Today marks the beginning of the wonderful celebration of our town known as Christmas in Davidson.  This celebration has changed a lot over the years from a simple block party to a really big show that encompasses South Main, Sadler Square, the Brickhouse and even Davidson Commons.  (This year’s festival will be scaled back a bit.) What a nice time to showcase our town each evening (tonight through Saturday) from 6-9 p.m.  The weather should be crisp and clear.  Just right for holiday cheer.  But don’t forget the Christmas Parade Saturday at 1 p.m. that begins at Griffith and Main streets in Davidson and ends near the Cornelius fire station on N.C. 115.

Before focusing on Christmas and the holiday season, Around Davidson takes a moment to highlight a special birthday for Foy Ingram, a special honor for Shelley Rigger, a special Thanksgiving idea of Gina Mayes and a note about NMHS’s horticultural sale this Saturday.  There is also a Noteworthy Note about a BIG entry in the North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade.

Happy Birthday, Foy Ingram!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FOY

Lots of celebrating this past weekend as residents of The Pines at Davidson retirement community filled the mailbox of a special “young lady” with birthday greetings.  Foy Ingram turned 107 on Sunday!  That’s right: Foy is 107 years young.  She still enjoys her apartment in Independent Living, walks daily for exercise, plays bridge twice a week and has enjoyed life at The Pines since December of 1988.  Wow!  Best belated birthday wishes from everyone at DavidsonNews.net.

John and Anna Harris with some of the food boxes collected for Ada Jenkins

GIVING THANKS

Gina Mayes Harris of Mayes Harris Realty held her first annual Thanksgiving pie giveaway in the quaint log cabin at Ramah Church in Huntersville to thank her clients for their business.  In addition to giving away 31 pies (half pecan, half pumpkin) to over 55 people, Harris requested that each person bring a contribution for the Loaves and Fishes pantry at the Ada Jenkins Center.  “We had over 8 boxes of food, and the entire back of my SUV was full,” exclaimed Harris. “My children, (John, 3, a pre-schooler at Ramah Church, and Anna, 10, a fifth grader at Davidson Elementary School), had a ball gathering together the food.  They said it was an event they’d never forget.”

What a nice idea!  We hope that Gina continues to make this a Thanksgiving holiday tradition.  Little things do really make a difference!

Shelley with some of her former Davidson students (back, from left): Idris Evans, Whitey Bolan, Kate Sternstein, David Stroup, Brian Aoyama, Aaron Saltzman, Laura Cepeda, Andrew Wilkins, Shelley Rigger and Olivia Jones

AN HONOR FOR SHELLEY RIGGER

It isn’t every day we get to report “breaking news” on one of our own at DavidsonNews.net.  Shelley Rigger, the wife of editor David Boraks (and what Davidson likes to call the site’s “chief financial backer”) received a nice honor recently.  Shelley, the Brown Professor of Political Science at Davidson College, was elected to the Board of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR). According to Shelley, this Board “has played a big role in modern U.S.-China relations from the very beginning.  In the early 1970s, it organized the ping-pong matches that were the first opening of modern U.S.-China communication.  It has always been very important in keeping U.S.-China relations on track, especially at times when government-to-government relations were strained.”

Shelley has worked on projects with the NCUSCR for more than a decade but now is a member of the board for the next two years.  Carla Hills, former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, chairs the NCUSCR.  Former U.S. Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright sit on the board as well.  Shelley will continue her regular teaching responsibilities at Davidson College but expects some travel related to her newly elected position.  (She does not anticipate any impact from the recent WikiLeaks published material.)

Rigger/Boraks family. (l-r) Tilly, Emma, Shelley and David.

In addition to her college and NCUSCR work, Shelley is also nearing publication of a new volume on Taiwan (her area of expertise) in 2011.  Titled “Why Taiwan Matters,” Shelley hopes that her book will be helpful to people seeking to understand the upcoming March 2012 presidential election on this small island and why it matters.

When not involved in academic pursuits, Shelley can be found at home relaxing with daughters, Emma (13) and Tilly (9), tending Niku, an elderly feline, or checking on goldish, Milford and Lily – not to mention trying to drag hubby, David, away from his DavidsonNews.net desk!

Megan Randall, Anna Wheeler, and Marieka Wood.

HOLIDAY PLANTS AT NORTH

The Horticultural Classes at North Mecklenburg High School (NMHS) under the watchful eye of teacher Stephanie Anderson will hold their Holiday Sale at the school’s greenhouse this Saturday, December 4, from 9-noon.  There will be a great assortment of poinsettias from the 4-inch small to the large floor plants with a basket.

In addition the students will be selling amaryllis, paperwhites, holiday cactus and spring bulbs.  If you missed getting enough pansies for winter planting, you are in luck since there will be pansies available and some mixed pots of pansies, rosemary and bulbs.

This is always a nice chance to visit with the students, hear their enthusiasm for gardening and brighten your home with wonderful plants.  See you there.

Come see the Clydesdales which will be in the Christmas Parade this Saturday.

NOTEWORTHY NOTE

Be sure to bring your camera to this Saturday’s parade which begins in Downtown Davidson.  A special attraction will be the Hunter family entry of a team of quite rare black Clydesdales pulling a large wagon filled with members of the Hunter family.

Many in our area know brothers West and Jason Hunter who graduated from North Mecklenburg High School and own Hunter Construction Group.  Both now live in Iredell County with their families.  Jason is mainly responsible for the Clydesdale team which competes nationally in shows and recently was featured at the N.C. State Fair.  (Watch for an “up close and personal” feature on this family and their horses next week in Around Davidson.)

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