Speaking of the end of the school year, we have two notes today about recent honors for teachers: Nancy Gardner and Rich Richards. Around Davidson also visits with library volunteers and has news of an award for Jean Berg.

Hooray for Davidson Branch Library Volunteers!

SAY “THANKS” AT THE LIBRARY

A budget crunch hit our Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library System a few years ago and many branches drastically reduced hours. The Davidson branch was one of the first to add back hours thanks to 28 volunteers who give generously of their time. They sort and shelve books, hang art, assist with book sales and any other task they’re assigned. The Davidson volunteers average 186 hours a month and today we have a photo of many of them.

Take a look at the faces – ranging from college students to retired story tellers – and next time you see one of these volunteers, be sure to say thank you. Also be on the lookout for an energetic group of 10 teenagers who will be helping at our branch this summer. Kudos to the paid staff of Ellen Giduz, Beverly Swanson, Rosie Chapman and Kelly Nicholson who do the hard jobs of keeping all these “worker-bees” productive and happy!

TEACHING IS WHAT THEY DO – and THEY ARE GOOD AT IT!

Two Davidsonians who are teachers recently have been in the news. One has over 25 years experience; the other has just one year. We salute both today.

NANCY GARDNER

NANCY GARDNER

Early last month, Nancy Smith Gardner of Davidson was profiled on the website LearningMatters.tv, speaking about why she teaches as a part of a program called “Why I Teach: Educators share their stories.” Nancy, mother of three and grandmother of two, is a National Board Certified Teacher with more than 26 years’ experience in grades 7-12. Currently she is a senior English teacher at Mooresville High School.

We always hear about teacher burn-out but Nancy seems to thrive on the 10-hour and longer days, with the comment, “I really do love my job.” Her students always thank her for teaching them but as Nancy says, she should thank them for teaching her. She also mentions that one must have a sense of humor as a teacher with the following marvelous example: “When a student writes, ‘I have learned a lot in a warm and neutering environment,’ you have to laugh.” For more about Nancy’s comments on teaching, go to WhyITeach.LearningMatters.tv.

Rich in the classroom

RICH RICHARDS

Rich Richards grew up in Davidson, graduated from Alabama, and has just finished his first year as a Teach for America Corps Member. At the recommendation of a fraternity friend, he applied to this program during his junior year in college and was accepted in the summer of 2010 with the assignment that he would teach math. Not majoring in math at Alabama, he completed coursework during his senior year and passed the Tennessee math teacher proficiency test on his own in 2011. Following graduation, he met other Teach for America young people for a six-week program in Mississippi learning the “ropes of teaching,” before landing in Nashville with two weeks to find housing and get settled before the start of classes last August.

Rich Richards

For this academic year, Rich has taught math to fifth graders at Nashville Prep, a new charter school in Nashville. An inner city school, there are currently 100 youngsters finishing fifth grade with plans to add grades 6-12 over the next seven years. In his first year in the classroom, Rich was recognized as one of 10 finalists for the 2012 Charter Teacher of the Year with the Tennessee Charter Schools. Although he was not named the top winner in his middle school category, we applaud his nomination and his enthusiasm not only to continue by teaching summer school at Nashville Prep this summer but also to take on added responsibilities as fifth grade coordinator at the school next year.

The summer of 2011 found Davidson College baseball players Jip Richards (left), Forrest Brandt (middle) and Justin Charles enjoying summer league play in Hawaii.

What an accomplishment for this young man, the son of Mary Lib and Jim Richards of the St. Alban’s neighborhood. Mom and Dad drove to Nashville for the Charter School Teacher of the Year Gala held on May 11 at the Union Station Hotel. They stayed over for the Mother’s Day weekend as well.

While visiting with the Richards, just had to hear what Rich’s younger brother, Jip, is doing. With his sophomore year behind him at Davidson College, Jip is continuing to play baseball and thanks to Coach Dick Cook was placed this summer with the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (last summer he played in Hawaii). The Sharks include players from college baseball programs around the US and will play a regular-season 54 game schedule from June 8 through August 9. He will stay with a host family on the island.

RECOGNIZING JEAN BERG

Jean Berg was recently honored by the National Council of Churches

Jean Berg of The Pines got a surprise email this past March telling her that she had been named one of 1,054 women honored by the National Council of Churches. Women, including Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders, whose lives and ministries had a major impact on their local communities or who had inspired another’s faith journey were honored in the Circles of Names Campaign. Congratulations, Jean.

A graduate of Eden Theological Seminary, Jean has long worked and even chaired the National Coalition for Reproductive Choice including years as the Executive Director for the Coalition in the State of Missouri. She has worked tirelessly promoting social justice and women’s rights to make their own reproductive choices.

When her husband Dick retired from the United Way in St. Louis, they couple moved to Cozumel, Mexico, built a home, learned Spanish and Jean used her seminary degree to perform weddings, blessing, renewals and memorial services – mostly on the beach. This even led to her book, “Saying I Do in Paradise.” The Pines in Davidson became their home in October 2009. Their grown sons live in Durham and Washington, D.C.

Widowed last year after almost 55 years of marriage, and with her recent honor in hand, Jean is thinking again how she might help others. Brushing up on her Spanish, she plans to travel to Nicaragua this fall to a small town outside Managua where she will teach Spanish to volunteers, English in the schools and volunteer at an orphanage. We look forward to hearing much more about this very energetic member of our community!

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.

Terry Laney was named the community recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award at Sunday's Davidson College commencement. (Bill Giduz photo)

One could not have asked for a nicer weekend for Davidson College commencement activities. Beautiful weather without the humidity that sometimes greets us in May. Congratulations to the 449 graduates, their families and friends. Congratulations as well to Brian Shaw and Julio Ramirez who received the Hunter Hamilton Love of Teaching Awards last Sunday. Well deserved!

Today Around Davidson focuses on two youth in town, Lea Goldstein and Ben Wyatt, who are helping others. We also have news of a new grandbaby for David and Margaret Stauffer and a recent cruise for Helga and Helmut Bracke and Judy Schuh.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

With thanks to Abbee Straight of HCX in Birkdale Village,10-year-old Lea Goldstein was able to donate 10" of her hair to Locks of Love.

LEA GOLDSTEIN

Most of us have heard about Locks of Love (www.locksoflove.org). This organization receives donated hair in minimum lengths of 10 inches and fashions hair pieces specifically for children under 21 in Canada and the United States. The hair prostheses are given to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

Ten year old Lea Goldstein of Davidson has just had a hair cut at HCX in Birkdale Village and will donate her hair to Locks of Love. Kudos to this fifth grader who is donating for the SECOND time. What a great idea not only for the meaningful donation but also for the shorter hair which is so much cooler for Lea in the hot summer weather.

Ben Wyatt

BEN WYATT

Ben Wyatt is at it again. A Woodlawn School project about water sparked his interest and he has been raising money for clean water wells in Africa since the fourth grade. Last year, working with Marion Medical Mission (www.marionmedicalmission.org), Ben sought to raise enough money for his 13^th birthday to fund 10 wells – and he went over the top funding 11 wells! (See the April 21, 2011, Around Davidson)

His ongoing project, “One World,” is hoping to make it “20 for 2012!” That’s right. He turned 14 last month and plans this year to fund 20 wells at $450 each to provide clean drinking water to villagers in Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. Any donation is appreciated and can be mailed to him c/o One World Donations, 435 East Morehead Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 or through his PayPal link on his Facebook page, http://on.fb.me/eqPQzk. Each person donating receives a bookmark designed by Ben and a chance to win an “iPad3” at the end of the campaign on June 15. Good luck, Ben! We are proud of your accomplishments!

CRADLE ROLL

Welcoming new baby brother Witt Stauffer home are big sister, Anna Keels (2) and big brother, Charlie (4)

DAVID DEWITT STAUFFER

Smiles all around at the home of David and Margaret Stauffer as they became grandparents for the fifth time this month. Their son, Chuck, and his wife, Amanda, welcomed David DeWitt Stauffer on May 11 in Charlotte. Baby Witt weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz. and was 21 inches long.

At home to welcome their new baby brother were Charlie (4) and Anna Keels (2). Margaret and David have been to Charlotte often to visit this busy family. Will’s maternal grandparents, David Low and Brucie Harry, thankfully live in Charlotte and are close by to help out.

Congratulations to all the Stauffer and Harry families.

Helga enjoyed every minute with granddaughter, Luna.

CRUISING WITH DAIVDSONIANS

Last month Helga and Helmut Bracke combined a sea voyage to Hawaii with a west coast visit at the home of their son, Michael Bracke, his wife, Mila, and their beautiful granddaughter, Luna Lucia, who live in Washington State. Leaving on April 5 they spent Easter week with their family, doting on Luna and having a chance to participate in her third birthday celebration.

On April 11 they met Judy Schuh in Los Angeles and together boarded the Golden Princess for their Hawaiian adventure. (Merle Schuh had a consulting job and had to stay home with the dogs.)

During the four sea days they enjoyed many of the shipboard activities: lectures entitled “Scholarship at Sea,” trivia contests, current movies, and the exercise room (to work off the good food). They even joined the Princess pop choir which rehearsed each afternoon.

The cruise’s first stop was Hilo on the Big Island where Helmut hired a van taking them to many of the island’s attractions: rainforests, waterfalls, an orchid nursery, Mauna Loa pistachio nut farm, Volcano National Park and a black sand beach. A second stop was Nawiliwili, Kauai, where they again toured the island and saw historic sites of the Hawaiian monarchy, beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests with waterfalls and the Coco Palms Hotel made famous by Elvis Presley. In Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, they visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona memorial meeting three elderly veterans of the Pearl Harbor attack.

Judy, Helga and Helmut in Kauai at the Rainbow Waterfalls

Taking a bus tour around the city of Honolulu, Helmut, Helga and Judy did some shopping at the International Market before returning to their ship which was docked near the Aloha Tower. Their last Hawaiian docking was Lahaina, Maui, where Helmut and Judy took a zodiac to the island of Lanaito to snorkel on two different coral reefs. Returning back to Maui, a pod of three humpback whales – Momma, Baby and “Escort”- passed the zodiac. Helga stayed in Lahaina and did some shopping under the massive banyan tree that covers an entire city block.

Sailing back to Los Angeles, the Princess pop choir performed to a large audience which even included a short dance routine featuring Helmut. All agreed that the cruise was a complete delight with excellent food, great entertainment, beautiful ports of call, perfect weather and lots of interesting, fun people. The Brackes and the Schuhs are already thinking about their next cruise adventure!

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.

Around Davidson has news today of mini-reunions celebrated by Jean Jackson at the beach and Rae Fangmeier right here in town. We also report on a new award-winning author, Lizzie Barteldt.

Excited about their visit to WTVI in Charlotte are (from left) Arielle Trovato, Lizzie Barteldt, Miya Ruediger and Bruce Barteldt

GO LIZZIE!

PBS KIDS GO! Writer’s Contest was looking for young students in grades K-3 to submit illustrated stories for a national competition. Third grader Elizabeth (Lizzie) Barteldt took note of the contest announced on PBS Kids morning television before leaving for Davidson Elementary School. Encouraged by her parents, Debbie and Bruce Barteldt, Lizzie found the contest rules on the Internet and sat right down to recount a true event that happened during her recess in Celia Felthaus’ class. Lizzie and good friend, Arielle Trovato, fell on the sidewalk while practicing piggy-back riding. Neither was badly hurt but both learned a lesson about being more careful.

Meet Davidson's newest author, Lizzie Bartheldt, who displays her book and contest winnings

The contest limited each 2-3 grade story to 350 words and five illustrations. Guess what? Lizzie’s story, typed on the computer and titled “Arielle and Elizabeth,” consisting of four chapters, was right at 350 words and had five colorful pencil illustrations about the mishap she had with Arielle during recess. With over 300 entries and only three winners announced in each K-3 age level, Lizzie was thrilled to place third among the third grade entries.

With Mom, younger brother, Bruce, Arielle, and another classmate Miya Ruediger packed into their car, Lizzie went to WTVI on May 3 to be honored and was presented with a certificate, journal, book bag, activity book and pencil as one of the twelve winners. Regrettably her story will not advance to the national level of competition but she is already scouting for other contests to test her creative journalism. (Maybe DavidsonNews.net is in her future! Her mom already helps out with the books here.)

Congratulations, Lizzie. We are all proud of your talent for writing and illustrating.

From left, Nancy Stone, Sandy Kersten, Rae Fangmeier, Joann Gera

THE FABULOUS FOUR

This June many reunions will be celebrated on the Davidson College campus … but for many of us, there is no need to wait for a big, structured, alumni gathering. We just plan small reunions, as Rae Fangmeier did last month. Four graduates of the Class of 1967 of Bowling Green University met in Davidson over the weekend of April 20-22. They had not been together in 45 years so there was much catching up for Nancy Stone of Virginia, Sandy Kersten of Ohio, Joann Gera of Pennsylvania and Rae who lives on Lorimer Road in Davidson.

Arriving by auto and airplane on Friday, they descended on the Fangmeier residence and upon opening their suitcases soon revealed each had brought a set of commemorative T-shirts to mark the occasion. (These ladies meant business!) Rae had planned for her college buddies to do all things Davidson beginning with a Friday afternoon Davidson College campus tour with sophomore guide, Allen Rigby, and a very late night pajama party with 45 years of history recapped. (Rae’s husband, Tim, planned for his out of town prison ministry work that weekend … smart fella!)

Joann Gera poses with the commemorative T-shirts

Saturday the ladies paid a visit to the Davidson Farmer’s Market, Art on The Green, lunch at North Harbor Club, a driving tour of the four homes the Fangmeiers have occupied in Davidson and a future fifth (The Pines), before taking in an evening movie at Our Town Cinemas. Sunday they attended church in Charlotte where Tim had been pastor and enjoyed a last lunch together before cars and airplanes departed.

For those of us who were college coeds during these decades, we can certainly identify with these ladies who reminisced about getting together in dorm rooms to set hair in rollers each night at 11 p.m. (after 10 p.m. curfew!), writing poems about boyfriends, and staying up till all hours – talking and maybe studying just a bit. Rae’s friends had to rib her about the infamous “Martyr” flag which was waved every time she complained about her German class.

Wonderful old memories and now Rae, Joann, Sandy and Nancy have a wealth of new memories to add to them.

Bottom row, from left – Barbara Earnhardt, Jean Hodges, Opal Wong, Charlotte Hott. Middle – Mary Jett Woodring Top, from left – Phyllis Mayne, Jan Welch, Jean Jackson

THE EXPERIENCE OF EIGHT

How delightful to hear from Jean Jackson about her mini-reunion of eight women from the 1955 graduation class of Ohio Wesleyan University. This group of energetic ladies decided to “beach it” and convened at Sunset Beach, N.C., for a week of laughter, songs, stories, stimulating conversations and fellowship shared over delicious meals.

Coming from near and far, the group found their days filled with opportunities to renew old friendships and make new ones since not all the ladies had been in regular contact over the past 57 years. Barbara Earnhardt drove from Gerton, N.C., while Jan Welch came from Greenville, S.C. Boulder, Colo., is now home to Jean Hodges. Opal Wong came from East Lansing, Mich., and Charlotte Hott, came from Keyser, W.Va. Phyllis Mayne now lives in Dayton, Ohio, and Mary Jett Woodring lives in Westborough, Mass. Davidson’s own Jean Jackson now resides at The Pines.

Jean mentioned that she had seen most of the women a few times since graduation but two she really did not know at all. During their time together, she discovered that both are delightful women with whom she now has ties to cherish as closely as her relationships with the other five. It is especially fun to note that Jean met her late husband, Bruce Jackson, when both were attendants in the wedding of Jean and Jack Hodges. In addition, Phyl Mayne was Jean’s maid-of-honor when she married Bruce six years after the Hodges wedding.

Although they had five days to talk and talk and talk, bet this group is just getting into the “swing of reminiscing” and will get back together again soon.

NOTEWORTHY NOTE

With college and high school graduations occurring every weekend, we need you to send us some photos and reports of our young people setting out into the world…or bringing all those boxes home while they search for the right job. Do send us your news.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.

This week Around Davidson catches up with The Pines’ Annual Garden Party, gifts for Ada Jenkins Food Pantry from DUMC and letter carriers, community garden news and a note about Herb Jackson’s art.

Enjoying April in Paris on April 20 were (from left): Ward Wellman, Bette Warren (past president of the Pines' Residents' Association), Laura Meyer Wellman (Honorary Consul), Philippe Frespech (executive chef), Eddie Muller (Pines president and executive Director), David Rainey, Amy Smith (director of wellness)

OOH, LA LA! THE PINES THROWS A PARTY!

Once again, The Pines knows how to throw a party! For the past two decades, the retirement home has chosen a date in the spring to host an afternoon gala showcasing its campus. This year’s invitation to residents and prospective residents read: “Avril à Paris:” The Pines invites you to a Spring Garden Celebration. On the afternoon of Friday, April 20, under the direction of co-chairs Amy Smith (director of wellness activities) and Kevin Woods (director of culinary and dining services), the staff transformed outdoor courtyards into “April in Paris.”

Enjoying a festive afternoon were seated (from left): Ann Williamson (mother of Davidson College Professor Malcolm Campbell) and BG Jones with (standing from left) Mary Ann Taylor, Janice Gregory (Blanche Parker's daughter visiting from Sanford, FL), Lacy Dick and Blanche Parker

More than 300 people sampled French cuisine prepared by The Pines’ Executive Chef Philippe Frespech, a native of Montauban, France, and his able sous chefs. Outdoor tables were decorated with French flags and bottles of Perrier water. A bistro area welcomed the casual visitor while the courtyard presented a menu of French salads and the ever popular crêpe station – certainly a crowd favorite. Indoors in the Davidson room, guests found more food stations, a display of French cheeses, a fine selection of French desserts and a menu, loaned by Philippe, from the oldest restaurant in Paris.

“The Parisian Trio” (Jerry Goodman and his musicians) provided music with a French flair. Thirty Pines’ residents displayed their art work along the “Rue des Artistes” in the Gazebo. Everyone got into the French spirit by participating in the Haute Couture Fashion Contest. Gerry Griffin was deemed the “most fashionable” and won a box of Chanel perfume and lotion. The “most authentic Frenchman” prize went to Bob Butt sporting a beret, wine bottle on his hip and French loaf in his hand. Ralph and Ceil Jonas were chosen “most fashionable couple” while Hal Sellers and Tressie Wells won the “very fashionable” designation. Prospective residents Russell and Carmen Mase won the prize for “most fashionable American tourists!” Each of these prize winners received a bottle of fine French wine. C’est gentil!

Residents and guests alike were delighted to get a chance to speak with special guest, Laura Meyer Wellman, an Honorary Consul of France for the Charlotte region, and her husband, Ward Wellman. Laura spoke briefly to the gathered group about current affairs in France, including the election. She was most complimentary of The Pines’ celebrating French culture is such an elegant way. We would have to add our congratulations on a marvelous “Avril à Paris” party.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

A few items crossed my desk this past week which should be of interest to all DavidsonNews.net readers. The three items concern providing services to those less fortunate in our area. Have you stopped to consider how many children will miss free or reduced cost breakfast and lunch trays when school is out? The need for stocking shelves in our food pantry continues to grow. How are we addressing the need? Read on.

A long day for Davidson letter carrier, Katrina Kennison, as she lifts another bag of donated food items

Letter Carriers’ Food Drive

Last Saturday our rural route mail carriers stopped hundreds of times to get out of their vehicles and collect bags of donated food items. They continued a 20-year tradition of a collaboration of the US Postal Service with the National Association of Letter Carriers to address hunger in the nation’s largest single-day food drive in America. Hats off to our carriers who then stacked the bags on the Davidson post office’s loading dock for a late afternoon pick-up by the Food Pantry of Ada Jenkins.

Ada Jenkins

Georgia Krueger is thrilled to receive a check from Jeff Hassel at DUMC to use for the Ada Jenkins Community Center

Lots of private donations help Ada Jenkins but on April 20 there were smiles all around as Davidson United Methodist Church’s Associate Minister Jeff Hassel presented Ada Jenkins’ Director Georgia Krueger with a check for $90,000. This represents the largest single amount going to any recipient of DUMC’s Missions Budget of almost $380,000 distributed mostly to charities within 10 miles of DUMC but also to regional and international groups.

The Community Garden

Davidson’s Community Garden is enjoying every drop of rain this week. Seeds are in the ground, lettuces are ready for picking and daisies are blooming abundantly. Connie Beachmentioned recently that five Davidson College freshmen have been helping her every Saturday with gardening tasks this year. Fall, winter and spring when they were in town, they got up early and spent their morning with wheelbarrows, shovels and hoes taking on any assigned task.

Katie Cheatham (l) and Liz Engle are Davidson College freshmen devoted to gardening!

The garden’s motto, which is on both signs, though written too small to read as a drive-by, is “Tend some, take some, share a lot“. (Extra produce regularly goes to the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry at Ada Jenkins Center.) With the five faithful freshmen leaving for summer vacation, Connie writes that she would welcome more volunteers. They can just show up on Saturday mornings at 10 am, and introduce themselves to Connie or her husband, Eddie.

In Connie’s own words: “We will put volunteers right to work. If they have their own garden gloves, it is good to bring them, but we have plenty of tools (thanks to local resident George Kelly of Fiskars Tools!), so no need to bring anything else. Children of any age are welcome, with the understanding that they are there to help garden (as opposed to play), and that parents will supervise them, if they are under age 12. We have steady volunteers as young as five, as mature as 75, and have numerous families that do this all together some Saturdays. It’s also a great way to earn community service hours for middle and high-schoolers.”

The garden is located at the corner of Potts and Catawba Streets. When you see the colorful scarecrows, you know you are there! Thanks to Connie and Eddie Beach for their faithful years of commitment to the garden.

THE BIG APPLE AND HERB

Herb Jackson

Herb Jackson may be retired from Davidson College but he continues to paint wonderful canvases which hang in prestigious galleries in major cities. Herb returned recently from New York City where he has five paintings in a group exhibition celebrating his dealer’s 20th anniversary.

The exhibition, at Claire Oliver’s Gallery, is titled 10/20/10 for 10 years in NYC, 20 years in business, and 10 significant artists. The gallery is located at 513 W. 26th St, just off 10th Ave. If your travels or vacations take you to the Big Apple this spring or summer, you should stop by and see the show. It is a very powerful group of artists. For more information on the show, visit claireoliver.com

Herb also let us know that he has two additional 7-foot by 7-foot canvases in an exhibition on Southern Abstraction at the Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, Ala., which will run through mid-September. Congratulations, Herb.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.

Wa-Hoo! No more chemistry for this student!

We welcome the much needed rain as well as having the North Carolina primary behind us. College students in town welcome the end of classes as we found noted on a car window yesterday. Children will no doubt welcome the chance to honor Mom this weekend since Sunday is Mother’s Day.

Around Davidson today makes note of a birthday for a well known resident, reports on the library’s book sale, reminds us about Saturday’s food drive, includes a Noteworthy Note and takes a minute to recount a few adventures from “a-broad!”

BIRTHDAY TIME FOR DAVID

Happy Birthday to David Boraks! We hear tell that today is David’s special day and we hope his wife, Shelley Rigger, and their daughters Emma and Tilly can take him away from his DavidsonNews.net duties long enough to enjoy his birthday. Best wishes to you, David. (Nice to shower him with well wishes, but it also would be nice to honor him with a voluntary subscription payment to the website … )

Getting around London by rented bicycle is easy.

NOTES FROM A-BROAD

The late Belle Banks and I talked often about her idea for a new column titled “Notes from A-Broad.” Belle was one savvy “broad” to say the least but since her column never made it to press, I am going to borrow her idea with notes from this “broad” on her recent trip “abroad!”

Erratic weather made for beautiful rainbows in London.

Our older daughter, Kate, is stateside once more after two and one half years living in England. Wanting her Dad to see the East Anglia area she called home, Kate planned 10 days for us visiting the Colchester area and other places of interest. Weather forecasts for England and Holland were carefully checked with the news that each day predicted rain with highs of 55 degrees and lows of 40! Forget summer! We packed vests, coats, gloves, scarves and bumbershoots, of course.

Sampling Dutch cheese in Alkmaar

After arriving in Gatwick and securing a car, the first stop was Dover Castle, the cliffs of Dover and Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral. Additional days were spent in small villages west of Colchester and the busy city of London. The Queen was too busy christening her Jubilee Barge to grant an interview but there was time to see her crown jewels and check out preparations for the Summer Olympics. Surveillance cameras are everywhere, transportation is best on the Underground, crowds are already intense with school groups packing every venue, and the Brits are enduring one of the coldest wettest springs on record! When the squalls persisted, we pulled our umbrellas back from being blown “inside out” and visited the theater, museums, Thames River boats or Harrod’s. The English were incredibly friendly and helpful.

Dutch tulips as far as the eye could see.

Leaving the London rain behind we caught up with Kate on a flight to Amsterdam and enjoyed the cheese market in Alkmaar, the beauty of Delft, the tulips in Keukenhof and the Floriade World Horticultural Exposition held in the Netherlands every ten years since 1960. Floriade runs from April 5 until October 7, 2012, while the Keukenhof gardens, in their 63^rd year, plant over seven million flower bulbs for visitors to enjoy only from March 21 until May 20 of this year. What a treat and yes, your correspondent did find time to interview a tulip!

Interviewing tulips at Keukenhof on a very chilly day!

Sending Dad home, Kate and I embarked on another week of travel in Holland. A highlight of these days was a chance to visit with a first cousin, Karin Brandi, and her family who live in Bielefeld, Germany. Having not seen Karin for more than a decade, it was a special time to reconnect.

In summary, I can only offer a few tips to other intrepid travelers who are headed for Europe anytime soon. Pack light, pay attention to the weather forecasts, be flexible, wear comfortable shoes, take your sense of humor, ATM card, and something besides an American Express card since some merchants want MC or Visa. Be prepared to “bleed money” whether Euros, Swiss Francs or British sterling. Keep your eyes peeled for European violators of “left to curb” parking … we saw it everywhere from little villages to big cities with police cars even participating!

American cookies in Delft

Plan extra airport time due to increased security in Europe. You can keep your shoes on (unless wearing heels) through European TSA but better have all those carry-on liquids in the proper zip lock bag or you will be fussed at. You will walk and walk and walk and walk (in airports, cities, towns and foot paths) – but the good news is that all that exercise wonderfully combats the calories you accumulate eating the fresh breads and delicious jams offered at every meal. Plan ahead, leave valuables at home, keep money in secure zip pockets and have a wonderful adventure!

FILL A BAG FOR A GOOD CAUSE

If you have a mailbox at your home, you have certainly noticed the brown bags asking for food donations this Saturday. This drive is sponsored in part by the National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive. The instructions are simple: fill the bag with non-perishable good and leave it by your mailbox before your usual mail delivery time. Davidson’s mail carriers will bring all donations back to the post office on Saturday afternoon and Ada Jenkins is ready to receive them about 5 p.m. All items will be used in the Food Pantry at Ada Jenkins.

Lisa Lancaster, Davidson postal carrier for Davidson Landing area, will be looking for your bag of food donations on Saturday.

If you live in condos and have cluster mail boxes, just leave the bag near the base of the cluster. If you only have a post office box, bring any donations to the counter on Saturday between 10-1. For more information, go to “DriveToEndHunger.org/fillthebag.”

And just a note about support of Ada Jenkins: two weeks ago Davidson United Methodist Church presented Director Georgia Krueger with a check for $90,000 to support community services at the Center. Kudos to DUMC. We will have more on this gift in next week’s Around Davidson.

Support the library while getting a bargain!

BOOKS FOR ALL AGES

Did you find a good book at last Saturday’s Book Sale? Always a part of Town Day, our Davidson Public Library fills the Community Room with overstocks or donated books and sells them to raise money for our library. Librarian Rosie Chapman is in charge of this sale and reports that $772 was collected this past Saturday. Many books, paperbacks and videos are still available through Saturday, May 12. Be sure to stop by tomorrow or Saturday and fill a bag – especially with paperbacks which you can enjoy for summer reading and pass on to another.

NOTEWORTHY NOTE

Election year means those pesky robo-calls! These are the political phone calls urging your support of a certain candidate or issue on the ballot. Even with “caller ID,” it is often impossible to determine if the call is a legitimate or a political one. Hopefully with the primary over, we may have a breather for a few months until the presidential election gets into full swing. Oh, my!

We know that the Town of Davidson uses robo-calling to inform residents of items of specific concern. We got calls last Monday about the missing 11-year old around suppertime but the second call concerning his safe return to his family came at 10:15 p.m.

Calls after bedtime jar us awake somewhat frantic thinking that a family member is in trouble, a fence down or a cow loose on the highway. We appreciate our town keeping us informed but suggest not with phone calls after 9 p.m.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.

Churchill Downs spire (Elisabeth Davis photo)

By ELISABETH DAVIS

And they’re off! Yes, it’s Town Day on Saturday, but many of you may be also attending or hosting Kentucky Derby parties later, when the 138th Run for the Roses will be held. Derby railbirds will spot a most unusual sight this year, however: Hansen, an almost pure white thoroughbred, is among the favorites. He will be easy to spot in the cavalry charge of bays and chestnuts during the race, although his eccentric owner has been forbidden to dye the horse’s mane and tail blue (and yes, he’s done that). Will he win? Union Rags, Bodemeister, Dullahan, and 16 other horses will challenge him to the wire. (My favorite? Union Rags.) Enjoy Town Day and the Derby!

Around Davidson shares news this week of a baby shower for Brittany and Adam Kicklighter, the retirement of Hansford Epes, the ministry of DCPC’s Mary Margaret Porter, a free concert at Hopewell Baptist, and a book signing by Elisabeth Davis.

Susan Manning and daughters Tiffany, Ashley, and Brittany

APRIL SHOWER

Last Saturday, Brittany and Adam Kicklighter of Huntersville were honored at a baby shower hosted by the mother-to-be’s sisters, Ashley Gower of Clayton, NC, and Tiffany Fremder of Holly Spring. Brittany and Adam are expecting their first child, a girl to be named Emily Louise. Thirty members of the extended Kicklighter, Hutchins, Bost, Byers, and Manning families gathered at the home of Susan and Bob Manning in Davidson for the celebration. Susan reports that a “great time was had by all,” including special guests of honor, great-grandmothers Yvonne Byers and Doris Hutchins.

Brittany currently works in the Athletic Department of the Charlotte 49ers as Assistant Ticket Manager, and Adam is an 11th grade English teacher at Lake Norman Charter School. Best wishes to this young couple as they begin the adventure of parenthood!

Hansford Epes (Bill Giduz photo)

END OF AN ERA

When Hansford Epes, Registrar and Professor of German at Davidson College, retires this spring, he will leave behind a 48-year tenure of teaching and administrative excellence. A Davidson graduate, Epes returned to his alma mater in 1964 to begin a career that spanned several roles, each marked with his signature wit and brilliance.

Epes taught not only in the German program, but also Humanities, which gave him the opportunity to intersect with professors in other disciplines, allowing the “cross-pollination” of scholastic fields that Epes enjoys. He is perhaps best known for his signature lecture about the Honors Code, presented to legions of first-year students over the years.

A reception for faculty and staff was held in his honor last Friday at the college. (A tribute by college colleague John Syme appeared on May 1 on DavidsonNews.net. See “Sending Hansford Epes (not quite) into retirement”)

GRACE NOTES

Mary Margaret Porter‘s favorite Bible verses are Romans 12:9-21, verses that were read at her wedding and that inform her life and work: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” As the newly called Associate Pastor for Visitation at Davidson College Presbyterian Church, Rev. Porter’s main role will be to provide pastoral care for all, but particularly older members facing challenges. She says she is grateful for the opportunity to serve here.

Rev. Mary Margaret Porter of DCPC

Journeys seem to be a recurring theme for Mary Margaret, whether they be Biblical or personal. Rev. Porter says her own history “informed” her faith: adopted as a newborn, she says “I was a child of God first.” With adoptive parents who guided and encouraged her to do community outreach and service, she saw that every person became family. Her grandparents’ lives taught Mary Margaret what a gift aging could be, and now, as a pastor, she considers it an honor to sit with older adults as they tell their life stories or just need a quiet word.

Rev. Porter’s journey to the ministry began as a political science major at Davidson, class of ’98, where she took only one religion course — from John Kuykendall. When she came across the book “Walking the Bible” by Bruce Feiler a few years after graduation, it opened her eyes to the “physicality of truth” in the Bible, an exploration that eventually called her to the ministry. During divinity school at Duke, a “life-changing” seminar allowed her to visit the physical Biblical sites that had so intrigued her. In June, she will be ordained at her home church, First Presbyterian, in Charlotte.

Rev. Porter is a busy wife and mother as well: she and husband Fritz (a ’99 Davidson grad) have two boys — Hill, four and a half years old, and Mason, three. Soccer games are a priority for the children right now, and Hill has discovered a love of space science. If she has a spare moment, Mary Margaret, a “voracious” reader, grabs a Biblical history or historical fiction book.

Welcome back to Davidson, Mary Margaret!

Hopewell Baptist Church

HOPEWELL BAPTIST CONCERT

Hopewell Baptist Church invites your family to a Community Concert at the Corner this Saturday, May 5, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The church is located at the corner of Davidson-Concord Road and Barnhardt Road. The event is FREE, and the concert will “showcase three local contemporary Christian music groups: Jeremiah Eighteen from Stony Point, Arms of Mercy from Statesville, and the Coca-Cola Inspirational Praise Band from Concord. There will be activities for the children, including a bounce house, games, and face painting. Bring a blanket and/or chairs and join us for an evening of good music, food, fun and fellowship.”

Sounds like a wonderful way to end your Town Day festivities. For more information, call the church office at 704-892-3749.

Elisabeth Davis is a local writer who is filling in for the vacationing Brenda Barger. Brenda’s Around Davidson column will be back next week.

Book Signing on Saturday

BOOK SIGNING BENEFITS ANIMAL RESCUES

This Saturday during Town Day, Elisabeth Davis will be signing her new children’s picture book, Mo: A Throwaway Puppy Story; the author donates all her proceeds to rescues. Mo is the sequel to the popular Harley, The Throwaway Puppy, which raised almost $2000 for rescues in 2011. Main Street Books will host the signing from 10 a.m. to noon. Buy a book and support rescues!

Main St. holly bush

By ELISABETH DAVIS

When I told a friend I would be filling in for Brenda Barger while she had some R&R this week, he said, “No one fills in for Brenda. You may temporarily write her column, but like Ted Williams or Churchill, there’s only one Brenda.” So true. Now for some news!

Wintry weather made a cameo appearance in North Carolina this week, with snow in the mountains and chilly temperatures here in the Piedmont. Even so, the shrubs unaffected by the canker worm invasion of late displayed their abundant berries and flowers, as seen in the photo of this rather spectacular Main Street shrub.

Davidson has activities galore this weekend, including a Saturday morning book signing at Main St. Books for “One Town, Many Voices: A History of Davidson, North Carolina.” Around Davidson has news today of family Easter gatherings near and far, a pastor whose ministry includes canines, and an upcoming concert.

Nora and Lucy Chadwin, granddaughters of Carol Barber, in their Easter dresses

SPRING GETAWAYS

Easter week is a time of celebrations and family gatherings, and we share news of some of these. Carol Barber, a long-time Davidson resident now at The Pines, visited daughter Alleen Barber and family in Kew Gardens, N.Y., for her Easter break.

Carol says, “There were lots of Easter egg hunts for my twin 5-year-old granddaughters, Nora and Lucy. At the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, there was a mad dash by dozens of children hunting for both candy-filled eggs and a few eggs containing more significant treasures. Lucy found one which contained four tickets to a NY Mets game in May.”

Highlights included a somewhat windy visit to the top of the Empire State Building and a lunch with Alleen and her colleagues at Newsday, where she works in the Opinions Department. After a whirlwind trip, Carol reports she returned “happy but weary.” What fun!

Michael and Mark Muchane at Edisto Beach

Sun, waves, sand, and family time make the perfect getaway. Mur Muchane and his family headed south to Edisto Beach, S.C., over the Easter break, where they loved the “old-timey” feel of this un-commercialized area. Mur, Mary, and sons Michael and Mark found the drive down through the low country “the perfect prelude and postlude,” as Mur puts it, to the “downtime” of peaceful Edisto. Sounds like a wonderful respite from hectic schedules. Michael, a 9th grader at Woodlawn School, and Mark, a 2nd grader at Davidson Elementary, chased waves and generally had a great time. Mur says his family will definitely travel back to the area for its peaceful beauty.

Mikayla and Noah Chartier at Gettysburg National Military Park

Tim and Tanya Chartier, their children Noah and Mikayla, and Tim’s parents Jan and Myron Chartier traveled north to Gettysburg, Pa., for a multi-generational living history lesson.

Meeting up with aunts Mel and MaryJo, the group toured the Gettysburg National Military Park and the local Utz potato chip factory. Tanya says the trip originally began as a chance to accompany Tim as he performed math and mime shows and gave lectures, but the enrichment of touring battlefields now has both children excited about local history events, such as Latta Plantation’s Civil War Camp.

The Chartiers also report a successful — and extended — taste-testing of the delicious Utz chips. The family made the northbound trip again this past weekend for a sad occasion, however: the death of Tanya’s uncle, John A. Hoyt, former president of the United States Humane Society. As Tanya movingly puts it, “Family time is invaluable whether we gather to grieve or grow.”

OLD DOGS, NEW HOMES

Rev. Ann Gibert and Cabot, her Landseer Newfoundland

Brutus, the Great Dane/Mastiff mix, loved hugs; Katrina, the Lab/bull terrier, lost her home in a hurricane; Daisy, the cocker mix, cuddled. All these dogs and more have known the hospitality of Ann and James Gibert (formerly of Davidson), who now reside in Huntersville.

Parishioners at Huntersville United Methodist Church know the Rev. Ann Gibert as their Minister of Congregational Care, but few know that her nurturing extends to four-leggeds in need as well. As Ann tells it, her own beloved — and huge — “panda dog” Cabot inspired her to help homeless pets, which she does through Angels among Us Animal Sanctuary, a network of foster care and transport. After an animal rescue nursed Cabot, an elderly Landseer Newfoundland, through considerable medical problems so he could have a future, Ann decided to “pay it forward” by fostering. She now specializes in fostering older, low-energy dogs who need a place to stay while they find a family to own. A dog stays no more than three months, and help with vet bills is available. The joyful benefits are obvious. If you are interested in information about fostering or the Sanctuary, contact Ann at prchrmom@yahoo.com.

And that lovable giant, Cabot, now 10 years old? “He goes on mission trips with me,” says Ann. She says Cabot seems to seek out people in need: the elderly, the frail, the frightened. His large, dignified presence — all 100 pounds of him — creates peace. Besides, who could resist hugging a panda dog?

CHOIR CONCERT

Al Sudduth wants to remind us that the North Mecklenburg Community Chorus will soon be presenting “Bella Notte – a Musical Celebration of Italy – American Style” at Huntersville United Methodist Church, May 18-20, 2012. The evening of entertainment will feature Italian-inspired music, a dance floor for the adventurous, a silent auction, and coffee and dessert. For further information, visit the chorus website at www.NMCChorus.org or call 704-644-7368.

Paddy Millen: Where did you grow up and what was your elementary school experience like?

Dana Jarrett: Kannapolis Elementary School. That’s where I live now. I’m old enough that we didn’t go to kindergarten. I remember it being loving. It probably only had 200-300 students. Small compared to these days. I had some good teachers. I remember going to school with some of the same people from the first grade until when I graduated.

Very much like Davidson, my teachers lived in the community. They knew their neighbors, and they knew the people they worked with at school, and they spoke to you out in public. I have good memories of elementary school.

Dana Jarrett

PM: Did you have a favorite subject growing up?

DJ: I always liked Math. Math was always easy for me. I could catch on to whatever was going on in math, especially when I got to high school with Trigonometry, Advanced Algebra, and Geometry.

As I grew older, I enjoyed reading a lot more. Now I have learned how to understand and work with reading. I was always very proud of my students when they made progress in reading, because if you can’t read, you can’t get anywhere.

PM: Did you play any sports or have any hobbies?

DJ: I was a person that enjoyed individual sports like tennis or racquetball. I was very big into music, so I loved the band and couldn’t wait until I could play a musical instrument and play in the marching band in high school. I enjoyed that and enjoyed playing tennis. Of course, when you’re tall, everyone always thinks you’re good at basketball.

Find your strengths. Find what works for you in life, and be proud of it.

PM: How much did you know about Davidson and Davidson Elementary since you lived in Kannapolis?

DJ: Very little. I knew Davidson College was here, but I never knew where the elementary school was. So when I got an opportunity to interview for this position, I had to do a lot of research. I learned a lot. I learned a lot about the town, I learned a lot about the college. I came down and drove around and drove all through the neighborhoods and around the school and fell in love with the community. It’s a great place.

PM: That’s my favorite thing about Davidson Elementary, because everyone lives within biking distance.

DJ: It’s amazing, because I came from schools that didn’t even allow kids to walk home from school. It’s really different for me to have such an open environment and safe environment. I am very happy to be here and very proud to be a part of this school and this community. I hope it’s for a long, long time.

PM: What is your philosophy for how to best teach kids?

DJ: Every child can make it. Every boy or girl has a strength and a light, and every child can be successful doing something. You don’t have to be the smartest; you don’t have to be the one who has all the answers. When you work hard and you drill yourself and really challenge yourself, you can find success. That’s what I try to tell everyone here: It doesn’t matter how smart you are, it’s what you do with what you’ve got. That’s what I really want my kids to know here at Davidson. Whatever you do, do it the best you can. You miss out on so much when you don’t use your abilities and your brain.

PM: There is a big difference between the oldest kids in fifth grade and the youngest kids in kindergarten. How do you meet the educational needs of everyone when there is such a wide range of ages?

DJ: I think the biggest difference is how the children accept the teachers and me, as the principal. The little bitty friends are just like sponges. They soak it all up, and they just want to be accepted and know that you appreciate them. You know fifth graders still want to be accepted and know that you like them, but they are not so open with it. Fifth graders have to protect their egos a little bit more. They’re getting their personalities a little stronger. They’re getting ready to go into middle school, but they’re still great kids and absolutely amazing. You just have to approach each grade level at their age. I’ve taught several different levels, but it’s the same thing where you challenge kids to do their best. I think it’s the openness that comes back. It’s not cool for a fifth grade boy to shed a tear. Kindergartners don’t care. They just let it fly.

I think it’s important to let every child know that they can be successful and that it’s OK to be your own person. It’s really OK to be who you are, but don’t compromise that to be like someone else. Stand firm in who you are, and remember that there is some parent who is trusting you to make the right decisions, and there are some teachers that believe in you to make the right decisions. The older you get, the more your decisions influence someone else. Our little kindergartners think the fifth graders are just the best. It’s really important for the fourth and fifth graders to know that there are little children watching them, just like you have sports heroes and your parents who set great examples. Just like there is someone in the world you want to be like, there are little kids that want to be just like you too. It’s in how you dress and how you act, your manners, how happy you are all the time.

Dana Jarrett

PM: What is one area where you think Davidson Elementary is lacking presently and needs improvement and how are we going to go about that?

DJ: One thing that I want to see with my teachers and my students is every child being challenged as an individual. Our parents want their children challenged. I want us to work hard in preparing our kids better for their future, whether their future is going from first grade to second to third, or if their future is getting ready for middle school, or if their future is taking them to high levels of learning they never thought they could do. Our teachers are really great. We have some of the best teachers I’ve ever been around. We’re going to do it, and we’re going to do it right. Davidson is going to be a place where everybody wants to come, I promise.

Our students are blessed to have great parents behind them. I’ve taught in schools where it’s not like that. It’s very difficult for students to concentrate on learning when no one supports them at home. Our students are very blessed and somewhat spoiled in this, because that’s just what they know, and they don’t know there is a difference. I never take our parents for granted. They’re great people. They are a great support system. Parents are my best friends a lot of times to get my children where they need to be.

PM: What do you like most about the daily interaction with the students?

DJ: Seeing the students learn and be happy at school. Seeing kids in the classrooms, drilling and studying with each other, and smiling about it. I want kids to want to come to school. I want to create a school with my teachers that kids can’t wait to get back to. If parents see that their children are learning and happy, then they are happy too.

PM: If there was one thing that you’d like the parents of your kids to know, what would it be?

DJ: One thing I want parents to know and I try to tell every parent I see is, your child is just as important to me as he is to you. I’m here for the children. Whatever it takes for our children to be successful is what I am willing to do. My door is always open. I always try to address parents’ calls and emails. I’m always here to talk with them. We’re partners – parents and teachers and principals – in what it takes to make your children successful. I think some parents are as afraid to come into the principal’s office as their kids are. I’m a very approachable person. I like knowing we’re working together for the right reasons. It’s all about being open with each other. I don’t have anything to prove. I just want what’s best for the kids.

Paddy Millen, 14, is an 8th Grader at Bailey Middle School and lives in Davidson.

Early morning sunshine on favorite Barger bovines watching the grass grow.

Hard to believe that April is two thirds gone! Busy weeks ahead for spring sports, gardening projects, Town Day, pool openings, graduations and much more. Don’t forget this weekend’s Art on the Green two-day festival in Davidson and next week’s Buzzkill basketball tournament and Summit Coffee fundraiser to help the UN Foundation’s Nothing but Nets campaign (April 23-28) to raise $10,000 to send mosquito bed nets to Sudan. Stop by Summit for more information.

Yesterday’s rain was so welcome making everything in Davidson just that much greener. Horses, cows, sheep and goats are loving the abundant grass in the pastures and finally the deer seem to have enough forage and give our shrubs and bedding plants a breather.

Around Davidson has news today of plants, beautiful blooms, books, movies and a golf benefit.

Ciarra Clayton, Topacio Tapia, Houston Beasley, Turquoise McCaskill, Nolan Beasley, Delandra Taylor, Melvin Lockhart, LaDaja Bowers, and Aaron Anderson.

HORTICULTURE … LET IT GROW ON YOU

“Horticulture … let it grow on you” is the theme this spring for the North Mecklenburg High School’s Horticulture Club’s Spring Plant Sale this Saturday, April 21, from 8-noon, rain or shine. Horticulture teacher, Stephanie Anderson, has had her students working hard for months to provide a wonderful variety of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, hanging baskets and mixed pots. All plants were grown and cared for by horticulture students and the proceeds go back to support North’s horticulture program for the 2012-2013. An early spring break for public school students has put this spring’s sale a little late but you will be well rewarded with a stop to purchase strong plant material on Saturday morning.

Follow the signs through the bus parking lot to the greenhouse. Students will be on hand to answer questions and help you fill the trunk of your car. You may notice that the prices have gone up a bit but Stephanie reminds us that no taxes will be charged. The price you see is the price you pay – a big change from the past. This is a good way to support the students at North. See you at the sale.

Sally DuBose is up early to cut camellia blossoms for sharing with Pines' residents

BLOOMS A-PLENTY

How often we hear people say that they find Davidson is such a caring community. A neighbor’s grass gets cut, a casserole appears at the door, a box of non-perishable food is left at Ada Jenkins or an overflowing carton of camellia blossoms is delivered to The Pines for residents to take and enjoy in their apartments. Last week we caught McConnell resident Sally DuBose in the act! She was bringing a box of beautiful deep pink camellia blossoms to The Pines. Commenting that the camellia bush was “just overflowing” this year, we learned that this is not the first box of blooms Sally has donated.

Kudos to you, Sally, for bringing so many smiles to others with the simple gift of a flower.

Let's dig on Saturday!

LET’S DIG

Connie Beach reminds us that this Saturday is Work Day at the Community Garden on Potts Street just west of the railroad tracks behind Fuel Pizza. There will be lots of dirt to dig, weeds to pull, seeds to plant and tomato seedlings to set out. Connie and her husband, Eddie, work tirelessly on this garden with many others to provide many vegetables not only to those who tend the garden but also to donate the abundance to our food pantry. If you are over that way, stop by and inquire how you can get involved.

MOVIE CHATTER

We all love Our Town Cinemas! The theater is close, comfortable and offers a great variety of food and drink. Manager Jan Black keeps us informed about new movies and has a special note about a new film opening tomorrow. In support of “April is for Arts,” the movie theater has partnered with the Town of Davidson, the Davidson Library and Main Street Books with the opening of “The Lucky One.”

This movie is based on a Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name and will be playing in Davidson April 20-26. Since works by this NC writer have often been book club selections, Our Town Cinemas is offering a special showing for book clubs on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:15. Moviegoers that night will get the $7 group rate if they purchase in advance and buy as a club, not as individuals. Call Our Town Cinemas for reservations at 704-237-3238 or for more information, go to www.ourtowncinemas.com .

MEET JOHN WOOD

Not our Mayor whose last name has an “s” (John Woods) but John Colman Wood, son of Ken and Sauni Wood of North Main Street in Davidson. John, an Associate Professor of Anthropology at UNC-Asheville, will be in town this weekend to talk about and read from his first novel, “The Names of Things.” This event will be held at Main Street Books on Saturday, April 21, at 11 a.m.

John Wood, son of Ken and Sauni, will be signing copies of his novel Saturday at Main Street Books

John has published a number of things before now but mostly of an academic nature. He was 18 when his parents moved to town and some of our older residents may remember when he worked at the Peregrine House and even spent time reporting for the old Mecklenburg Gazette newspaper before moving on to the Charlotte Observer and the New York Times in North Carolina and Florida. After college at Warren Wilson, John married Carol Young, also a graduate of Warren Wilson, and they traveled to teaching jobs in Western Kenya. Back in the States, John worked again for the New York Times in Raleigh before receiving a fellowship to earn a PhD in Anthropology from Emory.

John’s mother, Sauni, tells us that during his PhD studies, John did his field work in Northern Kenya in the desert with the Gabra, camel herding tribes. His years in Africa certainly contributed to this remarkable first novel. We have to add a word about John’s wife, Carol, who is a master quilter and also works as a therapist in Asheville holding a graduate degree in social work from UNC-Chapel Hill. Hope Carol will be able to join John this weekend so we all can get to know this talented couple a little better – and extend congratulations to John on his first novel. Be sure to stop by Main Street Books on Saturday at 11.

Dick Sanderson and his wife, Dawn, at a recent family wedding

DRIVING 4 LIFE

“Driving 4 Life” has become a familiar phrase for many in Davidson as it is the name given to the annual benefit supporting ALS research and the family of Dick Sanderson who continues to battle this debilitating disease. Started by friends of Dick after his September 2004 diagnosis of ALS, this April 26 marks the Eighth Annual Dick Sanderson Driving4Life event. Held at Davidson’s River Run Country Club, there will be an enjoyable day of golf followed by an evening of fun.

Close friend of the Sanderson family, Greg O’Brien of Davidson, comments, “Throughout his illness Dick and his wife, Dawn, continue to amaze us with their positive outlook and deep commitment not only to each other but to their whole extended family of friends. Dick, Dawn and their three children live in Davidson where Dick was a partner in Environmental Design, a land planning/engineering firm. To learn more about this benefit and sign up to support it, visit www.dicksandersondriving4life.org.

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.

White irises (Brenda Barger/DavidsonNews.net)

Glad to see tissues on sale everywhere: You need one in every pocket these days to combat runny eyes and drippy noses from all the pollen floating through our spring air. It is also a good idea to have one to swipe at the tiny worms that have invaded our porches and yards. Looks like next year will see a lot of anti-worm bands encircling our beautiful trees. At least they are not affecting the hydrangeas and iris which currently are showing us Mother Nature’s most splendid side.

Today Around Davidson reports on a family visit for Sonja Krummel, news of Baby Robyn Walters and a few Noteworthy Notes.

A BUSY WEEK FOR ROBYN EILEEN WALTERS

Top: Baby Robyn Walters rests happily with mom Kristi Kessler Walters while Grandma Harriet Kessler looks on. Lower left: Auntie Margo Williams loves to rock Baby Robyn as does Cousin Robyn Moncrief (left) from Florida. Lower right: Grandpa Steve Kessler holds Baby Robyn Eileen Walters with Kristi close by.

Baby Robyn Walters had her coming out party in Davidson last week and what a wonderful occasion it was. Baby Robyn, just over four months old, is the daughter of Jerry and Kristi Kessler Walters of Charlotte and the granddaughter of Harriet and Steve Kessler of Davidson. A large group of family and friends gathered at the home of aunt Margo Williams (Harriet’s sister) for a late afternoon drop-in. In addition to Margo, other hostesses included Rosie Molinary (Kristi’s sister-in-law), Stephanie Glaser, Missy Kuykendall, Susan Nelson and Jane Avinger.

Perfect weather allowed the guests to spill out onto the screen porch, deck and garden. Lots of conversation as guests visited but baby Robyn slept through most of the party in the welcoming arms of seasoned “Moms” who delighted in rocking the “young lady” in well placed porch rockers.

It was certainly a busy week for baby Robyn. Following the Friday party was a Sunday baptism for this beautiful baby girl at Charlotte’s Covenant Presbyterian Church. The baby’s grandfather and church elder, Steve Kessler, stood with the proud parents as Robyn Eileen Walters was baptized. In addition to Steve and Harriet Kessler of Davidson, paternal grandparents, Mary Ann and Jerry Walters of Indian Land, S.C., also were present at the ceremony. Relatives and special friends traveled from as close as around the corner in Charlotte to Davidson, Pineville, Gastonia and Belmont and from as far away as San Antonio, Texas, Charleston, S.C., Delray Beach, Fla., Birmingham, Ala., and Kennesaw, Ga., to celebrate with the family. The dress that Robyn wore was worn by her mom Kristi at the wedding of her Aunt Bubba (Margo) and Uncle Bill Williams in March of 1972 when Kristi was very small.

A FAMILY VISIT FOR SONJA KRUMMEL

Sonja enjoyed a visit from her son, Jens Krummel, of New York

What a treat to visit with Sonja Krummel and her son, Jens, recently at The Pines. The Pines has its own resident directory with hometowns listed including many towns in our area with a sprinkling of places in Ohio, Connecticut, Florida and Texas. Sonja and her late husband, Carl, however, moved to The Pines from Vaud, Switzerland, (near Geneva) in 2005. Sonja was born in Chicago, of Norwegian parents, and spoke only Norwegian until kindergarten. Carl’s family had a German/French background and lived in Brooklyn where he was born. The couple met while earning degrees from Queens College in New York City, married in 1952, and had a life of remarkable adventures.

After serving in World War II, Carl embarked on a dream to promote peace while working for an international organization. To this end, he took a job with the United Nations In New York which led to employment with UNICEF in Beirut, the Arab Refugee Organization (UNRWA) and finally with the International Labour Orgnization (ILO) in Geneva until his retirement in 1984. Their first child, Wendy, was born in New York but the next additions to the family, Jens and Sharon, were born in Beirut, Lebanon. From the Middle East to assignments in Switzerland, the family all became fluent in French.

Their older daughter, Wendy Ikoku, and her family live in Charlotte. Wanting to be closer to their three grandchildren, The Pines was a logical move for Carl and Sonja. Other children, Sharon, lives in Brighton, England, and Jens lives in Queens, N.Y. Son Jens spent last week at The Pines visiting his mother and taking care of a few chores while he was on spring break from his teaching of drama at the East West School of International Studies in Flushing, N.Y. After 20 years as a professional actor, he now is in his fourth year sharing his stage talent by teaching 6-12 graders how to act – need we say more?

A bench in memory of the late Carl Krummel was placed near the Davidson Farmer's Market, with this sign.

For Sonja and her son, Jens, it was a special time to talk about the new Davidson Society of Friends Meeting House, which is a favorite focus for Sonja. (The Friends will soon have their own beautiful worship space next to Davidson Elementary School – See Feb. 9, 2012, “Quakers to break ground Sun. on South St. meeting house.”) It was also a time to visit the bench under the pin oak between the Town Hall and Farmer’s Market, which the Krummel family placed in Carl’s memory after his death in 2009. Carl loved to walk and always carried reading material with him for use during the times when he needed to rest. He loved Davidson but commented frequently on how few benches graced our walkways and sidewalks. How happy he was to see benches appearing in so many places before his death.

Sonja loves visits from her family but also loves the many lectures, musical programs and book reviews at The Pines. In her spare time she enjoys reading and is a member of the retirement home’s library committee. Hope we will see Jens back soon.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

STILL WATERS ALONG GRIFFITH STREET

Miss the fountain? It is under repair and will return soon

Have you noticed that the fountain is missing in Roosevelt Wilson Pond along Griffith Street? We have gotten used to the delightful sprays of windblown water in the middle of what we used to fondly call “Algae Pond” and suddenly noticed that the water remained still without a trace of the fountain structure. Doug Wright of the Town of Davidson tells us that the fountain is being repaired and the motor replaced. Good news for residents and resident water fowl. Hope the maintenance goes quickly. We miss the fountain.

A WORD TO THE WISE

Oh, Oh. Just when we thought it was safe to pull into those much maligned parking spaces along Peninsula Drive at our Exit 30 Harris Teeter, we hear that the volunteer traffic police are hard at work ticketing cars parked “left to curb.” Yes, we know the DMV rules make it illegal, but we also know that without signage alerting shoppers to their motor vehicle violations, it gives public relations in Davidson a very black eye!

(EDITOR’S NOTE: State law allows parking only on the right side of the road,  facing the same direction as traffic. Download a copy of the N.C. DMV’s “2012 Driver Handbook.” PDF)

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbbarger@gmail.com.