Triangle Tribune

SPORTS Shaw men looking beyond CIAA Tournament VOLUME 13 NO. 50 WE WEEKEKOF OF NOV NOVE EMBER6,2011MBER6,2011 ONE DOLLAR THE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE Boys and Girls Club gets off the ground Pines Community Center By Sommer Brokaw THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE CHAPEL HILL - Ted Parrish, a community catalyst for bring- ing a Boys and Girls Club to the historically black neighborhood of Pine Knolls in Chapel Hill, said he feels good about the town council’s recent decision to approve the lease of land to the club. Last month, the council authorized the transfer of property to the club that intends to renovate the existing, pri- vately owned Pines Community Center at 107 Johnson St. The town will provide two adjacent tracts that total about 15,000 square feet. Parrish, a former professor at N.C. Central who is also known for his work with the Pines Community Center, said he is proud of their accomplishments over the years, in- cluding an affordable housing program, after school and summer youth programs, and making the neighborhood a conservation district to protect it from gentrification. “We looked at the study done by Columbia University years ago, and it basically said that communities that have Boys and Girls Clubs do better by their children in terms of their education, their recreation, their civic and social upbring- ing than the communities that lack such clubs,” he said. “And we learned, of course, that the majority of counties in this state don’t have a Boys and Girls Club, and among those counties was Orange County. And who better than we could make it happen in Orange County since we had served kids for so long.” Parrish and other concerned citizens in Orange and Western Chatham counties formed the Boys and Girls Clubs of Eastern SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE Piedmont in late 2008 to help raise funds so the Boys and Girls Clubs could be opened in each county. Half of the apartments at this building on Gurley Street will be set aside for veterans. Marywinne Sherwood, who is on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Eastern Piedmont - Orange County Club, said the PCC didn’t have sufficient space to accommodate a club. But with the council’s resolution to lease additional land for Giving homeless veterans a leg up $1 a year, they now have building space that is adequate for accommodating 100 children between ages 6-18. Board Chair Ben Perry added that additional town land By Sommer Brokaw “As we see it, we already had a need because there would be used for a few parking spaces. “That [approved THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE was already a waiting list of veterans. But, with the cur- lease] is kind of the last big piece of the puzzle that we need rent state in Iraq and President Obama’s promise and to move forward,” he said. “We’ve been organizing for a few DURHAM - Local nonprofit leaders of New Beginnings troops coming home, that need has really accelerated,” years now to get the organization off the ground and build Outreach Community Development Corporation and she said. community awareness.” CAARE Inc. are both working to provide transitional CAARE provides two-year transitional housing for nine A Boys and Girls Club is open in Siler City in Chatham housing for homeless veterans by 11-11-11. homeless male veterans in three locations, and the plan County, but this would be their first in Orange. Phillip Jackson, a veteran who started off as private is to house 15 more on the building’s lower level. “We’re “We’re raising money now, and we hope to have the club first class in the Marine Corps and rose to the rank of going to do an extreme makeover - our version - on 11- up and running between next June and next September,” corporal, is New Beginnings’ founding director. 11-11, and the significance of that day is that its actu- Sherwood said. “The community of Chapel Hill is rich with “We were labeled several years ago primarily as an or- ally Veteran’s Day; and we’re going to invite our veter- children’s after school services, but none of these services ganization that works with ex-offenders. Even though ans. We will host a little breakfast upstairs for them are affordable for the focus that we’re promoting: to enable that’s a label we’ve been painted with, that’s not nec- honoring them for Veteran’s Day,” she said. and help children who need us most,” she said. essarily the whole truth because we want to serve peo- “Then all of the volunteers in the community; we’re The population at Boys and Girls Clubs includes latch key ple in transition,” he said. “When I speak of transition, going to be painting, doing some other stuff, moving children whose parents work two to four jobs. Statistics I mean the hard to employ, the difficult to employ, those in our beds, moving other pieces of furniture; so it’s a show that after-school hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are con- that don’t have transferable job skills, and a lot of vet- day of service.” sidered to be the most dangerous for children lingering on erans find that being the case. In addition to transitional housing, other services at the streets, where they are most likely to be victims of crimes “I believe veterans need to be re-trained and re-accli- CAARE range from HIV education and prevention, to a or to engage in criminal activity. mated to the present job market that’s here. We’re work- food pantry, to case management, to health and well- Operating hours for the club will be from 2:30 to 6 p.m. ing on setting up a two-year model to provide housing. ness programs, to job readiness programs and to finan- Monday through Friday during the school year, plus sum- Once that housing piece is addressed and they have a cial management. mer hours. In addition to keeping kids safe, Sherwood said safe, clean place to live, then we’ll work on employment “We want people to be self-actualized, but if they don’t the club makes after school and summer learning opportu- skills.” have their lower levels needs taken care of like food, nities more affordable for low-income families with mem- New Beginnings is working to secure financing of a shelter, clothing, those other needs won’t really matter bership dues averaging between $10 and $20 a year. 22-unit property on Gurley Street, with a minimum of to them,” Elliott-Bynum said. “We are already address- Scholarships also available. half the units set aside for veterans. The corporation is ing those lower-level needs through our food pantry. “Chapel Hill is considered an affluent area, but there are hoping to close on the property by Veteran’s Day. We are also addressing transportation needs. Still, peo- eight public housing communities and one public housing Because of the relationship with the current owner, ple come to us that didn’t realize they were homeless. community in Tarboro,” she said. “It’s kind of a hidden pop- Jackson said he can immediately start working with in- If you are staying with a relative or friend and you don’t ulation in Chapel Hill,” she said. dividuals in need. For more information, contact him actually have a rental agreement or mortgage in your Ultimately, the goal is to close the achievement gap. “It at (919) 530-9345. name, for all intensive purposes, you’re homeless be- would open during the summer as well so kids won’t lose Sharon Elliott-Bynum, executive director of CAARE, cause at any given time or any given circumstance they said the need for transitional housing assistance is grow- Please see BOYS/2A ing. See GIVING/2A Female Take time to heal before remarriage veteran to By Ryanne Persinger relocated to her home state of approach things in a business way want a divorce,” McWade [email protected] Pennsylvania. “In my opinion, it re- and don’t realize how hard it is for said. “Usually people ally doesn’t hit you until it’s final,” themselves. I’ve noticed with men spend a year or two chairparade she said about divorce. “It’s not un- that it really takes thinking about a W.D. Smith was married for 17 years. When she found herself sin- til it’s done that the healing begins. them time to get divorce. The gle three years ago after a divorce, In my opinion, I would say to wait their brains one who By Sommer Brokaw she didn’t realize how attached she at least six months to a year before wrapped around a di- initi- THE TRIANGLE TRIBUNE had grown to her husband. dating again. You have to get into vorce. It’s takes them “I had been with him the same the routine of being by yourself.” longer to amount of time I spent with my par- Smith, a Christian relationship recover RALEIGH - Patricia Harris counselor and author of “Women from the is a disabled Persian Gulf ents,” Smith said. “I thought I had healed after a year. As and Womb: A Journey Through the process of it.” combat veteran whose Transfer of a Destiny,” started dat- Smith agrees to some ex- wartime service left her I started dating again, I re- ing four months ago. tent. “Men with Post Traumatic Stress “After coming out of a divorce, don’t have Disorder and Military alized in my you become a different type of per- as much Sexual Trauma.

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