Month-Long Salute to the Military
Each May, Fayetteville and Cumberland county salutes soldiers, veterans and their families with a series of events titled “31 Day Salute.” As the first sanctuary community for members of the military, its no surprise that our community takes a month to show our enthusiastic appreciation, respect and support for those who served in the armed forces.
31 Day Salute incorporates a variety of events for 2011, including author visits, movie screenings, boat tours, special exhibits and scavenger hunts. Below, I have highlighted a few:
Fort Bragg Fair – from April 28 through May 15, one price gets you Unlimited carnival rides and entertainment. Live entertainment includes country, rock, pop, R&B and Christian music. Other live entertainment includes a Sea Lion show.
Admission is $12.00 Monday-Thursday and $17.00 Friday-Sunday. Tickets are discounted for Military/DoD Civilians, Children Ages 3-9, Handicapped and Senior Citizens. Special promotions are planned throughout the fair, including Customer Appreciation from 5-7 Monday –Thursday, when everyone gets in for $5. The Fort Bragg MWR website lists all admission prices and the entertainment schedule.
A Doctor Looks at War – Dr. Michael C. Hodges talks about his book, A Doctor Looks at War at the CC Public Library & Information Center HQ branch on Tuesday, May 10th at 7 pm. Dr. Hodges chronicles his experience in an army combat support hospital during the initial year of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He describes in detail the healthcare treatment of wounded soldiers as well as the Iraqi prisoners and civilians.
Thanks to Veterans Movie in the Camp – On Saturday, May 21, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum will host a Movie in the Camp. This year’s film is “Jumping Jacks,” starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. When The doors open at 6 pm, movie goers will walk into a camp-like atmosphere with 30 x 40 foot screen. Refreshments including soft drinks and candy bars will also be available for a nominal cost. Music and entertainment will be provided before the movie begins at dusk. Admission is $5, tickets are on sale starting May 1.
These are just a few of the special events that are part of our community’s 31 Day Salute to soldiers, veterans and their families. Please visit www.31daysalute.com for more information or follow 31 Day Salute on Facebook.
Geocaching, Anyone?
Last spring, the Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau introduced a unique way to both promote the community to others and help locals get to know the community – better GPS Trail Trek, a geocaching tour of Cumberland County.
If you don’t know , geocaching is essentially a high-tech scavenger hunt, that requires a hand-held GPS unit.
We have placed a cache (treasure) at 10 locations throughout the county. We provide GPS coordinates that get the user in the area of each cache – and a clue helps locate the clue on the site. When a user finds a cache, geocachers sign in the log book, and can leave comments if they wish. Typically players will find a small trinket in the cache – and geocaching etiquette requires that if they take the trinket, they leave something else.
Both visitors and locals have been “trail trekking.”
Some of the comments:·
“Great trail and even a greater nature park next door…Found this one on June 12, 2010…I really am enjoying the Greater Fayetteville GPS Trail Trek…” Tony Garcia
“This one was my favorite, I have lived in Fayetteville for 28 years and never been to this site.” Somer Edwards
Travel writer Chris Gigley and his family became Trail Trekkers last summer and videotaped their experience.
Interested in giving it a try? You find a downloadable PDF with the coordinates and clues HERE. We hope you enjoy your trail trek!
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NC Veterans Park to Open July 4, 2011
On July 4, 2011 North Carolina’s Veteran’s park will open in downtown Fayetteville beside the Airborne & Special Operations Museum.
To encourage advance media coverage of the park’s opening, I pulled together and released some information on the park. Prior to my research, I knew very little. What I learned is pretty neat, and I thought I would share it with you.
The park’s theme is “A Veteran’s Journey: life before, during and after service.”
Dozens of artistic details pay homage to the state and veterans. Since the park is for all branches of service, many places in the park have themes of five.
There will be both apparent and subtle symbolism in the three main outdoor areas of the park: Community Plaza, Service Plaza and the Reflection Garden.
In the Community Plaza, a bronzed right hand of a veterans from each of NC’s 100’s counties will adorn a curved “Oath” wall. In front of the wall will stand 50 columns, each with a county’s name on each side. Fur civilians from each county will also have their hands cast on a tile and the tiles will be incorporated into the columns. The Community Plaza represents the time before a citizen joins the military.
The Service Plaza, next to the Community Plaza, represents the period when a veteran is on active-duty. This portion of the park will incorporate seven abstract sculptures that are made of military salvage parts. The sculptures signify seven concepts often associated with the military: commitment, courage, dedication, heroism, sacrifice, service and honor.
Next to the Service Plaza, the Reflection garden offers two still pools of water. This symbolizes life after service.
Other noteworthy features of the park-
* soil from each of NC’s 100 counties is being incorporated into all aspects
* In the Visitors Center building, a multi-colored glass wall will replicate all of the military service ribbons.
* Seven water features throughout the park
I can’t think of a better place to honor North Carolina veterans than our community of history, heroes and a hometown feeling.
Xerox Will Help You Say Thanks To A Soldier
This is a great time of the year to give back and Xerox let’s you do just that!
Please take a moment to check out this website.
If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and a message.
Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving.
You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.
It is FREE!!!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these?
Warning To All Veterans
FYI: In case you have not received this information, we want to make sure you are aware of a warning from the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans concerning an organization named Veterans Affairs Services (VAS). This group is giving VA benefit information to veterans and military personnel and is gathering personal information about veterans. Veterans Affairs Services is in no way affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, although many veterans may be given the impression that they are because of the similarity of their name and logo to that of the DVA. Please pass this information along to those in your organization who work with veterans and military personnel.
An organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit and general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans. This organization is not affiliated with VA in any way.
http://www.vaservices.org/us/index.html
VAS may be gaining access to military personnel through their close resemblance to the VA name and seal. Our Legal Counsel has requested that we coordinate with DoD to inform military installations, particularly mobilization sites, of this group and their lack of affiliation or endorsement by VA to provide any services.
In addition, GC requests that if you have any examples of VAS acts that violate chapter 59 of Title 38 United States Code, such as VAS employees assisting veterans in the preparation and presentation of claims for benefits, please pass any additional information to Mr.Daugherty at the address below.
Michael G. Daugherty
Staff Attorney
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of General Counsel (022G2)
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420
Putt-Putt added to Millstone Complex offerings
When I first moved to Hope Mills a few years ago, I saw that there were great parks and activities for families and young kids, but I wondered what was there for teens and young adults?
With the addition of Putt-Putt Golf & Games, the Millstone Complex now offers a number of things for teens, young adults and families.
Work started on the Millstone Complex in late 2008. The Millstone Theater opened in October of 2009. With stadium seating, cushioned rocking seats, a loyalty program (I have received about 10 free tickets in 1 year), reasonable concession prices a professional and courteous staff, the Millstone Theater has evolved into my favorite place to see a movie in the area.
In the year since the Millstone Theater opened, several new offerings compliment the theater nicely – Village Café & Coffee, which offers sandwiches, other light food and all the typical coffee house offerings; Ichiban Express with sushi and other delicious fresh food; and Tuttimelon , the brand’s first frozen yogurt franchise outside of California.
To nicely round out the offerings at the Millstone Complex, last week, Putt-Putt Golf & Games opened. Putt-Putt offers two 18-hole courses, a go-cart track, batting cages, indoor bumper cars and an array of arcade games. Since 1954, Putt-Putt Golf Courses have been designed to challenge serious putters; and the Hope Mills course follows this tradition. Try it for yourself.
An official grand opening is slated for December.
For more information on things to see and do in the region, go to www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com.
Christmas in Americas Hometown
Special happenings are planned throughout the day, including:
* Victorian ornament workshop
* Professional chefs creating gingerbread houses
* a “Tuba Christmas” performed at Hay Street Methodist Church
* Carriage Rides
Take an adventure into Fayetteville’s haunted past!
I love fall and one of my favorite things about this season is Halloween. Not only do I enjoy dressing up, but am drawn to the spookiness of it and there’s no better way to experience the spirit and spirits of Halloween than to go on a haunted hayride! Fayetteville’s annual Historic Hauntings: A Ghastly Ghost Tour is taking place this weekend, October 21-23, and I fully intent to be there! Ghostly re-enactors and story-tellers take the truly brave on a tour of Fayetteville’s most infamous haunted historic sites, including a torch-lit trek through Cross Creek Cemetery where spirits of Confederate Soldiers are known to roam.
Cumberland County Fair
The Cumberland County Fair has officially begun! Crown Coliseum is holding their 20th annual Cumberland County Fair this year running from September 16 to September 26th. They are anticipating more than 45,000 visitors to come and check out the exhibits, contests, rides and food vendors!Tickets are $20 for entry admissions and you receive unlimited rides and more than $25 in coupons for free food and drinks at the fair! What you can expect once you get in is: an interactive petting zoo, a trout fishing pond, the Star Family Circus, Diaper Derby and Parent Olympics, Cape Fear Cheerleading contest, Cumberland County Invitational Step Show and more. Additional events include; two nights of motor cross racing, professional wrestling, two nights of professional bull riding and lots of talented local singers, dancers and karate groups! Phew…now that’s a whole lot of entertainment to handle!
Military and family members get a discount on Sept. 21st!
So come on out to celebrate the 20th annual Cumberland County Fair and all of the fun, exciting things it has to offer this year!
Rolands Dance Studio
I had the BEST date night ever on Friday night! My boyfriend and I went to Roland’s Dance
Studio to learn how to salsa and ballroom dance and had an absolute blast. It costs $10
per person for the night to get group lessons and dance the night away. It’s also a great
way to meet other couples! Sometimes we changed partners so we would learn different
techniques from each person we danced with.
I got to personally dance with Roland himself, and learned that the dance studio has been
in his family for 48 years. Dancing with him was the most magical experience, which words
can’t describe. I felt like I was gliding across the floor so eloquently, when really he
was leading me and doing all of the work!
They have gift certificates available too, which I would recommend getting for someone
who is getting married. My boyfriend and I are going to continue to go back and learn
different kinds of dances and show off our moves when we go to formal events!