The
Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair has grown tremendously
over the past three years. None of it could be possible without the time,
money, hard work and support of so many volunteers and sponsors in our
community. Below are just some of the people who make this event happen, and
who attendees will come in contact with at our 2014 event. They’re listed in no
particular order of priority, as every single individual and organization is
vital to our success. I am certain I will have forgotten someone in this list
and I apologize up-front! With more than 250 volunteers, it is challenging to
keep up with them all, but each and every one is deeply appreciated.
Robeson Community College
This
event would not be possible without the generosity of our host, Robeson
Community College, its President, Dr. Pamela Hilbert, and the faculty and staff
who work all year to ensure its success, most especially James Bass, Director
of The Learning Center; Crystal Edmonds, Chair for English and Humanities;
Susan Moore and Roy Raby, who bring together dozens of volunteers; E. Marie
Sanders; and Patricia Clark and her security and maintenance staffs. On the day
of the event, you’ll find RCC staff and students everywhere you look—from the
cashiers ringing up the sales to volunteers dressed in blue t-shirts assisting
in every hallway.
Lumberton Area Visitors
Bureau
Upon
arriving at Book ‘Em North Carolina, you’re likely to see the welcome table of
the Lumberton Area Visitors Bureau as soon as you enter the lobby. Executive
Director Mickey Gregory has been a member of the Executive Committee since the
early days of Book ‘Em North Carolina. She has worked tirelessly to promote the
events, to involve area businesses and volunteers, and through the generosity
of the Lumberton Area Visitors Bureau and its Board of Directors, we’ve
received grants to allow us to promote the event over a multi-state area.
Robeson County Arts Council
Also
in the lobby of the event, you’ll find the Robeson County Arts Council, chaired
by Dr. Mary Ann Masters. The Arts Council is instrumental in promoting literary
arts, visual and performing arts, and highlighting the talent that abounds in
Robeson County. Please stop by the art display in the lobby to admire
photography and paintings from local artists, and be sure to ask for
information on the exciting upcoming event, The Great Getaway, which brings
back the era of The Great Gatsby! And when you pay for books purchased at Book ‘Em
North Carolina, the Robeson County Arts Council handles all of the accounting
for the event.
Friends of the Robeson County
Public Library
Robeson County Public Library
– Librarians
The
Friends of the Robeson County Public Library along with librarians Lisa
Matthews and Mattie Locklear will be your hosts for all of the adult talks in
the Lewis Auditorium, Red Room, Blue Room and Green Room. Every one of them is
a true book lover in every sense of the word, and they will be working to
ensure that every author and every talks attendee has a wonderful time.
In
addition, James Bass, Director of the RCC Learning Center, and a special
committee will be working in the Lewis Auditorium on stage setup. The furniture
on stage is provided pro bono by Kimbrell’s Furniture in Lumberton, North
Carolina.
The Children’s Corner
There
are a number of volunteers working in The Children’s Corner to ensure a fun and
exciting time for the youngest readers. It is chaired for the second year in a
row by Lynn Noble, a teacher from Tanglewood Elementary School in Lumberton.
Katie Huneycutt, Youth Services Librarian for the Robeson County Public Library,
has scheduled author readings and activities and will be on hand to assist.
Lori Special, Youth Services Consultant for the State Library of North
Carolina, will join us from Raleigh for special activities. The Dolly Parton
Imagination Library of Robeson County, Kiwanis Club of Lumberton, and
Communities In Schools for Robeson County will all have tables and will be
anxious to speak to parents and children about the fun of reading.
Public Schools of Robeson
County
Sandi
Carter, the Arts Education Supervisor for the Public Schools of Robeson County,
has worked with us each year, coordinating all of the signs you’ll see
throughout the facility, especially in The Children’s Corner. Each sign is
hand-made by students in the Public Schools of Robeson County, using their
imaginations to bring stories to life.
Dencie
Lambdin, Executive Director for Communities In Schools of Robeson County, will
have student volunteers from the CIS Academy assisting in The Children’s Corner
and throughout the event.
Teresa
Davis, President of the Robeson Association of Educators, has coordinated the
distribution of more than 4,000 flyers throughout Robeson County’s Public
Schools to raise awareness of The Children’s Corner.
And
students from Studio One, an innovative program within the Public Schools of
Robeson County’s Arts Education Program, have appeared at each of our events in
costume, bringing books to life through live characterizations of The Little
Mermaid, Cat in the Hat, Snow White, and much more.
Talks Moderators
Our
panel discussions are moderated by a volunteer from our business community,
many of whom also financially sponsor the event (as indicated by asterisks
beside their names):
Dr.
Pamela Hilbert, President of Robeson Community College
Joann
Anderson, President and CEO of Southeastern Health *
James
Bass, Robeson Community College
Jay
Britt, Senior Vice President, Lumbee Guaranty Bank *
Crystal
Edmonds, Robeson Community College
Ginny
Hardin, retired from BB&T *
Drina
Hedgpeth, retired teacher
Margaret
Inman, Robeson Community College
Bruce
Jobe, The Law Offices of Bruce Jobe, P.A. *
Dr.
John Jones, University of North Carolina at Pembroke *
Ginger
King, Author
Jef
Lambdin, President, Robeson Road Runners *
Dr.
Mary Ann Masters, Lumberton Optometric Associates, PLLC *
Chip
Pate, LPL Financial *
Dr.
John Rozier, Rozier & Lane Gynecology
E.
Marie Sanders, Robeson Community College
Karen
Silvestri, Robeson Community College
Mary
Jo Walter, Edmond Jones *
Carolyn
Watson, Robeson Community College
Author Lounge
Our
Author Lounge is hosted this year by the Lumberton Women’s Club and Lumberton
Juniorettes, who will be on hand all day greeting authors and serving a
continental breakfast and buffet lunch to authors and their guests.
Food
is provided free of charge to authors and their guests (a special ticket is
required for entry) through the generosity of Golden Corral of Lumberton Buffet
and Catering. For the first year, through the generosity of our financial
sponsorships, we are offering meals to volunteers who work at the event (a
special ticket or blue t-shirt is required for entry).
Hospitality Committees
We
have three hospitality committees who work behind the scenes to ensure that
special guests traveling to Lumberton have all that they need to ensure they
have a positive and fun experience. This year, those teams are:
Bob
and Betty Fisher
John
and Mary Ann Masters
John
and Farleigh Rozier
And
of course, the staff at the Lumberton Area Visitors Bureau has been working all
year long in responding to travelers’ needs and providing information on
Lumberton and Book ‘Em North Carolina. Thank you, Sarah, Sarah and Mickey!
City of Lumberton
Ray
Pennington, Mayor of Lumberton, has been a strong supporter of Book ‘Em North
Carolina since I approached him almost nine years ago. Chief Mike McNeill of
the Lumberton Police Department has graciously provided fingerprinting,
Sherlock Hound, and other police support. And Connie Russ has ensured that
flyers are included with every Lumberton resident’s utility bill each year of
our event.
Sponsors
Our
financial sponsors allow us to pay all overhead expenses associated with the
Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair, which allows us to
donate 100% of the proceeds provided to BENC from book sales on the day of the
event to area literacy efforts. This year our financial sponsors are:
National Sponsor
Southern
Writers Magazine
Platinum Sponsors (over
$1,000)
Lumberton
Area Visitors Bureau
Golden
Corral of Lumberton Buffet and Catering
University
of North Carolina at Pembroke
The
Village Station Restaurant
Gold Sponsors ($1,000)
Friends
of the Robeson County Public Library
Rotary
Club of Lumberton
Southeastern
Health
Silver Sponsors ($500)
BB&T
Comfort
Inn
Law
Offices of Bruce F. Jobe, P.A.
Donald
R. Whaley, M.D., P.C.
Bronze Sponsors ($250)
Biggs
Park Mall
Century
21 – Leroy Rising
Edward
Jones
John’s
Fuel Service
Drs.
Lacey E. Gane III and Christopher Karshner, DDS PA
Ginny
and Jeff Hardin
LPL
Financial
Lumbee
Guaranty Bank
Lumberton
Chevrolet
Lumberton
Optometric Associates, PLLC
Robeson
Road Runners
Senator
and Mrs. Michael Walters
Media Sponsors
Author
p.m.terrell (website, blogspot, e-newsletters)
Lumberton
Magazine
Native
Visions Magazine
Robeson
Living Magazine
Robesonian
Newspaper
Southern
Writers Magazine
WHQR
(Wilmington)
WPDE-TV
(Myrtle Beach)
WRAL-TV
(Raleigh)
Hotel Sponsors
Best
Western (pet friendly)
Comfort
Inn
Country
Inn and Suites
Fairfield
Inn
