Manny Ohonme, founder of Samaritan's Feet, talks to volunteers at Ada Jenkins Center Saturday. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Manny Ohonme looked out across the Ada Jenkins Center gym Saturday morning and nodded approvingly. Volunteers were washing feet and fitting new shoes on needy children in the center’s second annual shoe giveaway, sponsored by Mr. Ohonme’s nonprofit Samaritan’s Feet. Outside hundreds waited their turn.

“I was the product of someone else’s generosity 30 years ago,” he said. “This has inspired me.” Read the full story

HUNTERSVILLE – The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation, a nonprofit organization seeking to improve the quality of life for the economically poor, women, children and the elderly, awarded a $40,000 grant to Hope House Foundation in Huntersville this month. The grant, which promises $20,000 a year for two years, will help maintain the residence, a 12-bed facility providing assistance to homeless women and children. Read the full story

The Ada Jenkins Center and Samaritan’s Feet will give away 400 pairs of new athletic shoes to children through age 17 Saturday. The event begins at 10 a.m. at Ada Jenkins gym, 212 Gamble St., Davidson. Organizers said Monday that pre-registration has reached its limit.
Read the full story

Bluegrass band Natural Selection opened Saturday night. More photos below. (Wes Harkins photo)

The third annual Barnstock music festival – two nights of live local bands on the Brown family farm off N.C. 73 – raised $6,500 for Davidson Volunteer Fire Department over the weekend.

The event attracted 169 people Friday night for an “Old Folks Barnstock” with several local bands and an older crowd. Another 684 music lovers showed up Saturday for the main Barnstock event, a 15-and-over show that featured five different local bands. Read the full story

More than 550 people attended last year's Barnstock, at the Brown farm. Organizer Miles Brown thinks there could be 750 this year.

Wow, what a weekend we have ahead for local music, from two nights of music at Barnstock on the Brown farm in Huntersville to outdoor concerts Saturday in Cornelius and Sunday in Davidson. And there’s a lot more in between.

It’s the third year for Barnstock, so named because it’s in and out of the Brown family’s barn on Black Farms Road, off N.C. 73 in Huntersville. This year, Barnstock is expanding to two nights: Beside Saturday’s lineup of five bands of teens and 20-somethings, they’ve added a Friday night concert they’re calling “Old Folks Barnstock” – for the over-21 crowd. Read the full story

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

Matthews native Ben Fuller returns to the area this week for a special meeting with the Lake Norman Kiwanis Club and community members. An accomplished trumpet player, Mr. Fuller is working with Kiwanians to bring to the area a unique program that will expose underprivileged children to instruments at an early age and foster a love of music as they grow. Read the full story

Lake Norman Christian School says it has many questions, but will begin negotiations next week with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools about leasing the former Davidson IB Middle School on South Street.

CMS announced Wednesday that the school board picked Lake Norman Christian to lease the aging school, at 251 South St. Read the full story

Scott Nolan

Davidson College announced Thursday that it has hired Scott A. Nolan as the new general manager of classical public radio station WDAV-FM, 89.9. Mr. Nolan has a background in radio, and comes to WDAV from Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina, where he has been director of development.
Read the full story