The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series celebrates its 22nd season with five exciting lectures dealing with the conflict in Iraq, mental health, sports, travel, and the life of one of the world’s greatest statesmen.

Back by popular demand, print and photojournalists from The Fayetteville Observer, The Raleigh News and Observer, and The Charlotte Observer will give first-hand accounts of their experiences in the Persian Gulf in “Embedded in Iraq, Part III” on Thursday, September 18th. The Pilot’s David Woronoff will moderate this Sam Ragan Memorial Lecture.

September 18, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
“Embedded in Iraq, Part III”
Back by popular demand, print and photojournalists from The Fayetteville Observer, The Raleigh News and Observer, and The Charlotte Observer will give first-hand accounts of their experiences in the Persian Gulf. The Pilot’s David Woronoff will moderate this Sam Ragan Memorial Lecture.

October 4, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Joe Pantoliano – “Busting the Stigma of Mental Illness”
Emmy Award winning actor and film producer Joe Pantoliano will address the consequences of stigma for those living with mental illness and their families.  Pantoliano has starred in over 100 films including Risky Business, The Goonies, The Fugitive, Midnight Run, and most recently as “Ralphie Cifaretto” in the HBO series The Sopranos.  His latest movie, Canvas, is about a family trying to cope with a mentally ill loved one. The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Moore County (NAMI-MC) is the sponsor of this lecture.

October 8, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Celia Churchill Sandys–“Winston Churchill’s Legacy”
Celia Churchill Sandys, granddaughter of the great statesman.  Sandys has lectured in North America, Africa, and Europe on her famous relative.  She has authored five books on Churchill and is trustee of the Churchill Center and founder of the company Churchill Leadership.  The presentation is sponsored by the English Speaking Union.

February 4, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Frank Deford - “Hype and the Hoopla:  The Good and Bad of Sports”
Deford is the Senior Contribution Writer at Sports Illustrated, National Public Radio commentator, and novelist.  He has authored over 15 books, including Everybody’s All-American, Alex:  The Life of a Child, Casey on the Loose, and The Sister-in-Law.  He is a correspondent on RealSports with Bryant Gumbel.

March 12, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Jim Hendrickson - “10,000 Miles, 100 Cultures on a Bike”
A freelance photojournalist specializing in native cultures around the globe, Hendrickson has published travel articles on the Cook Islands, Tonga, Italy, Turkey, and Egypt.   His book Cycling the North Star describes his 3,200 mile bicycle trip from Montana to Alaska.  Mr. and Mrs. Carl Munro sponsor this presentation.

All Ruth Pauley Lectures will be in Owens Auditorium on the Sandhills Community College campus in Pinehurst. Lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. and are open to the public.  The lectures are free and no tickets are required. The Ruth Pauley Lecture series is sponsored by Sandhills Community College, the Moore County League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, and the Moore County Schools.  The series objective is to bring speakers to the Sandhills to give insights on important issues to our community.  Previous speakers have included Sandra Day O’Connor, Stephen Ambrose, George McGovern, Ossie Davis, Patty Duke, Jack Hanna, and Newt Gingrich.  Additional information can be obtained by calling 910-245-3132 or emailing vgreene@mcs.k12.nc.us.

.