2C NOVEMBER 17, 2011
THE GLOBE, CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.
Operation Noble Heart links volunteers to organizations PFC. JACKELINE M. PEREZ RIVERA Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
“The community gives so much to Marines and sailors. It’s important to give back,” said Susan Goodrich, the branch head of the Single Marine Program Marine Corps Community Services Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Service members and family aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune have been given a channel to pursue volunteer opportunities to help the local community through Operation Noble Heart. While this program is governed by the SMP, it is not only for single Marines. Robin Karratti, who acts as a volunteer coordinator for the program, helps Marines, spouses and members of the Onslow County community find volunteer opportunities through Operation Noble Heart. “Volunteer opportunities are endless and continuous,” said Goodrich. Operation Noble Heart has a long list of organizations and events that are looking for volunteers, from coaching sports and helping with fundraisers to block parties and local festivals. Organizations and volunteers call Karratti who checks groups to ensure they fit with the idea of what Operation Noble Heart is looking for, namely a good experience for volunteers who participate. If they meet the requirements, she notifies volunteers through their SMP representative and through e-mails to those interested. Opportunities include, but
are certainly not limited to, building homes with Habitat for Humanity and helping at festivals, and assisting with beach clean-ups. With 23,000 hours logged last year, the program shows no sign of slowing down. They provide volunteering opportunities for more than 1,500 people, saving the organizations that take part in them approximately $167,000 annually. Sgt. Man Chan, a warehouse chief with 2nd Marine Logistics Group, said he enjoys events he volunteers for. He’s been volunteering two to three times a month since the beginning of the year. “It’s a nice opportunity to meet different people and help out,” said Chan, “It lets people know we care about the community.” Volunteers also go to events such as proms at nursing homes, where they spend an afternoon dancing with the residents. “You’ll see a resident in a wheelchair and wonder, ‘Well, how are they going to dance?’” said Goodrich. “Then a Marine or sailor comes in and spins them around and you see this joy in the both of their faces.” Goodrich added how it was a “win-win” for everybody involved. Service members have fun, while organizations get assistance. “Organizations get service members who want to be there,” said Goodrich. “Hands go up (to volunteer) instead of fingers pointing to another person.” For more information visit mccslejeune.com/ ONH, or call Robin Karratti at 451-4642.
Photo by Cpl. Miranda Blackburn
A fiddle player provides improvised accompaniment to other musicians performing at a Bluegrass Jam held at the USO of North Carolina-Jacksonville center every second Thursday of each month. The Bluegrass Jam has been an ongoing event at the USO since October 2010.
Bluegrass jam sessions held at USO CPL. MIRANDA BLACKBURN
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
From “front-porch pickers” to professional musicians, community members gathered at the USO of North Carolina-Jacksonville center to share their love for bluegrass music. Every second Thursday of each month, the USO holds a Bluegrass Jam from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The informal-style concert is open to all bluegrass musicians who are looking for a place to showcase their talent and anyone looking for a night of family-friendly entertainment. As the doors opened, stringed instruments from fiddles and bass to banjos and guitars filled the ball room and produced the most pure, wholesome, southern-charm sounds for “hillbilly jazz” lovers to take pleasure in.
OFF-LIMITS ESTABLISHMENTS The following businesses are designated by the base commander as “off-limits” Bell Auto Salvage II at 136 Abbits Branch Rd., Hubert, N.C. Botta Booms (A.KA. Private Dancer) at 3054 Wilmington Highway, Jacksonville, N.C. Carland at 2911 Route 17/ G.W. Highway Tabb, V.a. Cash-N-Advance at 2235 Lejeune Blvd., Jacksonville, N.C. Centennial Enterprises, Inc. at 1489 East Thousand Oaks Blvd. Suite 2, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Headquarter’s Office) Club Mickey’s at 4441 Richlands Highway, Jacksonville (Closed) Coastal Smoke Shop D’s Drive Thru at 226 Wilmington Highway, Jacksonville, N.C. D’s Quick Mart at Richlands, N.C. Dash-In at 1316 Hargett Street, Jacksonville, N.C. Discount Tobacco G & H at Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, N.C. Doll House at Highway 258 West, Jacksonville, N.C. Easy Money Catalog Sales at 233-F Western Blvd., Jacksonville, N.C. Express Way at 1261 Gum Branch Road, Jacksonville, N.C. Fantasies at 4951 Richlands Highway, Jacksonville, N.C. Hip Hop and Hookahs at 311 South Marine Boulevard, Jacksonville, N.C. Illusions Richlands Highway, Jacksonville, N.C. Jacksonville Speedway Auto Parts (A.K.A. Raceway Auto Parts & Raceway Used Auto Parts) at 401 Blue Creek Elementary School Road Joshua Experience/Club Access at 200 Golden Oak Court, Virginia Beach, V.a. King’s Drive Thru at 1796 Gum Branch Road, Jacksonville, N.C. Laird’s Auto and Truck Repair at 1197 Piney Green Rd. Jacksonville, N.C.
Moe’s Mart at 2105 Belgrade Swansboro Road, Maysville, N.C. One Stop Shop at 501 Corbin Street, Jacksonville, N.C. Par Tech (A.K.A. Military Circuit of Jacksonville) at 487-A Western Blvd., Jacksonville, N.C. Playhouse at 6568 Richlands Highway, Jacksonville, N.C. Pleasure Palace at Highway 17, Jacksonville, N.C. Private Pleasures (A.K.A. Carriage House) at 5527 Highway 258, Jacksonville, N.C. Reflection Photo at 353 Western Blvd., Jacksonville, N.C. Smart Buy Jacksonville, N.C. Smitty’s R&R at Highway 17, Jacksonville, N.C. Southern Comfort at 2004 Highway 172, Sneads Ferry, N.C. Speed Mart at 2601 Piney Green Road, Jacksonville, N.C. Student Assistance Company at 244 South Randal Road, Suite III Eglin, I.L. Talk of the Town II (barbershop is not off limits) at 114 Texie Lane, Jacksonville, N.C. Tender Touch (A.K.A. Baby Dolls) at Highway 258, Jacksonville, N.C. Tobacco Alley at 521 Yopp Road, Unit 106, Jacksonville, N.C. Tobacco Club at 487-B Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, N.C. Tobacco For Less at 439 Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, N.C. Tobacco House Cigarette Center at 1213-C Country Club Rd., Jacksonville, N.C. Tobacco Leaf at 215 Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, N.C. Veterans Affairs Service at Jacksonville, N.C. (This is a private organization not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs or the VA Outpatient Clinic.)
Hotline numbers to report fraud, waste, abuse and corruption Department of Defense 800-424-9098 Inspector General, Marine Corps 703-614-1348/1349/1698 Camp Lejeune (Recorded line) 451-3928 Hearing impaired 451-2999 To report business fraud 451-3928
Musicians and singers rotated from taking center stage to creating improvised accompaniment that seemed to mesh perfectly with the other creative instrumentals. “This is our fourth or fifth time attending,” said Anne Hendricks, who attended with her husband Leu. “Some friends of ours invited us and since then it’s been a phenomenal experience. We both really enjoy bluegrass and country-western inspired music.” The Bluegrass Jam has been an ongoing event at the USO since October 2010. “We first got started after a letter to the editor was written about people (who) liked bluegrass music, but didn’t have a place to go listen,” said Roger Alvis, a regular Bluegrass Jam attendee. “I wrote a letter in response saying that there were plenty of bluegrass players and pickers around but they just
had no place to play.” The very same day his letter was published, someone from the USO contacted him saying they would provide facilities for the monthly jam sessions. “Just like anything else, when you’re first getting it off the ground it takes a little while for word to get around,” said Alvis. “But after doing it for more than a year now, we’ve had some really good crowds.” To join in the festivities, the USO of North Carolina-Jacksonville center asks for $1 donations from attendants 12 years and older. The snack bar stays open as well and offers drinks and food to those who attend the jam. For more information, call the USO of North Carolina-Jacksonville center at 455-3411. Interested musicians should contact Alvis at 353-0416.
Base libraries offer three free music downloads per week CPL. MIRANDA BLACKBURN
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
What is the price of music? That depends. On average, a person can spend approximately $15 on an album or somewhere around 99 cents if they’re downloading individual songs online, depending on how new or popular that particular song is. If a person were to buy just one album a month, they could be spending more than $180 a year and with the importance of music in today’s society, most are probably spending a whole lot more than that. Now with a service offered at all Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune libraries, base patrons can keep some of that money in their pockets. By registering at any of the MCB Camp Lejeune libraries, anyone holding a Department of Defense identification card can now download up to three, free music downloads a week. Once patrons are registered at one of the libraries, they will receive an email from Freegalmusic.com with their account information and from there, they can start downloading from an array of more than 60,000 Sony artists from any Internet source. “These songs are theirs to keep, so they
do not disappear after a certain time frame,” said Judy Bradford, library branch manager, Marine Corps Community Services. “Every Sunday, their account is updated so they can log on the following week and get three new songs.” The library has a trial subscription with Freegal Music until Jan. 31. “We wanted to know this was something that our Marines and sailors and their families would take advantage of,” Bradford said. “It’s a large amount of money that the library is spending and we want to make sure people are going to be interested before we make a full commitment. If it goes well and our budget allows, we will continue to do it.” As of right now, more than 200 base patrons have signed up for the free service, some of which have consistently downloaded three songs every week since the beginning of the service in September. “The library likes to provide to the military’s needs and we just thought this would be a service to provide something to them that they can keep,” Bradford said. “We want people to continue to come here and check out DVDs or CDs, but this is something they can keep for the future and they are saving money.”
Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs visit Manpower Management Officer Assessments Brief Tomorrow 8 to 9:30 a.m. officer and staff noncommissioned officer brief at the Base Theater Manpower Management Enlisted Assessments Brief Dec. 12, Base Theater 8 to 9:30 a.m. – First termer brief base theater 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Special duty assignment/Reserve affairs/Marine Corps Special Operations Command brief base theater 1 to 2:30 p.m. – Career brief base theater Dec. 12, 2011 Marston Pavilion 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – MMEA-82/83 interviews 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – MARSOC interviews 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – Career counseling Dec. 12, 2011 AS 213 Marine Corps Air Station New River 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – MMEA-84 interviews Dec. 13, 2011 Marston Pavilion 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. MMEA-82/83 interviews 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – MARSOC interviews 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – Career counseling Dec. 13, 2011 AS 213 MCAS New River 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. – MMEA-84 interviews