Walkers, runners and strollers organized by N.C. Friends of Safe Passage will commemorate Hanley Denning's founding of the Safe Passage educational and nutrition program with a 5K Run/Walk/Stroll on Saturday in Southern Village. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

Denning, who died in an automobile accident outside Guatemala City more than four years ago, worked in Chapel Hill with Hispanic children in North Carolina's Head Start program before she went to Guatemala in 1997 to learn Spanish. She never returned.

Instead, in 1999, she founded and ran Safe Passage, beginning with 40 women and children at Guatemala City's city dump. Safe Passage has grown to include 600 women and children who still survive daily by scavenging through Central America's largest landfill in Guatemala City for food and resalable items.

Supporters from Chapel Hill and Carrboro who don't want to walk, run or stroll can buy $10 raffle tickets from board members Anne Katz at ncfriendsofsafepassage@gmail. com or Susan Attermier at satter@bellsouth.net. The drawing on the day of the event will reveal who wins a free six-day trip to Guatemala for two or a homemade Appalachian quilt. This is a family event with kids' activities.

Binkley discussion will address brain function

Binkley Brainstormers, a group of Binkley Baptist members and friends who advocate for individuals and families dealing with mental illness, has issued an invitation to a night of desserts and discussion with Dr. Gary Duncan, a UNC psychiatry professor. The event is set for 7 p.m. Sunday in the church fellowship hall.

Duncan, who received a B.S. degree in biology from Georgia State University and a Ph. D. in pharmacology at the University of Louisville, is remarkable with helping those both inside and outside the medical profession understand how mental illnesses impact brain functions. Part of his research involves studies in mouse models of psychosis to find new ways to treat schizophrenia. Another area involves neuroscience curriculum development for elementary through high school students.

One of the goals of the Brainstormers is to help Binkley Baptist and other area faith communities be welcoming to God's children who live with any brain disease. The group leads Binkley's interactions with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Faith Connections, local communities working together to provide support and education about mental illness.

For further info on this event, contact Dale Osborne at dale@binkleychurch.org.

Haw River church celebrates anniversary

Haw River Missionary Baptist Church, 1099 Mount Gilead Church Road, Pittsboro, will celebrate its 143rd church anniversary on Sunday at 11 a.m. The guest speaker is the Rev. Sarah Hill, associate minister at Terrells Creek Missionary Baptist in Chapel Hill. The public is welcome to attend. The host pastor is the Rev. Junious Jones.

Evolution-creation scholar at Murphey Hall

Dr. Alex Glass, Duke University instructor of Earth and Ocean Sciences in the Nicholas School, will present "Denying Evolution: Why 150 Years of Darwin Are Not Enough" for Kol Haskalah, a Humanistic Jewish Congregation, on Sunday at 10 a.m. in Murphey Hall at UNC.

Glass has noted that biology and evolution are poorly presented in public school curricula, contributing to the persistence of creationism in its latest manifestation, "intelligent design theory." This has led Glass to develop a lively presentation documenting evolution. He has followed the creation-evolution debate for more than 20 years. He teaches geology, oceanography, paleontology and global climate change and is recognized as an expert on fossil brittle stars.

Church will hold pregame tailgate party

University United Methodist, 150 E. Franklin St., will host a community tailgate party on the church's front lawn before the Carolina-Miami football game on Saturday, Oct. 15. The fun will begin at 9:30 a.m.

All are invited to this family-friendly event featuring food, music and lawn games. Ramses, the Tar Heel mascot, will make an appearance before heading to Tar Heel Town for pre-game festivities.

All are invited for fun before the game at Kenan Stadium and some folks may wish to stay and watch the game on the church's large screen TV.

Banquet celebrates new St. Paul neighborhood

A groundbreaking banquet for St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church's Village project in the Rogers Road neighborhood is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel, 1 Europa Drive.

Special guest will be Congressman David Price of the 4th Congressional District. John Clark is master of ceremonies.

This project, located on 20 acres at 1604 Purefoy Drive in North Chapel Hill, values preserving areas of natural beauty and environmental sensitivity and will become part of the existing neighborhood in a mutually beneficial manner, said Angela Lee, a member of the church's board of trustees.

The development will feature affordable housing, a day care, recreational facilities such as athletic fields and walking trails, senior citizen independent and assisted living, fitness center,a memorial park and at its core, a new worship sanctuary and fellowship hall.

The village vision grew out of a need for a larger sanctuary for a growing congregation and began about eight years ago when the Rev. Thomas Nixon became the pastor.

Although the village carries the church's name, this is not a village for members only. The expectation is that both rental and private housing will be available to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area.

Banquet tickets are $50 and are available by calling the church office at 967-3961 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

For more information, email stpaulch@intrex. com .

Wesley Fellowship, Duke chaplain earn honors

The Duke University Wesley Fellowship has been named Campus Ministry of the year for 2010, and the Rev. Jennifer Copeland, United Methodist chaplain for Duke, has been recognized for Outstanding Ministry in Education. The recognition was given by the National Campus Ministry Association.

The Duke Wesley Fellowship is a campus unit of the United Methodist Church. Copeland, a graduate of Duke University, has been chaplain since 1999.

"In addition to regular gatherings for worship, activities include small groups for freshmen each year, other small group studies and annual break teams that engage in community service and community-building," wrote the Rev. Nancy Ferree-Clark, formerly associate dean of Duke Chapel and senior pastor of the Congregation at Duke Chapel. "Having served in her current position for 12 years, Copeland has built a model campus ministry program that is known as a training ground for future leaders in the church."