Greensboro Daily Photo

Irving Park United Methodist Church

Yesterday was a glorious, fall day. As we stopped at Irving Park United Methodist Church, located on Cone Boulevard, we felt signs of fall. Lovely leaves, in their showy fall colors, gently fluttered to the ground, one by one. The scent of chicken roasting filled the church parking lot. Along the facade, Garcia Paint Company was painting the trim, making ready for winter. The pastor (or music director) was sitting in the front pew with a laptop preparing for today's service. The sanctuary was completely silent, except for the sound of typing. 

We probably have enough photos for a month of Sundays from stopping by the church yesterday. The above photo shows scouts, from Boy Scout Troop 230,  getting chicken ready for their annual Chicken BBQ Sale, held the first Saturday in November from 12noon- 5:00 pm.  This is the 38th year of the fundraiser. They usually prepare about two tons of chicken. 

The church was founded in 1962 and continues to be not only a spiritual home for many, but a place that continues to play a significant role in the community. 

Happy Sunday!

Music for Jay at Oden Brewing

Yesterday, we shared a photo from the event "Live Like Jay" Day at Oden Brewing Company. Today, we're featuring a view of the music that was happening at the event. The musicians were assembled by Tim Litchfield, who works at Burkley Communities. Most of the pickers are members of the Piedmont Old Time Society. Oden Brewing hosts a lot of live music events in this area. The brewery is actually in the pinkish brick building in the background. Oden Brewing is surrounded by three houses in the process of being restored.  This photo was taken on the porch of one of them.

Oden Brewing has done so much to perk up the 800 block of West Gate City Boulevard.  The Odens are renovating 3 houses on the property. The lot between Oden and Tate Street will have an art venue belonging to UNCG. The Odens are working hard to build community and the event we featured, yesterday and today, is an example of this effort. A big thank you goes out to everyone involved in this event.

Read more about Oden Brewing HERE.

Happy Friday!

Live Like Jay Day

James Young "Jay" Robinson was partner and president at Burkley Communities, until June 2021 when he died as the result of an accident while skiing in Colorado. Every year, Burkley Communities holds a gathering to remember Jay, who was known for his joyful, "glass more than half full" nature. He grew up in Charlotte, but after attending Appalachian State University, he made his way to Greensboro in 1990 where he and his wife raised their family. 

Burkley Communities is a real estate company that builds, and manages apartment communities, student housing, and single family homes. They seem to have created a culture of caring both within the company and with their clients. They emphasize improving properties and have staff with titles like "Director of Innovation" and "Director of Learning and Development." Those titles alone point to the people-oriented culture in the company. People who knew him commented about how much Jay contributed to building that culture. We didn't know him personally, we did get a sense of the kind of person he was at the October 8th event at Oden Brewing. There was live music, the Big Red Bus bloodmobile, and a fundraiser for breast cancer. It is so heartbreaking to know how much his family and work community miss Jay. It is heartwarming to know there are people who do good, inspire and mentor others. For a very long time, his memory will stay with those who knew and loved him. The weather was perfect on Tuesday and Jay's presence was felt.

Happy Thursday!

"Souper" Bowl Sunday at St. Andrew's

Today is Super Bowl Sunday, which means it is the last day to order soup from Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church. Church members will cook to bring you four different soup options. For $13 per quart, you can order corn chowder with bacon, Italian turkey sausage with white beans and spinach, West African sweet potato peanut, and hearty tomato bisque.  You must order ahead of time- specifically by today. Soup pick up will take place on March 16th and 23rd at the Corner Market from 8:00 am- 12:00 noon, and at the St. Andrew's Parrish Hall on March 17th and 24th from 11:15 am- 12:15 pm.  See details and order HERE at the Good Soup for Good link. This is the official name for the fundraiser. St. Andrew's does so much good for the community, including feeding the hungry. The congregation sponsored an Afghani family and they continue to help the family get established in Greensboro. 

If you follow the link, you will also see details for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner held at St. Andrew's on Tuesday, February 13th. Tickets are $7 for individuals and $15 for a family ticket. The above photo features Fran (left) and Virginia, members of the congregation who were at the Corner Market yesterday taking orders for the soup fundraiser. How wonderful that the Corner Market is able to use the parking lot of St. Andrew's for their Saturday Market (weekly), and St. Andrew's can set up there, when needed. If you buy soup regularly from the Corner Market, likely it is from John Drees. John is a well-respected local chef in Greensboro, and he volunteered to help the church prepare the soup batches for this fundraiser, in their certified kitchen. What a heartwarming story. Thank you John. Which soup will you be ordering? They all sound so delicious.

Happy Sunday! Happy Souper Bowl.

The Arc of Greensboro and High Point

The Arc of Greensboro began in 1953, and in High Point in 1957. It is a grassroots organization started by the parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.A large part of the early years of the organization was dedicated to advocacy and educating the community at large about the potential of this special population. It is incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) that gets grants  from many organizations; however, they also have fundraisers.

This evening, The Arc of High Point will have their annual art auction. It is a silent auction of art painted by program participants throughout the year. You can attend in person at The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards (400 West English Road, Suite 151) from 6:00- 7:30 pm, or you can actually bid online. Get tickets HERE. The above photo features three pieces of art on the wall of The Arc School and it is very likely these pieces will be for sale tonight. Hats off to their art teacher, Liz McKinnon, who determines the theme for the evening and help students hone their art skills all year long. Liz has a way of bringing the inner artist out of her students. From Greensboro to High Point and all the corners of Guilford County, events like this have a way of bring people together. They remind us that all people who live here are part of our village. The theme this year is Art Eternal.

Happy Wednesday!

Westerwood String Band

Yesterday, we featured the Westerwood Chili Cook-off on Greensboro Daily Photo. The annual event was held in Lake Daniel Park near Benjamin Parkway. Today's photo is of the Westerwood String Band that played at the event. Carol Thompson, who is dancing in the above photo, has been coordinating music for the chili cook off  for years. The group  sometimes practices at a member's house and at other times at open jams. One place you are likely to see these band members is the jam organized by the Piedmont Old-Time Society, currently meeting the first and third Thursday evening at the Continental Club.

The band's genre is old-time, or string band, music which has been played in North Carolina since the Scots-Irish settled here. True to old-time music, there are fiddles, banjos, guitars, and an upright (double) bass, all acoustic instruments. You may recognize Carol as she is frequently seen dancing, down front and off to the side, at events like the North Carolina Folk Festival- when old-time musicians are performing. The boards with cornmeal help with movement and obtaining a percussive sound. Sunday was a lovely day for the event and the music added a yet another layer of liveliness to the already upbeat, community-building event. We're wondering where the Westerwood String Band will play next.

Happy Wednesday! 

Flamboyance of Flamingos

A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance. A flamboyance of flamingos has landed at 1812 Walker Avenue. Earlier this month (September 4th) flamingos were spotted at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. They were about 1,000 miles north of their usual habitat. Well, the above photos are also in an unexpected habitat, in a yard in Sunset Hills. Traditionally, this is a church youth group fundraiser; people install flamingos and you pay to have them removed. If you want to see live flamingos, you don't have to drive far. The Greensboro Science Center maintains a flamboyance of flamingos. They look very healthy and bright pink given their diet of foods containing carotenoid pigment. Here is a photo we took of them a little over a year ago.

As for the house at 1812 Walker Avenue, built in 1927, grabbed our attention as we drove around the corner. Wonder where they will land next.

Happy Tuesday! 

Bicycle Riders on Huffine Mill Road

The above photo featured a few of the bike riders on a Saturday morning ride on Huffine Mill Road in east Greensboro. We were at a stoplight off of the bypass and the Huffine Mill Road exit. The weather was sunny and it hadn't gotten too hot yet. Whether you like street riding, greenway riding, or off-road and mountain riding, there is a group for you in Greensboro. Increasingly, our city streets are getting bike lanes. Still, both cyclists and car and truck drivers must all work together to drive defensively. There is safety in numbers, as group rides increase cyclists' visibility on the road. Always communicate with the cars around you.

Speaking of group rides, if you like them, The Apple Pie Ride will be on the Fourth of July. This year it will start at Bur-Mill and will feature some new routes. There are also different distances to accommodate different skill levels. There are 13, 25, 50, and 76 mile options. On this ride, everyone is encouraged to cheer for each other. There are always so many enjoying the Apple Pie bike riding event. We hope to see you out on the trails, between then and now. 

Happy Monday!

Shalom! Jewish Festival at Temple Emanuel- Today

The above photo was taken at Temple Emanuel during Friday evening services. Temple Emanuel is a Reform Jewish Temple, located at 1129 Jefferson Road. Today, from 11:00am-5:00 pm, they will hold their annual Jewish Festival, now in the spring, instead of the fall. This community-wide event, celebrating Jewish life and culture, will be held rain or shine. There will be Jewish and Israeli food, temple tours, exhibits, music, dance, arts and crafts and more. There will be a kids zone as well as characters from Tanakh (what Christians refer to as the Old Testament). So, if you attend the festival, don't be surprised if you see Moses, Abraham, Rachel, and Noah walking around.  It is a good chance for the community to learn about Judaism and to celebrate a community that has done so much for Greensboro. 

Word has it that one of our favorite jewelry artists, Anette, will be there with jewelry  inspired by the people and symbols in Judaism. We are also looking forward to the Rabbi telling us about the symbolism in the 12 stained glass windows, as well as the meaning of the gold letters at the top of the sanctuary. The tents are in place, the food is ready, and Moses will be there to tell you just how he felt when God delivered the 10 commandments to him.

Happy Sunday!

Girl Scout Cookie Time

It is Girl Scout cookie time. The above troop was selling at Friendly Center this past weekend. They were set up on the part of old Friendly near Build-A-Bear and Toys and Co. That is a place with a nice amount of foot traffic on Sundays. As they were selling, children were inside Build-A-Bear bringing their stuffed animals to life. People were coming and going from Barnes and Noble, as well as from the $5 and Under store. We hope sales went well. By the time we arrived, thin mints had sold out. The young scouts briefed us on the new cookies. They showed us the new cookie that looks like a thin mint, but it has a touch of raspberry jam inside the chocolate coating. Boxes are $5 this year. It is nice to see scouts out selling in person again.  The above scouts were so helpful and adults from the troop were right there with them the entire time, helping with salesmanship as needed. 

Surely, you know someone who knows a scout selling cookies. It is a great way to support an organization that fosters leadership in girls; they have a troop for all age levels. There are troops in almost all neighborhoods in Greensboro. The council office (Peaks to Piedmont), located at 303 Pisgah Church Road, opens at 12 noon today. They should be able to help with any questions you may have. You can get information about a troop to join, a way to volunteer, and even a description of all of the cookies- new and old. We got a little chuckle when the website informed us it USES COOKIES to enhance the browsing experience. It begs the question, "which flavor cookie"?!!!

Happy Monday!

Sunset Hills and the Stunning Display of Christmas Lights

Once again, the Sunset Hills neighborhood is aglow under the chicken-wire-covered balls of Christmas lights. The lights are literally shot and hoisted tens of feet into the air. They are very hard to photograph and the warmth of the colorful glow, felt as you walk through the streets, cannot be replicated in a photo. However, the above photo gives you an idea of how they look. Also, you can see an example of the many people who walk the neighborhood on any given night to experience the decorating. The neighborhood gained national attention and was featured on The Today Show because of their creativity in initiating this display. The whole venture started in the home of Jonathan and Anne Smith, whose daughter shared them an outdoor ornament she loved: a chicken wire ball, about the size of a volleyball, laced with Christmas lights. At the time, she was studying at the College of Art and Design at North Carolina State University and knew good design when she saw it. Her dad replicated the design, filling the trees in their yard with the decorations. The idea spread like Christmas cheer in the neighborhood and now, Ridgeway, Greenway, Madison Avenue have participation by at least 3/4 of the houses. Other streets participate as well.

On Saturday, December 10th will be the 11th annual 5K race through the neighborhood, billed as "The Greatest 5k(ish) in the History of the World." Be sure to bring food to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank. About 2,000 people walk or run and the donated food and money really helps feed people in need in Greensboro. We are a giving community and this Sunset Hills tradition is one fine example how a small idea can blossom into a community event with a service component. Even more lights have been added around the park this year. You won't want to miss it. If you do go out, remember to dress in festive garb and add some lights. Go with a group and you become part of the decorations!

Happy Tuesday!

St. Francis Episcopal Church: Pop Up Paperback Book Sale

As you are planning out your weekend, on Saturday, consider heading over to St. Francis Episcopal Church on Lawndale Drive for a pop up book event. The event will be much smaller than their traditional shows. They are making a real effort to be COVID safe. Also, only paperbacks will be offered- two dollars for the larger paperbacks and one dollar for smaller format books. Book sales are a key way for St. Francis to raise funds and, the money they earn, goes right back into the community. As an example, after the last sale, they were able to help Urban Ministries restock their food pantry. Hopefully, this small-in-scale, pop up format will be a success.

 The above photo features the book depository. If you are a regular to the St. Francis book sales, you know when that garage door goes up, you will see floor to ceiling books. It appears that tomorrow's book sale, from 9:00 am- 3:00 pm, will actually be held in the Parish Hall. To be sure, when you drive around back to park, there will be people to guide you to the books. St. Francis, an outgrowth of the Holy Trinity Parish, has been providing people with a spiritual home since 1954. For the last six decades, they've been bringing us great books.

Can you believe this is the last weekend in July. The books you buy tomorrow will be a great addition to your August reading list! Happy Friday! What authors can you recommend for us?

Ukrainians in the Carolinas

Saturday, the Ukrainians in the Carolinas organization held a fundraising event for Ukraine at the Calvin Graves Plantation in Caswell County. The festival, known as Ivana Kupala, was a summer solstice celebration. The event featured music, food, crafts, the making of Ukrainian live-flower wreaths (vinok), dance lessons and more! The live music was a combination of  genres, including Ukrainian folk music. The above photo features the East Piedmont Rounders, a group of old-time musicians. They were playing traditional acoustic tunes with Jan Gittleman flatfoot dancing. The musicians performing are David Thompson, Mary Charlton, Mike Collins, and Larry Vellani, with Charlie Berry working sound. The Red Kalyna American-Ukrainian band also performed later in the afternoon.

Calvin Graves was a North Carolina politician who, according to the historic marker in front of this house (above), in 1849, cast the deciding vote for the North Carolina railroad. While this venue 40 miles north of Greensboro, it is an easy day trip. The money used during Saturday's fundraiser will help build a well for drinking water, medical and tactical supplies in Ukraine. If you are interested in donating, see here. Also, Greensboro will likely see an influx of Ukrainian refugees and there will be ways for you to help Ukrainian refugees. See here.

Have a great Wednesday!

Legends of NC Tribute to Benefit the New Arrivals Institute (NAI)

Doodad Farm at 4701 Land Road was hopping with music and positive energy yesterday as musicians of North Carolina played at an event to celebrate and help raise funds for the New Arrivals Institute. Doodad Farm is a 60 acre farm with a 140-year-old tobacco barn that got converted to a stage for live music. The stage area was a 50th birthday gift to a music loving dad.* The "Our Legends of NC " tribute featured songs written by North Carolina musicians- nearly fifty songs. Attendees brought their own folding chairs and picnic baskets to enjoy the afternoon. For those who didn't pack food, the Bearded BBQ was there serving up delicious BBQ plates and sandwiches. The crowd was a diverse group from immigrant families, to their ESOL teachers, to social workers, to sponsoring families, to people who work directly with new immigrant families- including those from the New Arrivals Institute (NAI).

The New Arrivals Institute of Greensboro started in the 1990s to meet the needs of the immigrant community. NAI teaches English classes and makes sure parents have childcare while they are in class. NAI is a non-profit that is quick to apply for and receive grants, and adjust their programs,  as needs arise. Relocating to a new country and leaving everything behind is overwhelming. NAI works tirelessly to help immigrants become independent and work their way to becoming citizens. At yesterday's event, it was so special seeing families relaxed, children running, smiling, and even laughing. Hula hoops were a bit hit and a way for children to enjoy being children. Even some adults took the hoops for a twirl- all to the sound of music of North Carolina. Speaking of music, that is Sam Fraizer performing on the Doodad Stage. Sam is a singer/songwriter and talented musician from Greensboro. Yesterday, he performed some songs solo yesterday and then some with Laurelyn Dossett yesterday.

 

*read the Our State Magazine tribute HERE.

New Arrivals Institute: Meet Laila Hosseinzadeh

Greensboro is such a fabulous place to live because of the people who live here. Laila Hosseinzadeh is an example of a great person doing good deeds for the community. Laila, a Greensboro native and Northern Guilford High School graduate, attended undergraduate school at Appalachian State University. She majored in global studies and has been committed to helping others all along the way. Soon, she will enter a master of social work program. Currently, Laila works at the New Arrivals Institute in Greensboro, where she is Refugee School Impact Liaison/Facilitator.

In the above photo, Laila is at the "Just Be" gift shop in downtown Greensboro, hanging a poster advertising a fundraiser for the New Arrivals Institute. The institute, located at Peace Church on West Market Street, was developed in the late 1990s to help meet the needs of refugees living in Guilford County. The institute offers English language, early childhood, and citizenship classes. They also offer childcare while parents are learning. Additionally, the NAI helps with employment readiness; they have summer programs, and more. The fundraising event it an afternoon of live music. It will be held Sunday May 22nd from 2-8pm at Doodad Farm in Southeast Greensboro. You are encouraged to bring a blanket and hang out for the afternoon. All donations received at the event will go to NAI. Right now, NAI is working diligently to help Afghan families who have recently settled in Greensboro.

We're so glad we met Laila. She is so committed to helping families who are relocating to Greensboro from other countries. We are looking forward attending the upcoming event at Doodad Farm and learning more about the great work she is doing.

Happy Friday! Please head downtown and get your May off to a great start at First Friday! (If you like the items you see surrounding Laila, they are available at the corner of West McGee and South Elm. "Just Be) will be open and ready to welcome you). 

A Sunset Hills Christmas

The above photo was taken, just as the sun was setting, in Greensboro. The corner of Ridgeway and Madison is "Ground Zero" for the giant ball decorations wrapped with lights. The neighborhood is decorated and ready for carloads to drive through. Last weekend, the Running of the Balls was held. All that remains now is to drop off your donations for local food banks and to simply enjoy all of the time and effort Sunset Hills has put into decorating. The display is especially beautiful because there isn't excessive light pollution. 

Perhaps you read about local middle school student, Cooper Dunning, who makes the lighted balls to sell, using the money to partially fund his college savings and to partially donate to a local charity. His goal is to make 1,000 of the balls this year; no easy task when you have to bend the chicken wire just right so it looks round and to space the lights evenly across the round surface. The non-profit he has chosen to help this year is the "Green for Greens" program that doubles food assistance vouchers for families in need.* How wonderful to see the younger generation stepping up and continuing the decorating and for their helping non-profits.

The Sunset Hills neighborhood was founded in 1924 and every year it just seems to keep getting better and better, as does this holiday decorating and collecting of food. The family of Jonathan and Anne Smith first started the tradition with two lighted, chicken-wire balls in 1996.  Also, their yard is one of the collection places for the local food bank. If you have not experienced Sunset Hills at Christmas, you need to do what you can to get there. Happy Thursday!

 

*read more HERE.

 

Carolina Theatre 2021

If you follow current events in Greensboro, you may have already known that Carolina Theatre named the auditorium for Betty and Ben Cone, Jr. Here is the Youtube video from 2018, where the announcement was made. As we are reminded in the video, Betty lead the campaign to save the Carolina Theatre back in 1976. Betty and Ben also donated significantly to the Setting the Stage campaign at the theatre a few years ago. That last big campaign really helped with technological amenities and upgrades, keeping the theatre current in the digital age.

It is hard to believe that it has already been almost six years since we interviewed Betty Cone for Greensboro Daily Photo (here). Please read (or reread) that post where we featured her. It really lets you know what Betty has meant to the Greensboro community. Noteworthy is the fact that the photo from 2015 was taken in front of the Carolina Theatre. Betty had suggested we meet there as she had something to do at the theatre. The banner in the above photo is currently hanging at the Greene Street entrance to this Greensboro, North Carolina treasure-  where people have gone for great entertainment since 1927. Thanks to Betty and Ben, the 100th anniversary will be a grand one and the Carolina Theatre should be a great place to enjoy performances well into the next century. 

If you want a quick overview of the contributions  of the whole Cone family in Greensboro, read Jim Schlosser's 2003 article in the News & Record (updated in 2015).  

Church Fundraisers

Many churches are selling Christmas trees, wreathes, and greenery as an end-of-year fundraiser. Morehead United Methodist Church has opted to set up a Dewey's Holiday Store. The church, located at 3214Horse Pen Creek Road, has the store open M-F from 10-6 and Saturdays from 10-5pm. The last day for the store is December 21st. It has been a difficult year for religious institutions. If you like to purchase baked goods this time of year, consider purchasing from a non-profit like a church or school group. The Dewey's sale at Morehead UMC will help the church a lot.

The fundraiser is not held on Sundays, but church is. Informal worship takes place at 9am; small groups 10am; traditional worship is at 11am. At one point, services were being held outside on the edge of the church property. If you elect to go today, take your mask and be flexible. Have a great day today, whether you are in Greensboro or reading from elsewhere!

 

Scarves for Warmth

The Scarves for Warmth Project has set up it's residency space in the fiber arts studio of the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center. As you can see from the above photo, Room 327 is abloom in color, set up for making scarves for the housing insecure in Greensboro. The photo features Bobby Craddock who spoke about the program tonight during First Friday events. Bobby is the founder and creative genius behind the Scarves for Warmth Project. To Bobby's right is Tunde Peters, a work-study student from UNCG. Through this work-study opportunity, Tunde, a sociology major, is getting lots of ideas of how she can incorporate serving community (especially with art) into her future career. Whatever she does, she will do it well. Tunde's smile and positive attitude light up a room!

In addition to making scarves and adding art to the lives of those in need, The Scarves for Warmth Project helps the homeless in many other ways. For example, Bobby is committed to making the Greensboro community aware of how many homeless people are actually here. The "chiclet" bunting above to the right, a work in progress, will have a square for each of the 1,590 homeless people in Greensboro. In the center of the room, Bobby is assembling squares of denim, one for each of the 492 homeless children in Greensboro. Just seeing these squares reminds us that there are a lot of people who sleep on the street or other places that are very, very temporary.

If you want to help, visit Scarves for Warmth in the Cultural Arts Center. Consider volunteering, or, is you are too busy to volunteer, perhaps you can donate financially to the project- or convince Bobby to sell you one of the treasures his volunteers have made. Tunde is wearing one of the beautiful scarves. Even the purchase of a yard of fleece will go a long way to help people through this project.

Making an effort to uplift others is incredibly uplifting, especially when there is someone like Bobby to guide you along!

The Movement Continues

Today is February 1, it is the 60th anniversary of the Sit-in That took place at the above Woolworths department store on Elm Street in Greensboro. Mini special that took place at the above Woolworths department store on Elm Street in Greensboro. Every year, special events are held to commemorate this important point in the civil rights movement. 

A really important event will be held this evening. It is the Annual Fundraising Gala and will take place in the Special Events Center at the Greensboro Coliseum. The event will include many notable guests who have contributed significantly to enhancing civil rights in the United States. Award winners include President Barack Obama, Reverend Al Sharpton, Mr. Danny Glover, Ms. Clayola Brown, Reverend Dr. Cardes H Brown Junior, Dr. Linda B. Brown, And Mrs. Emma Washington. To be sure, it will be a night to remember.

ALS Association Walk

Saturday, in Center City Park in downtown Greensboro, the ALS Association held the Greensboro Walk to help defeat ALS. Friends and families put together teams to help build community, heighten awareness, and fundraise for ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerves in the spinal cord and the brain. Muscles can't get the nourishment they need and the person gets progressively weaker. 

The above ALS Team, "Team Roxie", supports Roxie Shelton, who died after a courageous battle with the disease. It was so inspiring to see these teams cross the finish line and spend this quality time together. Often,  teams crossed the finish line a team member in a wheelchair on the walk with them. Events like the ALS walk provide a sense of accomplishment and joy and a brief respite from all of the serious conversation about the disease that people with ALS face daily. If someone ever asks you to donate, give what you can- from cash to time to emotional support and everything in between.

 

Cindy Farmer Flips Pancakes at Kiwanis Pancake Day

This past Saturday, the Kiwanis Club of High Point held their 41st Annual Pancake Day. The 9am celebrity pancake flipper was Cindy Farmer, Morning News Anchor, on FOX8. Cindy, a Virginia Tech graduate, has been working in TV news since moving to Greensboro in 1990. Her passion is sharing good news about our community, especially the local schools. She is equally passionate about volunteering her time and energy for worthy causes. In the above photo, Cindy is seen masterfully making Micky Mouse pancakes for the children in the pancake line. 

Cindy has won many awards, including an Emmy for Community Service, the Susan G. Komen Lifetime Volunteer Achievement award, The Susan G. Komen Founders Award, and the Howard Coble Citizenship award.* You can tell by the smile on her face that she has a way of lighting up a room with her positive energy and optimism. Thank you, Cindy, for all you do for the community.

*reference and more information, here.

Innisbrook Wrapping Paper

Those of you in Greensboro with young adult children probably remember the Innisbrook wrapping paper fundraisers when your children were in elementary school. Innisbrook has been making high-quality wrapping paper for about thirty years now. What you may not know is that Innisbrook is a Greensboro company, located near the airport and Gilbarco at 422 Chimney Rock Road. 

The above photo features CEO David A. Worth and his son. They were both out at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market this past Sunday. David was selling wrapping paper at the "Made 4 the Holidays" event, and doing a little public relations for the company. David pointed out that, even though they don't do the school fundraisers any more, wrapping paper sales are on the upswing; possibly due to the fact that people order so much online and like to personalize items before gifting them. Today's artists are really coming up with creative designs for all occasions. Hopefully, Innisbrook will have a table at the "Made 4 the Holidays" event at the Farmers Curb Market on December 2nd, so that shoppers can say  everything about their gifts is local, from the actual items to the paper they are wrapped in!

Running of the Balls

Yesterday afternoon, all was quiet on Ridgeway Avenue as the first snow of the season was falling. Tonight will be very different as it is the annual Running of the Balls, when runners dash through Sunset Hills. As the sun sets this evening, all of those glowing ornaments in the trees will guide the runners through the streets. With 4,000 participants, the Running of the Balls is the third largest running event in Greensboro. The event is expected to raise over $50,000 for the Second Harvest Food Bank. There will also be two stages of music and fun will be had by all runners, walkers, and spectators. Plus, many families will be fed as a result of this internationally unique event.

If you have never seen the Running of the Balls, you owe it to yourself to come see it. Streets close at 5:30. You will want to park and walk, but it will be worth every step. Don't forget to wear festive clothing, bring flashlights, and wear any kind of blinking, sparkling clothing you can find. Part of the beauty of the event is that Sunset Hills has mature trees; so the lights, in some cases, are more than two stories in the air. Also, there are no street lights to emit light pollution. This event has become a grand Greensboro tradition. And this breathtaking decorating tradition got its start at the Smith household at the corner at Madison and Ridgeway Avenues. Bring some canned goods. Hope to see you there.

 

Community Theatre of Greensboro: Mitchel Sommers Directs 23rd Wizard of Oz

Yesterday afternoon was the closing show for the 23rd annual production of the Wizard of Oz. Mitchel Sommers, featured above, who is celebrating his 25th year with Community Theatre of Greensboro (CTG), has directed the Wizard of Oz for all the 23 years it has been staged. Performances are held at The Carolina Theatre and, each year, they seems to get better and better. The costumes, lighting, set design, special effects, singing and acting are just about perfect. Areal moves add extra excitement to the show. (The Wicked Witch even bikes through the air)! Having a live orchestra is icing on the cake. So much of this perfection, we owe to the hard work of the director. 

The "one yellow brick at a time" slogan is tied in with the fundraising campaign. Out of a 1.2 million dollar note to purchase the former Broach Theatre on South Elm Street for CTG, donors have contributed about a million. However, CTG could use a few more people to purchase "bricks" (plaques).  The engraved plaques are on permanent public display at CTG's theater, renamed The Starr Theatre, on Elm Street. While some productions are staged at the Starr, with a cast of nearly 70, plus a fan base that has grown over 23 years, even the 1,075-seat-capacity Carolina Theatre fills quickly for Wizard of Oz productions. From the dedicated actors and their families, volunteers, audience, production staff, orchestra members, community donors, Carolina Theatre staff, and EVERYONE involved in the Wizard of Oz, you are proof positive of the magic that happens when a community works together. To all of you, especially Mr. Sommers, we applaud you virtually. See you next year!

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patches are in full swing in Greensboro. The above stand is the checkout counter at Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church. If Mt. Pisgah was not Greensboro's first pumpkin patch, it was one of the first. The church is known as "the pumpkin church." On a sunny day, those pumpkins glow on the corner of Pisgah Church Road and Battleground Avenue. You can spend all afternoon in the patch taking family photos and selecting the perfect pumpkins, while helping the church raise money for the church. The canopy, great advertising,  is on loan from the George Brothers Funeral Home.

As seen in the above photo, the pumpkins range from $8 to $25. They also have mini-pumpkins for 50¢. However, some of the real beauties on the grounds are the gourds which are only $3 each (see below). It was so fun hanging out in the pumpkin patch in the warmth of a glorious, fall day yesterday. And, seeing children with families making all of these special memories and photos, was priceless. 

Mayfield Creamery

Mayfield Creamery, based in Athens Tennessee, is expanding its territory and seeking to increase brand recognition. To increase product recognition in targeted markets, they are holding ice cream challenges in different cities. Yesterday was Greensboro's turn. Yesterday, they were in LeBauer Park with WFMY providing live Facebook feed. Their goal was to serve 10,000 scoops of ice cream FREE between 11am and 3pm. For every scoop of Mayfield Moose Tracks served, Mayfield would donate $1 to the Salvation Army to help with its community programs. Word of free ice cream spread quickly throughout Greensboro and LeBauer Park was crowded with people gathering for a scoop.

Mayfield broke their record and served ten-thousand scoops in an hour and fifteen minutes. Hats off to Mayfield Creamery and LeBauer Park for partnering for this fun fundraiser. They were able to get over ten thousand people downtown on a hot, summer Monday when surely half the residents are away at the beach. There is something magical about the word, FREE!

The photo below is a scene of the Mayfield Ice-cream freezer leaving the park. If we understood correctly, they are headed to Charlotte. 

Greensboro's Community Swim Association

There isn't much that is more wholesome than community summer swimming. The above photo was taken at the pool of the Greensboro Country Club at Carlson Dairy Road where the GCC Dolphins hosted a meet. The Community Swim Association dual meets are held every Tuesday in early summer, culminating with the three-day City Meet, to be held this year on July 6-8. Community swim teams emphasize fun and good sportsmanship and every single team member gets to compete . While some swimmers, usually those who compete year-round, are more accomplished, every member is valued. The above photo features a freestyle relay in process. Often, the children who have been on the team for several years become assistant coaches in their teen years. 

Currently, teams are wrapping up their fundraisers for Swim-for-Cancer, a very worthy cause. The GCC Dolphins were raffling very lovely gift baskets. The results of the fundraiser are announced at City Meet, and are always a point of great pride for top fundraising individuals and teams. If you get a chance donate to the cause. Also, stop by the Greensboro Aquatic Center between July 6th and 8th and you will be impressed at how much Greensboro supports swimming.

Hillside, the Julian Price Home

This past weekend, Preservation Greensboro held a fundraising tour of homes in the Fisher Park neighborhood. The above photographed house, aptly named Hillside, was originally built as the private residence for the Julian Price family.* Mr. Price was Chairman of the Board of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company. Price hired architect Charles Hartmann to built the corporate tower of the Jefferson Standard building. downtown. Hartman also designed Hillside. The English Tudor/Period Revival home was constructed in 1928-1929. The expansive home has many interesting architectural details: Herringbone brick, chimneys, Tudor timbered accents, gables, dormers, and landscape walls, to name a few.

Eric and Michael Fuko-Rizzo have recently purchased the property, cleared the house of its filled-to-the-brim load, and have begun renovating it. It was featured on the tour this past weekend and looked quite different than it did on the Arts and Entertainment Hoarders show.  Much work remains to be done and not many rooms were open for the tour. However, there will be a designer showcase in 2018 that will feature the house in its renovated splendor. The most surprising feature of the home is that is is long, but thin. It is only one room wide, which means that there are windows on both sides of the room. It can feel like walking an entire city block getting from the northern-most to southern-most room. If you ever get a chance to tour this historic home, please do so.

Happy Thursday, dear readers!

 

* reference & read more about Price, here.

Fisher Park Tour of Homes

This weekend was Preservation Greensboro's 7th Annual Tour of Homes and Fisher Park was the featured neighborhood. Fisher Park was a streetcar neighborhood dating to the beginning of the 20th century. It was planned around a park, Fisher Park, where the Genesis Marker is located. The marker represents the geographic center of Guilford County. Magnolia Street radiates from the park; actually, the park divides the street into two sections. Families on both sides of Magnolia, and throughout Fisher Park, enjoy spending time there. 

The above photo features people en route to view the Sweeney-Penn residence on Magnolia Street during Sunday's hours when the skies were cloudy. Saturday's weather was in the high 80's with the sun shining brightly, almost too brightly. Sunday's overcast skies made walking from house to house and waiting in line much more manageable. Crowds were large, but sociable, this year. One Preservation Greensboro member said ticket sales were brisk.

Eight residences were available to tour. The houses ranged from large and stately to small with character and "under construction."  Several homes on the tour, including the one on Magnolia Street, were built and restored in the Craftsman style. The home getting considerable interest was the Price house on Fisher Park Circle as it had been featured on a recent episode of A&E's show "Hoarders." We're betting neighbors will be happy to see traffic back to normal in their cozy neighborhood just north of town.

 

Morehead UMC Food Truck

Morehead United Methodist Church is a growing congregation, located on Horse Pen Creek Road. They have many extra activities that give the community members an opportunity to interact with people at the church to get an idea if they would like to join. On Monday nights, from 5:30- 8:00, Morehead has been bringing in a food truck, where people can purchase food and sit around enjoying fellowship and live music over a good meal.

The above photo features the food truck from this past Monday, which featured Haitian food. Tomorrow night, there will also be a food truck. If you are nearby, consider stopping by and enjoying the event. If you can't make the Monday event, and are interested, Morehead UMC also has Wednesday and Sunday events.

Pumpkin Time

It is pumpkin time in Greensboro, the last weekend before Halloween weekend. The above photo features the pumpkin patch at Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church. These pumpkin patches are always great fundraisers for churches. Often, the money goes to support youth programs. Located on the edge of Country Park, this patch is very convenient for those who like to exercise in the park or play tennis at Spencer Love. The pumpkins are easy to spot when driving up and down Battleground Avenue and when you are at the Lowe's Home Improvement Center. 

While pumpkin growing is only a minor crop in North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimates that 3,000- 4,000 acres of pumpkins are planted in North Carolina. Did you know that a pumpkin is a fruit, related to cucumbers and melons and gourds. They can weigh over 1,000 pounds and they are about 90% water. They contain vitamin A, B, and potassium and have been a food source in North America since at least 7,000- 5,000 BC.*  As a rule of thumb, let children select pumpkins that they can lift easily. If they are too heavy, you may be making pumpkin soup earlier than anticipated! Happy Saturday! 

*reference and more pumpkin trivia, here.

Hank Williams Tribute on Doodad Farm

Saturday, a Hank Williams Tribute afternoon was held at Doodad Farm in Southeast Greensboro, just off McConnell Road. Those who had a "hankerin' for Hank Williams got a real treat. Dean Driver, who lives at the farm, organized the event. Many local musicians, including Sam Frazier and Laurelyn Dossett (playing above)*,  volunteered their time and great music for the event. Entry was by donation and money raised went to "Voices Together" a Durham non-profit  that provides music for children with special needs. Another goal of the event was to introduce the music of Hank Williams to the younger generation of musicians. We are so lucky to have unique venues like Doodad Farm in Greensboro. With a field, a stage, a vision, and a lot of hard work and volunteers, the Hank Williams Tribute became a reality and was well attended-- even in spite of a weather-related change of date.

At the festival, they had a station where attendees could illustrate their favorite Hank Williams song on cardboard. This, coupled with horse rides, provided additional activities for children and others who wanted to get up and move around. The illustration below (Lovesick Blues) was our personal favorite. What fun! Can you name that tune? Put your guess in the comments, below. If nobody lists it in the comments, we'll post the answer tomorrow!

(Hint: The last word in the title has to do with the color of the chairs in the back row, above).

*Let us know if you know the name of the performer on the left.

You've Been Flocked by Young Life

The Smith family of Sunset Hills has been flocked!

At the corner of Madison and Ridgeway, you will see this flock of pink flamingos, placed there by Young Life. To be sure, the Smiths will pay a generous donation to this Christian group for them to come and remove these flamingos from their lawn. It is all in fun.

But then again, the Smiths are the ones who started the trend of the lighted Christmas balls suspended in trees throughout Sunset Hills. Their winter tradition has burgeoned into thousands of pounds of food collected for the First Harvest Food Bank. The Smith family just may take these flamingos and do something even more creative, for the needy in our community. 

Young Life is a non-denominational group in which adults work to get and keep children and teenagers interested in Christianity and in doing good in the community. Young life was started by an elderly woman, Clara Frasher, in Texas in the 1930's, and has grown into an organization with membership worldwide. Young Life in Greensboro is a very active and dynamic group, if you want to learn more about the organization and all they are doing to help the community, read more, here.

Those who know Nanny Foster (see our Friday and Saturday posts) keep asking where her flamingos have gone. Perhaps they have migrated to Sunset Hills. Happy Sunday!

 

Downtown Mural

Greensboro is getting a new mural downtown at Hamburger Square. The artist can be seen on the hydraulic lift, at left, bringing her artwork to life. Artist, singer/songwriter, Kim Kennedy, knew the minute she saw this wall between M'Coul's Public House and Design Archives that she wanted to paint a mural here. Her Kickstart Campaign successfully raised over $4,000 to help bring the 25' x 50' mural to life. It features Kim's friend, and area musician, Joey Barnes.

Kim  has already made considerably more progress on this mural than when we took these photos a couple of weeks ago. She has been working 8-11 hour days on the project-- when the weather and her music commitments permit. At first, there were concerns that the artist painting this mural should be from Greensboro; however, her vision for the space fit perfectly with what the owners of the building were looking for. We think you will be pleased.

If you want to know more about the project and the artist, see here. Finally, here is a photo of the artist!

Books Galore

This photo was taken on Friday night at the annual book sale at St. Francis Episcopal Church on Lawndale Drive-- the calm before the storm. Saturday was when items were $10 a grocery bag- as much as you can stuff in the bag and carry. People know their genre and categories. Late Friday night, categories of choice were popular fiction, military history, dog handling, and classics. On Saturday, there were crowds of people trying to gather their year's supply of reading. A Greensboro tradition since the late 1950's, this is the 58th annual book sale.  While in this room, time stands still and shoppers forget that we are living in digital device era.

Today is Theme Day for the City Daily Photo community and the May theme day challenge is to convey the idea of SMELL through a photo. Well, you can imagine the smell of a room full of books. If you love that old book smell, but are totally committed to reading on your Kindle, you can order this unisex perfume "Dead Writers." With prominent notes of clove, vanilla, and tobacco, it smells like old books. Alternatively, you can look for book sales in Greensboro or hang out at one of our fabulous libraries.

The Driving Hope Mobile

Varooom, it is DRIVING HOPE time again in Greensboro.  Driving Hope is a vehicle that people sign as part of a fundraiser to support earlier detection of breast cancer. For the donation of a dollar, you sign this car that will be auctioned off as a fundraiser for earlier.org, an organization created to help detect breast cancer early. The organization, was started by Martha Kaley, whom we photographed last year during one of the signings of the Driving-hope-mobile (see here).

Martha has a great story about how she actually attributes her dog to helping detect her breast cancer (story here). Next Saturday, April 16th, the second annual 5K Sherlock Dog Walk is taking place at Country Park (register here). Martha, her family, and friends, work tirelessly to help put a stop to breast cancer. You may recognize the Kaley from Kaley Orthodontics. They are a wonderful, community-oriented family. We're betting they will be at the dog walk and the many other events on the 2016 calendar. We're betting the Driving-hope-mobile will be at the run, and you can sign it and learn more about the organization. A big thank you to Martha for starting earlier.org and being such an inspiration to us all, and to Crown Honda, for donating the car for this very worthy cause. If we win the car, we're organizing an annual DRIVING HOPE ride across the USA and inviting each year's winning car!

Polar Bear Ride 2016

New Year's Day brought over 200 cyclists out for the annual Polar Bear Ride. Sponsored by the Greensboro Velo Club, the ride had three courses: 25, 41, and 60 miles. Cyclists started and finished at Cycles de Oro on Mill Street. In the morning, participants were greeted with coffee and after the ride, they celebrated with a spread of food inside the bike shop. The above photo was taken just as the owner of Cycles de Oro, Dale Brown, finished taking pictures for the different cycling clubs and then sounded the start of the race.

Fortunately, streets aren't crowded with cars on New Year's Day and, to our knowledge, the event was accident free- give or take a few cyclists rolling over because they couldn't get out of their toe clips in time. Riders were asked to bring 2 cans of food for the Second Harvest Food Bank and Greensboro cyclists stacked the table with canned goods. Some years, temperatures plunge and the January 1st ride really does feel like a North Pole event. This year, the weather was relatively mild, averaging in the high 40's- low 50's. What a wonderful way to start the year, getting exercise, donating food to a food bank, and spending time with a great community of cycling enthusiasts! Greensboro rocks, and rolls, and cycles!

W is for the Women of Greensboro

Today's photo features women walking to the starting block of the "Running of the Balls." As they walked down Greenway, we were struck by how many women and children participated. Yes, there were many men, too, but the event was such a family -friendly one, we saw many women and children. All walked for a very good cause as tons of cans of food and money have been raised to help combat hunger in Greensboro. The morning after the "Running of the Balls," a man at the collection site at the corner of Rolling Road and Greenway said that they had already loaded 660 pounds of food from that one collection bin that morning. How wonderful for a neighborhood to band together to help the hungry.

Today is ABC Wednesday. As many of you know, this A-Z Round, we're featuring "Women of Greensboro". Unfortunately, all of the women we know whose names start with "W"  are either out of town or we don't have contact information for them. For example, Wendy Levine is a Greensboro woman who has left wonderful comments on GDP over the years. However, we have never met her and didn't have her contact information. We hope you aren't too disappointed for us to say that today is ABC Wednesday and "W" is for the walking, working, wonderful women of Greensboro. And, as for the men, we do hope to attempt an A-Z men of Greensboro. Happy Wednesday, dear readers, regardless of where your name falls in the alphabet!

Running of the Balls 2015

Tonight is the annual "Running of the Balls" through the Sunset Hills neighborhood. This sold-out event begins promptly at 6:00 pm when, first, runners and, next, walkers complete a 5K course, ending in a hot-chocolate-and-music-filled parklet. And, yes, you guessed it, there will be more tree light-balls to greet the participants and spectators. The run is a fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank. People are encouraged to bring canned goods to donate. In addition to bringing canned goods to feed those in need, you are encouraged to wear the loudest Christmas gear you can find. For the 2,500 participants, this event truly rings in the season and reminds us of the beauty of giving of your time, food, energy, and good cheer.

Hope to see you tonight on Rolling Road, Ridgeway or Greenway Drives. These is no parking in the neighborhood so, plan ahead to walk to the event. It is well worth every step. The above photo doesn't do the scene justice. We were there at sunset and it was a little too early. The Today Show has been out at least twice to feature Sunset Hills. Surely, they have some good footage.