The
Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair has grown tremendously
over the past four years, making it a multi-award-winning event. 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 2015 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 around 200 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; 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 as well as a Twitter campaign added this year (@bookemnc).
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 exciting upcoming events. 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. Our accountant is Stephen Parker with the firm S. Preston Douglas; Stephen works tirelessly all year on all bookkeeping and accounting matters.
Friends of the Robeson County
Public Library
Robeson County Public Library
– Librarians
The
Friends of the Robeson County Public Library along with Director Katie Huneycutt and librarian Lisa
Matthews and Mattie Locklear will be your hosts for all of the adult talks in
the Lewis Auditorium, Red 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 by Communities In Schools (Executive Director Dencie Lambdin) and the CIS Academy (Anne Kinlaw). Author readings and activities are planned all day. 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 most of the signs you’ll see
throughout the facility, especially in The Children’s Corner. Those signs are
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.
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 *
Katie Huneycutt, Director, Robeson County Public Library
James
Bass, Robeson Community College
Crystal
Edmonds, Robeson Community College
Drina
Hedgpeth, retired teacher
Bruce
Jobe, The Law Offices of Bruce Jobe, P.A. *
Ginger
King, Author
Jef
Lambdin, President, Robeson Road Runners *
Dr.
Mary Ann Masters, Lumberton Optometric Associates, PLLC *
Chip
Pate, LPL Financial *
Dennis Watts, Robeson Community College
Roy Raby, Robeson Community College
Author Lounge
Our
Author Lounge is hosted for the second year in a row 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 second 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).
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
The
Village Station Restaurant
Gold Sponsors ($1,000)
Friends
of the Robeson County Public Library
Rotary
Club of Lumberton
Southeastern
Health
Kiwanis Club of Lumberton (providing free dictionaries to children)
Silver Sponsors ($500)
DD Productions
Bronze Sponsors ($250)
Author B.R. Stanard
Century
21 – Leroy Rising
Edward
Jones - Mary Jo Walter
LPL
Financial - Chip Pate Lumberton Optometric Associates, PLLC
Robeson
Road Runners
S. Preston Douglas & Associates
Robeson Community College
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)
Fairfield
InnComfort Suites
