Community Milestones

□ Japan Karate Institute of North Carolina on Peters Creek Parkway sent four competitors to BudoFest in Raleigh last month for a tournament sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union.

The competitors were Kleiton Macrohon, who won first place in forms and second place in sparring in his class; Jervis Garcia, who won second place in both forms and sparring in his class; Dylan Sheaffer, who won first place in sparring and second place in forms in his class; and Daniel Beaudin, who won second place in sparring and forms in his class. Instructor Chris Sheaffer became certified as an AAU karate referee.

IN OTHER AREAS

□ N.C. Rep. Dale Folwell participated in a Veterans Day motorcycle ride in November in honor of Lawrence Joel and other veterans.

The ride began in Winston-Salem and ended in Cary, where Folwell shared the stage with Billy Ray Cyrus and presened a POW Medal of Courage to the family of the late Robert Shrum, who survived the Bataan Death March.

□ The YWCA of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County is celebrating its 100th anniversary of service to the community this year, and the signature event was a gala dinner last month at the Forsyth Country Club.

At the dinner, the YWCA honored Susan Ivey, the CEO of Reynolds American Inc., for her commitment to and support of the YWCA. Ivey was presented with original artwork.

□ The Beeson Athletic Complex in Kernersville has been designated the 2008 National Softball Association Outstanding Park.

Each year, the association chooses for the designation one facility that operates under its guidelines and that offers leagues and tournaments while upholding the group's standards of excellence. This is the second consecutive year that Beeson Park has been recognized for this designation.

The association, established in 1982, is a full-service organization that offers a division of play and a level of competition that people of all ages can enjoy.

□ Safe Kids Forsyth recently attended the Safe Kids Worldwide annual Childhood Injury Prevention Conference in Washington.

Safe Kids coalitions from around the world convened to celebrate Safe Kids Worldwide's 20th anniversary and to learn new ways to protect children across the globe.

Safe Kids Forsyth was one of groups from North Carolina represented at the international conference. The group participated in all program tracks and attended workshops that taught them how to better educate parents and caregivers on making their communities safer for children.

□ An alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts, Edwin Martinat, was involved in the coordination of this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In charge of Eighth Avenue parade operations, Martinat was responsible for getting performers in costume, then leading them in the right direction to the start of the parade, and crowd control.

A 2008 graduate of UNCSA, Martinat studied stage management in the School of Design and Production. He is currently a stage-management resident at the off-Broadway theater Playwrights Horizons.

Martinat, who is originally from Hickory, is the son of Sarah Pressly and Henry Martinat, and the grandson of Martha Martinat of Winston-Salem.

□ Steve Yates, a supervisor of construction and maintenance for Duke Energy's Rural Hall service area, has been honored with a Patriot Award from the N.C. Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an agency of the Department of Defense. Yates received the award in recognition of his extraordinary support of employees who serve in the N.C. National Guard and Reserve.

The Patriot Award was created to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees who volunteer to serve their country. Supportive employers are considered vital to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's National Guard and Reserve units.

IN EDUCATION

□ Megan K. Buzzard has graduated from the American Music & Drama Academy of New York. In February 2009, she will perform in a national touring production of a children's play, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, adapted from the book with the same title by Judith Viorst.

Buzzard is a 2006 graduate of UNC Greensboro and a 2002 graduate of Mount Tabor High School.

She is the daughter of Claude Buzzard of Advance and Lynn Bowden of Highland Beach, Fla.

□ Kelly A. Carroll, a senior at UNC Asheville, presented her thesis research, North Carolina's Hidden Agenda: The Sterilization of AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) Recipients in Post-War America at the Living In/Living With Diversity Conference held at UNC Asheville in November.

Carroll is the daughter of John and Suzanne Carroll of Clemmons.

□ Thea Edwards of Clemmons has been inducted into the Tennessee Kappa Chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn

Edwards, a communication major, is a graduate of North Davidson High School and one of 54 undergraduate and graduate students inducted into the prestigious academic society.

□ The following area students were 2008 graduates of Appalachain State University:

Pilot Mountain: Charles Robert Snow/Bachelor of Science/Geology.

Dana Rosendahl Thomas/Master of Arts/Curriculum Specialist.

Sherry Hutchins Turner/Master of Arts/Middle Grades Education.

Pinnacle: Amber Dezern Baker/Master of Arts/Reading Education, General

Brittany Olivia Mellow/Bachelor of Science/Interior Design/cum Laude.

Ronda: Brian Delane Henderson/Bachelor of Science/Middle Grades Education.

Rural Hall: Christina Denee Cession/Bachelor of Science/Music Industry Studies.

State Road: Abby Elizabeth Adkins/Bachelor of Science/Communication, Public Relations.

Thomasville: Wesley Phillip Mayhew/Bachelor of Science/Building Sciences.

Jarrell Bradley McNease/Bachelor of Science/English, Sec Education.

Valle Crucis: Seth Logan Breitenstein/Bachelor of Science/Communication, Advertising.

Walkertown: Victoria Bland Howell/Master of Arts/Reading Education, General.

West Jefferson: Derek Allen Ball/Bachelor of Science Business Administration/Management.

Nathan Scot Belyeu/Bachelor of Science/Communication Disorders/Summa cum Laude.

Andrew Christian Blavatt/Bachelor of Science/Nursing.

Aaron Kyle Hodges/Bachelor of Science/Communication, Public Relations.

Erica Marie Leserra/Bachelor of Science/Child Development.

William Carlisle Redman/Bachelor of Science/Recreation Management.

Wilkesboro: Ariel Elizabeth Cohn/Bachelor of Science/Interior Design/cum Laude.

Johnathan Richard Love/Bachelor of Arts/Psychology.

Sarah Elizabeth McCollum/Bachelor of Science/Communication, Advertising/cum Laude.

Victoria Marie Thompson Norwood/Master of Arts/Elementary Education.

Meghan Paige Stevens/Bachelor of Science Business Administration/Health Care Management.

William Lee Warden/Bachelor of Science/Recreation Management.

Randall David Woodie/Bachelor of Science/Geography.

Winston-Salem: Betsy Smith Baldwin/Master of Arts/Reading Education, General.

David Brandon Barker/Bachelor of Science Business Administration/Information Systems.

James Zachary Bowman/Master of Science/Accounting.

Michael Aaron Bridges/Bachelor of Science/Building Sciences.

Kathryn Brooks Carr/Bachelor of Science/Psychology.

Diane Michele Green/Bachelor of Science/Apparel and Textiles.

Zachary Peyton Harris/Bachelor of Science/Political Science.

Mary Elizabeth Gray Hodges/Master of Arts/Reading Education, General.

James Dwight Irion/Bachelor of Science/Recreation Management.

Jessica Rae Kanoy/Bachelor of Science/Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Lauren Elise Kimbrel/Bachelor of Science/Graphic Arts and Imaging Technology/cum Laude.

Wendy Ann Locklear/Master of Arts/Reading Education, General.

Carolyn E. Lovell/Master of Arts/Reading Education, General.

Matthew John Manna/Bachelor of Science Business Administration/Accounting.

Justin Willard Motsinger/Bachelor of Science/Health Promotion.

Marissa Paige Swaim/Master of Arts/School Psychology, Specialist in School Psychology.

Yadkinville: Matthew Robert Dinkins/Master of Science/Accounting.

William Zachary Dinkins/Bachelor of Science Business Administration/Computer Information Systems.

Angela Roberts Greene/Master of Arts/Curriculum Specialist.

Jennifer Harpe Helton/Master of Arts/Curriculum Specialist.

Jill Davis Matthews/Master of Arts/Curriculum Specialist.

Carrie Nixon Trivette/Master of Arts/Curriculum Specialist.

IN PUBLIC SERVICE

□ The Winston-Salem Police Department has announced the graduation of 18 people from the Fall 2008 Citizens Police Academy.

The graduates are Terri Rakosky, Casey Johnson, Amy Batten, Phyllis Martin-Dames, Susan Combs, Sarah Clark, Jessica Spencer, Shaun Dennis, Julie Bush, Gene Lee, Casey Leftwich, Laura Caudle, LaRhonda Barker, Lynn Watts, Ricky McCarty II, Ronald Fittro, Jerome Silber and Amy Mason.

The academy is a 12-week comprehensive program designed to give citizens an opportunity to become better acquainted with law enforcement and the police department's role in the community.

IN THE MILITARY

□ Army Sgt. Brittney C. Davis has returned to the 164th Military Police Company, Fort Richardson, Alaska, after being deployed to an overseas forward-operating base in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Operation Iraqi Freedom is the official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq. Mission objectives focus on force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counterinsurgency operations as the Iraqi transitional governing bodies assume full sovereign powers to govern the peoples of Iraq.

Members from all branches of the U.S. military and multinational forces are also assisting in rebuilding Iraq's economic and governmental infrastructure and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq's sovereignty and independence as a democracy.

Davis has received the Army Commendation Medal. She is the daughter of Rosalyn C. Carter and the granddaughter of Josephine S. Carter, both of East 25th Street, Winston-Salem.

□ Navy Seaman Stephen C. Moseley has completed his tour of duty in Iraq and has been reassigned to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.

Moseley is the son of Kent Moseley of Walnut Cove and Margaret Freeman of Burlington. He is a 2005 graduate of South Stokes High School and attended High Point University.

□ James R. Gorham of Kernersville has been promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the N.C. Army National Guard. He is the first black to be appointed to a general-officer position in the N.C. National Guard.

Gorham, a 34-year military veteran, has served in leadership positions at every level, including the 130th Finance Battalion, which he led during its deployment to Iraq in 2004, and successfully processed billions of U.S. dollars for operations without any significant loss of funds. Before his promotion, Gorham commanded the 113th Sustainment Brigade headquartered in Greensboro.

Gorham began his career as an enlisted soldier in 1974 and was commissioned through the N.C. National Guard Military Academy's Officer Candidate School in 1980 as the Distinguished Graduate. He has served in various positions with ever-increasing responsibility, including platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander, deputy brigade commander, chief of staff and brigade commander.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

A graduate of Farmville High School, Gorham graduated with a bachelor's degree from East Carolina University and a masters from the Army War College.

Gorham is a vice president at First Citizens Bank in Kernersville. He is married and has three children.

□ Airman David T. Smith has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

During the six weeks of training, he studied the Air Force mission, organization, core values, and military customs

and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field-training exercises, and special training in human relations.

In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate in applied science degree relating through the Community College of the Air Force.

Smith is the son of David Smith Kernersville, and a 1999 graduate of Riverside High School, Durham.

□ Airman 1st Class Huston D. Stewart has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization,

core values, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field-training exercises, and special training in human relations.

In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate in applied science degree relating through the Community College of the Air Force.

Stewart is the son of Trina Stewart of Winston-Salem and a 2008 graduate of Glenn High School.

□ Airman Brandon C. Williams has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

During his six weeks of training he studied the Air Force mission, organization, core values, and military customs and

courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field-training exercises, and special training in human relations.

In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate in applied science degree relating through the Community College of the Air Force.

Williams is the son of Wesley Williams of Winston Salem and a 2008 graduate of Reagan High School.

Airman Benjamin G. Yarbrough has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

During the six weeks of training, he studied the Air Force mission, organization, core values, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field-training exercises, and special training in human relations.

In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate in applied science degree relating through the Community College of the Air Force.

Yarbrough is the son of Micheal and Karen Yarbrough of Walnut Cove and a 2006 graduate of the Calvary Christian School in King.

IN SCOUTING

□ Elizabeth Musser has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is earned by fulfilling requirements that recognize a senior Girl Scout's commitment to excellence as she devel-

ops leadership skills and personal values to meet life's present and future challenges.

For her final project, Musser planted and tended to an 18th-century herb and flower garden, complete with authentic and native plants as well as educational markers. She also compiled a set of lesson plans divided by grade level and subject matter. The garden is at Wallburg Elementary School.

Musser is a member of Troop 233 and has been a Scout for 13 years.

A senior at Ledford Senior High School, she plans to attend the University of Virginia or the U.S. Air Force Academy to pursue a degree in Middle Eastern studies and Arabic. She is the daughter of Larry and Martha Musser of Wallburg.

■ News of accomplishments of Journal readers runs in the Community Milestones column on Mondays and the second Thursday of each month. To submit an item, e-mail it to Features @wsjournal.com, fax it to 336-727-4071, mail typed information and photos to Community Milestones, c/o Features Department, Winston-Salem Journal, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102, or drop it off at the front desk of the Journal, 418 N. Marshall St. Information should include a contact name and daytime phone number.