The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who participated in the 13th Annual Walk for Education and/or the 6th Annual 5K Race for Education on October 17th. A record number of walkers turned out on Saturday to show support for their schools. About 5,000 students, parents, and community members walked down Franklin Street to Lincoln Center led by the Frank Porter Graham Elementary School Sound Machine.
The Walk and Race for Education showcase the commitment of families and the community to public education. These community-based events are fun for families and show enthusiasm for the district's goals of health and physical fitness.
Throughout the event, many schools celebrated their school's unique features by displaying why they are lucky to attend their schools. Seawell Elementary School was the winner of the Lucky 13th spirit award for their representation of the school's Critter Corner.
Both events enabled participants to raise funds for individual programs at their schools. This year school-raised funds amounted to more than $65,000. Participation in the 5K Race was estimated at over 250 runners and raised additional funds for schools.
The Post-Walk Carnival at Lincoln Center helped schools earn additional funds at over 65 food, game and activity booths with 100 percent of those profits going back to the individual schools.
The Foundation deeply appreciates the generosity of scores of volunteers (including high school students and UNC students), our masters of ceremonies at the Race and Walk, Eric Montross, Nick Didow and Ron Stutts, as well as the contributions of our corporate sponsors and businesses who donated gifts in kind.
Volunteers, students, teachers, school liaisons, principals, community leaders, business sponsors, PSF board members, the Chapel Hill Police Department and UNC helped to make the day a great success. All of these people are further examples of the giving spirit of our community. Together we are creating opportunities for our public schools.
Allison Worthy, President
Suki Newton, Vice President
John Anderson and Melissa Herzog, Corporate Sponsor Co-Chairs
Julie Strine and Ashley Wilson, Race Co-Chairs
Kim Hoke, Executive Director
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation
Kille column whitewashed facts
Regarding your editorial on the Kille case ("Tyranny unjust for construction of apartment," Oct. 18), let's get the facts straight. Last month, Kille was found guilty of common law forgery. You deliberately whitewash the story, but Ms. Kille is in fact a convicted criminal. Whether or not her erratic public behavior indicates mental health problems, her attempt to tamper with public documents does not suggest a rational strategy for achieving goals.
In your October 17 editorial you refer to Kille as "the widow Kille" seven times, six of them in a lengthy direct quote from Brian Voyce . Why do you and Mr. Voyce paint this woman in these outdated and sexist terms? Either it is the seventeenth century, when women were routinely referred to in this way, or you are bending over backward to create a gendered image of her as weak and defenseless.
In point of fact, the Town of Carrboro has already settled with Kille on her long-standing land-use ordinance violation. I can only conclude therefore that you are painting this portrait for political ends. With this exploitation of her case to further your own agenda, it seems possible that you, Brian Voyce , and Sharon Cooke are the ones victimizing her. Finally, I must add that to equate this petty case with the real historical suffering of Soviet dissidents -- as you do in your editorial -- trivializes their true heroism in the face of tyranny, distorts the facts of the Kille case, and manipulates your readers in hopes of swaying the upcoming local elections.
Jennifer Dillon
Pittsboro
Vote for Wolff to protest status quo
What's your motive, Kevin Wolff?
Is it to increase your business or advance your political agenda?
These questions imply that Kevin Wolff is self-serving, which couldn't be further from the truth. How do I know? Because I'm Kevin's wife, Mary.
I am a registered Democrat and an artist who's had the pleasure of being married to Kevin for over 20 years. I can attest to the fact that he does not have a "self-interested" bone in his body. A man of integrity, Kevin comes from humble beginnings. Because of his hard work and determination, Kevin has achieved success in his career and personal life.
Kevin is running for mayor of Chapel Hill because serving the public is something he values highly. Is public service so rare now that some are willing to harshly question the motives of a citizen who steps forward? There's no hidden agenda to his campaign, just a chance to give back.
Kevin does not seek to slash the programs and services that attracted many of us to Chapel Hill. Instead, he offers his expertise in business, finance and law to improve the efficiency of town operations. This will help reduce the tax burden that affect many in our community.
While Kevin and I don't always see eye to eye on some political issues, I know first hand that building consensus and managing compromise are at the heart of his personality. He's a man who believes in giving back to his community and working to achieve the common good. He's also an experienced lawyer, engineer and financial analyst who has the skills to improve our quality of life.
If you object to the present council decisions, then cast a protest vote for my husband, Kevin Wolff for mayor.
Mary Wolff
Chapel Hill
Kleinschmidt right person at right time
As a local business person of 25 years, I enthusiastically support Mark Kleinschmidt to be our next mayor. Mark has the high level of integrity, compassion and intellect we have come to expect in our mayors like, Howes, Broun, Waldorf and Foy.
Mark's long-term experience as a council member gives him a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the town and the knowledge and skill to best maximize the well being and quality of life for all our citizens. His calm and measured leadership style makes him ideally suited to build consensus on the council and with all the different constituencies in our community.
Mark understands that if our town is going to be all it can be for every citizen we must have the proper balance of economic growth, environmental sustainability and social equity. He is the right person at the right time to meet our needs.
Please join me in supporting Mark for mayor.
Roger Perry
Chapel Hill
Kleinschmidt proven consensus builder
On Nov. 3 or, better yet, now, at Morehead Planetarium or Carrboro Town Hall, vote for Mark Kleinschmidt for mayor of Chapel Hill. Kleinschmidt is clearly the best choice for our town given his 8-year tenure on the council, his experience as a consensus builder, his service as chairman of the Council Committee on Economic Development, and service on the Human Services Advisory Board.
Mr. Kleinschmidt is committed to social justice. As a social worker and resident of Chapel Hill, this is very important to me and a quality I value highly in a mayor. This is also why I am so pleased that Kleinschmidt is among the first municipal candidates in the state to run as a voter-owned elections candidate, a system that allows for greater inclusion in local elective office.
He has also garnered a number of important endorsements, including the Sierra Club, the UNC Young Democrats, the Independent Weekly, and the Anderson-Thorpe Breakfast Club. Please join me in voting for Mark Kleinschmidt.
Allison De Marco
Chapel Hill
