And Saturday is the rescheduled Davidson Cares worship service and community service project to help earthquake victims in Haiti.

Read more below and check the community calendar at right for a clickable day-by-day listing of events.  

Margaret Atwood

On Monday night, the college hosts an interdisciplinary panel discussion about Margaret Atwood’s “The Year of the Flood.” The panel, moderated by Annie Ingram, Professor of English and Thomson Professor of Environmental Studies, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Lilly Family Gallery of Chambers. See the college website for  details. This event is a prelude to Ms. Atwood‘s visit to Davidson next Thursday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m., when she will deliver the annual Joel A. Conarroe Lecture at Duke Family Performance Hall. Admission is free, but tickets required. For info, call 704-894-2135.

On Tuesday, the Town Board holds its monthly work session, a week earlier than usual because of scheduling issues. (See a preview.)

The music calendar this week includes many highlights. On Tuesday, a pair of free concerts is on tap. A chamber music trio of cellist Alan Black, pianist Ruskin Cooper and contralto Diane Thornton will play works by Brahms and Vaughan Williams and  “Crossing Rivers IV,” by Davidson music professor Jennifer Stasack, text by poet and Davidson English professor Alan Michael Parker. That’s 7:30 at the college’s Tyler-Tallman Hall. (See our video preview in The Guide.) Also Tuesday night at 7:30, at Davidson College Presbyterian Church,  the Organ at Davidson series presents Michael Rowland, accompanist at Davidson College and Associate Director of Music at Davidson College Presbyterian Church, in a program ranging four centuries from Buxtehude, Saint-Saens, Jongen, Brahms and Pinkham to Petr Eben.

On Thursday, Davidson College Symphony Orchestra performs the next in its series of “Concerts for a Cause,” a program titled “VH1 Save the Music.” The program, at  7:30 p.m. in the Duke Family Performance Hall, will feature Artist Associate in Voice Jacque Culpepper and will include works by Barber, Copland, Glass, and the “girl Gershwin.” Free, but donations accepted for VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which works to preserve instrumental music instruction in public schools.

Ethan Uslan

Ragtime pianist Ethan Uslan of Charlotte will be in town Saturday for a rescheduled appearance to provide accompaniment to the silent film “The General.” That’s at  7 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. (Read our preview, “Silent film ‘The General’ with a ragtime soundtrack.”) And don’t forget the live music at Summit Coffee and the Brickhouse Thursday to Saturday nights. On Saturday, Davidson Local, a group that plays original songs about local life by guitarist and Davidson College Prof. John Wertheimer, plays a rescheduled fund-raising concert for the family of Jorge Fiscal Cruz, the Mexican-born restaurant worker and Davidson resident who died after a November bicycle accident. The show is from 8-11 p.m. at Summit, 128 S. Main St.

In conjunction with Davidson College’s celebration of Black History Month, Professor Finkelman presents “Guilty Until Pardoned: The Griffin Brothers and South Carolina’s First Posthumous Capital Murder Pardon” Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the 900 Room of the Alvarez Union. He will discuss how his historical research helped to secure posthumous pardons for Thomas and Meeks Griffin, two African American South Carolinians who were wrongly convicted of murder nearly a century ago.

"Nine Parts of Desire" Feb. 17-21 at Davidson College.

This week also brings a new theatrical production at Davidson College, where the theater department presents “Nine Parts of Desire” Feb. 17-20 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 21, 2 and 7 p.m., at Cunningham Theatre Center. Written by Heather Raffo and directed by Sharon Green, the play explores the struggles, passions, and triumphs of Iraqi women.  For reservations and information call 704-894-2135 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, or purchase tickets online at www.davidson.edu/tickets.

The Davidson College men’s basketball team hosts Wofford at the Belk Arena, Wednesday, Feb. 17. Then on Saturday, both the men and women are home. The men host Furman at 2 p.m. and the women play College of Charleston at 7 p.m.

Davidson College’s Gamut Dance Company presents its annual show in the Duke Family Performance Hall Friday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $5 for students and $9 for general admission.

The Davidson Farmers Market holds another winter tailgate market Saturday, Feb 20, at 9:00 a.m. downtown next to Town Hall.  Tailgate market bring local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items every other Saturday this winter. For more information: www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org

Also Saturday, the snowed out “Davidson Cares” project will bring community volunteers together for worship and community service. The day begins with a community worship service at 10 a.m. at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Then from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will help package 30,000 bags of food in cooperation with Stop Hunger Now. That’s on the first floor of Davidson College’s Alvarez College Union.

Lunar New Year celebration Sunday.

The 10th annual Bosom Buddies fund-raiser for breast cancer advocacy will take place at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 20, in the Lilly Family Gallery of Davidson College Chambers Building. Events include a talk by breast-cancer survivor and Bosom Buddies founder Lauren Perny Pragoff, Davidson class of 2003. Also, dinner, raffle, musical performances and silent and live auctions. Bosom Buddies supports Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test, a Greensboro-based organization whose sole purpose is to find a new method for earlier pre-tumor detection of breast cancer. Tickets cost $40 for students and $45 for the general public.

Davidson’s Asian Cultural Awareness Association sponsors the annual Lunar New Year celebration Sunday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. in the Alvarez Union, marking the arrival of the Year of the Tiger. Food, music and dance performances, including a Lion Dance, will run until around 9 p.m., when the party will adjourn to Chambers lawn for the annual fireworks display. See our preview, “Welcome the Year of the Tiger on campus Feb. 21.”

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Mark your calendar for the beginning of next week for a special event. On Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 pm., survivor of the Haiti earthquake, Pam Carter of Charlotte, will speak in the sanctuary of Davidson United Methodist Church. Participants will hear her first-hand account of the quake, learn about the situation in Port-au-Prince now (she is returning to Haiti Feb. 14-18); and get suggestions for helping and being in mission in Haiti. Refreshments follow. For more info, contact Rev. Jeff Hassel, 704-892-8277.

She will give a first-hand account of the quake, and talk about the situation in Port-Au-Prince now. She will be in Haiti Feb. 14-18, right before her talk. She also offer suggestions for helping and being in mission in Haiti.

Refreshments following. For more info, contact Rev. Jeff Hassel, 704-892-8277.

Also, organizers of last weekend’s postponed community service event and worship service to benefit Haitian earthquake victims are expecting to reschedule the event in the coming weeks. We’ll bring you an update as soon as we have it.

SOUPER BOWL 6

The 6th annual Souper Bowl cook-off and fund-raiser is planned Saturday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Davidson College Chambers Building, Lilly Family Gallery. The event is a fund-raiser for the Hammers emergency home repair program of the Davidson Housing Coalition.

NOTE: Organizers say this event will go on rain or shine.

The competition features soups from area restaurants as well as a silent auction. They’ll also have music by local performers.

Tickets $10 Adults, $8 Students (12 and up), $5 Children. Prices increase at the door. For tickets, call 704-892-4486. davidsonhousing.org/ Read more about it in Michelle Miller Houck’s preview, “Taste the soup, help Hammers home repair program.”

ROTARY PANCAKE BREAKFAST

North Mecklenburg Rotary Club is having its annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon at Bethel Presbyterian Church, 19920 Bethel Church Road, Cornelius.

Tickets are $10 and support Rotary’s local charities. They’ll also have a talent show and silent auction during the feast. 704-892-4098. http://northmeckrotary.org/

GOODWILL DONATION DRIVE

Davidson’s River Run community will be hosting a donation drive for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the athletic field parking lot, Robert Walker Drive and Davidson-Concord Road.

River Run residents and people from surrounding communities are invited to clean out their closets and help fill up a Goodwill trailer. Goodwill accepts everything from gently-used clothing to household items, furniture and computers. The donations collected will be sold in Goodwill’s retail stores with proceeds funding the agency’s critical job training and employment services that help put people back to work in the community.

The Goodwill trailer will be staffed by a donation attendant and community volunteers, with a donation receipt provided to each donor for tax purposes. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided, and Goodwill’s mascot, Smiling G, will be on hand to greet neighborhood children.

DAY OF YOGA – FOR HAITI

Community Yoga in Cornelius will host a “Day of Yoga” Sunday, Feb. 7, to benefit Doctors Without Borders and the American Red Cross in providing ongoing medical care in Haiti.

The Day of Yoga to Benefit Haiti runs 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (or whenever!) at the studio, 20823 N. Main St. Cornelius.

Teachers have volunteered their time to provide a full day of activities that will include Yoga, Pilates, and Bellydance classes to raise money and clothes for the victims in Haiti. All classes are for Donation to Doctors Without Borders and the American Red Cross. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 or more to win reflexology sessions, a month of life coaching, private tai chi coaching, and many more items generously donated by our community businesses.

The day will end with a potluck supper and a jamming Open Mic with Joe Higgins. Performance slots are $5. Everyone is invited to watch or perform.

A complete schedule of classes and raffle items can be found by visiting www.communityoga.com

KICKS FROM CATS

The Davidson Wildcats’ 2nd annual Kicks from Cats fund-raiser is this Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. at Belk Arena of the Baker Sports Complex.

The event, which coincides with the men’s basketball game against Georgia Southern, helps bring sports and education to Nigeria – the home country of player Frank Ben-Eze and former Wildcat Andrew Lovedale.

The team has joined forces again this year with the nonprofit Samaritan’s Feet. The theme of Saturday’s game is Paint it Red, and the team is selling red T-shirts in advance.

CAMPANIA AIDS HAITI

Campania Cafe, which is among the competitors in this weekend’s Souper Bowl, said it raised $325.28 at its music fund-raiser for Haiti Jan. 21 to 23. The restaurant, on South Main Street in Davidson, donated a portion of its profits over three days to International Medical Corps.

SEEKING MONEY FOR A TRIP

Kathleen Elkins, a tennis player and senior at Woodlawn School, north of Davidson, is in the midst of a letter-writing campaign to raise money for a hoped-for trip to a summer program called “Tennis: Europe.”

Ms. Elkins is planning to attend and play tennis next year at Williams College. She has been selected to play in the tour of summer international tournaments along with 12-14 year other players. Money she raises will help cover airfare, tournament entry fees, room and board, and meals.

Some of the money she needs will come from work: She’s got a part-time job at Davidson Chocolate Co., strings tennis rackets and tutors math students.

She also also is hosting a Doubles Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 27, open to all ages and all levels. “However, this will not be enough, hence the letter campaign,” she tells DavidsonNews.net.

If you can help, email her at kelkins04@bellsouth.net

BOSOM BUDDIES FUND-RAISER

The 10th annual Bosom Buddies fund-raiser for breast cancer research is Saturday, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m., Lilly Family Gallery, Davidson College Chambers Building.

Events include a talk by breast-cancer survivor and Bosom Buddies founder Lauren Perny Pragoff, Davidson class of 2003. Also, dinner, raffle, musical performances and silent and live auctions.

Bosom Buddies supports Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test, a Greensboro-based organization whose sole purpose is to find a new method for earlier pre-tumor detection of breast cancer. Students $40, general public $45. More info, CLICK HERE>

OTHER COMING EVENTS

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., Davidson College Lilly Family Gallery – Annual “Green Ball” sponsored by Davidson College Environmental Action Coalition, an evening of bluegrass and contra dancing to benefit Davidson Lands Conservancy. Lessons 7:30, dance 8-11. Tickets: $10 in advance at Davidson College Union or $12 at the door, children $5. More info: email Alicia Frank (alfrank@davidson.edu) or visit the college website. Read more in our preview, “Green Ball: Fun and funds for lands conservancy.”

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, noon, Davidson Town Hall – Community Chili Cook-Off to benefit the Charlotte Arts & Science Council. All proceeds go to the ASC’s 2010 fund-raising campaign. Bring your favorite chili recipe! For more information contact Lillian Smith at 704 940-9610 or lsmith@ci.davidson.nc.us

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 7-10 p.m., Duke Family Performance Hall – Davidson College will be hosting its 4th annual Apocalypse Greek Step Show,” hosted by Mike Simms. All Students: $5, Davidson Faculty/Staff: $5, General Public: $10. All proceeds will go to the American Diabetes Association and Davidson-Cornelius Day Care. Buy Tickets Online!

SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Davidson Local, a musical combo that plays original songs about local life by guitarist and Davidson professor John Wertheimer, plays a rescheduled benefit concert for the family of Jorge Fiscal Cruz, the Mexican-born restaurant worker and Davidson resident who died after a November bicycle accident. 704-895-9090.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St. – Second annual Fire BBQ and 5K run. The 5 K will be held at Ada Jenkins first thing in the morning, followed by a BBQ sale, BBQ competition and food from area restaurants. More details as the date gets closer. www.adajenkins.org

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