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: https://www.epageflip.net/i/62254
Liberty Ladies' Event Promises Fun, Education by STEPHANIE CRIDER Military women, and the women behind the military men, Epicenter Church has big plans for you. On April 26, at Epicenter Church, an evening of fun, fellowship and inspiration awaits. Event organizer, Maj. Deanna Franks, who is in the Air Force Reserves, has lined up two great speakers who are not only connected to the military community, but who are making a difference in the lives of military families every day—Autumn Letendre and Jenny Hartsock. "Autumn and Jenny are great speakers who can really Jenny Hartsock is an Army Brat and a United States Military Academy graduate who served on active duty and is now serving in the North Carolina National Guard. An Army wife and the in- state military liaison to the state of North Carolina for U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, she's got a heart for service members and their families and understands fi rsthand the struggles they face. relate to the audience," said Franks. "I think the energy will be a lot of fun and very exciting." Letendre is a country music singer. Her debut album, Raise your Flag is fi lled with emotion and pride for the United States of America. Her husband was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. The support she received after her husband's death further strengthened Letendre's sense of patriotism and her love of the military community. Hartsock agrees wholeheartedly with Deanie Dempsey, wife of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who urged spouses to share their stories at the military.com's 2012 Military Spouse Summit on March 3. Autumn Letendre, a country singer, will perform at Epicenter Church. Conference, First Lady Michelle Obama said "I am inspired by Gold Star Wives like Autumn Letendre." Her talent and causes have not gone unnoticed. At Maria Shriver's Women's In the years since her husband's death, she's become a passionate advocate for military families—speaking across the country, attending military funerals to comfort loved ones and working to ensure that her husband's memory lives on for her young son. In a letter that she sent to military families, Letendre wrote, simply: "I may have lost the love of my life, but I have gained a life and story that few in this great country have." After her husband's death Letendre started The Gold Star USA Foundation, an organization that provides pre-through post-deployment war support, literature, lectures, fi nancing and education to active-duty and honorably discharged military service members and their dependents. To fi nd out more about The Gold Star USA Foundation visit the website at www.thegoldenstarusa.com. Some have deployed, leaving behind small children. Some of these amazing women have juggled opposite deployment schedules of their husbands, who also serve, which quickly turns a deployment into two years long. Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone can learn from the stories." In addition to the speakers, Franks hopes that women who attend the event "I want to echo her message that spouses are 'resilient, accomplished and experienced women who possess strong values and an even stronger work ethic," said Hartsock. "In 10 years of war, all of these women have served. Some of the ladies in the audience have tirelessly guarded the home-front. leave refreshed, inspired and encouraged. She's gone out of her way to make it easy to say yes to this fun-fi lled evening. It's free, childcare is provided, there will be great door prizes and giveaways as well as valuable resources—and most importantly, the opportunity to learn a few things, make some friends and have a great time. speakers, music and free stuff, too. There is no excuse not to come." The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Find out more and reserve your seat at www. fayettevillelibertyladies.com. "It is a girls' night out for you and your friends," said Franks. "We have fun join hands to protect the sexually abused before age 18. 1 in 6 boys who will be 1 in 4 girls and " 7rhrquhuryhr rrvrvh rrs ! Vyvxrryrvv vhq Chrruvtrhyx hihurhrpyr $ Brur# uryhryphy u # Qqrupr April is Child Abuse Prevention Month Child sexual abuse is a community epidemic: learn the warning signs and how you can protect children. www.childadvocacycenter.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Fayetteville, NC 208 Rowan St. 484-6200 www.upandcomingweekly.com NOW ONLINE! 9 E HvpuhrySss QrvqvpDyh APRIL 18-24, 2012 UCW 13 The North Carolina State Ballet presents ArvBrt Swan Directed by Charlotte Blume Lake Act I and Act II Dances from Sleeping Beauty "Venus" from Holst's "The Planets" Crown Center Theatre Sunday, April 22, 2012 3:00 p.m. Tickets on sale at the Crown Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com Military Discount at Box Office with I.D.