Joann Rautenberg and Dick Cole (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

We love to read about Cynthia Lawing’s Musical Interlude Programs which occur monthly at Tyler-Tallman Hall on the Davidson College campus. Not everyone can attend the noontime concerts, so Around Davidson decided to bring you today an interlude of music you can listen to at any time: Recordings of two special pianists from The Pines at Davidson retirement community. We know how much talent resides at The Pines, but for today we’re focusing on two home grown folks who love to play the piano: Dick Cole and Joann Rautenberg. We hope you will enjoy getting to know each of them and their music.

DICK COLE

Dick Cole

Dick Cole was born in Kansas City, Kan. That’s not exactly “home grown,” but since he came to Davidson College as an English professor in 1961 and has lived here for more than 50 years, we think he certainly qualifies! Following high school in Kansas City and European service in World War II, Dick earned a B.A. from Hamilton College in New York followed by an M.A. and PhD from Yale. Taking a first job teaching at the University of Texas in Austin, Dick met Florence, who earned a Master of Divinity from Austin Seminary. They married in 1956 and after four years teaching at Radford University in Virginia, Dick and Florence settled in Davidson.

In 1931, in Depression-strapped Kansas City, Dick began piano lessons at age five from a teacher who knocked on doors offering to teach for 50 cents a lesson. Dick’s parents bought an upright piano for $25 and Dick started lessons. After a year, the teacher told Dick’s parents that Dick was gifted and needed a better piano teacher. Dick continued instruction with the “better” teacher for the next 11 years – always in classical music, followed by four years of advanced piano studies at Hamilton College in New York State. He gave recitals while in high school and played often for audiences while at Hamilton College and Radford University.

During his years at Davidson, he gave no recitals, but he enjoyed many gatherings in the 1970s with others, mostly college faculty who loved music. The group, who often performed for friends and family, usually met in the Hodson Hall choir room and included Babs and Sandy McKelway, Carol Barber, Nancy Lammers, Dirk French, Rosemary Klein, Ann Maloney, Nancy Smith, and Evelyn Brown among others. It was a sort of music club, enjoyed by so many, but it died out when many of the participants passed on or moved away.

Dick grew up playing and memorizing Chopin, who remains one of his favorite composers. But he says Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Shubert and Schumann are not far behind. A resident of The Pines since 1997, Dick has a grand piano in his apartment – the same instrument he purchased locally in 1970. He practices every afternoon, always beginning with scales. He says that if he misses a day his fingers start to stiffen. Mornings he reserves for swimming in the college pool and reading and writing in his library carrel. Weekends will find him hiking in the area and enjoying a favorite pastime, bird watching.

The Cole family, Dick and Florence with children Paul and Celia.

Florence (who died in 2009) and Dick had two children. Both Paul and Celia graduated from North Mecklenburg High School. Paul, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, now serves as director of operations for the huge music department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and his wife, Laura, have one daughter, Sarah, who had a baby girl last August, so Dick is now a proud great-grandpa! Celia graduated from the University of Virginia and then earned a master’s degree from the University of Colorado. She lives in Westminster, Md., with her husband, retired Air Force Col. Robert Shaw, who now works in Air Force-related business. Celia has taught 7^th grade in Westminster for many years. Two of their children are married and one is still in college. (Interesting to note that Celia took piano lessons from the late Evelyn Brown in the Concord Road home where Margo and Bill Williams now live; Paul studied piano with Nancy Smith who still lives at The Pines.)

Dick has given numerous solo recitals at The Pines but now partners with fellow Pines’ resident Carol Cook in piano and voice programs, as well as providing music for The Pines’ Vespers. They are collaborating on their fifth recital in March which will feature Beethoven in piano and song. When one listens to Dick Cole play and hears him speak on the history of his music, it is hard to believe that this accomplished musician is 85 years old – but rather we would chose to say, 85 years young!

Listen to Dick Cole

4 minute interview with Dick Cole. Click the play button to start. Can’t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE>

(MP3, 4 mins., 59 sec.)

Chopin Fantasie Impromptu. Can’t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE>

(MP3, 5 mins., 31 sec.)

Chopin Waltz in C-sharp minor. Can’t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE>

(MP3, 4 mins., 40 sec.)

JOANN RAUTENBERG

Joann Rautenberg

Joann Johnston Rautenberg is most assuredly a “home grown” musician. She grew up in Mooresville, the daughter of Dick and Eunice Johnston. Her mother, a school teacher, loved to sing and wanted Joann to do the same. Joann smiled remembering that at an early age when her mother found she could not carry a tune, the answer was piano lessons. Beginning at age six with Mooresville teacher, Catherine Moore, Joann continued lessons through age 18 including her senior year when she traveled to Davidson for lessons with another teacher, Anna Pfohl. Leaving piano lessons behind, Joann completed a degree in mathematics at UNC-Greensboro (at that time Women’s College) with a little “dabbling” in piano when she played for performances of modern dance master’s degree candidates.

Following graduation, Joann took a job in computer programming at General Electric Research and Development Center in Schenectady, NY, where she met her husband, Ted Rautenberg, who had graduated from Amherst College and taken employment as a physicist with the GE Research Lab. They married in 1954 and lived in Schenectady until 2004 when they moved to their cottage at The Pines. (Joann’s mother was one of the first Pines’ residents and lived there from 1988-1997 so both Joann and Ted were familiar with the retirement community.)

Joann sits at the piano with her good friend and piano duet "partner" Hazel Bundy (l) and favorite teacher, Joseph Fennimore.

How did Joann get back to her piano enjoyment? After six years of working for GE, she “retired” for a new “career” in the many phases of music in the Schenectady area. She served as a staff pianist for the Schenectady Light Opera Company, the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra, the Capital Artists Opera Company and the College of Saint Rose. She was the pianist for the premiere performance of the “Duo for Oboe and Piano” by Joseph Fennimore (still her favorite teacher) which was broadcast on NPR. She was also one of the pianists for the premiere of Mr. Fennimore’s “Crystal Stairs” for piano duet. In addition she collaborated on programs, appeared in recital series and was a guest artist on the University at Albany Faculty Showcase Series.

No wonder Cynthia Lawing tapped Joann recently to entertain an appreciative audience with Scott Joplin tunes at a Davidson College recital program. Although her favorite composers are Mozart and Brahms, she can make the 88 piano keys come alive with Joplin’s ragtime. The Pines has put her considerable talent to work accompanying the choral group, The Pinetones. Joann also plays for residents of health care and agrees to occasional solo performances such as last October 25 when she presented a program on “Music Written for a Reason.”

Similar to Dick Cole, Joann enjoyed participation in music clubs during her years in New York State. She mentioned that Davidson has dozens of book clubs but no music clubs that she knows of. Might be a great idea for something new to gather music lovers in our area. Joann and Ted would be outstanding members: Joann at the piano and Ted with his French horn – an instrument he loves – and plays regularly in the Davidson College orchestra! For all our residents who endured music lessons all those years (because Mom made us!), it is time to dust off those instruments and strike up a tune with your fellow Davidsonians!

Listen to Joann Rautenberg

4 minute interview with Joann Rautenberg. Click the play button to start. Can’t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE>

(MP3, 4 mins., 56 sec.)

Scott Joplin’s “The Cascades” rag. Can’t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE>

(MP3, 2 mins., 11 sec.)

Scott Joplin’s “Bethena.” Can’t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE>

(MP3, 3 mins., 31 sec.)

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Today we have news of Formula One racing in New Jersey, half marathon success in Hawaii and music notes for your calendar.

Before taking on the task of street racing in New Jersey, Pat and Tom Cotter enjoyed a few days of vacation in Ireland.

HOORAY FOR TOM COTTER

We all know the New Jersey jokes. Snooki news? Hot news from TV’s “Jersey Shore?” Possible VP choice for Governor Chris Christie? But it all pales in comparison to the idea of bringing Formula One racing to the streets of Garden State. Never say never when talking to Davidson resident Tom Cotter.

Tom has been named the President of Formula One Grand Prix of America with the responsibility of bringing Formula One racing to New Jersey for the first time next year. A motor sports veteran, Tom has an impressive resume. Humpy Wheeler, former president of Charlotte Motor Speedway, who will serve as a consultant to the race, has the following comment about Tom, “His leadership skills, motorsports savvy and unflappable temperament are the right combination for this enormous undertaking.”

Imagine racing one of these Formula One cars on the streets of New Jersey?

Whew! In June 2013, Formula One cars will compete on a 3.2 mile race circuit through the Port Imperial area in Weehawken and West New York with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop. According to Tom, “The biggest challenge about creating a street circuit is that there is no opportunity for a ‘trial run.’ We can only run one race a year on the course, which means we must get it right out of the box. The course is incredible, with almost 500-feet of elevation change as it winds from the Hudson River to the top of the Palisades.”

Tom has 16 months of hard work ahead of him to pull this off. He will commute regularly to Manhattan but still find plenty of weekends to enjoy the quiet of Davidson. His wife, Pat, will keep the home fires burning for their son, Brian, who is a junior at Wake Forest University.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has commented that this Formula One race will be a global attraction. If you have friends or family in the area, be sure to reserve their guest room now. This will be a not-to-miss event for race fans!

Ready to cross the finish line in record time is Amelia Slagle!

POUNDING THE PAVEMENT WITH AMELIA SLAGLE

Hearty congratulations to Amelia Slagle, daughter of Nancy Slagle of Davidson, who won the Maui (Hawaii) Half Marathon on Jan. 22 with a course record of 1:25:50. Quite an accomplishment for this young lady! We are thrilled for Amelia. Cheering her on was Jackson Letchworth (son of Jill and Richard Letchworth of Davidson) and four of their Portland, Oregon, friends. All had gone to Maui for a break from the rain, rain, rain of Portland where they are living and working. In addition to the race, the group spent time revisiting Jackson’s friends and some of the places from his time working on a whale expedition boat in Hawaii.

Amelia is an assistant buyer for Adidas in Portland. In addition to her work schedule, she is “pounding the pavement” in training for the Boston Marathon in April. Catching up with the rest of the family, her brother, Barry Slagle, is in the midst of his first year as head soccer coach at Newbury College and putting in long days recruiting.

Mom Nancy (who taught lots of our children Spanish at North Mecklenburg High School) is a consultant for International Baccalaureate (IB) who works with schools and school systems around the world advising on curriculum, assessment practices and school evaluation. Nancy just returned from Brazil where she worked with The American School in Belo Horizonte. Future travels will take her to Mexico and Singapore. What a life! (Bet Nancy will find time to cheer for Amelia in Boston!)

Bees with honeycomb

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

BEE ALERT

Don’t forget the Bee Club’s information meeting this afternoon from 4:30-6 p.m. in the 900 Room of the Knobloch Student Center on the Davidson College campus. Great time to learn about having your own bee hive and honey. This event is free and open to the public. More info on the college website.

Jon Singleton

NOONTIME MUSIC

Cynthia Lawing does a marvelous job of keeping us entertained with noontime Musical Interludes on the Davidson College campus in the Tyler-Tallman Hall of the Sloan Music Building. Take note that tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 3, the 12:30-1:30 recital will feature Jon Singleton, beloved Bluegrass musician on fiddle, banjo and washboard should he bring one. Jon’s folksy way and down home music always leaves the audience wanting more. This event is free and open to the public.

Have something else to do this Friday at noontime? Then be sure to mark your calendar for Friday, February 24, when the duo piano team of Cynthia Lawing and Gloria Cook who will perform works by Rachmaninov, Saint Saens, Medtner, Arutiunian and Poulenc. The time is the same: 12:30-1:30.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

"Monk" was a star helping court jester Rodney Saunders, a Davidson junior theater major from Wilmington, Del.

Whoops! What happened to January? It certainly felt like April for most of the month but we are not hearing many complaints. Indeed the bright sunny skies of last weekend were perfect to sneak-a-peek at the annual children’s theatre production at Davidson College as well as perfect weather to catch up with feathered friends at the Coleman home. Davidson’s honey bees are not much in evidence at this time of year but the college campus is a small beehive of activity you need to know about.

Keith and Sandy Crowell of Cornelius with their daughters, Paige (3) and Ryan (4), were first time visitors to the Barber Theatre.

THEATRE FOR ALL AGES

What a treat to be at one of the sold-out performances of “Sleeping Beauty” last weekend! Fifteen Davidson College students plus “Monk” entertained a packed house of children with parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, with the Grimm fairy tale as retold by the late Rupert Barber and directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge. The actors were loud and boisterous, funny and scary, keeping in perfect time, most of the time, with the Royal Musician.

Ellie (6) and Annabelle (3) Shine of Charlotte were guests of Great Aunt Suzanne Sadler of Davidson at "Sleeping Beauty"

A check with Carol Barber, Rupert’s widow, provided a bit of history about these January offerings. The very first children’s show was called “The White Cat” and delighted children in the 1970s. Rupert was a master of dreaming up scripts (remember “Windi” and the “Dinklesdorf Chain”?) or adapting children’s classics, which he then directed for the January performances in the always crowded (but intimate) Black Box Theatre. Since each script had just the right touch to keep the children’s attention and even allow them to participate in the action, these January offerings became a staple of the Davidson College Theatre Department in the early 1990s. Costumes were a bit of this and a bit of that, forgotten lines were ad-libbed, and the laughter lasted all weekend

In the late 1990s the Davidson Community Players formed the Connie Company, a theater company for youth, and it began partnering with the college on these January shows, still using Rupert Barber’s “retold” fairy tales. Even when repeated, they never get old. And where did the loveable “Monk,” who is worked into every children’s show, come from? Carol tells us that “Monk came from a booth at a craft show during Fiesta in San Antonio in 2000. He has been in every children’s show since, usually in a costume of some sort. The costume he wore last weekend for “Sleeping Beauty” was the one I made him for the original show in 2002. That jester’s hat was a challenge!”

Three year old Katie Ann Mahoney, daughter of Cheryl and Mark Mahoney of Cornelius, dressed up for the occasion.

Now the Cunningham Theatre Center is completely remodeled; the old Black Box is history and the new Barber Theatre is a magnificent space for these shows. If you missed “Sleeping Beauty” this year, plan now to get tickets for next January’s show – with your children in tow or a neighbor’s – because you will enjoy it as much or more than they will.

A note to the town, DCP and the college: Theater-goers not familiar with the Davidson College campus were noticeably frustrated about the lack of signage for the Barber Theatre. Some commented that the only sign was for the Carnegie Guest House. They had no idea about the Cunningham Theatre Center and no clue as to the location of the Barber Theatre – causing some to miss the show entirely. Seems with all the new red and black signs, an additional one indicating Cunningham/Barber Theatres is a necessity and would do much to alleviate confusion.

MAKE A BEE LINE TO THIS MEETING

Davidson College students are an amazing bunch. Small groups with common interests sprout up regularly. Now there is a Bee Club on campus and they invite anyone who is interested to attend their meeting this Thursday, Feb. 2, from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the 900 Room of the Knobloch Student Center on the Davidson College campus. The meeting will have discussions about various bee topics, including professional beekeeping and beekeeping in Nepal (where a club member studied last fall).

Davidson College students check regularly on their bee hives.

Amy Ablondi, president of the Davidson Bee Club, is a sophomore who had no experience in beekeeping when she came to Davidson, but saw the beekeeping table at the activities fair when she was a freshman and thought it would be interesting. Amy tells us that “last year, several members of the club attended Mecklenburg County’s Bee School, which was a lot of fun. Beekeepers from the community gave lectures on different bee topics. This year, we have about 10 members, five of whom are particularly active.” The club members extracted about three gallons of honey from their two hives last summer. One hive was a “winter break casualty” which they hope to correct this spring and add two new hives. Davidson resident and bee enthusiast Mike Goode is the club’s advisor.

Jessie Blount, a Davidson junior, has returned from a semester of study in Nepal and will be sharing Nepalese bee knowledge with the group at the Thursday meeting. Jessie shared a bit of her experience with Around Davidson as follows: “Because Nepal has such a varied ecosystem depending on where you are, five of the seven or so species of the genus Apis, the honeybees, are able to thrive. In villages, almost every family has a hive. Often hives are built into the wall of an upstairs room to keep the hives warm during cold winters. I saw hollowed-out logs as hives placed on rooftops to absorb sunlight and find safety from predators in cool mountain environments. Families use honey in cooking and Ayurvedic home remedies. Ayurveda, a system of ancient medicine developed on the Indian subcontinent more than 2,000 years ago, is common knowledge to most villagers. In several villages where I lived I saw honey added to panacean teas that cure everything from constipation to jaundice. Honey and other hive products are essential ingredients for general skin care, poultices, and tinctures as well.”

So if you have a “bee in your bonnet” about having your own honey in your cupboard, be sure to attend the meeting on Thursday afternoon.

Fresh free range eggs from Rooster Hill Farms are found at the Healthy Home Market in Sadler Square.

CHICKEN CHATTER

It was a year ago that Around Davidson visited with Greg and Jennifer Coleman, their children Tristan (5) and Amelie (almost 4), and their five white Leghorn chickens who were each producing an egg a day. Greg had built a chicken tractor, was offering workshops on building one as well as tips on moving it around your yard to best benefit the laying hens. (See Jan. 4, 2011, Around Davidson, “A proud grandpa, a congratulations and chicken tractors.”)

Have you hugged a chicken today? Amelie Coleman hugs one daily!

A year has passed and a lot has happened. The next door neighbors decided not to continue sharing chicken chores and one chicken fell victim to a passing hawk so the Colemans were just fine with the Town of Davidson ordinance that allows only FOUR chickens per household – and NO roosters. Then the hawk spread the word and in one week last spring, the Colemans lost all remaining chickens to neighborhood hawks. The chickens were outside the chicken tractor pecking in the fenced garden when the hawks swooped down and killed them. The fencing kept dogs, deer, raccoons, possums and other varmints out of the garden/chicken pens but without overhead fencing, the chickens were easy prey.

Last fall the chicken tractor was “restocked” with new chickens from Rooster Hill Farms (www.roosterhillfarms.net) and taken to the Davidson Montessori School on South Street, where Amelie is a student, so the young children could learn about caring for the animals as well as gathering the eggs. Now the four hens have returned to the garden and shed at the Coleman’s home on Virginia Avenue. Amelie has named each and gives them daily hugs. These pretty days the chickens are eager to be outside but hawks continue to be a worry. Greg is hoping to fashion a wire cover over the garden space but worries the hawks will become entangled in it.

A "Hen Pen" or Chicken Tractor on skids can be moved around your yard. (Photo from Rooster Hill Farms)

For an answer to Greg’s dilemma, Around Davidson contacted Randy and Cynthia Klocke, owners of Rooster Hill Farms Inc. in China Grove. Their solution: a big, feisty rooster! Why not ask the neighbors and if no one objects, add a rooster to the Coleman’s flock AND change the town ordinance (which prohibits roosters). Seems sensible. The Klockes keep a number of roosters to protect their free range hens that lay beautiful large brown eggs available at the Healthy Home Market in Sadler Square. They also have free range pasture-fed duck eggs available upon request (sold in packages of six for $3.50).

Needless to say there is much to learn about poultry, birds of prey and even honeybees in our town! Just remember the old adage: “You can make a small fortune in farming – provided you start with a large one.”

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Warm sunny days bring bright pansy faces!

Wow! Two days of warm sunny weather at the end of January! How nice to see gym shorts and t-shirts all around town. But be mindful of Mother Nature. She will be sure to send us a few more wintry blasts to make use of Christmas mittens and scarves.

Holiday gatherings make us remember how much we cherish time spent with families. Today Around Davidson focuses on Davidsonians June Robb and Karen Myers who as adults found new family members. We also highlight two younger Davidsonians, Jason McRee and Kate Barger, who have come “home to roost.”

SECRETS REVEALED

"Sisters are like different flowers from the same garden," as Karen Myers (center) found out when first meeting her Engdahl siblings (l-r) Donna, Anita, Deborah and Brenda.

Imagine the shock, surprise and sheer delight in suddenly finding out that you have four sisters? That is what happened to Karen Myers last year. Her story was recently told in the Charlotte Observer and recounted how last summer Karen, now 65 years old, found the obituary of her father, Leroy Engdahl, whom she had never met. The obituary included the names of his four daughters. Karen wrote to each resulting in a Christmas time meeting this month in North Carolina – an Engdahl girls’ reunion.

Brenda Engdahl came from Houston, TX. Anita Engdahl Goodman from Beaumont, TX, and Donna Engdahl Hampton from Dallas. Deborah Engdahl Hencke traveled from Pepperell, MA. How excited they were to learn about their oldest sister, Karen, and now plan to see a lot more of each other – even thinking about a cruise later this year.

Karen was able to share the good news of her newest grandchild, Henry Wiatt Myers, who was born on September 17, 2011. Henry, the youngest of Karen’s sons, Andrew, and his wife, Jessica, joins Jackson (11), Katie (9), and Sammy (5) at their home in Warrenton, VA. Lots to celebrate for Karen Myers!

From l-r, Five devoted sisters: Heather deVries, currently retired and cruising the West Coast on a sailboat, Honor Wayne of Norfolk, England, Gerry Wright of Somerset, England, Linda Kiggell of Shropshire, England, and June Robb of Davidson.

June Robb

For June Robb, it was just the reverse from Karen. June and her three sisters, Heather, Gerry and Linda, suddenly realized that there was a fifth sister in 2002. In June’s own words: “My father was previously married and had a daughter, Honor; then he married my mother and had another four daughters. We were never told about his previous marriage and the fact that we had another sister until a few years ago. My father’s cousin, Graham, sent my sister, Gerry, a copy of the family tree, not realizing that we didn’t know about my father’s first marriage and subsequent child.”

“My father, at that time, was no longer living, and my mother explained that she had been sworn to secrecy – for some reason we cannot fathom! We then were able to trace Honor through the family records centre in London and my two sisters living in England immediately met up with her. She has become a firm fixture in the family ever since, settling into her new role as big sister as if she had always been part of our lives. She knew nothing about her father’s family so it was a big surprise to find out she had four sisters who really wanted her in our family. It has been eight years now and we email each other every day.”

It is somehow very remarkable that two residents of our small town could share stories that are so similar and that make us sit back and delight in their good fortune! Hooray for sisters!

HOME TO ROOST

A number of our young people have grown up in Davidson, gone off to college, found employment elsewhere and then are drawn back to their roots. Something about small town living appeals to so many of us. Jason McRee and Kate Barger were classmates in preschool, elementary school in Davidson, junior high at Alexander and high school at North Mecklenburg High School. Each went on to North Carolina State University.

Jason McRee has his "arms full" with four year old Jack (l) and seven year old Will

Let’s hear from Jason

Jason McRee, younger son of Leonard and Beverly McRee of Davidson, received a degree in Forestry Management and soon landed a job in South Carolina with the State Environmental Agency. For the past five years he has been employed as the Environmental Manager for Waste Management (the largest trash and recycling company in the world) covering Western NC and SC with a main office in Gastonia, but as many young people these days, can work from anywhere as long as his laptop is nearby.

Wanting to be closer to family, Jason moved back to Davidson last summer with his sons, Will (7) and Jack (4). It is a perfect match to be closer to grandparents (“Pops and Nonna”) and to his brother, Jon, sister-in-law Beth, and their children, Lily Grace (9), Sophie (7) and Ben (6). Jason and his sons enjoy camping, kayaking on the lake, and getting involved in boy scouts.

Couldn’t help but ask Jason to share one special memory of growing up in Davidson. Without hesitation he spoke about Ball Day/Town Day back in the 1980’s when you played baseball at McEver Field all day, visited the concession stand for a treat of hot dogs and now-or-laters but still had time between games to walk to the Town Green and enjoy the Town Day activities of cupcake walks, fried fish, games and the always favorite egg drop from the extended fire truck’s hook and ladder. Lots of eggs well scrambled on the participants and pavement but every now and then one would be caught without even a crack in the shell! Great memories!

Right at home in Davidson is Kate Barger

Travels with Kate

Kate Barger, older daughter of Hugh and Brenda Barger of Davidson, earned an undergraduate degree at NCSU and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from NC State’s Vet School in 2002. After a post graduate year in poultry health in Mexico City at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Kate took a position with Cobb-Vantress, a division of Tyson and moved to Arkansas where she provided veterinary and technical support to local poultry farms and to companies in Mexico and Central America. Two and one half years ago, Kate was delighted to take a job with the company’s European Division and live in a tiny village near Colchester, England. During these months, she was able to travel through much of the British Isles, Europe, and even parts of Africa.

Lots of travel to Holland gives Kate a chance to visit the Keukenhof Gardens

With a new job description and a chance to locate back in the States, Kate has “landed” in Davidson once more and is living in the New Neighborhood. It is good that she enjoys travel since her new job within Cobb covers poultry health and animal well-being for their global operations in the USA, Europe and Brazil. When not keeping an eye on chickens, Kate enjoys photography, hiking and biking. She misses the footpaths of rural England but is delighted to reconnect with friends in Davidson, walk the greenways and bicycle in the surrounding area.

A favorite memory of Kate’s goes back a few years when she remembers going to the M&M Soda Shop for an orangeade and Murray taking her to the back to watch him squeeze the oranges for her favorite drink. She also has fond memories of hot summer days at The Swimming Hole when Davidson Ice and Fuel brought BIG chunks of ice to cool the top inches of the pool. Lots of tales to tell about “earlier days” in our town!

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was in rare form this past weekend! (Bill Giduz photo)

What a great weekend! A little rain did not deter fans from cheering the Davidson College Wildcats to yet another basketball win or stop enthusiastic crowds from cheering the college’s opera workshop production of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” And we still have football on our radar as the Patriots and Giants prepare for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis on February 5. Despite dreary, soggy days, January still has a lot to offer.

Yes, indeed. January also has daily reminders on the web, in print and on television that we need to get in shape. Our New Year’s resolutions ought to include exercise, exercise, and exercise so today Around Davidson visits SNAP Fitness to check out their SILVER SNEAKERS program. We also include news from the Davidson Garden Club and two catch-up notes on Fli-Backs and One by One Costa Rica plus a bicycle request.

Silver Sneakers are sizzling hot at SNAP

SNAP TO IT!

Bet you have seen the sign for SNAP Fitness between Sabi Restaurant and Subway at the first roundabout coming off the Interstate in Davidson at Exit 30. (Since BB&T is moving in the next few months to the same roundabout, SNAP Fitness will actually be between the bank and Subway.)

Happy to talk about exercise programs are (l-r) Amie Cennamo (owner), Heidi Nyquist and Dave Fairhall (trainers), Cristi Sims, office mngr

SNAP is partnering with the Town of Davidson to offer a weight loss challenge that runs from February 20 through April 15 with marvelous prizes – for a fee (LINK January 13, 2012 DNN Health and Fitness article). But have you heard about Silver Sneakers (silversneakers.com) which provides a membership at SNAP without a fee? That’s right. There are a lot of gyms in our area but this one is free. It’s true – if you are “old” and have the right insurance carrier.

The website states that “The Silver Sneakers Fitness Program is an innovative health, exercise and wellness program helping older adults live healthy, active lifestyles.” If you have certain Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Humana, United Healthcare supplements to Medicare, SNAP Fitness in Davidson welcomes you fee free. You will receive a fitness assessment, orientation to machines, introduction to their additional programs and discounted personal training. There are even TRX classes (suspension training) for seniors. Further, you can track your attendance and create your own workout routines on www.mysnapfitness.com.”

Dave Fairhall (l) leads a TRX Suspension Training class

How is this possible? Insurance companies are seeing the benefits to regular exercise by seniors and are reimbursed by Healthways Company for each visit by a Silver Sneakers participant. Amie Cennamo, owner of Davidson’s three year old SNAP Fitness Center, smiles when she mentions that she has over 100 seniors enrolled in this program at her gym, one of only 25 of 1400 SNAP franchises who can claim this success. She credits her high senior participation to the fellowship of the seniors attending as well as trainer Dave Fairhall who specializes in training programs for those “more mature” adults – and has a devoted following!

Whether young, old, young at heart, or just needing to get off the couch, visit SNAP this week and see what program fits you. The gym is open 24/7 but for a first visit, come during office hours: Monday through Thursday from 10-2, 3-7; Friday and Saturday, 10-2. For more information call 704.895.7474 or visit www.snapfitness.com/davidsonnc.

GARDENING AND GOURMET TREATS

The Davidson Garden Club wants us to think spring as they promote their annual symposium. They also want us to think spring as they share recipes from their annual May luncheon.

The Davidson Horticultural Symposium XXVIII

The Davidson Garden Club is busy promoting their new cookbook (l) and the Horticultural Symposium with the colorful brochure featuring Bettie Casey's former home on South Street

March 6, 2012, is the date for this year’s symposium. First started in 1985, this will be the 28^th late winter gathering of gardening enthusiasts sponsored by the Davidson Garden Club. Held on the Davidson College campus in the Knobloch Campus Center, this year’s theme is “The Roots of Passion: The Inspired Gardener.” The day includes lectures and workshops led by well known people in horticulture. The brochure states that “the program will reveal the role that gardening and botany played in the founding of our nation and how organic principles have been put to the test in European gardens.” For more information, visit www.davidsonsymposium.org or send questions to davidsonsymposium@gmail.com.

Favorite Recipes of the Davidson Garden Club

Founded in 1957, the Davidson Garden Club has a year-end luncheon each May when members bring a favorite “concoction” to share as well as the recipe for the dish. In the late 1990’s it was decided to make a booklet of the recipes to hand out at the first fall meeting. Recently, member Liz Harris found a cookbook publisher to spiral bind these “luncheon treats” and the result is a delightful volume now available to everyone. With bright sunflowers on the cover, the book called “Davidson Garden Club Favorite Recipes” can be purchased at Main Street Books for $12. beginning this week. There are helpful hints throughout as well as “Herb Tips” from Bettie Casey and Ann Williams. It is quite a trip down memory lane for many of us to see recipes from the late Lucy Gudger, Louise Nelson and Polly Lester.

For “modern” cooks who work from their laptops when preparing a meal, the cookbook includes a CD of all the recipes. Proceeds from the sales will go to garden club programs, speakers, scholarships to the symposium and other designations of this non-profit group.

CATCHING UP

Attic finds include original Fli-Back paddles!

Fli-Backs

Remember our notes about Steve Langley and his Paddle Ball King record (Paddle Ball is the modern version of Fli-Back). Well now it is time to remember to look carefully around your attic when cleaning out all the clutter! Around Davidson ran an item about the history of paddle balls and how they, originally called Fli-Backs, were the creation of a furniture manufacturer in High Point, NC.

Recently we heard from Karen Kelly-Mandl of Mount Laurel, NJ, who wrote to tell us that while cleaning out a home, she found three paddles – minus the rubber bands and balls – in the trash. From the pictures on the paddles, she believes they are old, possibly collectors’ items, and is planning to sell them on Ebay. Karen writes, “I read your piece and I am now glad that I retrieved them.”

Thanks, Karen. Fond memories for many of us. And these days, we know never to underestimate the power of the web!

One By One Costa Rica

Last year Around Davidson introduced you to Daniel Wyatt and Alex Lee, good friends and soccer enthusiasts who are teaming together to make a difference in Costa Rica. They are raising money for equipment, uniforms and rental fees on soccer fields in one of the poorest sections of the capital city of San Jose. Daniel and Alex, Davidson residents and tenth graders at Cannon School, will travel to Costa Rica over their spring break to see in person how their efforts are making a difference. Be sure to access their website, onebyonecostarica.com, to learn more.

Currently Daniel and Alex have reached 80 kids in their soccer program and hope to expand to 200 youngsters in the league. As their website states: “Partnering with Pastors William and Anais Padilla, who lead churches in some of the neediest and toughest areas of San Jose, we are working together to make this happen – one by one.”

GOT WHEELS?

A recent email asked if anyone has a bicycle not in use that could be pedaled by a Davidson College senior who does not have a car but does have employment in Cornelius. The job is close enough that a bicycle would be perfect transportation for this young lady. Let Davidsonnews.net know if you can help.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

John Kimbirl and granddaughter, Meghan, love their Wildcats!

Just noticed that next Monday, January 23, is Chinese New Year. Davidson College’s popular annual celebration, complete with fireworks, is scheduled Saturday, Jan. 28. Watch DavidsonNews.net for the details.

Speaking of catching action, we noticed two very special Wildcat Enthusiasts at a recent basketball game. Sporting very carefully applied face paint were John Kimbirl of Davidson and his granddaughter, Meghan. Nine year old Meghan is the daughter of Peggy and John’s son, Brad Kimbirl and his wife, Jill, who live in Belmont. When asked if she would like to be a cheerleader, Meghan emphatically says “NO”. She wants to be the Davidson Mascot!

Around Davidson has some more news today of Maggie Sellers and other budding musicians in our area. In addition we report on weddings and births in Janet Makee’s family and a Boy Scout Troop 58 trip to Ft. Sumter and the Yorktown. There are also notes about musical events and snow in Seattle.

Elizabeth and Michael married in California.

JANET MAKEE HAS LOTS OF NEWS

Crobsy (l) and Finley are the children of Scott and Aisha Makee.

Davidson resident Janet Makee works as a registered nurse at Lake Norman Urgent Care at Exit 36 in Mooresville. A longtime Davidson resident, Janet has three grown children who had quite an exciting year in 2011. Janet’s daughter, Elizabeth, married Michael Schott in San Francisco City Hall last February 28 and have made their home in San Diego.

Andrew and Aleah married in Italy.

Three months later, Janet was a grandmother for the second time. Her son, Scott Makee, and his wife, Aisha, who live in Charlotte, welcomed a second child and second son, Crosby Harrison Makee, on May 28. Big brother, Finley, who turned two on August 4, was delighted (mostly) to have a new baby brother.

Then last fall, Janet’s older son, Andrew Makee, married Aleah Wicks on September 28, in Italy. This young couple is making their home in Tryon, NC, on an 18 acre farm. Congratulations to Janet and her whole family.

Oh no! Not grenades!

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

It wasn’t too many years ago that your intrepid correspondent and the late Joanne Shackelford took our troop of fourth, fifth and sixth grade girl scouts to Ft. Sumter and the Yorktown. We never got to raise the flag but we did sleep stacked three high on the Yorktown, ate in the mess, and stood in awe of the size of this vessel. Boy, we had it easy!

After flag raising, the scouts got to tour Ft. Sumter.

Scoutmaster John Bragg of Davidson’s Boy Scout Troop 58, boarded an early morning bus with 41 scouts and 13 other adults in the early morning darkness on January 7 and headed for Ft. Sumter to raise the flag and continue to the Yorktown for an overnight stay. Boy Scouts got the non-commissioned officers’ quarters and slept pretty tight. John’s comment said it all: “After sleeping fifty of us in the cramped bunks stacked four high like firewood, I am looking forward to the comparative roominess of my lightweight backpacking tent on our February trip!”

Asking John for a trip report, he was able to send me a wonderful few paragraphs penned by scout parent and willing “chaperone,” Gerardo Marti, a Davidson College sociology
professor who has two sons, Zach and Nathan, in the troop. It is a delight to read and is linked to this article. (LINK)

Troop 58 meets on Tuesday nights at 7:00 in the DCPC Congregation House.
Contact Scoutmaster, John Bragg at 704-377-0261, or for more information go
to their website at www.davidsontroop58.com

Hooray for Maggie and her trombone!

MUSIC IN HER FUTURE

After the report on Sylvie Stanback and her recent oboe success, we heard from the Sellers family about Maggie and her trombone expertise. Maggie, the daughter of Pat and Kathryn Firmin-Sellers, is an 8^th grader at Randolph International Baccalaureate School in Charlotte. We congratulate Maggie who, like Sylvie Stanback, made the South Central District Honors band, as 3^rd chair trombonist in the 7^th/8^th grade division. She’ll also be auditioning for the All-State Honors Band in March.

Why trombone? Maybe listening to Dad Pat who has a long history of trombone playing from junior high, high school and even the Davidson Jazz Ensemble in his Davidson College student days. Maggie started playing trombone 2 1/2 years ago and takes weekly lessons from Ruth Petersen, who is the band director at Bailey Middle School, and currently plays in the band at Randolph IB. She follows right behind is her brother, Ben, who started trombone lessons last summer.

Maggie and Ben, a sixth grader, each spent their elementary grades at Davidson Elementary School before beginning middle school at Randolph IB. Trombone may be Maggie’s musical instrument, but she also loves to sing (particularly Adele songs). At age four, she started at Dance Davidson and continues to dance each week and perform in their spring productions.

In addition to the activities above, Maggie enjoys knitting and drawing. She ultimately wants to be an astronaut, and likes her math classes in school the most. Bet Maggie, Ben and Dad have some wonderful jam sessions in their Lake Davidson home! Congratulations, Maggie.

One last note from Ruth Petersen, Maggie’s trombone teacher: There are three more students from Bailey Middle School who earned spots in the 2012 South Central District Middle School Honors Band and will participate in the late January clinic at Lenoir-Rhyne. Further congratulations to Delainie Hendershot (flute), Meredith Steele (clarinet) and Matthew Dahlem (snare drum).

A MUSICAL INTERLUDE

Keeping in tune with music news, we remind our readers about the Musical Interlude tomorrow from 12:30-1:30 in the Sloan Music building on the Davidson College campus. This event is free and open to the public. The performance is called “Davidson’s Got Talent” and includes pianists Jordan Kvanvig, Clara Gerdes and Joann Rautenberg. Flautist Martha Gerdes will perform as well as singer Katy Hoffler accompanied by her saxophonist husband, John. Cynthia Lawing puts these programs together with great care. Marvelous music not to be missed.

FIGARO, FIGARO, FIGARO!

Hearing “Figaro” means Mozart and the light hearted classic comic opera, “The Marriage of Figaro.” Come Friday or Saturday evenings, January 20 or 21, to hear six students and three faculty members (with Michael Rowland at the piano and Jacquelyn Culpepper directing) perform a slightly abbreviated version of this work. Sounds like fun – especially with free admission. The 150 seat Tyler-Tallman Hall in the Sloan Music Building on campus is the setting. Admission is free and the production is dedicated to opera enthusiast, the late Robert Whitton. See you there.

The view of Jessica's street in Seattle.

NOTEWORTHY NOTE

Know anyone in Seattle who is getting unprecedented snow? Jessica Keener, daughter of Lynn and Gene Keener of Davidson, sent us this photo of her street – sitting quietly while the flakes came down. Too slippery to drive, too slick to navigate on foot…a good day to stay in and savor the hot chocolate! (Jessica relocated to Seattle last summer.)

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Today Around Davidson takes a moment to focus on children and youth in our community with news of Sylvie Stanback’s earning oboe honors, Woodlawn first graders collecting funds for a special cause, preschoolers enjoying story time and Girl Scouts taking “a plunge.” There is also a note about upcoming music program this week.

Sylvie Stanback is a talented musician

OBOE HONORS

Congratulations to Sylvie Stanback, 15-year-old daughter of Mark Stanback and Nancy Popkin of Davidson, who made 2^nd chair oboe for the South Central District Bandmasters Association High School Honors Band (9^th and 10^th graders) earlier this month. Sylvie is a 10 grader at Hough High School and receives oboe instruction twice a month from Elizabeth Dockery in south Charlotte. For this competition, Sylvie performed an assigned solo, numerous scales and music for sight reading in oboe.

Sylvie was the only Hough student to make the Honors Band although others were selected for alternate chairs. Her next stop will be attending a two-day All-District Clinic at Lenoir Rhyne University on Jan. 27-28 which culminates in an afternoon concert on the 28^th. Sylvie then auditions for the All State Honors Bands.

This busy young lady also plays the clarinet in Hough’s marching band and the tenor saxophone in the school’s jazz ensemble. When not involved in music, Sylvie’s love is art – another area in which she excels. She recently entered three works into The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (http://www.artandwriting.org/) competition: a pair of metalwork steam punk-style earrings, a clay sculpted dragon, and a 3 foot tall paper mache teapot-inspired sculpture. In her free time, Sylvie spends a lot of time drawing, painting and working in polymer clay. Sylvie sells jewelry and functional art under the business name ColorStudy, https://www.facebook.com/ColorStudy.

And time for studying? You bet and at the moment, chemistry is her favorite. Congratulations again to Sylvie on her many accomplishments and we wish her the best of luck in the upcoming oboe band clinic and state competition.

Waiting for their deposit slip, the first grade students students gathered to show off their pet bandanas while adults stood at the back (Adults - l-r: Gary Rhinesmith, Tracy Hoskins, Marcus Rafiee, Courtney Weaver and Catherine Packard with Ian Robb still counting the money!)

SHOW ME THE MONEY

What a special treat for 12 first graders from Woodlawn School to visit Wells Fargo Bank on Main Street in Davidson last week and learn about the money trail from deposit in an account to writing a check on that same account and sending to another.

It turns out that first graders at Woodlawn School, just north of Davidson, have an “animal service theme” as part of their classroom study. This year the students learned about many animals including pets, service animals, and rescue clubs. Teacher Tracy Hoskins has a good friend from Huntersville, Gary Rhinesmith, who volunteers regularly to read to the students and they affectionately call him Grandpa Gary. Since Gary is also an active member of the Golden Retriever Rescue Club of Charlotte (www.GRRCC.com), he was able to tell the students of his work with the club. Needing a service project, the students quickly decided to help Gary and the GRRCC with a fund raiser selling “Bandanas for your Favorite Pet” which were supplied by the GRRCC. School posters were made and advertising sent to family and friends. These colorful cloth “neck pieces” were sold for $3 each and proved a great Christmas stocking idea. The fund raiser ended early in January and plans were made for a field trip to carry the shoe box with collected funds to Wells Fargo bank where Woodlawn has a school account.

Ian Robb shows the students what a deposit slip looks like while Marcus Rafiee and Catherine Packard look on

With bills and coins sorted, the box was presented to Teller Ian Robb who carefully counted the contents and presented the class with a deposit slip for $415.95 – 50 cents more than they anticipated which brought smiles to all who gathered for the event. Then the students, accompanied by Tracy, Gary, Assistant first grade teacher, Catherine Packard, and Woodlawn Financial Manager, Marcus Rafiee, left the bank’s lobby with Well Fargo Service Manager, Courtney Weaver, to tour the vault and surrounding area.

Quite a field trip for these first graders who now will witness Marcus Rafiee writing a check from the school’s account to GRRCC to help the rescue organization with its many expenses. Never too young to learn about banking or to lend a helping hand to pets. Thanks, Woodlawn, for a delightful news item!

Erin Micklow entertains every 2nd and 4th Thursday at Main Street Books.

STORY TIME

We all think that reading to children is important. Often there are reading programs at our libraries but what fun to drop in on Story Hour at Main Street Books last week. Every second and fourth Thursday at 10 a.m. children (five and under) gather on the rug at the back of the book store for stories, music, games and a chance to meet new friends. Erin Micklow leads the half hour program with lots of energy and a good dose of patience. Erin has over 100 names she emails about each program but the attending group is much smaller. Want to know more? Stop by Main Street Books and ask owners Betty or Barbara to add your name to Erin’s list. For parents and children alike, the “Eensy, Weensy Spider” never gets old!

"Taking the plunge" to learn scuba are Troop 363 girl scouts Rebecca Fesperman, Sarah Piephoff, Rachel Neal, Halynna Snyder, Nell Alexander, Laura Maples, Lindy Heyl, Ronan O'Donaghue. Wesley Neal, who also took the class, is pictured on the back row with Lake Norman Scuba instructors Larry and Andrew.

COOKIES AND SCUBA WITH THE GIRL SCOUTS

Ah, yes, Girl Scout cookies! Just saying those three words out loud can add an inch to the waistline! A box of Samoas can be devoured in one sitting – and nothing tastes better on a hot summer day than a frozen Thin Mint. If you are salivating already, remember that Girl Scouts are taking orders right now for cookies. Lots of varieties from which to choose: In addition to Thin Mints and Samoas, you can try Tagalongs, Trefoils, Do-Si-Dos, Dulce De Leches, Thank U Berry Muches, or Savannah Smiles (the new lemon cookie that commemorates the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts’ beginning in Savannah GA). Order them by this Thursday, January 19, for delivery to your door mid-February. Contact local Girl Scout leader Karen Fesperman at karen@fesperman.net if you need help connecting to a scout selling these delicious confections!

If you miss ordering through a scout, however, troops usually order extra boxes which they offer for sale at cookie booths outside stores and post offices beginning later in February. We may eat the cookies a bit slower this year since they are priced at $4/box but since the sales benefit the scouts, why not?

And putting the cookies aside for a minute, Girl Scout Troop 363 is involved in many troop activities. Recently they took a break from selling cookies for a scuba diving workshop conducted by the Lake Norman Scuba Shop. The class, held at the Huntersville Aquatic Center on January 7, gave the scouts a wonderful underwater experience! The 6th and 7th grade scouts in this troop are all from Davidson, attending Woodlawn, Bailey Middle, Alexander Middle, and Lake Norman Charter schools.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

The price is right (it’s free) and the entertainment is superb! What is not to like about Musical Interludes this Friday at 12:30 p.m. and “The Marriage of Figaro” both Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. Mark your calendars now for these special events.

Cynthia Lawing has put together a marvelous “Davidson’s Got Talent” program for the “lunch hour” event ranging from classical piano to Broadway show tunes. And that evening (as well as Saturday) the Davidson College Music Department presents an abbreviated version of Mozart’s well known opera featuring Leland Park, Durwin Striplin and Dan Boye joined by six college students. Music Department Artist Associate in Voice Jacquelyn Culpepper is producing the opera dedicated to the late Robert Whitton who was an enthusiastic supporter of opera performance.

Both events will be held in the Tyler-Tallman Hall of the Sloan Music Center on campus. We will have a reminder on Thursday with more about the performers.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Aruba gave Ben Newman, 13, the chance to scuba dive to a depth of 53 feet!

AN ARUBA HOLIDAY

Barbara and Dick Freund escaped the winter winds of North Carolina for the breezy shores on Aruba. In place of Christmas presents for their children and grandchildren, they give their family members with a holiday trip each year. The senior Freunds started this practice nine years ago. One year they gathered in Las Vegas but other years have kept them on cruises (twice), or visiting beaches in the Dominican Republic (three times), Cancun (twice) and Jamaica (once).

This year, they flew from Charlotte to Aruba on Christmas Day and spent a week at the Occidental Resort. What a wonderful idea! Each family member got a wrist band and had the “run” of the resort. Some could sit and read while others swam or snorkeled. Meals were on your own at the resort unless all decided to join for dinner. Relaxing and fun for all. Barbara did mention that the weather was wonderful but that the wind really does blow ALL the time in Aruba and you have to apply lots of sunscreen due to the sun’s brightness.

Joining Barbara and Dick were daughters, Johanna Freund Newman and her husband, Brian, with children, Ben, Justin and Mary of Mooresville; Amy Freund Abernathy with her husband, Jack, and children, Stephanie and Christopher of Hilton Head, daughter Laura Freund of Huntersville and son, Jeffrey Freund of Mooresville.

With their oldest grandchild, 23 years old, and their youngest, seven, the resort was a perfect setting for relaxation. The family returned on New Year’s Eve – and no doubt are already thinking of a destination for Christmas 2012.

A WELCOME RETIREMENT

New Year’s Day was a time to close one chapter and open a new one for the Rev. William Harold Tiemann, a “long tall Texan,” who retired from his duties with “his Davidson flock” on Jan. 1.

Born in Seguin, Texas, some 30 miles east of San Antonio, Bill grew up on a farm where his parents raised cotton, corn, grains, cows, sheep and hogs. He used his 4-H training to show hogs in local county fairs and through FFA was encouraged to show Hereford calves. Leaving the rural life behind, Bill enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin but had his education interrupted by World War II where he served in the Navy.

Bill Tiemann is relaxing in retirement.

Finishing his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in 1950, he worked to pay off his school debt before deciding on a career in ministry. With degrees from Austin (Texas) Presbyterian Theological Seminary and Andover-Newton (Mass.) Theological Seminary, Bill went on to serve churches in Arkansas and Texas before coming to Charlotte/Mecklenburg Presbytery as associate executive for church development from 1989-1994. Following service to the Presbytery, Bill took interim pastor positions in our area until Senior Minister Alan Brindisi tapped him to be Parish Associate for the Davidson College Presbyterian Church early in 2001 (taking the position John Lyles held previously).

In Bill’s own words, he “visited the old, sick, dying and grieving” for the past 10 years and 11 months. At The Pines he never distinguished between Presbyterians and “others,” but had a kind word and heartfelt prayer for any who needed it. He served the greater community as well, made hospital and home visits, and leaves his position with marvelous memories and friendships with people of all ages. Asked to work 20 hours each week, he usually put in 30. Recalling his many experiences, Bill commented that the most special and difficult months of ministry were those tending to a grieving congregation after the untimely death of Alan Brindisi in 2006.

Bill and his wife, Rachel Haynes, a retired Episcopal priest, have a home in Spinnaker Court and a wonderful family of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. At the 11 a.m. worship service at DCPC on New Year’s Day, the church gave Bill a Resolution of Appreciation and a gift of travel.

What plans do Bill and Rachel have for their retirement? Bill has many plans and outlined a few for us as follows:

“Our plans are for some travel–a beach trip to Florida soon, courtesy of the church; Texas in the spring at Bluebonnet season and a visit with a son, brother and sister, nieces and nephews; Kansas in late April to see my great granddaughter before she and her parents are off to Thailand with the Army, becoming Southeast Asia specialists before assignment to the Pentagon; and a week at Sunset Beach after Labor Day. Mostly, though, we hope to catch up with correspondence and then start going through the house to see how much we can organize to keep, and what to get rid of before going one day to The Pines. In the off hours, reading and watching movies on Netflix, daily exercise, Charlotte symphony, Davidson College Friends of the Arts stuff, Davidson Community Players, DavidsonNews.net, and, of course, Sunday School and Worship. And finally, or first of all, trying to stay well.”

Well done, Bill. Congratulations on decades of service to the church and now a much deserved retirement!

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

The Paddle Ball King: Steve Langley

PADDLE BALL RECORD?

Loved getting an email from Steve Langley catching us up on the Paddle Ball extravaganza last September. Remember when 355 of us crowded into a corner of the Town Green and “paddled” for 30 seconds? Guinness Book of World Records has the documentation to certify us for inclusion in the World Record Book but oh, the wheels turn slowly in their London office. Any day we may hear that we are “in” and then can order certificates with our names on them as being part of this extraordinary feat. Now that is something to frame and cherish! Stay tuned and Steve will let us know as soon as he hears.

"Back to back, and ..."

THAT HARRIS TEETER PARKING …

Lots of chatter about the correct way to park your car when running into Harris Teeter. The consensus is that it is illegal (NC law) to park “left to curb” (I had to ask what that meant?) but most felt that in the “let’s create good will” category, it is best if the Davidson police just ignore those few spaces on Peninsula Drive.

Cruise by anytime of the day or night and you are sure to find not one but multiple cars and pick-up trucks at HT parked “left to curb.” There are places in town, such as adjacent to CVS, where parking against the traffic flow is dangerous but let’s vote to treat the HT parking the same way as the “Compact Cars Only” spaces on Main Street: Ignore the issue.

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Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

CSD third graders enjoy helping with crafts at The Pines (teachers Kathy McCoy (l) and Shannon Ayers (r) at back)

LEARNING ABOUT RETIREMENT

Third graders at the Community School of Davidson (CSD) are pretty savvy youngsters. We caught up with a group of them at The Pines yesterday just after they had helped residents of the retirement community make tissue snowflakes. Many of the students had grandparents or great grandparents of similar ages to the men and women in Health Care so visiting elderly residents at The Pines was nothing new. It was an exciting field trip. Although their regular teacher, Kelly Sapp, was not present, Assistant Kathy McCoy and substitute teacher Shannon Ayers gathered this lively group for a DavidsonNews.net photo op after their craft time.

It turns out that the four third-grade classes volunteer regularly at The Pines – one class each month in rotation. What a nice idea for everyone involved. Kudos to CSD for their innovative ways to be involved in our community.

BOOK TALK

Bob Williams looking over his latest edition of "The Historian's Toolbox."

Bob Williams

Always fun to catch up with former Davidsonians. We heard recently from Bob and Ann Williams who are now living in Maine. Bob used to be the Dean at Davidson College before retirement took them north. Bob has published a new book, third edition, called “The Historian’s Toolbox” or “A student’s Guide to the Theory and Craft of History.” Reviewers find the style engaging and comment that the book “provides a series of tools to help students research and understand the past.”

Ann writes that “Bob is very pleased that ‘The Historians’ Toolbox’ is in its 3rd edition, because it has allowed him to incorporate so many current methodologies.” It is available from publisher M.E. Sharpe in hardback and paperback. For more information, access www.mesharpe.com or click on this LINK to view the flier.

To catch up on the family, Ann wrote that they “had a beautiful Christmas, with light snow falling all day! But it was very quiet, as our family members were busy in their own homes. Katharine and Devin closed on their house, in Falmouth, Mass., on Dec. 2, and are busy making it their own. Margaret and Dave are in Lynchburg with their boys Pierson (10) and Colin (7), and Peter and his wife Kathy are in Loveland, Colo.”

Always nice to hear from the ever increasing group with Davidson connections who are calling Maine home – including the Williams, Nancy Cable, Meg and Don Kimmel and soon, Clayton Spencer!

Author, Gretchen Hummel

Gretchen Hummel

Closer to home, we have a new author in Davidson right around the corner in Hudson Place. Meet Gretchen Hummel who has lived in Davidson with her husband, Craig, a psychiatrist, for the past eight years. We keep talking about “everyone having a book in them,” but applaud those who get the words on the page and the novel in print! For Gretchen, the novel is “Dreamer’s Island.”

But let’s start with a little background on this talented writer. Gretchen received an undergraduate nursing degree from Chapel Hill and later graduate degrees in psychiatric nursing and creative writing from programs in Salt Lake City, Utah. Writing has always been a first love of Gretchen’s but keeping a household functioning with four children and a full time job as head nurse on a ward for the chronically mentally ill and a private psychotherapy practice, there was little time to devote to short stories or novels. Once she completed her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Utah, Gretchen decided to try writing full time. With her husband accepting a job as Medical Director at Piedmont Behavioral Health, they left Salt Lake City and settled in Davidson – allowing Gretchen the time to write and to see three of her short stories published as well as her first novel, “Dreamer’s Island.”

frontcover of Dreamer's Island

“Dreamer’s Island” is a post-apocalyptic novel full of suspense, intrigue and humor. The reviews have been positive. Go to www.dreamersisland.com to see more about the novel. And if you like this novel, Gretchen tells us she’s working on a sequel, with plans for a prequel as well. And like any good writer, there is another novel carefully stashed in a desk drawer at the moment, awaiting reworking.

Craig and Gretchen love being back in North Carolina and find Davidson a wonderful town in which to live. With their four adult children spread across the country, they are entertained at home by two lively dogs. Gretchen enjoys reading, knitting, gardening, Scrabble and taking in the latest movies at Our Town Cinemas. We are glad to have the Hummels here and send congratulations to Gretchen on her literary accomplishments.

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS (on an envelope)

Forever stamps are lots of fun!

According to the press release from the US Postal Service, “it will cost just a penny more to mail letters to any location in the United States, the first price change for First Class Mail stamps in more than two and one half years.” This price increase takes effect on Jan. 22, 2012. “Forever stamps” still in your desk are still good and it turns out that the post office is currently selling only first class “Forever Stamps.”

But watch out for other mailings: postcards increase three cents; letters to Canada or Mexico increase five cents and other international destinations go up seven cents. Later this week the USPS will announce increases for box rentals and other shipping prices. A new feature is a three-month box rental for those needing a short term mailing address.

So a word to the wise: buy extra stamps before the 22^nd and get those holiday cards in the mail today!

Dori Rice (l) and Adrian Cobb are ready to help postal patrons at their CPU inside Ace Hardware

A POST OFFICE BETWEEN FILTERS AND FENCING

Have you visited the post office “outlet” at Ace Hardware on North Main Street in Cornelius? CorneliusNews.net editor Christina Rogers recently introduced us to the new Contract Postal Unit there last month but curiosity sent Around Davidson there yesterday to see it in person.

Up and running for just over one month, the CPU is unique since the three trained postal personnel (Adrian Cobb, Dori Rice and Judy Ortega) are Ace employees who “man” the CPU as needed. A bell on the counter will pull Adrian away from light bulbs to handle your package; or Judy from her counter duties; or Dori from her position as General Manager (her family owns the store).

Pines resident Sandy Zerkle mails a package on her way to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity's Restore

Offering postal services for Cornelius residents on the east side of I-77, Ace Hardware thinks of the unit as a community service. The post office pays no rent and no utilities; they sell the stamps and packaging products to Ace. Ace purchases (as a package) the scale, meter, computer system and furniture. There are no rental boxes available. Adrian, Dori and Judy received three days of training by USPS in Charlotte and then opened their CPU. Dori and Adrian laughed and said they had anticipated infrequent international mail so paid less attention in training regarding overseas mailings. In their first day, they encountered mail to Japan and since have seen numerous items sent to Europe, Central and South America and Southeast Asia. (Those training manuals got a lot of use in the first weeks!)

The mail is picked up Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. Ace hours are Mon-Sat, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Interesting concept for the USPS – and maybe a way to save real money in the future with CPUs.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

Chilly temperatures make beautiful sculptures!

We know it is cold when the fountain outside Health Care at The Pines freezes solid and gives us a glimpse of the beauty of winter on a bright January day. Hoods and hats were very fashionable this week to protect our heads from the stiff breeze but not to worry, warmer days are ahead this weekend.

News today of weddings for Sheena Goldstein and Kirkley Griffeth as well as a trip report from Kevin Beach. In addition we have a note about the career of Timothe Bittle and a word about a book swap in Charlotte.

WEDDING BELLS

Sheena and Seth (photo by Jay Weinmiller at Indigo Photography)

Sheena Goldstein and Seth Zwiebel

Congratulations to Sheena Miriam Goldstein and Seth Michael Zwiebel who married on Sept. 18, 2011. Sheena is the daughter of Allison Smith Goldstein and Irwin Goldstein of Davidson. Seth is the son of Susan and Alan Zwiebel of South Orange, N.J. The couple met in New York City when Sheena was attending NYU. Sheena now works as a photo researcher at John Wiley and Sons Inc. of Hoboken, N.J. Seth is a free-lance technical director for several television stations in the NYC metropolitan area and also does cinematography, editing and equipment rental for film and video productions.

The late afternoon wedding ceremony and reception were held at The Point Lake and Golf Club in Mooresville, with Rabbi Michael Shields officiating in a traditional Jewish ceremony. Musicians were Jonathan Shaw on bagpipes and a “Viva Klezmer” ensemble with Ali and Gene Kavadlo. The bride’s grandmother, Sibyl Smith, and aunt, Dorothy Watson, came from Edinburgh, Scotland, for the festivities. The groom’s grandmother, Edith Zwiebel, traveled from Akron, Ohio, for the wedding.

Sheena chose her sister, Rachel Goldstein of Concord, as her maid of honor. Bridesmaids included Joanna Burgess of Cornelius, Florencia Gonzalez of Scarsdale, N.Y., Sara Hudson, a native of Huntersville who now lives in Brookline, Mass., Amanda Yee of Scarsdale, N.Y., and Sharon Zwiebel of Miami, Fla. Wei Chu of Reading, England, was Best Man for Seth. Groomsmen were Max Evry of Brooklyn, N.Y., Tim Quinn of Cambridge, Mass., Justin Starling of Jersey City, N.J., Brendan Ryan of Montclair, N.J., and Greg Neil, originally of Huntersville now living in Los Angeles.

The festive occasion included dinner and dancing following the wedding ceremony. Sheena and Seth spent two weeks in the Greek Isles for a honeymoon trip and now are making their home in Jersey City with their cat, Charlotte.

Best wishes to the new couple.

Kirkley Griffeth Jock (Sarah McClendon Photography, Gainesville, GA)

Kirkley Ann Griffeth and Brian Hampton Jock

Not many in Davidson know Kirkley Griffeth but a special note about her wedding caught our attention and we wanted to share this charming story with our readers. Kirkley, the daughter of Jack and Barbara Griffeth, is the niece of Joe and Linda Griffeth of Pine Road and cousin to Patrick and Daniel Griffeth. Kirkley and Brian married in Gainesville, Ga., on Dec. 10, 2011.

Everyone knows the simple bridal rhyme of wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed something blue.” On Kirkley’s wedding day, her veil of silk and Chantilly lace has been worn by her mother and grandmother. The wedding shoes were new but adorned with three small beaded clovers from the original wedding gown. The wedding gown filled the category of “something borrowed” as she was the sixth “Kirkley” bride to wear the gown first worn by her grandmother, Barbara Lillian Kirkley, in 1953. It was also worn by her mother, Barbara, as well as three other family brides. “Something blue” were the eight small blue bows sewed onto the bride’s petticoat: four given to the bride’s mother by her maid of honor and four new ones given to Kirkley by her matron of honor.

One look at Kirkley in her wedding gown and you have to applaud these wonderful family traditions that make a wedding day so special! Thanks to Linda Griffeth for sharing this story.

A happy moment with a youngster in a South African township.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 30 DAYS?

No, it actually took a few more than 30 days. Kevin Beach, son of Connie and Eddie Beach of South Street, is back in North Carolina after spending 109 days circling the globe as part of his studies at Elon University. Travel comes naturally to Kevin since his Mom is a travel agent and the family (with brother, Brendan) has journeyed overseas many times since he was small.

A junior at Elon majoring in Business and Environmental Studies, Kevin applied last spring for a spot on the SAS or Semester at Sea program administrated by the nonprofit Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) with academic sponsor the University of Virginia but with participation from more than 280 colleges and universities. This is the first year of Elon’s sea semester, which sent 10 juniors (nine women and Kevin!) to join a group of 450 students, 70 faculty and staff, 75 lifelong learners (older adults) and 200 crew who sailed from Montreal aboard the M.V. Explorer last Aug. 27. (Interesting to
learn that SAS was begun in 1963 through Chapman College (now University) and has been academically sponsored by several
universities before coming to UVA in 2006. Remember Dr. Nancy Cable, formerly Davidson College admissions director, was the ISE vice president of development and alumni affairs for two years.)

Where else but India's Taj Mahal!

On board the M.V. Explorer, Kevin attended classes at sea until reaching a port where the students had free time and a chance to explore a city or plan trips to neighboring areas. Everyone was required to take a Global Studies class while at sea and to meet for a Cultural Geography class before any shore leave. Kevin’s favorite class was Vernacular Architecture. All meals were buffet in one of two dining halls with a gala ball at the end of the semester. Kevin’s “bunkmate” was from Michigan but the majority of the young travelers were from the West Coast.

Sporting his new suit jacket tailored in Vietnam, Kevin enjoyed the trip's end gala dinner with Keara Maureen, also from Elon.

Where did they stop on their journey around the world? From Montreal to Morocco, then on to Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius (outside the reach of Somali pirates … but Kevin mentioned that the M.V. Explorer is one of the fastest cruise ships and could outrun anyone!) to India and on to Malaysia and Vietnam. Hong Kong and Shanghai were port cities before stops in Japan and then nine days of cruising to Hawaii with Thanksgiving celebrated along the way. Another nine days of cruising found the group in Costa Rica (Punta Arenas) followed by “sailing” through the Panama Canal with a video hook-up whereby Connie and Eddie could watch the ship in the canal through a live feed. The students had a “reading day” during the Panama Canal passage before exams were administered. Post exam R&R was spent in Honduras before returning to US soil in Ft. Lauderdale and returning to Davidson.

Taking advantage of free time in port, Kevin made side trips to Agra and Varanasi while in India, to Angkor Wat while in Vietnam, to Guilin from Hong Kong, and to Kuala Lumpur to celebrate his 21^st birthday with friends while the ship was docked in Malaysia. His favorite countries? South Africa was tops followed by Vietnam (where he purchased a handsome custom tailored suit for $105.) and Cambodia.

Kevin had no problems with rough seas, local food or safety during this marvelous semester. He stayed healthy and came home with pages of passport stamps and hundreds of photos on his computer not to mention memories for a lifetime packed into 109 days and friendships which will endure for much longer. Welcome Ashore, Kevin!

Nyra keeps up with the talented Timothe Bittle

TALENT ON THE STAGE

Remember Timothe Bittle? We have a catch-up note about this engaging young actor.

Last summer The Davidson Community Players performed “Ragtime” on the Duke Performance Hall stage with guest artist, Timothe Bittle who got to know many in town during the run. Nyra Brannan, a resident of The Pines, had known Timothe from earlier theater productions and provided lodging at The Pines while Timothe was in Davidson.

From Davidson, Timothe relocated in NYC to try his luck on the Broadway stage. He was selected as one of three final candidates for Universal Studio’s live show at their theme park in Osaka but was told he would be notified later in the year if chosen. Making ends meet in Manhattan proved difficult so Timothe accepted a contract from the Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre in Wytheville, Va. Last November he got a call from Universal Studios that he would be on stage in Japan with a year’s contract leaving in February 2012.

Selected from thousands who auditioned, Timothe will be performing in Osaka’s Theme Park in Monsters Rock and Roll Show. Hooray for this talented young man! To show his appreciation for all the support and kindnesses the residents of The Pines provided to him, he returned to Davidson this past Dec. 12 to have lunch and a “visit time” at the retirement community. Later that day he had dinner at the Brickhouse with friends from the Davidson Community Players. Lots of people were on hand to congratulate Timothe on his success.

And how about Timothe’s No. 1 fan? Nyra plans to fly to Japan to see Timothe perform but only after she completes her contract to play Aunt Eller in Oklahoma at the Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre from May 3 until July 1. She is hoping a few from Davidson make the “road trip” to Wytheville to see the show.

Book swaps are marvelous events!

NEED A GOOD BOOK?

Thanks to Susan Walker for keeping us informed about a book swap in Charlotte next Monday. If you love books (and we all do), plan to visit the WNBA (Women’s National Book Association) Charlotte’s annual Book Swap and Networking Social meeting. It will be held this coming Monday, Jan. 9, 7-9 PM, at the Northwest School of the Arts media center, located on Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte.

Bring books you’d like to discard and exchange them for other books you’d like to read. You don’t have to take home as many as you bring, but you could if you want to! This is a great chance to have a stack of good reading on your night table in case we get snowed in!

Leftover books will be donated by WNBA to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s annual book sale later this year, so all will be used for a good cause. You do not have to be a member of the WNBA to participate but are welcome to join. More information can be found on their website: http://wnba-charlotte.org/wnba/calendar/chapter-meetingsevents/

This article has been updated to correct information about the Semester at Sea program.

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Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.