Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Charlie May

Charlie G. "Mick" May, 70, peacefully passed away in the morning hours of Monday, April 23, 2007, at his residence following a two and half year battle with stomach cancer.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, at Bethlehem United Methodist Church with Reverend A. C. Brook officiating. Charlie will be buried in the church cemetery.
Born January 16, 1937, to the late Otho and Blanche May, Charlie earned his pilot's license in his early twenty's. Soon after, he owned and operated May's Airport for many years.

He also retired from The Carpenter and Millwrights Local Union #312 after serving 27 years with them. Even through his sickness, Charlie was a faithful member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church. Charlie was a hard worker, a good Christian, and a talented pilot; but he will mostly be remembered for his giving spirit of always helping others.

He is survived by his wife, Jessica; his daughter, Shannon Day and her husband, Allan; his son, Shawn May; step children, Ben, Lauren, and Leslie Andrews; grandchildren, Allie and Chase Day; sisters, Virginia Vitka, Helen Levens and her husband, Millard, Mary Lou Younts and her husband, Jack; along with several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends following the service at the church fellowship hall.
The family extends a special thank you to Dr. Rubin and the staff at Wesley Long Oncology Center; to the staff at Hospice of Greensboro; and to all the friends who have been so helpful and faithful during the past two and a half years.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Greensboro Junior Woman's Club 17th Annual Fundraising Gala

On Friday, April 20, 2007, the Greensboro Junior Woman's Club will host its 17th annual fundraising gala. This year’s event, “Diamonds in the Sand," will be a festive evening to raise money for Camp Carefree.

As many of you know – I am President of this organization this year and I’m writing to you to ask for your support on some level. The gala starts at 7 p.m. at the Greensboro-High Point Airport Marriott and features silent and live auctions, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, music and dancing.

Emcees for the evening will Jeff Wicker and the crew from The Wicker Show on 98.7 Simon. Dress is snappy casual. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $30 each. We have some great items including stuff from A Catherine Original, Debbie Calhoun and Cass Jewelers.

Since 1986, Camp Carefree has provided a free, one-week camping experience for youngsters from North Carolina and neighboring states with specific health problems and disabilities. The program also includes camps for well siblings of chronically ill or disabled children and a week for those with a disabled or a seriously ill parent.

Additionally, Sickle Cell Anemia Camp and weekend retreats for Multiple Sclerosis Society, The Brain Injury Association, Hospice, Cub Scouts and many church youth groups are held here. Other organizations rent the camp throughout the year for retreats, seminars, conferences and reunions.

The Junior Woman’s Club wanted to focus its efforts this year on a local organization that touches the lives of many – Camp Carefree was a natural fit. Established more than 75 years ago, the GJWC provides women between the ages of 21-45 the opportunity to volunteer in and around Guilford County.

The club has started and maintained many educational, healthcare, conservation, and public affairs programs. You will see Junior volunteers at Crop Walk, the Women’s Only 5K Walk & Run and Operation Smile, to name a few. The Club has a partnership with The Women’s Hospital of Greensboro, in which it operates the Luv Buckles infant car seat rental program and conducts two Super Sitter babysitting workshops each year.

In 2006, Club members logged more than 2,000 hours of service and donated more than $20,000 to the community.To buy a gala ticket, be a sponsor, donate an item, or to buy a raffle ticket, please email me back or call me at 334-5889 (work) or 643-0098 (home).

Raffle tickets are 1 for $1 or 6 for $5 – it’s for a split the pot. I am attaching the donor form. I hope I can count on your support. Hope you can come to the event - it would be fun to catch up with everyone! Please let me know by this coming weekend if you are interested!

Take care. Thanks!
Amy C. Moore
Executive Assistant to the Dean and Office ManagerSchool of Music
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
PO Box 26170Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Phone: (336) 334-5889
www.uncg.edu/mus

Monday, April 09, 2007

Comment of the Week

"How wonderful that getting thrown in the pool was a favorite memory of this incredible Triad icon! What a shame that the fun was taken away because it was considered infantile in the last few years!

The saddest part of it all is the rumor that was started that it cost thousands of dollars for that romp in the pool. Not true. We had to pay the money whether someone jumped, fell or just looked at the FOCC pool! The tradition was broken by just the flick of a pen.

Just my two cents and it's worth less than that but I did have many fond memories of watching us all make up different dives and jumps. My favorite was always seeing the honorary chairmen and sometimes their WIVES jump in like kids again! Thanks for sharing! "

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Exclusive Interview with 1977 GGO Honorary Chairman Woody Durham

Woody Durham, a Mebane native, became Channel 2 WFMY-TV Sports Director in 1963. He was appointed GGO Honorary Chairman in August of 1977 by Wade Peoples. He recently took a few moments to reflect on his year as Honorary Chairman and answer a couple of questions for the Greater Greensboro Open Blog.

ggoblogger:An article entitled, “GGO Bottle Collection”, in the 1974 Greater Greensboro Open Program states “the Jaycees in conjunction with their G.G.O again proved their effectiveness in formulating successful publicity surrounding their tournament.” It would seem that more than anything else, the decanters were seen as a way to promote the tournament. As WFMY's Sports Director, at the time, was this a successful campaign?

Woody Durham: "I think the decanters were a successful way in which to promote the GGO. There may have been other events to use a similar promotion, but I was not aware of another golf tournament—at least in the southeast—doing what the Ezra Brooks Distillery of Frankfort, Kentucky, proposed to the Greensboro Jaycees. I am not certain of the actual start date, but I still have three (3) decanters in my office. They are from 1972, 1975 and 1977, naturally."

ggoblogger: You were the 1977 Honorary Chairman for the Greater Greensboro Open. The event was held at Forest Oaks for the first time that year. Can you tell me how the local community dealt with the change in venue?

Woody Durham: "I think the change in venue back in 1977 was met with mixed reaction. Of course, the sponsoring Greensboro Jaycees were not about to limit ticket sales to the GGO, and Sedgefield had reached its capacity.

The players complained that a more modern and longer layout was needed for the tournament. In addition, Sedgefield had for years made its profit with the sale of tickets which the Jaycees provided as part of their agreement, but that agreement was about to expire and Sedgefield wanted cash instead of tickets.

I’m not sure of the amount in question, but John Hughes, the owner of Forest Oaks, was able to structure a financial arrangement which was agreeable to both sides. However, once the tournament switched, it was difficult to find any golfer who had been in favor of the move.

Certainly the atmosphere was different, and it took several years for Forest Oaks to acquire its own GGO identity. Nevertheless, the switch in venue was needed since the Jaycees were adamant about not limiting ticket sales."

ggoblogger: Can you share with me your favorite GGO moment?

Woody Durham: "I have two favorite GGO memories. The first, in 1973, came when I played in the GGO Pro-Am at Sedgefield with Chi-Chi Rodriguez—who went on to win the tournament by one shot over Lou Graham—and Foster Brooks. Between the two of them, with Forest doing a different drunk routine on every tee, I laughed my way through the entire round.

The second, in 1977, came at the end of the tournament when some of my best friends, all of whom were former GGO General Chairman, threw me in the Forest Oaks pool. It was keeping with a GGO tradition, and there was I, a local TV sportscaster who had done what I could for the tournament through the years, getting dunked just like the coporate giants and community leaders who had served as Honorary Chairman before me."