July 28, 2022

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W I N S TO N - S A L E M , N . C .

Volume 48, Number 47

THURSDAY, July 28, 2022

Tick! Tick! Boom!

More than 1,200 attendees explode at the 28th annual Happy Hill Reunion BY FELECIA PIGGOTT-LONG, PH.D. FOR THE CHRONICLE

TDDC! TDDC! TDDC! Total Distraction Dance Company! Tick! Tick! Boom! The chant filled the stage and the parking lot of the William C. Sims Recreation Center where more than 1,200 residents, former residents, and other Happy Hill Garden enthusiasts crowded in to celebrate the 28th annual Happy Hill Reunion July 15-16. The audience perched cell phones to record and watch the dance group Total Distraction gettin’ down on the concrete! Moving to the beats, the dancers flooded the lot with hot pink, royal blue, black, and white movers and shakers who wowed the crowd with uniformed gyrating movements and confident attitudes. The owners and directors of the company are Chaurice Manning and Reginald Chatman. The New Dimension Band and singers filled the air waves with Old School tunes that made the audience get out of their seats and dance to the beats. The theme for the gathering was “Happy Hill Reunion: Continuing the Legacy.” Natalie Hatchett of the Happy Hill Garden Committee (HHGC) created the red, black, and green t-shirt with the family tree on it and the bendera flags which posted the theme and displayed the African liberation colors. Ben Piggott honored 14 former residents of the community with gold Happy Hill Reunion pins mounted on African kente cloth. Tammy Hatchett, the president of the Happy Hill Garden Committee, has been directing the reunion for the last ten years. She was raised on Alexander Street in the community. She was very pleased with the outcome of the whole weekend. “Since my ten years leading this event, that was the big-

Photos by Felecia Piggott-Long, Ph.D.

Happy Hill Gardens celebrated its 28th annual reunion July 15-16. gest crowd and the most people we have ever seen. The day was just outstanding with people who greeted one another with hugs and high fives! Friday night brought back that special spirit of Black heritage to the atmosphere,” said Hatchet. “All of the talking together, dancing together, eating and sharing good

food made the whole weekend awesome!” On Friday night, 120 attended the meet and greet session and the memorial ceremony and reception. Rev. James Rowdy served as the master of ceremony, opening the gathering with prayer and praise. Kathy Park Woodard of the HHGC present-

ed the memorial video of photos and music to give honor to the deceased residents from Happy Hill Gardens, Dog Trot, Salem Hill, the Heights, and Columbia Terrace. The keynote speakers were Joseph and Felecia Anderson, who spoke on the topic “Let’s Go Down by the River.” “When they began to present

to the audience, the people tuned in. They were eager to join in and participate in the call and response activities,” said President Hatchett. “The Andersons made the people open their ears wide to hear the message.” The Andersons invited the See Reunion on A2

ZSR trustees announce spring 2022 grant awards Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR) is pleased to announce its spring 2022 grant awards under its All For NC

Framework for Grantmaking and Learning. Board of Trustees approved $2.76 million in grants for 119 organizations located across North Carolina. “For more than 80 years, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation has been a catalyst for positive change in North Carolina,” said Maurice “Mo” Green, executive director. “ZSR is committed to the people of North Carolina, and the grants awarded in 2022 will support local, regional and statewide organizations that share in our vision and core values.” The Foundation awarded State-Level Systemic Change Strategy grants totaling more than $370,000

to five organizations across the state. ZSR’s State-Level Systemic Change Strategy supports state, regional and local organizations, coalitions, or collaboratives that are working to achieve systemic change at the state level within and across the

following priority areas: Advancing Public Education, Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment, Promoting Social and Economic Justice, and Strengthening Democracy. In addition, Trustees awarded more than $1.4 million in Community Progress Fund grants to 33

organizations across the state. ZSR’s Community Progress Fund, which is a part of ZSR’s Community-Based Strategy, is designed to provide an infusion of short-term funding at the right moment and is intended to build on existing momentum to help move an issue, an idea or

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an organization forward. ZSR Trustees also awarded a two-year grant of $200,000 each year to the Neighborhood Funders Group for the Amplify Fund, a pooled fund bringing together funders at the state, regional and national levels to learn, collaborate and leverage resources toward power building and organizing for equitable development. Amplify aims to strengthen the ability of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income communities to build power and influence decisions about the places where they live and See ZSR on A2 6 89076 32439 7

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