Salvation Army volunteers ring as a way to say ‘thank you’

By Don Granese

The Salvation Armyhas been ringing bells in front of stores since 1891, but not many people get to know about the volunteers who ring those bells year after year.

Pat Harris and her family signed up to ring bells in front of Wal-Mart in Burlington this season as part of a family initiative to give back to a community that his given them so much.

Last year Harris had a severe heart attack that left her in a comma for about a one week. Her family could barely afford the funding it would take to keep her at Duke Medical Center or the cost of transportation from Burlington to the hospital for visits while she was unconscious.

Harris said that friends of the community came together and funded the whole family to stay at a nearby hotel while Harris recovered from her near death experience.

“Christmas meant something more to us last year than presents and cooking and the things that we always got caught up in,” Harris said. “We really forgot what Christmas was supposed to be about.”

This year, each member of the Harris family chose their own community service project that the whole family would help carry out instead of exchanging gifts.

Harris’ granddaughters chose bell-ringing as their service because they always thought it looked fun, so the entire family went with them to ring the bells. Even Harris was there, still wearing a heart monitor for the holidays.

“I’m so thankful for my life and I’m thankful God gave me more time,” Harris said. “I’m so thankful for this big family that I have.”

Just down the sidewalk, at the other entrance to the store, Anthony Adams was ringing his bells to a different tune. Adams, who had a history of selling drugs, being involved with gangs and other criminal activities, said that this year he’s focused on giving back to his community for anything he may have done wrong.

“By the grace of God I’m not supposed to be standing here talking to you now,” Adams said. “I’m supposed to be in prison for 85 months.”

Adams is spending his time that could have been in jail volunteering in Burlington. Adams said that he got so caught up in volunteering that near the end of November, his bell-ringing broke the city-wide record of $800 by collecting $902 in one day of volunteering.

According to Adams, he sees himself as a role model for other people who may be in the situation he was just a year ago. He wants people to see that it is possible for someone to redeem themselves from their wrong doings.

“Just put God first and everything else will follow,” Adams said.

He repeated this statement over and over and said that it’s the greatest advice he could give to someone who is in the situation he once was.

Adams and Harris were both at one point in need of a helping hand from their community to pull them up from a dark point in their lives, but now they’re working to pay off the debt they believe they owe to their community.

To make a donation to the Salvation Army this holiday season, click this link to go to their official site: https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=206.

Students think lack of security cameras in areas an issue

By Jeff Ackermann

There are approximately 150 Cameras around Elon’s campus, but this year there have been several crimes in areas not under surveillance. These crimes happened in areas without cameras, and victims think this needs to change.

Kim Lilienthal and Ashley Fowler both found their car windows smashed a few weeks ago, and think this could have been solved with cameras.

“I understand that it’s an added cost to have cameras,” Fowler said. “But I think it’d be worth it.”

Stephen Sotolongo, another student at Elon, found his license plate vandalized in the Danieley center earlier this year.

“I feel safe,” he said, “but I was looking around when I got back here and I was trying to find some security cameras to see if they could catch the guy. I looked around and I didn’t really see any security cameras.”

Campus Security knows there are issues and has plans for the future. Chief of Security Scott Jean said that cameras will be added.

“Basically what we do is we have a priority list,” he said. “We start at the top of the priority list and go from there.”

Cameras are placed strategically across Elon’s campus, mainly in the parking lots, but the Danieley Center and the Colonnades parking lots do not have cameras in them now. However, Campus Police is aware of the need for more cameras on campus.

The Danieley Center is next on the list for cameras.

Burlington Police Department aims to protect

By Scarlett Fakhar

Many of us depend on the Burlington Police Department for safety and protection in our community, and it’s how they train that prepares them for this responsibility. With new facilities and classrooms available this year, the department is on track to a new and improved program.

Twice a year, every police officer must qualify with all issued weapons for both day and night time shooting.

“Each officer gets three attempts with all issued weapons,” said Burlington Police Department Captain Jeff Wood. “If they fail the third attempt, then we as firearms instructors have to take their weapon.”

Those who don’t pass must wait 24 hours until they can re-attempt to qualify. And Wood said this can be tough on the officers mentally.

“They take a pride in their ability to come out here and do well,” said patrol officer Stacy Thompson. “They just produce better work. And when they do better out here they are more prepared for any situation that may arise on duty.”

Depending on the officer’s position within the department they are tested with handguns, shotguns and rifles.  Each officer is given fifty rounds and must hit the target forty times in order to pass.

Officers used to be able to just had to hit inside the silhouette, but starting next spring it will be where you hit on the target that counts.

Now the officers are striving to hit inside the rings of the silhouette for a higher score, and next year the chief plans to incorporate combat training and shooting on the move. But it’s not just what they’re teaching that is changing. How they’re teaching is new too.

“We used to yell at them during training,” Wood said. “We’ve moved more towards ‘a teaching’ rather than ‘screaming’ and hollering at them on the range.”

Wood added that all of the officers want as much help as they can get because they always want to improve.  And they prefer practical training over classroom lectures.

Before these new facilities were open, the officers had to take more written exams, and they sat through lectures for hours.  They were lacking more hands-on tests that could prepare them for what may happen on duty.

“A lot of the officers are really happy that we got this range open because they feel like the more training the better they are prepared for whatever situation may arise,” Wood said.

In addition to firearms training, officers are also required to train with tasers and police dogs.  Wood said the chief is excited to continue to expand the program in the near future and incorporate more training session throughout the year.

Local Elon bars preparing for changes under new alcohol laws

By David Hodges

Only one month after the Town of Elon voted to allow liquor sales, bars are filling their cabinets with booze. Fat Frogg and College Street Taphouse have already started serving mixed beverages but different rules apply to both because of the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control.

According to Taphouse owner Chris Russell, because his establishment doesn’t serve food, customers are required to become members of Taphouse, which, under the changes, is now considered a private club. Only members are allowed access into Taphouse since the establishment started serving liquor, and patrons become members after filling out basic information, like thier name and age. Paying one dollar gives students a membership card for one year.

Unlike Taphouse, Fat Frogg requires no such membership because it is a restaurant, but food sales must remain at 30 percent or higher in order to maintain their liquor permit.

Russell, who also owns Town Table, said that the restaurant will also start serving mixed beverages soon under the restauant designation. But in order to receive a liquor permit, both establishments had to go under a number of steps, including training with a representative of ABC.

West End Station manger Josh Ezrine, who recently submitted for an official permit with the ABC state headquarters in Raleigh, said his business will start serving liquor now that his staff is trained.

The training session teaches bar staff about alcohol safety, a concern of some Elon students. Ezrine said that the training was essentially the same for obtaining their beer and wine permits, but that liquor does bring a few added concerns.

“With liquor you take a shot,” Ezrine said. “Maybe four or five shots and versus four or five beers you’ll get drunk quicker.”

Fat Frogg owner Peter Uztach admited there are a few new things his staff will have to deal with because of the new drink specials, such as making sure students are aware of the differences between liquor and other alcohol beverages.

“Some nights I obviously will have more increased security,” he said. “But the other thing too is, like I said, my bartenders and myself are very good with speaking to patrons and helping educate them. I think that’s the largest thing, is you know, educating these students who aren’t used to liquor and (saying) hey, you can’t drink it as quick as you can drink beer.”

Phoenix 14 News: December 5th Newscast

Part two:

Elon tradition sparks joy among students, community

By Mallory Lane

Last Thursday, the Elon community celebrated as the campus was lit up with luminaries, an annual Elon tradition that jump-starts the holiday season.

“It’s just something that is so special and unique to Elon,” said senior Kelsey Thompson.

For students like Thompson, the celebration is a chance to catch up with friends and forget about the stress of exams.

“I like coming because everyone is in a really good mood and everyone is happy,” Thompson said. “It’s kind of that stress relief before you have to start finals and all the homework and all that kind of stuff.”

But for others like junior Emily Cable, coming to luminaries means more than taking a break from studying.

“I’m very involved in Elon Hillel,” Cable said. “So I’m here to light the Menorah symbolically with part of our organization.”

Every December, students, faculty, staff and members of the community come together to celebrate the season of festivities. Lights, singing and music are all part of the special celebration.

One very special guest always makes a stop at Elon – Santa, of course.

“I’ve come to Elon to celebrate and bring joy and happiness to all the students before they leave to go home to celebrate with their families,” Santa said.

No matter what the reason to celebrate the season, Elon luminaries is a special time to remember what’s important.

“Coming to Elon luminaries is a tradition that is really fun,” Thompson said. “It’s really fun to come with your friends and celebrate the upcoming holiday season.”

Elon students start up own cookie-delivery business to satisfy late-night cravings

By Ronda Ataalla with Lindsey Murray

For all the college students who are awake at 2 a.m. and want to satisfy their late-night munchies, a new cookie-delivery business, started by Elon sophomores Leah Hayes and Maritza Gamboa, will bring the baked goods right to student’s doors.

“It’s the cookie crave that you have.” Hayes said.

Hayes and Gamboa said they started their business, called Midnight Cookie Crave, because, like most college students, they needed money.

“We don’t have a job and we need money” Hayes said. “So we were thinking about what we can do on campus to try to make a little bit.”

Throughout the week, students can place an order to the business’ email address, and on Saturday night Hayes and Gamboa bake the cookies and deliver them.

“We wanted to capture that it was, like, going off the craving that you have of sweets at like, 2 a.m. when you’re studying or just getting back from wherever,” Hayes said.

Hayes and Gamboa start baking at 9 p.m. and deliver from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m. But they said that the late delivery time into the morning hours doesn’t bother them.

“We like to bake and we have the reseources,” Hayes said.

Hayes and Gamboa hope that their business continues to expand and that the word is spread around campus.

“As of right now we only have chocolate chip and sugar cookies,” Gamboa said. “But over time we hope to have more variety depending on our audience and what they want.”

To order cookies, email an order to midnightcookiecrave@yahoo.com

Local tree farm cuts its last evergreen this Christmas season

By Sophie Nielsen-Kolding

Harlan Hall and his wife started planting trees in 1976 and selling them in 1982. For more than 20 years they have been providing families with an essential part of the holiday season: Christmas trees.

This has been a side job that the couple and their daughters kept up with over the years, along with full time jobs. However, tree farming is time consuming and labor intensive – a year long hobby. The Halls have spent so much time helping others prepare for their Christmases, that they feel like they haven’t had enough time for their own family. But now, Harlan Hall said it’s time to call it quits.

“After twenty years we feel like we’ve had enough,” Hall said. “We’re retired from our state jobs and we’re retiring from this so we’ll have more time during the holiday season to ourselves, and to travel a little bit.”

The trees have required a lot of love over the years, and a lot of work – shearing, fertilizing and mowing in between the lines of trees. But the Halls have dedicated plenty of time to their customers too.

Sandra Gibson has been coming to the Hall’s farm for 15 years. Hall cut and helped her carry away her last Christmas tree from the farm. She said that over the years she’s become more than just a customer.

“When you walk up and they call you by name, you know, and they’re so glad to see you,” Gibson said. “And you know, they’ve watched my girls grow up and I’ve watched their girls and their dogs grow up. So you know and we don’t see each other but once a year but there’s a kinship there.”

In a few weeks her tree will be gone, but she’ll still have something to remember the Halls with, for many Christmases to come. Gibson asked Hall to cut an end off the tree so she could use it as an ornament to remember the Hall farm.

For Hall, this ending is bitter sweet. He’s looking forward to some much-needed free time, but knows there are people that he’s going to miss seeing for their annual tree purchase.

“We’ll miss seeing people who have come for nearly 20 years, you know, some of our loyal wholetime customers, and it’s kind of fun out here seeing the kids running around,” Hall said.

The Halls Choose-N-Cut tree farm is located at 4665 Sartin Road in Burlington. You can reach them at (336) 421-0060.

Basketball managers devote time, holidays to the team

By Neima Abdulahi

There are seven additional members of the men’s basketball team that fans usually don’t notice during basketball games. They are the team’s managers, and junior and Elon men’s basketball head manager Paul Flieger said he prefers it that way.

“We kind of want to stay behind the scenes and almost try not to be noticed,” he said.

They are comprised of seven Elon students with hopes of coaching one day, entering a career in sports management or doing it just because they love the sport.

Flieger, on his third year managing, explains the skills it takes to manage.

“It takes dedication,” he said. “It’s a lot of hours during the school year and to be able to balance school and work…you have to be really passionate about Elon basketball.”

Head coach Matt Matheny recognizes the managers’ hard work and dedication. In his 19-year coaching career, he’s never had this amount of students helping manage his team.

“Long after our players are out of the showers and on to dinner, or they’re studying at night, our managers are in the laundry room cleaning our uniforms or making sure our locker rooms are the way it’s suppose to be,” Matheny said.

As the semester winds down, basketball managers will spend their winter break with the team. There are two games right after exams end, and because of the schedule, their winter break will be shortened by two or three days.

“It’s a struggle sometimes having to commit your breaks to the team,” said freshman Daniel Griffin. “But in the end it’s all worth it. These guys accept you as part of the team. If I had to stay over break, I wouldn’t choose to be with anyone else.”

Thursday Update: December 1, 2011