Teen Challenge theme is "Today is the Day."

Teen Challenge of Arizona has just completed a week long series of banquets to help raise funds to support its successful programs. With “Today is the Day,” as a theme, the events were held in Tucson and the Phoenix area.

Teen Challenge offers the “Faith-based solutions the drug epidemic.” The Arizona division has been active in combating the drug and alcohol problem in the state since 1965 and doing so with a documented success rate of 86%.

The banquet I attend was held at the Holiday Inn East on November 17, 2009. The event attended by several hundred had an air of celebration and the sense of something special.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by multiple hostesses offering information and a beverage with the biggest of smiles. The host/ushers were polite, dressed in Teen Challenge garb and standing tall.

I was introduced to Anne-Marie Markowitz – Public Relations Director for Arizona Teen Challenge and after a brief conversation, was introduced to Diane Swanson, the director of Home of Hope – a center for women, and women with children, who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. As we were talking, two hostesses happened by and were invited into the conversation. I got to hear the story of one of the young ladies and needless to say I was touched on a number of different levels. The incredible thing to me was how short the timeframe was for the transformation in this young woman’s life.

Rev. Greg Bauldwin

Markowitz returned with Rev. Gregory Bauldwin, the newly appointed director of the Tucson Men’s Induction Center. Bauldwin, a former client of the center has returned 20 years later as the director of the very center that changed his life. There could not have been any greater testimony for the success of the program.

Bauldwin shared the principles of his vision to take the men’s center to the next level.

As I tried to absorb all that I was hearing, I was bit overwhelmed and emotionally spent.

As the programmed started and the dinner served, I had time to somewhat recover from the joy of hearing stories and the successes these young people had achieved through Teen Challenge.

The excitement continued with more testimonies both from the staff and the program residents. As I watched the Teen Challenge State Choir numbering 75+ strong, sing and perform, I could not help but think that each one of them represented a life that had been saved both naturally and spiritually through Teen Challenge and a “second chance God.”

Teen Challenge State Choir

As one young man told his story of adversity and destruction, you got a sense of the extreme circumstances these individuals go through. But as he concluded and ask his family to stand, a wife and two small children, you could not help but feel a tear in your eye appear as you got to witness the miracle in this man’s life. A wife now with a husband, children now with their daddy and society now with a man of God.

The young father explained some of the life situations after leaving the program, most of them; all graduates will be confronted with. It identified many of the areas that need solutions to assist in the transition back into everyday life and insure continued success. The areas of housing, employment and continued spiritual development are all additional resources that need to be provided.

As you witnessed and experienced the evening, through the words and music that you were privileged to hear, the reality of the need and power of a Teen Challenge program becomes obvious.

We all pray that we don’t personally need their services, but thank God that we can help Teen Challenge be there for those that do.

For more information:

Arizona Teen Challenge
Corporate Office and Training Center
8464 N. Oracle Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85704
PO Box 5966
Tucson, AZ 85703-0966
Phone (520) 292-2273
Toll Free (800) 346-7859
Fax (520) 292-2257
mail@azteenchallenge.org
http://www.azteenchallenge.org/

The Chocolate Voice Magazine and Tucson Black Pages kick off the holiday season with the First Annual Kwanzza Gift Show and Black Business Showcase.

The event held at the historic Dunbar School in Tucson was the first sponsored by the alliance of the CV and TBP. The alliance was formed earlier this year to help in the promotion and development of businesses owned by African Americans in the Southern Arizona region.

The CV was formed by Gwen Pierce, a former resident of Tucson with many family and business ties still active while currently living in Southern California. The magazine will be celebrating two years in publication in December.

The Tucson Black Pages, an online business directory was developed by photographer Barney Hilton Murray after moving to Tucson over three years ago in an attempt to centralize and connect Black businesses in the area. Murray has a similar directory servicing the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit www.BayAreaBlackPages.com.

The show, the brain child of Murray, was inspired by the outstanding work of some of the people he has met while working on the black pages. “There is such a wealth of diverse and skilled talent here, it would be a shame for it to go unrecognized or not shared with the general public.”

With the theme of the show centered around Kawnzaa, which is an African American celebration of family, community and culture held December 26 through January 1^st, Murray and Pierce both felt that this was an event that was fitting for this time of year.

The show included artist, crafts, literature, music, products, services and even gourmet peach cobbler.

The success of the show was not measured in the number of people that attended, but rather by the awareness that the community now has that they do have a choice in where they shop for products and services.

For more information:

Barney Hilton Murray
www.TucsonBlackPages.com

Gwen Pierce
www.TheChocolateVoice.com

Photos of the show can be viewed online in the vendor directory at:
http://tucsonblackpages.com/misc/kwanzaa.htm

The music at the Sheraton’s Fire and Spice restaurant was smooth as expected on Thursday night.

Prime Example, lead by saxophonist Neamon Lyles provided the sounds to complement the ambiance of the night fall air, the fire pits, food and friends by the pool.

The band played a couple of sets throughout the evening showcasing their talent through a wide range of musical styles, from jazz classics to modern day pop.

The group was joined by guest musician, Kevin Hamilton of Southwest Soul Circuit a music production company here in Tucson. Hamilton substituted for pianist Arthur Migliazza.

Hamilton, an accomplished musician and singer brought a new dimension to the performance with his soulful, almost gospel R&B style. Hamilton sang George Benson’s “This Masquerade” but made it his own, and with the help of the band, took it to another level.

As I am learning that Mike Levy – bassist, and Doug Davis – drummer, are consistent in their musicianship and performance. Their skill level and talent are only magnified by their continuity when playing together.

Prime Example is an excellent group, but it appears that they are having fun making music in the process. The clowning between songs is fun to watch and engages you into the show.

Lyles continues to refine his craft and performance. I look forward to the release of his CD early next year.