CIS of Durham -Insider Sports Marketing teams with S.J.G. partners to promote The Greater NC Pro-Am Summer Basketball League

Triangle – dBusinessNews
July 24, 2008

Community Has a Special Venue for the Summer – Playing with a Purpose

Research Triangle Park – Thanks to Jerry Stackhouse and his S.J.G. partners, a great and entertaining environment for basketball fans has come to Durham! The Greater NC Pro-Am Basketball Summer League (ncproam.com) tipped off on July 3rd and will run until the Tournament Championship game on August 11th. This “Rucker basketball league of the south”, currently being played on the campus of North Carolina Central University, is providing unbelievable excitement for NBA, Duke, UNC, NC State, CIAA and MEAC fans from all over the triangle. Rarely do you have an environment where you can see NBA players, current Duke, UNC, and NC State players playing on the same team twice a week and admission is Free!

Although this event features national and local sports celebrities, the primary focus is the children. The league strives to expose children to unique experiences and create the opportunity for them to interact with national and local athletes. “We have four hours each Tuesday and Thursday where kids not only have the chance to reach for the stars, but to touch them,” said Donyell Bryant the leagues commissioner. Several local organizations are taking advantage of this purpose driven project. We think that this environment is perfect for what we are trying to stress with our “Green Team, a community program for kids interested in the Green Economy” said Nate Udofia, co-Founder of Green Durham. League organizers have been actively reaching out to local community groups like John Avery Boys and Girls club and Communities In Schools of Durham which focuses on dropout prevention. “This summer league is amazing! It includes quite a few professional basketball players who are coming back to our community to inspire kids. It’s another example of how each of us can do one thing to make a difference by using our unique gifts” said Bud Reiter-Lavery, Executive Director Communities in Schools of Durham.

Greater NC Pro-AM is committed to enriching and strengthening the communities in which it serves. As you will soon discover, Greater NC Pro-AM isn’t your ordinary summer league, it takes the game of basketball to a whole new level! Professional athletes, collegiate players and local high school all-stars make up Greater NC Pro-AM teams. And, in addition to bringing current celebrities and next year’s possible draft picks under one roof for the community’s enjoyment, we also provide what we call Grassroots MentoringD professional athletes who have a connection to our community come back to mentor local college players who in turn mentor and motivate area high school athletes.

Contact: Donyell Bryant at (919) 427-6335 (with S.J.G. Greater NC Pro-Am) or Chip Hutchinson (919) 323-3763 with Insider Sports Marketing for more information or questions.

CIS of Wilkes County -More Lunch Buddies needed

By Wilkes Journal-Patriot Staff
July 25, 2008

Communities In Schools (CIS) of Wilkes County needs more volunteers for the Lunch Buddy Program.
Over 60 children in the Wilkes schools are on a waiting list for participation in the program.
This program is serving in all 13 Wilkes elementary schools, serving children in kindergarten through third grade.

In the program, a volunteer has lunch with a child one day each week at school during the child’s lunch period. Volunteers aren’t required to visit the child for lunch on the same day each week.

The program’s purpose is to provide children with positive role models and make a difference in their lives. “Students in the program get to have a special, healthy relationship with an adult “buddy” – a person who will listen to them, talk with them, and laugh with them during their school lunch,” stated a news release.

“If you have the desire to work with a youth in Wilkes County and have the time to spend one lunch period per week to eat with them, we need you to become a Lunch Buddy volunteer,” said Amie Rose, CIS Lunch Buddy coordinator.

People interested are asked to fill out a volunteer form.

A one-hour Lunch Buddy volunteer training and information session is scheduled for noon on Aug. 12. It’s at the CIS office in the school system administration building on Cherry Street, North Wilkesboro.

CIS of Montgomery County – Festival plans moving forward

July 23, 2008

By Tammy Dunn
Montgomery Herald

The Web site is being updated weekly, the children’s activities are being fine-tuned and the vendors are being lined up in anticipation of the third annual Uwharrie Mountain Festival scheduled for Oct. 11 at King’s Mountain Point in the Uwharrie National Forest.

Heather Wallace said the plans are coming along for an expanded field of children’s events with a focus on the environment. Early plans call for hula hoop contest, a crafts area, potato on a spoon race and drawing contest focused on forest objects. Wallace, Communities in Schools coordinator, has teamed with the Partnership for Children to bring a new focus to the children’s events.

Nathan Davis of God’s Country Outfitters plans on bringing a large number of canoes and kayaks to the event for people to try out as well as for use in the scheduled paddling events planned for that day.

Gordon Knowles is overseeing the activities and as usual there is an array of events planned including a trail run, a nature walk, geocaching, orienteering and disc golf.

Kasey Cook of N.C. Wildlife is contacting the N.C. Zoo about a return visit with some of their animals, an event that children found interesting the first year. Cook is also providing a wildlife area from the Wildlife Commission and other interesting items related to wildlife and their habitats.

Riley Beaman is lining up the music for the day and promises that Blue Horizon, a crowd favorite, will be on about midday.

The Lumber Jack competition will be held in the afternoon. That event proved to be very popular last year, and even included some students from Montgomery Community College’s forestry program.

Crystal Cockman of the N.C. LandTrust has the Web site up and going again with listings of events, vendors, directions and contact information. Check out the Web site at uwharriefestival.com or through a link with Montgomery Herald’s Web site.

New to the event this year is a wine tasting tent. Ron Franklin is heading up that area of the festival and already has two vineyards, Rocky River Vineyards out of Midland and Stony Mountain Vineyards out of Albemarle. Tastings will be held and bottles will be available for purchase.

Festival organizers are still searching for volunteers, noting it takes a lot of people to make an event like this happen. Additional vendors are needed as well, said Chris Cagle who is heading up that portion of the festival. Cagle is currently contacting some past vendors and others that will be a good match for the festival. Anyone interested in being a vendor can check the information on the Web site. Vendor spots are $25.

Back again this year is the Mud Club. The Mud Club is for individuals wanting to give the festival a hand and with a donation of $50 they receive a Mud Club tee shirt and an invitation to the night before barbecue and party at Kings Mountain Point. Mud Club members are limited to 100. For more information on volunteering or being a sponsor contact Travis Stewart, Chris Cagle or Marla Coulthard.