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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Harvest Train Benefits Kids by ERINN CRIDER A Christmas Carol: The Classic Returns by GAIL MORFESIS "No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused" —Charles Dickens. The Harvest Train in Falcon, N.C., benefits Falcon Children's Home. The community generously donates items like toiletries, nonperishables, clothes and more. The children at Falcon Children's Home put on a program after the parade. The Falcon Children's Home is a to the Holiday season. There will also haven — and has been for more than be excitement in the air in anticipation 100 years. The home began with of a program that the kids have been just two children in need who were preparing for 2-3 months that will cared for in a small cottage by the touch guests both emotionally and International Pentecostal Holiness spiritually." Church. Since then, and with the For the month of November, the support of the community, the home home will be asking for Brownie has grown to a 300-acre property that mix, cake mix and icing, snacks, soft has multiple facilities to support these drinks, spaghetti sauce, sugar, canned children in need. One way to support vegetables, canned fruits, pop tarts, this great cause and the children it ketchup, cooking oil, juice, salad supports is through the Harvest Train. dressing, chicken noodle soup, pancake The Falcon Children's Home is a mix, grits, flour, rice, mustard and nonprofit organization that is licensed Kool-Aid. There are also more ways to to take care of 90 children at a time. support the Falcon Children's Home Needless to say it gets expensive. One and the children it cares for. "Monetary way that the home is able to get all of donations, commodities that will be the necessities that the children need used throughout the year, volunteering is through generous donations from time, sponsoring a child for Christmas, the community, and the Harvest Train gently used clothing, furniture, food, is one of the ways that they are able school supplies, tutoring at the on to raise these donations. There are campus school, and prayers," will all challenges preparing an event of this be gratefully received by the home size, but the joy it gives the children, Dunning and Superintendent Joseph and the compassion the community Leggett said. On the flyers for the exhibits make it all worthwhile, Jessica Harvest Train, available on the Falcon Dunning, the director of marketing Children's Home website, is a calendar and public relations for the home, said. with needed items for each month. In past years, more than five times the The Harvest Train will take place population of Falcon have attended the Tuesday Nov. 26. There will be a event. parade that begins at 8:30 a.m. and the The Harvest Train is much more Harvest Train Program itself begins than just a fundraiser, however. It at 10:30 a.m. The parade will march is a time to celebrate the generosity through Falcon and the program is of the community and the work that held in the J.A. Culbreth Memorial the children have done to prepare Auditorium located in Falcon. For this celebration. Dunning explains more information visit http://www. their expectations for the day, "This falconchildrenshome.com/wordpress/ is the highlight of the year at Falcon or call 980-1065. Children's Home. Guests should expect a festive atmosphere when they arrive. There will be a big ERINN CRIDER, Staff Writer. crowd, an overwhelming amount of COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomgenerosity and a wonderful kick-off ingweekly.com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Dickens' story teaches us that when we peel aside the suffocating veil of materialism, we can see the true wealth life offers through the appreciation Don't miss this annual opportunity and love of your fellow man," Schario to experience the explained. joy and warmth Some may say, of community "Bah, Humbug!" spirit. Kick off the However, many holiday season wish that the joy at Fayetteville's and generosity of candlelit Dickens the season would celebration and continue to shine then catch A throughout the Christmas Carol, year eliminating which opens at the the need for annual Gilbert, Nov. 29. stories about the Local thespian search for a new and arts lover, home for "The Joyce Lipe recalled, Bicycle Man" or "My husband pleas for help for Chuck and I other charitable took part in the organizations such Fayetteville Arts as The American Council A Dicken's Gilbert Theater's A Christmas Carol is a Red Cross, which holiday favorite and a local tradition. The Holiday each had its annual show runs Nov. 29 - Dec. 15. year, dressing in fundraiser, The costumes of that Red & White Gala, period as we strolled along Hay Street recently. Dickens' Marley said it best, getting caught up in the beauty of "Business! Mankind was my business; candle light and Christmas decorations. charity, mercy, forbearance, and A Christmas Carol, which I narrated benevolence, were all my business." for six consecutive seasons became The play follows the ever-powerful a part of the Gilbert season in its story of Scrooge, a lonely miser, who, early years. It is still a central part through the help of spirits and visions of each Gilbert season. Thus, the from his past, present and future, dream continues and takes shape and finds a second chance to become a the inspiration of early founders and loving, generous human being. "And it participants continues to shine." was always said of him, that he knew This year's production is an how to keep Christmas well, if any adaptation by director Christopher man alive possessed the knowledge. Schario, who has been Executive/ May that be truly said of us, and all Artistic Director of The Public Theatre, of us!" And so, as Tiny Tim observed, Lewiston, Maine since 1993. His "God bless Us, Every One!" adaptation of A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Carol runs Nov. 29 published by Dramatists Play Service through Dec. 15, Friday – Sunday. in 1996, has enjoyed successful Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and productions at professional and amateur Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. theatres. One interesting element of Don't miss this traditional holiday this adaptation is the on stage use of production. Rediscover the magic of a foley, a person who creates or alters this timeless tale, when seven actors sounds, using such tools as a thunder and a fiddler bring Charles Dickens' sheet, wind machine, gongs, etc. "In the classic story to life in a way you've fall of 1993 I was looking for a version never imagined and will never forget. of A Christmas Carol for my theatre Tickets are $15/$13 for students, company. Most adaptations of the story seniors and military. For further required such huge casts, lavish sets information contact the box office at and special effects, that we couldn't 678-7186 or email the Gilbert Theater afford to produce them. I always felt at boxoffice@gilberttheater.com. that the charm of the story was in its simplicity, so I locked myself in our theatre with six actors and a fiddler, and we invented this version, that DR. GAIL MORFESIS, Contributing simply and directly tells the story Writer, Up & Coming Weekly. COMof the redemption of a human soul. MENTS? editor@upandcomingweekly.com. NOVEMBER 20-26, 2013 UCW 9