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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 19
Monday, November 19, 2007
Winder resident makes cancer patient’s wish come true
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Noble deeds shouldn’t go unnoticed. That’s why Buzz took notice when Atlanta Falcons season ticket-holder David Stott helped raise more than $1,000 for 12-year-old Tim Moore and his grandfather. Here’s the story in a nutshell.
Stott, a Winder resident, read in his native Pierce City, Mo., newspaper the story of Tim and his yearlong battle with brain cancer. The Make-A-Wish Foundation granted the boy’s desire for a room makeover decked in colors and memorabilia of his favorite team — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stott contacted Make-A-Wish about flying the boy to Atlanta for Sunday’s Falcons game vs. Tampa Bay, and he’d take care of the game pass. But Make-A-Wish’s policy is one wish per client.
Determined, Stott held fund-raisers to get Moore and his granddad, Jerry Moore, here for the game. He even arranged for Tim, who’s undergone 31 radiation treatments, four months of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, to see the game from the 50-yard line.
During a pregame ceremony, “Tampa Bay Coach Jon Gruden gave [Tim] an autographed book,” Stott says. Tim also received an autographed visor from Falcons tailback Warrick Dunn, and had a chance to meet Tampa Bay players Joey Galloway, Matt Bryant and Mike Alstott.
“He’s excited and appreciative of this opportunity to meet the coach and some of the players and being on the field,” Stott says of Tim’s first-ever experience being at a Buccaneers game.
“I just wanted to help,” Stott adds. “That’s the way I try to live.”
Brown’s show mostly a stiff
OK, what was supposed to be grown and sexy seemed more like loud and wrong.
Atlanta was ready for the New Jack Swing tour Friday at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center that promised jams by Guy, After 7, K-Ci & JoJo and Bobby Brown.
It was a good, if slow, start as After 7 warmed up the crowd. K-Ci & JoJo, on the other hand, seemed like they just rolled onto the stage. They went through songs like “Life” and “If You Think You’re Lonely Now,” but the weakened voices and lack of showmanship made the performance seem like an afterthought.
Then Bobby Brown hobbled out. Buzz can appreciate his working through an injured ankle, but his show was underwhelming. Beyond humping the stage and air, he couldn’t dance, and he shoved “new” songs down our ears when what we really wanted was “Roni” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” And where was “My Prerogative”?
Fellow New Edition member Ronnie DeVoe helped Bobby out, while Keith Sweat made a surprise cameo.
Aaron Hall of Guy was the night’s biggest hit. Sure he had a few missteps, including racy “dancing” (even Aaron commented he was getting too old for those antics). But his voice was strong as he went through hits like “Let’s Chill” and “I Miss You,” which made many couples get up to dance in the aisles. Thank goodness for sweet endings. (To see the full review, go to accessAtlanta.com’s Music Scene blog.)
Mixing it up helps overcome adversity
There’s something humble and genuine about DJ Aaries when Buzz chatted with him Friday on the phone.
That’s why, when the Stone Mountain mixologist won the national “I Will Not Lose” video competition sponsored by Rocawear and Blackplanet.com, it wasn’t hard to see why. He earned a chance to have his face splashed all over magazines and TV in Roacawear’s spring ad fashion campaign.
“You don’t expect it to be you,” says the musician, who thinks he was tops because of his desire to promote, nurture and spin up-and-coming artists. “This feels outstanding.”
Jay-Z’s Rocawear line and Blackplanet.com, one of the nation’s most popular African-American networking sites, came up with the campaign to show how celebs like Ciara and Chris Brown and everyday people overcome adversity. The online contest allowed visitors to upload videos with their testimonials and let voters decide whose was most moving. About 2 million votes were cast.
DJ Aaries, whose real name is Lawrence Butler, beat out about 500 entrants along with co-winner JUSK1234 from Charlotte with his story about growing up poor and moving around with his family to look for work.
Now, Aaries, who’s been a regular on BET’s “Rap City,” mentors rising DJs and makes it his mission to give exposure to little-known artists during his DJ sets.
“I show that if you work hard, things can happen.”
Check out his winning video at iwillnotlose.org.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Talk show host Larry King is 74. Media mogul Ted Turner is 69. Actor Dan Haggerty is 66. Sportscaster Ahmad Rashad is 58. Actress Meg Ryan is 46. Actress Jodie Foster is 45. Dancer-choreographer Savion Glover is 34.
CONCERT WATCH
Celine Dion “Taking Chances World Tour” hits Philips Arena Jan. 17, 2009. Tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m.
Contributing: Quindelda McElroy. David Graves covers leisure activities. If you have a worthwhile event coming up let him know at dgraves@ajc.com.
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