught Sunday school there. Signs of her spirituality were seen everywhere in the house, from her craft projects to her book collection. 

The four bedroom 2.5 bathroom house was built in 1920, the year before Ruth was born. Wendover Avenue, built in the 1930s, ten years after the construction of the house,  is literally in the backyard of this 1/3 acre property. We're betting some of their property was taken to construct the road which grew and widened over Ruth's life. Somehow, when walking through the tan stucco house with minimal, if any, remodeling over the years, you imagine women in cotton dresses cooking and sewing; and men sitting, reading the paper, and smoking a pipe.  The sights and sounds of Wendover are hardly noticeable. Here's to a life well lived.

 

*  as she is referred to in her obituary,  the source of information shared in this post.

** The word is a combination of the words Christmas and monogram. Frances Kipps Spencer of Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia, created the first Chrismon tree in 1957. 

 

 

St Andrews Episcopal Church Holiday Photo Opportunity

St. Andrews Episcopal Church, located at the corner of Kensington Road and West Market Street, has the cutest little Christmas display. This set up is located on the Kensington side of the church- across from the parking lot where the Corner Farmers Market sets up. It is the perfect place for a family holiday photo shoot. This is such a good idea for a church to connect to the wider community. The part of the door, above the wreath is open, so people can stand behind it. Another cute pose would be to have a child trying to open the door, or knocking on it. Or Santa outside approaching the door and a child looking out the window in wonderment. 

The only thing that would make a photo here cuter would be to have snow. However, it hasn't snowed in Greensboro since January 2022, over 1,000 days, and WFMY-2 is hesitant to predict whether or not it is likely to snow this year. Currently, there is no snow in the forecast. While we are pondering winter weather, we encourage you to attend a service at St. Andrews. Also, mark your calendar for Saturday, December 7th from 10:00 am- 3:00 pm. It is the day of the St. Andrews  annual holiday festival and market. There will be many gift opportunities for everybody. 

Happy Sunday!

Changes on Battleground Ave & British Woods

Do you remember the house that was down over the hill at 3521 Battleground Avenue? It was the one at the park near British Woods and British Woods Park (see HERE). Well, that house got razed and the lot was dormant for a long time. Recently, the earth-moving equipment arrived and the lot is being prepared for the new construction at the corner of Battleground and New Garden. It will be interesting to monitor the change. The land and building in the background are part of the Brisish Woods neighborhood. There have been so many changes in Greensboro lately. We wondering how many trees will remain and what will be done with the creek that runs through the property.

We're heading out to see all of the changes in progress in Greensboro today. There is so much construction around town.

Happy Saturday!

 

Glow Vibe Golf

Sorry about the poor quality photo, but it shows you the idea of Glow Vibe Golf. A game was going strong last night at the Farm Course of the Greensboro Country Club. The weather was perfect and club members were out playing  with their own golf clubs and having a blast. The Greensboro Country Club supplied the course for their members and Glow Vibe set up all the lights and provided the LED light up golf balls. Golfers were out cheering and having a great time. They had special pathways set up, fairly close to the holes.

Glow Vibe Golf was established in 2014 and is primarily based in Columbia, SC. Top Golf makes golfing an option even in inclement weather. Glow Vibe Golf makes golfing possible after dark. Greensboro is a great golf town. We'd imagine this opportunity to golf at night is a hit here, not just at private courses. Those playing last night sure seemed to be having fun.  Laughter filled the air.

Happy Friday!

Another View of She Care Wellness Pods at Bennett College

Yesterday, we posted an interior view of the "She Care Wellness Pods" at Bennett College. In retrospect, we should have started with a more comprehensive view. However, we were so excited to get to meet with the manager, Yvon'ne Lyle, that we selected a close-up of a the interior of a pod. Yesterday's photo was of the pod on the left,  There is a second small pod on the right, and the bigger pod is to the right. The bigger pod accommodates small groups, and, on warm days, the patio area can be used for yoga and other outdoor activities. There are umbrellas for super sunny days to cover the tables. There are so many fabulous initiatives happening at Bennett College. We are so lucky to have this historic institution in our community.

Read more about the "She Care Wellness Pods"  on yesterday's Greensboro Daily Photo post.  You really should drive on campus and see this resource. Gate 6 is the closest parking. Initially, there is funding through Kate Spade & the Boris L. Hensen Foundation.  Let's hope the pods are around for a very long time and that the community supports this initiative to help with community mental health and wellness needs, from Bennett Belles and beyond.

Happy Almost Friday! 

Our Vote Is Our Power!

Today is the day. Since half of North Carolina has already voted, today is the day the other half of the state  will vote. If you are not sure where you vote,  here is the list of polling places. Remember, today, you must vote in your assigned place and a few polling places have changed. The Greensboro Transit Authority announced that bus fares are waived today so people can go vote. You need a valid photo ID, but if you do not have one, you can fill out a "Photo ID Exemption Form."

The above photo was taken at the Greensboro Cultural Center on Davie Street at the Guilford Native American Art Gallery. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, there are 1.012 American Indians registered in Guilford County. Out of North Carolina's 100 counties, the one with the most registered voters who identify as American Indian is Robeson County (26,403). Every vote matters, and indeed, "Our vote is our power." Today is the day to use your superpower, regardless of  your political affiliation and what demographic you fit!

Also, if you like original art, or want to know more about Greensboro's Native American community, stop by the Native American Art Gallery.

Happy Election Day 2024!

Vote, Tomorrow!

Happy almost-election-day. On Saturday, early voting officially ended. Tomorrow, the polls will open at 6:30 a.m. and everybody in line by 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Voting on Election Day must be done at your assigned voting place. The above signs were lining the path to the Bur-Mil Clubhouse, one of the early voting sites. Lines moved quickly. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, there are 397,185 registered voters in Guilford County (see HERE). Guilford is third, after Wake  and Mecklenburg Counties (#1 & #2 respectively). They have over 800,000 registered and we're wondering which will be the first to reach a million voters. There are close to 8 million registered voters in the state. It will be interesting to see how many cast votes tomorrow. According to the NC State Board of Elections (see, HERE, Friday Nov. 1, 2024), more than half of North Carolina voters have already voted.  This broke the record during the last presidential election.

Here's to a good, orderly, peaceful election in Guilford County and beyond.

Happy Monday!

 

Bike Giveaway at Guilford County Schools

On Thursday afternoon (October 24), in Fleming Gym at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, 1,800 third grade students in Guilford County Schools came to UNCG. The event seemed like a pep rally. UNCG cheerleaders were on site and student leaders from the Middle College at UNCG were on the sidelines building excitement in the crowd. Spiro the Spartan was also working the crowd.  The third graders were at the event knowing 5 of the students would be selected to get bikes for having written a winning essay. However, at the end, Middle College at UNCG students rode in about 100 bikes, students learned that all 1,800 of them would get a brand new bicycle and the  students cheered jubilantly. Many civic organizations contributed to the purchasing of the bicycles. The program is part of the BIKES for KIDS hat started in California in 2002.  

In addition to the great thrill of getting a bicycle, for some students, Thursday's outing was their first on a college campus, in a college gym. Who knows, that may be the spark that inspires some students to pursue higher education when they get older. As for the high students who helped, they got to share in this special event, knowing they were part of sparking joy in the elementary school students. Truly, it was a "feel good" afternoon. The above photo features community members and Guilford County School staff, including Superintendent Oakley (the person with long dark hair behind the students with winning essays, who are just behind the bicycle).

,Happy Monday!

Trunk or Treat at Morehead United Methodist Church

Yesterday was a beautiful, fall day. The sky was blue and the weather warm. The above photo features one small section of the Morehead United Methodist Church on Horse Pen Creek Road. Trunk or Treat is a way for children to interact with a church and get Halloween candy without having to traipse through the neighborhood at night. Earliest records of this initiative date to the early 1990s.*  A popular costume for the adults at their cars was dressing as a hippy. One man dressed as an avocado. The children were princesses, skeletons, dinosaurs, and a little bit of everything. All of the costumes we were store bought.

If you are interested in learning more about Morehead Church, Pastor Shytle would be a good person to contact. Even better, attend one of his services and you will have an even better idea of his preaching style. He took the head pastor position at Morehead about a year ago. Morehead is a dynamic, community oriented church. They have lots of events in the parking lot, open to the public. They are even a polling place. Morehead is likely a second home to Pastor Shytle, as it is for many of the congregants.

Happy Sunday!

If you missed this event, do an internet search for "Greensboro 2024 Trunk or Treat" and others will pop up. On Tuesday there will be one right down the road from Morehead at Cone Health MedCenter on Drawbridge Parkway.

*see HERE.

ArtStock 2024-- Preview Party at Revolution Mill

ArtStock started in 1996 in Greensboro by a group of artists as a way bring artists together to sell their art and connect with the local community. Over the last 28 years, the group has grown to about 75 artists. The above photo features the preview event held last night at Revolution Mill. This gave the public an opportunity to get an idea of which artists they want to visit this weekend. The event was well attended and patrons and artists got to mingle.  On Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm, artists will offer their artwork at many venues around Greensboro. See the map HERE. The Hopper Trolley will be taking patrons to the multi-artist studios and the pop-up galleries. Look for the Red balloons, an ArtStock tradition.

The current chair of ArtStock is Terrence Wessling. Terry, an artist himself, makes prints on handmade paper locally sourced from Paper Maker, Suzanne Baker. Suzanne is one of the featured ArtStock artists. However, between being a new grandfather and chair of ArtStock, Terry will not be showing his art this year. However, everything about last night's event exuded his energy and positive spirit. The weather should be nice and the artwork great. There is no fee to attend any of the pop ups and venues where art will be sold. We hope you get a chance to support some of our local artists.

Happy Friday!

Westerwood String Band

Yesterday, we featured the Westerwood Chili Cook Off. Today, we're featuring the Westerwood String Band with Carol Thompson dancing in front with her boards. Over the years, Carol has called dances, been part of the contra dance community, has danced at many of the folk festivals in Greensboro, and keeps the beat with her feet for the Westerwood String Band. It is so fun to see people come together around community, be it a neighborhood or a group with something in common. In this case, all of the string band members love traditional, old-time, acoustic music. 

Carol's neon orange shirt is from the recent Hirsch Wellness fundraising event, "Art Lives Here" . Carol is a visual artist and has worked in graphic design, skills that are useful during the Hirsch fundraiser. The more we talked to people at the Chili Cook Off, the more re noticed the overlap in friend groups. There are so many great people and neighborhoods in Greensboro, all working hard to bring people together. If you are still looking for things to do and a sense of community, don't give up. Better yet, organize something and invite people. 

Happy Tuesday!

GUILFORD COLLEGE UMC Pumpkins

GUILFORD COLLEGE United Methodist Church is located at 1205 Fleming Road, near GUILFORD COLLEGE and across from SECU. Their pumpkin patch was glorious yesterday. We got there when lighting was the best, but this photo gives you an idea of their inventory. They have traditional pumpkins and squash of every shape and size. One is called "Elf House" and it looks like an orange-capped acorn. The Gizmo looks like an orange and yellow starfish. Children had a lot to choose from and it was so special seeing them making those big decisions and the joy the process brought to the parents.

The first worship service at the church was on July 12, 1059 and it was held on the campus of GUILFORD COLLEGE in the student union building. This is their 65th birthday year. We wonder about the first years of the pumpkin patch. Here's to many more years of the church, their good work, and their pumpkin patch. The pumpkin patch is something the youth enjoy working every year. It is a way for children to learn about money and sales; one step on the path to financial literacy. We just may have to go back again and get some of those unique squash. Prices range from $1 and up. They are open from 12:30- 7:30 pm today and 10:30 am- 7:30 pm Monday-Saturday, until October 31st.

Happy Sunday!

GCS School Choice Showcase

Last night was the Choice Showcase of the Guilford County Schools. It was held at the Greensboro Coliseum. People came out to see what special programs are offered through the public schools.  If you missed the showcase last night, you can still attend open houses at the individual schools and participate in magnet tours (see HERE). The timeline is much earlier this year do that families can know earlier what options students will have for the upcoming school year. 

The above photo features the booth of the Middle College at UNCG.  Close to 20 students came out to help promote their school.  Middle College students have a lot of pride in their school. Parents and rising 9th graders had great questions and the students were in a position to field questions. In addition to the students, the university liaison, school staff, teachers, and principal were on site to answer questions. Hopefully, everyone knows about the shift in timeline as those deadlines are non-negotiable. Students are always advised to tour schools and ask lots of questions.  Usually, once on site, it becomes clear if there is a goodness of fit. This is especially true for the high school students.

Happy Thursday!

 

Art in the Arboretum

Yesterday, Greensboro Beautiful and the City of Greensboro sponsored Art in the Arboretum.  Visual and performing artists filled the Arboretum with their art and and performances. There were about 50 artists at the event. The weather was perfect was very well attended. The Arboretum is a place to visit every season as plantings change and there is almost always something in bloom. Art in the Arboretum was family friendly, and definitely dog friendly.

Greensboro Beautiful was incorporated in 1968. Their mission is to conserve and enhance the beauty and ecology of the community. It is a non-profit, volunteer  organization that has been collaborating with the City of Greensboro for 56 years. We will cover another Greensboro Beautiful event in November. On November 2nd, Greensboro Beautiful will plant 150 trees on the campus of Bennett College for the 150 anniversary of the college. It is hard to believe that the 55-acre campus can support 150 new trees. At the Art in the Arboretum, Christina Larson, Board Chair of Greensboro Beautiful, told us the arborist actually found space for more than 200 trees, so 150 won't be an issue. This will be another fine example of the good work done for the community. 

Happy Tuesday!

UNCG Homecoming 2024

UNCG was wall to wall people for homecoming. The above scene on College Avenue in front of the Alumni House does not even begin to capture the size of the crowd. The green space in front of the Foust Building was an ocean of people. Someone had a round cooker preparing something and people were gathered socializing and enjoying themselves. Some brought their food-truck food to the space to eat. We have never seen so much foot traffic on campus. Perhaps the nice weather really helped bring students out. That spartan head helps anchor the photo on UNCG's campus. In the student union, in Cone Ballroom, a family game night was being held. People were playing Bingo and other games. When we were there, it was about at capacity.

Here is a photo of Faust Building that dates back almost 16 years ago. We are always amazed to do an online search and to see our own photos pop up. A lot of history is provided there, should you be interested. Let's hope homecoming was fun, and that all were safe and happy. Soon, it will be fall break. It is all of the scheduled events, above and beyond academics, that make a college experience special. Today, it's back to the books.

Happy Monday!

Fall Is Pumpkin Time!

Tis fall and pumpkin season is upon up. It seems like every few years a new variety of pumpkin is trending. This year, it seems to be the striped ones. Traditionally, the first pumpkins of the season we saw were the ones at Centenary UMC on Friendly Avenue. Now that that congregation has been dissolved, the first pumpkins we've seen this year are at Fresh Market. They have a lovely display in front of both stores. The above photo was taken at the Jefferson Village store. The sky was so beautiful, we just had to capture a photo.

Unless they are already on shelves in Greensboro, pumpkins may be a little harder to come by this year. According to the NC Cooperative Extension, most of the pumpkin production in North Carolina takes place in the western counties where  disease pressure is lower (reference).  The you pick option is open for pumpkins at Rudd Farm and some of the proceeds from sales the weekend will go to Hurricane Helene relief. If you are able, consider buying from local farmers. As the weather cools, nothing says fall more than pumpkins... oh, and pumpkin spice. Speaking of fresh market, they even have pumpkin spice popcorn, "Poppy" brand from Asheville. (We only found it at the Jefferson Village location).

Happy Friday from the Great pumpkin lovers at Greensboro Daily Photo!

Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA)

The Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA)  brings secondary-level educators from participating countries to the United States for six weeks.  During their time in the USA, they attend academic seminars at a host university, travel, experience short homestays, and have a 40-hour field experience co-teaching with American public school teachers. UNCG is one of eight host institutions and the only one in North Carolina selected for this prestigious opportunity. The above photo features the international teachers, their American co-teachers, and Dr. Maria Anastasiou (bottom row, left). Dr. Anastasiou is Associate Provost and Senior International Officer in the Global Engagement Office at UNCG. She oversees the Fulbright TEA Program, ensuring participants have a rich and meaningful experience and that the expectations in the Fulbright grant are followed with fidelity.  Also in the photo is Dr. Jane He (top right), Assistant Professor in Teacher Education and Higher Education at UNCG. Dr. He provides academic seminars for the Fulbright TEAs and co-teachers.

We selected the "fun" photo to feature today because it shows how much the Fulbright teachers and their American co-teachers were enjoying their initial day together. Teachers all over the world speak the same language and by the end of the day, friendships were forged. The field experiences begin this week. Participating schools in Greensboro are: The Middle College at UNCG, The Doris Henderson Newcomers School, and Western High School. There are a total of twenty international participants from eighteen countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Haiti, Latvia, Moldova, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka,  Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. The Fulbright teachers arrived on September 11th and will return to their home countries on October 28th. If you see them around, please give them a warm Greensboro welcome!

(photo by Journalist Will Zimmerman)

 

GCS Celebration of Excellence & Teacher of Year

Last night, Guilford County Schools held their Celebration of Excellence at the Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. The venue has a wonderful sound and lighting system and is such a special space.  At the celebration, Counselor-, Social Worker-, Rookie Teacher-, Mentor-, Assistant Principal-, Principal-, and Teacher-of-the-Year were selected. The most enthusiastic schools in the audience were also honored with a Spirit Award. To the right of the podium is Superintendent Oakley. Next to her is Jeffery Silverthorne, Western High, who was selected as GCS Teacher of the Year. He came to teaching after a couple of decades in the corporate world. And now, he is an adjunct instruct at High Point University as well as a teacher at Western High.

On the right side of the stage are the other Teacher of the Year Finalists: Suzanne Stringer, Triangle Lake Montessori (fourth from right in green dress); Natasha Richmond, Brightwood Elementary (third from right); next, Marthaniel Grinton, Northern High, and Christen Blanton, The Academy at Lincoln. Everyone on the stage was a winner, not only last night, but every day in their dedication to the children in the Guilford County Schools.

Happy Thursday!

 

The Frye Family, Exuding Vibrance

Today's joyful photo features Chief Justice and Shirley Frye with their family. Family members gathered in Center City Park yesterday to see  Justice and Mrs. Frye receive the key to the City of Greensboro. The event was even more festive with the NC A&T University drumline performing with their precision playing and marching. Once Mayor Nancy Vaughn gave the Fryes the prestigious award, and other dignitaries were leaving, friends, family, and admirers rushed in for photos. The Fryes were very accommodating, making no effort to rush off as people approached them, reminiscing and taking photos. Center City is the very park where the sculpture of  Justice and Mrs. Frye was unveiled on February 20th. This was the perfect place to bestow the award.  

Justice and Mrs. Frye worked very hard to fight the obstacles of segregation and discrimination while getting educations and beginning their lifelong journey of serving the community.  Justice and Mrs. Frye met on the debate team of NC A&T University in 1950, and for the last 74 years have worked together with utmost professionalism and integrity. Truly, they are role models, inspiring current and future generations. When asked by WFMY-TV Journalist Tanya Rivera what one word she would choose to describe Greensboro, Mrs. Frye responded with the word "vibrance." Not only do we agree with that description of Greensboro, we believe that word describes the Fryes and their family perfectly!

Happy Wednesday!

Topgolf Greensboro

Topgolf Greensboro opened Friday, September 13, 2004. It is their fourth facility in North Carolina. Topgolf bills itself as an entertainment venue with a high-tech driving range. Food and drink are available and they encourage parties and events. As seen in the above photo, players hit from a covered area into an open green. If we counted correctly, there are 64 climate-controlled bays. People at all skill levels can play and the high-tech balls score themselves. Prices range from $28- $56 per hour per bay, depending on time and day of the week. Each bay can accommodate up to six players.  Tuesday is half-price day!

The venue is highly visible from I-40 between Guilford College and Bridford Parkway.  As we left Topgolf yesterday, we gained considerable patience waiting to turn left out of the parking lot onto Guilford College Road. We got a chuckle getting on I-40 east and noticing that exit 218-A leads to Pinehurst, making it possible to practice at Topgolf in the morning and head to Pinehurst for an afternoon tee time. Indeed, North Carolina ia a paradise for golfers. Topgolf should do well here.

Happy Monday- and start planning your 6-some for half-price Tuesday tomorrow.

911 Memorial Stair Climb

It has been 23 years since the terrorist attacks in the USA. Around this time Greensboro holds an annual stair climb to honor the first responders who lost their lives that day. Greensboro has held this stair climb for 5 years. Greensboro firefighters, community members,  and police participated. Initially, the stair climb was held at the Bellemeade Parking Deck, recently, it has been held at the Eugene Street Parking Deck, at 215 North Eugene, directly across from the Grasshoppers stadium- First National Bank Field. The happening of the event usually coincides with the NC Folk Festival. The memorial for Sandy Bradshaw, the Greensboro flight attendant who died on United Airlines Flight 93 is located beside the stadium.

It is hard to believe that some of the first responders had not yet been born in 2011. The Eugene Street Deck opened a little over three years ago, in June of 2021. As this part of downtown sees more growth, this public parking deck will be a great asset to the community. Even though the run is over, let us remember 9/11 and hope an event like those on that day in 2001 never happen again on US soil

NC Folk Fest Year 10 Has Concluded

Well, Year 10 of the NC Folk Festival has come and gone. The music was spectacular, the weather perfect, and the new layout along Church Street seemed to work well. Additionally, there was  a stage on Elm, one in the Cultural Arts Center, and one in LeBauer Park, and it seemed to work well. The above photo features the Center City Jams Stage, which was half way between the (Train) Depot Stage and the Wyndham Stage. UNCG was one of the sponsors and many alumni helped and/or performed at the festival; as was the case with the above musicians. During this performance, we were seated by a former UNCG professor who flew in all the way from Washington State for the festival.  He had taught at least two of the above musicians. The above group performing at the Honky Tonk Jam, led by Mark Dillon (UNCG Class of 2010),  was not one that rehearses together, but people who love music and just got together to jam at the festival. They were fantastic. That driving honky tonk sound had the audience enthralled- including us.

Now back to concentrating on all things fall. The season is upon us.

Happy Monday!

Depot Stage at the North Carolina Folk Festival

The North Carolina Folk Festival is in full swing and last night the weather was perfect. In the above photo, Holler Choir, a group from Asheville is performing. This group of young musicians puts a creative spin on Appalachian music with songs titles like, "Carolina Moon" and "Hamlet Blues." The tent was full last night, with a few seats remaining, here and there. This tent is set up in the parking lot of the train depot at Washington and Church Streets, a convenient location  for anyone coming in from other cities by train. The train depot, truly a step back in time, had more foot traffic and got more visibility than it had in a long time. The Depot Stage has several food trucks around it, making it possible to eat and listen at the same time.

The Depot Stage and Elm Street Stage (a couple blocks to the west) are the two southernmost stages, a footprint that encourages people to visit the many businesses on or near the 300 block of South Elm. The northernmost stage, the Wyndham Stage, is located at the corner of Church Street and Summit Avenue, just past the Children's Museum; Summit Avenue to Washington Street are your east/west borders. Church Street, between Washington and Friendly Avenue, is filled with marketplace vendors. Jewelry, skins care products, and some very creative clothing were among the booths we saw. We saw so many people we know last night, but are still surprised at the number of locals who have never been in the ten years of the festival. 

Happy Saturday! Hope to see you strolling along Elm and Church Streets. Our t.wn is at its best this weekend!

NC Folk Fest 2024: Let the Music Begin!

All is in place for the North Carolina Folk Festival to begin. Tents have been installed. Parking meters covered. Sound systems checked. Musicians ready. Volunteers have their assignments. And. So. Much. More. We went downtown yesterday to walk the perimeter and get the lay of the land as the footprint has changed some this year. Here, you see City Stage at the corner of Market and Davie Streets. This photo is bittersweet, though because it was taken on land that once housed the News & Record building, and before that, the King Cotton Hotel. D.H. Griffin completed the demolition this summer. There is no evidence a newspaper ever went to press here. The above water is not a lake, but a low spot that filled with water during the recent rains. The lot is mostly level and ready for its next incarnation The few bricks on site, may be left from the King Cotton Hotel days. By next year, this prime lot will probably have something built on it. East Greensboro continues to grow.

For now, we'll focus on enjoying every minute of the North Carolina Folk Festival. It will begin promptly at 4:00 pm  today with the Queen Bees playing on the Elm Street Stage and and the NC A&T Drumline playing there at 4:45 pm. See a map and schedule HERE. We love seeing Greensboro transform into a haven for a diverse array of music genres and sounds, with workshops, dancing, and something for everybody! Hope to see you there. A silly prize for the first few people who recognize us. "Hey, aren't you Mrs. Greensboro Daily Photo" will get you a fun little prize.

Happy Friday!

 

Field of Donkeys

TV has been fabulous this summer. First, there was the Republican National Convention, then the Olympic Games, now the Democratic National Convention, and soon the Paralympic Games. We got a little tickled when driving on Pleasant Ridge Road in Northeast Greensboro and saw donkeys grazing. Perhaps we only noticed them because we're watching the Democratic Convention. That got us wondering just how many donkeys there are in Guilford County. It is amazing what you can learn from an Internet search. According to the USDA's 2017 Census of Agriculture, there are 225 donkeys. The county with the most is Buncombe with 349 and, in all, in North Carolina, there are 10,627.*  It is fun to check in on these statistics. They are one of many ways to document change.  As of 2017, there were 51,279 horses in North Carolina, a decrease of 15,591 when the 2012 Census was published. We are second to Wake County with respect to number of horses.

All of this talking about field animals reminds us that the Central Carolina Fair will open Labor Day weekend at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, a tradition began in 1898; long before there was a Coliseum Complex. Finally, the State Fair opens on October 17th in Raleigh. There are so many opportunities in the area to connect with nature and agriculture.We hope you take advantage of them; especially on beautiful days like today and yesterday.

Happy Wednesday!

* reference.

Open Pasture on Highwoods Boulevard

We learned from a Triad Business Journal article (3/22/23) that a planned community of 136 single family homes will be built on the above 16.2 acres between Hobbs Road and Jefferson Village Shopping Center. Yesterday, we noticed that a road has been cut through and machinery is being put into place. This is one of the remaining undeveloped parcels of land that is part of the 414 acre property on New Garden Road.  The Jefferson-Pilot Club was located there for 73 years. All employees were entitled to use the club. It was open from 1924- 1997.*  Nearby Price Park and the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library are two small parcels of the land that are open to the public. The public school, Jefferson Elementary, was also built on the Jefferson-Pilot land.

The road reveals the rocky, red clay soil so common around here. The land is fairly flat, so it should be relatively easy to build and homeowners will be surrounded by plenty of shopping.  It was such a beautiful day yesterday. Look at those clouds and notice, dead center in the photo, a bird is flying overhead.  As Greensboro, and all of North Carolina, really, continues to be developed. we hope there is some kind of master plan for green spaces and for land to remain undeveloped. Everybody deserves to sit and take in nature as seen here.

Happy Monday!

* see Jim Schlosser's article in the News & Record, HERE.

Meet Kate & Annie of Jade Salon

Saturday, driving down Battleground Avenue at Midtown, a Summerfest was happening at Jade Salon. We had the opportunity to stop and meet the owners of this hair and beauty salon who were sponsoring the arts, crafts, and wellness festival in their parking lot . Meet Kate Greisser and  Annie Gordon. They have been friends since they were kids. Originally from Madison, NC, they attended McMichael High School in Mayodan together. Upon graduation, Kate (in the orange dress) went on to study business and Annie went on to study barbering and cosmetology.  With their combined skill sets, they decided to purchase Jade Salon and continue to build on the success and quality service the previous owners had established.  From our visit on Saturday, we saw firsthand all of the extra details Kate and Annie  provide their clients. From the minute you walk in the salon, you feel like you are among friends and at a home away from home. The atmosphere cheerful and the whole staff is friendly.

The original Jade Salon is located in Friendly Center, across from Ben and Jerry's and beside Lulu Lemon. It has been there for 18 years.  The second location is located at 1209 Battleground Avenue,  on the same side of the road as Red Cinema (a little bit closer to town). See here if you are interested in learning more about Jade Salon or booking an appointment. It is always a good day when we get to meet people in Greensboro and to know local proprietors who work so hard to bring joy to others. We left smiling- even after having done yard work all day.

Happy Monday!

 

Retiring Centenary UMC

Earlier this summer, Centenary United Methodist Church, located at 2300 West Friendly Avenue, send a letter to the residents of the Sunset Hills neighborhood that the church was closing. They no longer had the membership to be self-sustaining.  We featured them six years ago and referenced an article by local journalist Jim Schlosser. He wrote that the church had been selling pumpkins as a fundraiser, around Halloween,  since 1975.  They would have been about a quarter of a century. We were suspicious this past October when we went to purchase a pumpkin and the youth group was not selling them. 

The building and property was sold to Cone Health. They aren't quite sure what they will do with the property and invited the neighbors to a meeting to provide input. One of the ideas was to turn it into an affordable daycare. The church also didn't say where the congregation would be transferring. Christ United to the west and West Market Street, down the road to the east, are logical options. Perhaps members of the congregation will simply go to the place that is nearest their house. A lot is up in the air. A meeting with the Greensboro Planning and Zoning Commission will be held on August 19th at 5:30 p.m. If you have ideas, want a say in the matter, or just plain curious, that would be a good meeting to attend. Greensboro is known for being #3 in the nation with respect to cities with the most churches per capita. Many religious institutions have been struggling, especially post-Covid. Let's hope that the people who attended Centenary find a spiritual home a that Cone does with the property what is best for the community. It sure is a beautify building in a prime location. If your house of worship is thriving, do what it takes to keep it strong.

Happy Sunday!

Rain and Wind from Tropical Storm Debby

We hope you were spared damage from Tropical Storm Debby.  Several trees and branches were down today, there were some power outages; and, as you can see from the above view of Buffalo Creek that the banks were overflowing. This is the view from North Elm Street, just north of Cone Hospital, near Irving Park. It was so bad that Latham Road was closed. Normally, the above creek has visible, rocky banks. It is not a river, but a creek. It looks like we had about 4" of rain yesterday (see HERE). The flood warning remained through the night. There is a 60% chance of rain today, but the good news that no rain is scheduled for the weekend. There is so much to do this weekend. There are three more weekends until traditional schools open in Greensboro. If you have children, we hope you enjoy every minute of these last couple of weeks with them.  Eventbrite is one way to look at what is happening downtown (see HERE). A few events include: Music in the Park; The Rocket Man Show at Tanger; African American History Tour; Greensboro True Crime Tour; Downtown History Tour; Hopper's Game & Fireworks (seen on Greensboro College's Facebook Page). Whatever you decide to do, enjoy. We'll stop back soon to check on the level of this creek.

Happy Friday!

Wyndham, Gillespie and the Golfer

Yesterday, we featured the above mural at the Gillespie Golf Course.  We love today's angle of the photo of the mural of the Greensboro Six. It leads the eye to one of the golfers who was out playing the 9-hole course on Tuesday. The photo, from this orientation,  shows how well the course is maintained. In learning more about the mural and the Wyndham tournament, we finally made the connection between the mural and Wyndham; which, starting today and until August 11th,  will be held at the Sedgefield Country Club.

Wyndham Rewards is a program associated with the Wyndham Golf Resorts and they partnered with First Tee- Central Carolina to make this mural and the documentary about it a reality. The project was announced last year at the 84th Wyndham Championship. So as we watch people playing the championship, know that the company associated with it has done this good deed for the community. As you may have heard, fans aren't allowed to attend today due to the threat of bad weather. Let's hope the golfers are safe and the weather permits the tournament to go on. We would like to thank Wyndham Rewards for the mural and love the fact that Greensboro cares about its Civil Rights history. May the Gillespie Golf Course, First Tee- Central Carolina, and the Wyndham all continue to be a part of Greensboro for a very long time.

Happy Thursday!

The Barbie Truck Tour Visited Friendly Center on Saturday!

On Saturday, the Barbie truck came to Friendly Center as part of the Barbie Truck Tour, making its way around the United States. It is also referred to as the Dreamhouse Living Tour, and at any given time, there are two traversing the nation. This is a growing trend to sell merchandise by limiting supply; selling in person, but in a merch van, as opposed to committing to a brick and mortar store.

Even late in the afternoon, people were lined up, excited about the opportunity to purchase hoodies ($65),  t-shirts ($29), tote bags ($35) and more! It was a lovely, but hot day while families were out shopping.  Young girls were living out their Barbie dreams as they approached the van. If you want to understand this craze, and the youth today, watch this video. The young girl who filmed the video (probably in middle school)  lives 3 hours from Kansas City and her family took her there to make purchases and to create content for her Youtube channel. Watch this video and you can appreciate the 21st century teens and tweens. Imagine needing to watch a math video for school, but REALLY wanting to watch a briefing on a retail event coming to your town. Here is a Fox 8 video clip for the tour that came to Greensboro in December. For some children, this will be a summer highlight. We smiled when the young girl suggests that Mattel bag the Barbie merch in a pink bag (a la Barbie) as opposed to that plain black bag. We're betting Mattel will listen to this young influencer.

Happy Tuesday!

Governor's School West

Greensboro College is the host campus for Governor's School West for the 2024 season. Opening day was June 23rd and it will last for a month. High school students have been participating in campus-wide events: performances, presentations, classes, speakers, and more. Above, participants of this very prestigious program are at the International Civil Rights Museum on South Elm Street. The four-week program is highly competitive even among the most gifted and talented high school students. There are no credits, tests, or grades; just highly-motivated and intellectually curious students receiving highly-engaging opportunities, facilitated by talented teachers.

At Governor's school, there are several academic disciplines to choose from: Art, choral music, dance, English, Spanish, instrumental music, mathematics, natural science, social science, and theater. If you ever have a chance for a loved one to participate in Governor's School, by all means encourage them to do so.  The Governor's School in North Carolina was established in 1963 by then-Governor Terry Sanford. Twenty-four states have some form of special opportunity for students. How wonderful that one of these opportunities is held in Greensboro. The other site is Meredith College in Raleigh.

Happy Monday!

 

* see here.

Sears Demolition Is Well Under Way- 2024

2024 has been a year of change in Greensboro. We already showed you a photo of the razing of the News & Record building downtown. Today's photo is of demolition in progress Sears in Friendly Center at 3200 West Friendly Avenue. This is the east side with the main entrance. When it closed in 2023, the Friendly Center store was the last remaining Sears store in North Carolina. Nationally, Sears has roots dating back to 1892 (see history HERE). The year 1928 was a banner year for Sears in North Carolina when the first Sears opened in North Carolina. In that year, Sears stores opened in Greensboro, High Point, Asheville, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem- a year before the stock market crashed. In Greensboro, Sears relocated in 1934, 1940, 1948, and 1973.*

Sears remained in Friendly Center for fifty years, from 1973- 2023. In 2012, Whole Foods took over part of the Sears building in Friendly. At one point, there was discussion of renovation of the above building, but as it stands now, it looks like it may be headed for total demolition. D.H. Griffin has the contract. We are wondering how they will address the common wall, shared by Whole Foods and Sears. While we are sad to see this business close, it is always refreshing when a lot gets rebuilt, as opposed to destroying unimproved, rural land.

What Sears memories do you have? Likely it will date us, but yes, we have great memories of looking through the Sears catalog to pick out school clothes and Christmas toys. We remember going to the catalog department and picking up (and returning) items for our grandparents and parents. For many, there is some real nostalgia associated with Sears. Here's to new beginnings.

Happy Tuesday!

 

*read the timeline for Sears stores in North Carolina HERE.

School Is Out!

In Guilford County, school is out for the summer. Teachers and students have worked long and hard to get to this point. The above photo was taken at Grimsley High School yesterday.  At the high school level, students stop coming to school when they have finished their last exams. The Grimsley High School graduation ceremony was yesterday. The last graduation ceremonies will be on Sunday, June 9th with Northern's graduation at 5:00 pm. That will REALY close out the year for students.

Students on traditional calendars will return on August 26th. Here's to a great summer for everyone. Congratulations to all the graduates. 

Happy Saturday!

 

Red Hat Society at World Promenade

From Paris to the world, the Red Hat Society comes out every year to attend Greensboro Beautiful's promenade . The above photo gives you a good idea of the spirit of the festival this past Sunday. Friend groups came together, likely an annual tradition for many, and people were milling around while groups performed. There were also people who sat attentively, enjoying performances. Sunday, between the visitors, performers, and the grounds themselves, the Tanger Family Bicentennial Gardens were at peak beauty.

Here, on the World Stage, the Travis Williams Group was performing. This quintet is a group of talented musicians with Travis Williams on the oud (yes, that's an instrument); Collin Allured on an array of instruments; Ken Simonds on bass; Kinard Douthit on flute; and Bill Smith on percussion. If you follow the link above, you can see their summer schedule. If you want to learn more about the Red Hat Society, see HERE. It sounds like their mission is to gather for fun and fellowship, which was a perfect reason to attend the World Promenade.

Happy Tuesday!

LEAP Artists Imagine Outer Space at Green Hill

The Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art has dynamic exhibits that are displayed in the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street. Currently, they have an exciting exhibit featuring all things outer space. It is called LEAP: Artists Imagine Outer Space. There are space suits, as the artist imagines it. There are futuristic outposts, fictional persona, and works of art that inspire viewers to imagine our place in the universe.  This is a creative, interactive exhibit that will hold the attention of people of all ages. 

This exhibit will be installed until June 29th and on First Friday (June 7th) the exhibit will be open from 3:00 pm- 9:00 pm. It will be a great way to kick off summer fun.  During First Friday there will be participatory activities. The above photo is an example of the level of engagement and intergenerational fun possible at this exhibit.

Happy Thursday!