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Ornaments in downtown Fayetteville on Nov. 14 signify the beginning of the holidays for the community.
10 A Yuletide Feaste for the ages
A beloved Renaissance-themed dinner theater experience returns, featuring Cumberland Choral Arts
16 ‘Peace, love, and celebration’ on Hay Street
The Rotary Christmas Parade, a Fayetteville tradition that delights children and adults alike, is celebrating 25 years this December .
22
Bringing comfort and peace
FTCC’s Funeral Service Education program paves the way for people to fulfill their calling to serve others in times of grief .
28 Finding ‘sweet spot’ in new job
Fayetteville native Shannon Bell returns and will leverage UNC-Chapel Hill experience to help build and grow Cape Fear Botanical Garden
32 ‘Get in and get involved’
The new head of the United Way of Cumberland County Scott Embry comes back to Fayetteville
COVER PHOTO BY TONY WOOTEN
LOCAL JOURNALISM THANKS
Thank
DECEMBER 2024
Publisher Kyle Villemain
Magazine Editor Valeria Cloës
Editorial Assistant Maydha Devarajan
Contributing Editor Katie Kosma
Intern Trey Nemec
Director of Operation & Sales Talmadge Rogers
Administration & Operations Coordinator Caitlin Malson
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Contributing
Writers
Jaylin Kremer
Bill Horner III
Jami McLaughlin
Claire Mullen
Diane Parfitt
Teri Saylor
Allison Underwood
Mary Zahran
Distribution
Jennifer Baker
Wayne Robinson
Publication
EDITOR'S
TAKE
Finding warmth in the holiday season through restoration, tradition, and care
BY VALERIA CLOËS
With this December CityView magazine, the year is almost to a close . I can’t help but pause and think, “Where has the time gone?” But before I start nostalgically reminiscing on the past year any further, the winter season’s holiday cheer has come knocking on our door .
Our “Home for the Holidays” issue is here! And so are many holiday celebrations observed in different ways in our community .
Bodhi Day, a Buddhist holiday that celebrates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama and his becoming of the Buddha, kicks the month off on Dec . 8 . Nearing the end of December, Yule, the Wiccan and Pagan celebration of the winter solstice, takes place Dec 21, followed by Hanukkah, which begins Dec . 25 — the same day as Christmas — and then Kwanzaa, which starts the following day on Dec 26
Here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, we have events and parades that mark the time to come together at home, however that may look like for you, for the holidays
The beloved Fayetteville tradition of the Yuletide Feaste is back! Huzzah! The Renaissance-style theater performance enjoyed over a delicious dinner makes its return on Dec 14 at Haymount United Methodist Church presented for the first time by the Cumberland Choral Arts
Dec 14 is a big day for our lovely city — that morning, downtown Fayetteville will also be celebrating the silver jubilee of the annual Rotary Christmas Parade A key celebration in our community for 25 years, this year will bring new floats as well as beloved staples to the procession .
The holidays may bring comfort and peace for some, but for others they can spark longing People also may be grieving loved ones lost during holidays past, as the winter holidays, according to the American Heart Association, is a time of increased heart attack deaths During these emotionally activating times, Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Funeral Service Education program trains individuals to help bring comfort and peace during some of the most challenging moments in life, no matter the time of year
Two individuals with deep ties to the area have come home this past year . Shannon Bell became the new director of philanthropy at Cape Fear Botanical Garden in August And Scott Embry is United Way of Cumberland County’s new executive director, kicking off his position earlier this year in April Meet the directors on pages 28 and 32, respectively
Our columnists this month bring you into their homes during the holidays: one shares how the best gifts she’s received aren’t always wrapped; another thinks through whether DIY or outsourcing help for holiday decoration is best; the next shares how military families don’t always get to come home for the season and learns about Hanukkah; and the last offers her choice of the top six books to give as gifts
In addition to the Yuletide Feaste and the Rotary Christmas Parade, December is full of other events, holidaythemed and not Find our monthly To-Do List on page 42
Finally, were you at Cumberland County Schools’ Exhibition Powwow at the Crown Complex or the 28th Annual Veterans Day Parade in downtown Fayetteville? Skip to page 44 and 46 to see if we spotted you
As 2024’s final magazine shows you, the holiday season and being home for the holidays looks and feels different for everyone
We hope this issue can help spark some holiday warmth amid the cold of December
Thank you for reading!
Editor’s note: The CityView November "Giving Issue" magazine incorrectly stated Jeremy Fiebig’s title as Associate Professor of Performing and Fine Arts at Fayetteville State University. Jeremy’s official title is Professor of Theatre. The digital version of the article and magazine issue have been updated with the correct information. CityView apologizes for this error.
Valeria Cloës
Magazine Editor
For comments, questions, feedback, or to submit story ideas, email vcloes@cityviewnc com
SOMEDAY YOU’LL THANK ME
The best Christmas gifts are not always wrapped
BY MARY ZAHRAN
When you think about all the Christmas gifts you have received in your lifetime, which ones mean the most to you? Do you have a piece of jewelry, a set of golf clubs, a family portrait, or a book that you cherish? Or do you cherish a different kind of gift?
I was 6 years old when I received my first unwrapped Christmas gift I woke up early that Christmas morning and went into the living room, expecting to catch Santa placing gifts under the tree Instead, I saw my father putting together the toy kitchen I had put on my wish list Fearing that I would be in trouble for getting up so early, I went back to bed and woke up a few hours later to see my toy kitchen perfectly assembled and waiting for me
I didn’t know it at the time, but my father’s decision to stay up late, possibly losing a night of sleep so that his children would awaken to fully assembled toys, was a precious gift to us . My father worked long and exhausting hours six days a week at his dry cleaning plant, so for him to forgo much-needed sleep was quite a sacrifice More than 60 years have passed since that Christmas morning, and I can still see my dad on the floor with a screwdriver in his hand
My mother gave me two unwrapped gifts on my first Christmas as a married woman The first was a pair of porcelain bells she had been putting on our tree for as long as I could remember . When I was little, I would gently shake the tree’s branches so I could listen to the bells jingle as they rocked slowly back and forth Even now, I shake my tree to listen to them These bells may look fragile, but they have survived decades of ornament abuse
The second gift was a recipe for date nut cake, something my mother made only at Christmas . She got this recipe from neighbors who enjoyed sharing their own recipes I fell in love with this delicious cake, and it has become a holiday treat I look forward to each December
My mother-in-law Lucy also gave me two priceless gifts The first was a fudge recipe from an old issue of Good Housekeeping It took me a while to learn how to mix all
the ingredients and quickly pour them into a buttered pan, but I finally did . From that day on, this fudge became a holiday staple
Lucy also gave me an appreciation for Frank Sinatra’s music, particularly his Christmas music . One December, not long after Lucy died, I was making fudge and was in the crucial stirring and pouring stage when a Sinatra carol came on the radio . I will never know how I managed to finish making the fudge while wiping away tears, but I did Perhaps it was a Christmas miracle
The two greatest gifts I ever received are memories of my children at Christmas I will never forget my older daughter Anne’s first Christmas when she spent the entire day ignoring her new presents and playing with the boxes they came in instead I kept trying to hand her a toy to distract her, but she would put it down and pick up another box . I vowed that the next Christmas I would find a store that sold only empty boxes and do my shopping there
I will also never forget the look on my younger daughter Kathleen’s face as she played with her new dollhouse one Christmas morning As Kathleen gently put the dolls and the furniture in place, she sang “Up on the Housetop,” her favorite carol . Despite having a raspy voice because of a mild cold, she managed to summon her usual enthusiasm and belt out the song Fortunately, we had the foresight to record our daughter on her fourth Christmas so we could revisit her performance not only in our memories but also on video
I have yet to unwrap a gift that has given me better memories or greater pleasure than gifts that had no wrapping I can carry these unwrapped treasures with me wherever I go, and I am certain they will only get better with age
Mary Zahran, who can still whip up a batch of fudge, can be reached at maryzahran@gmail com
PHOTO BY BELINDA FEWINGS ON UNSPLASH
Uniue Uniue
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FAMILY MATTERS
DIY or outsourced: What’s your holiday prep approach?
BY CLAIRE MULLEN
For the past few holiday seasons as I’ve driven all over town from here to there, I’ve noticed more and more immaculately illuminated houses that stand out from the rest These homes are adorned with tasteful Christmas lights, hung perfectly along the entire perimeter of rooftops and even on the steepest of ridges Strings of lights that do not sag, with bulbs that are spaced with exact symmetry
I can pick these professionally lit homes out from a block away Sure enough, as I slow down to admire the next-level precision, I’ll spot a sign in the front yard tactfully left behind by the company that says something like, “Santa’s Elves Professional Holiday Light Installation: 1-800-GIVE-US-ALL-YOUR-MONEY ”
All joking aside, I do recognize the benefits of outsourcing the annual hanging of the outdoor holiday lights Although my husband does take great pride in flipping the switch and seeing the result of an afternoon’s worth of work, risking life and limb while teetering on our tallest ladder in frigid weather to hang our decade-old, buy-one-get-one-free icicle lights that adorn the facade of our home may not be worth it
I imagine that if their services came cheap, he certainly wouldn’t mind a few professionals doing the work while he watches through the window from the comfort of our warm couch He definitely wouldn’t miss the annual weekendafter-Thanksgiving trudge to our dusty attic to pull the plastic tub full of hopelessly tangled strands of lights from the top shelf, the ensuing hour-long untangling session, or the inevitable unplanned trip to Lowe’s when he finds that, at some point in the last 365 days since he last endured this ordeal, the final strand became an electrical dud This is why, for my non-electrical engineer husband, every lighthanging session usually includes a stiff Yuletide cocktail .
Our marriage would benefit from being spared another yearly session of me shouting rapid-fire commands to “BE CAREFUL” from my front-porch rocking chair to my top-rung-of-the-ladder balancing husband Followed by, “You’re going to fall and break your neck and never work another day in your life! But could you actually move that one icicle two centimeters to the left?”
Yes, the idea of sacrificing a large chunk of the holiday budget to set into motion a couple of young bucks pulling up in a box truck, unpacking a load of brand spanking new, on-trend lights, effortlessly distributing them across our rooftop and around our dormers, and hauling them all away on Dec 26 is rather tempting For the right price, our house could legitimately be transformed into a lit-up winter wonderland .
And we wouldn’t have to stop there It’s become pretty easy to outsource most of the preparations that come with the holiday season . If you have the right contacts and the extra funds, everything from holiday grocery shopping, meal prep, gift buying and wrapping, interior decorating, and more can now be done by way of online shopping carts and hired professionals As long as you provide your photo, online holiday card design companies can handle stuffing,
PHOTO BY JULIANA MALTA ON UNSPLASH
labeling, stamping, and mailing off your family’s holiday greeting
If you have $89 95 plus shipping and handling to spare, you can have a fully cooked, ready-to-eat five-pound gourmet baked half-ham delivered to your doorstep all the way from Mukwonago, Wisconsin With a plethora of options for store-bought cookie kits, prefabricated gingerbread houses, and dangerously convenient delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats, you can spend as little time in the kitchen as you’d like during the holiday season It can be a complete Christmas of convenience, if you will . Maybe it’s because of the social media era that so many of us feel pressure to pull off over-thetop, professional-grade holiday preparations when it comes to our home decorations, meals, gifts, and everything else that comes with this time of year Outsourcing can be a great thing if it allows for more quality time with our families and less seasonal stress
But a lot can also be said for simplifying your holiday preparations enough that they remain manageable and joyful — baking an easy recipe for sugar cookies as a family on a cozy Sunday afternoon, decorating the single tree in your home yourselves with a hodgepodge of ornaments passed down through generations or made out of dried macaroni by preschoolers, gathering in the kitchen with your adult siblings on Christmas Eve to put the finishing touches on traditional homemade family recipes, and yes, even working as a husbandand-wife team to hang old icicle lights across the front porch
We still haven’t quite found the sheer joyfulness in that last one yet, but we intend to try again next year
A Christmas Tour of Homes
Presented by Heritage Square Historical Society of Fayetteville, NC
Sunday, December 8, 2024 ~ 1:00 - 5:00 pm
$25 Donation — For more information, call 910-818-3723
All proceeds go to the preservation of Heritage Square Historical Society
Holiday Vibes Light up Downtown Fayetteville
Claire Mullen can be reached at clairejlmullen@gmail
a Yuletide Feaste For the ages
A beloved Renaissance-themed dinner theater experience returns for the first time since 2022 in celebration of the holiday season, featuring Cumberland Choral Arts
BY ALLISON UNDERWOOD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY WOOTEN
AAs the holiday season nears in our community, downtown springs to life with festive wreaths and twinkly lights lining the streets People begin their gift shopping, and the holiday spirit sparks in us all Old traditions join with new ones, and some traditions rise from the ashes to start again One of those traditions is the beloved Yuletide Feaste
This year, a new group of performers and singers will present the long-awaited fundraising event with a fresh perspective . Once an inevitable celebration presented by the Methodist University Chorale, the participants of Yuletide Feaste, some old and new, find themselves once again dusting off their period costumes, rehearsing their lines, and preparing for one of the most anticipated nights of the season
Old traditions become anew
Cumberland Choral Arts is gearing up for its first year presenting the Yuletide Feaste, a Renaissance-style banquet, where they’ll perform Christmas carols while the Cross Creek Chorale plays the royal court of Queen Elizabeth in a theater-style dinner .
The event involves a lavishly catered meal, fanciful attire, and an extravagant theatrical experience to entertain guests as they dine . Attendees will witness the court of Queen Elizabeth as special guests to her holiday feast through entertaining dialogue, quips, and caroling In the hands of the CCA and CCC, Yuletide Feaste returns as it was originally presented for over 10 years by the Methodist University Chorale
After Michael Martin, artistic director of Cumberland Choral Arts, spent his first four years as the director of choral activities at Methodist University assisting in the growth of the music department, he decided that he wanted to do something special for the students of the
Methodist University Chorale as the 2011 holiday season approached
“I floated the idea by the students, ‘How would you guys like to do a madrigal feast?’” Michael explained
A madrigal feast, seen often in high school and college settings, according to Michael, is a Renaissance-themed dinner theater event The event often occurs around the Christmas season and involves a multi-course meal, singing, and entertainment .
Michael said the students were thrilled with the idea, hitting the ground running with plans for the event It helped that Michael was no stranger to the planning of collegiate madrigal feasts
While a graduate student at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, in 2004, Michael participated in Yuletide Feaste when C M Shearer, director of choral activities, brought the tradition to the university Michael said C M was very supportive of the idea when Michael asked his permission to use his original script
“Oh, he was thrilled,” Michael expressed with pride
Pulling inspiration from C .M ’s original script with the help of the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, now the Cumberland Choral Arts, with costume and prop design, the Methodist University Chorale brought the tradition of Yuletide Feaste to Cumberland County in 2011
Longtime Feaste participant, Elizabeth Wise, a graduate of Methodist University and former member of Methodist University Chorale, said Yuletide Feaste was what marked the beginning of her Christmas season each year And she was more than just involved — she was the queen herself .
“It is different for each person who decides to be Queen Elizabeth I think we all pretty much always decide we’re going to do a fake British accent,” Elizabeth said, laughing at the memory
Maj. Curtis Kinzey, Cross Creek Chorale's director, conducts the combined Cumberland Choral Arts and Cross Creek Chorale as they rehearse for the upcoming Yuletide Feaste at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
Elizabeth, now a member of CCA since graduating from Methodist University in 2017, said being involved with Yuletide Feaste again is a joy .
“It’s really a beautiful thing that we’re going to be able to bring this back to the community for Christmas,” Elizabeth said .
Arts from the ashes
Yuletide Feaste returns this year for the first time since 2022, after a period of uncertainty surrounding the beloved event
In December 2023, students and faculty at Methodist University were at a loss for words when the school cut its fine arts and music programs, ending not only the traditional Yuletide Feaste but the Methodist University Chorale — replaced by the CCA and CCC in this year’s Feaste — itself This came as a shock for Michael, as the music department and the 12-year-long tradition of Yuletide Feaste were everything he knew and loved
The challenge of sustaining the arts in schools is not a new concept for many educational institutions across the country In 2021, in the wake of Covid-19, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences developed a report titled “Art for Life’s Sake: The Case for Arts Education,” as a “call to action” for support of the arts in schools
Elizabeth Wise, longtime Yuletide Feaste participant, shows various props to Maj. Kinzey.
Michael Martin, artistic director of Cumberland Choral Arts, conducts the choir in a Yuletide Feaste rehearsal Nov. 18.
The report explains that, while 83% of Americans favor funding for arts education, there has been a significant decrease in bachelor’s degrees earned in art education from 1,800 in 2000 to just over 800 in 2019
Michael expressed that as a casualty of the under-appreciation of arts in society, he finds the support of events like Yuletide Feaste even more vital at this time .
“The truth of the matter is that it’s the arts that make us human,” Michael expressed . “They help us understand beauty They help us understand ourselves ”
Michael said his hope is that by bringing more arts into the community through events like Yuletide Feaste, the interest will trickle down to schools and universities, emphasizing the importance of the arts for generations to come .
Bringing Christmas cheer to the community
Despite the adversity it has faced, Yuletide Feaste has been a tradition that has brought Christmas cheer to the community for many years Michael said one of his favorite traditions of Yuletide Feastes past was rounding out dress rehearsals by performing for local assisted living facilities . One such facility once housed the former Methodist University president, Elton Hendricks
“I was so thrilled that he was there to see the piece because he was no longer the president when we started doing Feaste,” Michael explained . He said performing for the residents was always an emotional and eyeopening experience for his students as many of the residents missed out on Christmas traditions while living in the facility .
Michael said this has always been the goal of Yuletide Feaste for him and his fellow participants: to bring joy and Christmas cheer to all who yearn for it
“It’s really one of the joys that I have to present something that makes people laugh and smile,” Michael said
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Elizabeth
Jae Won Kim, concert pianist, accompanies the combined chorale during rehearsal.
Elizabeth presents a costume to Seth Elijah Pennix.
inspects tapestries.
Members of the combined Cumberland Choral Arts and Cross Creek Chorale rehearse for the upcoming Yuletide Feaste.
Yuletide Feaste is open to any and all, and Michael said attendees can expect humorous jokes, delicious food, and wonderful holiday moments Carols will be sung by the queen’s court as food is served, the queen will arrive in style surrounded by celebratory horns, and guests will be able to observe the introduction of lords and ladies as they dine
Michael said the carols sung are a great array of songs from the Renaissance era as well as some more modern titles Before the court bids their guests adieu, Silent Night will round out the evening with the lights turned down low and both guests and performers caroling together Michael said it’s this moment that means the most to him
“The arrangement for Silent Night is from my mother’s old carol book from when I was growing up,” Michael explained, “and it always makes me think of her ”
From a tradition made anew by a hopeful choral activities director in 2011 to meaningful moments of beloved carols sung from a cherished book, traditions remain the foundation of the Yuletide Feaste . And when a tradition dating back as far as the 1400s still grasps the wonder and curiosity of those today, that’s when you know its magic can never be contained .
The details
Cumberland Choral Arts’ Yuletide Feaste will be held at 7:30 p m Dec 14 at Haymount United Methodist Church with doors opening at 7 p .m . Meal options will include a chicken and vegetarian option plated individually for each guest and served in coordination with the script of the Yuletide Feaste performance .
Ticket sales information yet to be announced Tickets will be $50 until Dec 2 Proceeds from the event will support Cumberland Choral Arts, Cross Creek Chorale, and the Campbellton Youth Chorus
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allison Underwood is a Fayetteville native who graduated from East Carolina University in 2022 with a degree in journalism During her time at ECU, Allison was a writer and an editor for two university magazines and was featured in Countenance magazine
‘Peace, love, and celebration’ on Hay Street
The Rotary Christmas Parade, a Fayetteville tradition that delights children and adults alike, is celebrating 25 years this December.
BY JAMI MCLAUGHLIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHARILYN WELLS
FFor 25 years, the Rotary Christmas Parade has dazzled thousands of residents and visitors downtown with Christmas-themed floats, decorated cars, dance troops, scouts, bands, and even the big man himself — Santa!
The Rotary Christmas Parade will take place at 10 a m on Dec . 14, hosted by the Rotary Club of Fayetteville .
The Rotary Club of Fayetteville is a part of Rotary International, a global network of people who work together to improve their communities and the world with a mission to provide service to others, according to the Rotary Club website The Rotary Club serves the community through the annual coordination of the Fayetteville Christmas Parade and helps fund local projects and programs that improve the quality of life in our community
Rotarian Brandon Price, who also serves as the CEO of the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity, has organized the parade for four years
“When the City of Fayetteville stopped organizing it in 1999, the Rotary Club decided to take it on, and this will be our 25th year of the Rotary Christmas Parade,” Brandon said .
With a history of large red and green commercial floats, classic cars, and homemade floats with gingerbread houses complete with smoking chimneys and rotating, lit Christmas trees, the Rotary Christmas Parade is going to add several new floats this year, according to Brandon
“I’ll let them be a surprise,” Brandon said
The Fayetteville Rotary Club was formed in Fayetteville in 1920 and has weekly meetings to discuss serving the community and determine projects at Highland Country Club
According to current Rotary Club President and Public Works Commission Chief Customer Officer Carolyn JusticeHinson, three area clubs, including Fayetteville Rotary, West Fayetteville Rotary, and LaFayette Rotary, all merged in 2019 to form one club
“The parade is our club’s annual gift to our community,” Carolyn said “The mission of Rotary is to promote peace, goodwill, and understanding through service to others Each year, we are so proud and excited to put on the parade I can’t think of a better way to fulfill our mission than continuing this beloved Fayetteville tradition that brings our community together to celebrate Christmas ”
With the joy of the season, Brandon said that organizing the parade is one of the club’s services to the community each year
“We do all of this for free as our service to the community,” Brandon said “Participants have to pay to be in the parade but the crowd gets to come and simply enjoy the show This is one of the ways we serve Leaders in the community coming together for a greater purpose — to serve ”
It is our goal to put on a parade that people, and especially children, will enjoy and bring people into the downtown area.
— Matthew Smith Cape Fear High School's Colorguard marched through the 2022 Rotary Christmas Parade.
He said the parade is the one time where “the entire city, all demographics, come together to celebrate the holidays with peace, love, and celebration,” experiencing growth from 50 floats in the first parade they put together in 1999 to over 120 entries in the last several years
“People from all walks of life — the haves, the havenots, blue collar, white collar, no collar,” Brandon said . “Everyone just comes together singing and dancing and enjoying the true spirit of Christmas ”
One of his favorite memories included a heartwarming moment captured in a photo where a little boy received a fist bump from one of the Jeep drivers driving the parade route .
“That photo by photographer Kres Thomas is up in my office as a reminder of the beautiful world we live in,” Brandon said . “It was just pure joy and love between two people ”
Founding organizer Matthew M Smith Jr said he was listening to the radio 25 years ago when the DJ was talking about the City of Fayetteville giving up the Christmas parade and they were looking for someone to take over the responsibility .
“After hearing on the radio that the city would no longer sponsor the parade I went and talked to the city to find out more about what was involved and/or needed,”
Matthew said
He had a meeting with the city and prayed about it before asking the Fayetteville Rotary Club if they would be willing to take on the parade as a civic project
“The Rotary Club agreed and the wheels began to turn,” Matthew said
He had fond memories of the Christmas parade growing up, Matthew said, and wanted to keep the tradition alive for the community
“When I was a child, my dad had a furniture store at 325 Hay St that had large windows on the front of the building,” Matthew said “Every year at Christmas time, my family would go up to the second floor, raise the windows, and watch and listen to the Christmas parade At that time the parade was put on by local merchants/Chamber of Commerce and later the City [of Fayetteville] . It was a joyful time for all ”
He said as it moved forward, Johnson Chestnutt, a member of the West Fayetteville Rotary Club and a friend, asked if he could help And the 25-year project began
“In the second year of the project, Johnson’s daughter Pam joined us,” Matthew said .
Pamela Chan, or “Pam,” organized the parade for 13 years starting in 2005, following in her long-time Rotarian stepfather Johnson’s footsteps, along with Matthew .
“Since the beginning, it was always Matt Smith and my stepdad Johnson Chestnutt that organized it every year for the Rotary, and the Rotarians from the three clubs volunteered at different areas on the day of the parade,” Pamela said “It was always the second Saturday after Thanksgiving . ”
The date now fluctuates on Saturdays in December, but the premise remains the same: to provide joy to the community, especially for children .
“The Christmas Parade was founded with Fayetteville’s children in mind, whether there were 9 or 99,” Matthew said . “With all the talk about spaceships and trips to the moon, we were privileged to have a homegrown
Brandon Price of the Rotary Club of Fayetteville
Founding organizer Matthew M. Smith Jr. at the 2009 parade.
astronaut, Curtis Brown, from Elizabethtown as our first Grand Marshal for the 2000 Parade To stay in line for the younger children, in 2001, Mr McFeely of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was Grand Marshal, followed by Astronaut Bill McArthur of Red Springs ”
He said in other years they had Bugs Bunny, Sylvester the Cat, Daffy Duck, SpongeBob SquarePants, the Rugrats, Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, Fred Flintstone, and Yogi Bear
“One of the most popular, which appeared in three Christmas parades over the years was the Carolina Garrison of the Fighting 501st Legion of Stormtroopers, a fan-based Star Wars costuming club,” Matthew said
Pamela said that the parade had once been sponsored by a local television station and they would help pay for the person honored as grand marshal and leading off the parade The grand marshal was typically a character who made appearances in television, movies, or other entertainment The 2024 Grand Marshals are Stanley T Wearden, MU's president, and CFVHS's Chief Medical Officer Dr Sam Fleishman, representing the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine But parade organizers decided to have Santa be the star at the end
“Every high school was required to be in the parade,” Pamela said “We would always have a couple of Rotary groups that did their fundraising by performing in parades including a pirate group with a boat, hillbillies that rode in a Beverly Hillbillies truck, a group in a limo that would do skits, and a group in the little go-karts ”
Matthew said all of the high school bands are still invited to participate in the parade and they do so
They have also had beauty pageant winners, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, dance troops, organizations such as the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, the City of Fayetteville police and fire departments, area radio stations, horses, homemade floats that competed for best float, and a lot of nonprofit participants, according to Pamela
“We ordered the commercial floats for some of our sponsors, and the children selected from the Cumberland County Schools would ride on those,” Pamela said “Matt organized that part every year ”
And, of course, Santa is the premier attraction at the end of the parade Per parade rules, no other float or entry can have anyone dressed as Santa to help preserve Christmas
In 2022's
Rotary Christmas Parade, the Cape Fear High School's Marching Colts were one of roughly 70 parade entries that included bands, dance groups, motorcycles, and horses.
In addition to adults and children watching the parade, many bring their pets, too.
Miss North Carolina's 2022 Outstanding Teen Kerrigan Brown participated in the 2022 Rotary Christmas Parade procession.
Star Wars character Kit Fisto interacts with parade watchers in the 2022 parade.
magic for the end — although there are plenty of Frozen characters, elves, Grinches, reindeer, snowmen, and more along the way
“We want to build up for the anticipation of seeing him and Mrs . Claus on the last float,” Brandon said . “We’ve also had amazing crowd favorites like the Shriners Go Karts, the E E Smith Band, Douglas Byrd Band, and several others that draw a big crowd reaction . ”
Matthew said having Santa and Mrs Claus at the end of the parade helps signal the parade is over and for children to know that Christmas is around the corner .
“It is our goal to put on a parade that people, and especially children, will enjoy and bring people into the downtown area,” Matthew said .
Brandon hopes the parade continues for years to come, bringing Christmas delight to Fayetteville
“I have been honored to serve alongside Matthew Smith, as this parade has been coordinated and organized by him and his family throughout the 25 years,” Brandon said “The work he has done for our Rotary Club and this city should not be unsung He looks forward to it every year and as long as he will allow me to, I’ll continue to pull on him for his wisdom and direction ”
He hopes that the Rotary Club will also continue to add to the parade and events downtown to help the city continue to be a place where people want to live and grow their families
“Our Rotary Club is blessed to partner with the City of Fayetteville in getting this done,” Brandon said “It’s fun to see everyone downtown for a few hours enjoying themselves . ”
For those interested in attending, bring your lawn chairs and blankets and come early to grab some hot cocoa from one of the many coffee shops downtown .
The parade route goes from the Cumberland County Courthouse on Person Street to the Fayetteville Railroad Station on Hay Street For more information, visit rotarychristmasparade com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jami McLaughlin writes features for CityView magazine Jami can be contacted at jmclaughlin@ cityviewnc com
Santa and Mrs. Claus are the premier attraction at the end of the Rotary Christmas Parade.
EDUCATION
BRINGING COMFORT AND PEACE
FTCC’s Funeral Service Education program paves the way for people to fulfill their calling to serve others in times of grief
BY TERI SAYLOR | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY WOOTEN
Student Alexis Bab, Instructor David Brooks, student Asya Ellis, Instructor Trey Herring, and FTCC's Funeral Service Education Department Chair James Bullard stand in the corridor of the department.
T‘Tis the season for gathering with friends and family to share a meal and exchange gifts .
But the holiday season also brings bittersweet memories for those who are reflecting on loved ones no longer collected around the table or opening presents under the Christmas tree
Everyone will be touched at one point by the death of parents, siblings, and friends, and often the pain and sorrow can be softened with a loving funeral service delivered by kind funeral directors who ease death’s burdens and foster warm memories .
Fayetteville Technical Community College is the gold standard for funeral service education in North Carolina, offering the only American Board of Funeral Service Education accredited program in the state The program, launched in 1974, is celebrating its golden anniversary this year . Over the years, about 1,400 students have graduated through the program, according to department chair James Bullard
Nicole Henderson, 37, of Hope Mills had always wanted to be a nurse, but life got in the way and she didn’t complete her education When her mother developed cancer, she fell into the role of caregiver and realized nursing wasn’t the job for her after all Instead, she pursued a different calling and set her sights on becoming a funeral director .
to gather their loved one, and I wanted to be the last interaction they have when the funeral is over . ”
She enrolled in FTCC’s program and received both a diploma and an associate degree in applied science in funeral service . She was licensed on June 14, 2023, through the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service
FTCC has partnered with other community colleges across the state to expand the opportunities for students pursuing a funeral service education degree One of its most recent partnerships is with Brunswick Community College, having signed an agreement in September . Students will begin taking classes in 2025
Brunswick Community College is the sixth college to partner with FTCC’s Funeral Service Education program . Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Vance-Granville, and Wayne community colleges also offer coursework through FTCC, according to Catherine Pritchard, executive director of marketing and communications
Most coursework is offered online, and the three lab courses requiring in-person training provide students with the flexibility to meet those requirements without excessive travel
“Students can do their work-based learning at local funeral homes in their community or travel to our campus to complete lab hours for those courses,” said Sharon Gallagher, the dean of FTCC’s Funeral Service Education program .
I’ve seen the emotional aspects of what the families go through at that time, and I like to work with them to make it as easy for them as possible, from the disposition of their loved one’s remains to the kind of funeral service they want .
— James Bullard, FTCC Funeral Service Education Department
“I knew I wanted to be in a servant’s position in some form or fashion, and I was interested in the death industry,” she said “The more I thought about it and prayed about it, the more it became clear to me that this is what I was meant to be doing ”
Nicole was living in Alabama at the time and took a job as a receptionist at White Chapel-Greenwood Funeral Home in Montgomery It was rewarding but something was missing — she wanted to have contact with grieving families and participate in caring for the decedents and helping with their funerals
Her family moved to Hope Mills in 2017, and she began working as a funeral attendant at Reeves Funeral Home . It was a step in the right direction
“Working as an attendant meant I got to help with funerals and with visitations and facilitate the removal of bodies from hospitals or in families’ homes and have real interactions with the clients we serve,” Nicole said “I wanted to be the first face the family sees when I arrive
James Bullard, 56, was an emergency medical technician for 36 years, but providing mortuary services had always been his long-term career goal He completed FTCC’s funeral director program, became licensed in 2007, and has worked part time at Butler Funeral Home of Roseboro and Stedman for nearly 20 years He views his work as a calling
“I’ve seen people come into this world as babies, and I’ve seen them pass away in front of my eyes,” James said “I’ve seen the emotional aspects of what the families go through at that time, and I like to work with them to make it as easy for them as possible, from the disposition of their loved one’s remains to the kind of funeral service they want ”
Teaching is his way of giving back
The Funeral Service Education curriculum teaches students basic funeral service skills In addition to general education courses, the program offers technical courses such as human anatomy, embalming theory and practice, embalming chemistry, restorative arts, funeral law, and funeral home operations
When James introduces visitors and students to the program, he ushers them into a simulated funeral home stocked with a variety of caskets and mannequins for practicing reconstructive modeling of decedents, necessary for staging viewings . A small lab filled with embalming equipment and chemicals is where students learn real-life embalming skills, with donated human remains as part of their clinical instruction .
Important to FTCC’s funeral service education curriculum is the Anatomical Gifts Program, which accepts whole-body donations from families or the deceased who wish to contribute to educating future funeral directors
“When people call about the donation program, we explain the full purpose of the donation, we make certain they understand that once they come here, we will treat their loved ones just like the funeral home when we take them into our care,” James said
According to the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association, funeral service providers make up a $20 billion industry across the United States It’s also a growing profession The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 4% growth rate between now and 2033 .
Trey discusses the embalming process.
A diagram of the venous system serves as a reference for students during class.
Asya listens as David, FTCC's Funeral Service Education Program Instructor, shares how restorative art training prepared him for the burial process of a former classmate.
The N .C Board of Funeral Service, established in 1901, oversees 758 funeral establishments, 903 funeral directors, 1,819 funeral service licensees, and 136 crematoriums
Amanda Fogle, 37, of Fayetteville is a former law enforcement officer who hails from the Chicago area Her grandmother’s death from a brain tumor marked a career turning point .
“When grandma died in 1994, my family didn’t want me to see her in the hospital,” she said “But when I attended her funeral service, I did see her, and she looked like grandma, and that’s when I decided I wanted to do what the funeral directors did to make her look like we remembered her ”
Amanda admits her family feels uncomfortable with her choice and would prefer her to continue her career as a first responder She believes they will shift their perspective over time
“I just tell them that I have been a first responder in the past, and now I am going to be a last responder,” she said
The State Board of Funeral Service of North Carolina requires that an individual serve a 12-month apprenticeship or resident traineeship at a licensed North Carolina funeral establishment (funeral home) before being eligible for licensure
Ian Wall of Lexington is an embalming apprentice with Burroughs Chapel Funeral Home in Lexington, North Carolina, fulfilling a calling he felt at the age of 7 when his great-grandmother died .
“I remember being very curious about how the funeral home operated,” he said “In 2016 I lost my sister, and that’s when my desire to get involved in funeral services took hold ”
In 2022, Ian enrolled in FTCC’s funeral service education diploma program and started working at Davidson Funeral Home as an apprentice He began another apprenticeship at Burroughs in 2023 It holds special meaning for him because it is the same funeral home that handled his sister’s arrangements He is also a certified crematory operator and is working toward getting his funeral service education associate degree .
Ian, 38, works part time at the funeral home, balancing his duties there with his family and his full-time job as an engineer at Collins Aerospace . He’d like to own a funeral home someday
“I’m very busy as you can imagine,” he said “But I love
knowing I made a tragic experience a little easier for a family if I was able to comfort them in a small way or remove some of their burdens ”
During the holidays, those burdens can seem a little heavier
Nicole, who has lost both her parents and several friends, sees her role as a way of paying it forward and sharing her clients’ grief She understands that planning a funeral during the holiday season can be especially poignant
“They are experiencing a time when they think they are supposed to be joyful, but they are also dealing with loss and that makes it hard to be happy,” she said “There have been times that I have sat at the table with those families and cried right along with them ”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Teri Saylor is a freelance writer based in Raleigh
Students Asya and Alexis listen as James Bullard discusses casket material options. Opposite, urns and vaults are on display in the FTCC Funeral Service Education classroom.
MEET THE DIRECTORS
Finding ‘sweet spot’ in new job
Fayetteville native Shannon Bell returns and will leverage UNC-Chapel Hill experience to help build and grow Cape Fear Botanical Garden
BY BILL HORNER III | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHARILYN WELLS
WWhen she steps outside her office and onto the grounds of the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Shannon Bell instinctively sees beyond the beauty surrounding her .
She sees possibility
Of course, she notices the garden’s abundant flora She revels when a school bus pulls up to deliver students for a field trip, or when first-time visitors marvel at the property when attending an event But in her new role as CFBG’s director of philanthropy, and as someone who’s spent the last decade in development and fundraising, Shannon can’t help but point out what may not be evident to the casual observer
“Only 27 of the 80 acres here are developed,” she said “The opportunities are truly endless ”
environs Shannon’s role focuses on possibilities of all kinds: initiatives related to transformational gifts, naming opportunities at the CFBG, and other vehicles philanthropists and large donors might use to support the work there
ALL IN FOR FAYETTEVILLE:
Both of Shannon Bell’s parents, along with a grandfather (Edward E. Hood) and a greatgrandmother (Edna Parker), have been business owners in Fayetteville. Among those were the Parker’s Cleaners locations in Hope Mills and Fayetteville. Shannon’s father, Ed E. Hood Jr., is retired, and her mother, Wendy Carroll, is a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker.
CFBG, founded in 1989, sits within a wooded, triangularshaped parcel of land two miles from downtown Fayetteville It’s a breathtaking space, bordered in part by the Cape Fear River and Cross Creek, and is a home for environmental education opportunities, classroom programs, and field trips The garden also hosts special projects that include standalone events, a variety of camps, and therapeutic horticulture workshops
The nonprofit’s mission, according to its website, “is to transform people’s relationship with plants” and nature — easy to envision, given the inspiring and peaceful
“Our education and horticulture teams create meaningful connections between science, technology, engineering, art, math, and overall wellness,” she said “We’re excited to share more of that so our donors understand how meaningful their investment is to our members and visitors and, ultimately, our community in Fayetteville ”
When Shannon, 43, began her new position in August, she wasn’t a stranger to CFBG She was born in Fayetteville and, after a family move to Bladen County during high school, came back to get a transfer degree at Fayetteville Technical Community College
But her professional road mostly centered around Chapel Hill and the campus of the University of North Carolina, where she’d graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public policy Before coming to CFBG, more than seven of Shannon’s 10 years in fundraising work (she previously worked in the legal field) were with UNC-Chapel Hill She came, then left, the university’s development team three times altogether, taking
Shannon Bell is the new director of philanthropy at Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
Shannon with Meg Suraci, CFBG's development and membership manager
increasingly higher positions in university development or financial support
In professional fundraising, Shannon explains that career advancement often means “moving up and out”; for her, that cycle put her on a circuitous route UNC-CH was its fulcrum Her second stint returning her to the large development team at UNC-CH coincided with the start of the university’s ambitious “Campaign for Carolina,” a $4 25-billion project that kicked off in October 2017 Five years later, the campaign surpassed $5 billion, its 215,000 donors helping to make UNC-CH one of just six public universities to hit that milestone Shannon was there for most of that success before leaving to work as a consultant and at a fundraising consulting firm, and then at the University of Virginia
Finding a ‘sweet spot’
In the spring of 2023, she was recruited back to Chapel Hill, this time in a director of development position, leading strategic fundraising efforts for four Academic and Community Engagement Centers at UNC-CH The lure of UNC-CH, she admits, was the power of the school’s community and tradition — and her unyielding belief in quality education
As a frontline fundraiser, education is a big part of the arc that brought Shannon back home and to CFBG this past summer And while the recipient of funds she raises and the location may have changed, one aspect hasn’t: The fruit of her work builds educational and artistic programming
“In terms of trajectory and the nonprofit work, it really all comes back to that every time,” she said “When I really think about it, what I value most as a professional, and the impact I want to make, is through grassroots efforts in small communities — and bringing people together for a
meaningful cause That’s my sweet spot . It’s where I prefer to be ”
Shannon is particularly honored to be a part of the CFBG in this post-Covid-19 world “where there’s extra emphasis,” she said, “on spending time outdoors, and overall wellness ”
Her move was perfectly timed . Shannon and her family were splitting time anyway between Fayetteville and their primary home in Chapel Hill; a year and a half ago, Shannon’s husband, Omar, accepted a position as vice chancellor for advancement at Fayetteville State University (The couple has three children — a 21-year-old daughter, 14-year-old son, and 10-year-old daughter .)
Theirs is a fundraising family, she points out Omar’s father, Ulysses Bell, has worked in development at a number of colleges and now is a part of Elizabeth State University’s planned giving staff
“My heart truly wants to make a difference in the community and that comes from my family values and roots in Fayetteville,” she said “We believe in taking care of family and community, and my husband’s family does too ”
UNC-CH gave Shannon a rigorous education and a place to learn and practice philanthropic work In her hometown’s botanical garden, she’s poised to bloom
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Former CityView Executive Editor Bill Horner III, who served as publisher and editor of newspapers in Sanford and Chatham County, is working on his first book . His column on rural North Carolina debuts in Business NC magazine in January
‘Get in and get involved’
The new head of the United Way of Cumberland County Scott Embry comes back to Fayetteville — and to relationships he established during an earlier career here
BY BILL HORNER III | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHARILYN WELLS
SSeven years after he moved away from Fayetteville, Scott Embry returned, in part, simply because he loves the city
“People tell me, ‘You know, I don’t hear a lot of people say that,’” he said . “‘Well, you just haven’t tried it . You haven’t tried to get in and get involved — because if that’s important to you, this is a great market to do that ’”
Scott’s new role as executive director of the United Way of Cumberland County represents more than just a chance to make a difference in his former (and now new again) hometown . It’s also a significant career shift .
The Bowling Green, Kentucky, native has worked in newspaper advertising sales since 2001; he led sales staffs at newspapers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, and Tennessee A notable stop — nearly four years, from early 2013 until late 2016 — was as director of advertising at The Fayetteville Observer.
He loved the work In a lifetime of newspapering, though, he’d watched with dismay as the print newspaper industry’s business model changed and teetered, likening the challenge to “changing the tires on a car while driving 60 miles an hour down the highway ”
“I love journalism, and I believe in journalism, and I love that I funded journalism,” Scott, 48, said . He even describes the work as his “heartbeat ” But earlier this year, after seeing so many local newspapers “gobbled up” and the organizations he worked for “losing sight of community,” he pondered a change
Community minded
Scott, then working as regional ad director for Tennessee-based Adams Publishing Group — which has more than 130 daily and non-daily newspapers, including 19 in North Carolina — considered his options The top executive position at the United Way here was open, and he inquired .
The look into the job was “part curiosity” — he remembered people in Fayetteville as genuine, and he’d remained in touch with some work, church, and community friends — and “part interest ” After an initial search committee interview, Scott looked back at old tax returns to confirm his recollection that he’d consistently supported the United Way, which works in communities by mobilizing a single fundraising campaign to raise money for local nonprofits .
But there was something else, a niggling worry: Despite a connection to Cumberland County and that familiarity with the United Way, he’d never worked in a nonprofit — and he’d certainly never led one
So during a second interview, Scott got frank
“Listen,” he told his potential employers, “if you’re looking for an experienced executive director, I don’t even know what that might look like ” If the job was about answering calls and filling out applications, he reasoned, then he probably wasn’t the best fit
“But I told them if you need someone who is willing
I think people are really interested in connecting to the work we’re doing .
— Scott Embry
Scott Embry is United Way of Cumberland County's new executive director.
to be the face of this organization, someone who values relationships more than anything else, and wants to connect to the community,” he said, “then I’d like to continue this conversation . This is what I see I know what I am and am not, but if this is what you’re looking for …”
It was
The fit feels natural The Fayetteville Observer had a partnership with the United Way when Scott worked there, and he recalled several meetings he’d had with former executive director Robert Hines, who retired in 2020 after 16 years leading the organization
That’s part of what drew Scott back
“I just had a lot of respect for the way Robert approached the business of the United Way,” he said . “He was so community-minded . ”
An ‘excellent brand’
ALL IN FOR FAYETTEVILLE:
Scott Embry and his wife, Misty — also a Kentucky native — have even more reason now to love the city. The couple’s daughter, Savannah, and her husband Jared Keene live in Fayetteville, too, serving as student pastors at First Church. Scott and Misty’s son, Luke, is a senior at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.
So if it wasn’t a role he initially envisioned, Scott quickly recognized something about himself: “You know, I like to know what’s going on,” he said . “I like to have some influence I want to be able to help where I can help ”
The United Way’s mission is to strategically raise and invest resources to improve the human service and health needs in Cumberland County As part of the worldwide organization, Cumberland’s United Way, through ongoing fundraising outreach to local businesses and organizations and individuals, provided funding to 27 local programs last year, focusing on health, education, creating financial stability, and basic needs
All told, it allocated $937,241 throughout the community, reaching and impacting more than 171,000 people — half of Cumberland’s population Scott began working in April to build on those numbers, to expand the organization’s capacity; the 2025 campaign will kick off with requests for proposals from United Way-funded agencies sometime in mid-January
“It probably didn’t take me 48 hours before I realized what the United Way of Cumberland County needed more than anything else was strong sales and marketing,” he
Scott meets with United Way teammates Crystal Moore-Williams, community impact director, and Ashlee Pearson, director of development.
said “I just kind of came in and went right back and put my sales hat back on, and started setting appointments to get out and share — to share what I learned about the United Way, what I know to be true about it ”
It wasn’t difficult
“We’re lucky,” he said “We’ve been here for 85 years We’ve got an excellent brand and reputation I think people are really interested in connecting to the work we’re doing ”
So he’s back in Fayetteville — and back in Cumberland building relationships, which he believes is the foundation of the United Way . And as with advertising sales, Scott says the dollars will follow the relationship
Those dollars will help people all over Cumberland County
“I think, for people who are struggling and living through some of the toughest situations they may have ever been in … to have someone willing to be on the ground, working on their behalf … that provides a degree of hope,” he said . “We’re selling hope … We’re working on problems And I believe what we do best is that we live united . We bring together people, resources, and talent to accomplish things … And we bring real resources all the way down to people willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work ”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Former CityView Executive
Editor Bill Horner III, who served as publisher and editor of newspapers in Sanford and Chatham County, is working on his first book
His column on rural North Carolina debuts in Business NC magazine in January
Home for the Holidays directory
Skyline Hair Studio by April Burkes offers ultimate relaxation and luxury hair care. Indulge your senses with an invigorating scalp facial or enjoy a glass of wine while getting a fabulous blowout or an exciting new hair color or cut, all while taking in the breathtaking views of downtown Fayetteville at the top of 225 Green Street. For gift cards and online appointments, visit skylinehairstudionc.glossgenius.com.
What ‘Home for the Holidays’ means to me
BY JAYLIN KREMER
The holidays are a wonderful and magical time of the year for most, but they can be a trying and difficult time for others, especially in the military community Prior to my husband joining the U . S . Army, Christmas was a joyful yet chaotic time full of shopping, planning, and running all over the place, trying to fit in time with all of our friends and families .
Last year was our first Christmas away from everyone we knew, and we thought it would be a nice change of pace It was harder than we anticipated, mainly just a little too quiet Going home for the holidays is not always doable, but we plan to make it happen this year
Being home for the holidays means more than just being there in the physical sense Typically, being surrounded by loved ones is the ultimate goal But there are ways to continue having a meaningful holiday season even if you can’t go home in the traditional sense, giving a new meaning to “home for the holidays ”
I’ve had the opportunity to learn a bit more about something we’ve always tried to include in our “Happy Holidays” greetings, but that I didn’t know much about: Hanukkah I remember growing up and hearing the song Dreidel and I recognized the menorah, but before recently that was all I knew
My wonderful boss, Barbara Rothbeind, and Solomon Wilkoff, an Army medic I was introduced to by my husband, kindly took the time to teach me about Hanukkah, how it’s celebrated, and how it remains a joyful time of celebration, even when it can’t always be spent with their loved ones
I learned a lot I’ll summarize what I took away as the three most important pieces .
First, Hanukkah is more of a celebration or festival than a holiday of a miracle from more than 2,200 ago, according to NPR, where, after rededicating Jerusalem’s Temple, its menorah was lit with a small amount of oil and miraculously stayed lit for eight days
Second, as a result of this, the celebration is eight days long, and, unlike Christmas, does not fall on the same day every year, as it runs on the Jewish calendar
There are ways to continue having a meaningful holiday season even if you can’t go home in the traditional sense, giving a new meaning to ’home for the holidays ’
— Jaylin Kremer
Finally, Hanukkah, aka “The Festival of Lights,” mainly celebrates oil and involves fried foods such as latkes, and the lighting of the candles on the menorah, all to commemorate the religious origins of the celebration
Hanukkah is often a time to be near loved ones, to eat, to pray, and to give gifts Children create lists — much like a list for Santa — referred to as a Hanukkah list
I learned that while the celebration and religious aspect of Hanukkah do not differ much between Barbara and Solomon’s accounts, and while both are not located close enough to family to celebrate with them in person, both have found ways to continue to make the holiday meaningful
Hanukkah display at Barbara Rothbeind's home.
Photo by Barbara Rothbeind
Barbara includes her family in her celebrations by utilizing FaceTime when lighting the candles or opening gifts, and still sends gifts to loved ones She also celebrates with others in her community Her synagogue will often have a gathering on one of the eight nights in which a game, similar to Secret Santa, is played
She reflected on a lot of ways her family has celebrated, such as playing with the dreidel, and I’ve been able to learn a lot more about it than just the song Her favorite part of Hanukkah is the eighth night, when all the candles are lit .
Solomon describes how being in the Army has made celebrating look a little different than before, as he doesn’t typically go home to celebrate Hanukkah He explained that while he’s sure he could return home if he wanted to, as a medic in the Army, relationships with those in his unit are important, and spending time together makes relationships stronger He does still celebrate with his community, and noted buddies from his unit would do things in celebration with him like making latkes . His favorite part of Hanukkah is the music
As much as we loved celebrating the holidays traditionally, this new way of being “home for the holidays” is refreshing, and while different, still enjoyable
Open yourself up to learning about how others celebrate Help them feel at home for the holidays and allow them to return the favor And of course, continue to engage in celebration with your loved ones in your home away from home, if going back isn’t an option
Jaylin Kremer, is a HomeFront columnist for CityView She can be reached at jaykremer95@gmail .com .
The Wonder of the Season
Happy Holidays from PWC
As you hang those decorations that bring such joy, please remember safety first.
F If you have a live tree, keep it well watered.
F If using incandescent lights, take extra care (they’re hot when handled or placed next to other objects), and limit the number of strands you string together. Better yet … use *LEDs –they’re safer (stay cool to the touch), you can string more together, and they last much longer.
F Make sure all lights/electric decorations have the UL seal and outdoor lights are labeled for outdoor use.
F Never use cords that are frayed or damaged.
F Don’t run extension cords in traffic paths or overload sockets.
F When using a ladder, be sure it’s sturdy, securely placed and away from power lines. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
F Unplug decorations before you leave home or go to bed.
*Visit our website for more safety tips, as well as details on earning a bill credit for purchasing holiday LEDs.
Making Spirits Bright PWC is proud to be part of cherished community traditions and festive events. For more than 68 years, we’ve been hanging holiday decorations downtown, and we support the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation’s “Christmas in the Park Powered by PWC” and “Holiday Lights in the Garden” at Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
Books: The gifts that keep on giving
BY DIANE PARFITT
Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them And it’s much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world! — Neil
Books can make wonderful last-minute gifts You can find them at all kinds of stores, and your local bookstore is often open late during the holidays for last-minute shoppers All the books released in the last few months of the year are just waiting to be given as gifts They also make great first-choice gifts, especially for those who are hard to buy for And buying a book that also interests you is a great way to create a connection that you and the recipient can share for months to come I love giving one of my favorite books to a friend so they can join me as part of a two-person book club! If it is a book that is especially meaningful to you, it is certain that they will feel a special connection to you when they read it
1. Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
Sadie is a 34-year-old secret agent, working freelance for the U S government who’s assigned to infiltrate a group of environmental radicals in France Utilizing her seductive skills, she hooks up with Lucian, an old friend of the group’s leader As she becomes more involved in the group, she grows to admire their guru Bruno Alas, Sadie the Seductress may have met her match
2. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
We are introduced to two brothers, estranged for years, who come together at their father’s funeral Peter, a successful lawyer in Dublin, is in his 30s His younger brother Ivan is a 22-year-old competitive chess player . Both have issues with the women in their lives and as they manage their grief, their lives start to intertwine again They find that these changing dynamics may bring them healing — or crush them — in new ways
3. Lazarus Man by Richard Price
In Richard Price’s novel, a five-story tenement in East Harlem collapses in 2008 and the surrounding area descends into chaos At least six people are killed with many others missing Richard tells the story of several of the survivors who are permanently touched by the tragedy — how the neighbors get through their days after the collapse is truly moving
4. To Die For (6:20 Man) by David Baldacci
The 6:20 Man comes back in his third book in David Baldacci’s series Ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine works on clandestine operations for the government, where he has become highly successful at his assigned missions He is asked to accompany a 12-year-old orphan, Besty Odom, to meet with her uncle who is under federal investigation As Travis gets to know Betsy, questions about the death of her parents arise, and he finds himself confronting a conspiracy even bigger than he could imagine
5. The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri
In 1939, with Adolf Hitler in power, Alina Strauss lives a peaceful life working in her uncle’s bookshop She spends time with her friends and her fiancé, and all seems well But once she learns that her birth mother was Jewish, she’s in jeopardy as the Germans invade her village She is forced to work in a state-run baby factory, and “she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program,” according to the book’s blurb Struggling to keep her “secret,” Alina strives to save herself and the children in her care
6. The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Author), John Burgoyne (Illustrator)
What can a shrub teach us about gratitude, reciprocity, and community? The serviceberry, also known as shadblow, shadbush, juneberry, or saskatoon in different areas of the United States, is grown as an ornamental in the spring and admired for its colorful fall foliage Their berries are loved by many species of birds and can also be eaten fresh by humans or baked in pies, canned, or prepared into preserves, jams, or wine Robin Wall Kimmerer is an Indigenous scientist who harvests serviceberries alongside the birds who eat them While doing this, she explores the idea of reciprocity in the natural world, where we are all interconnected with our needs and abilities to provide for each other
Diane Parfitt owns City Center Gallery & Books in downtown Fayetteville She can be reached at citycentergallerybooks@gmail com .
Make your 2025 advertising plans now.
CityView will be offering these valuable extras in the upcoming months:
The 2025 Medical Directory will be distributed in January.
The 2025-2026 Public, Private and Charter School Directory will be inserted in the February issue of CityView. Don’t miss your chance to lock in next year’s ads at this year’s rates!
THE TO-DO LIST
Eventgoers enjoy the September 4th Friday Fiesta Latina decorations in downtown Fayetteville. Photo by Oriana Evans
Here are just some of the things happening in and around Fayetteville this month. Scan the code with your phone for more events, additional information and to post your event on our website. Events are subject to change. Check before attending.
Dec. 11
Moore’s Creek Battlefield Trip
Lake Rim Park
2214 Tar Kiln Drive fcpr us
Dec. 12-15
Disney on Ice
Crown Coliseum
Crown Complex
1960 Coliseum Drive crowncomplexnc com
Dec. 14
Rotary Christmas Parade
Fayetteville Rotary Club and Rotary International
Downtown Fayetteville rotarychristmasparade .com
Dec. 14
Cookies With Santa Stoney Point Recreation Center 7411 Rockfish Road fcpr us
Dec. 14
Yuletide Feaste
Dec. 7
Handel’s Messiah
Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra & Cumberland Choral Arts
Fayetteville State University’s Seabrook Auditorium
1200 Murchison Road
cumberlandchoralarts org
Dec. 7
Blackberry Smoke: Be Right Here
Tour
Crown Theatre
Crown Complex
1960 Coliseum Drive crowncomplexnc .com
Dec. 8
Celebrate Christmas Tour with Natalie Grant & Danny Gokey
Crown Theatre
Crown Complex
1960 Coliseum Drive crowncomplexnc .com
Dec. 8
Holiday Jubilee at the 1897
Poe House
Museum of the Cape Fear 801 Arsenal Ave museumofthecapefear ncdcr gov
Dec. 8-12 & 15-19
Drive-thru Christmas in the Park
Arnette Park
2165 Wilmington Hwy fcpr us
Dec. 7-22
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!
Cape Fear Regional Theater
1707 Owen Drive cfrt .org
Dec. 9
Holiday Pops
Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra & Cumberland Choral Arts
Fayetteville State University’s Seabrook Auditorium
1200 Murchison Road
fayettevillesymphony org
Cumberland Choral Arts
Haymount United Methodist Church 1700 Fort Bragg Road facebook com
Dec. 15
The Snowman — A Family Concert & Movie Event
Cape Fear Botanical Garden 536 N . Eastern Blvd . capefearbg org
Dec. 20
All Aboard: The Polar Express Viewing
Smith Recreation Center 1520 Slater Ave fcpr us
Dec. 31
Night Circus: A District New Year’s Eve Spectacular 2024
City of Fayetteville & Cool Spring
Downtown District
Festival Park
335 Ray Ave
visitdowntownfayetteville com
SEEN @ THE SCENE
Cumberland County Schools’ Exhibition Powwow
Cumberland County Schools (CCS) hosted its Exhibition Powwow, sponsored by CCS’s Office of Indian Education, celebrating Native American heritage from 9 a m to noon Nov 7 at the Crown Complex This event was put on in honor of Native American Heritage Month in November . According to a press release from CCS, “this event celebrates the vibrant legacy of Native American communities and provides an opportunity to enrich understanding of their contributions ”
Miss NC Indigenous
Ambassador Alexis Lowry
Zena Clark
Zena Clark
Zena Clark
Zena Clark
Cheyenne Daniel
Cheyenne Daniel
Cumberland County Schools Office of Indian Education sponsored CCS's annual Exhibition Powwow event Nov. 7.
Claude Locklear
Rev. Ricky Burnett
Sharee Strickland
Cumberland County Schools Office of Indian Education hosts their annual Powwow event.
SEEN @ THE SCENE
The 28th Annual Veterans Day Parade
The 28th Annual Veterans Day Parade presented by Cumberland County Veterans Council was held at 10 a m on Saturday, Nov 2, in downtown Fayetteville in anticipation of Veterans day on Monday, Nov 11 This year’s theme was “Native Americans Who Served ”
Photos by Oriana Evans
Cadets from AFJROTC NC-074 Pine Forest High School
Members of Jack Britt High School Marching Band
Juan Roman, grand marshal of the Veterans Day Parade
Members of Gray's Creek Marching Band
Members of the 82nd Airborne Division Band
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers mascot, Bunker
Cadets of Terry Sanford Senior High School's AFJROTC
The French Hero of American Liberty
The 200th Anniversary of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour
March 4-5, 2025
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Experience history – the procession, the ball, the dinner and toasts, and more!
Presented by the Lafayette Society of Fayetteville and CityView and these major sponsors:
Cape Fear Valley Health System
City Center Gallery & Books
Coldwell Banker
Will Gillis
Gillie Revelle
and these generous sponsors:
Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic
Development Corporation
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville Technical Community College
International Minute Press
Drs. Gwenesta B and Kenneth Melton
Methodist University
Mark Hurley – Hurley Insurance Group
Olde Fayetteville Insurance and Financial Services
Rick Suehr
Village Green Properties
Plan to attend the ball on March 4 and the dinner on March 5 at the elegant Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
As the last of the American a symbol Equality wanted his Farewell estimated Americans
Tickets at www.lafayettesociety.org or use the QR code.
Now Lafayette is back for the 200th anniversary of the Farewell Tour! Like the original tour, the celebration will last 13 months, covering more than 6000 miles and 250 cities. One of the PREMIER sites for the Celebration is Fayetteville, North Carolina, where you invited to Party like it’s 1825!
Tuesday afternoon, March horse-drawn carriage accompanied Independent Light Infantry
Tuesday evening, March 4
Steplively of Virginia and the will help you polish authentic Regency Period costume
Wednesday, March 5 – Explore history! See Lafayette’s carriage, Resolves (signed a full year Independence), and 200-year-old at Methodist University. Take
Calling all donors: here is your “letter” to come to Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center and save up to three lives! We want all of you, whether you are a muggle or a wizard, to solemnly swear to be up to extreme good!
Each holiday our local blood supply suffers from a decrease in blood donations. Celebrations, travel and seasonal illnesses can keep people from donating, but giving blood is a meaningful way you can spread kindness and holiday cheer!
Donors who give during Urgent Days of Giving, December 17 to 31, will earn a donor long sleeve T-shirt!
Each blood donation saves up to three local patients’ lives, and all donations to Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center stay local. Volunteers can give at the center or at a mobile blood drive. To find a blood drive or learn more, visit savingliveslocally.org or scan the QR code below.
Center Hours:
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday, December 20, 8 a.m. – Noon. No appointment needed.
