DavidsonNews.net

October is here and the crisp fall weather gives us renewed energy to think about elections. The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections (www.meckboe.org) hopes to have sample ballots at local libraries by this weekend or early next week. Early voting starts Oct. 16. Stop by Davidson Public Library for a sample ballot and study it carefully.

Karyn Jester takes a seat on one of the new benches donated to the library in memory of Hugh Casey.

Here’s another reason to stop by the library: Try out the new benches on the Knox Porch facing Main Street.  The two attractive black benches are placed in memory of longtime Davidson resident Hugh Casey by his family and friends.  Hugh, who jokingly called himself “a very important person,” was perhaps the library’s No. 1 fan.

This week Around Davidson bids farewell to the Shaul family, checks in with Astri Kollme and Ulysses Jackson, celebrates 20 years for Habitat and 16 for Cameron Clark, and follows the Newell family to WDAV.

Good Bye to Cristina and her family

A tireless worker for DavidsonNews.net, Davidson Reads, and Davidson Elementary School, Cristina Shaul is leaving Davidson with her husband, Matt, and son, James.

Goodbye and good luck to Cristina and Matt Shaul, and their son, James.

After moving here from Newtown, Conn., three years ago, the family is headed back to that same community, so Matt can head up a division of Hewitt Associates in nearby Norwalk.  This weekend as the moving van pulls away from their home just off Shearer Road, the family’s car will head north with one dog, two hermit crabs, numerous plants and many happy memories.  Third grader James admits that he will miss his friends but is excited about the Newtown Halloween Festival and the prospect of lots of winter snow.

DavidsonNews.net will miss Cristina’s ready smile and marvelous organizational skills as its advertising and marketing director.  To quote DavidsonNews.net editor David Boraks: “Cristina has only been in Davidson a short time but she’s had a huge impact not only on DavidsonNews.net but on our entire community.  She’s got unbelievable energy, she brings people together, and she makes things happen.”

Thus, with a tear in our eye, we all say goodbye to the Shaul family and hope they will keep in touch from “Yankee land!”

Birthday boy Cameron Clark (in front at right) celebrated with Chris Grunert and (back, l-r) Julia Mills, Lindsay Cooke and Hannah Clark.

“Egging” Him On

What fun to see Cameron Clark having breakfast at The Egg on Tuesday’s public school holiday.  He was having a leisurely meal to celebrate his 16th birthday with a few friends - compliments of his mother, Rebecca, who was taking care of the bill.

Cameron is the son of Gordon and Rebecca Clark and brother of Hannah.  Hard to believe some of these youngsters we knew when they were born are now competent drivers on the streets of Davidson.

Congratulations, Cameron, and Happy Birthday!

A Third One Man Show

Kudos to Ulysses Jackson, son of Herb Jackson and Laura Grosch, whose one man art show “A Self that Touches All Edges” opened yesterday at the Christa Faut Gallery in Jetton Village in Cornelius.  This is his third one-man show at the gallery, which Christa has owned for 20 years - 10 in Davidson and 10 in its current location in Cornelius.

Artist Ulysses Jackson visits with gallery owner Christa Faut before the opening of his exhibit.

Ulysses, who lives in New Berlin, N.Y., brought 14 pieces to the gallery for this fall show which runs through Nov. 11.  Now 28, he grew up in Davidson and following college graduation took a job with Golden Artist Color.  The company name was already  familiar to Ulysses, as his artist parents used its colors on their canvases.  Now he has a full-time job doing R&D for the company as well as a second full-time job painting.  Since he is researching the paint, he has a chance to manipulate the consistency of the acrylic colors while applying them to his canvases.

Ulysses has been working on this show’s canvases for more than a year, drawing on a lifelong inspiration from his parents. One can see a bit of Herb, perhaps, in some of the art, but Ulysses has definitely found his own style.  The canvases, all in acrylic, vary in size and color schemes.  Christa Faut Gallery at Jetton Village is hosting an opening reception for the show this Saturday, Oct. 4, from 4-6 p.m.  Try to stop by and visit with Ulysses and his girlfriend, Cristina Toro.  How exciting to talk with such a young enthusiastic artist who grew up on South Main Street.  And maybe a chance to do some early Christmas shopping!

Hooray for Habitat

Two Sundays ago on Sept. 21, Our Towns Habitat for Humanity (HFH) celebrated its 20th anniversary in its office/ReStore parking lot on North Main Street in Cornelius.

Davidson's first Habitat homeowner, Brenda McCain, celebrated with three who helped start the local chapter in 1988: (l-r) Ken Wood, Randy Kincaid and David Kaylor.

More than 200 people attended, including the very first Our Towns Habitat homeowner, Brenda McCain of Davidson.  Many Habitat homeowners, volunteers, staff and Board members gathered to celebrate the work of Our Towns Habitat who have served over 800 families and changed more than 5,000 lives.

The Davidson affiliate was started in 1988.  Three of the core members at that time were Randy Kincaid, David Kaylor and Ken Wood.  In 1995, Davidson joined the Lake Norman/Mooresville Habitat and the combined group formed what today we call Our Towns Habitat for Humanity.  Habitat prides itself on providing a hand-up, not a hand-out, requiring potential homeowners to contribute “sweat equity” to help construct their new home.  A drive along Bailey Road between Routes 115 and 21 is ample evidence of Habitat’s impact on our communities.  At this location new Habitat homes are currently under construction with dozens of volunteers working each weekend to provide adequate housing for families in need.

Interested in volunteering - whether hammering roof shingles or tagging sale items in the ReStore - Pat Stenhouse will find a job for you.  Call her at 704-896-8957, ext. 1108.  Financial contributions should be directed to Donna Nestor at  ext. 1122.

Passing Through to Say Hello

Martha Newell visited WDAV this week with her daughters, (l-r) Meg Gottwald, Scottie Slater and Pattie Williams.

Sam and Ava Spencer were delighted to have a short visit last week with Martha Newell and her daughters, Patti, Scottie and Meg, who were visiting in Charlotte and stopped in Davidson at radio station WDAV-FM on their way home to Richmond.  Martha and her late husband, Sam Newell, have been fast friends with the Spencers for almost 65 years.  Sam Newell and Sam Spencer were roommates at Davidson College and after marriage to Martha and Ava, the friendship continued.

Both were in Davidson during the 1950s when Sam Newell was pastor of the Davidson College Presbyterian Church and Sam was teaching history at Davidson. During the intervening years, different jobs took them to other locations.

Martha Newell (at center) visited with old friends Ava and Sam Spencer.

However it was during Sam Spencer’s return as Davidson College president that WDAV had its beginnings. The Newell family gave the major gift for the construction of the beautiful new WDAV studios on North Main Street and it is named for the late Sam Newell.  In addition to saying hello to the Spencers, Martha and her daughters wanted to meet the new radio station director, Ben Roe, during their brief time in town.

Now Martha and her married daughters all live in Richmond.  Sam and Ava are residents of The Pines.  We think fondly of the Newells and Spencers whenever we turn the radio dial to 89.9.  Without their dedication and support, WDAV would not be broadcasting with the degree of excellence we know today. (Thanks to Bill Giduz for sharing the photos of the Newells.)

Thanks to Astri as she passes the “Green” Mantle

Astri Holland Kollme hit the ground running, literally and figuratively, when she and her family moved to Davidson almost 4 years ago.  With five young children, she must have been remembering the old saying that “busy people are happy people” when she agreed to chair the Davidson Lands Conservancy’s Run for Green the past two years. And she has kept a smile on her face the whole time.

Astri Holland Kollme

The Run for Green began three years ago with a loose knit committee sponsoring a 5K run as well as a Fun Run for the youngsters to benefit the Davidson Lands Conservancy (DLC).  Wanting greater visibility for the DLC, enthusiastic runners Astri and Sterling Martin decided to add a half marathon the next year thinking it would make the fall event more popular and certainly unique.

Agreeing to chair the Run for Green for the past two years, Astri has put DLC on the map. On Sept. 20 over 750 participants, ranging in age from 4 to 85, lined up to run for the fun run, 5K or half marathon. (Read the results in our Sept. 20, 2008, report.) It was a beautiful day and all parts flowed smoothly from start to finish line. However, finding that organizing an event of this size was almost a full time job and her large family was also a full time job, Astri has “passed the mantle” back to DLC President Sterling Martin with hopes another will step forward to replace her.  She credits her success over the past two years to wonderful “run” committees, generous sponsors and dedicated volunteers.  It is anticipated that the DLC will add over $10,000 to its bank account from last month’s run entry fees.  Thanks, Astri, for a job well done.  Thanks also to her husband, Barrett, and children, Burns, Elizabeth, Shaw, Maya and Ellie, for being so understanding of the time she devoted to the cause.

Just another Note/Voting 2008

This year’s election is predicted to have record turnout.  Emails with misinformation about voting are already circulating.  This week’s concerns not being allowed to vote if you are wearing any clothing or buttons promoting a candidate.  This is not true.  The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website addresses this under Frequently Asked Questions:

“Can I wear campaign clothing or take materials to vote?  Yes, as long as you don’t leave campaign materials or campaign while in the voting location.  The polling place is checked regularly for campaign materials.  If they are found, they are promptly discarded.”

Send us your news

Have news for Brenda? Write to her at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Filed under: Around Davidson, Davidson people