It is the second week of January and some of us are still penning greetings on Christmas cards. Better work quickly since postage on first-class letters goes up a penny in 12 days. We have a note about postage and post offices today in Around Davidson as well as news of new books on the market by authors Bob Williams and Gretchen Hummel. We also include many smiling faces from third graders at Community School of Davidson involved in community service.
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 22nd 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.
