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.
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DECEMBER 27, 2017 - JANUARY 2, 2018 UCW 11 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM EVENTS DR. SHANESSA FENNER, Prin- cipal, WT Brown Elementary School. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. (910) 484-6200. The Umoja Group presents its annual Kwan- zaa Celebration Saturday, Dec. 30, from 5-8 p.m. at Smith Recreation Center. "We are probably near our 25th year offering the Kwanzaa Celebration in the communit y," said Wanda Wesley, Umoja Group member and board member. "In the past, and this time, we will be celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa and bringing the communit y together to celebrate as well as learning a little about Af- rican kings and queens." Wesley added that the most important principle is Umoja, which is the Swahili word for unit y. This is why the group is called the Umoja Group. The event will feature a drum call, wel- come song, tribute to elders, libation to those who have passed, a parade of African kings and queens, a feast, stor ytelling, a children's candlelight ceremony and traditional youth dance performances. "We will have a candle lighting ceremony in which we will light the candles for Kwanzaa," said Wesley. "The kings and queens (component) is a parade of kings and queens, and that is usu- ally the focal point that ever yone looks for ward to watching." Wesley added that individuals will dress up in the form of different African kings and queens and a person will narrate and give a little histor y about each king and queen. One of the highlights of the event is the presen- tation of Shaka Zulu. "We have a certain indi- vidual who loves to do that role, and he changes it up from year to year," said Wesley. "He is Larr y Johnson and he works with the school system, and he looks for ward to doing Shaka Zulu." The Association of Black Social Workers will attend the event this year. "They will be collecting items for Operation Blessing," said Wesley. "These items include soap, hygienic items, deodor- ant and paper items." Wesley added that when participants come they can bring these items to help other people in the communit y. A $1,000 scholarship is given ever y year; two students will receive the scholarship this year. "The students are JaQuayla Hardison and Faith Brown," said Wesley. "In order to receive the scholarship, the student must be a graduating senior in the E. E. Smith district, be active in the communit y and in the Umoja Group's activities, display good character, have a high academic standing and be planning to enroll in an insti- tute of higher learning." "We encourage the communit y to come out and join the friendly atmosphere," said Wesley. "Please wear your ethnic attire and enjoy the celebration." Books will be given away to the children. Bring your favorite food dish to share. The event is free and open to the public. For more informa- tion, call (910) 485-8035 or (910) 527-2460. Umoja Group celebrates Kwanzaa by DR. SHANESSA FENNER During this season of generosit y, as we give of our time and treasure, shower loved ones with gifts and count our blessings, it can be hard to imagine what some people face ever y day. Jan. 1, from 8-10 a.m., the YMCA of the Sandhills will open its doors to those in the communit y in need of basic hygiene services. In addition to opening the facilities for people to shower, shave, brush their teeth and handle other personal hy- giene tasks, the YMCA will provide towels, soap, shampoo, shaving products, tooth- brushes and toothpaste and will also offer a continental breakfast. Last yea r, t he orga nizat ion hosted t he event, k now n as Project Connect, a round T ha n k sg iv ing. "We opted to move it because there are so many resources available to the homeless on Thanks- giving," said Ector Simpson, event coordinator. "In thinking about how we could better reach the communit y, we asked what other providers were doing. W hile social responsibilit y is a component of our mission, it's not our main mission – but we do have facilities to shower in. We thought this is something we could offer to people who may not have access to this. We can do it on New Year's Day because the Y is closed." Simpson added that the event would be mostly staffed by volunteers. Opening its doors to the community for Project Connect could have been enough. But Simpson, along with executive direc- tor Sherrie Rallis and the others coordinating this event, wanted to reach as many people as possible. "There are so many things we take for granted," said Simpson. Access to facilities is one of them. "In many cities, the homeless have access to pub- lic transport – we have that here, but it is limited." The solution, Simpson said, is to go into the com- munit y to the people they are tr ying to help. "We have to get people to the Y," said Simpson. "We have an after-school program during the week. We use these same vans to go around town to pick them up and bring them here and then take them back … we are tr ying to meet them where they are." W hile many have a firm idea about what it means to be homeless, Simpson noted that it's not that simple, saying, "Sometimes people have jobs but don't get enough hours to earn enough to make rent, so they sleep in their cars. We are able to give scholarships (to some of them), and these people become our family. They come in ever y morning for a shower and then leave for work. Only at the end of the day they don't go home – they sleep in their car." W hile the YMCA staff and volunteers will start their year off at the YMCA, Rallis noted that there are other ways people can help. "We are taking donations for hygiene prod- ucts," Rallis said. "Financial donations would be amazing, too. It would help us grow the scope of resources we can provide. Donations can be brought to the Y on Fort Bragg Road." Items needed include soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, deodorant and other toiletries. "It is amazing to see the spark of self-confidence and self-esteem (people get when they are able) to take away items that will help them," Rallis said. To find out how you can help or to learn more about the YMCA of the Sandhills, call (910) 426-9622. Project Connect reaches out to homeless by STEPHANIE CRIDER STEPHANIE CRIDER, As- sociate Publisher. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. (910) 484-6200.