Davidson Farmer’s Market is holding a poster-design contest for young artists in grades K-5. The winning image will be featured a poster promoting the Winter Tailgate Market, which runs from November to March. Read the full story

Davidson United Methodist Church's Great Pumpkin Patch was scheduled to open Thursday at noon at the McKay Youth House on South Main Street. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

DUMC's pumpkin patch is open on South Main Street. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

An army of young volunteers unloaded pumpkins from trucks Wednesday to stock the Great Pumpkin Patch for Missions at the Davidson United Methodist Church’s Molly McKay Youth House on South Main Street.

The Pumpkin Patch was scheduled to open Thursday, Sept. 29, at noon and run through Halloween, Monday, October 31st. Items for sale include pumpkins of all sizes, decorative corn, gourds, baked goods, and more. Proceeds will go toward youth mission trips at the church. Read the full story

The Davidson Committee on Aging, which began life in 2007 as a task force looking at senior issues, is continuing to evolve this fall. The group has a new chair – Mary Anne Hammond – and began work on a new set of goals during a half-day workshop in mid-September. Among those goals: Improving local services for seniors, developing a senior center, and improving mobility for older residents.  Read more on our YOUNG AT HEART page.

The Town of Davidson is accepting nominations through Oct. 1 for the G. Jackson Burney Community Service Award. The Award honors the late Mr. Burney and those who improve the Davidson community through unselfish service. The annual award is presented each November at a community event at Town Hall the Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving. Read the full story

Scott Nolan

Scott A. Nolan started work this month as general manager of Davidson-based classical public radio station WDAV-FM, 89.9. In a video interview with DavidsonNews.net, Mr. Nolan called 32-year-old WDAV one of America’s great classical music radio stations, and said he hopes to help it keep the music accessible to a wide audience for another 32 years. He also talked about a favorite piece of music that once “stopped him in his tracks,” and what he sees as his role as the head of a classical public radio station. Read the full story

Sammy Sherrill

N.C. Center for Nonprofits
Sammy Sherrill and his mother needed a place to live in their hometown of Davidson. Rent was rising fast. When the Davidson Housing Coalition helped him find a house on Sloan Street, Mr. Sherrill said, “I didn’t just get a rental house, I joined a family. The DHC people watched out for me and my mom, and took care of us.”

Years later, he took the organization’s financial management class and qualified to move with his two sons into a brand new, two-bedroom unit in the Creekside Corners duplexes. A 10-year employee in Ingersoll-Rand’s shipping and receiving department, Mr. Sherrill said the reduced DHC rent allows him and his boys “to keep our heads above water.” Read the full story

Local Girl Scouts troops on Oct. 1 will be going door-to-door in Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville to collect canned goods for the Loaves & Fishes food pantry at the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson and the one at Huntersville United Methodist Church. They are asking community members to donate “A can if you can” to help feed the hungry. Read the full story

Valerie Carlock and Sandra Gonzalez are counselors for United Family Services in the Lake Norman area. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

The Lake Norman region’s growth in recent years has brought not only an influx of new neighbors, but also new challenges and needs, especially when it comes to social services. Since 1999, the nonprofit United Family Services has been growing to meet those needs, offering consumer credit and housing counseling, mental health counseling and help for domestic violence victims.

This Saturday, the agency hosts its 2nd annual Cruise for Change on Lake Norman to help support the regional office in Cornelius. Saturday night’s cruise includes music and refreshments, a silent auction and a drawing for an iPad2. (Details below) Read the full story