Morrisville, NC (March 25, 2008) – Dozens of community organizations received grants today from Time Warner Cable’s Caring for the Community grant program. A partners awards luncheon was held at the RBC Arena Club. The luncheon recognized the non-profit groups for their outstanding work in the community.

Time Warner Cable granted nearly $1.2 million in cash and in-kind services to 130 non-profit agencies in TWC’s Triangle District. The district stretches from the Triangle to Wilson. Some of the biggest recipients include the Durham Rescue Mission, El Centro Latino, Walk for Hope and the Triangle United Way.

For the first time, TWC named a partner of the year. This is an organization that promotes Time Warner Cable in the community and helps TWC achieve its business objectives. That award was presented to Dianne Pledger from the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. As part of the honor, the organization’s cash grant was doubled for a total of $10,000. “Dianne is well known, well respected and involves herself in many community and service endeavors,” says TWC senior public affairs manager for Durham, Cindy Keene. “Dianne and the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation introduce children and other Durham residents to the arts. These are citizens who without Dianne and her leadership, may otherwise never have been exposed to or able to enjoy the arts.”

The theme of this year’s celebration was ‘Investing Time’. Time Warner Cable believes the time and passionate efforts local groups invest in communities makes them better places to live, work and play. As part of the celebration, North Carolina State University’s Premiere Men’s A Cappella Ensemble ‘Grains of Time’ performed for 200 guests.

Time Warner Cable’s Eastern Carolina Division provides service to more than 750,000 customers throughout central and southeastern North Carolina including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville, Henderson, Lumberton, Goldsboro, Wilson and Wilmington. The Eastern Carolina Division has upgraded its cable system with advanced fiber-optic technology, providing the foundation for Digital Cable, High Definition Television (HDTV), Video On Demand, Road Runner, a high-speed online service, Digital Phone, Wireless Phone, News 14 Carolina and Time Warner Cable Business Class.

St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. in partnership with Durham Parks & Recreation Department presents the Tobacco Road Concert Series. A series of concerts that will have you snapping your fingers, tapping your feet, swinging and swaying, humming the tunes and relaxing in the atmosphere of the enhance center city CCB Plaza in downtown Durham this spring and fall. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy the soulful sounds of blues, jazz, folk or gospel music either after a work or during your lunch break. This series is FREE and open to the public.For more information call (919) 683-1709 or www.hayti.org or Durham Parks & Recreation Department (919) 560-4355

CCB Plaza

(Crossroads of Corcoran St. & Parrish St., Chapel Hill Street & Foster St.)

May 15 – HIP SAUCE – 6pm – 8pm

May 22 – Andy Coats & the Bank Walkers – 6pm – 8pm

June 3 – Jasme’ Kelly – 12 noon – 1:30pm

June 17 – Will McFarlane – 12 noon -1:30 pm

New Date, New Location & New Decade of the BLUES!

For more information, visit the Bull Durham Blues Festival Website

Durham, NC- The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. is pleased announce the 21st Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival will be held September 18, 19, & 20, 2008. Not only have the dates change Volunteer Forms from the first weekend in September, there will be a new location for the festival this year- the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP), 409 Blackwell Street, Durham. Yes, this “new decade of the blues” will relocate to the BDAP for this year’s event due to the scheduled renovations of the historic Durham Athletic Park (DAP).

The Thursday night concert will take place at the St. Joseph’s Performance Hall at the Hayti Heritage Center at 7:00 PM, and will feature acoustic blues artists paying tribute to the Carolina and Piedmont blues styles. Friday and Saturday, September 19 & 20 the festival kicks off at 6pm in the DBAP featuring four acts per night. At the Festival there is something for the entire family, a KidsZone with interactive entertainment for youngsters; and a Marketplace where blues lovers can indulge in an eclectic mix of regional and international foods for the soul, arts and crafts by NC artists, and a variety of unique specialty items. The music is sure to make you move, but if you feel a need, lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. Join in the fun on the infield or in the grandstand, rain or shine!! Gates open at 5 PM and show ends at 11PM.

The artists’ line-up for North Carolina’s largest celebration of the blues will be announced in May. The pre-sale is scheduled for June 23-27, with advance tickets going on sale July 1.

Vendor application forms are available now, call 683-1709 ext. 21 or download the application here.

Volunteer forms will be available June 1st, call 683-1709 ext. 33 or download the application here.

This annual festival, produced by St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc., has been successfully presented since 1988. It is nationally recognized as one of the premier Blues festivals in the country and was honored in 2000 with the “Keeping the Blues Alive Award” by The Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. This three-day event has become North Carolina’s largest celebration of the Blues, recognizing Durham’s rich musical heritage as an important center of Carolina and Piedmont Blues. The festival has attracted as many as 20,000 Blues lovers and has over a 3 million dollar economic impact on the Durham economy annually.

The St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, Inc. (SJHF) founded in 1975, is an African American cultural and educational institution deeply rooted in the historic Hayti community of Durham, North Carolina. SJHF is dedicated to advancing cultural understanding through diverse programs that examine the experiences of Americans of African descent – locally, nationally and globally. The Foundation is committed to preserving, restoring and developing the Heritage Center, the former St. Joseph AME Church, a National Historic Landmark, as a cultural and economic anchor to the greater Durham community. Funds raised from the event support the programs and operations of the Foundation and Hayti Heritage Center.

For more information call (919) 683-1709 or info@hayti.org.

—————————

Cancelled due to scheduling conflict. It will be postponed for Fall 2008.

—————————
Compiled, adapted and directed by Brenda P. Schleunes
TOURING THEATRE ENSEMBLE OF NORTH CAROLINA
A Narrative with music from the civil rights movement

Culled from actual quotes by the people involved, this drama presents Fannie Lou Hamer, an unflinching women of great courage who energetically and single mindedly pursued her right to vote and become what she considered to be a first class citizen. Performed by four actors who portray the wide variety of characters Hamer encounters on her journey toward equality, the production offers a compelling, informative and entertaining program for audiences of both young people and adults and provides them with the opportunity to become acquainted with one of the “unsung” heroines of the civil rights movement.

(more…)

April 4 & 5
St. Joseph’s Performance Hall

St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation and National Performance Network will present the Wideman/Davis Dance Company in residence the week of March 31- April 5 in Durham and the surrounding community. A full length presentation of The Bends of Life: Surviving, Sewing, Standing will be performed on

(more…)