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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Stuff the Bus Campaign Benefits Needy Children by CAREY CLARK If you’ve been shopping lately, you’ll notice enormous back-to-school displays. Those super sales on school supplies have already begun. It’s hard to believe that summer is already more than half gone. This year as you stock up on school supplies consider this astonishing statistic. Last year in Cumberland County alone, there were nearly 900 students considered homeless. When families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, making sure that their child has enough pencils and paper to make it through the school day is a minor concern. While some kids are agonizing over wearing just the “right” backpack on the fi rst day of school, some kids are hoping they’ll have one to carry. Started in 2007 by the Cumberland County school social workers, Stuff the Bus is an annual event to make sure that students living in shelters and transitional housing are prepared for school, easing the burden on parents and teachers. This year’s Stuff the Bus event kicks off Aug. 5 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Walmart located at 4601 Ramsey St. This is the beginning of the tax-free weekend, so all your donations can be purchased tax free. Be sure to bring the kids! Not only will they be taking donations, but Buster the Safety School Bus will be on site. They will also have tours of the bus by Miss Fayetteville, Katie Ann Mills, and there will be information available on school-bus safety and student services. This is a great way to introduce the school bus to your child just starting school, and at the same time modeling to all your kids the importance of helping those less fortunate. Says Pamela Story, coordinator of the event, “We currently partner with Operation Homefront of North Carolina to assist with their Backpack Brigade give-away. Since our fi rst drive where we packed and distributed 80 new book bags fi lled with supplies, last year we stuffed and delivered 426 throughout every Cumberland County School. Our goal this year is 600. We receive a small grant through the Department of Public Instruction to identify homeless students and coordinate services for them, including school supplies, transportation, free breakfast and lunch, clothing and assistance with enrollment issues. By collecting donations, this reduces the amount of items we must purchase for our students currently living in transitional housing, emergency shelters, or in other living situations that are not permanent nighttime residences.” Teachers and mothers alike will tell you that nothing disappears faster in the school year than pencils and paper. Like the stray sock in the dryer, those items seem to just vanish within a few weeks of school. Story says that the most needed items are backpacks, three ring binders, marble composition books, fl ash-drives and school uniforms, as well as plenty of paper and pencils. Remember, teachers also ask students to bring in items such as hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes to help keep the classroom a safe and sanitary environment. Not sure what to give? They will also be taking tax- deductible cash donations as well as gift cards. If you aren’t able to drop by on Aug. 5, donations can be made at the CCS Central Services building at 2465 Gillespie St. from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all summer long. Know someone who might be in need? Bookbags with supplies will be made available on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis through each school’s social worker after Aug. 18, so be sure to contact the child’s school for more information about how to have a child identifi ed for consideration. For more information on how you can help, contact CCS Social Work Services at 910.678.2621. CAREY CLARK, Contributing Writer, Up & Coming Weekly, COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. Race out to Fort Bragg’s Family Fun 5K by STEPHANIE CRIDER Study after study has come to the conclusion that family time is a good thing. Doing things together helps build and strengthen relationships whether it’s your family, friends, neighbors or coworkers. Other studies have come to the conclusion that physical activity is good not only for your body, but it is emotionally benefi cial, too. These two well-established facts make the Fort Bragg Family Fun 5K a no-brainer when the question arises “What are we going to do this weekend?” The fact that it is free and no registration is required is just a bonus. On Saturday, July 30 grab the family, a friend, a coworker or your neighbor and come to Hedrick Stadium on Fort Bragg and join the hundreds of other participants in a morning of fun and fi tness. The event is open to military/government ID card holders and family members. You don’t have to be an athlete to come out and enjoy the race. In fact, you will fi nd people of all fi tness levels in attendance. Look for everyone from athletes who are training for other races, to soldiers or retirees walking to recover from surgery, to families with young children in strollers and wagons and everything in between. and informative items available to take home.” The 3.1 mile route starts and ends at Hedrick stadium and makes a loop along Long Street, Manhay, Sicily, Normandy, Reilly and Sedgewick back into the stadium where there is about three quarters of a lap to get to the fi nish line where participants will fi nd refreshments like water and fruit. Still relatively new, the monthly Family Fun 5K Fort Bragg families gather at the finish line after completing the Fort Bragg Family Fun 5K. has grown considerably since its start last fall. “The fi rst event we had 208 people show and that was in September,” said Steve Johnson of Fort Bragg MWR. “At our most recent event we had 865 participants.” With support like that, plans are to continue with the monthly race and continue to support healthy living and relationship building. “It has been very well received,” said Johnson who works at many of the races. “We have received positive feedback, so from an organizational standpoint that is very gratifying for us.” The July 30, Aug. 27, and Sept. 17 events are scheduled to start at 8 a.m. because of the heat. Beginning in October, the start time is expected to return to 9 a.m. Johnson also noted that there are a few expected changes for the August event. The race starts at 8 a.m., although folks generally show up before that to warm up, meet their exercise partners and even socialize a little. Several post organizations come out to show their support as well. MWR brings the intercom system and music, and often, organizations wait at the fi nish line with refreshments and other goodies for the athletes. “We have several organizations that come out and participate and support the event,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Hardy, event coordinator. “It is a good opportunity to provide people with resources and information about the different programs on post, so they usually have plenty of magnets, fl yers and other helpful WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM “We need to give people a heads up, that the Hedrick Stadium parking lot is going to be paved. Work begins in August on that. At this point it is very conceivable that we are going to have to modify the start and end point for the Aug. 5k.” More information will be released on that once a fi nal determination is made. Look for updates on the Fort Bragg MWR Website. For more information about this event, visit www. fortbraggmwr.com. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Associate Editor, Up & Coming Weekly, COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. JULY 27 - AUGUST 2, 2011 UCW 9