Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue I www.fairmontnc.com January/February 2009

Special points of interest: AN E-MAIL WORTH GETTING! BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

About a year and a half ago, I finally broke down and decided to go fully technological. I can Mayor’s Column just hear some of the readers of this column who may actually know me. You are probably Calendar of Events laughing hysterically and rolling on the floor. Without real help, I am lost when it comes to computers but slowly, very slowly, I have emerged from my cave and come into the bright Sweetheart Sale sunshine of the “techie” world. I must admit I kinda like the sunshine too. In today’s column RCC Class Schedule you’ll learn why. From the moment I was sworn in as Mayor one desire was paramount in my thoughts and still Baseball Signups is 37 months later. How to let the citizens of our community stay in the know about events, N.C. Arts Grant activities, and issues. We started with a revamped newsletter and this monthly column in which I try to combine a little humor along with some vital information. Followed that up with a very attractive and illuminated announcement sign on the front lawn of the library to let folks know A “SWEETHEART” about meetings and such. Next the manager of the local radio station gave me a 15 minute OF A SALE weekly show which airs on Saturday at 12:00 noon. Next month I’ll be starting my 4 th year on the air with “Focus on Fairmont.” Do some shows solo but been having more guests on lately. Got plans for Valentine’s Love my radio show. yet? How about spending In March of 2006 UNC-P TV let me do a couple of monthly shows from their studios on part of your day strolling campus but things changed a little in the fall so I had to find another means of video along our downtown communication. Thanks to Joann Lewis I started videotaping a 30 minute show monthly and sidewalks, checking out allowing various guests a chance to tell their story. The shows aired on the public access channel some of the great bargains of UNC-P and then their channel died. As luck would have it I had to find a way to let the public you’ll find at the see the show and a cop helped me find my way. Police Detective Anthony Day, who is a genius, “Sweetheart” of all put my video on the town’s and my web pages and the rest is history. Folks can hear my radio sidewalk sales. If you’re a shows and watch my video shows on both web pages any time they wish. Now for the really good stuff, e-mailing. Back in the day, before I emerged from my cave, I “lover” of great bargains thought e-mail was just for a small group of select folks who didn’t have a life except sitting in come check out what’s for front of a computer screen. I was wrong and have sent e-mails to all of them apologizing. sale at this first ever event. Actually I’m kidding but if I could reach out to them I would cause e-mailing is definitely the Stores will be open and way to go and meets the Kemp 3 way test. It’s fast, free, and you don’t have to lick an envelope vendors will be making and cut your tongue. About a year and a half ago, the same time I wandered out of my cave, I some great bargains started collecting e-mail addresses. Now I have a little over 300, actually more because a few are available for you. As church and school officials whose actions once they receive my e-mails cause a domino effect. I usual Dr. Electrode will be send a weekly update to all my contacts and at the end of each month an upcoming preview of serenading shoppers with events and activities in town. It is a great way to reach out and communicate with citizens and let some tunes along with a them know what’s going on in their community. I love my e-mail! My problem is that I don’t have enough. Need some more. A lot more and unfortunately I little “love” music thrown don’t know how to get them except to use my e-mails to ask my receivers to get me some of in. The sales start at 7:00 their friends or family to ask for a hook up. The purpose of my column today is to solicit you or a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. those you know who may want to trust me with their e-mail address so I can keep them with cash prize drawings. informed. If I can’t reach them this way then I have to be sneaky, looking carefully at every February is for lovers and group listing of every e-mail I get to see if there’s a name I can add. I’ve also placed a form in downtown Fairmont is for the town water department for those who want to be added. So if you would like to be on the those who “love” a cutting edge of what’s going to be happening in town throughout 2009, then call me at 628-9766 bargain. Come join us on ext. 15, 740-0277, or 628-7362 and tell me your e-mail. My e-mail is [email protected] . Just Valentines Day! send me a little note saying you want to be added. I promise not to abuse the privilege but will only send you cutting edge announcements of the great stuff which will be happening in our community throughout this year. If you do get on my list don’t be surprised when you go to your message page one day and see me hanging out. Trust me, it ain’t SPAM, do not DELETE me. TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766 P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Monday, January 26 and Tuesday, January 27 - Schools closed Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] for Teacher workdays. Tuesday, February 3 - North Zone Neighborhood Discussion Group, 5:00 -6:00 p.m., Rosenwald Cafeteria. Tuesday, February 3 - NC Small Town Main Street meeting, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Monday, February 9 – Chamber of Commerce, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Town Hall. Tuesday, February 10 - Central Zone Neighborhood Discussion Group, 5:30 p.m., FMS Cafeteria. NC Arts Council Grant Awarded Friday, February 13 – 3rd Annual Pride in Fairmont Ceremony, 7:00 p.m., Heritage Center. The Fairmont Farmers Saturday, February 14 - the “Sweetheart” of all Sidewalk Sales, Festival has been awarded 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Downtown. Saturday, February 14 - Senior Citizens Sweetheart Ball, 3:00 to a $5,000 grant from the 5:00 p.m., Heritage Center. North Carolina Arts Tuesday, February 17 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Grassroots Arts Council Chambers. Program. The North Thursday, February 19 - Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Carolina Arts Council is Courtroom. an agency of the Department of Cultural Tuesday, February 24 - Robeson County Municipal Association Resources, and the National Endowment for Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Heritage Center. the Arts, which believes that a great nation Wednesday, February 25 - South Zone Neighborhood Discussion deserves great art. Group, 5:30 p.m., Courtroom.

Fairmont Recreation Robeson Community College Fairmont Civitans Basic Skills Education Department Offers Free Adult High School and Adult Basic Education Classes at No Cost To You! BASEBALL SIGN UPS Fairmont, NC

Adult Basic Education

DAYS TIME DATES LOCATION BUILDING INSTRUCTOR

M-F 8:00-1:30p 1/6-5/15 FAIRMONT Heritage Center Libby Kisseih

T-Ball Ages 4-5 M,T&TH 5:30-9:30p 1/6-5/14 FAIRMONT Heritage Center Townsend/ McCormick Coach Pitch Ages 6-8 T-F 9:30-11:30a 1/6/-5/15 FAIRMONT Greenbriar Ret. Center McCrimmon Dixie Youth 12:30-3:30p M&TH 5:00-8:00p 1/8-5/14 FAIRMONT Accept Christ Church Towanda Little Leagues Gaddy Minor League 9-10 Major League 11-12 (13)* Adult High School *Age you are on May 1st M-F 8:00-1:30p 1/6-5/15 FAIRMONT Heritage Center Jackie Collins

Fairmont Department of Public Safety M,T&TH 5:30-9:30p 1/6-5/14 FAIRMONT Heritage Center Townsend/ Employee Fitness Center McCormick M&TH 5:00-8:00p 1/8-5/14 FAIRMONT Accept Christ Church Towanda (next to Ideal Florist) Gaddy

Saturdays, February 7, 14, 21, 28 TRANSPORTATION CAN BE PROVIDED TO DAY CLASSES. 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: or contact Mickey Williamson at 628-9883 GLENDA J. JACKSON AT 910-272-3602

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue II www.fairmontnc.com February/March 2009

Special points of interest: STEPPIN’ OUTSIDE THE BOX BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column I have a very good friend who is involved with a civic organization here in town and accuses me of going “off script” when I have a guest on my radio show. GUILTY! I have done that a few times and Calendar of Events I love doing it. You can see the wheels racing in the guests head trying to come up with a response Grease Goblin and they always do but it’s still fun. Maybe if I were sitting in the guests seat and the roles were reversed I might feel different but I ask the questions and I figure that spicing things up a little won’t Chamber Boil hurt. This column, however, is not about my radio shows and putting guests on edge. It is about creative and improvised thinking and doing something long needed in our community. Let me start off with a question. For those old enough to remember the Capitol Theater, did you ever think what would be there if it one day just disappeared? A park? I bet not. In fact I bet most folks in town walked by the boarded up front of the theater for years and just accepted its unsightly presence. But if you set your creative juices flowing and “stepped outside the box” look what could Fairmont Recreation happen. Today we have Heritage Park, a restful and artistic oasis to enjoy lunch, read a book, or just Fairmont Civitans rest and enjoy the surroundings. What once was an eyesore has added charm to our downtown. All it took for this to happen was a “vision” and some creative thinking. By the way, you need to go check out Heritage Park’s new look. New shrubs and mulch have been added and three white trellises now BASEBALL hold a growing array of ivy. I worked for Bill Burton in Pope’s 45 years ago. Was the greatest toy department anti-theft devise SIGN UPS he ever employed. I think about those days every time I walk up the ramp to the stage of our community building, the Heritage Center. The ramp is exactly where the toys were. My toys. Now look at the place. Clothes, washing detergent, sewing stuff all gone. Public meetings, classes, and entertainment have taken over. Why? Thinking outside the box of course. Metal is drawn to a magnet right? Then why not get creative and design a building for citizens in the heart of downtown. They are drawn there. Since August we’ve had all kinds of events in the Heritage Center. Senior citizens have played bingo, Santa Claus has been in the place twice, students are getting educated there, some folks have partied there. All great stuff. Have you looked at our downtown street light poles? No, I mean have you really looked and T-Ball Ages 4-5 thought about what we had before. The old poles were grey steel with a long arm at the top and amber light. Made me think of War of The Worlds. Creativity came along and now we have jet black poles Coach Pitch Ages 6-8 with a bright new light beaming from an antique teardrop fixture. Do I really need to repeat myself again? O.K. I will anyway. We simply stepped outside the box. Come downtown at night, when there Dixie Youth are no cars on Main Street, stand in front of the Baptist Church and look north. Very spectacular look Little Leagues I must say. Minor League 9-10 That’s all that’s needed here in our community. Creative thinking. It was just a park. A place to Major League 11-12 (13)* walk, have cookouts, and for parents to swing their kids. Stepped outside the box and we’ve added fireworks and beach music to our park’s menu board. It was just an opening in the line of stores. Now *Age you are on May 1st our past has come alive with historic scenes and brass plates honoring those who made us great.

What do you do with old buildings? Tear ‘em down. No. You make ‘em over with creative designs, Fairmont Department of more appealing signs, and bring historical credit to them all as we are trying to do in earning a spot on Public Safety Employee the national historic registry. Gonna take a while but it will happen. Old and unused train depot. Fitness Center (next to Nope. A historic museum. A nighttime Christmas parade. The list is endless. Ideal Florist) My students are challenged by me every day to be creative. Think outside the box. Get away from the text book I tell them. We need that here in Fairmont. Are you creative? Got some ideas that you Saturdays, February 21, want to run past me? I’d love to sit with you and bounce ideas back and forth, that’s how change 28 and March 7 occurs. To quote the great British playwright George Bernard Shaw, “some men see things and ask why, I dream things that never were and ask why not”. In the future if you’re just sitting around with 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon nothing else to do but be creative and you have a great idea don’t think why, think why not, and give me call. Let’s both get outside the box and make Fairmont even better. or contact Mickey Williamson at 628-9883 TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766 P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Thursday, February 19 - Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Courtroom. Tuesday, February 24 - Robeson County Municipal Association Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Wednesday, February 25 - South Zone Neighborhood Discussion Group, 5:30 p.m., Courtroom. Monday, February 23 - Rosenwald Elementary School PTA meeting, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 24 - Robeson County Municipal Association Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Guest Speaker will be Mrs. Joann Anderson, President/CEO of SRMC. Wednesday, February 25 - South Zone Neighborhood Discussion Group, 5:30 p.m., Courtroom. Monday, March 2 - Chamber Boil, Fairmont Civitan Hut, 6:00 p.m. Tickets $20 for non-Chamber Members, $15 for Chamber members. Friday, March 6 - Schools closed for Teacher workday. Tuesday, March 3 - N.C. Small Town Main Street Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Saturday, March 7 - Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Tuesday, March 10 - Initial Budget Workshop, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers. Tuesday, March 17 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers.

This old cinder block building is being demolished to make a parking lot for the Heritage Center.

Fairmont Chamber of Commerce

First Annual Chamber Boil

Monday, March 2, 2009 6:00 p.m. Fairmont Civitan Hut

Tickets: $20 non-members $15 members

Anyone joining the Chamber can purchase a ticket for $15 Individual Membership Dues $15, Business Membership Dues $65

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue III www.fairmontnc.com March/April 2009

Special points of interest: FAIRMONT’S GOT FLEAS! BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column I’ll bet as soon as you read the title of this months column you did one of two things. You either started scratching or you thought about blaming a dog. Now granted we do have a bunch of Calendar of Events mostly unclaimed and free roaming dogs but this time they are without guilt. This column is not to Easter Egg Hunt point the finger of blame at our four legged friends. You can blame me and me alone so put away your flea powder. Read on my friend, now that I’ve peaked your interest. Flea Market reopens In my never ending attempt to draw folks to our downtown I was instrumental in starting an Fire Insurance Rating open air flea market last February 2007. With the exception of some very cold days the market was fairly successful. We had a good turnout of shoppers and vendors in our town hall parking lot site. Various reasons caused attendance to drop off and it has remained dormant for several months. BUT, now comes the reawakening just like Rip Van Winkle. It’s time to turn the FLEAS OUT! Easter Egg Starting on Saturday April 4 th at 7:00 a.m. the NEWLY REOPENED FAIRMONT FLEA MARKET will spring to life in a different site from last year. This year we will spread our wares out on the Fairmont Border Belt Museum’s grassy lawn. Vendors will be required to set up their Hunt wares on their own table(s) and refrain from selling cooked food items due to health department regulations but the really good thing for them is that there is no set up fee. That’s right I said NO FEE . We aren’t trying to really make money off this venture. We just want to get folks to come downtown. Let’s step back from the tree and look at the big picture for just a minute. Have you been to flea markets? Ever got any real bargains at them? Well I’ve seen a lot of merchandise moved at our town flea markets all last year and some of the items I considered buying myself. We have three ladies from Rowland who came quite a lot with an array of shoes and clothes to dazzle anyone. We have a local fellow, Henry Caulder, who is a master swing and picnic table maker. We also have several vendors who are novelty items vendors. So we have a wide array of sellers which await you. All you have to do is drive on down on April 4 th . Ages: Birth to 12 years I’ll bet you’re wanting to know how I rounded up all the Flea Folks. Here’s my little secret: ADVERTISING! I just went out to surrounding flea markets, used my email group lists, told some

Lumberton merchants, and had Rose Tencati pass out flyers at Johnny’s Hot Dog truck and the Fairmont fleas came a-running. Almost didn’t have enough powder for ‘em at first. Then I restarted the Community Park Labor Day Sidewalk Sale after a 25 year absence and got those 20 plus vendors’ addresses and Saturday, April 11, phone numbers. Ain’t I just the sneaky one? Had about 25 vendors in ’07 and ’08. Got back in gear on Veterans Day and recently again at Valentines Day. Weather put a dent in both of them 10:00 a.m. but that’s ok. Memorial Day in late May is coming and maybe even Saturday, July 4 th . By then we’ll all be scratchin’ the fleas. Fun and treats for Our flea market is a very festive occasion. Old friends selling next to each other, getting ALL!!! customers change from each other. There’s lawn chairs for lounging and swings for swinging. There’s no hard selling. Just good folks mingling around looking for bargains and trying to avoid Sponsored by the big crowds, traffic jams, and wallet busting prices. That’s the beauty of small towns like ours. Slower pace, friendlier, less stress. This is a bad time we are living through right now and we need Fairmont Recreation to look out for each other. That’s what small town flea markets do. We look out for each other. Department So in about two weeks when you wake up one Saturday morning and you have that uncontrollable urge to start scratching it’s not some unknown dermatological malady nor can you blame it on that pack of dogs which keep running through your yard and running your cat Squeaky up a tree. It’s those FLEAS gathered down on the museum grounds next door to the old post office making you scratch and your itch means you’re dying to come spend a few bucks. YOU’RE ALL INVITED TO THE GRAND RE-OPENING OF THE FAIRMONT OUTDOOR FLEA MARKET ON SATURDAY APRIL 4 TH . I can feel the itching starting already. TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 - Taste of Robeson Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] "Spring Fest", 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., Bill Sapp Recreation Center (Cedar & 11th Street), Lumberton. One night: Adult - $10, Child under 12 - $6 and Child under 3 - free. Two nights: Adult - $20, Child under 12 - $12 and Child under 3 - free. Presented by Robeson County Church and Community Center - 738-5204. Saturday, April 4 – Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Sunday, April 5 - Fairmont Women's Club Annual Turkey Dinner, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Fairmont High School Cafeteria. Tickets $7. Tuesday, April 7 – N. C. Small Town Main Street Meeting, 6:00 Fairmont Fire District Receives p.m., Heritage Center. a 5 Rating After Inspection Friday, April 10 - Town offices closed in observance of Good Friday. Friday, April 10 - Fairmont Masonic Lodge will be selling Boston North Carolina Insurance Butts. Tickets are $20. Commissioner and State Fire Saturday, April 11 - Easter Egg Hunt, 10:00 a.m., Community Park. Marshal Wayne Goodwin April 10 - April 17 - Schools closed for Spring break. announced that the Fairmont Tuesday, April 14 – Town Issue Forum, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Fire District completed its Thursday, April 16 – Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. routine inspection and Monday, April 20 and Tuesday, April 21 – NCDMV Mobile Driver’s received a 5 rating, effective License Unit. Monday hours: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday Monday, June 1, 2009. The hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. inspection, conducted by Tuesday, April 21 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., officials with the Department Council Chambers. of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM), Every Saturday – Flea Market, Museum Grounds starting at 7:00 is required on a regular basis as part of the North a.m. (No Fee) Carolina Response Rating System (NCRRS).

Among other things, the routine inspections look for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment, proper maintenance of equipment, communica- FLEA MARKET REOPENS tions capabilities and availability of a water source.

The 5 rating is an improvement over the previous The Town will be reopening its outdoor Saturday rating of 7. The NCRRS rating system ranges flea market on Saturday April 4 th but with a little from one (highest) to 10 (not recognized as a certi- fied fire department by the state), with most rural twist, a new location. The new Fairmont Flea departments falling into the 9S category. Higher ratings suggest that a department is overall better Market will now be located on the grounds of the equipped to respond to fires in its district. Higher Border Belt Museum at the northern entrance of ratings can also significantly lower homeowners and commercial insurance rates in that fire district. the downtown district and will be open for business at 7:00 a.m. each Saturday. There is NO Public Safety Director Robert Hassell and his department worked hard to improve the image of FEE for vendors to set up but each seller must the fire department and the services they provide. provide their own table(s) Some of the improvements that helped achieve the new rating are: new records management sys- and there is to be no cook- tem, new fire fighter protective equipment, two new ing or selling of food fire apparatus, increased level of training, new suppression equipment on fire apparatus, com- products. Any interested pleted fire inspections and pre-incident surveys, persons may call Mayor increased membership and police, fire and E911 communications departments merged to Public Kemp at 628-9766 ext 15 Safety. Chief Hassell recommends that all property owners served by the Fairmont Department of or 740-0277 to get further Public Safety contact their insurance providers and details or reserve a spot advise them of the improved 5 rating. on Saturday.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue IV www.fairmontnc.com April/May 2009

Special points of interest: A TWITTERING I SHALL GO….MAYBE! BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column I hope the topic of my column this month doesn’t cause you to scratch your head and wonder if in my spare time I may be inventing new vocabulary words. No, in fact, I’m trying to stay Calendar of Events cutting edge and anything which I could possibly use to advance my cause of mass communication with the citizens of Fairmont I turn a sharp ear to. This brings me to “twittering” Womanless Pageant the newest mass phone method of communication. Seems it’s sweeping the country just like Clean up weeks MySpace and Facebook have. A lot of very young folks are all into these communication methods as well as some very important national figures such as the President. I believe there is Strawberry Kids Day merit to a system which can deliver your message to hundreds or thousands by typing in one Main Street Committee message on your computer or better yet, your cell phone. Let me tell you where Mr. Technosaurus is right now in the communication era. I have Advertisement of amassed over the past 2 years approximately 300 citizens’ email addresses which along with 2008 Delinquent about 12 area pastors and 10 area school principals serve as my communication window. They all receive both weekly and monthly news and updates on all that’s happening in our commu- Taxes nity. Sometimes I even attach and send attractive flyers on events for them to print out and give

Delinquent taxes on real to others. I really don’t know how many others get my messages but I’m sure they are forwarded along. My concern is that I’m not getting to everyone and maybe I need additional methods. property for 2008 will be My tech advisor is police officer Anthony Day. He is a genius regarding computers and the advertised in the like so recently I asked him about other methods of mass communication and we began to Robesonian the week of discuss MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. The phone calling method where a recorded message May 18, 2009. To avoid is sent out to every phone number is definitely out cause that would surely bankrupt me. I’m having your name, looking at something more reasonable. Over the next few months and especially starting on June 8th , after my retirement from teaching and the start of summer, I’ll be taking a crash course from property, and the amount Professor Day and deciding how best to get all our folks in touch with what’s happening. Stand of taxes owed to the by your cell phone. You may be getting a town message from me in the future. Who knows? Town of Fairmont In the meantime how bout I offer you the opportunity to get on my emailing group list. If advertised, payment must you’ll call me at 628-9766 ext. 15 or 740-0277 I’ll be glad to add you then you can keep up with be received in our office what’s going on in town and that’s quite a lot. You’ll also get the town newsletter because our clerk, Jenny Larson, another genius, has the same 300 plus names I currently have and she sends no later than Monday, our newsletter out to them monthly. I hope you’ll let me keep you in touch. I very much want to. April 27, 2009. Speaking of technology I bet you don’t know where to take your computer here in town when it has an outta body experience. Let me assist you in this area. AC Computers is one establishment and Advanced Recovery is another. I’d almost bet that a number of individuals do some repair type work on the side too. AC Computers is owned and operated by local citizen Alex Collins. He knows quite a lot about computers and can get you up and running very quickly. Alex and I talked one day before I became computer literate and I did not understand Little League the words that were coming out of his mouth. I still don’t know many more now but I am a little Opening Day Ceremony beyond “green button, red button”. Last year a New Jersey based company owned my Mark Rea Saturday, April 25 opened a branch of his business, Advanced Recovery, here in town. It is located in the old 9:30 a.m. Encino plant building in the area where the boat plant is located. He has remodeled the building and uses it to receive and reclaim material from electronic devises such as microwaves, TV’s Fairmont Civitan and computers. Just recently his company began repairing computers so now you know where to Ball Field go in town if your mouse becomes listless and wants a new brand of cheese. I hope I have convinced you today that I’m very serious about mass communication. Soon I intend to be using or trying to use additional methods to reach all our citizens. I believe that a well informed community is necessary for growth and progress to occur so I will get my note- book and pen ready to take the notes I need to plow deeper into the world of hi-tech. I look May 10 forward to the future when, in the name of better communication, a-twittering I will go. TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Friday, April 17 - Representative Garland Pierce will host a Town Hall Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] meeting from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center. April 18 - May 2 - Spring Clean Up weeks in the Town of Fairmont. Everyone is encouraged to clean up their properties and discard any unwanted items on the curb for free pick-up by the town. Monday, April 20 and Tuesday, April 21 – NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, Town Hall Parking lot. Monday hours: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers. Saturday, April 25 - Kids Fun Day at Floyd's Strawberry Patch, 10:00 a.m. Fairmont Womanless Pageant to 2:00 p.m. Proceeds benefit Robeson County Autism Society. Saturday, May 2 - 12th Annual Gospel Fest, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, April 25 Border Belt Museum (Depot) grounds. Sponsored by Pat's Pennies. For more information contact Patricia at 628-4194. Heritage Center Saturday, May 2 - "Park it with the Mayor", 11:00 a.m., Community Park. Saturday, May 2 - Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Spaghetti dinner, 6:00 p.m. Monday, May 4 - Rosenwald Elementary School PTA meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 5 - North Zone Discussion Group, 5:00 p.m., Rosenwald Pageant, 7:00 p.m. Elementary School Cafeteria. Tuesday, May 5 - Fairmont Small Town Main Street meeting, 6:00 p.m., Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at Angie's Heritage Center. Touch of Class/Curves or at the door. Proceeds Thursday, May 7 - National Day of Prayer. benefit Relay for Life. Sponsored by the Fairmont Monday, May 11 - Fairmont Chamber of Commerce, Place and time TBA. Farmers Festival queens and their parents. For more Tuesday, May 12 - Central Zone Discussion Group, 6:00 p.m., Fairmont information, contact Angie Lovin at 628-6027. Middle School Cafeteria.

FAIRMONT “SPRINGS” INTO ACTION Litter Sweep - Spring Clean and Green Weeks With spring in full bloom the town of Fairmont has been wasting no time in getting busy with civic improvements. In their third year with the N. C. April 18 - May 2, 2009 Small Town Main Street, program committee and town officials are teaming up to continue the revitalization which the past two years have seen started. The Town of Fairmont’s Litter Sweep - Spring Recently, a cinder block storage building located in the alley behind the new Clean and Green Weeks will be April 18 - May 2, community building was donated to the town, has now been removed and 2009. During this time, residents can dispose of converted into a 58 space parking lot. Several stores away from the big items such as furniture, tires, appliances and community building an open space has been converted into a “stroll other big items at no cost. For more information, through” called Memory Lane due to the seven historic wall murals painted call Public Works at 628-0064. Senior Citizens there by artist Matt Taylor. One interior wall is adorned with 177 brass name who have items to be removed but cannot move plates to honor citizens whose tireless contributions over the past years them to the curb can also call Public Works for helped improve the town. Landscaping will complete the project which will assistance. be dedicated on Memorial Day. New light poles with antique fixtures now adorn Main Street to help light the fronts of the existing stores and several new businesses located there. Things are coming into focus in downtown. Kid’s Festival The most important project facing the Main Street committee now is securing a consultant who will make application to have the downtown Saturday, April 25 district included in the national register of historic places. Several Floyd’s Strawberry Patch consultants have shown an interest in undertaking the work and soon the Stone Road - Fairmont committee will make its choice. Following that selection work will turn 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. toward decisions on new street planters, light pole banners, and downtown entry signs. In addition, a developer has met several times with town Lots of fun for the entire family! officials and expressed interest in securing several unused buildings in the downtown to be remodeled and put into use. Fresh Strawberries Homemade Ice Cream Face Painting Bounce Castle Coloring Books Pizza Sodas Cupcake Walk Committee chair Laura Kemp, who has been a part of the efforts all Games Balloons Pictures with Suzie Strawberry three years commented, “our committee is small but very determined to

Proceeds benefit the Robeson County Chapter secure those improvements and changes which will continue the progress in of the Autism Society of North Carolina Fairmont that we all want and need”.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue V www.fairmontnc.com May/June 2009

Special points of interest: LEST WE FORGET BY MAYOR CARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column There are certain occasions which carry a heavier weight than others. Christmas is one of those Calendar of Events and probably stands alone atop the event mountain. Perched just below is a bunch of others including Valentine’s, Easter, July 4 th , Halloween, and Thanksgiving. A few find their niche even Memorial Day events lower on the scale of importance with hardly a notice. My goal today is to help elevate one of those Bill Taylor dinner overlooked occasions and inform you of an entire day devoted to “remembering”. May 25 th is Memorial Day in our country. It was originally Confederate Remembrance Day Memory Lane dedication when loved ones of the Confederate soldiers killed in the tragic Civil War placed flowers on their graves. Years later came a national day of remembering all of those who paid with their life while defending our great country and her freedoms. Today it has been pushed all the way down the event mountain to its present spot near the bottom. Normally it’s advertised as the “start of summer” with not much thought to why we get to even go to the beach, choose which color of bathing suit to T-Ball Registration wear, or which way to have our shrimp cooked for us. Oh yes, my friends we need a memory jog. Boys & Girls In the Century just past we lost nearly 500,000 men in four wars not counting the many more wounded. Don’t you think they deserve a place nearer the top of the event mountain? I think they Ages 4 - 5 do. Let’s see if we can do something about that. In each of the past three years I have hosted a Memorial Day ceremony in our town hall Contact Recreation parking lot. Such will be the case again this May 25 th but the ceremony will be at noon in the Director Mickey Heritage Center in downtown. It’s a beautiful building for a very special ceremony I think. Luckily Williamson at 628-9883 I have secured Staff Sgt. Timothy Ward, a U. S. Marine with one tour in Iraq, as our speaker. He, along with soldiers from the Army Reserve unit in Lumberton who will serve as our flag detail and the lovely voice of Lauren Miller will help make the meaning of the day clear to all who attend. I Games will start after hope you will set aside an hour of your day off to come to this very special event. Little League finishes I’d also like to invite you to stroll downtown that day for a couple of other reasons. Starting at in June. 7:00 a.m. we will have our first ever Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale. The sidewalks will be jam packed with plenty of vendor and store merchandise and a lot of other fun stuff going on. You know by now that we love to have fun in downtown Fairmont on our sidewalk sale days. I’ve Coaches also needed, so convinced Dr. Electrode to get up off his lounge chair that day and bring his special craziness to the please volunteer! street. He’ll be there along with some cash prize money to give away at 2:30. The other special reason for the importance of the day is that at 3:00 I will officially dedicate Memory Lane and the Wall of Honor in a public ceremony. This “stroll through” park is located in mid block of Main Street just three doors from the Heritage Center and once was a part of the Bill Mitchell Grocery Store complex. Burned out and left as a hole in the streetscape for years Memory Lane now projects a much more historic and pleasant appeal. Its seven historic murals painted by the very talented artist Matt Taylor carry us back in time to Fairmont’s hey days and resurrect our memories of our younger days. Situated between the stunning murals of Rosenwald and Fairmont High Schools is The Wall of Honor where the names of 178 native sons and daughters of Fairmont rest. Their struggles, successes, and life’s work advanced this town’s progress thus earning their place on the wall. Relatives and friends were the donors of this project and it will be to them and those still living that I will offer uplifting comments of thanks and praise. So now that you have been made aware of the special happenings on Monday May 25 th can I count on your attendance at any or all of them? I want to invite you to be a part of it all. Let’s make this day a very special day, a day to remember special folks who defended our country, preserved our freedoms, and died in that cause. Folks who got up every morning and toiled in the fields grow- ing the golden leaf that made our town famous. Opened stores, taught children, preached our sins Father’s Day away, became sports legends, and were loved by their sons, daughters, and friends. All these we’ll June 21 remember on MONDAY MAY 25 TH , ALL DAY, WILL YOU BE THERE? I hope so. WE MUST NEVER FORGET! TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Thursday, May 21 - Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Sunday, May 24 - Bill "Big Dawg" Taylor BBQ chicken dinner, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Fairmont Fire Hall. Plates $6.00. All proceeds benefit Fairmont Civitan Dixie Youth Baseball. Monday, May 25 - Town offices and schools closed in observance of Memorial Day holiday. Monday, May 25 - Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale, 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Downtown. Monday, May 25 - Memorial Day Ceremony, 12:00 noon, Heritage Center. Monday, May 25 - Dedication of Memory Lane and the Wall of Honor, 3:00 p.m., Downtown. BILL TAYLOR BENEFIT DINNER Tuesday, May 26 - South Zone Discussion Group, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.,

th Courtroom. On Sunday May 24 the annual Bill Taylor Barbeque Tuesday, June 2 - Small Town Main Street Committee, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Chicken benefit dinner will be served from 11:00-2:00 in the fire hall. Bill, a coach and teacher at Lumberton High School known Center. affectionately by friends as “Big Dawg”, suddenly passed away Saturday, June 6 - Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. in February of 2003. Soon afterwards Mayor Charles Kemp and Monday, June 8 - Chamber of Commerce, 6:00 p.m., Border Belt Museum. Lumberton coach Clayton McIntyre created Big Dawgs Circle of Tuesday, June 9 - Budget Workshop, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers. Friends which was a foundation to raise funds for athletes and Wednesday, June 10 - Last day of school. their summer camp expenses. Over $15,000 was raised in three Thursday, June 11 - Budget Workshop (if needed), 6:00 p.m., Council years. In 2006 the foundation changed names and for the past Chambers. three years has been known as Big Bill’s Civitan Kids. All proceeds from the annual chicken meal, a Wal-Mart grant, and Friday, June 12 - Fairmont High School Graduation, 1:00 p.m., UNCP Givens $50 annual memberships into the foundation go towards the Performing Arts Center. Civitan Dixie Youth baseball program. Taylor was a Civitan and Monday, June 15 and Tuesday, June 16 – NCDMV Mobile Driver's License was an integral part of that organization’s operations. The public Unit, Town Hall Parking lot. Monday hours: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. is cordially invited to become a part of this great foundations Tuesday hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. work and help fund the Dixie Youth program which Big Bill Tuesday, June 16 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council truly loved. Come on and let’s eat together with “the Big Dawg”. Chambers. Public Hearing on Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Budget.

DEDICATION OF MEMORY LANE/ MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE WALL OF HONOR EVENTS SCHEDULED

th At 3:00 on Monday May 25 Mayor Charles Kemp will dedicate Memory Lane and the Wall of The Town of Fairmont will be sponsoring its 3rd Memorial Day th Honor in downtown. This “stroll through” began as ceremony on Monday May 25 at 12:00 noon in the Heritage Center. just an empty shell which used to be part of the Mayor Charles Kemp, who is planning the event, expects the 45 Mitchell Grocery Store complex. It had sat minute ceremony to include a flag ceremony conducted by soldiers unclaimed after burning several years back but ideas from the 2/232 Army Reserve unit from Lumberton, inspirational generated by the N. C. Main Street committee led to words from featured speaker Staff Sgt. Timothy Ward of the U. S. its inception. It features seven historic and unique Marines, an active duty recruiter in Lumberton who has served 1 tour images on both inner walls designed and painted by in Iraq, the national anthem and God Bless America by Lauren Miller, artist Matt Taylor who also painted the locomotive in reading of a special Memorial Day passage by FHS Junior Class Heritage Park. The park is framed by a black President Maurice Townsend, offering of poppies to those who attend, ornamental fence and lattice work panels, planters and the display of a special plaque exhibiting all those in the Fairmont with evergreen shrubs and flowers, two park area who lost their lives in conflicts. All citizens are cordially invited benches, and is attractively lit at night. The landscap- to attend. In keeping with the Congressional Resolution passed in 2000 ing was designed and completed by Larry Gales, a calling for a Moment of Remembrance Mayor Kemp requests that all landscaper with UNCP. Set between images of both citizens stop for a moment of silence at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day. Rosenwald and Fairmont High Schools on the North th wall is the Wall of Honor which is emblazoned with All flags should be flown at ½ staff until noon on May 25 as well. 178 brass name plates of many citizens from our Before and after the event there will be a Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale town’s past and present. Through individual dona- featuring vendors and downtown businesses. The sales start at 7:00 tions by loved ones and friends of these “honorees”, a.m. and will be conclude at 2:30 p.m. There will be music by Dr. grants by Progress Energy, the N. C. Arts Council, Electrode, cash prizes, and Johnny’s hot dogs. At 3:00 p. m. Memory Time Warner, and The Fairmont Tobacco Board of Lane and the Wall of Honor will be officially dedicated. A great way Trade the Wall is a stunning and pleasant reminder of to kick off summer in Fairmont. Come out and be a part of a great day those who help make Fairmont great. The public is full of memorable events. cordially invited to attend this dedication.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue VI www.fairmontnc.com June/July 2009

Special points of interest: BOOM, BOOM, POW! BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column I have one rule when I either play or listen to music. I play it loud. I like to see my rear view Calendar of Events mirror move to the music. I want to feel it in my chest. That’s right, I like it loud. If you’ve been to any of our sidewalk sales in the past two years you know what I mean. So far though I haven’t Chamber Beach Bash had to replace any store front windows but I did have an older couple holding their ears at Labor Fairmont Fireworks Day last year. Seems my music is a hit among the dogs of the town too. They chime right in when my beat begins. The right kind of music soothes the savage beast they say. Mine brings it Summer Library Schedule out. Flea Market I bet you think this entire column is about loud music and my alter ego, Dr. Electrode who is actually the one who made me this way. Well, you’re partly right. It’s not about either of us but it is about loudness and having a whole lot of fun. Read on and just follow instructions cause I’m getting ready to shake up your insides. BeBeBe I am told by experts that the folks who actually do fireworks shows can feel each explosion of their work deep inside their body. Seems the concussive wave travels downward back to them. Creative! Now that’s where I want to be. Standing with those guys. But darn it, I can’t. I get to hang around over at the gazebo at Community Park kinda directing stuff and pumping up the crowd. Celebrate Summer Of course I’m referring to our annual fireworks extravaganza we’ve had for two years and are Reading @ the Library about to have for the third year on Sunday, June 28th . We have been making noise in Fairmont for several years now and on the last Sunday of June we turn the noise up a notch just like my

Friday, June 19, 4:00 p.m. music playing. Allow me to get you ready for some real “innard shaking”. Zelnik the Magician Two years ago Recreation Director Mickey Williamson and I got our heads together and planned a musical evening and fireworks show which was a huge hit. We figured several Tuesday, June 23, 10:00 a.m. thousand folks attended or at least parked and saw it. Last year we changed from blue grass to Jef the Mime beach music and Gold Rush dazzled the thousands who attended with their great music for two hours. At 9:15 p.m., Melrose Pyrotechnics set off 25 minutes of truly awesome fireworks. It was Tuesday, June 30, 10:00 a.m. quite an event and evening. I couldn’t possibly tell you how many attended or saw the fireworks NC Children’s Theatre “Alice in Wonderland” but it was more than our population. So now we come to year three. How to out do the first two? That’s easy. Just have Gold Rush Tuesday, July 7, 10:00 a.m. back and instead of playing for two hours have them play for four. Show off our new playground Get Creative with 4-H equipment, throw in lots of food from Bill Prevatte and Johnny’s Hot Dogs, mix well with good cold soda or lemonade and cap off the evening with a huge fireworks show. You do all this in our Tuesday, July 14, 10:00 a.m. huge community park and to add icing to the JULY 4 TH cake you don’t charge to get in. Now Be Creative Story Program that’s what I call a real recession proof, hometown event with teeth in it. th Tuesday, July 21, 10:00 a.m. So now you know what’s in store for you, your family, and friends on Sunday June 28 from Be Creative Story Program 5:00-9:45 p.m. Follow my advice for it to be an even more special event than is planned for you. Get there early because parking will be limited. You know that already. Bring lounge chairs or Tuesday, July 28, 10:00 a.m. blankets for relaxation. Bring money for supper or snacks. Admission to the event is free but not Be Creative Story Program food and drinks. That’s on you. Don’t bring a bathing suit cause you can’t swim in the canal. Tell the kids to go wild on the new playground equipment. And finally, come prepared to sit among Tuesday, August 4, 10:00 am Master Illusionist Jeff Jones all your Fairmont friends and experience the biggest family reunion ever-Fairmont style. If loud noises startle you and looking skyward puts a crink in your neck then this might not All Events are FREE! be the event for you. But if you are like me and like your music and fireworks real loud, love to Location: Heritage Center share a good time with thousands of fun loving folks, and think, like I do, that this event is yet another great chance to further unify our community then hop aboard the FIREWORKS Hector McLean Public Library EXPRESS because in the musical words of the current popular singing group, Black Eyed Peas, 106 South Main Street we got that “BOOM, BOOM, POW! And we’re ready to turn it loose. SEE YA ON THE 28 TH . 628-9331 www.robesoncountylibrary.org TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766 Thursday, June 18 - Fairmont Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Thursday, June 18 - Fairmont Chamber of Commerce First Annual Sizzling Summer Beach Bash featuring Mark Roberts and Breeze, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., Fairmont Golf Club. This is a free event! Please bring your lounge chairs and enjoy some beach music. Friday, June 19 - Fairmont Library presents Zelnik the Magician, 4:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331. Tuesday, June 23 - Fairmont Library presents Jef the Mime, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331. Thursday, June 25 - Budget Workshop (if needed), 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers. Sunday, June 28 - Fairmont's Fourth celebration, Community Park. The TOWN FLEA MARKET Goldrush Band will perform from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. The fireworks will start around 9:30 p.m. Fun, free family event! The Fairmont Flea Market is located on the grounds of the Border Belt Museum at the Tuesday, June 30 - Fairmont Library presents NC Children's Theatre, Alice in northern entrance of the downtown district and Wonderland, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331. is open for business at 7:00 a.m. each Tuesday, June 30 - Special Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Saturday. There is NO FEE for vendors to set Chambers. Adopted of FY 2008-2009 Amended Budget and FY 2009-2010 up but each seller must provide their own table Budget. and there is to be no cooking or selling of food products. Any interested persons may call Mayor Kemp at 628- Friday, July 3 - Town offices closed in observance of Independence Day. 9766 ext 15 or 740-0277 to get further details or reserve a spot on Saturday, July 4 - Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Saturday. Tuesday, July 7 - Fairmont Library presents Get Creative with 4-H, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331.

CHECK OUT THE NEW Tuesday, July 14 - Fairmont Library presents Be Creative Story Program, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331. WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC Tuesday, July14 - NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 SAFETY DEPARTMENT: p.m., Town Hall Parking lot in front of Fire Hall. Tuesday, July 14 - Town Issue Forum, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Center. www.fairmontdps.org Thursday, July 16 - Fairmont Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. Tuesday, July 21 - Fairmont Library presents Be Creative Story Program, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331. Fairmont Tuesday, July 21 - Regular Town Board meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Fireworks Chambers.

Sunday, June 28, 2009 Fairmont Community Park Fairmont Chamber of Commerce First Annual Sizzling Summer Beach Bash

Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Fairmont Golf Club

Featuring Mark Roberts and Breeze!!

Free Concert sponsored by the Fairmont Chamber of Commerce Goldrush - 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Fireworks - 9:30 p.m. FREE!! Bring your lounge chair and have a good time! Food and Drink Vendors will be present Please bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the show!

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue VII www.fairmontnc.com July/August 2009

Special points of interest: SWEATIN’ CRIME AWAY! BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column Do you believe, as I do, that if you keep doing the same thing the same way you keep getting the same result? Wouldn’t it make sense then that if what is happening is bringing discomfort Calendar of Events and low attendance to an event then you would consider changing it to a better time? All together now and maybe if all 2,700 of us shout real loud the National Night Out National Committee will Unity Pull for Tourism hear us. Ready? IT’S HOT IN THE SOUTH IN AUGUST, REAL HOT, TOWEL MOPPIN’ Mayor named RCMA Chair HOT. Mosquitoes don’t fly in August, Gnats either. The only thing flying in August is drops of sweat being flung off our faces. Did you hear all that you national committee folks? Take a guess National Night Out where their headquarters are? I’ll bet in Minnesota or New Hampshire. Not in Atlanta or Dallas or anywhere else in the hot, steamy south I’ll bet. Got my little vent out of the way so now I’ll proceed with a few facts and some information about the upcoming Great National Night (Sweat) FAIRMONT FANTASTIC Out. FOURTH SPONSORS Chief Hassell and I have had the conversation which you’ll find in the first paragraph many times. Recently he even informed me that Texas was having their events in October. This proves Fairmont Development Corp. to me that Texans are very smart and don’t mind defying those who aren’t. I now have a newly L & M Convenient Mart found admiration for Texas and might even consider eating a steak in one of their many Robeson Insurance restaurants in our area. Every fly, mosquito, and gnat in Texas breathed a sign of relief at this South Robeson Rescue Unit news and immediately booked their August vacations in peace. But not N. C. We are still Fairmont Chamber following along like sheep behind the national committee with our mopping towels at the ready. of Commerce Chief told me that we could move our National Nigh Out to a less hot month but that we Mayberry & Company could not stake claim to the name NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. I’m just wondering that if we First Bank start a “move the date movement” would the national folks grant us some relief? What if we sent Mr. G’s Convenient Mart them our washing bill for that date? What if we packed all our wet, sweaty towels in a giant BB&T plastic container and sent them to the committee? What if 246 cardiologists sent written Fairmont Civitans affidavits offering their professional opinions on outdoor events in 120 degree heat index? Lumbee Bank Maybe then we could be like Texas. I don’t even think we have anything that resembles the Al Lewis Alamo but those Texans are a hard lot for sure. Woodmen of The World Here’s what has occurred with this very important event in the past. Its been held directly in #225 Youth front of town hall where at 6:00 p.m. the sun is shooting its rays directly onto the cement front China Garden porch and the asphalt street. It was so hot one year I saw 4 people disappear into a puddle of Websters Pharmacy sweat. Seriously. They’ve not been heard from again. After this we moved to Community Park Johnny’s Hot Dogs where 158 people try to sandwich their bodies under the two picnic shelters to take advantage of Thomas Auto Repair the large box fans Chief has set up. We don’t even need to cook the hot dogs that day. We just Bill’s BBQ and Catering lay them out on Reynolds Wrap and they are bubbling in 5.7 seconds. Speeches are about a minute cause folks who are sweating and losing 5 pounds a minute don’t want to stay that long. Rogers Screenprinting st & Embroidery So, you ask, what are we going to do this year? On the 1 Tuesday of August in Community Liberty Propane Park we’re gonna sweat unless a freak summer blizzard comes along. I don’t see that happening. Sandy Floyd But I can tell you what I intend to do. I’ll have a volunteer at the main gate that day and they will Fairmont Dept. Store offer each citizen who attends an opportunity to sign a petition to ask the national committee to Denny Walters move the date or allow us to. Might not do a lick of good but I am a leader and I feel I must try to Floyd Funeral Services speak for the comfort of our citizens. Along with this petition I intend to send a very nicely Town of Fairmont worded letter asking for their consideration of our request. I know based upon other events we have held in our community that we can fight crime with much larger numbers that trying to gather in 100+ degree temperatures. A nice fall date would certainly be better. More people would come. The gnats and mosquitoes would be rested and ready for swattin’, people wouldn’t melt and disappear into the park grass, no one would dive into the canal out of desperation, and we’d make a powerful statement about fighting crime. All in all a much better plan. Plan on seeing a petition at the gate but not a sweat moppin’ towel. I can’t afford it. TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766 P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Tuesday, July 21 - Fairmont Library presents Be Creative Story Program, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331.

Tuesday, July 21 - Regular Town Board meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers.

Tuesday, July 28 - Fairmont Library presents Be Creative Story Program, 10:00 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331.

Tuesday, August 4 - Fairmont Library presents Master Illusionist Jeff Jones, 11:30 a.m., Heritage Center. Free! 628-9331. MAYOR KEMP TO CHAIR RCMA Tuesday, August 4 - National Night Out, 6:00 p.m., Fairmont Community Park. Mayor Kemp was elected at the June meeting of the Robeson County Municipal Association Wednesday, August 5 - North Zone Neighborhood Meeting, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., in St. Pauls to be the Chairman for the coming Rosenwald Elementary School Cafeteria. year starting in September. Town Clerk Jenny Tuesday, August 11 - NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, 10:30 a.m. to Larson will serve as RCMA secretary. This 4:30 p.m., Town Hall Parking lot in front of Fire Hall. organization, comprised of all elected officials in Robeson County, was founded in 1949. Tuesday, August 18 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers. Each municipality hosts one of the monthly meetings during the year at which informative Thursday, August 20 - Fairmont Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. programs are presented, and topics of common concern to all elected officials in the county Tuesday, August 25 - First day of school. are discussed.

World’s Strongest American Indian, “Chief PAVILION IN THE PINES Iron Bear,” to Pull a Tractor-Trailer Through- out Robeson County, N.C., to Promote Unity The Town is focusing on a project to enhance the community and Tourism. Kick-Off Awareness park. Mayor Kemp and Public Works Director Ronnie Seals are working to construct a 40’ x 40’ sheltered pavilion on the Harold “Chief Iron Bear” Collins has announced north side of the park among the pine trees. The cost, which that he will undertake a feat never done before. He will be borne by private donations, is $25,000. There is no set is going to pull, with his body, a 20,000-pound completion date but fundraising has already begun. Letters tractor-trailer into 8 towns in Robeson County, N.C., in order to bring awareness to the history and have been sent to potential donors, several musicians are beauty of the county in which he was born. putting together fund raising concerts, and those wishing to donate $50.00 can be “Pavilion Pals”. For their donation an The Unity Pull for Tourism event motto is “Unity engraved plate with their name would be affixed to a brick in 5-8-20.” Unity in Robeson County for Tourism-- the structures foundation. If you are interested in this very 5 days, through 8 towns, pulling 20 thousand personal way of helping with this project contact Mayor pounds. Kemp from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. in his office in town hall.

Starting September 30, 2009, and finishing on WANNA BE A FAN OF FAIRMONT? October 4, 2009, Harold “Chief Iron Bear” Collins, a Guinness Book of World Records holder, will You can be a fan of Fairmont, North Carolina by simply pull the tractor trailer into St. Pauls, Parkton, Red going to www.fairmontnc.com and clicking the Facebook Springs, Maxton, Rowland, Fairmont, Lumberton, and finish in Pembroke. One County, One People, link. Sign up to get “hooked up” with your friends who are One Cause. For further information about the also fans of Fairmont. See ya on our page! Unity Pull for Tourism, please contact Ron Brown at [email protected] or 910-521-4244 or 910-738-5605.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue VIII www.fairmontnc.com August/September 2009

Special points of interest: CURB APPEAL BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column I know you’ve heard the term “curb appeal” sometime. It might have been on the shopping or home discovery channels or even “Flip This House”. In any event it simply means how things look as you Calendar of Events drive by in a car or park at the curb. FAIRMONT’S DOWNTOWN HAS CURB APPEAL. I just Labor Day Sidewalk Sale & wanted to get that statement out there right up front. I guess what you’ll need to do now is one of three things: take my word for it, drive downtown yourself and look, or in the event you are reading this from Ice Cream Making Contest afar call or email me and I’ll save you a trip and tell you that it does have curb appeal. Either way, curb Pavilion Project appeal is busting out all over downtown and I can prove it. Four years ago or even further back Fairmont’s downtown was blah, yep, just blah. That came from National Night Out business as usual, lack of funds for redecorating, and complacency. Building owners rarely ventured out into the refurbishing field for lack of rental revenue. The town was not doing its part in remaking or sprucing up downtown, and everybody, all of the townsfolk, just settled into that “why change” NATIONAL NIGHT OUT attitude. Well, that was then, this is now. For the past four years the old girl has gotten a wardrobe SPECIAL THANKS remake, got her hair done and even got a pedicure. She’s looking pretty good. Folks ride by and whistle at her now. Oh, she’s definitely got curb appeal. Wanna know why? Many Thanks to Badcock Nobody pays attention to a stores rear right? Right, unless the rear fronts on one of the busiest streets in town. We started the old girl’s makeover in 2006 by sprucing up the backs of six stores in H o m e F u r n i s h i n g s , downtown. Raised donations for the job and got the ball rolling. Next came the old Capitol Theater. Fairmont Family Fitness Tore it down and built Heritage Park. More private donations and a very good look. Also removed the Center, Ed F. Hodges, Inc., trees on Main Street and put an illuminated announcement sign on the library lawn. Lady starting to Cielito Lindo Mexican turn a few more heads. Restaurant, Rosenwald Then came the Community Building. The inside is beautiful and very useful but the outside was Alumni, Fairmont Civitans, what was really eye-catching. With it’s brick front, earth tone look, and green cloth awning it got quite a few extra looks. Progress Energy helped out with painting the street light poles and adding antique W o r l e y M o r t u a r y , light fixtures. The new lights even made our girl “shine” at night. Several building owners have kicked Lumberton Walmart, Pepsi in a little spit and polish on their own to add to the polished look we’re going after. Cola, Walgreens, N.C. Recently the old girl had some dental work done and had a tooth replaced. Where there was a big Forestry Service, Shirley gap in the store fronts now rests Memory Lane with its seven historic murals, evergreen shrubs, and Thompson, J.C. Chavis, beautiful flowers. The past and present heroes and heroines of our community survey the park from Novella McLean, Minnie their places on the Wall of Honor. Right out back in the alley is a spacious parking lot where once stood a storage building. New alley lights have brightened the look back there. Baker, Illa Granger, The town’s street sweeper often gives the old girl’s shoes a little polishing and volunteers keep Catherine Gaddy, Mickey the street planters full and beaming with color. Four American flags have been added to bring a little W i l l i a m s o n , J o y c e patriotism to the town’s attention as well. I’ll tell ya now. The old girl’s looking kinda snappy these Thompson, everyone who days. Well, she has to cause there are several parties coming soon and she needs to look her best. Labor bought raffle tickets, and Day Sidewalk Sale, Farmers Festival, and Holiday on Main at Christmas are big events and she wants last but not least Chief to put her best foot forward at all of them. At the rate she’s going this lady is set to charm a lot of folks. Still got some work to do though. There’s an outdated and very ugly Hotpoint sign hanging on a Robert Hassell. Thanks to store in the middle of downtown as well as other stores needing a facelift. These “blemishes” can’t just our generous donors and be covered over by a little make up. They are big distractions and do not fit into the “curb appeal” tireless volunteers our concept. THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO. National Night Out was a If you haven’t noticed there’s a lot more cars parked on Main Street during the week. Go see for success. We had about 300 yourself. They’re there. Some might be in attendance at community building functions but many are participants this year. not. A little more hard work, some cosmetic treatment here and there and our lady will be ready for the big dance for sure. She’s already got passersby turning their heads. Folks who visit from out of town and used to live here are impressed at the old girl. Those of us who care about her can’t let her down In appreciation, now. We still have work to do and in the end Fairmont’s downtown will continue to have “curb appeal.” If you have some extra make up or lipstick you’d like to offer we’d be glad to accept it. You Peggy Spencer, President might even want to offer your services. REMEMBER: EACH OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL Community Watc h OF US.

TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Thursday, August 20 - Fairmont Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Tuesday, August 25 - First day of school. Wednesday, August 26 - South Zone Neighborhood Discussion Group, 6:00 p.m., Town Hall Courtroom. Tuesday, September 1 - NC Small Town Main Street meeting, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Saturday, September 5 - Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Monday, September 7 - Town offices and schools closed in observance of Labor Day. Monday, September 7 - Third annual Old Timey Labor Day Sidewalk Sale & Ice Cream Making Contest. Sidewalk Sale 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Main Street. Ice Cream Making Contest, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Heritage WANNA BE A FAN Center. OF FAIRMONT? Tuesday, September 8 - NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Town Hall Parking lot in front of Fire Hall.

Sunday, September 13 - Grandparents Day. You can be a fan of Fairmont, North Monday, September 14 - Fairmont Chamber of Commerce, 6:00 p.m., Border Carolina by simply going to Belt Museum (Depot). Tuesday, September 15 - Regular Town Board meeting, 6:00 p.m., Council www.fairmontnc.com and clicking Chambers. the Facebook link. Sign up to get Thursday, September 17 - Fairmont Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. September 19 - October 3 - Fall Litter Sweep and Community Cleanup weeks. “hooked up” with your friends who Friday, October 2 - Unity Pull for Tourism, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Chief Iron Bear are also fans of Fairmont. See ya on Collins will pull a 20,000 pound tractor trailer two miles as part of a five ay focus on tourism in Robeson County. He was start pulling the truck on our page! Marion Stage Road near the Heritage Havens apartments, turn onto Main Street and complete his two miles at Town Hall.

LET’S GO FOR A DIP BE A PAVILION PAL What would be better on a warm late summer The effort has begun to raise funds for the afternoon than a big dip of home made ice construction of a 40’ x 40’ covered cream? Well, that’s just what’s in store for you performance shelter in our community at Fairmont’s 3 rd annual Old Timey Labor Day park. The “Pavilion in the Pines” fund Sidewalk Sale and Ice Cream Making Contest. raising drive has netted $600 so far. Those With the bargains heating up the sidewalks from contributing $50 will have theirs or 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. along with Dr. Electrode’s someone of their choices name placed on great music the afternoon will be reserved for a an engraved plaque to be placed on a brick little cooling down inside the Heritage Center. in the pavilions brick foundation. The Contestants may bring their ice cream pre-mix and the estimated cost of the structure is $25,000. churning will begin at 1:00 p.m. Judges will sample the It will serve as a permanent site for vocal entries at 2:00 p.m. and afterwards the public will be able to and instrumental groups, drama enjoy the ice cream of all contestants for a nominal fee. There presentations, outdoor weddings, lectures, will be a $5.00 per churn fee with the money going toward the and a host of other uses. Plans are for cash prizes for 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd places. contributions to come from businesses, If you are interested in being a civic organizations, and benefit concerts. vendor for the sidewalk sale contact If you want to be a Pavilion Pal and have Mayor Kemp at 628-9766 ext. 15 and your name be a permanent part of the if you want to enter the ice cream Pavilion just see Mayor Kemp at town hall contest contact Norma Bullock at 628 or call 628-9766 ext. 15. -8169. Don’t get left out this Labor Day. Jump right in and take a big dip.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue IX www.fairmontnc.com September/October 2009

Special points of interest: THE HEART BEHIND THE BADGE BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column This is by far the most special column I have written in the past four years and I wish I wasn’t writing it. I must, however, do this and my reason is simple. Paying my personal tribute to Chief Calendar of Events Robert Hassell as he embarks upon the next leg on his upwardly spiraling law enforcement career. Pavilion Project As you must certainly must know by now Chief Hassell is taking the police chief’s position in Hope Mills on September 25 th and leaving us after a four year stint. He leaves us much better off than Unity Pull for Tourism when he came in June of 2005. His dedication, vision, loyalty to his personnel, and organizational Fall Clean-up Weeks skills leave one breathless. To summarize his tenure one would be hard pressed to find a more eloquent word than “awesome”. That, at least, is the term I choose to use. I am certain you have Farmers Festival your own. I have met with or talked to Chief Hassell almost daily these past four years, have listened to his ideas, heard his plans, watched his actions and have come away with the belief that our community Farmers Festival was so very fortunate to have had him. He is responsible for so much that have made our lives and Entry Forms Now property safer. He secured grants for improved equipment, a quarter million dollar fire truck, radar Available! trailer, fire and police equipment to make the job easier for his personnel, high technology grants to

The 23rd annual Fairmont achieve better response to the public. The list is endless. I’m proud of every dollar he got us and Farmers Festival is Saturday, every grant he secured but if you dig a little deeper, if you peek just behind the gold shield he wears you’ll see another side of this man. Let me share with you that which you do not know. October 17. If you are Chief Hassell has his own story of growth and development. Poverty, public housing, lack of interested in being in the proper role models. You know the story. The same scene is played out thousands of times a day in parade, car show or want to communities all over our country. Lost kids. Lost before they ever have a chance. The difference have a craft booth, please in Chief Hassell’s case was family and the Police Explorer program. He was shaped by these things contact Jenny Larson at 628- and he carries them in his heart to this day. Family and role modeling mean a lot to him. He started 9766, ext. 17. Entry forms an Explorer program here a year or so ago. It has helped change wayward kid’s lives. He always and vendor applications are encourages family unity. It’s part of what brought him to this point in his life. It will sustain him also available in the Water throughout the rest of it. Department, as well as at the Of all the remarkable things and stories I could use to honor this man one stands out larger town website, than any other. It involves a youth, a crime, and a meeting in a room. A young man had broken the www.fairmontnc.com/ law. He was being detained and interrogated. Chief Hassell entered the scene and began to talk to farmersfestival.htm. The the young man. He noticed all the danger signs. No parental guidance or support, poverty, misdirec- Festival is sponsored in part tion, the street. Chief Hassell looked into this kid’s face and saw his own past. Rather than smear by a Grassroots Grant from this kid with a criminal record and put an indelible mark against his name he counseled the kid, elic- the NC Arts Council. ited from him a promise that he would reform his ways, and offered him a “parole” of sorts. The

youth told Chief Hassell he wouldn’t let him down. The incident ended with hope and spirit revival,

not despair.

FALL LITTER SWEEP He believes in second chances both for young kids walking down the path of life and those who, working under him, err or make bad choices. His decisions are always in the best interest of SEPTEMBER 21 - people and not just to clear another of life’s tasks. He takes time before he judges others and looks OCTOBER 2 back over his shoulder at a young kid growing up in Williamston, alone and maybe a little lost in

September 21 – October 2 is life’s hustle and bustle. His big hands nestle on a shoulder and what follows is advice and Fall Litter Sweep 2009. encouragement tinged with gold. The golden heart behind the badge he wears so proudly. As I said earlier, my space is limited but what I can do for you and every other citizen in this During these two weeks, town is give you the opportunity to thank Chief Hassell in person before he leaves. I cordially invite citizens can discard old you to a farewell reception in his honor on Friday, September 18 th from 4:00-7:00 in the Heritage furniture, appliances, and Center downtown. There’ll be refreshments and a chance to say a few parting words to this great other big bulky items at no man. This man who has fought our fires and crime. This man who has worked tirelessly to improve charge. For more our lives. This man who wears a gold shield with a big golden heart tucked safely beneath it. information, contact Public Works at 628-0064. TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 September 19 - October 3 - Fall Litter Sweep and Community Cleanup weeks. Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Sunday, September 20 - Former Farmers Festival Queens reception, Heritage Center, 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 23 – Walker Brothers Circus, lot behind Fire Hall, shows at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 25 - Fairmont High School Varsity Football vs. East Bladen, Home, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 26 - "Fall N 2 Safety" Community Watch Membership Drive, Border Belt Museum grounds, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Games, food and fun. Friday, October 2 - Teacher workday, schools closed. Friday, October 2 - Barbeque Plate Dinner sponsored by the Fairmont Woman's Club to raise funds for the "Pavilion in the Pines" project, Fairmont Fire Hall, PAVILION BENEFIT DINNER SET 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Plates $6.00. Tickets available from any Woman's Club member, Festival Queens, Baptist or Methodist youth. A barbeque plate dinner is scheduled for Friday Saturday, October 3 - South Robeson Rescue Unit Community Fun Day, 10:00 October 2 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the fire hall to raise a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the SRRU Headquarters on South Walnut Street. funds to construct the “Pavilion in the Pines” in Saturday, October 3 - Senior Citizens Hot Dog Cookout, Luther Britt Park, Fairmont Community Park. The dinner is being Lumberton, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. catered by Bill Prevatte of Bill’s B-B-Q and Fixin’s Tuesday, October 6 - N.C. Small Town Main Street meeting, Heritage Center, 6:00 and will feature great pork barbeque and all the p.m. trimmings for $6.00 per plate. Customers can dine in Friday, October 9 - Fairmont High School Homecoming. Fairmont vs. South Robeson, 7:30 p.m. or carry out. The Fairmont Woman’s Club has Saturday, October 10 - Fairmont Farmers Festival Pageant, E.R. Gause graciously agreed to sponsor this fundraiser and are Auditorium, Rosenwald Elementary School. currently selling tickets. Others selling tickets are the Monday, October 12 - Chamber of Commerce, Border Belt Museum, 6:00 p.m. Farmers Festival Queens, Trinity Methodist and First Tuesday, October 13 - NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 Baptist Church (South Main) youth groups. Please p.m., Town Hall Parking lot in front of Fire Hall. plan on eating supper on Friday October 2 nd at the Tuesday, October 13 - Town Issue Forum, Heritage Center, 6:00 p.m. barbeque dinner and help raise the funds to build the Friday, October 16 - 2nd Annual Chamber of Commerce Farmers Festival Golf “Pavilion in the Pines”. Tournament, Fairmont Golf Club. Mark Roberts and Breeze will perform beach music following the tournament. “IRON BEAR” IS COMING TO TOWN Saturday, October 17 - Fairmont Farmers Festival, Parade at 10:00 a.m., Downtown Fairmont. The Pizazz Band will play from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at He weighs over 300 pounds, has 22 inch biceps, the Southeastern NC Agricultural Center in Lumberton. and is billed as the strongest Native American in the Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 - "Raid on Ashpole" Civil War world. With several world records to his credit and battle re-enactment across from Fairmont Community Park. Battle at 2:00 p.m. having participated in the Worlds Strongest Men on Saturday and Sunday. Time period church service, Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in the park. competitions Harold “Chief Iron Bear” Collins of Pembroke is bringing his amazing truck pulling feat to Fairmont. He is the main attraction in the Unity Pull for Tourism, a county wide effort to attract tourists to our area. Iron Bear will pull a Nash Finch 18 wheeler a distance of 2 miles in 8 Robeson County towns over a 5 day period. Fairmont’s designated date is Friday October 2. He will commence his pull on Marion Stage Road in front of Heritage Haven Apartments at 3:00 p.m. and end in front of the Fairmont Town Hall around 6:00 p.m. where he will be greeted by Mayor Charles Kemp, Fairmont Tour- ism committee member Jenny Larson, and other dignitaries. Along to encourage him down Main Street will be the FHS Cheerleaders with the FHS Band playing music in town hall parking lot. The Farmers Festival Queens will use the occasion to say a farewell to the public prior to giving up their crowns on Oct 10 th at the pageant. This will be a spectacular event and with school not in session on that day should make it easier for youth to attend. The public is encouraged and urged to come to Fairmont, line Main Street, and cheer “Chief Iron Bear” on.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue X www.fairmontnc.com October/November 2009

Special points of interest: PRETTY QUEENS ALL IN A ROW BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

th Mayor’s Column On Saturday October 10 just like clockwork there was a changing of the guard of sorts. No army sentries with polished rifles though. No clicking heels either. Just nine very special young Calendar of Events girls being replaced by nine more to carry on the Farmers Festival Pageant tradition. Each fall for many years now the festival pageant is held and young ladies compete in various age categories Farmers Festival Queens for the right to represent Fairmont for a year at special events and activities. If you look back at Halloween the history of this pageant you’ll find some very familiar names in our community who won and have gone on to make significant contributions to our town. Each of the queens over the years Veteran’s Day have all been special in their own way and offer their own very specific talents. My column today Arts Grant will focus on a few of the highlights which my memory will allow me to offer and a forecast of the bright year ahead which our newest queens will unveil. When the Farmers Festival was reintroduced in 1987 after a decade absence it was a THE DR. STRIKES welcome event. Farmers Day was always big back in tobacco days when in the mid 50’s 25,000 AGAIN folks attended the parades. The Civitan’s also produced a pageant at that time with our community’s lovely ladies taking center stage. It took a few years after the restart but soon the If it’s Halloween it must Contemporary Homemakers Club was directing the pageant and a string of very successful and be time for Dr. Electrode well run pageants were conducted by this group. Talented and charming girls brought many to arise from his smiles to judges, family, and spectators over these years. When the Homemakers Club decided to laboratory with his newest turn the sponsorship over to another group none would take it but local businesswoman Angie batch of magic candy and Lovin, refusing to see a good activity disappear, stepped forward to undertake its direction. For find his way to the front the past few years she has done an outstanding job. porch of the Fairmont The closest I’ve come to the pageants actual operation is that I served as pageant emcee for Town Hall. Assisted by a number of years. Under both the Homemakers Club and Angie I have had a bird’s eye view the very lovely Farmers backstage of the stress and pressure which accompanies these events. There have been very serious moments and a lot of heartwarming ones like when I asked a young contestant for the Festival Queens he will stage interview question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and she replied, “a give trick-or-treaters teacher, cause they make a lot of money”. The little girl was cute and the audience roared but she candy on Halloween lied. It was a wonderful moment. I didn’t emcee the year that Christie (Fisher) Hunt competed st evening the 31 starting at for the Miss title but it was the most spectacular moment in my memory of these pageants. A 7:00 p.m. Parents should competitor of hers seemed to be in command of the contest after the talent category until the park in the town hall stage interview portion. The question Christie was asked enabled her to address the very serious parking lot and bring their medical condition of her beloved father and the desire she had to go into a medical field to children around to the provide care and comfort to others who might have similar needs. When she finished her answer front porch. The Dr. wants I turned to a friend seated behind me and told him that Christie would be the winner. She was all parents and children to and today is a nurse in a local hospital doing just what she said she wanted to do with her life. What a moment to be a part of. These are only two of my memories. There are more and as you be safe and careful on read I’m sure you have your own. Halloween this year. Over the past four years as Mayor I have both presided, attended, and participated in WATCH FOR CARS hundreds of events and in most cases have had the Festival Queens there with me. Each group of BEFORE CROSSING ladies have been different, unique, and very special. When I introduced the newly crowned ANY STREET AND queens last October I miss-introduced Victoria Flowers by title and this sweet little girl with the CHECK OUT THE beautiful eyes who was standing next to me with my gavel in her hand simply patted me on my GOODIES THAT YOU shoulder, smiled, and said “that’s ok”. It was a moment I’ll cherish forever. GET ! So now the tradition continues. We have a new group of queens and you’ll be getting to know them as they represent our community in many events. They will be just as special as the last group and by custom and agreement between each of them and me, I’ll be their 2 nd Daddy. I just love having 9 daughters.

TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766 P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Friday, October 16 - 2nd Annual Chamber of Commerce Farmers Festival Golf Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Tournament, Fairmont Golf Club. Mark Roberts and Breeze will perform beach music following the tournament.

Saturday, October 17 - Fairmont Farmers Festival, Parade at 10:00 a.m., Downtown Fairmont. The Pizazz Band will play from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at the Southeastern NC Agricultural Center in Lumberton. Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 - "Raid on Ashpole" Civil War battle re-enactment across from Fairmont Community Park. Battle at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Time period church service, Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in the park. Tuesday, October 20 - Regular Town Board meeting, Council Chambers, 6:00 p.m. Friday, October 23 - Fairmont High School Varsity Football vs. Red Springs, Home, 7:30 p.m. VETERANS DAY CEREMONY Saturday, October 24 - Robeson County History Museum present "The Way We Were - Fairmont" at the Heritage Center from 10:00 am until 1:00 p.m. Please This years Veterans Day ceremony will see both a bring your old pictures of Fairmont to be scanned and added to the museum's site and date change. The ceremony will be held collection. in the Fire Hall on Saturday November 7 th from Friday, October 30 - Teacher workday, schools closed. 10:00-11:00 a.m. This is due to events being Saturday, October 31 - Halloween - Dr. Electrode will give out candy to kids on the previously booked for the Heritage Center and the front porch of Town Hall from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, November 1 - Daylight Savings Time, Set clocks back one hour. difficulty in presenting a program during a work Tuesday, November 3 - Election Day. Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the week. Featured speaker for the program will be Town Hall Courtroom and the Hector McLean Public Library. Rev. Gary Deese, a Gulf War veteran and local Wednesday, November 4 - North Zone Discussion Group, Rosenwald Elementary pastor. There will be a flag ceremony conducted School Cafeteria, 5:30 p.m. by soldiers from the Army Reserve unit in Friday, November 6 - Fairmont High School Varsity Football vs. St. Pauls, Home, Lumberton. All citizens are encouraged to attend 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 7 - Red, White & Blue Sidewalk Sale, Main Street, 7:00 a.m. this ceremony to honor our veterans for their to 12:00 noon service and sacrifice. Saturday, November 7 - Veteran's Day Ceremony, Fire Hall, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 7 - Senior Bingo, Heritage Center, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Monday, November 9 - Fairmont Chamber of Commerce, Border Belt Museum, 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 10 - NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Town Hall Parking lot in front of Fire Hall. Tuesday, November 10 - Central Zone Discussion Group, Fairmont Middle School Cafeteria, 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 11 - Town offices and schools closed in observance of Veteran's Day.

Fairmont Farmers Festival receives Arts Grant

The Fairmont Farmers Festival has been awarded a $2,527 grant from the North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Arts Program. The North Carolina Arts Council is an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art. 2009-2010 Farmers Festival Queens: Little Miss Natalee Britt, Tiny Miss Tristen Rich, Mini Ambassador Madison Strickland and Wee Miss Kaylin Bailey Festival Sponsors 2009

Contributor Float Sponsor Dillon Tractor & Implement Co., Inc. Lewis-Brady Builders Supply, Inc. Ray Lupo’s Electric and Plumbing S & M Transport, Inc. Dr. Hal C. Herring, Jr., Optometrist Mr. G.’s Sponsor Four Point Convenient Mart Gaston Sealey Company, Inc. McDonalds Robeson County Farm Bureau, Inc. Special Thanks The Wooten Company Robeson County Board of Commissioners Donor NC Arts Council Brady’s/Webster’s Pharmacy Dance China Garden First Bank Collins Kemp & Patterson, PLLC Car Show Ed F. Hodges, Inc. Progress Energy Fairmont/Rowland Propane Floyd Funeral Services, Inc. Kerr Drug, Inc. Lumberton Ford 2009-2010 Farmers Festival Queens: Miss Kensey Bartley, Royal Ambassador Brianna Hunt, Jr. Miss Madilyn Mayers, Ambassador Brittany Deese and Teen Miss Elizabeth Rogers Oliver Oil, Inc.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue XI www.fairmontnc.com November/December 2009

Special points of interest: A TOWN ALL AGLOW BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP

Mayor’s Column Friday December 4 th will be a very special day in Fairmont, N. C. At 6:00 p.m. the 2 nd annual Twilight Christmas parade will roll down Main Street as the opening event in the town’s Holiday Calendar of Events on Main celebration. Fairmont is a unique community and in keeping with this tradition the Holiday on Main organizers decided to have a parade and other related Christmas events at night. Adorned by special Christmas lights each car, float, and truck shines in the early evening’s darkness and adds Store Decoration Contest a spectacular touch to the season. Last years unique inaugural parade saw 65 units wind through Santa Visits the Kids downtown on their way to the community park where a Christmas tree lighting ceremony conducted by Mayor Charles Kemp was held. Special seasonal singing and the reading of the Christmas Story capped off this phase of the evening. Gathering in the late fall air hundreds of citizens, led by the nine Farmers Festival Queens, walked together down Main Street back to the STORE DECORATIONS Heritage Center where more singing entertainment awaited them. Cups of hot chocolate provided by a local merchant warmed the audience as children’s choirs and soloists added to the festive We’d like to interest you mood. It was a wonderful opening act for a community which had not properly celebrated in some holiday decorating Christmas since 1979. No parade, no special events. Now all that has changed. if we could. If you own or The 2 nd annual Holiday on Main promises to be all that the first celebration was and maybe a operate a store in our little more. Interest in the parade has already been shown and “Santa’s Little Helpers”, the downtown would you like to organizing committee, has been hard at work for about a month making preparations for year pick up a little prize money number two. A local business woman with amazing decorating skills has agreed to decorate our for decorating your store downtown’s two pocket parks while a local florist will adorn the ceremonial light poles in the front? Now that we have center of our business district. Cash prizes for the best floats in the parade and store fronts will your attention let us give you offer friendly competition within the business community. the details. The HOLIDAY Our town is special and deserves to have special events to enjoy and marvel at. Why should ON MAIN store decorating we be any different than New York, Charlotte, or even Lumberton. We need neat stuff for our contest is open to all stores citizens to rally around. July 4 th for example. Thousands have enjoyed it for three years running. in the downtown historic Farmers Festival. Thousands more. Beach Blast and festival golf tournaments have drawn district. All you need do is hundreds. So it should be with a special time like Christmas. The holiday should be more than decorate your store front and store shopping and ripping through gift boxes to “see what I got”. There has to be something that have it ready for judging by brings a twinkle to an eye, a thrill to ones heart, a deep down heart warming feeling like hot Friday December 4 th no later chocolate on a cold winter night. And so it is with HOLIDAY ON MAIN. It is what is needed to than 6:00 p.m. Anonymous celebrate the Christmas season in a small southern town. It began that way and so it will judges will select the top continue. decorated store from the What convinces me that this event is the right type of activity for our town was borne out at entries and the winner will our “twilight” parade last year. One of the volunteer assistants had gone down to the parade line receive a cash prize and their up area just as dark settled in and returned with a smile on her face and a whisper into my ear that name announced at the en- the site of all the cars and floats illuminated by lights was very beautiful. I think she even said tertainment event in the awesome. A few minutes later I started the parade and had to agree with her assessment. What a Heritage Center after the sight to see hundreds of tiny white and colored lights illuminating church floats and cars bearing parade. We hope all stores queens. There were choirs singing carols and a manger scene too. You’d have to see it in person. will participate and help I don’t have the words. I’ll let you be your own judge. make our downtown look What an evening it will be and what a festive occasion for a community to celebrate. How very inviting at the will it end? A personal visit by SANTA CLAUS to the wide eyed amazement of the children and Christmas season. with hot chocolate warming the body and soft carols warming the heart citizens will return to their homes with spirits aglow ready to celebrate that most special of holidays. We invite you to join us on the first Friday in December and fill your heart with the spirit of the season. We’ll keep a cup of hot chocolate warm for you and a lit candle to show you the way.

TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events

421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Tuesday, November 17 - Regular Town Board meeting, Council Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] Chambers, 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 18 - Fairmont Job Fair, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Fairmont South Robeson Heritage Center. Bring your resume! Thursday, November 19 - Community Watch, 7:00 p.m., Courtroom. Saturday, November 21 - Lumberton Christmas Parade, 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 24 - South Zone Discussion Group, 6:00 p.m., Courtroom. Wednesday, November 25 - Teacher workday, schools closed. Wednesday, November 25 - Town Employee Cookout. Town Offices close at noon. Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 - Town offices Santa Visits and schools closed in observance of Thanksgiving. Tuesday, December 1 - NC Small Town Main Street meeting, 6:00 the Kids! p.m., Heritage Center. Friday, December 4 - 2nd Annual Holiday on Main, Twilight With Christmas just Christmas Parade, 6:00 p.m. Christmas Tree lighting in the park, 6:45 p.m., Entertainment in the Heritage Center, 7:30 p.m. around the corner, it’s time to start Saturday, December 5 - Marietta Christmas Parade, 11:00 a.m. thinking about Santa Claus and Tuesday, December 8 - NCDMV Mobile Driver's License Unit, gifts. For the 7th year the Town 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Town Hall Parking lot in front of Fire Hall. will sponsor “SANTA VISITS Saturday, December 12 - Senior Citizens Christmas Party, 1:00 to 3:00 THE KIDS” on Christmas Eve. p.m., Heritage Center. Any in-town parent may partici- Tuesday, December 15 - Regular Town Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m. Heritage Center (Swearing in Ceremony for Mayor and pate in this free activity, which is Commissioners). conducted by the Department of December 21 - January 1 - School closed for winter break. Public Safety. Interested parents Thursday, December 24 - Santa Visits the Kids, 5:00 p.m. Santa delivers toys on the fire truck. may bring a pre wrapped gift for December 24, 25 and 28 - Town offices closed for Christmas. their children to Town Hall and

drop it off at dispatch with the child’s name, address and best time to deliver the gift on Christ- Holiday On Main mas Eve. Santa Claus, with assis- In Downtown Fairmont tance from town fire department personnel, will deliver the present Friday, December 4, 2009 in person on Thursday, December 24 between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. --- Twilight Christmas The deadline to participate is Parade Monday, December 21. Interested persons may call Mayor Charles 6:45 p.m. --- Tree Lighting in Kemp at 628-9766, ext. 15 or Fairmont Community Park Chief Danny Parker at 628- 7:30 p.m. --- Musical Entertainment and 9766, ext. 27 for Santa Claus in the Heritage Center more info.

Town of Fairmont Town Talk A monthly newsletter provided by the Fairmont Board of Commissioners With assistance and support of the town staff

Volume X, Issue XII www.fairmontnc.com December 2009/January 2010

Special points of interest: THE ONE MISSING VOICE BY MAYOR CHARLES KEMP I’ve been to my share of meetings over my 40 year teaching and 32 year elected official career Mayor’s Column and to be quite frank with you, a whole lot of them were a waste of time. In teaching there are Calendar of Events required teachers meetings and workshops. As an elected official there are regular board meetings and special called meetings. Much of what is spoken at all of these events won’t be Santa Visits the Kids remembered for very long and that which is remembered fades into the minds clutter very soon. Holiday on Main pictures Even the media selects the occasional sound byte and uses it and a phrase here or there is quoted by some but much blows away in the winds of time. Tax Department I have taught and served with a few persons over the years that I have listened to carefully when they spoke because their words carried clout with me. Usually they are very quiet but when

they do speak their words carry weight and if their advice is followed it’s usually the best course. You know these folks. They may live in your house, work with you, and sit with you in the same TAX church pew. But one thing we tend to overlook. Few, if any of us, number the young in that DEPARTMENT group. We rarely listen or take their advice. What could they possibly know that we adults don’t already know? We’re the grown ups after all. You’d be surprised what we might learn if we’d IMPORTANT: Two just give them a chance. percent (2%) penalty For the past four years our town government has listened to a lot of folks. Business people, citizens with issues, employees, higher government officials telling us what we can and can’t do interest will accrue on but the one group we haven’t heard a peep from is our youth. Not one syllable. You know why? current taxes on Because we haven’t asked them to talk to us about their issues and desires. We’ve pretty much January 6, 2010. blamed everything on them from car wrecks caused by texting to a higher crime rate but we Garnishments will also haven’t once sat down with them and engaged in a meaningful dialogue with them. All that’s about to change though. begin as of that date on On Tuesday, January 12 th I intend to host a Youth Needs and Empowerment Forum in the c u r r e n t t a x e s . Heritage Center at 7:00 p.m. There’s never been a meeting like it before in Fairmont. It’s about A reminder to all senior time. At this meeting a panel of 4 or 5 persons who have direct contact with our youth will offer citizens - the county insights and suggestions regarding youth needs but the most essential aspect of this forum will be to hear the words, desires, and requests from our town’s youth themselves. They will be told, the accepts applications for entire audience will be told right up front, that except for profanity there will be no ban on their senior exemptions input or suggestions. It is time we heard directly from our young people in the only way they between January 1 and know how to communicate and that is in a very direct way. I have been around 15-18 year olds June 1. June 1 is the for 40 years and know all too well how direct they can be in their commentary. We have to hear what they have kept bottled up for so long. deadline. Please contact So I guess you think this will be a glorified gripe session, huh? Far from it. The purpose of the Robeson County the forum is exactly as the title implies. TO ASSESS THE NEEDS OF YOUTH IN OUR Tax office at 671-3061 COMMUNITY AND FROM THAT ASSESSMENT HELP FIND THE MEANS WHICH to see if you qualify for MIGHT EMPOWER AND ENRICH THEIR LIVES. This empowerment might be educa- tional or it might be cultural. It might assume the form of recreational enrichment or economic an exemption. empowerment but it will offer them something tangible not just meaningless words. The secondary purpose of the forum will show that the adult leadership of Fairmont does consider Rebecca Andrews youth as an important demographic group and desires to offer a more meaningful life to them. Tax Collector The forum panelists have been mentally selected but not yet invited to participate. All of them have now or have had an investment in youth. They are articulate and bring great wisdom to the topic. They will offer a wealth of knowledge but the primary thing for which they were chosen is the fact they can shut up and listen when they should. On January 12 th it will be our youth’s turn to talk and we’re probably gonna get an earful. We probably deserve it but wouldn’t it be a master stroke for all concerned that after the meeting, after all the words, after the smoke has cleared that this community actually puts in motion a plan to address youth needs, the one group whose voice has been missing. Make your plans now to attend this important meeting. TOWN OF FAIRMONT Calendar of Events 421 South Main St. Phone: 910-628-9766

P.O. Box 248 Fax: 910-628-6025 Fairmont, NC 28340 E-mail: [email protected] December 21 - January 1 - School closed for winter break.

Thursday, December 24 - Santa Visits the Kids, 5:00 p.m. Santa delivers toys on the fire truck. December 24, 25 and 28 - Town offices closed for Christmas. Friday, January 1 - Town offices closed for New Year's Day. Saturday, January 2 - Senior Bingo, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Tuesday, January 5 - N.C. Small Town Main Street meeting, 6:00 p.m., Heritage Center. Monday, January 11 - Chamber of Commerce, 6:00 p.m., Border Belt Museum. Santa Visits Tuesday, January 12 - Youth Needs and Assessment Forum, 7:00 p.m., Heritage Center. All citizens are urged to attend. the Kids! There will be a panel discussion and audience participation forum. With Christmas just Monday, January 18 - Town offices and schools closed in around the corner, it’s time to start observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. thinking about Santa Claus and Monday, January 18 - 5th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gifts. For the 7th year the Town Celebration, Heritage Center, Time TBA. Tuesday, January 19 - Regular Town Board meeting, 6:00 p.m., will sponsor “SANTA VISITS Council Chambers. THE KIDS” on Christmas Eve. Monday, January 25 and Tuesday January 26 - Schools closed Any in-town parent may partici- for teacher workdays.

pate in this free activity, which is

conducted by the Department of Holiday on Main - December 4, 2009 Top: Santa tells the Grinch to be nice. Public Safety. Interested parents Middle: Santa gets a ride on the fire truck, Victoria Huggins sings “Rockin’ Around may bring a pre wrapped gift for the Christmas Tree and the Festival Queens their children to Town Hall and pose in front of the newly lighted tree. Bottom: Robeson County Teacher of the drop it off at dispatch with the Year Denise Bloomer leads the Rosenwald child’s name, address and best Elementary School Chorus time to deliver the gift on Christ- mas Eve. Santa Claus, with assis- tance from town fire department personnel, will deliver the present in person on Thursday, December 24 between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. The deadline to participate is Monday, December 21. Interested persons may call Mayor Charles Kemp at 628-9766, ext. 15 or Chief Danny Parker at 628- 9766, ext. 27 for more info.