OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
DURHAM, NC 27707
JUNE 8, 2007
CONTACT: Sharon Saunders
Judy Womack
(919) 530-6295
NCCU STUDENTS ASSIST THE ORANGE COUNTY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB’S FIRST JUNETEENTH FUND-RAISER
DURHAM, N.C. –– On June 16, the Boys & Girls Club (BGC) of Greater Orange County is throwing a big Juneteenth fund-raiser at Lincoln Center field, 750 Merritt Mill Road from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. North Carolina Central University (NCCU) students and the interim president of the BGC, Dr. Theodore Parrish, hope to raise $15, 000 to underwrite programs of the Chapel Hill chapter plus lend a hand with the start-up of two similar events in Person and Chatham Counties next year.
Five NCCU public health education majors are working on the event. Senior, Crystal Farrington, is assisting in the effort “to improve the quality of life for kids who are in unfortunate situations,” says Farrington. She feels young boys and girls face “real world” problems such as peer pressure, alcohol, drugs and gangs.
Parrish, a semi-retired health education professor at NCCU, says the Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) has 3,700 clubs in the U.S., serving 4.4 million young people between the ages of 6 to 18. The educator says, “less than half North Carolina’s counties have clubs.”
“We need to keep young African-Americans and Hispanics out of trouble and on the right path,” said Parrish. “Nearly 25 per cent of all families live in single parent households, meaning children often go home to empty houses after school.” Parrish believes young boys and girls must have a safe place to go after school and during the summer. He wants to build character, and focus on education for urban and rural youngsters who might join gangs to stave off boredom or who want to feel part of something.
Juneteeth is the oldest known national, black celebration marking the end of slavery in the U.S. The first celebration took place June 19, 1865 in Texas.
The Chapel Hill BGC event is family and kid-friendly. There will be lots of activities such as basketball contests, a spades tourney, food, free games for youngsters, and free health screenings. For more information, contact Ted Parrish at (919) 593-1478 or via e-mail at tparrish@nccu.edu.
An added attraction is a gospel concert with the New Swansilvertones at the Lincoln Center gym from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For concert ticket information, call (919) 358-8004 or (919) 933-0149.
Event sponsors are Orange County BGC; NCCU Department of Public Health Education; NCCU’s TOP-CAT Program; Wachovia Bank; Papa John’s Pizza of Chapel Hill; and the Pines Community Center, Inc. of Chapel Hill.
Famous alumni of the BGCA include former President Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, NY Yankee Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jennifer Lopez, Shaquille O’Neal, Brad Pitt, NY Yankee Alex Rodriguez, Martin Sheen, and Denzel Washington.
Posted By: Jehan Bunch
Monday, June 11th 2007 at 8:25AM
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