One Man Uplifts the South Side

Purchasing one building at a time

Joyce Ogirri
NCC News Reporter

Syracuse, NY - Pastor Daren Jaime is on a mission. He ministers to the People’s A.M.E. Zion Church, the oldest African American church in Onondaga County. Pastor Jaime wants to help restore family values by reversing the culture of crime and violence on the South Side of Syracuse.

Rebuilding the South Side
“Now what we're in the process of doing, actually taking our rightful place in the community giving it new life putting a new spin on it," said Pastor Jaime.

That new spin includes turning the parking lot and rundown houses surrounding the People’s Church into affordable housing. And transforming the rundown brick building directly across from People’s Church into a place where young people can start their own business. South Side families, Jaime says, should spend their money here and not in other parts of Syracuse.

“It's important you invest in where you live and home is where your heart is,” said Pastor Jaime.

Activities in the Church
He decided to start at People's Church by having a clothing drive. Lenora Rice has five grandchildren to care for. She says this drive has made it much easier.

"We as parents, grandparents a lot of us is raising kids and it's hard. We are on set incomes. It helps us dress our kids properly," said Rice.

Pastor Jaime didn't stop there, he began a basketball ministry to teach the area's young people about the fundamentals of the game and life. This has helped Marquie Little go in the right direction.

"It helped me by staying out of trouble, having my head clear, focusing on school. Having people who care about me and having fun," said Little.

What He Means To The Church
Members of People’s Church say these changes are the result of one man’s faith in an area that most have written off. Darlene Kinsey has been a member for 50 years where she has witnessed the ups and downs. But she says they are on an up swing.

"God has sent us a Shepherd who has been able to watch over his sheep and teach the biblical way of learning and living through the Bible," said Kinsey.

Pastor Daren Jaime will continue to buy property on the South Side. He says economic and community developments are two of the biggest pieces that have to happen.

“We need to bring business that will sustain life into the community. It has to be attractive to the community at large,” said Pastor Jaime.

Sudanese Lost Boys Give Back to Homeland

How Lost Boys Give back to Sudan from CNY
by: Harold R. Kuntz, III
April 24th, 2008

A Civil War raged in Sudan, leading to over 2 million death. Once the war came to an end, some of the southern Sudanese people made there way to America. About 150 of them were called Lost Boys, and arrived in Syracuse. They have created different ways to raise money to give back to their homeland in despair.

John Dau was featured in the 2007 documentary "God Grew Tired of Us." The documentary explained how Dau and other Lost Boys traveled through an almost one-thousand mile trek from Sudan, Ethiopia, to Kenya before arriving to America.







John Dau set up the John Dau Sudan Foundation. The foundation has raised almost half-a-million dollars so far. He spoke as part of the "Save Darfur" week at Morrisville State College this past week. He said, "never give up." He went on to talk more about what drives him to give back to his homeland. "It is a first step because really, we african, we believe in just helping each other. We believe in what we call extended family. We believe in we, not I," said Dau.

He received a check from the African-American Alliance at Morrisville State for $400 dollars that evening. The money is going to help medical and educational opportunites for citizens in southern Sudan.

As part of an operation by Andrews Memorial United Methodist church, Dut Deng will return to Sudan to assess his homeland's health conditions and start a health clinic. The inspiration to start the clinic came after he learned his niece died three years ago. He is excited about the opportunity to start giving back. "It's a celebration, It's wonderful. When you dream about something and it came to reality," said Deng.

Dut Deng and his friend Mayol Malik both started asking the church for fundraising a trip to Sudan. The church welcomed the idea with open arms and started the fundraising three years ago. Reverend Bradford Hunt said, "These boys, they come in, and they get it themselves, establish it, they want to make a differenceto their own people."

John Dau Sudan Foundation is located at the United Way of Syracuse. Dut Deng and Mayol Malik will return from Sudan this week.

Why do pro teams in Syracuse strike out?

-By Jordan Meddy

Syracuse, NY - For a sports fan in Syracuse, the upcoming summer could be as bleak as the winter just survived. Soon the Chiefs will be the only option for those looking for game action. And no one knows that better than Shane Sutliff, who says he attends every Syracuse sporting event he can.

Sutliff has seen many teams come and go over the years. He witnessed the ordeal of the Syracuse Raging Bullz, the pro basketball team formed in July 2007, that folded after playing only two home games.

“I was not happy,” said Sutliff. “I will not describe in some of the words I would like to of my rage at them folding. But I was outraged.” Sutliff was one of about two dozen who purchased season tickets for the Bullz.

The Salty Dogs also once called Syracuse home, but the professional soccer team faltered financially after two seasons, from 2003 to 2004. “We built a very, very good team here,” said Tommy Tanner, a former player, coach, and general manager of the team. “And it was a shame we had to stop because we had a chance to go on. And if you win Syracuse will support you.”

So why is it so hard for many teams to stay afloat. Well, the mountain they must climb has a lot to do with a hill, the SU hill. “It’s probably like a lot of towns where the college is a big deal,” said Nolan Weidner, former sportswriter for The Post-Standard. “The college sports become the main attraction, at least for the sports that do well.”

Ninety miles to the west in Rochester, the picture is somewhat brighter. Fans can enjoy minor league baseball and hockey, but the city also offers pro basketball and soccer teams, indoor and outdoor lacrosse, and an arena football team. And teams have learned lessons that could help current and future professional teams in Syracuse.

“We went after soccer moms and soccer dads and the young families that are just experiencing soccer,” said Sam Fantuzzo, vice-president of the Rochester Rhinos soccer team. “The music at the game and the mascots, we tried to make it about more family fun. And I think that was a big part of our success.”

Back in Syracuse, Sutliff says he believes pro teams can compete with SU athletics. “If a team is going to make it here, you’ve got to market. You’ve got to market the team and have very good customer service,” he said.

But for now the city’s biggest sports fan looks ahead to another quiet summer. Waiting, hoping for someone to cheer for.

Black Belt Mama's

Middle-age women using the martial arts to fight off aging

By Taisha Walker, NCC News

Syracuse, NY Nancy Chappell has been a student of the martial arts for 7 years. Infact, she is even a second-degree black belt. Chappell loves doing karate but also likes being a teacher. She teaches dental assisting on the BOCES camps in Liverpool. What most people do not know about Chappell is that this 47-year old practices karate with her 17-year old son, Christopher.

"I don't think of her as my mom at the dojo. She's just like another person I train with, it's like another friend " said Christopher.

While being able to build a stronger relationship with her son was rewarding, Nancy also said she enjoyed the bond between herself and the other women in her Karate class. Nancy and the other three women in her class, Liana Person, 35, Maybelle Oros 59, Stacy Karpinski 49, are part of a group called "The Sweat Sisters."

"The Sweat Sisters" is a group of women between the age of 35 and 63 who practice karate at Tearney's Karate in Camillus.

"Most of them have been training for 6 years together. They all built a great bond with one another and great friends, that's how we've developed the Sweat Sister mindset. They all come in together and become sisters in the martial arts together" said Carlos Tearney, Head INstructor at Tearney's Karate.

All of the women all have sons who train in the martial arts as well. For Nancy, Christopher was her inspiration.

"I actually watched my son do karate for over 4 years and I thought I can do that. Then I turned 40 and it was my 40th birthday gift to myself; I figured it was now or never."

And after 7 years, Nancy is as passionate about karate now as she was the moment she started. She said it has changed her mentally, physically and has even given her new found confidence. Karate has changed Nancy's life for the better.

And it doesn't seem as if Nancy plans to give up karate anytime soon.

"I don't see myself ever stopping. We've had 2 older men get their black belts, one is 70, one is 77. I look at them as my role model that means I still have 30 more years " said Nancy.

Lacrosse: More than a game

The Onondaga Nation has produced some of the world's greatest lacrosse players but there is more

By Richard Zussman

NEDROW, NY - They say they play the game for medicine and that it is the game of the creator.  The young play.  And so do the old.  But the game of Lacrosse is more than a game.  It is part of who the people of the Onondaga Nation are.  Neal Powless is one of the greatest lacrosse players of his generation.  He was named an all world attack man in 2002.  "It is a community, it is our culture, it is our heritage." Powless said.

The Creator's Game

The people of the Onondaga call lacrosse the game made by the creator.  They also say he was a lacrosse player.  Jerome Thompson is one of the bright stars of the Onondaga Nation and was a key part to OCC's championship season last year.  "We play to make the creator happy."  he said "If we play with an open mind and not to hurt people he will be happy."  The game is played by the men of the Nation.  And part of growing up with the game is understanding the important religious role of the sport.  

The Medicine Game

Lacrosse players from the nation believe lacrosse has special healing powers.  When a member of the community is sick the players bring the individual to the lacrosse game.  Tobacco leaves are lit and players play with the traditional wooden stick.  The ritual is said to have healing powers.  Alf Jacques makes the wooden sticks.  He has been doing it for more than 50 years and inherited the job from his father.  The game for Jacques doesn't just have a role in an individuals time on earth but during the afterlife as well.  "When you die you are buried with your stick." he said "Because you are going yo play lacrosse in the after life."

Staying out of trouble

Lacrosse at the Onondaga Nation also acts as a way out.  For Powless lacrosse is way out of life in trouble.  "If you take care of yourself, and watch what you do yo might be able to do something not a lot of people can do."  He said "And at the very least you can get an education." The game of lacrosse has helped the youth of the Onondaga Nation stay out of drugs and alcohol and get a college education.

Bad Credit? Lets make a deal

How to make sure the car dealer doesn't win.

By Ted Johnsen

Syracuse, NY: You've probably seen the latest craze in automobile commercials. The ones that say "Bad credit? No problem."

But whats the catch? Gary Thurber works for a credit counseling service in Syracuse, and sees many people getting tricked into buying cars they cant afford. "Typically it's the payment, they forget to look at the interest rate or how long the loan is for," he said.

"If you don't read the rate of interest and term lengths, you will be taken advantage of," said Randy Elder, a finance professor at Syracuse University's Whitman School.

For example, let's take a car valued at $11,490. The bank could charge the customer a 20 percent interest rate. But, to shield the cost of the car, the dealer might suggest a loan paid back over 7 years. That way the monthly payment looks reasonable at $255. However, by the time the car is paid off, the buyer will have spent nearly double its original cost at $21,431.

What to watch out for
Car experts say there are a few of things to watch out for before agreeing to the interest rate and length of the loan. "You need to know what your credit score is," said Evie Hayden, a saleswoman at a local Volvo dealership. She said you can check your credit score for free every six months at annualcreditreport.com. She suggested buyers should also ask their bank what kind of an interest rate they'd be willing to offer, before going to the dealer.

Another thing to watch out for is the length of the loan. Experts say you dont want to take out a loan for more than 5 years, because they say you probably wont even own the car in five years. They say you don't want to be paying for a car you dont even drive anymore.

Have to be prepared
Car experts say to make sure you avoid being taken advantage of, you have to do your homework.

And if you're unsure about whether you can afford that car payment or not, credit counselors have a tip. "Practice. Before you go and buy that new car- if you think you can afford that 250 dollar payment- put that money aside in a savings account for 6 months. That way if you didn't have to touch the money, you know you're probably ready to buy a car, and plus you have a down payment," said Thurber.

And if practice makes perfect, you won't need to worry about missing a payment, and further damaging your credit score.

Syracuse Lacks Professional Sports Teams

Syracuse-April 21, 2008- With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner there are very few professional sports teams available for people to go see in Syracuse.

Going to a Syracuse Sky Chiefs game and enjoying a warm weather day doesn't cost a lot of money. But what if you don't like baseball and want to watch another sport this summer in Syracuse? Well, you can't. The Chiefs and the Crunch are the only professional teams left in town. Last year, the Raging Bullz ceased operations after playing only two home games. The ABA franchise cited poor attendance as the reason.

Fans Let Down

But one former team had the fan support. The Syracuse Salty Dogs drew some of the largest crowds in the league but folded nearly four years ago because of financial problems. Shane Sutliff went to a lot of their games and he was less than happy when they left.
"I was furious about the Salty Dogs," he said. "I was just ticked off."

College Town

Syracuse University athletics are understandably the big dog in town so it's no surprise the two successful professional teams in Syracuse play sports that the university doesn't offer on the division one level. Even the Chiefs have problems drawing many people. So why does Syracuse have trouble keeping professional sports teams? "Probably like a lot of towns where college is a big deal or certainly a big part of the community here, the college sports become the main attraction at least for the sports that do well," Nolan Weidner, writer for The Post-Standard said.
Rochester has 7 professional teams, ranging from basketball to arena football. The Rochester Razorsharks draw about 5,000 fans per home game. So what do these franchises do that future Syracuse teams can copy?
"We went after the soccer moms, and the soccer dads, and the young families that are just experiencing soccer, the music at the games, and the mascots, and we try to make it more family fun," Sam Fantuzzo, VP for the Rochester Rhinos, said.

Ways to Succeed

Sutliff says the playoff-bound Crunch are a model of how a professional team can succeed in Syracuse.
"They started marketing the team from the get-go and not marketing just in the Syracuse area, they nationally marketed the team, all over the place, throughout the whole American Hockey League," he said. And even though the Salty Dogs are long gone, Shane still has his memories. At least that can't be taken away from him.