Fairfield Harbour, a residential boating and golf community located 15 minutes from historic New Bern, has announced that Lloyd Moore, a resident of the community, has been named the 2013 North Carolina Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Volunteer of the Year for his leadership and continued active role in the Fairfield Harbour CERT (FH CERT) program. The program is comprised of volunteers dedicated to providing emergency aid to neighbors in case of a community emergency or natural disaster.

Submitted by: Blair Killinger, MMI Public Relations

I love a good burger. I mean I really love a good burger. Summer comes around and there are few things that I love more than have a good cook out with burgers on the grill.

So in honor of summer, I’ve decided to share one of my favorite burger recipes with you.

You may not know, but most BBQ sauces are absolutely loaded with sugar. This doesn’t help out at all during beach season, so as a bonus, this one includes a healthy BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:

- 2 pounds ground beef (formed into 4-6 hamburger patties)

- 2 Tbs. Worchestershire Sauce

- 1 clove garlic diced

- Salt to taste (optional)

- 12 slices bacon (option: substitute turkey bacon)

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

(Optional BBQ Sauce):

- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

- 2 Tbs yellow mustard

- 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

- 2 Tbs soy sauce

- 2 Tbs stevia

- 1/2 tsp garlic power

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the hamburger, Worchestershire sauce, garlic and salt and form pattys.

Cook hamburgers on the grill as desired.

In a large nonstick pan, cook the bacon until crispy.

Remove from pan and drain off about half of the grease left in the pan.

Add the onion to the same pan you cooked the bacon in and cook until soft.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl for the BBQ sauce. Once it is a smooth, even consistency, it is ready to serve.

Serve and enjoy! As a healthy alternative to a bun, I will often rap my burger in lettuce and enjoy it that way. (See my bun-less burger photo above!) I hope you liked this one as much as I do! Check out more great fitness friendly recipes at our website.

Submitted by: Kate Horney, BeyondFit Physiques

Saturday August 24th

10:30am – 4:00pm

The Cost of Freedom Poker Run, presented by Veteran Enforcers Motorcycle Association and Harley-Davidson of New Bern.

Enjoy a live band, food, drinks, and raffle.

For details visit The Veteran Enforcers Motorcycle Association’s website or check out the Harley-Davidson of New Bern’s Facebook page.

Submitted by: Kevin Yates, Harley-Davidson of New Bern

Summer Ceramic Classes offered at West New Bern Recreation Center begins on Thursday, June 20th.

Class times are Thursday Evenings 6pm – 9pm and Friday afternoon 12 – 3pm.

Space is filled on a first come first serve basis.

Registration fee is $25 for city residents and $30 for all others. Classes are limited to 15 students each so come in to secure your space.

Please call 252-639-2912 for a complete list of days and times or for more information.

Submitted by: Nancy Donahue, New Bern Parks and Recreation

EJ Stewart and Antuan Hawkins

Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 7pm

A one-act play by Antuan Hawkins and EJ Stewart

Food plays a part in every major event of our lives – from the beginning of life to the end, both in celebration and in sadness. In the African American community, great pride is taken in the preparation of soul food.

When it comes to certain dishes like potato salad, everyone seems to be an expert, swearing by their ingredients and methods of preparation. In this one-act play, it’s time for the quarterly meeting picnic at church, and it seems that everyone has decided to bring the potato salad. When one sister refuses to be outdone by anyone else, she wages war on her biggest rival in the church.

This conundrum of sorts leads to lessons taught and lessons learned when the pastor straightens it all out by trying to find out “Who Made the Potato Salad?”

For guests with hearing difficulties, special devices are also available and should be requested at least 48 hours in advance of the performance. For additional information about the 2013 African American Lecture Series call Sharon C. Bryant at 252-639-3592.

Each program for the African American Lecture Series begins at 7 p.m. in Cullman Performance Hall and is free to the public, thanks to a generous grant from the Harold H. Bate Foundation.

Submitted by: Sharon C. Bryant, Tryon Palace and the North Carolina History Center

Workshops will be held on Tuesdays from June 18 to August 6.

Men, women, and children are invited to learn dancing, drumming, and the history behind Jonkonnu. Thanks to a generous grant from the Tryon Palace Foundation, each workshop is free to the public and will be held at 1pm in the Waystation Auditorium.

Dates:

June 18: Introduction to Jonkonnu and a talk about its importance.

June 25: Master the correct dancing steps and movements for each song.

July 2: Learn drumming methods.

July 9: Begin to pull the drumming and dancing together as one.

July 16: Dancing techniques and a mask workshop where the kids will make a beautiful Jonkonnu mask.

July 23: Continue practicing the combination of drumming and dancing.

July 30: Rehearsal for the final performance.

August 6: Final Jonkonnu performance with be at the front gate of Palace at 2pm (Waystation is foul weather location).

Submitted by: Craig Ramey, Marketing and Communications Manager, Tryon Palace

PLEASE call 252-633-5512 to schedule a pickup or drop off items at 930 Pollock Street in New Bern, NC, between 9am – 4pm, Monday thru Saturday.

Please make a difference in your community by donating today!

Submitted by: April Fitchett, Coordinator, Habitat for Humanity of Craven County

RiverTowne Players at the Masonic Theatre, 514 Hancock Street present the home-run musical, “Damn Yankees”, July 18-20, July 25-27 at 8:00pm and July 21 & 28 at 3:00pm.

Tickets are $15.00 in advance at the Council of the Arts, 308 George Street, 252-638-2577 or $18.00 at the door, $10.00 students with valid school ID.

Tailgate Parties on July 18, 21, 28 to be held one hour before the performance.

Submitted by: Linda Roach, RiverTowne Players

Craven County Partners In Education was recently awarded $500 from the New Bern Breakfast Rotary Club.

The mission of the New Bern Breakfast Rotary Club is to provide service to others, promote high ethical standards, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.  The monies awarded from the New Bern Breakfast Rotary Club will be allocated to the PIE Grant fund. During the 2012-13 school year, the PIE Grant program enjoyed great success.

Partners In Education was able to award $22,878.68 to 18 deserving teachers for creative and innovative projects in the classroom.

When your organization makes a gift, they become a partner and each year we have seen the difference our partnerships make in Craven County classrooms.

If would you like to learn how your organization can make a difference to a teacher in the classroom, please contact Darlene Brown, Partners In Education, at 252-514-6321.

Submitted by: Darlene J. Brown, Executive Director, Partners In Education, 3600 Trent Rd., New Bern, NC

I hope that this is just a reminder and that you already know these things – but as I observe dogs and their people, I realize that these ideas are easily forgotten or overlooked.

Under no circumstances leave your dog in your car while you run errands in this heat.  A cracked window does nothing to lower the temperature in a quickly overheating parked car.  It might seem like five minutes to you but it could be fatal to your beloved pet.  Heat stroke can cause permanent brain damage; and, of course death.  This also goes for leaving your dog with the air conditioning running.  Several years ago, New Bern lost a Police Dog that was left in the Police car with the air conditioning running; and when the officer returned, the air conditioning had failed and the dog was dead.  Don’t let this happen to your pet.

If you see a dog in a parked car, please be a Good Samaritan and call Animal Control in New Bern 633-2020 or 637-4606 in Craven County.  River Bend can call 638-1108.  If you have a community Police Department (Trent Woods, Fairfield Harbour) call them and tell them that it is an emergency – come quick.  Let them break the window.

Another no-no is taking your dog to parades and festivals during the hot months.  If you have any doubt, put your bare hand on the asphalt and see how hot it is.  Remember your four legged friend will be walking bare foot on this boiling hot surface.  They are much better off at home in the air conditioning, patiently waiting for your return.  You wouldn’t want to attend the festival in a fur coat and neither should they.

People think that taking their dogs to the beach in the summer is a real treat.  I am a wedding minister and am not booking any beach weddings in July and August because it is just too hot.  I have received blisters on my feet standing on the hot sand performing the ceremony.  If you want to take your dog, go early or late and walk down by the water where the sand is cooler.

How about the dogs that live outside all their lives?  Be sure that they have shade and plenty of fresh water.  They would probably enjoy an ice cube added to their water.  If you have a neighbor that keeps their dog outside, be a Good Samaritan and take the dog something cool during the day and check to see that it can get to the water bowl and shade.  Be a nosey neighbor.

I also put out an appeal for all the feral cats and wild animals that could use a nice cool drink during the hot summer months.  Keep a bowl or container outside with fresh water so that they can get a drink.  It is also nice to have a bowl by your mail box for the dogs taking their walks that could use a drink.  I see that so many of the store owners in downtown New Bern are considerate to their fur covered friends and their owners and have water bowls handy.

The summer heat is intense in Eastern North Carolina.  Let’s all do our part to keep our animals safe and alive.  These precious animals look to us to help and protect them.

Submitted by: Bonnie Compton, Pals for Paws