Victorious: Ready to Launch: Dinner With Friends:

Music Gave Victoria Atkins a High School Basketball Season Join Us For BBQ With the
Way Out of the Projects. is Just Around the Corner. Patetown VFD.
Page 8 Page 15 Page 32

EASTBOUND &
DOWNTOWN
Your Community Is Calling.
Winter 2019

The gift
Those who make the biggest difference in the lives of
Wayne County residents don’t do it for money or notoriety.
They are, quite simply, living out a calling.
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 A gift can be just about anything.
And this time of year, we think about them a lot.
Those we find under our Christmas trees — or enjoy for Hanukkah —
come wrapped in pretty paper with glittery bows.
We have shopped for them for weeks and can’t
wait to see the joy in the recipient’s eyes.
No matter how old you are, that thrill never goes
away. We call it the spirit of giving.
And who could come up with anything better
than watching the wondrous moment when a
child hears the story of Santa Claus and his eight
reindeer for the first time?
We call that Christmas magic.
And then there is the reason for the season — the
gift born in a manger under a single, shining star.
We call that joyous.
But what if there are less celebrated gifts out there
that are just as precious? What if we get them every
single day without realizing it?
It is that spirit of giving that was the inspiration
behind this issue of “Eastbound and Downtown.”
We celebrate the gift of hope by sharing the story
of R.J. Allen, whose message of renewal, second
chances and possibilities inspires people not only here at home, but
around the country.
His gift is the ability to change lives.
And this time, our Dinner with Friends should read Dinner with Heroes.
We took some of the famous Adams Roadside BBQ to a local firehouse
to share a meal with a group of men who save lives not for money or
recognition, but because they felt called to serve.
All of them are volunteers.
And all of them are ready at a moment’s notice to help their neighbors
through some of the scariest moments of their lives.
Their gift is selflessness that comes when duty calls.
And, of course, we share a little of the magic that makes Adams barbecue
some of the best in the state.
Their gift is serving up the best of who they are with their community.
If you have ever had a teacher who changed your vision of your future,
and of yourself, you will know singer and choral teacher Victoria Atkins’ gift.
She shows young people that pride comes from standing strong when
others are intent on seeing you fall — and that loving who you are starts
with believing you can be anyone you want to be.
E&D Winter 2019 Page 3
She has made generations of students believe that they can make it if they
work hard enough— and she has shown them by example that you should
never, ever surrender a dream.
Her gift is teaching spirit, a love of music and the confidence that comes when
you know that you have someone who believes in
you, too.
We also introduce you to someone you might
very well already know.
Margaret Boothe Baddour has been behind the
curtain and on stage for literally hundreds of pro-
ductions at Wayne Community College and local
theaters across Wayne County.
She is an accomplished actor, director, writer
and, well, an art enthusiast.
But you might be surprised — or maybe not
— to learn that after decades of sharing a love of
theater, literature and other artistic expressions
with her community and college students she still
has a dream she is pursuing.
She has tirelessly worked to make sure that
Wayne County never forgets the color and richness
the arts add to our lives — and has shared that
passion and knowledge with generations of young
people, including her own children.
Her gift is opening eyes, expanding minds and helping to make this place we
call home more colorful and beautiful.
And, of course, we are sharing again the achievements of our local athletes —
this time basketball.
They display their athletic gifts for the enjoyment of their fans — and in
honor of their schools and the generations of alumni who still bleed their alma
maters’ colors.
All of these are just a few of the many people who give to our little slice of
Eastern North Carolina every day.
They are our heartbeat.
They are our souls.
And they are why this is such a special community.
There are people who give in small ways and in grand gestures. All of them
matter.
So we thank you — all of you — who work so hard for others.
Your gifts are the best part of Wayne County — during the holiday season
and all year long.
Thank you for sharing them with all of us.
Publisher/Editor ............... Kenneth Fine
Advertising Director ......... Angela Michalek
Sales Associate .................. Amber Michalek
Photography ...................... Alex Boerner
Staff Writer .................... Andrew Lassiter
Illustrations ...................... Shan Stumpf
Eastbound & Downtown is
A New Old North Media LLC Production
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @NewOldNorth
A dream and a prayer
With six simple words, R.J.Allen
started a movement — turning his
friends, neighbors and students
into dreamers who now believe
anything is possible.

By KENNETH FINE

R
J Allen’s daughter had held it in for seven years.
But now, having finally confronted her abuser,
she was ready to heal — and that meant leaving
both her family and the small Eastern North Carolina
town she had grown up in behind.
 Hearing that at age 11, his little girl had been
sexually assaulted — that she was going to Illi-
nois to work through nearly a decade of pent up
trauma — was just the latest of many breaking
points in Allen’s life.
He had battled since the day she was born
to provide his daughter with the life he felt she
deserved.
He fought to go back to school and achieve
financial stability — to ensure the many chal-
lenges he and his wife faced in the past were
behind them.
So, when he felt he had failed to protect his
child from a predator, it was the darkest of many
seemingly insurmountable moments he had
experienced since his teenage years.
He was, he said, “broken.”
“When she left, it really hit me. I was like,
‘What’s happening?’ I wanted to go find this
guy and rip him apart. All those emotions you
think you would have, you have,” Allen said. “I
was just devastated. All I wanted to do was fight.
I had all this rage inside of me. That’s when, I
know it sounds odd, but I heard a … voice.”
What he heard that day wasn’t overly pro-
found.
But those simple words, in the years since,
have become both his personal mantra and a
rallying cry for others facing their lowest points.
“Start fighting. Dream big. Pray hard. Never
quit.”
“It told me to take what has happened to me
and turn it into a positive for everybody else,”
Allen said.
•
“One of the guys said, ‘Think you’re going to
marry this girl?’” Allen said. “But I said, ‘No.
She’s a wonderful, wonderful young lady, but I
want to marry someone like Marjorie.’”
Marjorie, a girl he met at Meadow Lane Ele-
mentary when they were 7 years old. A girl who
walked across campus with a Bible in hand. A
girl who, when Allen returned to Wayne County
his sophomore year, took his breath away.
“I remember seeing her when I got back,”
Allen said. “I was like, ‘Wow.’”
After graduation, she went to college in
Florida and he attended East Carolina
University. But that voice inside him told him
that they would be together one day. And when
they returned to Goldsboro for summer break,
they fell in love.
They were married soon after.
But to start their new life the way they
planned it, they dropped out of college. They
worked, but Allen said “a lot of bad financial
decisions” nearly tore them apart.
When their daughter was born, they were
broke.
“We had $10 in our bank account. I didn’t
know how we were going to make it,” Allen said.
They found themselves on welfare, with
Marjorie driving her husband to work in Wil-
son, their daughter bundled up in the back seat
because the heat didn’t function.
But that inner voice kept telling Allen to stay
the course, to continue to fight.
“At that point in my life, I said, ‘I’m not going
to live this way. I’m not going to give up,’” Allen
said. “I wanted to be the one who overcame.”
After about a year, they had pulled themselves
up to the point where they were no longer on
government assistance. And then, Allen got a
job offer from Target.
“We went from maybe $20,000 combined
income to $45,000 just by myself. Overnight,”
Allen said. “That’s kind of when things started
taking off.”
That job would lead to an opportunity at
Walmart that paid significantly more. But it
took hard work, some 70-80 hours a week, to
realize the financial stability he wanted for his
family. SEE DREAM, Page 6

Allen, a military brat whose father was sta-

tioned at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, had
a fairly carefree childhood.
His family left Wayne County when his father
was transferred to Minot Air Force Base, North
Dakota, but he would return as a high school
sophomore and graduate from Eastern Wayne.
Allen played football and had a steady girl-
friend, but even back then, he was guided by gut
feelings, by an inner voice.
He remembers riding with his teammates to
the beach one weekend. A friend asked him if
he saw a future with the young woman he had
been dating for several years.
E&D Winter 2019 Page 5
 teacher. So when he got his master’s, he applied excel in college — each crediting their former

Dream to various colleges and universities to become a

professor.
“Nobody was interested,” Allen said. “But I
teacher with making them believe they could
make their dreams come true.
“When you hear that you’ve made an impact
Continued from Page 5 knew teaching was what I was meant to do, so I on a young person’s life, it’s an incredible feel-
And just when it seemed as though he was said, ‘Maybe I should teach high school. Young ing,” Allen said. “I think teachers live for stuff
planted securely on the right path, he collapsed. people could really benefit from hearing my like that.”
Allen woke up in the hospital. story.’” So, he brushes off those who don’t buy into
“The doctor said, ‘Look, you’re going to be In 2013, Charles B. Aycock principal Dr. Earl his philosophy.
dead by the time you’re 50 if you don’t change Moore gave him a chance. “I’ve had some people like, ‘Who do you think
your life. You need to stop,’” he said. And his approach seems to be working. Now you are? Dream big? Really? You think you’re
The voice that had guided him so many in his seventh year, Allen’s classes are always really going to make a difference?’ The eyes roll.”
times before told him to use the nest egg he had nearly full. He doesn’t listen. He knows that what he is
built during his years at Target and Walmart to He has coached football, wrestling and girls’ preaching is helping people.
“break the cycle” tennis. Allen gets emotional when he talks about a
— to become the He is seen, by those message he received one day on Facebook.
first member of his young men and wom- A cleaning woman at a local hotel, a self-de-
family to graduate en who come into scribed recovering drug addict, was facing
college. contact with him each adversity and was “thinking about using again.”
So, he went back day, as a mentor and But then she went into a room and found one
to school to show one of those educa- of Allen’s wristbands.
his daughter that tors who makes a real “Someone had left the wristband in the room.
you can remake impact in their lives. She looked it up online and found my Facebook
yourself time and Perhaps it’s because page and sent me this long message about how
time again — that he tells them his story finding that wristband got her through the day,”
a person can con- — how a middle-class Allen said.
stantly evolve until kid made a few bad The two still communicate.
they get to where decisions and nearly “People like her, they never even knew
they are destined lost everything. they were doing it, but they gave me that jolt
to be. “They need to I needed. We’ve all had those moments where
Marjorie did the know the story we’ve said, ‘I just can’t do it anymore. I just can’t
same. because, in high do it.’ And then we hear something, or we see
Both now have school, I played foot- something, and it changes everything,” Allen
master’s degrees. ball and had friends, said. “And if that’s what ‘Dream Big, Pray Hard,
But diplomas, alone, didn’t satisfy Allen. He and everybody probably thought, ‘This guy, he’s Never Quit’ is, if it gets them out of the slump,
wanted to give back, to inspire others to lift going to go on and have a normal life,’” Allen that’s what it’s all about.”
themselves up and chase their dreams. said. “I had no idea about the struggles I’d go •
And when he was asked to speak at gradua- through. So, I tell these kids, ‘Look. It’s tough For some, it will be about dreaming big.
tion, a phrase flowed out of him that he didn’t out there. When you graduate and you’re out Allen can testify to the many dreams he’s had
expect. there, people expect results.’” that were realized — from marrying Marjorie to
Six simple words. But ever since he started the “Dream Big. Pray getting his bachelor’s degree.
“Dream big. Pray Hard. Never Quit.” Hard. Never Quit.” movement, their bond has Others will connect to his message about the
“That was the first time I had ever said it,” only strengthened. importance of prayer.
Allen said. “It just came out. I said, ‘One day, I’m If you walk the CBA halls or show up at a “It was created out of a Christian ministry, so
going to do something with this. I don’t know football or basketball game, you’ll undoubtedly that’s certainly going to be a big part of it for a
how. I don’t know when. But I’m gonna do see dozens of students wearing Allen’s wrist- lot of people,” Allen said.
something with this.’” bands. But for the creator of the movement, perhaps
• If you tune in to his YouTube channel, you’ll the most important message — the one that
Back when he was in high school, something hear testimonials from former students who speaks to people across racial, religious and
told Allen that one day, he would return as a have gone on to start their own businesses or to socioeconomic lines — is the power of
perseverance, the notion that by refusing to give up,
you can accomplish anything.
“(My wife and I) did nothing out of the ordinary
except work our butts off,” Allen said. “You’re talking
about two people who dropped out of school who
went back to school and did this. I always tell people
to break the chain, break the
cycle, be the one who makes
the difference.”
And in doing so, he has seen
his own family thrive, despite
all they have been up against.
“What you do for you cata-
pults your family to a different
level. If people could under-
stand that, the world would be
that much better,” Allen said.
“My daughter, after everything
she’s been through, she grad-
uates from (the University of
Mount Olive) in December.
She’s done phenomenal because she never quit.
That’s what it’s all about and I’m so proud of her.”
So just what does the future hold?
Allen would tell you that while his soul is satisfied
as a teacher and mentor, he hopes to see his message
span the globe.
To date, some 50,000 wristbands have been dis-
tributed across 30 different countries.
Allen’s YouTube channel and website are seeing
spikes in traffic.
But in his mind, it’s the possibility of leaving the if that’s all there is, I’m OK with that. But I really
world a better place that pushes him to speak in believe I can help other people be able to say the
front of local organizations and same thing.”
congregations — to use his spare time to sit in front
of a green screen and spread his message. To learn more about Allen’s mission,
“All it takes is one person and everything can visit dreambigprayhardneverquit.com
change,” he said. “My life is an
example of what I’m trying to
promote. I can say, ‘Look. I’m
a redneck kid from Goldsboro,
North Carolina, and I’m living
my dream. Living your dream
doesn’t always mean you’re rich
and famous. It means you’re
happy and you’re doing exactly
what you want to in life.”
Just imagine, Allen said,
what the world would look like
if everyone found that spark
and worked tirelessly to plant
themselves on a fulfilling path.
“We could literally see the world get better,” he
said.
And even if “Dream Big. Pray Hard. Never Quit.”
Spray Tans
stalls — if he never touches another life — he will High Pressure Tanning
find peace in knowing that he followed the voice that
has been guiding him since high school and that it
led him to exactly where believes he is meant to be. 1000 Corporate Drive
“Marjorie and I can look back on our lives, and if I Goldsboro, NC 27534
die tomorrow, I can say I stood for something,” Allen 919.734.6666
said. “I’ve lived life. I’ve given it everything I had. So,
E&D Winter 2019 Page 7
VICTORIOUS
Music lifted Victoria Ruffin Atkins
out of the city’s housing projects.
Now, she’s teaching her students
that they, too, can be saved from a
life on the streets.

By KENNETH FINE

A
microphone in hand, Victoria Atkins stands
near the edge of the Goldsboro High School
auditorium stage.
 The lights accentuate the pink streak in her hair.
They dance off the glitter around her eyes and the
sequins on her dress.
She’s wearing a gold cape — a costume choice
that perpetuates her reputation within Wayne Coun-
ty Public Schools as both a diva and almost royalty.
There is no doubt that her presence is felt when
she walks into a room.
On this October night, it’s no different.
People in the audience, having seen her lavish
outfit, are whispering and raising their cellphones
into the air.
Those who know Atkins have found that nearly
every time she performs — from local churches and
retirement homes to the county fair and GHS — a
viral video might be in the making.
But for now, she waits — listening as her students
read from a script she created.
“Y’all can’t keep no principal,” one said.
“You can’t keep no teachers, neither,” another
added.
“They should just shut it down,” a third ex-
claimed, before asking if “anything good” could
“come from GHS.”
Some in the crowd gasp. Atkins isn’t moved.
On her face, she wears an expression somewhere
between mourning and anger.
She lowers her head and takes a few breaths.
The students, meanwhile, begin singing “The Cir-
cle of Life,” the opening track from “The Lion King.”
They sway back and forth, their eyes fixed on a
woman who has made it her mission to be not only
their teacher, but also a de facto mother.
And when she brings the microphone to her lips,
her expression hardens and her eyes grow wide.
“We are not those words.”
• But she found that words of encouragement
Atkins is, in her own words, a product of “the
hood.”
She lived in nearly every one of Goldsboro’s hous-
ing projects growing up, attended Goldsboro High
School, and watched as her friends were lost to the
streets.
So, she finds that she has instant credibility with
the young men and women who enroll in her class.
But more importantly, she knows they need sav-
ing — and uses her own experiences to do for them
what was done for her.
“I think we had some of the same challenges. A lot
of us came out of single-parent homes. The streets
were out there for us,” Atkins said. “But I think a
lot of times, it’s about the choices we make. And
it’s about who’s in your ear helping to guide those
choices.”
When she was in high school, she and her sister
had different role models.
“We came from the same environment and the
same home. And I love my sister, but I had a lot of
teachers backing me saying, ‘You can make it. You
don’t have to be another statistic,’” Atkins said. “My
sister, on the other hand, she had the brains, but
there were different people in her ear, so she got
into the streets. My thought process was, ‘I’ve got to
make it out of the hood.’”
weren’t always enough — that, while teachers were
blown away by her stage presence and singing ability,
they had to go the extra mile to show her the possi-
bilities waiting for her after graduation.
“When I was here at school, I didn’t know what
college was. I’m not trying to be funny. I thought I
was here to graduate and then go learn to do hair
and then get famous,” Atkins said. “But (one of my
teachers) took me to auditions. He took me to East
Carolina and Fayetteville State. He showed me this
world I didn’t know was out there.”
And thanks to his guidance, she attended Fayette-
ville State University with an eye on returning to
GHS one day as a teacher.
But the music never left her.
She remembers hearing about a singing competi-
tion that would see a student at every Historically
Black College and University in the country earn the
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 ATKINS
Continued from Page 9
chance to perform for Patti LaBelle — how she went
straight from working at the university cafeteria to
sing for the judges.
“Hairnet still on my head, I showed up and showed
out,” Atkins said.
She performed her “go-to song,” CeCe Winan’s
“Alabaster Box,” and brought the crowd to its feet.
She would go on to perform for LaBelle and, in
the years that followed, made the final round during
several “American Idol” auditions.
“I always make it to the final audition rounds but
never quite get to the TV show,” Atkins said. “It took
me to a dark place. It was so bad that I was mad with
God. I was like, ‘I’m tired of getting to the finish line
and someone else gets the crown every time.’ It was
like, ‘Let me win. Let me win one time.’ It makes you
feel like, ‘When is my turn?’”
But in 2007, when she began teaching in Wayne
County — surrounded by young people facing the
same challenges she once faced — she found solace
in being a guiding light for those at-risk students
Victoria Ruffin Atkins instructs students at Goldsboro High School ahead of the group’s “Homecoming” performance
with the most to lose.
at Goldsboro High School. Atkins attended GHS and grew up in some of the toughest neighborhoods in the city, before
“It is definitely soothing,” Atkins said. “It is a part attending Fayetteville State University.
of my healing process to watch my kids succeed
— you know, when they kill it, when people in the When their teacher speaks, they listen. It is clear can be great. I want people to remember that I was
audience cry their eyes out.” that there is only one person in charge of Atkins’ over there in the hood and I made it.”
• space. If the GHS choral program is a family, she is •
Some come to school hungry. undoubtedly the matriarch. It’s a late November evening and Atkins is stand-
Others don’t have a stable place to call home. Others see it as a ministry of sorts, with Atkins ing along the edge of the Goldsboro High School
They might have behavioral issues or family prob- working the room and bringing every bit of energy auditorium stage.
lems that are so extreme they make education seem, out of those watching her preach. She smiles and waves at various people who
at times, irrelevant. Either way, her influence spills outside of her own showed up to take in the school district’s annual
But when students enter Atkins’ classroom, she classroom into the others her students find them- choral showcase.
demands that for those 90 minutes, they let it all go. selves in during the school day. And then, they take When it’s time for her students — the GHS “Show
“Music was an escape when I was in school, so the example she has set for them back home — Stoppers” — to perform, she looks at a friend in the
when you step into my classroom, when you cross many, to situations that bring far less hope than they front row and winks.
that line, every fight you got into, all your letters and leave her room with. She knows exactly what’s about to happen.
numbers — EC, 504 — it goes away,” Atkins said. That is her power. Over the next dozen minutes, the young men and
“We are all the same. You leave all labels outside the “When I leave here, I want them to remember that women under her command are singing and danc-
door and we come together for the love of that music you can defy labels. I remember being in high school ing with such gusto that those in the audience are
to be healed.” and looking up these statistics about people. For my either holding their phones in the air to record the
They are free to express themselves and find com- age and for a child who came out of a single-parent performance or standing and cheering them on.
fort in the surroundings. home, they had all these things you were supposed Some are shouting and dancing in the aisles.
They can sing and dance to forget, if only for an to be. I say, ‘No. I’m not any of that,’” Atkins said. At one point during the performance of “This is
hour-and-a-half each day, what is waiting for them “So, since that day, I’ve used that. No. I am not going Me” from the film “The Greatest Showman,” a wom-
when the dismissal bell rings. to be what you say I’m supposed to be. I am more an in the audience breaks down when these words
But Atkins also teaches them lessons she hopes than your labels. So that’s what I tell them. You don’t are sung:
will stay with them for the remainder of their lives. have to be what society says you’re going to be. You “Another round of bullets hits my skin
Lessons like respect. don’t have to be what the media says you are. You Well, fire away ‘cause today
 I won’t let the shame sink in
We are bursting through the barricades and
Reaching for the sun
We are Cougars
Yeah, that’s what we’ve become
I won’t let them break me down to dust
I know that there’s a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me”
What that woman didn’t know was that her re-
action was almost choreographed by Atkins — that
she chose that particular song as a rallying cry for a
community on the fringes.
“I tell them, ‘Y’all can do Beyonce and Cardi B
and Jay-Z on your own time. I might even give you
a little bit of that every now and then, but when you
come into my classroom, I want songs that are going
to stick with you — that you’re going to remember
at your lowest points,’” she said. “When they are 80
years old, you’re going to remember when you sang
“This is Me.” And their faces light up when they sing
those lyrics.”
The faces of those who watch them sing those
words reflected different emotions.
Some, like that woman, wiped tears from their
eyes.
Others strained to contain smiles that stretched so
wide they looked almost painful.
And when the emcee addressed the room after a
lengthy standing ovation, his reaction spoke vol-
umes.
He was, he told those in attendance, speechless.
“The kids they label as bad kids and thug kids,
they’re just up there singing and dancing and people
can’t believe it. We came to that show with some-
thing to prove,” Atkins said. “I told them, I want you
to show out — and want them to know who you
are when you leave that stage. Music can do that. It
can heal you and it can heal your community. They
healed our school that night. They showed all those 116 West Mulberry Street
people who the kids from Goldsboro High can be.” Goldsboro, North Carolina 27530

Shop
Atkins has already paid the gift her high school mimisboutique2939@gmail.com
music teachers gave her forward. 919.947.6200
One of her very first students, Caleb Sasser, now
teaches music at Dillard Middle School — and runs
his room in a style akin to the one that touched his
heart when he was a pupil in Atkins’ classroom all
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E&D Winter 2019 Page 11

 A Curtain Calling

Were it not for the

many hats worn by
Margaret Boothe Baddour
over the last several decades,
the local arts scene as we
know it wouldn’t exist.
 I
t started simply enough Mrs. Baddour began teaching at Wayne Commu-
nity College, where she stayed for 16 years.
productions over the years and remain good friends
to this day.
— a toddler, maybe 2 or “I taught humanities, all the arts — creative
writing and drama,” she said.
“More often, I have been the director and he has
been the leading man,” Mrs. Baddour said.
3 years old, performing Off and on for 25 years, she did a lot of Readers’ And perhaps one of the most memorable collabo-
Theater — actors sitting on stools with their scripts rations came at a moment when the community —
for her family. on music stands. and the arts — needed them most, when the iconic
Back then, Margaret Boothe Baddour had no idea It was not about fancy costumes or elaborate Paramount Theatre burned in 2005.
what the word “legacy” meant — that one day, her staging, she said. She and Hulse performed “The Mystery of Irma
community would not be able to think about local “You are leaving your body behind,” Mrs. Baddour Vep” as part of a fundraiser to rebuild the theater.
theater without her name surfacing. said. “You rely on voices and expressions.” “Geoff and I each played four characters,” Mrs.
Sure, she had passion. And she avoided participating in traditional the- Baddour said, smiling as she reflected on what
But at such a young age, she had no way of con- ater until one day, when her friend, Rosalyn Lomax, unfolded on stage. “I had six to eight moustaches,
ceptualizing a lifetime of sharing that love of theater whom she calls “my sister in theater,” came to see and they would slip. People would just slap another
and the arts with audiences, actors and students. her. moustache on me.”
It was, and remained for these many years since, “We need a Witch No. 2,” Lomax said. “You’ve got And thanks, in part, to support from people like
just her way. to do it.” Hulse and Mrs. Baddour, the theater was rebuilt —
“It’s always been theater and writing for me,” she Mrs. Baddour resisted at first — not sure she ensuring future generations could experience the
said. wanted to be on stage. magic of that stage on Center Street.
Mrs. Baddour majored in theater arts at Stephens The rest is theater history. •
College, but a few months of summer stock made “I ended up doing a lot of shows,” she said. Mrs. Baddour has spent much of her time in the
her rethink her dream of a career in performing. • shadows, directing everything from dramas to com-
So, she switched her vision to teaching and trans- Mrs. Baddour’s career has been two-fold — both edies, helping generations of actors reach audiences
ferred to the University of North Carolina, where as an actor on stage and as the director making vari- and fostering a love of theater in her community.
she earned her master’s degree in English education. ous playwrights’ visions come alive. She said her love of the arts reflects her love of
Theater was no longer in her future plans — at And when she is the director, one of the actors on writing and literature.
least not a life on stage. stage is often Geoff Hulse, a well-known attorney “I love bringing literature to life,” she said.
She moved to Wayne County in the late 1970s to and fellow lover of the arts. But directing is not easy.
take over as director of the Arts Council. The two have worked together in various
SEE CALLING, Page 14
And it was here, in Goldsboro, that she met an
attorney, her now husband, Philip Baddour Jr.
But he had children, already.
“So I gave it all up to be a stepmom,” she said.
And when she and her husband added a daughter,
Helen, to their clan, she decided to make working
with the arts community and serving on boards a
secondary job to raising her family.
Still, some of her favorite memories are from those
days spent with Helen and her boys.
And she found that like her mother, her daughter
had a bit of the acting bug, too.
Helen, now 31, made her debut at age 3, with
Stagestruck, as Tinkerbell.
She was in many productions throughout her
school years and even had a leading role in “Miracle
on 34th Street.”
Mrs. Baddour says Helen, who is now a lawyer
like her father, thanks her often for exposing her to
theater and creative writing.
“She uses them all the time,” Mrs. Baddour said.
But her impact on Wayne County’s youth has,
over the years, stretched far beyond the walls of the
home she and her husband made here nearly four
decades ago.

E&D Winter 2019 Page 13

 CALLING Margaret Boothe
Continued from Page 13 Baddour and
Geoff Hulse attend
Getting all the parts to sync and pulling the best the DGDC’s annual
out of her actors, while making sure all the sets are awards banquet in
perfect and the business side of the production is character to promote
covered, is exhausting and exhilarating, she said. their October
“You have your ups and downs in a production,” performance of
Mrs. Baddour said. “But when it comes together and “Blythe Spirit” —
you see it on stage and watch the audience react … a show that was put on
it’s very gratifying.” to raise money for the
And then there is the quality that Mrs. Baddour county’s arts community.
still has in abundance and why so many actors are
drawn to the stage.
“Extra energy,” she said. “It is something that some
of us have that needs to be expended.”
But after so many years as a director, it is not husband and family, she finds she needs to keep She has never written a play, but says it is not out
always easy for Mrs. Baddour to sit back and be just busy. of the realm of possibilities.
an actor in a show. “I needed that schedule,” she said. She is not finished dreaming just yet.
It goes back to wanting to offer her audiences her That is part of the reason she stays involved with “Life is full of things I might do,” she said.
best. the theater community. But she has a mountain left to summit — one that
“I want it to be right,” she said. “I love it,” she said. “I am a goal-oriented person.” has been part of her life for years.
Retirement hasn’t been effortless for a person with • Mrs. Baddour is working on a novel.
energy and who is used to a very busy schedule. Mrs. Baddour’s talents do not end at the stage. “I have been carrying it around in canvas sacks
And while she loves spending time with her She is also an accomplished poet. SEE CALLING, Page 40

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E&D Winter 2019 Page 15

Charles B. Aycock

Golden Falcons
We are
Family
Ready Pikeville
to proud!

Soar
 Falcons eye a hot start
The last twelve games of the 2018-19 basket-
ball season gave Charles B. Aycock head coach
David Elmore plenty to build on.
His team won nine of those matchups and
played its best against conference opponents.
So coming into this season, his message is
fairly simple.
Keep the momentum going.
“We started out really rough … but ended up
on a hot streak, especially in our conference,” El-
more said. “So, I want the guys who are return-
ing to take what we did at the end of the season
and roll it into the beginning of this year.”
Doing so will be important, as the Golden
Falcons host Goldsboro High School Nov. 22.
But if they play within Elmore’s system,
Aycock, he says, has a chance to run with any
opponent.
It starts with basketball IQ — playing
smart, controling the ball and being efficient on
offense.
“Making sure we get the best shot we can and
trying to limit turnovers,” Elmore said.
And they want to control the tempo by play-
ing aggressive team defense — to limit oppo-
nents’ opportunities to run up the score.
e
“We would be more like Virginia than a North
Carolina. I tell the guys all the time, ‘I don’t care
if the score is 24-20 every game as long as we
have 24 and get the win,’ Elmore said. “That’s the
style of play that’s going to make us successful.”
So is having battle-tested leaders on the
court — seniors like Alijuan Moore and Charles
Walker.
Moore’s athleticism makes him a matchup
nightmare, but Elmore believes that this year, he
brings an intangible to the lineup that can’t be
taught.
A star football player on an Aycock team
that enjoyed success this season, he has been a
winner this fall.
“Football having success this year, I think that
helps with players (who are joining the
basketball team after the football sea-
son) because they have experienced that
success,” Elmore said. “So, they’re going
to come into basketball with some con-
fidence. Hopefully, them playing with
confidence on the football field will roll
over onto the court.”
Moore hopes it will. Because as a senior, Nov. 22: Goldsboro
he understands that his high school days
will soon be behind him — that this is the
Nov. 26: Cleveland
last chance he’ll have to play with young Dec. 3: @ Goldsboro
men who are more like brothers than Dec. 4: @ Fike
teammates. Dec. 10: @ Beddingfield
“I just tell all my boys, this is our last Dec. 11: Fike
run together, so it’s time to put on a show,” Dec. 13: West Johnston
he said. “And we have to want it because
at the end of the day, if we want it, we can
Dec. 17: South Central
be the best team out there every night.” Dec. 19: @ South Lenoir
Fellow senior Charles Walker agrees. Dec. 27: @ South Johnston
He wants to be able to say that in his Jan. 3: Southern Wayne
final season wearing a Golden Falcons Jan. 6: New Bern
jersey, he gave it everything he had. Jan 8: @ J.H. Rose
So he and his teammates got together
this summer to put in extra work.
Jan. 10: @ D.H. Conley
“A lot of us got together in the gym, so Jan. 21: Eastern Wayne
I think our chemistry is going to be a lot Jan. 24: @ South Central
better to start off the season,” he said. “We Jan. 28: @ Southern Wayne
got a feel for each other, and we know our Jan. 31: @ New Bern
strengths and weaknesses.” Feb. 4: J.H. Rose
And he plans on taking more personal
responsibility for his teammates on and
Feb. 7: D.H. Conley
off the court. Feb. 11: South Lenoir
“This year, I’m going to try to be a lot Feb. 13: @ Eastern Wayne
more vocal so the young guys know how
to be a team and stay together,” Walker * Conference Tournament Begins Feb. 17
said.
And if everybody plays his role — and
the team plays for each other — some- Mascot — Golden Falcons
thing special could happen in Pikeville.
“We’re still one of the teams in the Head Coach — David Elmore
county to keep an eye on this year.”
E&D Winter 2019 Page 17
 Eastern Wayne
Warriors
E Dub
S p r i nt
or sit
Fear
the
Spear
 The Warriors are hungry
Wesley Case wants to prove his critics wrong.
And he wants to beat Goldsboro High School.
In their house.
For the Eastern Wayne senior — an electric
scorer and the player opposing fans love to hate
b
— there are plenty of goals to achieve during his
senior season.
He hopes to showcase his defensive skills.
His desire to be taken seriously as a leader is
strong.
And his head coach, Bill Manning, says his
star guard has put in the work to accomplish all
those things he hopes will come to fruition as he
suits up for the Warriors for one final run.
“Wesley has an incredibly high ceiling. Lots
of people out there think they’ve seen the best
version of Wesley and I’m going to tell you they
have not,” Manning said. “Wesley is going to
show everybody this year that he’s more than a
scorer. He’s going to be able to show people this
year that he’s a complete player.”
But Case is not the only senior hoping to
make noise on the hardwoods this winter.
Devin Brown, a towering young man who will
start at center for the Warriors, possesses a rare
combination of size and skill.
Just don’t look for him to play for statistics —
even if he’s more than capable of putting up 20
points and 10 rebounds every time he steps on
the floor.
For this particular senior, helping to lead his
team to a memorable season means more than
any personal accolades he could achieve.
“My main goal is for us to be the No. 1 team
in the conference, to make it to the playoffs
and go far in the playoffs,” Brown said. “Going
20 and 10 is possible for me, but getting every-
body on the team involved and getting the win
is more important. Right now, all I’m thinking
about is getting the team straight and working
together as a family.”
And Manning believes it is that attitude that
will give Eastern Wayne a legitamate shot
at turning some heads this season.
“What he just said is what a coach loves
to hear. If they play as a family, anything
is possible,” he said. “I’m really optimistic
about this season. I feel like we’ve got a
lot of experience coming back. I feel like
we’ve got as much athleticism as we’ve
had in a while. But we don’t go any farther Nov. 20: @ North Pitt
than these two young men take us.” Nov. 22: Hunt
Case takes that responsibility seriously. Nov. 26: @ Greene Central
Over the summer, he hit the gym and
Nov. 27: @ Kinston
the weight room to transform his body
into one that can withstand the type of Dec. 3: Greene Central
punishment he is known for taking night Dec. 4: @ Hunt
in and night out. Dec. 6: Goldsboro
“I’ve gotten a lot tougher. A lot tougher. Dec. 13: @ Goldsboro
More aggressive,” he said. Dec. 20: Kinston
And as he matured, he has become
Jan. 3: @ South Central
more aware of the need for him to get his
teammates involved. Jan. 6: Southern Wayne
“Complete players rub off on every- Jan. 8: @ New Bern
body,” Manning said. “It brings everybody Jan. 10: @ J.H. Rose
up.” Jan. 17: D.H. Conley
And if his senior guard lives up to his Jan. 21: @ Charles B. Aycock
potential, no dream is too big — not even
Jan. 23: North Lenoir
sweeping GHS this season.
So Case will continue to work to ensure Jan. 29: @ North Lenoir
his game is ready when the season opens Jan. 31: @ Southern Wayne
toward the end of the month. Feb. 4: New Bern
And he will push himself — allowing Feb. 7: @ J.H. Rose
the chip on his shoulder to motivate him Feb. 11: @ D.H. Conley
to shock young men across the county
Feb. 13: Charles B. Aycock
who have played against him since he was
a freshman.
I’m just trying to prove everybody * Conference Tournament Begins Feb. 17
wrong,” Case said. “I’m just trying to be
the best I can be this year.”
He knows his best — and Brown’s —
Mascot — Warriors
could result in something special.
And special is the only way he wants his
Head Coach — Bill Manning
storied career to end.
E&D Winter 2019 Page 19
 Goldsboro
Cougar Pride
The Boro

Push
the
G Boys
ball
 This Could be Their Year
When Christian Bullock is running the point,
anything is possible.
After returning last year from a knee
injury, Goldsboro High School’s senior guard
put Wayne County on notice with an electric
junior season on the hardwoods — from dishing
alley-oops to his teammates to knocking down
clutch 3-pointers and taking it to the basket.
“I’m excited to get back to playing at my full
potential — being able to finish out being at
Goldsboro as a winner.”
And this year, he’ll have plenty of help after
leading the Cougars to the second round of the
state playoffs last season.
High-flying wingman Xavion Atkinson is set
to return to the starting five.
Lockdown defender Jae’Quan Graham is back,
too.
And a pair of freshmen — Demaj Oates and
and Takorrie Faison — have already impressed
college scouts.
Goldsboro head coach Jamaal Croom said
he believes he has the personnel to play the
aggressive, run-and-gun style that could see the
Cougars repeat as conference champions and
make a deep run in the playoffs again this year.
“We play fast and we’ve got the bodies to play
up and down like we want to,” he said. “If we
sacrifice, we can make it all the way to the state
championship.”
The Cougars impressed their coach during
summer play, but Croom said January 9 is when
he will know just what his team’s ceiling is.
On that night, they will host Kinston.
“When you say a team like Kinston, when
you say that name ... they are one of the top pro-
grams in the country,” he said. “When you can
compete against that type of talent — being that
they produce pros — if you can compete against
that, hey, that’s the bar right there.”
But it isn’t just the number of quality players
returning — or the fact that he has a seemingly
perfect mix of youth and experience —
that has Croom believing this could very
well be the year Goldsboro cuts down the
nets.
He also has Bullock — a humble, driven
leader who performs inside the classroom
as well as he does on the court.
“Ever since he’s been at Goldsboro, he’s
been a winner. He’s a rare talent,” Croom Nov. 22: @ Charles B. Aycock
said. “I have no doubt in my mind that
this year, this is going to be his year. Last
Nov. 25: Southern Wayne
year, he put everybody on notice, but this Dec. 3: Charles B. Aycock
season, and he showed it this summer, Dec. 6: @ Eastern Wayne
whenever he steps on the floor, he’s more Dec. 9: @ Southern Wayne
than likely going to be the best player out Dec. 13: Eastern Wayne
there.” Dec. 26-28: @ UMO Winter Classic
True to his personality, Bullock shrugs
off the notion that he is somehow more
Jan. 3: @ Spring Creek
special than his teammates. Jan. 7: @ Midway
But he understands that as the leader Jan. 9: Kinston
of this particular team, he has to be every Jan. 10: Wallace-Rose Hill
bit as electric as he was last season ... and Jan. 14: @ East Duplin
then some. Jan. 17: Clinton
“I know after last year, my role is going
to be that I’m one of the go-to guys,” he
Jan. 24: Midway
said. “So, I’m going to have to be scoring, Jan. 28: @ Wallace-Rose Hill
but also looking to get my teammates Jan. 29: @ Kinston
involved.” Feb. 4: Spring Creek
And if, as Croom says, the team lives up Feb. 7: @ James Kenan
to the enormous potential they showed Feb. 11: @ Clinton
during the offseason, his senior point
guard might just live out a dream he has
Feb. 13: East Duplin
been chasing since he was in middle
school: to be a high school champion. * Conference Tournament Begins Feb. 18
“That’s the goal. That’s always the goal,
but this time, it feels kind of different,”
Bullock said. “With the guys we’ve got
coming in and the guys coming back, this
is the team right here. This team, we’re go- Mascot — Cougars
ing to win. We’re going to win a lot. And
we could win a championship. So as far as Head Coach — Jamaal Croom
being a leader, I take that real seriously.”
E&D Winter 2019 Page 21
 Rosewood
Fly, Eagles ... FLY!

D e f e n s e Stay
together
All eyes
on Princeton
 Eagles have perspective
The coaches at Rosewood would tell you that
sports are not really about winning and losing.
Sure, the school’s athletic programs enjoy
success, but from football and wrestling to
basketball, the same lines naturally flow out of
the mouths of those leading the young men who
sport the purple and gold.
They seem to understand that when young
people participate in athletics, it gives mentors
another opportunity to teach them values they
can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
So even though head coach Daniel Mitchell
had plenty to say about the Eagles’ upcoming
basketball season, he stressed that when it’s all
said and done, he’s more concerned about who
those young men become away from the court.
“I tell them, and they don’t understand right
now, but I say that one day, I want them to be
good fathers. I want them to be good husbands.
I want them, when basketball is over, to decide
what type of young men they’re going to be,” he
said. “My hope is that playing sports here for me
is going to have a positive impact through me
teaching those life lessons.”
And, like all coaches, he hopes that building
character will result in wins.
The Eagles have several returning players,
including some underclassmen who were thrust
into roles last season.
“So in that respect, we’re looking forward to
seeing what those guys can do,” Mtichell said.
And he plans on sticking to the style of play
that has seen Rosewood battle Princeton for the
conference title the last two seasons.
That, he said, starts with defense.
“I would say for me, in the past, we’ve empha-
sized defense quite a bit. Our personnel we have
can change from year to year, but defense is a
constant,” Mitchell said. “Defense is all about
effort, so that’s definitely something we work on
every day at practice.”
Because when the effort is there, it spills over
into every aspect of the game.
It also spills over into the classroom.
“We try to hold them to certain stan-
dards. They know that they’ve got to
perform in the classroom before we’ll let
them perform on the basketball court,”
Mitchell said. “In student-athlete, the
student comes first.”
And he has found that academic
success can translates into increased bask-
teball IQ — that when his players under- Dec. 3: @ North Johnston
stand the importance of effort in all they
do, the sky is the limit.
Dec. 6: Spring Creek
“As long as the effort is there and the Dec. 9: @ West Johnston
attitude is right among our young men, Dec. 13: @ Spring Creek
I feel like we’ll have a good chance to
compete.”
Dec. 20: Union
Among the Eagles’ goals this year are Jan. 2-3 Tournament: @ N. Johnston
a conference championship, but Mitchell Jan. 7: @ Lakewood
knows the road to cutting down those
nets goes through rival Princeton.
Jan. 10: North Duplin
So it’s no great shock that the two times Jan. 17: @ Neuse Charter
those teams meet — one of their meetings Jan. 21: @ Princeton
will be on the Eagles’ Senior Night — are
among the most anticipated games of the
Jan. 24: @ Hobbton
season. Jan. 28: @ Union
“I think that’s the (opponent) that’s Jan. 29: Hobbton
circled on the schedule,” Mitchell said.
“You don’t overlook anyone. You take
Jan. 31: Lakewood
them one game at a time. But we all Feb. 4: @ North Duplin
certainly think those are going to be big Feb. 11: Neuse Charter
games.”
But they won’t only be significant be-
Feb. 13: Princeton (Senior Night)
cause they represent rivalry clashes.
This particular season, the other seems * Conference Tournament
to be the only school standing in each
team’s way of a championship.
Begins Feb. 18
“I hope at the end of the season that
we’re competing with Princeton for the
conference championship. That’s where I
want us to try to be. I feel like that’s going
Mascot — Eagles
to be our main goal. We won it two years
ago, finished runner-up to them last year.
Head Coach — Daniel Mitchell
So yeah, those games are big.”
E&D Winter 2019 Page 23
Southern Wayne
We want It ALL

L e t ' s g o Ballin
Saints!
 A rebuild in Dudley
Dwight Smith knows that he is in the middle
of a rebuild — that having lost seven players
from last year’s team, the best he can hope for
during conference play is for Southern Wayne to
run somewhere in the middle of the pack.
But he also noted that the Saints have plenty
of firepower on this season’s roster — including
senior Jamari Leach — and that he expects his
team to be able to run with anyone.
So he will stay true to the system that has
defined Southern Wayne basketball for the last
several years.
“We want to play up tempo and put pressure
on you. We want you to rush on your shot. We
want to play up in your face,” he said.
And he will try to make his players under-
stand that if they buy in, they have the potential
to hold their own in what he characterized as
“one of the most competitive counties in the
state.”
“Goldsboro, Eastern Wayne, Aycock, you can’t
sleep on any of them. Everybody has to bring
their A game against those guys,” Smith said.
“But if we do what we’re supposed to do on the
court, we should be OK. We’ll win some, but it’s
not all about winning.
“We want to compete. We want to get better
every game. Every time we go onto the floor, we
want to be able to say this team is growing every
minute, every second on that floor.”
And he wants to ensure his playmakers, like
Leach, have the opportunity to put the Saints in
the best position to win.
“He’s fully healthy now and he’s going to bring
a lot to the team this year,” Smith said. “That
young man is a player.”
Leach said he has been thinking about the
start of basketball season for months and said
poise will be key to winning games.
“We’ve just got to compete and keep our atti-
tudes right,” he said. “If we do that, I think we’re
gonna surprise some people.”
Leach’s ability to lead his team will be
tested from the start.
Of the other returning players, many
are young men who didn’t see a lot of
playing time last season.
“A lot of the guys coming back, they
didn’t play much last year, so they’re going
to be thrown into the fire and they’re
going to have to learn on the run,” Smith Nov. 19: @ North Lenoir
said. “Hopefully, those guys can step up.” Nov. 22: North Lenoir
They have the talent, their coach noted, Nov. 25: @ Goldsboro
adding they have demonstrated an ability
to rebound and push the ball up the floor. Dec. 2: @Jones Senior
But filling the shoes left by those seven Dec. 4: Jones Senior
who won’t suit up for the Saints this year Dec. 9: Goldsboro
will still be a daunting task. Dec. 11: @ Cape Fear Christian
“Whether they can play or not, it’s about
a mentality,” Smith said. “We have to find Dec. 13: Northern Nash
some guys who believe they are going to Dec. 17: @ D.H. Conley
step up and take their place.” Dec. 26-28: FCA Christmas Tournament
Three of the Saints first four games are Jan. 3: @ Charles B. Aycock
on the road — including a rivalry match-
up against Goldsboro High. Jan. 6: @ Eastern Wayne
How the team responds to the adversity Jan. 8: South Central
surely awaiting them will say a great deal Jan. 17: @ New Bern
about what kind of team Southern Wayne Jan. 21: J.H. Rose
really has.
But Smith feels the most significant Jan.24: D.H. Conley
game on the schedule won’t be played Jan. 28: Charles B. Aycock
until the middle of the season. Feb. 4: South Central
It will be how his players respond to Feb. 11: New Bern
South Central that will say the most about
where this program is. Feb. 13: @ J.H. Rose
“They haven’t lost a conference game in
the last three years,” Smith said. “So, this * Conference Tournament
year, even if we can’t beat ’em, we want Begins Feb. 17
to be able to play pretty close with them.
How we are or aren’t able to do that is
going to tell me a lot about where we are
as a program. And I really think by then,
Mascot — Saints
if we do what we’re supposed to be doing,
we have a shot.”
Head Coach — Dwight Smith
E&D Winter 2019 Page 25
 Spring Creek
Gators
Welcome
to the
S W A M P

Dont CHOMP!
sleep on CHOMP!
the Creek CHOMP!
 Sleep at your own risk
It doesn’t seem to matter how many 20-win
seasons they earn.
For some reason, people always tend to sleep
on Spring Creek.
Maybe, their head coach, Taylor Jones said,
it’s because the school’s football team hasn’t
established a winning tradition.
Perhaps it’s because the size of the school
makes it more difficult to find more than a
handful of tremendous athletes to fill out the
basketball team each season.
But in reality, the Gators are often the team
people don’t think about until they pull off a
win against a school like Goldsboro High.
Jones likes it that way.
He knows just how powerful a motivator it
can be for the young men on his team to know
that they don’t get the respect they feel they
deserve.
And it also provides Jones with the opportu-
nity to showcase what can happen when players
buy in to a system instead of relying on a few
high-flying athletes to carry a team through a
season.
“We like that they underestimate us and we
know we don’t have what everybody else has,”
he said. “So we don’t try to do what everybody
else does. We try to be us and do things our
way. And if we do that, we can beat anybody.”
So even though the Gators only return one
starter from last year’s team, Jones isn’t overly
worried about his group’s chances against one of
!
the toughest basketball conferences in this part
of the state.
When they play Spring Creek basketball, any-
thing is possible.
“I tell my guys, there is no area of the game I
! want you to be an expert in, but I want you to
be good at everything. Great offense is going to
beat great defense, but we’re going to play great
defense. So, we want to be able to defend — to
shut you down — and we want to be free on
offense. What we do doesn’t change. We do
it the same way every time. So our oppo-
nents, they know what we’re going to be
running, but if we execute, we’re going to
present you with some problems.”
It doesn’t hurt that their one returning
starter was one of the best players in the
county last season.
Tyrese Artis proved that on any given Nov. 25: South Lenoir
night, he can go toe to toe with anyone.
Dec. 3: Princeton
“He’s as good as any player around here,”
Jones said. Dec. 4: @ South Lenoir
And he has the right mentality, his coach Dec. 6: @ Rosewood
added. He understands that the only way Dec. 10: @ Princeton
to win is to use his many talents within the Dec. 12: @ North Duplin
Spring Creek system. Dec. 13: Rosewood
“I just try to go out there and win every
Dec. 26-28: @ UMO Winter Classic
game. No matter who’s on the schedule,
I’m gonna play the same,” he said. “So, I’m Jan. 3: Goldsboro
not going to try to go out there and do too Jan. 7: Wallace-Rose Hill
much because that’s not how we do things.” Jan. 9: East Duplin
So just how do the Gators do things? Jan. 10: @ Clinton
They focus on rebounding and defense. Jan. 17: James Kenan
Jones teaches his players to be “great
Jan. 21: @ Midway
passers” and to play free on offense by tak-
ing advantage of their strengths. Jan. 24: @ Wallace-Rose Hill
And he will rely on Artis to be a second Jan. 28: Clinton
coach out there on the floor — to ensure Jan. 31: @ East Duplin
the younger players who will be joining Feb. 4: @ Goldsboro
him in the starting lineup see him as a Feb. 7: Midway
confident, poised leader in the face of
Feb. 11: @ James Kenan
adversity.
Feb. 13: East Duplin
“I know that I can’t fold out there. I can’t
ever fold,” Artis said. “Because I know my
teammates are going to be looking to me. * Conference Tournament
So, I’ve just got to keep my head high and Begins Feb. 18
stay poised. If I can do that, I think we have
a chance to be successful.”
Jones agreed.
“People used to laugh when they saw
us on their schedule,” he said. “They don’t
Mascot — Gatros
Head Coach — Taylor Jones
laugh anymore.”
E&D Winter 2019 Page 27
Wayne Christian
Flyin’
Trust Eagle
High!!! s
Your
Brothers

A higher
purp ose
 Eagles are stronger together
There is something a little different about the
pre-season mentality reflected inside the Wayne
Christian gym.
Sure, the players and coaches want to win
games.
But when they talk about their goals for the
upcoming season, it’s clear that they have a dif-
ferent perspective than many of the other high
school basketball teams in Wayne County.
They don’t have the size that some of their
public school counterparts have.
They don’t have players identified by scouts as
potential Division I superstars.
But they insist that by playing together —
by living out the Wayne Christian mission there
on the hardwoods — they have a real shot at
proving they, too, can have a special 2019-20
season.
First-year head coach Paul Brenner said he is
“as competitive as anybody else,” but when you
talk to him, it seems as though he would be con-
tent to witness his group of student-athletes play
the right way — and have fun doing it.
“If we lose the fun aspect of this game, I think
it becomes really, really tough,” he said. “That
doesn’t mean we’re not going to play hard. I’m as
competitive as anybody else is. But we’re going
to have fun doing it.”
And they are going to remain committed to
higher causes — asking themselves questions
that stretch far beyond the court.
“We’re out there going hard and the question
we ask ourselves is, ‘Can the guys around me
trust me?’ Because they’re hanging out together
all day … they just get to know each other at a
much deeper level,” Brenner said. “Our mission
here really goes beyond building character. Our
mission is to partner with parents and churches
to teach a biblical world view. We don’t look at
basketball or football or soccer or any of those
sports as extra-curricular. It’s co-curricular. This
is all about the entire process.”
Senior guard Jaylon Wallace agrees.
Winning is something he and his
teammates will strive for, but they know
the only way they can do so is to play for
each other — to be a family.
“Everything we do is about family. That
gives us more strength. We know that we
can count on each other,” Wallace said.
“We put our faith, 120 percent, on every- Nov. 25: @ Christ Covenant
body on this team.”
Dec. 3: @ Southside Christian
So they compensate for their relative
lack of size with hustle and unity. Dec. 6: Bethel Christian
“I think a lot of teams think they’re so Dec. 10: @ Neuse Christian
good because they have size. Size is just
Dec. 13: @ Friendship Christian
something that’s there,” Wallace said.
“But if you don’t believe in and trust your Dec. 17: Dash Homeschool
teammates, size ain’t gonna help you.” Dec. 20: @ Liberty Christian
And they don’t bother circling any one
Dec. 26-28: @ UMO Winter Classic
game on the schedule because to them, it’s
about showing up to every game with the Jan. 3: Wayne Country Day
same mentality. Jan. 7: Greenfield
When you play together, the Eagles
Jan. 10: @ Teach
would tell you, anything can happen.
And when the season comes to end, Jan. 14: Friendship Christian
no matter what record they boast — no Jan. 17: John Paul II (Homecoming)
matter how many games they win in their
Jan. 21: @ Wayne Country Day
conference or against local rival Wayne
Country Day — they will be able to hold Jan. 24: @ Greenfield
their heads high, knowing that they Jan. 28: Lighthouse Eagles
played the game the right way.
Jan. 31: @ John Paul II
A way that reflects what Brenner says
is just the way of life at Wayne Christian
— from the classroom and football field * Conference Tournament
to the gymnasium that doubles as an
Begins Feb. 3
auditorium.
“We’re going to do everything we can
to get as far as we can and once we get to
the end, we’re going to leave it out there,”
Wallace said. “We’re gonna leave it out
Mascot — Eagles
there knowing that we did our best.”
And in that respect, that means the
Head Coach — Paul Brenner
Eagles have already won.
E&D Winter 2019 Page 29
 Country Day

Charge
rs

Unfinished
Business
Locked
in

Bro t h e r h o o d
 Chargers want it all
At a practice in early November, the Wayne
Country Day philosophy was on full display as
head coach Keith McLawhorn addressed his
team.
The Chargers have plenty of talent, with at
least three current players destined for Division
s
I basketball careers.
They were within shouting distance of a state
championship last season.
But in order for this particular team to realize
its dream of cutting down the nets at the end of
the season, they can’t play as individuals.
“You have to be a team. You have to play for
each other,” McLawhorn said. “If you do that,
every one of you is gonna get yours. I promise
you that. But we won’t accomplish our goals if
we fall apart.”
In reality, WCDS has one of the best — if not
the best — team in Wayne County.
But because they are a private school, they are
often overlooked when local residents discuss
high school basketball.
So players come into every season with a chip
on their shoulder.
“We want to be respected in the community.
We want to let people know that we have a good
program, so I remind my kids every day, people
think that just because we’re a private school, we
don’t play good teams and we don’t play hard,”
McLawhorn said. “They think we’re not that
good. So we have a point to prove.”
You would think that making it to the state
title game last season would have proved it.
But losing that game gives the Chargers even
more motivation.
“We’ve been waiting for this since July. We’ve
been grinding and working hard. I think, last
year, we had a taste of success, but we also had a
taste of failure because we lost that game. So we
use that to get our guys fired up.”
And when they play the public schools people
seem to be talking about — the Chargers could
very well meet Goldsboro High School in
the University of Mount Olive Christmas
tournament — they can let their play do
the talking.
McLawhorn runs an NBA-style spread
offense and puts an emphasis on ensuring
his team can get up and down the floor
quickly to disorient the other team.
“We’re going to get up and down the
floor and we’re going to get up in your
face on defense,” he said. “We’re going to
run transition. It all starts with transition.”
And then, they are going to let their
playmakers make plays.
Like Linwood Grandy, a pure scorer
who is poised to play at the next level.
“He’s a (Division I) player. The kid can
score. He’s an offensive threat,” his coach
said. “We’re still trying to get him to fully
buy in to the defensive end. If he does, he
could be a major player. But he can defi-
nitely score with the best of them.”
And should he embrace his role as one
of the leaders of his team, he has the abil-
ity to help them close the deal this season
and bring a championship back to Wayne
County.
Skill alone won’t do it, McLawhorn said.
There are plenty of examples of talented
teams that didn’t gel and missed out on
opportunities to go all the way.
And that was the message he preached
at that early November practice — that
only by becoming a unit would the Char-
gers take the next step on a journey that
nearly earned them a place in the history
books last season.
“It’s not about the skill sets. It’s not
about the system. We just have to play
together. We have to trust each other,”
he said. “And I’m confident that we’ll get
there. But we still have some work to do.”
E&D Winter 2019 Page 31
Nov. 8: @ Grace Christian
Nov. 12: Lighthouse
Nov. 15: @ O’Neal
Nov. 19: Thales-Rolesville
Nov. 22: Weldon
Nov. 23: Westchester Country Day
Nov. 25: Parrott Academy
Nov. 30: Northwood Temple Academy
Dec. 3: Fayetteville Academy
Dec. 5: @ Harrells Christian
Dec. 7: @ Northside Christian Dec. 10:
@ Cape Fear Academy Dec. 14:
Broughton (@ Faith RM) Dec. 19: @
Rocky Mount
Dec. 26-28: @ UMO Winter Classic
Dec. 30: Trinity
Jan. 3: @ Wayne Christian
Jan. 7: @ Friendship Academy
Jan. 8: Harrells Christian
Jan. 10: @John Paul II Catholic Jan. 14:
@ Fayetteville Academy Jan. 17: @
Green ield
Jan 21: Wayne Christian
Jan. 24: Friendship Christian
Jan. 28: John Paul II Catholic
Jan. 31: Green ield
Mascot — Chargers
Head Coach — Keith McLawhorn
 Dinner
with
Friends
The boys at the Patetown Volunteer
Fire Department don’t always get the
thank-yous they deserve. So we took them
some of the best barbecue in North Carolina —
and learned about just why they serve.

By KENNETH FINE

S
ome have been watching others
serve since they were old enough to
talk — waiting for their chance to
do the same.
 Others saw fighting fires and responding to car smoked brisket and, as one firefighter put it, So, when they told us about just what led
accidents as an extension of previous careers in the “perfectly seasoned” collard greens. them to volunteer their time to help their neigh-
military. But it was the fellowship — the conversation bors through some of their darkest moments, it
There was even a young man who saw it as way to had over what we agreed wasn’t all that surprising
satisfy his craving for rushes of adrenaline. was arguably the best
to find that their reasons
For the meal itself, they likely would have been barbecue for miles —
were fairly similar.
content to throw some Brightleaf hotdogs on the that made this meal so
grill — to make some sandwiches and heat up a few fulfilling. Marvin Perkins has
cans of soup on the stove to warm them on a chilly We talked about high been a firefighter for
November day. school football and the nearly 50 years.
But given the theme of our second edition of East- county school system. “I grew up in Saul-
bound & Downtown — and knowing just how much We discussed politics, ston, and all the young
they do for their community not for money or glory, family values and how we boys, that was just the
but for the way serving others makes them feel — we could better position lo- thing that you did. All
thought sharing some of the best barbecue in Wayne cal youths for the future. the fathers were farmers,
County was the least we could do to thank the un- And it hit us that these so everybody just did it
sung heroes at Patetown Volunteer Fire Department. types of conversations no
because it was a commu-
It’s worth noting that, even though we delivered longer happen as much
nity,” he said. “You were a
this edition’s Dinner with Friends, there is plenty to as they used to.
say about the atmosphere Scott Adams has created at That, we would find, member of Saulston Fire
Adams Roadside BBQ. is what makes places like Department and you were
If you’re driving down U.S. 70 just past Rosewood Patetown VFD so special. a member of Saulston
with the windows down, you can smell the smoke It’s not a sprawling facility, but there is a greater Church. Everybody was
billowing out of one of the simplest restaurants in sense of community inside that simple station than a part of the community and was in it for the
the state. you find in many neighborhoods across the county. community. Sadly, you’re starting to find that’s
And if you’re a barbecue connoisseur, you know It’s a family — a diverse family — that believes not always the case these days.”
that is usually a telltale sign that something special is that some traditions are worth preserving.
waiting at the end of that rainbow.
SEE ADAMS, Page 34
Some grab their food and eat right in the gravel
parking lot.
Others take a seat at one of the rustic wooden
picnic tables.
Either way, first-timers and loyalists seem to
agree that while other county barbecue joints have
been written about for decades, Adams still seems
to qualify as one of the best kept secrets in Eastern
North Carolina.
On this particular Saturday, we drove away with a
variety of must-taste offerings — from beef brisket,
pulled pork and chili to mac and cheese, collard
greens, boiled potatoes and a variety of breads.
And if the smells circulating through the car’s
heating system were any indication of what was to
come, we were confident the Patetown crew was in
for a treat.
Once inside the firehouse, we opted to go family
style.
There would be no fancy silverware or fine china. Karndean flooring
Just a stack of paper plates and some plastic forks.
This was a true community meal — the kind that is on sale now.
seems to be missing from society these days.
Order yours today at our Goldsboro Bring in this coupon
And within minutes, our plates were piled high
with everything from hearty Brunswick stew and location, 204 W. New Hope Road, for 10% off your
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E&D Winter 2019 Page 33

While many take their
Adams Roadside BBQ
to their cars and eat
right there in the gravel
parking lot, others enjoy
the experience of dining
at one of the picnic tables
to the left of the front
door. Either way, while
you enjoy your food, you
can see smoke billowing
out of the smokers in
the back and smell the
brisket and pork being
prepared by Scott Adams
and his crew.
 Don’t have time to drive out to Adams Roadside,
but still want to experience the food?
A second location recently opened in
downtown Goldsboro. Try the nachos.

For Mark Going, a Vietnam veteran who spent 30

$219,900
years in the military, suiting up with the boys from
Patetown is an extension of his military career.
“Hey, I did it for my country and it’s that same
sense of duty,” he said. “It came natural.”
But it’s more than that, too. It also satisfies that • Over one acre of unrestricted land • 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1/2 bath
inexplicable gut feeling nearly all who sign up to • Formals plus a huge sunroom • Large laundry room
serve their particular communities have in common:
to give back.
“You do it because you feel it’s something you
need to do for your community,” Going said. “You
feel that need to contribute.”
He has witnessed men and women answer that
call for as long as he can remember. Like when his
father volunteered his time to serve as a firefighter.
Ryan Kearney did, too.
“I grew up in it,” he said. “I’ve been in the fire
station since I was (a toddler).”
And somehow, hearing these men talk about their
values — the traditions and the unspoken code that
binds them — was the perfect ending to a meal
that requires those preparing it to invest long hours
alongside a smoker.
SEE ADAMS, Page 36
E&D Winter 2019 Page 35
 ADAMS
Continued from Page 35
What’s happening at Adams Roadside BBQ is, at
its core, an extension of a community pig pickin’
or neighborhood potluck from those bygone days
about which older generations reminisce.
Adams would likely tell you that his food philoso-
phy is not so different than the mentality Goings has
when he shows up to a structure fire or car accident.
“Treat everybody like they’re yours,” Going said.
“Treat it like it’s your mom. You treat ’em like they’re
family.”
Our second Dinner with Friends is about dedica-
tion and service — from the smoker to the firehouse.
And it was a reminder of the many seemingly simple
contributions so many across Wayne County make.
Both the restaurateur and that group of firefighters
seek to enrich the lives of those around them.
And if both do their jobs properly, the end result
is a plume of smoke.
They all followed their respective passions.
And all of them have uplifted those they’ve served.
For those firefighters, it might be as simple as
the reaction they get when they place a plastic fire
helmet on the head of a child who has just been in a
terrifying car accident.
And for Adams, he realized his impact as we wait-
ed for his crew to pack up our meal.
Proudly serving
A customer had pre-ordered two whole briskets Wayne County
and was standing at the counter waiting to load
them into his truck. since 1992
He told Adams that he drove two hours to get
his dinner — that he was feeding the construction
workers who have been rebuilding his home ever
Come see us at
since Hurricane Florence destroyed it. 1713 E. Ash St.
Tues - Fri: 9-6
The Texas native told him that he was in Wayne
County on a mission trip several years ago and tast-
ed his brisket — that it was more than an authentic
take on the Longhorn State’s staple, and he’d been a
Sat: 9-4
loyal customer ever since.
Adams was humbled. Follow us on
“We really do appreciate you,” he said. “Sure do.” Facebook to see our
It was a poignant reminder that one’s passion has Black Friday deals
the power to spill over onto everything they touch —
that one man’s leap of faith on a simple roadside
barbecue joint lifted up a stranger during his darkest
hours.
And it was another sign that Wayne County is a
community worth fighting for, that the many gifts
our residents bring to the table can change the
world, one plate — or one first-response — at a time.
 Thank you, Wayne County ...
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Because Quality Matters
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E&D Winter 2019 Page 37
 ATKINS
Continued from Page 11
And he keeps a notebook in his classroom — and
tells his students that if they have something going
on in their lives, they can release that baggage on the
pages.
“It’s just between you and I,” Sasser said.
Atkins’ eyes light up.
“That’s powerful,” she said. “That right there is
powerful.”
She knows that when those Dillard students feed
into Goldsboro — when Sasser’s students become
hers — that because of the example he set, they will
have that much more of a chance to make it.
Their influence combined could spark a genera-
tional change among those at-risk students with the
most to lose and the most to gain.
 “You have to break that cycle. That’s the only way
their lives are going to get better,” Atkins said. “And
if we can break that cycle, and they can leave those
neighborhoods and bring their gifts back home
one day, think about what that could mean for the
future.”

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E&D Winter 2019 Page 39

 CALLING
Continued from Page 14
since before there were even computers,” she said.
It is a literary novel, set in the 1950s.
The main character is a newspaper reporter. The
plot flashes from the past to the present as it follows
the main character’s life story.
“It is very much autobiographical,” she said.
Mrs. Baddour grew up in Greensboro next door to
the home her family ran for those who were recover-
ing from alcoholism.
Over those years, she met a lot of people with a lot
of interesting life stories.
“It helped make me curious,” she said.
That interest in the human condition and the sto-
ries that reveal the details of a person’s life, as well as
the characters she met, all those experiences are part
of Mrs. Baddour’s story, she said.
The novel is her chance to share it.
“I am proud of it,” she said.
But that is not all Mrs. Baddour has on her “to-do”
list.
She would like to perform Shakespeare, probably
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” in a unique way.
“I see it like a moveable fest,” she said. “We would
do one act here and one act there — the audience
would move to different venues.”
It is all about adding interest to theater and giving
a new dimension to showcasing the classic works
that she loves so much.
“This would take it to another level,” she said.
But her dream role — the one that she thinks
would be a challenge — is not a traditional lead or
the star of a show.
Her thespian ambition reflects the way she has
lived her life — with a passion for the characters and
the subtle touches that make a play come alive.
“The fool in ‘King Lear,’” she said. “I think it would
be fun.”
It is just another chapter in the life of a woman
who truly is, and always will be, an artist, a perform-
er and a writer at heart.
So just what Mrs. Baddour’s next act will be is
anyone’s guess.
But whatever it is, you can be sure hundreds who
live in Wayne County will ensure they don’t miss it.
To many, Mrs. Baddour is more than a local icon.
She is an inspiration to never slow down — to
never stop handing down knowledge and sharing
one’s passion.
And she’s someone they know will supply them
with many more acts before the final curtain falls.
 Oh, The Places You’ll Want to Go!
Get a

$25
November 26 — 5 to 8 p.m.:
Downtown Lights Up!
Santa Claus is coming to Goldsboro, real snow will fall
from the skies, children will sip on hot chocolate, and
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course, with the flip of a switch, the city’s downtown
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Dec. 7 — 1-9 p.m.:

Cliffs of the Neuse Christmas Flotilla
Your name Company name
In the afternoon, there will be games, activities and
crafting for the whole family to enjoy. Then, at 6 p.m.,
holiday movies will be played, santa will visit with
children at the lake and, of course, all eyes will be
on the flotilla. Sure, it’s parade day. But there’s no
reason you can’t make a stop at Cliffs of the Neuse
for even more celebrating. Referred by Date

E&D Winter 2019 Page 41

 Oh, The Places You’ll Want to Go!

Dec. 7 — 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.:

Dec. 3, 10, 17 — 6-8 p.m.:
Downtown Trolley Rides
Grab your significant other or children, bundle up and see
Historic Downtown Goldsboro through another lens,
as the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation’s
trolley rides return for what the DGDC hopes will be
another successful run.
Goldsboro, Mount Olive Christmas Parades
High school marching bands and JROTC units will make their
way through downtown Goldsboro and Mount Olive. Pageant
queens and civic organizations will be in the holiday spirit, too.
Santa and, perhaps, even the Grinch will make appearances. And,
most importantly, residents from all walks of life will come
together in both locations to usher in the season of giving.
The Mount Olive Parade begins at 10 a.m. and Goldsboro’s
starts at 4 p.m., so why not hit both?

Historic Downtown Goldsboro

Dec. 6-8:
The Nutcracker 137 N. Center Street
919-735-2964
For the 38th year in a row, the Goldsboro Ballet will Goldsboro, NC
bring a little girl’s toy to life at the Paramount Theatre. www.bicycleworldnc.com
 Oh, The Places You’ll Want to Go!
Jan. 12 — 3 p.m.:
The Malpass Brothers
If you enjoy live music and, more specifically, live
traditional country music, you don’t want to miss
the chance to see The Malpass Brothers perform
in downtown Goldsboro.

Dec. 31 — 9:30 p.m.:

Great Gatsby
New Year’s Party
Ring in the New Year with a
Roaring 20s-themed blowout at
the Terrace Room on South Center
Street. The celebration is for people
21 and older and a portion of the
proceeds will be donated to
community organizations.

Feb. 21 — 7:30 p.m.:

Monday-Friday: 11-2:30; 4:30-9
Violet Bell
Saturday: 4:30-11
Original Americana music from
Durham-Based Lizzy Ross and Omar
Ruiz-Lopez. This event is part of the 100 N. Center Street
Paramount Theatre Performing 919-734-3233
Arts Series and tickets can be
purchased for this one show or in a laughingowlnc.com
package. For more details, visit the
Paramount’s website.
Follow us on Facebook

E&D Winter 2019 Page 43

MORE than just Real Estate
We think we are GREAT at REAL ESTATE and work hard to maintain that reputation in Wayne County
and the communities that surround it by following our founding principles: professionalism, integrity and
determination. Want your real estate story to become a part of that tradition? Contact one of our agents or
visit our webiste by using your cell phone to scan the QR Code at the bottom of this ad.

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