Up & Coming Weekly

20 UCW NOVEMBER 11-17, 2009 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM FREE FREE CONCERT CONCERT Highland and Friends Highland and Friends 111 Highland Ave., Fayetteville w.hpchurch.org Highland Presbyterian Church Child care provided upon request FREE CONCERT Highland and Friends Sunday, November 15th Sunday, November 15th 7:00 pm 7:00 pm An Evening of Music from the An Evening of Music from the Highland family to you. Highland family to you. Offering taken for Sudan church rebuilding mission. Offering taken for Sudan church rebuilding mission. Sunday, November 15th 7:00 pm An Evening of Music from the Highland family to you. Offering taken for Sudan church rebuilding mission. 910-485-2147 • ww With Barbara Lawson, Robert Williams, Paul Kirkpatrick, Diana Kirkpatrick, Ann Rogers, Mark Gourley, Miriam McNeil and more! When it comes to war, peace keeping, nation building and the like, those in the military don't get a say in making the policies that they are expected to enforce and support. They get orders and carry them out — no matter how routine or how difficult. It can be easy to forget that while these men and women in uniform are serving and protecting the coun- try on our behalf they are more than tools of the government, they are people with lives and commitments, concerns and fears. They are citizens of the population that they protect. On Nov. 16-18, Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke presents Letters From Home, a play that brings to life actual letters written by military members who have served in the Middle East and reveals what goes on in the hearts and minds of those who serve. "I think that the audience will see, or have an opportunity to better see, what is in the hearts of soldiers," said Tasha Oxendine, director of marketing at Givens Performing Arts Center. "That they are not just soldiers fighting for their country but these are fathers, these are sons and daughters, these are neighbors, mothers and fathers. They are people who are protecting the country, but they will see what they are feeling while their lives have been put on hold to defend the country." The production gets its inspiration from the New York Times op-ed ar- ticle "The Things They Wrote" and the HBO documentary that followed — Last Letters Home. Careful to keep politics out of the picture, the play uses a minimal amount of props, and relies heavily on its actors to convey the feel- ings being expressed in the letters. "Collectively, the production gives voice to a genera- tion that went to war against terrorism," said Oxendine. "To see these letters put to a theatrical tone in a play is a very rich way to portray people who have put their lives on the line. It will be an interesting evening." The topic of war and deployment can be quite heavy but Oxendine suggests that there will be a variety of let- ters to portray more than just the tragedy of war, but also tender moments. "I think it is going to be very heartfelt. I think peo- ple will come away with a different view than what they have seen and heard previously." In a community with such a large military popula- tion, Oxendine is hopeful that it will shed light on the kind of life that service members lead. "I talked to one vet (about the performance) and he had been injured in the war," said Oxendine. "But he said he felt like it was something that was good for the young people to hear. I thought that was an interesting view... for him to say he felt like it was something that they need to know about." Tickets are between $5 and $20. Show time is 8 p.m. Check out www.uncp.edu/gpac or call 521-6361 or (800)367-0778 for more info. Letters From Home: Into the Hearts and Minds of Heroes by STEPHANIE CRIDER STEPHANIE CRIDER, Staff Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or Stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com Surprise Your Deployed Loved One With A Holiday GreeŸng! Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union is inviŸng the military and their families to webcast special holiday messages to family members back home or to deployed loved ones during OperaŸon Best Wishes. FREE Webcast Recording Session Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fort Bragg FCU's Hefner Plaza Branch (across from the South Post PX/Commissary on Fort Bragg) 910.864.2232 or 800.793.2328 Sign Up Today! Learn more & register for your 10 minute recording session at www.operaŸonbestwishes.com Operation Best Wishes is offered free to families by America's credit unions through the Defense Credit Union Council and WesCorp Federal Credit Union.

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