NeighborGoodies

RDU’s Observation Park is back!

This is a great place to take the family on a free outing, where everyone can watch the airplanes take off from a safe vantage point. You can park for free, listen to communication between the pilots and the control tower, enjoy the picnic and play areas, look at the educational placards (test your knowledge of airplanes!), and use the modern restrooms. Observation Park will be open every day from 9am to dusk.

Click here for more info and to get directions.

Young leader recognized

Linden James, a member of Kids Voting Durham (the group that publishes those wonderful voting guides), has been recognized as Key Youth Volunteer of the Year by the Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center. Linden will be leading young participants serving internships over the summer and has represented Kids Voting Durham quite well on the Durham Skywriter’s Bull City Hangout show.

Help young patients at Wake Med

When Katie Haynes graduated from college, she celebrated with a project she calls Smiling While Sending Hope. She held a drive-through parade at the Tar River Elementary School in Franklinton and invited people to donate toys and items for young adult/teen patients at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh. Inspired by the successful event, Haynes started a Go Fund Me campaign to help her continue to provide much-needed (and fun) items for young patients. Click here for more info and to make a donation.

Honorary degree for Rhiannon Giddens

Vocalist/multiinstrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens will receive an honorary degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro during its Commencement ceremony in May. Although she’s originally from Greensboro, Ms Giddens did graduate from the NC School of Science and Mathematics here in Durham. She also appeared in Durham quite a few times with her group the Carolina Chocolate Drops before they went on to fame and fortune. Ms Giddens and singer Emmylou Harris will be honored for their musical accomplishments and the impact they’ve had on money in their respective careers.

Sneak peek inside the Main Library

The grand opening hasn‘t been announced yet, but you can get a sneak peek at the gorgeous new, totally refurbished Main Library at 300 N Roxboro St. You can still click here to visit the website and put a hold on books, CDs, and DVDs for later pickup. (See the article on the WORD page.)

My cousin, Julia Tapp, recently celebrated her 96th birthday and was paid a visit by her good friend, Dee Moore. (Cousin Julia’s late brother, Claiborne Tapp, ran a neighborhood grocery store on Carroll St and then opened the Chicken Box, which is now known as Chicken Hut.)

Duke’s cool video

Check out this video that explains Duke University’s new Library Takeout System. Just wow.

Cool US Post Office app

The United States Postal Service has an app called Informed Delivery. It’s not the coolest name, but it’s definitely a cool app that works with iOs and Android phones. Every morning, you can check Informed Delivery and know what’s coming in the mail before it arrives. As your mail goes through scanners at the post office, images of the envelopes are sent to the app so you can see the names of the senders and be on the lookout for letters or cards you’re looking forward to receiving. (This is really wonderful for people who receive checks in the mail.) Every now and then, though, you’ll see a notice that the scanner missed/couldn’t quite catch the image, but you’ll at least know that you’re getting something. There’s also a box for every letter that you can check off if “I didn’t receive this mailpiece.” The folks at the post office can look for it (or you can ask family members if they “happened to see it”).

You’ll also be alerted to packages that are coming in the mail. If you check Informed Delivery early enough, you’ll be able to leave specific delivery instructions, which should put a real damper on package theft. This is a free app; download it from wherever you get your smartphone apps.

Let’s help our neighbors

Many of our neighbors are suffering quietly, and for the most part, we don’t even know about it. Fortunately, crowdfunding has become a great way to ask for help and to help others conveniently and without fanfare.

Here are some neighbors who are definitely deserving of whatever assistance we can give:

The first GoFundMe campaign is for helping musician Tony Melendez get a specially outfitted vehicle (the gifted singer-guitarist was born without arms). Click here to go to his crowdfunding page.

The second GoFundMe campaign is to help Gregg Grose, who has ALS, to continue receiving loving care at home. Click here to go to the family’s crowdfunding page.

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