Bill Shore is a Durham native, a Jordan High School graduate and is director of Community Partnerships at GlaxoSmithKline. The affable 60-year-old jokes about how much chicken he eats over the years because part of his job involves attending any number of luncheons and banquets, from Chamber of Commerce events to charity galas.

Of course, the reason he does all this is to build relationships with key players to find the ways his company can do the most good in Durham and, indeed, throughout the country.

The company donated $4 million to various education, health & human services, arts, civic and environmental initiatives throughout the state last year. In addition, GSK employees donated $590,534 to United Way agencies in N.C., including $348,129 to the United Way of the Greater Triangle. The company matched these employee donations dollar for dollar, for a total amount of about $1.2 million in N.C. This earned the company the first annual President's Award from United Way.

That's to say nothing of the thousands of volunteer hours GSK employees log every year, with the support and encouragement of the global drug company. The primary focus of the company's philanthropic efforts is K-12 education. Shore is active on a national level with several high profile efforts to reduce the dropout rate. He and GSK are trying to do the same right here in Durham.

In an interview last week, Shore talked about his role both on the local and national level, and why GSK is so committed to changing things for the better.

On his unique job:

"Joe Ruvane was the first CEO in the Park to actually live in Durham. Everyone else had gone to Wake County. We became quite Durham-centric right off the bat because of that. Every now and then he’d get me to fill in for him at Durham Chamber board meetings. He asked me to start a community relations program for the company. I didn’t really know what that was, to be honest with you. But I knew I liked to eat chicken.

"I got involved on the local level representing the company. We are sometimes thought of as a company that writes checks to charitable organizations. But it’s actually more than that. It’s all about relationships. Somebody has to know the mayor, has to have relationships with city council members, county commissioners. Growing up here I already knew some people. But I just got the chance to meet some really great folks. About 10 years ago, I got asked to be on the board at NCCU. I grew up here in Durham, but I had never really been involved on their campus. That’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I served 8 years on the board of directors at Central, and I developed a love and appreciation for a new culture. It was just amazing to be exposed to and get to know folks who were running a major university like that.

"Then we merged with Burroughs Wellcome in 1995. Our US headquarters were here for both companies, a mile apart. Our cultures were somewhat the same. Both companies were extremely involved in local communities. And if you look at Burroughs Wellcome’s heritage, they had two Nobel Prize winners, one of whom was George Hitchings. He started the Triangle Community Foundation.

"When you undergo a merger, you become a lot more strategic about how you’re going to be involved in local communities. We tried to and still do focus on the things that are important to the company, and that’s support for K-12 education. I got on the Durham Chamber board and was asked to the chair education committee that they had. I was involved  to some degree from a business standpoint to help support school merger. It was really important to do that. There were a lot of bumps along the way, but we’re doing great right now."

On why GSK supports education:

"It takes $1 billion and about 15 years to get one drug on the market, and it’s getting tougher and tougher to do it.. Well, we’re going to have a lot of scientists retiring who are working on these research programs.

"Now in the US, about 30 percent of our kids drop out of high school. 50 percent of minority kids drop out of high school. They are never going to come work for our company. They’re not going to go work for IBM. They’re not going to go work for Cisco. Their future is going to be much dimmer than kids who go to and graduate from college. So we got very much behind organizations like Communities in Schools, which has a 96 percent success rate for keeping kids in schools.  I got on their local board then chaired their state board for a couple of years. We’re involved with helping to create the Business Advisory Council in Durham Public Schools, which Carl Harris launched."

On working closely with DPS:

"It’s always been a tricky thing for the business community to support public schools. Unless the superintendent kind of opens up and invites you to the table, it’s really hard. Carl patterned the BAC after the way Governor Hunt ran the state. (Hunt) had a business management council he met with: 25 CEOs from around the state. I was fortunate enough to represent the company every now and then. That’s where the Communities in Schools program and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education were started statewide. So the legacy of that organization has been really good. 

"Leadership at the school site level is a big, big deal. American companies have done a pretty good job of leadership training. We have developed a program to be able to recognize top leaders at the school sites. We raised a little money and there’s an annual event where we recognize those who are doing a really good job of leadership. To get recognized as a key principal or assistant principal in Durham Public Schools is well deserved. The head of the Washington Duke Inn provided a weekend for a principal and his or her guest. Three winners. It’s amazing what things like that mean for people who are in the trenches. We also provide them with a check for a few thousand dollars. That’s something that we’re really proud of."

On national education efforts:

"I got involved in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce a few years ago. A guy named Stephen Jordan and I started the Business Education Network at the U.S. Chamber. I chair their board on the national level now. 

"Colin Powell and his wife are now leading America's Promise. Their one goal is to reduce the dropout rate in America by 50 percent over the next 10 years. If we can do that, we’ll save hundreds of billions of dollars, literally, in the cost of subsidizing the dropouts. We’re paying I think around $50,000 a year to keep one person in prison, and 75 percent of prison inmates are high school dropouts. They’re not paying taxes. They’re not paying Social Security. So America’s Promise is making a big deal about that."

On health education programs:

"We’re a health care company, so childhood health issues are very important to us. Childhood obesity is an epidemic in this country. It might sound strange to say this, but we sure would prefer for no kids to have to take our diabetes drugs. We want them to be healthy. We are doing everything we can even on a national level for kids and families to understand how to take better care of themselves. We're working with NC Prevention Partners, which goes into schools and works with staff to change menus and try to get rid of snack machines and get kids drinking water instead of Cokes."

On the importance of private sector involvement in social issues:

"There’s no getting around the fact that what’s happened for the good in this area and across the state has been the public-private partnerships. The Durham Public Schools, Wake County Schools have to know what kind of job skills are going to be required. And if you don’t have that partnership built -- so that we can bring teachers and students out here to go to Cisco and walk around the labs, and go to IBM -- then it jus won’t get done. This is what you’re getting these kids ready for.

On GSK's volunteer programs:

"We have something called the GIVE program. Glaxo Investment in Volunteer Excellence. Any employee who donates 50 hours or more to a nonprofit, a Little League team, a PTA, we will donate $500 in that employees name, and if their spouse, partner or significant other is involved, we’ll donate another $500.

We’ve also got Orange Day, which is something that (relatively new CEO) Andrew (Witty) has really encouraged on a global basis. All 100,000 employees are strongly encouraged to pick a volunteer project and maybe as a team go out and do it. These things are like mushrooms. They’re springing up all over the place. You’re allowed to take a day off from work to do this without taking a vacation day. Ronald McDonald House, Habitat for Humanity, all kinds of organizations have benefitted from this.

"Then the other thing Andrew added is something called the PULSE program. You’ve got nonprofits saying I need a GSK employee with this skill set – like an accountant. We will match an employee up with that need at that nonprofit, even if they have to move. It’s a six-month assignment, with full salary and their job when they come back.

"Andrew’s position on this is this will change the lives of our employees. They’ll come back with a much better appreciation for what goes on in the nonprofit side. There are some incredible stories these employees are coming back with. It’s just part of who we are.

"We don’t want to be known as the company that just writes a check. We want to be much deeper and much more involved in helping to make a difference. We find ourselves on boards of nonprofits, pulling folks together. Sometimes we can fund a breakfast for $300 and bring about five nonprofits together and all of a sudden they’re forming a consortium. That’s a pretty good use of our $300 breakfast."

On why this matters to the company:

"This might sound a little hokey, but this has been part of our culture. When Joe Ruvane asked me to start a community relations department, he called me in his office. I was a little nervous. He said, 'Bill we owe back to any community that allows us to operate there. We have to be leaders. It’s about leadership, it’s about doing the right things.' I remember sitting on his little couch, and he was kind of lecturing me a little bit. He said, ‘We have to be a top-notch corporate citizen. Our employees live here. We’re going to grow. We’re going to have to address the issues that affect our employees, the social issues. And it’s just the right thing to do.’"

Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt at The Pinhook. Photo by Briana Brough.

You know what convinced me this is more than a good idea? Going to The Pinhook last Wednesday night and seeing the Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt. The band has received some pretty good press in the New York Times, which zeroed in on a few key details that really got me excited.

They hand out cupcakes at their shows, and have been known to wear costumes that are made entirely of stuffed animals.

I wanted to see how Durham music fans reacted to such a spectacle.

To start, I noticed the crowd at The Pinhook was a lot cooler than I am. Which initially made me want to judge them all so I didn’t feel like a loser for not being their friend. But then I met a few people, and really started to warm up to the scene as the band started to set up.

First, they lined the stage with plastic snowmen reminiscent of a holiday-loving grandmother’s apartment. Then, they started passing out costumes to members of the audience. Buried in my notebook, I didn’t notice until it was too late that they had managed to get my husband, an MBA student, to wear an elf hat and leopard print jacket. And our friend Amy –– she wore what looked like some bee-keepers netting festooned with craft-store flair.Amy Cox, donning one of the costumes handed out by the band. Photo by Briana Brough.

And then the music started - some jumpy, up-tempo stuff with feel-good lyrics.

The singers walked amid the crowd, a strategy one band member told me ensures everyone feels a part of the experience. At one point, one of them dressed up in a green M & M top chanted, “I like you. I like you. I like you.”

As he punched out the affirmations, he pointed to different people whose faces broke into smiles. How could they help it? It may have been a gimmick, but it was all so simple, dumb and weird that it worked.

And that’s when I started dancing, right in the middle of these sweaty guys in the band (They did the majority of their performance on the floor, not the stage). I felt happy. I felt like I belonged. I felt like it was OK to bust out of the bore of daily life and emerge jubilant and re-inspired.It's OK to dance at The Pinhook! See, I do it and you can too! (Bri Brough's photography)

Is that enough convincing for you? Go out! Pinhook Co-owner Nick Williams told me this show was not atypical of the kind of performances they attract there, and as you all know, there are multiple places to see people share their music, art and thought throughout the city.

Click here to see more pictures of the night. 

Have a story idea? Think I should attend a show or feature a band? e-mail lisarossi@durhammag.com

As always, the festival can use additional support and festival sponsorship is available. But, deadlines are approaching quickly. For more information contact Jill DeWeese-Frank at sponsor@fullframefest.org or call 433-9804. 

Big news from DPAC today.

Billy Elliott, with a score by Elton John, the winner of 10 TONY awards and Time Magazine's "Musical of the Decade", will kick off DPAC's next Broadway season Nov. 2-14.

It's even bigger news for DPAC because this two-week run will mark the debut for the national tour of this smash hit.

Tickets go on sale March 19. Learn more about the play here.

The Duke Eye Center, which is leading the nation in research on all forms of treatments for ocular ailments, received a mammoth gift from LC Industries, a Durham nonprofit.

The $12 million donation will help build a new Duke Eye Center, which could be built as early as 2013, according to a news release.

"This state-of-the-art facility will provide the highest quality of eye care to our patients as well as facilitating the translation of discoveries being made on the research side to breakthrough innovations in clinical care for people with various eye diseases and conditions,” Victor J. Dzau, CEO of Duke University Health System, said in the release. “I can’t think of a better partnership for this vitally important work than a company that has set the standard in this country for its employment of people who are visually impaired, and one of the nation’s premier eye centers. This gift is very much appreciated.”

“This gift takes our company’s commitment to people with visual impairments to a new level,” said Bill Hudson, president of LC Industries and a member of the Duke Eye Center Advisory Board. “We want to play a meaningful role in the process that leads to cures for the common causes of blindness.”

Naga by Ed Rihacek1. Ed Rihacek — The Somerhill Gallery exhibits Rihacek's Naga Series featuring oil pastel on paper and canvas. The opening reception is Sunday from 2-5pm. It's free and open to the public. For more information call 688-8868. The Venable Center, 303 S. Roxboro St. 

2. Durham Symphony Winter Classical Concert and Fundraiser— Join the Durham Symphony Sunday at 3pm at The Carolina Theatre as it honors composer Robert Ward. The afternoon will feature Maestro William Henry Curry and young artists competition winners Charlton Holt, Rashad Hayward and Rebecca Telford-Marx. Tickets are $20. For more information call 491-6576. 309 W. Morgan St. 

3. Home Buyers Fair — Learn about the current real estate market, tax advantages, financing alternatives and why now is an incredible time to buy a home Saturday at the The Streets of Southpoint from 11am-7pm. There will be more than 30 booths with builders, Realtors, mortgage lenders, insurance companies, suppliers and more. For more information click here or call 403-2117. 6910 Fayetteville Rd.

4. Durham Bulls Fanfest — The Durham Bulls has decided to extend its Fanfest to two days! So, Friday and Saturday from 11am-2pm fans can come out and meet Wool E. Bull, enjoy a game of catch in the outfield (bring your own gloves) or take a few swings in the batters box. If you purchase at least one regular season game ticket you can enjoy a free lunch of concession stand favorites. For more information call 687-6500 or click here. 

5. Empty Bowls Fundraiser — Chefs from some of our city's best restaurants will compete for the title of "Best Soup in Durham" Friday from 5:30-8pm at the Durham Armory. Tickets are $15-$30. The $30 ticket includes a keepsake bowl created by artisans at Claymakers Clayworks. Proceeds will benefit the Urban Ministries of Durham. For more information call 682-0538. 

2007 Santi Valpolicella Classico Superiore "Solane"
$16 suggested retail price

Forget your past experiences with light, insubstantial examples.This is made by the "ripasso" system, where a portion of the grapes are allowed to dry on mats, and then are added to the second fermentation, thus adding weight, depth and intensity. Aromatic, spicy and almost jammy on the nose. Dark, rich cherry elements dominate. Structured flavors of ripe plum fill the mouth and a healthy acidity and mild tannins caress the palate.

Drink Now-2012 89/100 points

2004 Melini Chianti Classico Riserva "Laborel"
$27 suggested retail price
The three years in oak barrels age this late-released wine to perfection. Intense violets, raspberry and subtle spices inhabit the generous bouquet. There's a dry, open and especially harmonious mouth feel with licorice-laden warm fruit elements melted into oak. My past experience finds this wine perfect at 8-10 years from the vintage date.
Drink now-2015 90-92/100 points


Bill Kalkhof and Kelly Bryant, Durham dreamers

We first told you in our December issue about Golden Belt artist Eleatta Diver's plans to find 12 Durham subjects, interview them about their vision for Durham's future and then paint her interpretation of their dreams. The plan is to display them all sometime early next year then auction them off for charity.

Wendy White is Eleatta's partner in the endeavor through her FutureWave consulting firm, which is the originator and presenting sponsor of the project.

"A big part of what we promote is the invitation for people to dream, and to explore possibilities that will then inspire action," Wendy says. "This is why we wanted to build Durham Dreams. It is all about the stories of people who have had visions for Durham, and have had the courage to step into those dreams and bring them into reality."

At a recent reception in her Golden Belt studio, Eleatta unveiled the impressive slate of subjects. Click here for a photo gallery. She'll be conducting interviews with subjects in coming months and posting videos online. We'll be following the project as it moves forward, so check back with us for updates.

• Bill Shore of GlaxoSmithKline

• Sheriff Worth Hill

• MaryAnn Black of Duke University Health System

• Bill Kalkhof of Downtown Durham Inc.

• Ivan Parra of Durham CAN

• Taylor Mingos of Shoeboxed

• Dr. Evelyn Schmidt of CEO, Lincoln Community Health Center

• Rev. Ernie Mills of Durham Rescue Mission

• Hip hop artists Krystin and J. McCauley

• Historic preservationist and artist Pepper Fluke

• Kelly Bryant, civil rights champion and longtime employee of N.C. Mutual Life

• City Council Member Cora Cole-McFadden

A room at The Good Samaritan Inn, the Durham Rescue Mission's shelter for women and children.

DM: Briefly describe the scope of the work that Durham Rescue Mission does.
 
WS: The Mission provides a wide variety of services to the community's homeless, addicted, and less-fortunate. Namely, we are a long-term, faith-based recovery center that focuses on providing spiritual counseling and educational training to combat the stream of poverty and addiction found in men, women, and children throughout the Triangle. Within that scope, we provide food, clothing, and shelter to the homeless; with the hope of segueing them into our one year recovery program and then back into society as fully functioning members. This year we are averaging over 220 residents and hit an all-time high of 250 men, women, and children. Numbers are drastically increasing.
 
DM: Can you give us an idea of the kinds of people you serve? Young and old? Rich and poor?
 
WS: We serve a wide variety of lives. The Missions typical client/resident is always someone who is broken emotionally and hopeless – screaming for help and deliverance from whatever life situation or addiction they are experiencing. Women and children are typically victims of domestic violence; running from an abusive relationship or simply homeless with nowhere to go. The increase of homeless intact families at the Mission has risen astronomically in the past year (currently 8 families, but ranging to as many as 11 or 12). The age range varies very much with many of our men and women being as young as 19/20 rising to individuals in their 60’s and 70’s. The face of homelessness is shifting to the younger generations and specifically women and children (addictions being the paramount reason), and also growing with the elderly due to unemployment. All of our clients are poor, both financially and spiritually when showing up at the Mission. However, we have individuals with degrees and successful past lives (prestige) that show up because they lost everything. So the rich and poor, the haves and have-nots; many diverse and complex situations are at the DRM.
 
DM: Durham Rescue Mission obviously has made a tremendous difference in so many people's lives, yet people continue to struggle with drug and alcohol addictions and other problems, seemingly in greater numbers. Do you feel you and other organizations are making a dent in the problems? Do you have any thoughts on what it's going to take to get closer to ending the scourge of substance abuse?
 
WS: This is a very tough question. From a personal perspective, I am the by-product of the Mission’s recovery program. My teenage years to early adult were entrenched into Narcotic Addiction and a riotous lifestyle of rebellion. At the age of 19, I experienced the common token phrase of “hitting rock bottom.” I was in jail on a DWI charge for 7 days while my father passed away from cancer. Having been to various programs, my brother took me to the Durham Rescue Mission for help. This was well over 3 years ago, and I can honestly say I am fully-functioning and my past, horrific addiction has completely departed. All that to say, the Mission is changing lives and giving people the tools and guidance they need to function like normal people: physically, spiritually, educationally, emotionally, vocationally, and socially. Words cannot express how awesome and miraculous this place is. Yes, there are other organizations doing great things. We have seen our numbers soar to record-breaking heights of the homeless and addicted showing up for help in the past year. The problem is not decreasing - it is increasing exponentially. These problems are never going to come close to an end. However, we can make a difference in thousands of lives and witness one by one the impact and glorious joy of seeing men and women climb out of the pit of addiction.   
 
DM: Durham Rescue Mission is a Christian organization. Describe the role of faith in your efforts to help people get back on their feet, and why that is a critical part of your mission.
 
WS: From our founding in 1974 by Ernie and Gail Mills, our core philosophy and mission has been to transform lives through the power of Jesus Christ. The gospel is what we believe initializes and continues true change within individuals. All of our residents are in need of radical life transformation. We use scripture as our road map to take our residents on their journey of hope. All of the problems and issues of life are addressed through the lens of scripture and the gospel at Durham Rescue Mission. We promote a structured approach that incorporates the viewpoint of “principle-oriented living” versus “feeling-oriented living.” All of this is centralized and balanced with biblical counseling.  In addition, we encourage our residents to attend a local church in our community so that they can be part of a spiritual body of believers who holds them accountable and provides the element of social acceptance and fellowship. This helps our residents feel accepted by the community and not feel as if they are outcasts of society. This is critical to our mission because we believe faith in Christ is the remedy for life’s problems – and we are reaching down into the miry pits and pulling men, women, and children out of a lifestyle of devastation and destruction, using faith as our foundation.    
 
DM: Please tell us about your major annual events, including the Annual Easter Event coming up on April 2.
 
WS: The Durham Rescue Mission hosts four annual community events per year: Easter, Back-to-School, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. These events are an opportunity for the underprivileged of our community to come receive a holiday meal, clothing, groceries, and seasonal gifts. Thousands of the poor and needy come to the Mission for each event. The atmosphere is filled with charity, festivities, volunteers, and games. Every event, volunteers cook a full course mouth watering meal for our guests. Thousands upon thousands of clothing articles are given to the attendees. Every child receives a special gift at each event. We really want to make these events fun for the needy children of our community. At Christmas, we give away thousands of toys to the children. Last Back-to-School event (sponsored by GSK and Verizon Wireless), we gave away over 2,800 fully supplied backpacks to the children for the upcoming school year (Over 4,300 total in attendance last year for BTS – every event broke attendance records). This Easter Event, we will give away Easter baskets to each child. Most importantly, at each event, we share the gospel with every individual who comes.  

What did this most recent debate about the special use permit and noise levels at Broad Street do for the perception that Durham is city that supports local music? John Hite at Broad Street.

I think for the most part, it ended up being a positive thing. I think a lot of folks paid a lot of attention and read what was written in the press and actually came down to see the place.

I wonder if it prompted more people to speak out more forcefully in support of local music here?

I think for every comment I saw from somebody who believed the negative connotations, there were probably six or seven responses that said, ‘No, no , no, no. You don’t understand. You need to take a look. …. I think maybe some folks who maybe wouldn’t see music - have either already come out, or thought about it. Now, it puts us or Durham on the radar.

I've heard Broad Street treats musicians really well.

Whoever is in the band gets dinner – which I think they seem to appreciate as much as getting paid. We give them a modest bar tab and they get reimbursed based on a percentage of what we make. Some places either don't pay at all. The only thing the musician gets is what is in tip jar. Some places offer guarantees of "x" number of dollars. We played around with the current model ... there were some guarantees going on. What we found was when you guarantee a band "x" number of dollars, they kind of lose the incentive to promote the show.

You often don't charge cover either, right?

At least in Durham, I think we’re still blooming as a music community. A lot of folks who go out are still learning about the bands. To throw a cover charge -- I think discourages people.

What more needs to be done to make Durham a music destination?

I think that one of the turning points we had recently was the Troika Music Festival. That was the first big weekend where I started seeing more than a few folks from outside of Durham coming in. …. If we could pick up another event like the Troika, that would be fantastic. 

Got an idea for Music Monday? Send it my way! lisarossi@durhammag.com