Our weakened economy has severely affected millions of Americans, and has raised a number of questions about how future developments will impact our savings and investments. Chief among those concerns are: the ongoing debt crisis in Europe; Slowing growth in China; Uncertainty surrounding the upcoming U.S. Presidential election; and, the “fiscal cliff” ahead. Many investors are also beginning to wonder if the recovery has staying power.n nHutchinson Wealth Management invites you to attend a series of seminars where we will discuss events that have impacted us so far, and review what the analysts are predicting for the remainder of this year.

nSacred Garden, Sacred Writing WorkshopnSaturday, 11 August / 12:30 - 2:30 pmnSacred Garden Bookstore / Holy Trinity Episcopal Churchnnn211 West Fisher Avenue / 607 North Greene Street / Greensboro, NC 27401nSacred Garden BookstorennA combination workshop/reading, this event is open to everyone. Helen Losse, a North Carolina writer, will do a reading - "How Being a Christian Informs My Poetry." We will then gather in small groups of 3 - 5 people to share a short piece of our own. Discussion of faith and its contributions to our writing and journaling will be the focus of these groups. All those wishing to explore their own spiritual beliefs, regardless of what those beliefs are, will be welcomed. We will be exploring how our writing helps us decide what we believe. I will be handing out some material for participants to keep. I would like people to send me their names and emails ahead of time so I can keep track of spaces available. (Melanie@MelanieCreates.net . Please include Sacred Writing in subject line.)nnI am limiting this to 20 people so that everyone will have a seat. There is no charge, although I am encouraging people to partake of the coffee and water available at the bookstore. No experience in writing is needed. Open to all faiths.nnOur featured author will be Helen Losse. Her topic will be "How Being a Thinking Christian Informs My Poetry."nnnA former English teacher, Helen Losse is a Winston-Salem poet, the author ofntwo full length books, Seriously Dangerous (Main Street Rag, 2011) andnBetter With Friends (Rank Stranger Press, 2009) and three chapbooks,nGathering the Broken Pieces, Paper Snowflakes, and Mansion of Memory (RanknStranger Press, 2012). She has recent poetry publications in Main StreetnRag, Iodine Poetry Review, Wild Goose Poetry Review, The Pedestal Magazine,nken*again, Referential, and Georgann Eubanks’ Literary Trails of the NorthnCarolina Piedmont. Helen’s poems have been nominated twice for a PushcartnPrize and three times for a Best of the Net award, one of which was anfinalist. Her book Seriously Dangerous is on the long list for a 2012 SIBAnBook Award. Helen has a BSE from Missouri Southern State University and anMALS from Wake Forest University, where she studied creative writing andnAfrican American history and wrote her thesis, Making All Things New: ThenValue of Redemptive Suffering In the Life and Works of Martin Luther KingnJr. She is the Poetry Editor for online literary magazine The Dead MulenSchool of Southern Literature.

Former California Superior Court Judge and 2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, Jim Gray, will be speaking at Salem College on August 27th from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the Drama Workshop of the Fine Arts Center. Topics will include his experience as a superior court judge and his work to end the War on Drugs. For more information, visit www.lpnc.org.

Lee Newlin, owner of Peaceful River Farm in Chapel Hill, and a noted organic gardener, will be the featured speaker at Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden on Thursday, September 20, from 6pm until 8:30pm.nMs. Newlin will discuss organic gardening, and offer tips on cooking techniques that maximize the health benefits of organic vegetables. Following her presentation, the audience will be treated to wine and dinner.nMs. Newlin appears courtesy of the Garden's Chip Callaway Lecture Series.

Join Piedmont Parent in a celebration of working moms and companies that support work-life balance at Piedmont Parent’s 3rd Annual Moms@Work Luncheon on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with Coffee & Contacts, a networking hour, followed by lunch with keynote speaker, WGHP’s Cindy Farmer and recognition of Carolina Parenting’s N.C. Family-Friendly 50, NC's top companies for working families. Advance registration is required.

Learn the Top 10 Benefits of Using a Home Care Agency. Listen to The Music of Patsy Cline performed by Lisa Dames. nnLicensed by the Patsy Cline estate, Lisa Dames is familiar to Triad audiences from her work at The Barn Dinner Theatre, The Broach Theatre and Triad Stage. Sponsored by Homewatch CareGivers of the Triad.

Welcome artists and writer to Hennen's monthly MeetUps at the High Point Public Library! September's speaker is Carol Roan, public speaking coach and author of Speak Easy. Roan will be giving an interactive talk about public speaking highlights and tips on how to be a better public speaker--whether at your next book reading or the next office meeting! Q and A to follow with book signing by Roan herself. Refreshments provided. Event to last a little over an hour.

This fun workshop is designed to teach you how to design and use greeting card templates to create personalized greeting cards using your images. After creating your cards, we will print sample cards for you to take home.nnA sample kit of greeting card paper ($12.99 value) is provided.

Direct. Act. Write. Train with Poet Laureate Ian Finley of Burning Coal Theatre. Have the opportunity to be a part of new projects for 8th graders - 19 yr. olds! Supported by the Alamance Co. Arts Council and Plaid Players Acting Co.

Tony Lindsay, author of Tattletale Roadhouse and Social Club, a collection of flash fiction and short stories, will give writers tips on ending stories with a punch and provide opportunities to practice. Participants should bring pen and paper.

East Coast Songwriters Conference Presents: LAUREN LIGHTnn“Music Marketing, Booking Shows, Making Money”nnFull Day Workshop- 10:00 am- 5:00 pm and Concert at 7:00pm on December 1st

Join national tap dance champion Erinn Diaz for an energizing tap dance class.nTapping is not only a fantastic skill, but it’s a fun way to exercise and learn something new! Want a fun way to get in shape and learn a new skill for 2013?n nJoin the First in Flight Entertainment.....nMORNING ADULT TAP CLASS!nStart your morning off right with an adult tap class! n nTuesdays starting January 8thn45-Minute Classn7:45am-8:30amn nCost - $60/month ($180 total for three month semester)nSemesters run:nJanuary-MarchnApril-JunenJuly-SeptembernOctober-Decembern nThis class will fill up fast- so call today to reserve your spot!!n336-924-7028nn

Auditions: Glee Performance Club nContact First in Flight Entertainmentn336-924-7028njan@firstinflightentertainment.com www.firstinflightentertainment.comnnThe First in Flight Glee Performance Club is designed to give students a performance opportunity where each student will grow as a performer by leaps and bounds, preparing them for future shows and giving them performance opportunities. nnThe focus of the Glee Club will be: nnLearning Music, Voice Lessons, Sight Reading, Voice harmonizing and parts, Vocal blending techniques, Breathing techniques, Performance etiquette, Stage presencen Singing and dancing… at the same time!nBasic & advanced choreographynPublic performance opportunitiesnOpportunities to attend additional optional classes & workshopsnAudition classes & techniquesnnnYou must audition to win a spot in either of the First in Flight Glee Performance Clubs. nAuditions will be held on Wednesday, January 9th BY APPOINTMENT ONLY from 3:30-7:00pm. nTo schedule audition appointment, call 336-924-7028 or email jan@firstinflightentertainment.com.n

Occupy Greensboro's Energy Working Group and Glenwood Coffee and Books presents: The Second Sunday Movie Matinee screening of Gasland. This series focuses on movies that explore topics related to our national energy system and the environment. There will be a discussion afterwords and opportunities to plug into resistance groups in our community. Join us!

Join us for a Veterans’ Aid & Attendance Benefits Seminar with volunteernveterans advocate, U. S. Senior Vets/Licensed Insurance Professional,nMike Recser. This benefit was established to assist qualified veterans andntheir un-remarried surviving spouses with a tax free pension to help withnthe cost of long-term care.nTheir team gives the veteran, surviving spouse, and families the support tonhelp educate, prepare, present and follow-up on your claim with the VAnfor a quick and successful process. They are here to help, free of charge.n“SERVING THOSE WHO SACRIFICED

After watching Forks Over Knives, starting a plant-based diet will be your top priority and we can help! nnJoin us January 31st for an orientation on the Engine 2 Diet: 28-Day Challenge. The 28-Day Challenge is based on Rip Esselstyn’s national best-selling book, The Engine 2 Diet — a practical guide for eating PlantStrong. At the orientation we’ll explain how the 28-Day Challenge works, meeting dates and times, and tools you will need to succeed.nnThis is a free program but space is limited and registration is required. Please visit the Customer Service desk for a registration form. The last day to register is Monday, January 28th.

nLeveraging Partnerships with the National Black MBA Association Piedmont Triad Chapter n nGreensboro, NC, Tuesday, February 12, 2013—The Piedmont Triad Chapter of the National Black MBA Association (TriadMBA.org) will host its first event in Winston Salem for 2013 entitled, Leveraging Partnerships. The event is slated for Thursday, February 21, 2013 from 6-8 pm at the Piedmont Club located at 200 West 2nd Street, Winston Salem, NC 27101. The event will feature former NBA player Mr. Antoine Smith, current Chairman and CEO of the Smith Gruppe, LLC. Leveraging Partnerships will be held at the Piedmont Club and all business owners, entrepreneurs, current MBA students, and recent college graduates are encouraged to attend. The cost for the event is $20 per person and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the NBMBAA Piedmont Triad Chapter Scholarship fund. nLeveraging Partnerships is an opportunity for past, current, and future companies to engage in a discussion that allows them to reach their target market in the African American community and enhance the relationship with nonprofits in the Triad. "Many companies are looking for nonprofits to donate to and collaborate with, but there is a lack of professional organizations in the area that seek the long-term relationships. Our goal is to empower companies with the tools, people, and marketing opportunities they seek for 2013 and beyond," states chapter President Chisa D. Pennix-Brown, MBA. nnLeveraging Partnerships will enable individuals to seek employment, sponsorship opportunities, and expose them to all the offerings of the NBMBAA Piedmont Triad Chapter. Advanced registration is required and can be found at www.TriadMBA.org. The event also serves as a precursor to the Carolinas Conference, which will be hosted by the chapter at the Greensboro, NC Downtown Marriot Hotel April 12-14, 2013. The Conference is a mini-version of the National Conference and is open to the public as it features a career fair, networking, luncheon, awards ceremony, and brunch.nnAbout The National Black MBA Association Piedmont Triad Chapter nnThe NBMBAA Piedmont Triad Chapter hosts monthly Executive Board meetings the second Tuesday of the month from 6-8 pm at the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship located at 1451 S. Elm Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27406. Additional membership events are held every fourth Thursday of the month from 6-8 pm. Locations and topics vary with a focus on goals that align with the chapter as well as the community we serve. For more information about the NBMBAA Piedmont Triad chapter, please visit www.TriadMBA.org or view our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/TriadNBMBAA. n

How to Map Out a Marketing Plan n nGreensboro, NC, Wednesday, February 6, 2013—Lady Bizness, Inc. presents How to Map Out your Marketing Plan, a hands-on workshop focused on helping business owner and entrepreneurs in the Triad get on course with their 2013 marketing efforts. Monday, February 25, 2013 from 6-8pm at the Clarion Hotel, located at 415 Swing Road, Greensboro, NC 27409. The cost for this two hour workshop is $40 per person and includes instruction and course materials. nn"Many business owners know that they should have a marketing plan but often go by the seat of their pants. My goal is to make sure that they have direction that allows them to spend wisely and make efficient use of their time," said facilitator, Chisa D. Pennix-Brown. The hands-on approach allows business owners to take full advantage of the workshop by actually beginning the plan in class and taking actionable steps to enhance their connections and reinforce marketing concepts with applications that tie in social media into their strategy. nnParticipants should be prepared with a laptop to get the maximum experience from this workshop. In addition, they should bring business card for networking and a calendar to make commitments to their marketing schedule. Registration can be found at www.LadyBizness.com. nn###nAbout Lady Bizness, Inc.nLady Bizness, Inc. is a Greensboro, NC based company that provides Social Media Marketing & Branding services to corporations, small businesses and entrepreneurs with a focus on women owned companies and non-profits. Since 2010, Lady Bizness, Inc. has consistently Show Up & Showed Out in the areas of event production and Business Development Training Classes. Lady Bizness, Inc. is owned and managed by CEO Chisa D. Pennix-Brown, MBA who embodies the mission to enhance, enlighten, empower, and enrich the community. For more information on Lady Bizness, Inc., please email Info@LadyBizness.com, call 336-809-8851, or visit www.LadyBizness.com.nnAbout Chisa D. Pennix-Brown, MBA nWith over 11 years of experience in business coaching, community outreach, social media insight, CEO Chisa D. Pennix-Brown has transformed savoir faire and a long-time vision of helping her peers, into Lady Bizness, an organization committed to fostering healthy relationships, business opportunities, and providing events for women. Chisa's commitment to delivering on her promise of "Women Helping Women" stems from a desire to create a business and media empire enabling small businesses to Enhance, Enlighten, Empower & Enrich. Her Motto is "Show Up & Show Out!"nnn

Join us at the Garden in historic downtown Kernersville on Saturday, March 2nd from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm for "Wild About Perennials" by Noel Kingsbury. A book signing will follow Noel's lecture. Noel Kingsbury has been described as "the voice of authority with renegade" undertones.