Updated 4:30 p.m.
By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson’s Ada Jenkins Center will expand its Learn Works after-school program this fall when it adds 30 students in grades 1-5 from J.V. Washam Elementary School in Cornelius. The regional community services center also plans a satellite program at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church that for the first time will allow Learn Works to serve sixth graders. Read the full story

On March 3, Davidson College will host the 6th annual ICE Gala, benefiting the Ada Jenkins Center, a regional community services center on Gamble Street in Davidson.

Money raised at the annual event will support the center’s many programs, including LEARN Works – which provides tutoring for 60 area elementary children from Davidson and Cornelius elementary; the Mobile Community Dental Clinic and the Center’s free medical clinic, and other programs. Read the full story

Roy Alexander (left), executive director of Davidson Lands Conservancy, and Russ Gavitt hatched the idea of a jazz-and-art fundraiser. They're standing in front of a new gazebo the DLC built at the Lake Davidson Nature Preserve, off Jetton Street.

Russ Gavitt has been a longtime supporter of the Davidson Lands Conservancy, but this year, he was looking for a way to do more. Over coffee with the conservancy’s executive director Roy Alexander recently, the photographer and Davidson resident helped come  up with the idea of staging an art and music fund-raiser.

On Friday, Feb. 24, Mr. Gavitt and other artists will be selling their work while a jazz quartet performs at “Spread the Love,” an arts reception to benefit three Davidson institutions: the lands conservancy, the Community School of Davidson and the Ada Jenkins Center. It will run from 7-10 p.m. at Homewood Suites, 125 Harbour Place Drive, off I-77 Exit 30 in Davidson.
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Updated Monday, Feb. 6
By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Growth plans at both the Learn Works after-school program and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Charlotte are bringing changes at the Ada Jenkins Center on Gamble Street. The Boys & Girls Club’s lease for two classrooms at the center is ending, and officials say they’re looking for a new location where they can expand. And Learn Works plans to take over the space as it tries to meet demand for its services for kids in grades 1-5. Read the full story

Georgia Krueger speaks at Thursday's reception. At left is Natisha Rivera-Patrick, and second from left, Ada Jenkins board chair Lisa Estes. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

There was lots of hugging at Ada Jenkins Center Thursday morning, as volunteers, staff and supporters formally welcomed executive director Georgia Krueger back to work. Ms. Krueger had taken a medical leave last fall as she battled Lyme Disease. Read the full story

Scouts will distributed these bags this week for Saturday collection.

Davidson Cub Scout Pack 58 will join Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts across the Charlotte area beginning this week for the annual “Scouting for Food” collection drive. The scouts will be distributing shopping bags this week to collect canned goods and toiletries. You can leave the bags outside and they’ll be picked up on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Food also may be dropped off at a designated collection center during the Scouting for Food and the Loaves & Fishes Food Drive, which runs through Feb. 12. Priority needs include canned meat, canned pastas, cereal, canned fruit and 100 percent fruit juice.

WANT TO HELP?

There are three ways to donate food: Read the full story

Cyclists started at Ingersoll Rand on Beaty Street in Davidson and turned here onto North Main Street. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Updated Sunday, 8 p.m.
About 425 cyclists – young and old, men and women, on road bikes and recumbent bikes – braved freezing temperatures Saturday morning at the 2012 Polar Bear Ride. The annual event is organized by the Rocky River Road Club and includes 100-kilometer and 50-kilometer rides through the countryside of Mecklenburg, Iredell, Rowan and Cabarrus counties.

The ride raised about $5,500 for the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson, a regional community services center with free health and dental clinics, a food pantry, an after-school program and other social services.

Both rides started and finished at Ingersoll-Rand, off Beaty Street in Davidson.

“It was perfect weather for it, at this time of year,” said organizer Jim Mead, of the Rocky River Road Club. He said 58 members of the club volunteered for the day, providing support along the route and helping out at the start/finish.

Riders came from as far away as Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia and Texas. They included elite riders tuning up before the start of the racing season in a few weeks, Mr. Mead said.

While most riders enjoyed a nice ride in the countryside Saturday, those elite riders were riding hard. They average 23 mph over the 60 miles, he said.

More information about the ride or the club is at www.RockyRiverRoadClub.org.
GALLERY

See a gallery of photos from the ride by Ron Donson, http://www.donsonphoto.com/

This wasn't the only recumbent bike in the ride. Is that Davidson's Bill Giduz? (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Hot chocolate before the ride. Click image to see a slideshow of Ron's photos. (Ron Donson photo)

Entries in Davidson Rotary's Christmas Tree Village contest and fundraiser. (Rachel Goldstein/DavidsonNews.net)

One of Lake Norman Realty's bird-food ornaments (Brenda Barger/DavidsonNews.net)

Davidson Rotary Clubraised about $5,000 for local charities in its first major fund-raiser last weekend, a Christmas Tree Village on the Davidson Green during Christmas in Davidson. And which trees were the crowd favorites? A tree decorated by Lake Norman Realty and decorated with bird-edible ornaments came in just one vote ahead of The Soda Shop’s entry to take top honors.

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