NeighborGoodies

Dasan Ahanu wins honor

The National Performance Network has announced the Fall 2020 Documentation and Storytelling Fund Recipients, which helps 24 artists, chosen from across the country, achieve their creative career goals. Our very own Dasan Ahanu is one of the 24! He’ll perform four poetic works as part of his Life Spoken project, and a photographer and a videographer will record his creative process.

Congratulations, Dasan!

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.

Duke’s Humanitarian Service Award Ceremony

Duke University and Duke University Chapel will cohost their annual Humanitarian Service Award Ceremony on Sunday, January 24, 2pm.

This year, there are two recipients: Reverend Annette Currie Love, who educates and supports abuse survivors through the Faith-Based Service Network ministry. She also volunteers at the Durham Crisis Response Center and serves on the boards of Jubilee Home and the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham.

Susan McSwain, the executive director of Reality Ministries, will also be honored. This Christian community organization helps adults with and without developmental disabilities experience belonging and kinship. She’s also part of the North Street Neighborhood, where people of diverse abilities share experiences and lives as neighbors.

Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to attend this free Zoom event.

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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