Story and photos by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – Teams are gearing-up for next weekend’s BIG Cary Scavenger Hunt.  We welcome our newest teams The Determined Detectives, CaryRealEstate.com, Riddle e-Racers, Fiddling Around, The Byrdson’s, Culture Vultures, and the Fantastic Four.

Make sure you don’t become clueless.  Sign-up now to guarantee your team a spot and make sure you get an exclusive Cary Scavenger Hunt T-shirt.

How To Play

Once your team is registered, you will check in next Saturday, July 24th, at 9:00 a.m., at Koka Booth Amphitheatre.  At 10:00 a.m., the bull horn is sounded and the teams are released!

Each team will be given a set of clues that will take them all over Cary.  Each clue is given a point value.  Clues include subjects like Cary history, visual arts, parks and recreation, town services and Cary businesses.  Make sure to bring a digital camera or cell phone camera to document your hunt.

The teams with the most points win!

Earn Extra Points

We thought it would be fun to include a few extra points for our social-media savvy contestants.

Most of these bonus points involve mobile communications – apps you might use on your cell phones. If not, you have a week to make sure at least one member of your team is prepared.

• TWITTER – Tweet your progress (one tweet per clue) during the day. Use the hashtags #cary and #scavengerhunt. 10 points per tweet , 100 points max.
• FACEBOOK – Post pictures to your Facebook profile. Use @carycitizen to get credit. 10 points per clue picture., 100 points max.
• FOURSQUARE – Check in at up to five locations. 10 points per check in, 50 points max.

Winner’s Loot – WOW!

Our First Place winners from the Adult Teams will win 10 VIP tickets to the REO Speedwagon/Pat Benatar show at Booth Amphitheatre on September 2, 2010. This winning team will get dinner in the VIP Tent and special seating just for you!

Our Family Team Winners will get a Private Party for 20 at “Movies by Moonlight” with dinner provided by Chick-fil-A of Waverly Place.  This team can pick between movies like 2012, July 29th; Taming Of The Shrew, August 5th; New Moon, August 12th; or How To Train Your Dragon, August 19th.

We also have prizes to give away from The Carolina Railhawks, Courtyard Marriott, Bella Mia, O2 Fitness, SAS Championship, Larry’s Beans, Suzie Wolf Photography, and IHOP.

We don’t want to leave you clueless, sign-up for the Hunt today!

Story by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC -  Honestly, I was terrified when I signed-up for this rigorous fitness program.  I knew that deep down, I really didn’t want to do it.  Yes, I wanted to look skinnier and be in better shape, but the thought of actually working at it just seemed like, well, too much work!

Let’s face it, we are all extremely busy with work, kids, carpools, schedules, volunteering, and house work.  Making time seems impossible.  Even though this was at the bottom of my “things-to-do” list, I made it fit.

I was not sure that I would stay committed to the program once enrolled or even finish it without a boatload of excuses.  But, here I am at the end of my 10 week Extreme Body Fitness Program and I’m ecstatic at my progress.

Over the last 10 weeks I met some really nice people and watched them transform themselves.  We would all be sweating profusely, grunting and out of breath throughout the hour, then chit-chat around the water cooler, grimacing over the exercise we hated the most.

Our trainers made each class unique and full of crazy new exercises.  We never got bored with their creative torture routines.  A huge thanks to Carolee, Barry, Vanessa and Jon for pushing me throughout the 10 weeks, and overlooking my big mouth!

Speaking of my big mouth, my biggest struggle was my eating habits.  I have tried to change the amount of food I consume at one time.  I have also been eating lean meats and fish with veggies and no carbs  during the week.  But when the weekends came all bets were off.

My lunch meetings and a few out of town trips really put a damper on my diet during these past few weeks.  But, I have gained some valuable new habits and even feel a little sick if I eat the wrong kinds of food.

Tale of the Tape

So here is my moment of truth, my stats:

Start                                                        Finish

• Weight: 122.5 lbs                         115.5lbs
• Waist: 33.5 inches                       31.5 inches
• Body Fat: 33%                             25% (still yuck)
• Blood Pressure: 143/90              108/70 (!)

Overall I lost 10 pounds of body fat and lost 9.5 inches over my entire body including my shoulders, biceps, hips, butt, calves, chest, and waist.  I started out being able to barely do 40 push-ups and ended kicking out 60 push-ups. I gained 5 inches in flexibility and can reach my toes… heck, I can see my toes!

I have not yet reached my goal in weight or inches but I am not quitting.  I will be doing my next Extreme Body Fitness class in September for 10 more weeks.  Come on and join me!  It’s not that hard (wink, wink).

Can you figure these out?

1. We play in band, yet you hear no sound.  Important folks are all around.  We do not move but march all day.  Come on out and see us play.  Who are we?

2. I was built in 1927 where I educated 200 students in grades 1 through 12.  I burned down in 1963 and was not rebuilt.  Who am I?

These are a little harder.  Get your Scavenger Hunt Team together.  You’ll get to solve clues like these and win big prizes.

3. We are very popular in the summertime.  We make concrete at two different Cary locations, in three different sizes.  Who are we?

4. Can you figure out this Rebus Puzzle?

Sign Up for the Hunt!

The Hunt is on July 24th. Spaces are going fast so sign up now.

Photo provided by the SAS Championship

Cary, NC – Tournament officials for the 2010 SAS Championship are calling for volunteers to help run this history-making event.

Now in its 10th year, the SAS Championship is being held at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, September 20 – 26.  Golf knowledge is not required and families and friends are welcome to participate.

“The SAS Championship is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and volunteers have played an integral role in the success of the tournament since its beginning,” said Tournament Director Jeff Kleiber. “Volunteers at the SAS Championship get a behind-the-scenes look at a professional golf tournament while interacting with golf’s legends, patrons and friends.  Anyone, no matter age or golf knowledge, can play an important part in the success of the 10th anniversary of the SAS Championship.”

Do Something Unique

There are a number of unique jobs, including:

• Golf Channel support
• Walking scorers
• Standard bearers
• Hole marshals

Training will be provided.

The Benefits

The volunteer fee is $40 before August 1 (after August 1, the fee goes up to $50). The benefits include:

• A Nike golf shirt
• Headwear
• Volunteer badge valid for week-long tournament access
• Two weekly grounds badges for guests of the volunteer’s choice,
• Two invitations to the annual volunteer appreciation party
• Meals and beverages during assigned shifts

Play Golf!

All volunteers who work three or more shifts will receive a free golf voucher good for one round at Prestonwood Country Club.

Get in the Swing of Things

Over 600 volunteers help make this a world-class event, and you can be a part of it. You’ll meet people, have fun and watch the legends of golf in and out of competition.

Interested folks can register at the SAS Championship website Volunteers Info Page.

Story & photo by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – No need to get all dolled-up to have a great time this summer.  All you need is a few friends, a car, a digital camera, and an adventurous spirit.  Oh yeah, and a list of clues for The Cary Scavenger Hunt!

You can swim at the pool all summer long, but you’ll only get one chance this summer to participate in CaryCitizen’s town-wide Scavenger Hunt.

Clues will take you from Town Hall to farm land, from parks to schools.  You can find historical locations and modern art sculptures.

Who Should Enter?

Co-workers can race against each other to see who can get the most clues.  This is team building at it’s finest.  Who knows, you could beat the boss.

Church groups can bond together to accomplish this task.  Knowing the community and working together is key to winning.  A little help from above may guide this team to a win.

Families make the best teams!  Sometimes it’s the littlest family member that can make sense of a riddle.  And what kid doesn’t love a scavenger hunt?

A group of good friends can take any challenge and make it a hysterically funny occasion.  This will make a great memory with lots of silly photo’s for your Facebook page.

How To Enter

Adult Teams can be 2 to 4 people.  Sign up as a team and give yourself a memorable team name and assign a captain.  Entry fee is $50 per team and includes a Cary Scavenger Hunt tee-shirt for all and lots of little extras along the way.

Family Teams can be as small as one parent and one child or include all the members of your clan.  At least one of those members must be over 18 and have a car, license and insurance. Assign a clever team name and a  team captain.  The Family Entry fee is $30 and includes a tee-shirt for the family members and some extra stuff too.

You Want A Clue Already?

Here’s one: somewhere on the CaryCitizen website, you will find a way to earn a few extra points.  Shhhh, don’t tell anyone.

———————————————————————————

The Cary Scavenger Hunt is a celebration of 10 years of outstanding entertainment at Koka Booth Amphitheatre.

Story by Leslie Huffman. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – How many times have you heard some fitness expert say, “It’s a lifestyle change”?  Well, I never had the motivation or the desire to change my lifestyle.

“Live large” was my motto.  Dining out, drinking wine, sleeping in (when allowed)…those are all wonderful snip-its of life that I enjoyed to the fullest.  As a result I was living large, just a little too large to fit into my summer shorts.

Changing Perspective

Age sneaks up on us all and suddenly the word “large” is a commentary on your bottom half instead of your life!  So, with all natural disasters, there needs to be a shift of some kind to change things around.  For me, a shift in thinking about my life is like the tectonic plate shift that causes an earthquake. Without extreme force things were going to stay status quo.

When I started this exercise program, I was too busy and too unmotivated.  But I was presented with a challenge and I never like to back down from a good challenge.  Writing about my progress and making myself publicly accountable was the extreme force I needed to stick with it.

Week by week, the exercises get harder and more intense.  I started out not being able to hold a plank for more than 20 seconds or do more than 15 push-ups.   Now I can hold a plank for a minute and do multiple reps of push-ups.  I can also flip a large tire end to end across the room and stand on one foot while lifting weights.  Who knew?!

Polar Shift

So here I am 6 weeks into the Extreme Body Fitness program and finally I am beginning to embrace this new lifestyle. Yes, I said it!  It IS a lifestyle change. I like to feel my muscles contracting and aching in pain.  Sweat does have some benefits.  And I really like the way my husband is looking at me lately.

It is a crazy shift for me.  I want to work out.  I am in competition with myself now.  When my trainers are yelling at me to keep moving, do more push-ups, more jumping jacks, more squats I actually start moving a little faster.  I can almost keep up now.

Don’t get me wrong, I still verbalize my extreme discomfort during every exercise and say hateful things when jogging in the parking lot.  But the big change has come with the desire to want to be there sweating with all my new friends.

I want to thank my friend Carolee for making that phone call that sparked my earthquake.  I think we should all get out of our comfort zone sometimes and do something that can force a change for the better.   You may be able to move mountains when you’re done.  Or at least fit into your summer shorts.

May the force be with you.

Story by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – Do you like looking for hidden clues?  Do you want to win prizes?  Do you love Cary? Here is your chance to come and join the hunt; the first ever Cary Scavenger Hunt!  Get out your map and mark your calendars for July 24th.

Test your knowledge about Cary.  Grab some friends, form a team and sign up for The Hunt.  Who knows, you may just win!

Teams

Compete in the Scavenger Hunt two ways:

• Adult teams
• Family teams

Find out all about it on the Teams & Sign Up page.

Prizes

Koka Booth Amphitheatre is offering some great prizes:

• Adult Teams – 10 VIP tickets to the REO Speedwagon & Pat Benatar show
• Family Teams – Private Party Tent for 20 at Movies by Moonlight

Learn more on the Scavenger Hunt page.

Our Team: Koka Booth and CaryCitizen

CaryCitizen is teaming up with Koka Booth Amphitheatre to celebrate their 10 seasons of world-class entertainment.  Your team can join the celebration and win big prizes and tickets to some of Booth Amphitheatre’s best upcoming events.

Open since 2000, Booth Amphitheatre is a venue unlike any other in the area.  Located among 14 acres of trees and beautifully situated next to Symphony Lake, the amphitheater reflects the quality of life we value here in Cary.  Festivals like the Great Grapes Wine Fest, the Diwali Festival, the Beer, Bourbon and B-B-Q Festival and the Movies by Moonlight series all celebrate Cary’s arts, lifestyle and diversity.

What better way to celebrate what Cary has to offer than a mad-cap Scavenger Hunt through town!  This will be an excellent way to test your knowledge of the landmarks in Cary.  Teams will travel around town and will have to think about the variety of sports centers, community centers, arts, businesses, shopping, history and more.

Sign Up Now

Space is limited, so read about the hunt and sign up your team now.

Be a part of Cary history!

Lucy's Book Club selects books on welcoming a new baby.

Story by Leslie Huffman

Cary, NC – The Lucy Daniels Center announces the fourth Lucy’s Book Club topic, “Becoming a Big Brother or Sister”.  The list of 10 recommended books, appropriate for ages 0 through 6, are titles that cover the many feelings that accompany welcoming a new baby into the home.

Children often have mixed feelings about the arrival of a new sibling. Lucy’s Book Club has chosen books that support the older child, helping him or her to understand their place in the family in the midst of all of the changes that occur with a new arrival. Some of these books are old classics that I read when I was a child.  Other books are newer, and some I even remember reading to my children.  No matter what the topic, reading with your child creates special memories that will last and foster a love of reading.

The Lucy’s Book Club is designed to support healthy social and emotional growth for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. All books chosen for the bookmark/booklist are readily available in Wake County libraries, bookstores, and online.

Bookmark displays with free, oversized bookmarks listing the current book selections can be found in more than 200 locations including Wake County libraries, preschools, childcare centers, pediatricians’ offices, and bookstores, or downloaded online from www.lucysbookclub.org. Parents can visit the website (funded by the Cisco Foundation) to sign their children up for free book club membership, receive a bimonthly blog, and access a myriad of additional resources supporting each Lucy’s Book Club topic.

Beazus, played by Gabbi Merz, in "Ramona Quimby"

Story and photos by Lindsey Chester.

Cary, NC- The weather wasn’t looking very promising Saturday evening as I headed out to Bond Park with my daughter Emma for Applause! Theatre’s production of “Ramona Quimby”.

Happily, it had stopped raining, but the clouds were ominous and thunder still rumbled in the distance. The parking lot at Sertoma Amphitheatre was packed and we headed to the ticket table where everyone was crossing their fingers in hope that the rains would hold off for the rest of the evening.

We were so glad we braved the weather. These kids put on a heck of a show! To the strains of the song “Our House” by Madness, the cast began setting the scene of the little town the Quimby’s live in, a town not that different from Cary.

The character of the older sister Beazus (admirably played by Gabbi Merz) spoke directly to the audience, narrating the relationships in her family. Her younger sister Ramona, (Lauren Toney), stormed onstage to ask why she too could not speak to the audience – but this was a privilege (like so many others) only enjoyed by the eldest child. Sound familiar?

A classroom scene in Ramona Quimby. L-->R Mallory Griffin, Tara Boldrin and Lauren Toney

The play goes on to illustrate the struggles of a family coping with a father who loses his job, a mother who returns to work, sibling rivalry, the wedding of their favorite aunt and of course the personality conflicts found in every school classroom.  I heard many of the same arguments that seem to occur almost daily between my own two daughters.

The direction included the use of many familiar Baby Boomer songs to move scenes along. One of the most memorable moments was hearing the familiar strains of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and watching as the entire cast got on stage to recreate the famous zombie dance.

The design team crafted backdrops on wheels that the stage crew (dressed in black) pushed around to became restaurants and classrooms. The group made use of minimal props and scenic elements to create not only a street, but an apartment house and a wedding chapel.

The Quimby Family played by Lauren Toney, Gabbi Merz, Lauren Knott and Brian Croft

The Applause Theater group, headed up by Rachel Green, is open to all children ages 8-18 who live in Cary. The program is so popular that over 150 kids tried out for the 26 parts that were required for this production. Since 1999, the group has produced over 20 different plays including “Beauty and the Beast,” “Peter Pan” and “Dracula”. I can’t wait to see what the fall production will be!

For more events happening in Cary, visit the CaryCitizen Calendar. If you would like us to add your event, email Lindsey Chester.

Keith, Gioia and Carter Bliss building a community garden in Cary

Story & photos by Leslie Huffman.

Cary, NC – The Cary Pocket Community Garden was created to fill a local need.  Keith and Gioia Bliss and their family are big advocates of healthy living, organic farming and keeping things local.  Growing their own organic produce on the large piece of property across from the Bliss Real Estate office gave way to a much larger idea.

The Inspiration

After speaking to many organic growers, Keith met folks from Grow and Share and was inspired to plant his garden to help others.  Grow and Share encourages people to grow some of their own healthy food, share their harvest with their community and to fight hunger by shared food reaching those who need it.

The Cary Pocket Community Garden will be coordinating with the Center for Volunteer Caregiving to bring retired clients to the garden to tend vegetables in the Senior’s Garden.  They will also be working on special programs for the Children’s Garden with some of the local elementary schools and most importantly, a Plant-A-Row dedicated section at the “Garden’s Edge” for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

Sponsors and Volunteers Grow a Garden

When I visited the garden last Thursday it was bustling with activity.  The garden was full of people in red shirts from Keller Williams who volunteered to help lay the foundation for Cary’s Pocket Garden.  There were also truckloads of soil and mulch pulling up to unload donated materials.  Keith and Gioia took a few minutes to gush about their wonderful project like proud parents.

Keith told me,”We have had overwhelming support from the local community and many generous sponsors have come forward donating time, materials and labor.  It’s all very exciting.”

Gioia continued, “We will be receiving at least 1700 plants all donated by Campbell Road Nursery and corn seed from Burke’s Supply.  Wait until July, it’s going to be busy out here!”

Membership To The Garden

The Cary Pocket Community Garden is looking for membership.

Members of the garden will help to create, maintain and sustain a productive, completely organic vegetable garden in downtown Cary.  The garden will be able to provide food for each member’s family, and pledges to donate 10% of it’s weekly harvest to needy families in our community.

To become a member send an e-mail to: info@caryspocketgarden.org.

Not only will the garden provide a place for members to create a sustainable and productive organic vegetable garden, but will also host educational workshops and share information on organic gardening, community involvement, healthy living, and more.

The community working and growing together. Sometimes it’s as simple as planting a seed.

————————————————————-

CaryCitizen Community News is sponsored by the Carolina Railhawks.