Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1489342
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 4 - 10, 2023 UCW 11 e Annual Grinding of the Greens Christmas tree recycling program, a Fayetteville holiday tradition since 1994, continues in 2023. e annual program is celebrating its 29th year of protecting and enhanc- ing the environment. Grinding of the Greens encourages Fayetteville residents to recycle their live Christmas trees and, since its beginning, has kept thousands of pounds of recyclable material out of our landfills. e long-standing partnership between Fayetteville Public Works Commission, Cumber- land-Fayetteville Parks & Recreation and Duke En- ergy Progress turns cut Christmas trees into mulch for the Fayetteville Community Garden and other local parks. e Cumberland-Fayetteville Parks & Recreation will collect the trees from Fayetteville city residents in a special tree pickup beginning Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Pickups are separate from yard waste, trash or recycle pickups and city residents should put their trees out for curbside collection by the morning of January 9 . All lights, stands and trimmings should be removed from the tree. Residents who live outside the city or those who miss the pickup, may drop off trees at the Fayetteville Community Garden, located at the corner of Van Story and Mann Streets, just off Old Wilmington Road, any day by Jan. 20. PWC and Duke Energy Progress volunteers will grind them into mulch at the Grinding of the Greens at the Community Garden on Jan. 21 following a ceremo- nial start at 8:30 a.m. For more information: www. faypwc.com/grinding-of-the-greens/. HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. EVENTS 'Grinding of the Greens' Christmas tree recycling carries on in 2023, collection begins Jan. 9 a STAFF REPORT Workers and volunteers recycle cut Christmas trees in this photo from a previous Grinding of the Greens. (Photos courtesy PWC) e annual fashion show from An Affair to Re- member is back. e show highlights the empower- ment of local young women and female leaders in businesses and nonprofits. Kathy Jensen, the founder of An Affair to Remem- ber, Pageant, and Formal Wear, started this show 11 years ago. She was approached about doing a fashion show to highlight upcoming trends, but she wanted to highlight girls in town. "e show is just about women celebrating that they are women," Jensen said. "Anytime you see a woman on the stage, their confidence is raised." Five years ago, the idea of highlighting local women in business and nonprofits was brought up by community members. No speeches, just a place where women could come together as strangers and leave as friends. ese Women of Power would not only get recognition but also be able to talk to and inspire young women in high school. Women of Power became such a success that a nonprofit organization called the Women of Power Society of North Carolina came out of it. e Women of Power Society is the brainchild of Jensen and Suzy Hrabovsky. In 2022, the Women of Power Society partnered with the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development to host a Women's Equality Day Brunch and #HerWeek Fayetteville. A portion of the fashion show's proceeds will go to #HerPitch, a grant awarded to women in business. Last year, Jensen says that $10,000 was raised over the year to go to CEED. is year's fashion show is themed "e You Won't Break My Soul Runway Extravaganza." e theme is focused on making women and young girls feel empowered and beautiful in their own right. Jensen tells Up & Com- ing Weekly that the theme was inspired by Beyonce's song, "You Won't Break My Soul." is upcoming show will be the eleventh fashion show that An Affair to Remember will be host- ing. e show features the latest formal wear from the industries leading design- ers like JOVANI, Sherri Hill, Rachel Allan, ASHLE- Ylauren, Johnathan Kayne and more. Julie Durocher, the leading prom dress designer for JOVANI, will be present at the fashion show. Unlike last year, there will only be one show combining both the younger ladies of Fayetteville and the main show featuring high school-aged girls and the Women of Power. Overall, there will be 110 models this year, and at least 15 featured Women of Power. e show will feature live music this year by the band Sleeping Booty. e Sleeping Booty Band is an energetic music collective based in Raleigh. ey take inspiration from every genre, playing classics from Aretha Franklin to ZZ Top. is year, one high schooler will have the op- portunity to win a free prom dress and a VIP prom experience with some of her closest friends. In order to enter, all that high schooler has to do is attend the show. ey will receive a raffle ticket that will be drawn during the show. is fashion show is for anyone who wants to get out and support fellow women in the community, not just those who are interested in fashion "Expect a great dinner. Be prepared to dance," Jensen said. "It's a great family event. Great for girls' night out. It will just be a great night." General admission tickets are $20. Tickets for Row 3 are $40, Row 2 are $50, and Row 1 is $60. e show will take place at the Crown Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 7. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets can be bought at www.eventbrite. com/e/runway-extravaganza-fashion-show-tick- ets-442930917297. For more information on the show, go to www.aatrncfashionshow.com/. Annual show empowers young women, leaders by HANNAH LEE