Hannah Montana and a beautiful bride were perfect choices for Trick or Treat costumes Saturday.

Halloween is behind us and we move on to Election Day, which is today for our state, county and town.  If you did not participate in Early Voting, come to your precinct and make your vote count today.  Davidson has two precincts:  Town Hall (#206) and Hopewell Baptist Church (#127). Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.  Anyone in line at 7:30 will be allowed to vote.  See you at the polls.

It is now November and the holiday gift catalogs begin clogging our mailboxes.  Good idea to call the toll free number and ask that your name be removed from the mailing list if you do not use the catalog or prefer online shopping.  It will make a difference in your clutter, the weight of your recycling bin and maybe even save a few trees.  Today Around Davidson has two good ideas for alternative giving:  clean water in Africa and support of orphans in Nepal – both programs supported by Davidson volunteers.  We also have news of a new grandbaby for Evan and Marcia Webster, birthday wishes for Garnet McAllister and an honor for John Kuykendall.

THESE BIRTHDAYS JUST GET BETTER!

Garnet McAllister

Something about the “clean living” at The Pines Retirement Community that gives birthday celebrating a whole new meaning.  We are talking about those residents who are celebrating 100 years and more.  Today we salute Garnet McAllister who is 101 today!  Happy Birthday, Garnet.

Garnet has lived at The Pines for the past 12 coming from Akron, Ohio, to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law, Alice and Dave Garbrick, who live in River Run.  They can be seen checking on “Mom” most days since Garnet’s eyesight is not quite what it used to be but otherwise this sharp, witty, charming “young lady” does not begin to show her age and continues in her “independent living” apartment.  Hope your day is wonderful, Garnet, and full of well wishes from near and far.

CRADLE ROLL

Robert Walker Armfield has arrived!

Big sis Hatherley Armfield is thrilled with her newborn brother, Walker.

Wonderful news for Marcia and Evan Webster who now have a new grandchild to spoil.  Robert Walker Armfield was born on October 14.  Baby Walker weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and stretched to 20 inches.  Proud parents are Wade and Laurin Armfield and proud big sister is Hatherley, almost 2 1/2 years old.  Grandma Marcia traveled to the Armfield’s home in Richmond just before Walker’s arrival and returned reluctantly to Davidson a week later just after the baby came home.  Marcia remarked that Hatherley’s first comments on seeing her new brother were, “Oh, it’s so cute!”  Congratulations on the new arrival to all the family.  Bet the Websters will be making quite a few “road trips” up I-85 to Richmond!

HAYDEN BOYD – AN ADVOCATE FOR CLEAN WATER

For the past four years, Davidson resident Hayden Boyd has traveled to Malawi and neighboring African countries to bring the gift of clean water to thousands of people.  Joining with Marion Medical Mission (MMM), he has worked with volunteers digging shallow wells for inhabitants of East African countries who suffer from poor health due to lack of clean water.  This organization puts every dollar donated directly into its programs.  A contribution of $350 to MMM will build a well and provide you with a photo of happy villagers surrounding their new source of water.  Just ask Ben Wyatt who raised enough money last spring to fund two much needed wells.

Happiness is a clean water well for a group of school children and adults in Malawi

How much we take clean water for granted!  Often we hear the admonition not to leave the water running while we brush out teeth.  Just think what those estimated 18 glasses of clean water running down our drains would mean to natives in sub-Saharan Africa.  Hayden can tell you first hand.  He recently returned to Davidson from a five-week trip to Malawi and Zambia with  Marion Medical Mission (www.marionmedical.org).

He and other volunteers worked with MMM’s African staff to help villagers install protected shallow wells for clean drinking water.  The goal this year is to install 2,000 wells in Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania before the rains come in November.  After spending two weeks in Malawi helping with preparations and visiting friends and former Mzuzu University colleagues, Hayden joined other volunteers who came for the well installations.  He drove a 4 wheel-drive pickup to carry the pump installation crews to 45 well sites, recorded information for each well, and took a digital picture of the villagers at their new well.

Challenges included many hours driving on unimproved and nonexistent roads, many lengthy hikes up and down steep hills to well sites not accessible to any vehicle, four flat tires, and several hours mired in axle-deep water and mud trying to cross a stream.  “It seems that every time I started to get tired, or cranky over the latest setback,” he says, “we would come to the next village to find women dancing and singing with joy, children crowding around, and everybody reaching out to shake the visiting musunga’s (white man’s) hand.  Their joy was contagious, and when we finished the installation I would leave the village refreshed and renewed.”  Thanks, Hayden, for your tireless support of clean water and MMM.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE – ONE CHILD AT A TIME

Marcie and Alecia Westphalen, Audrey Gyurgyik and Around Davidson's own Brenda Barger.

Mention of Peter Hess’ brother, Mike Hess, has appeared more than once in this column.  Mike is the founder of Papa’s House and the charity that oversees it, Nepal Orphans’ Home.  He lives outside Kathmandu making a difference daily in the lives of Nepali orphans.  Two weeks ago, your correspondent had the privilege of eating lunch with Boo and Peter as well as volunteers who have spent months in Nepal.  Two, Marcie Westphalen and her daughter, Alecia, from Raleigh, have volunteered at Papa’s House several times.  Audrey Gyurgyik, a Davidson College sophomore, took a gap year between high school and Davidson immersing herself in the culture and language of Nepal by living with a Nepali family in the remote foothills of the Himalayas.  We add these women to a growing list of volunteers making a difference.

The luncheon conversation was full of reminiscing over this tiny but fascinating country. Marcie, Alecia, Boo and Peter, plan to return to Nepal in summer 2010 to work again with the children of Papa’s House, now numbering over 100. Audrey has established a project in Nepal, raising funds to buy school benches and books for the children of Kavre, a remote Nepali village without electricity or running water, doctors or medicine, due to its precarious location. Soon the Nepal Orphans Home volunteers may be able to help Audrey with the projects she has in mind for Kavre. Please read about the programs that are bringing hope to Nepali children at www.thekavreproject.org and www.nepalorphanshome.org.  Good choices for holiday giving.

AN HONOR FOR JOHN SPEAKING ON HONOR (AND TRUST)

YouTube brings us video clips of all sorts of news.  This time they have hit a WINNER.  Check out remarks Davidson College President Emeritus John Kuykendall (Class of ’59) offered on the subjects of  trust and honor before receiving an honorary degree at 2009 Fall Convocation, held October 24 at the college.  Access John’s wise words on http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidsonCollegeNC#p/u/1/IICwse8M7JA.

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