Foothills Spotlight - January / February 2010

HELPING YOU EXPERIENCE, EXPLORE, LEARN & LIVE IN THE FOOTHILLS

{ No.

12 }

Jan/Feb 2010

In this issue

House The History of Cleveland County’s

Court

in pictures

Details Inside...

Plus: Wordless Stories

Cookies by Design

Gateway to the Future

www.foothillsspotlight.com

Do you want to corner the market?

Let us help.

web design | publishing | marketing

With our extensive knowledge of the communications and marketing field, we can help you promote and expand your business.

Check out our work at ccagency.net or call us at 704.466.3847.

Financial Planning Income Tax Fee Only Investment Advice Registered Investment Advisor Certified Public Accountants Your Trusted Advisor 704.482.2001 | GRAGGANDGRAGG.COM

217 Arrowood St. Shelby 704-487-5263

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

ClevelandLumberCompany.com

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 5

to the

Gus & Staff, Thank you for the wonderful service we received during our seminar November 12th.

Many of our guests had never experienced the wonderful food of Gondola Italian. They enjoyed every detail.

All baking done on premises!

Order your cake now!

Thank you again for all the hard work. We truly do appreciate all that you do for Shelby and did for us.

Amy Callahan, Sr. BOA Edward Jones Investments

Gondola Italian Restaurant

Banquet Facilities for up to 200 people ~ Wedding Receptions ~ All Civic Clubs Welcomed Always a variety of daily Lunch and Dinner Specials • Open 7 Days a week from 11AM to 10PM

306 E Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 28152 (704) 487-4737 and 618 Gastonia Hwy, Bessemer City, NC 28016 (704) 629-0822

contents Jan/Feb 2010

president Jeff Champion publisher Ebbie Champion graphics Hal Alexander Mike Bencivengo Ebbie Champion Nikki Cook JD Ledford - 18 STONE DESIGN Stuart Thompson Wendy Cobb writers Rev. Crystal Champion Bob Mori Gilda Pruitt Kimberly P. Johnson Katherine Panther-Potemkin Lynn Zook Bill Cameron Mark Alan Hudson sports director Sam Davis photographers Robin King The Victorian Rose Studio finance Jeff Weathers sales staff Kim Davis Sam Davis website design Matt Miller JD Ledford

Foothills Spothlight is a publication of CHAMPION COMMUNICATIONS PO Box 1726 Shelby, NC 28150 704.466.3847 info@foothillsspotlight.com foothillsspotlight.com

30

42

37

{ features }

{ be sure to see }

20 gateway to the future

8 welcome

New Kings Mountain trail brings a vision to a reality

24 cookies by design

One of the most unique businesses in Shelby

Bob Carey is a story teller, with a camera lens and intuition he shares his wordless stories with the rest of us

30 wordless stories

34 best of the foothills

Foothills Spotlight Magazine introduces it’s best of the foothills

37 from milk to wine

Learn more about Baker Buffalo Creek Vineyard & Winery located in the foothills of NC

60 going green

What a ride

10 viewpoint

Sometimes, all we have is attitude

12 life coaching

Dancing in the rain

14 amazing mind

All of your memories are still alive

18 kid speak

Don’t let fear destroy your family

54 don gibson theater

Photos from opening night

58 courthouse history

Photos of Cleveland County’s past courthouses

be

gin

s o

n p

g.

42

42 the golden girls

A group of seasoned citizens play a game for kids and succeed beyond everyone’s expectations

46 mustang jack

Jack Roush visits local Ford dealership to show off the new Roush Mustang

48 first county soccer title

For the first time ever a state soccer title resides in Cleveland County, the Shelby High Men’s soccer team recently won the State 2A title

50 fab 5

Learn about five exceptional atheletes from the Foothills

66 reflections

Sweet communion

A look at Cornerstone Dental Associates new “green” building, the first in Cleveland County

ON THE COVER Historic Cleveland County Courthouse located in Shelby, NC - photo courtesy of Tom Greene, Photography & Custom Framing

MEMBERS OF: Cleveland Women’s Network

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

72 Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 7

{ welcome } It is hard to believe that it has been three years since we started this magazine. What a ride it has been!

We start our fourth year with a renewed enthusiasm as we welcome new members to our family as well as an increase in publications.

Beginning with this issue, we will publish every 2 months. Since our beginning we have been with talented people helping us and that good fortune continues as Mark Hudson (Editor), JD Ledford (Creative Director), Katherine Panther-Potemkin (Sales) and Clay Champion (Marketing Assistant & Golf Pro) have joined our team.

...it has been three years since we started this magazine...

Thank you for making Foothills Spotlight Magazine the fastest growing publication of the Foothills!

Until next time...

Want Foothills Spotlight Magazine delivered to your door? ~ $40.00 for a year subscription ~ To subscribe go to

Ebbie Champion

www.foothillsspotlight.com

PUBLISHER

Salon 206

Wishing you a Happy NewYear

~ 206 S. Washington St. ~ Uptown Shelby ~

Cayce Renfroe owner/stylist

Lisa Simpson owner/stylist

Laura Gant-Eslick stylist

Mary Beth Koelle stylist

from Salon 206 Services we provide our clients: Latest Foiling Techniques ~ Textured Waves ~ Formal Styles Customized Personal Look ~ Facial Waxing ~ Modern Cuts Innovative Color Design ~ Multi-Coloring

Michelle Strickland stylist

Walk-ins Welcome ~ 704.487.8440

Thanks for making 2009 a great year.

Wishing you a good and productive year in 2010.

704-487-8591

Dr. Michael Barringer Dr. Douglas Hobson Dr. Douglas A Blackman Dr. Bryan Young Dr. Robert G Laney Dr. Andrew J Taylor 200 W Grover St Shelby, NC 28150

www.ShelbySurgical.com

From around the world… …to around the block, now Headline News is closer to home. www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Marcella Young Kathryn Larson

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 9

foothillsviewpoint WORDS JEFF CHAMPION

Sometimes, All We Have Is Attitude!

Our recent economic woes have affected most all of us this past year. 2009 will not be remembered very fondly by many. In fact, one could make a case for the entire decade. Considering it started with what is now known as 9/11, it probably was only fitting that as the decade came to an end, we find ourselves mired in a lengthy recession.

How is it possible for some folks to not appear to be as troubled by what is going on, you may ask. I think it is simply that some people just have the ability to say NO and to not allow it to happen to them. They just do not allow themselves to become victims. Is that easy to do? While it may not be easy, I do think it is simple.

Like my good friend, Lynn Zook has taught me, it starts in our mind. The moment we decide that we are successful, then I think at that moment we actually become successful. I’m not saying that money magically appears and the phone immediately starts ringing with opportunity but something does start happening and, in a way, it is magical. It’s our outlook that changes.

What had looked like failures and roadblocks before, suddenly appear as opportunities.

When all else fails and you can’t afford any other solution, try adjusting your attitude. It’s easy, simple and honest to goodness, it’s FREE! What have you got to lose?

The expressed opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of our advertisers. We welcome your comments and opinions. Send them to: Viewpoint, c/o Foothills Spotlight, PO Box 1726, Shelby NC 28151. Or viewpoint@foothillsspotlight.com

10 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

www. foothillsspotlight. com

What is the First Tuesday Club?

It’s an informal gathering to learn about a variety of topics of interest in a relaxed atmosphere. For each program we will have a speaker and will allow for questions.

Each meeting is held the first Tuesday of every month at 10:00 am in the Cleveland Room at Gragg and Gragg, LPP. The meeting is free, but we ask you to make reservations so we can make arrangements on seating.

Upcoming Topics Jan. 5 Fitness over 50 Feb. 2 10 Things to do in 2010 Mar. 2 Disaster Preparation For more information or to sign up call 704-482-2001, ext. 6.

Nine East Marion St., Shelby, NC www.foothillsspotlight.com

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 11

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 11

lifecoaching

{be well, healthy & happy}

WORDS KATHERINE PANTHER-POTEMKIN

Dancing In The Rain TOOLS FOR WORRISOME TIMES 2009 WAS A DIFFICULT YEAR

...Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain...

Katherine Panther-Potemkin, Owner, Learning for Life, is a Life Coach, a leader in wellness and business seminar design and facilitation, a Usui Reiki Master and Certified Instructor and a Reflexology Practitioner. For more info call Katherine at 704.477.4370

12 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

filled with storms of financial stress, lay-offs, high unemployment, rising costs, healthcare uncertainty, H1N1 fears, struggling businesses…. Many of you were fraught with worry and despair, and some of you may have even moved into this New Year emotionally mired in the mud of last year’s storms, just trying to survive. Disconcerting things happen all the time but you don’t have to live your life just weathering them, just struggling to get by.

I recently saw this anonymous quote: “Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.” There will always be storms, always be situations over which you have little or no control; however, your attitude and your moment-bymoment choices will affect your emotions, actions and successes more than anything happening outside of you. What you pay attention to grows stronger in your life, so paying attention to what is positive, hopeful, supportive and uplifting instead of getting caught in worrying is an important tool.

No situation, no matter how overwhelming it might seem, is all of who you are.

Now, you might be thinking, “Oh sure, that’s easy for her to say! How can I not worry? How can I dance in the rain when I’m standing up to my knees in mud?” I’m not saying that quieting the worry is easy. It’s not, and it takes constant awareness and courage to keep your attitude positive.

But when you do, that positive attitude will erase a lot of your anxiety and fear, despair and depression, feelings of being stuck. It will give you emotional stability, self-acceptance, an awareness of your inner and outer resources and an increased sense of possibility.

Stopping unproductive, unhealthy worrying and turning your attitude around is a process. Learning how to soothe your self, gain objectivity and recognize resources can help. Worry leads to a bad mood, and bad mood thinking distorts objectivity.

If you don’t believe this, try writing down some of your thoughts when you’re in a bad mood. Then when your mood improves look at them. You’ll see just how much that bad mood affects your views and perceptions! Here’s a good rule – Don’t make any important decisions or take any important action until your bad mood has passed. Do feel and express your emotions without judgment or guilt, remind yourself that these feelings will pass, and verbally affirm, “I can cope with this”.

To help bad mood feelings pass, learn how to

soothe yourself. Doing so will help you gain objectivity and cope more effectively. We all have things that soothe and nourish us in body, mind and spirit. Make a list of the things that soothe you – a warm bath, a walk in nature, prayer, meditation, a nap, time with friends, exercising, good music, a funny movie…the list is endless. Put together your personal soothing toolbox and allow yourself to use it to bring calmness and clarity.

Once you’re calmer, write down all the things that are worrying you, listing one worry on each page. Then taking one worry at a time, ask yourself, “What action can I take right now?” Avoid over-thinking or moving into what-if scenarios.

Focus only on present possibilities for action. If your answer is “Nothing”, discard the page and let go of that worry for now. The situation may solve itself over time. If you identify an action, write it down along with a plan of how to carry it out. Break large actions into smaller, doable tasks. Then move forward step-by-step with your plan. Your outer circumstances may not immediately change but your inner sense of possibility and control will certainly increase and your worries will diminish. Be assured that positive action will eventually result in positive change.

Tough times promote inner growth and wisdom, and it’s often in these times that your best qualities and strongest resources are discovered. If you think you have no strengths or resources, engage in the “Flick back – Flick up” exercise. Recall past times when you successfully faced challenges.

What inner strengths and outer resources helped you through those times, and which of those are still available? Acknowledge, call forth and utilize them in your present situation.

Worries will certainly creep in, and you won’t feel great all the time. Just remember that you have the power of choice. C.S. Lewis said, “Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before.” Choose how you mentally and emotionally go about each day.

Start each day by indentifying one positive thing that has occurred for you in the past 24 hours, and recognize that you have the option each moment to see the positive. When worry arises, ask, “What’s the best thing I can do about this right now?” Then choose to do it; choose to experience possibility; choose to dance in the rain.

www. foothillsspotlight. com

NC Unlimited License #36813 • SC Unlimited License #G113044

Contact BILL SHUFORD HEATING & A/C, your independent Trane dealer, for installation of Trane CleanEffects and cleaner, healthier air.

Call now for a free home comfort consultation

BILL SHUFORD HEATING & A/C 213 CAMPBELL STREET SHELBY, NC 28150

704-484-0025 www.trane.com

I never knew what to do if : • My water heater ruptured and flooded my home during the night • I had a small kitchen fire and smoke was everywhere • My property was vandalized and everything needed to be cleaned • A major fire occurs and everything is covered in smoke and my home or business is badly damaged from both fire and water But, thanks to seeing your ads, when it did happen to us the first thing I did was call American Restoration. Our water heater had burst during the night and we woke up to water standing in our kitchen floor. My husband put down towels while I called American Restoration. Within an hour a crew was there to take care of everything. All I had to do was call my insurance carrier and let them know that American Restoration was here and American American Restoration took it from there. I was kept up to date to date was on the progress and the only other thing I did was to pick out our new flooring...and that was fun.

American Restoration handled everything!

So when disaster strikes, call the Disaster Specialist – American Restoration.

Thanks American Restoration, – KD, Shelby, NC Nationwide Blue Ribbon Provider

930 Wendover Heights Drive, Shelby, NC 28150 704.482.7586 | www.amrest.com www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 13

theamazingmind

{dream maker}

WORDS LYNN ZOOK

All Of Your Memories Are Still Alive I TALK SO MUCH

...The truth is our memories fade with time...

Lynn lives in Waxhaw, is married to Jill and has two daughters.

14 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

in my articles about following and living out your dreams. What happens when you fulfill your dreams? Are you going to remember them?

I recently attended my 25 year school reunion. It was great to see everyone and see how they had changed over the years. Some people looked the same and others were unrecognizable. We spent a lot of time reminiscing and talking about the good old days. There were a lot of great stories and a lot of them I could not remember on my own One of the things that caught my attention was how everyone recalled the same incident differently. We talked about an event that we were all at, and everyone’s memory was different. Each person remembered something unique and we kind of pieced the whole event together. I did not initially recall it, but as each person described the event, it joggled my memory. It was kind of neat hearing eight different perspectives. It was amazing what others could remember! What was more amazing was what I had forgotten!

The truth is that our memories fade with time.

I felt a little cheated by myself. Why didn’t I remember the whole event? Those were some great times and yet I can only recall small portions of the life I had lived and things I had done.

What I was experiencing was disuse atrophy.

A kind of graceful degradation where you lose clarity and specificity of things that have happened over time. If you don’t consistently recall events that happen to you, they fade and get filed back in to your subconscious. Memories are essentially filed by associations. Your mind has filed them in your brain and the only way to bring back these memories is to have that association triggered. The best example I can give you is with music. You here a song you haven’t heard in long time and it brings back memories of where you were and who you were with. You experience that (hopefully) delightful recall of a past experience because the song triggered that association.

Your whole life is stored on that great hard drive we call a brain. How we can recall it is the question. Associations are like search engines.

You enter in some key words (from a friend or family member) and a memory link pops up.

Maybe it is a certain smell or something that you see that reminds you of a past experience. I don’t know about you but I have had a lot of fun in my life and the journey has been great. I want to be able to relive all of those experiences!

Luckily, your brain is one organ that can get better and stronger the more you use it. You can keep your brain active and in shape by doing crossword puzzles, craft work, playing cards, games and reading among other things.

While your body wears out with time, your brain doesn’t have to. The more active you keep your mind the stronger it gets.

I know most of you (that are still paying attention) are saying, yeah but how do I get to relive my past by reading a book or doing puzzles? You can’t. All that does is keep your brain healthy and active so when you get the association trigger, your memories fly back in to view.

How do you get the associations? You can take steps to preserve those memories. Looking at photos and videos can help keep these experiences fresh and alive. Social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to find people you haven’t seen in years and through discussion and pictures you post, associations can be triggered. You’ll be amazed at what other people recall about the times you have had!

These sites are an excellent way to retrieve the past memories of people, places and events you’ve known and seen. Don’t wait 25 years for a reunion to relive those great times!

Think about all of the friends and fun you’ve had and the great experiences you can relive. All of your memories are still alive! Your entire life is stored somewhere on your brain and you have the ability to relive all of it! It is your amazing mind, and you are in control.

www. foothillsspotlight. com

Kings Mountain Dentistry 704-739-4473

Pressure Washing Window Cleaning General Building Maintenance

Construction Clean-up Carpet Cleaning 107 East Mountain Floor Stripping and Waxing Street

To provide our clients exceptional collection results while exceeding their expectations with our customized customer service.

Debt-Check’s success continues because of our insistence on performing our duties with integrity and professionalism, while always trying to look at our business through our clients’ eyes.

Kings Mountain, NC

Accepting: Medicaid & NC Health Choice

!

y da

To n i Jo

Member: American Collectors Assoc. (ACA) NC Collectors Association ACA Check Services Program Better Business Bureau

Dover Foundation YMCA – 704-484-9622 Ruby C. Hunt YMCA - 704-434-0441

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

KM Family YMCA – 704-739-9631 River Bend YMCA Golf Course – 704-482-4286

Contact Scott Kennedy

scott.kennedy@debtcheck.com

SHELBY, NC

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 15

We W e care care about about Bryan's e eyecare. yecare.

Bryan enjoys playing Bry an enjo ys pla ying soccer and basketball and often takes play, he’ss already while off his glasses to pla y, since he’ already broken 2 pairs w hile playing Eye have pla ying sports. He went to Shelby Shelby Ey e Center to ha ve an exam before going off to college. He asked about LASIK surgery and after his exam the doctors were able to sc hedule the schedule surgery prior to Bry an lea ving for college. T hree months later Bryan leaving Three Bry an enjo ys pla ying intr amural sports and seeing the action.

Bryan enjoys playing intramural activities love If wearing glasses is interfering with acti vities you you lo ve call Shelb y Ey e Center for a comprehensi ve ey e exam and ask Shelby Eye comprehensive eye them if y ou are a candidate for LASIK surgery you surgery..

For more orr visit online F or m ore iinformation nformation call call 704.482.6767 704.482.6767 o visit us us o nline att w www.shelbyeyecenter.com a ww.shelbyeyecenter.com

we care about your eyecare ey

SHELBY EYE CENTER NOW ACCEPTS CARECREDIT FOR ALL YOUR VISION NEEDS 16 Foothills Spotlight Jan/Feb 2010 16 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 17 Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 17

kidspeak

{happy journeys}

WORDS KIMBERLY P. JOHNSON

Don’t Let Fear Destroy Your Family WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL

...I used to think that my grandfather was NEVER afraid of anything...

Kimberly is an accomplished children’s book author, speaker, motivator and educator. She has written 12 children books and has even been an invited guest to the White House to read her works at the annual Easter Egg Hunt.

To view more of Kimberly’s work visit her website

SimplyCreativeWorks.com

18 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

growing up in Shelby, I used to think that my grandfather was NEVER afraid of anything. In my eyes he was the bravest man in the world!!

Often parents want their children to believe that they indeed are the “Kings of the Forest” and that is okay – sometimes. The truth of the matter is that children need to understand that we ALL get scared. As parents, you have to admit there are some things in this big, giant world that scare us to death. For example, Will the economy get better? Will my children be safe?

Will I lose my job? Am I going to be healthy?

Those thoughts can be scary sometimes. Being scared accomplishes one thing – it lets children know that parents are human too.

It always amazes me how the biggest lessons in life can come from a child. Children teach us how to subdue fear in our adult lives by supporting us with hugs and unconditional love. The key is to NOT keep fear from our children, but how we deal with it when it comes our way? If children see us constantly stressed out or too afraid to try new things, we begin setting a weak model for them. If we can show them how to deal with fear and how to come up with creative ways to solve problems, we become strong models for their success when they face crisis in their own life. As adults, we should not let fear destroy a whole family structure. Fear can easily lead to anxiety and we all know that anxiety can leave us feeling lost and hopeless. The main thing as great models is to let our children see us handle problems in an encouraging and calm manner. Fear and anxiety can cause us to fuss or constantly complain. When children hear us react this way, it further imbeds fear and places everyone in crisis mode. So how can we help children deal with fear in a way that will encourage them to feel that there is a viable solution?

• Ask questions – Why are you afraid? What can I do to help calm you?

Then, allow them to ask you questions: They may ask, “What is going to happen to us? Are you scared too?” Don’t be evasive and most importantly don’t “create” something that could ultimately plant more fear – Be honest with your children.

• Listen to what they have to say – Sometimes children just need someone to hear what they are afraid of and why. Be strong listeners and try to reassure them that you understand what they are feeling.

• Remind them of the good things – Fear is often associated with “bad” things – remind them that there are lots of good things around them to be excited about. This may help alleviate some of the fears of the unknown.

• Try to remain as calm as you can around your children - Children often soak up our worries.

If they see “Mommy or Daddy” too upset, they will multiply their worries. Try not to overexpose your children to fear and negative comments. In other words, don’t ALWAYS talk about fear. “I’m afraid that I don’t have enough money, I’m afraid that I can’t find my keys, I’m afraid that I don’t know the answer” Constantly hearing the phrase, “I’m afraid” can alone create anxiety!!

• Conduct family meetings – Having a family meeting at least once a month can help address issues that can present problems down the road. This also allows children to know what is going on in the family and this helps keep them calm when crisis arise. They don’t feel like they have been blindsided with disturbing news.

In the world that we live in today, fear is more than just about “monsters under the bed”. It is about real life situations that can throw us all into a tailspin. As I have gotten older and as I deal with fear more often than not, I realize that monsters under the bed weren’t such a bad thing after all – comparatively speaking.

Nevertheless, it is our job as parents, mentors and youth leaders to subdue as much fear and anxiety as we can. When we are able to do that, we can help our families grow and we can rebuild family security and self-confidence in our children. Fear is okay – just understand, “Don’t be too afraid to address it before it turns into anxiety”

Happy Journeys...

www. foothillsspotlight. com

Friends. Neighbors.

Mortgage experts.

What makes a Shelby Savings mortgage special? Our Shelby Savings mortgage experts. Folks with years of experience in home loans.

And years of service to your community. Come see us.

224 East Warren St (704)487-4387 2007 E. Dixon Blvd (704)481-9777

www.hometrustbanking.com Member FDIC

Higher Learning Child Care Academy is a year-round program that offers all-day care for children ages birth to 12 years. Our daily activities and program consists of a flexible schedule that has been created to provide diversity and challenges for children in all age groups. Our activities include school readiness skills, arts and crafts, games, intro to music, Spanish, Karate/ self-defense, outdoor play, science and multi-cultural activities.

We provide experiences that enrich and enhance each child’s cognitive, language, social, emotional, physical, and creative development. Our highly supportive staff is nurturing, warm and responsive to each child’s individual need.

1260 Airport Rd. Shelby, NC www.higherlearningchildcare.com 704-484-9001 www.foothillsspotlight.com www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 19 Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 19

New Kings Mountain trail brings a vision closer to reality

WORDS MARK ALAN HUDSON

A

s more than 400 people watched on a beautiful fall morning last November, a ribbon was cut. In some respects, it marked the culmination of almost ten years of work. In others, it signified work yet to be done.

Both represented reasons to celebrate.

Amid congratulatory messages from public officials and words of gratitude from those who shepherded the long process, Phase I of the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail was opened to an enthusiastic crowd ready to enjoy just over 2 ½ miles of trail meandering over more than 60 acres just one half mile south of Downtown Kings Mountain on Battlefield Avenue.

The event also served as a dedication to the citizens of Cleveland County for their support of the project to date.

The smiles and joy evidenced were earned through a remarkable collaboration of volunteers, local businesses and governmental entitles at the local, state and national levels that made the idea of not simply a trail, but a trail that would link two local state parks, one national park, as well as other trails, one step closer to reality.

According to Shirley Brutko, president of the Kings Mountain Gateway Trails, Inc., the idea for the trail came about through conversations with then recently arrived Erin Broadbent, superintendent of the Kings Mountain National Military Park. Broadbent liked the idea of joining the parks and their trail systems to a local city. She agreed to help locals pursue that vision, along with her fellow superintendents at the state parks and the Overmountain Victory Trail.

That support would be crucial to ultimate success.

While the idea was sound, and the commitment was there to move forward, the project faced several hurdles. Funding was one of these but not necessar-

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

ily the most difficult; the prime spot for the trail was right in the middle of properties owned by several businesses. It was hoped these businesses might be willing to sell the necessary parcels to begin work on the trail; in a best case scenario, it was hoped that some of the property might be deeded without cost as a conservation easement.

Through quiet negotiations with these companies, support for the project grew and ultimately, they worked with the organization to grant easements and in some cases, in kind contributions. Brutko says these companies (Chemetall Foote, Martin Marietta, Consortium Group of Kings Mountain and Weir Properties), saved tens of thousands of dollars in costs and perhaps years in time required to move the project forward.

Also instrumental to the process were the three

nearby parks—Crowders Mountain State Park in North Carolina and Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park in South Carolina. Each lent support and assisted in grant applications that thus far, has brought in more than a half million dollars. Other critical support for the project came from the City of Kings Mountain as well as Cleveland County.

One result of all this collaboration has been that the City of Kings Mountain was designated by the

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 21

“Beautiful, amazing and a fantastic way to exercise.” Dennis Carley, Marco Island, Fla. “I think it is great….I see a lot of future Eagle Scout projects on the trail and the future scouts will enjoy for hundreds of years”. Doug Satterfield, Cub Master Pack 92, Kings Mountain, N. C. “The trails are wonderful! Just enough but not too much-perfect”. Denise Dorsey, Lawndale, N. C. “Entrance and trail-FANTASTIC!” Drew & Gene White, Kings Mountain, N. C. “Lady (my Springer Spaniel) and I walked the trail prior to it’s official opening and I was really impressed with the trail and it’s beauty….will use it often”. Corky Fulton, Kings Mountain, N. C. “The trail is a journey to a healthier way of living in a home town setting”. Mary Accor, Kings Mountain, N. C. “This is a great day for Cleveland County. The Gateway Trail is an investment that will pay dividends for many years to come for our community”. Tim Moore, House of Representatives, Kings Mountain, N. C.

212 W. Dixon Blvd.

Shelby, NC 704-480-8227

National Park Service as the “gateway community” for all three parks. The portion of the trail complete at this point is part of a larger trail system, some of which is also complete, that will actually join the three parks. When finished, the Gateway Trail will be part of almost 40 miles of trail system accessible from four different locations. It will also be part of the Overmountain Victory Trail and eventually, part of the Carolinas Thread Trail, which will link 15 counties in the Carolinas.

The trail opened with a parking area, restroom facilities as well as several picnic tables, a picnic shelter and grills. The trail itself, mostly with a paved surface making it highly accessible to all visitors, is open for walkers and cyclists.

Phase II of the trail, scheduled for completion in late 2010, will add four miles and bring the ultimate goal even closer to completion, expected to occur in 2015.

But for now, Brutko is savoring the obvious success of the first phase, noting that on its first official day of being open, more than 1200 people enjoyed the trail and its views.

With a gleam in her eyes, Brutko says the best is yet to come.

Based on what has happened so far, it’s easy to believe her.

Details: The web address for the trail is www.kmgatewaytrails.org. To reach the trail, take the Rt. 216 exit off of Rt. 74 bypass east at Kings Mountain. Turn right off the ramp onto Piedmont Avenue which changes to Battlefield Avenue once you cross Rt. 74 Business. Travel ½ mile to 807 S. Battleground Avenue at the corner of Quarry Road (GPS Coordinates N35° 13.802’ W081° 21.030’).

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 19

Cookies by Design WORDS BOB MORI

58 Foothills Spotlight Fall 2009 24 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

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W

hen you reach for those delectable frosted cookies at Wal-Mart, it probably never crosses your mind that a Cleveland County company builds machines that put those tasty treats together and even assembles them for packaging! Add to that Snyder’s crackers, Little Debby and Keebler and you have a major player in the snack food production industry!

Machine Builders & Design manufactures those machines at its rural Shelby plant off North Post Road just across from “Jaws of Life.” From this location, it also markets cookie and cracker assembly and packaging machines to over 40 countries around the world.

President Darryl Mims, son of company founder Herman “Bud” Mims, explains that one of their flagship machines, the “Cookie Capper,” is used in over 300 applications globally. “It’s our worldwide leader in providing a simple and highly flexible solution to our customers,” he says. In fact, the company’s motto, “Under commit but over deliver” undergirds MB&D’s operating philosophy of giving customers more than they pay for.

How did a unique, niche market manufacturer chose Shelby as a base of operations? The company’s origins weren’t very far away, as Mims recalls. “My dad was a Charlotte native who studied mechanical engineering at UNC,” he says, “and early on worked for Duff-Norton textiles. When he left that industry in 1974, he started the present company from scratch in Charlotte off I-85 with a challenging promise but no clients.”

Darryl Mims describes his father as a risk taker and a unique individual. “Dad liked to problem solve,” he explains. “When a friend asked him to design a machine that would form cardboard cartons from blanks, dad built it and they went into business together before buying out the friend within a three-month period.

Through this experience, dad became exposed to the snack food industry.”

The elder Mims then bought an unfinished house in Lawndale that he worked on while commuting to Charlotte to run the business. When the commute became burdensome, Mims worked out a deal with John Brock, owner of Master Temp HVAC, where the current company site is, to lease half his 8,000 square foot facility to MB&D. Mims eventually bought out Brock in 1984 and ran both businesses. Since the HVAC side

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struggled with heavy local competition, Mims decided to close Master Temps in 1989 and devote full time to his real love.

All the while, high school age Darryl helped out

dad by learning the machine building business from the ground up working in every area. In 1983, Darryl wanted to experience some non-family working conditions, so he left home to head to Rome, Georgia, his first of two trips, to help start up the Mondo Baking Company, a cookie producer eventually turning out all of Kellogg’s Rice Krispie treats for North America.

There he created the maintenance department before attending NC State to study mechanical engineering.

But when the elder Mims, who was recovering from open-heart surgery, needed his son’s help in Shelby, Darryl returned until 1992 when he, again, left for Georgia to become production manager, plant manager and director of manufacturing and development at Mondo’s. Along the way, he learned some valuable management skills that insured his success at MB&D’s where he again returned in 2003 to become president

after his dad died from pancreatic cancer at 64. “We manufacture on average about 15 to 20 machines each year; that’s almost two each month,” Darryl estimates. “Individual machines can cost from $400,000 to around one million. And we have at this point 36 employees many of them long timers.”

Machine Builders & Design was even more “all in the family” during the company’s early years. Darryl’s older brother, David, who he describes as an “excellent designer,” also grew up and worked in the business with Darryl until 1988 when he left for Bible college eventually becoming the pastor of a church in Denver, NC. Darryl’s immediate family includes to his sons, Jackson, age 14, and Parker, age 10 and his wife, Renita, although none of them are active in the business yet. The Mims live in Shelby where Darryl is active as

board member at the YMCA, a Chamber of Commerce member and president of Harvest Time Foundation and Bible Camp, a Bible-emphasis youth camp near Polkville.

The MB&D facilities now comprise about 27,000

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 25

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square feet including the warehouse after additions in 1987 (4,000) and in 1994 (6,000). “We’re well respected world wide,” Darryl reported, as he took a call from his vice president of sales asking for technical information before calling on a customer in the United Kingdom.

You might say the Shelby company has expanded its horizons well beyond Cleveland County!

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 29

WORDS REBECCA SITZES

Wordless Stories Dr. Bob Carey is a story teller. With camera lens and intuition he captures a captures a shares these tale told by people’s faces, hands, actions and expressions and he shares these wordless stories with the rest of us.

The Gardner-Webb University professor, who has been around the globe and globe and back, is found just as often behind his desk these days as he is behind the camthe camthe little era. His office is located in a building with creaking wooden floors in the little town of Boiling Springs where he has been teaching for more than a decade. decade.

Carey’s love of photography began when he was a sophomore in high school. After picking up his dad’s his dad’s camera, who had gotten it when stationed in Tokoyo during World War II, he started playing with it and has it and has had a hard time putting a camera down since.

During his junior year he took a photography class and was hooked.

“I got in the darkroom and fell in love with it,” he said. “For me, it’s really telling people stories and sharing and sharing interesting things about people that ordinarily they would never see. I like giving people an inside on the world.” the world.”

30 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

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F

ifteen years ago, that love of telling stories led him to war-torn Rwanda to tell one of the most memorable tales of his career. Carey was given the task of documenting the work of relief workers with the Southern Baptist Convention trying to repair the damage done after widespread violence and death left millions without a home.

“I was documenting Southern Baptist Convention relief work there,” he said. “That was probably one of the most intense and toughest things to document. There was so much hurt and death.”

A couple of hours after the relief team landed, the group of nurses, doctors and missionaries headed to the camp.

“Nothing prepared me for that,” Carey said.

He said he had talked to journalists and others who had been to Rwanda or similar places before leaving, but their experiences could not prepare him for the reality he faced.

“As we’re driving out to the camp the first day, I remember driving behind this truck. All along the road were grass mats rolled up and they had bodies in them. They would stop every few feet and toss the bodies in the truck.”

He said he was struck by the callousness and the seemingly everydayness of tossing bodies in piles.

He remembers the workers picking up a small body, obviously that of an infant, and throwing it over his shoulder to be added to the corpses.

time photographing President Bill Clinton close up, traveling in a motorcade and working 18 hour days to catch glimpses of Clinton eating, going to church and being out in the public eye.

Though he has had memorable moments, the every day is what he seeks to capture.

“There are all sorts of little stories that are just as important,” he said. “Tell the story of average, every day people.

Part of what I enjoy doing is telling people’s stories because it’s uplifting. It’s documenting life. It’s quite thrilling. They’re ordinary, everyday people, but they have a story to tell.”

Carey, with the help of his camera, helps us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Though still active behind the lens of a camera, these days Carey has discovered a new joy- watching his students learn and discover their talents. He has been rooted in the small town of Boiling Springs longer than he has ever been anywhere else.

“Now, one of the biggest things for me is watching my students use the skills they’ve learned,” he said.

Carey said as a child, his family was always moving. He grew up all over the United States.

“I think that’s one of the things that got me interested in photography,” he said. His dad was in the military until he retired and then worked with the Red Cross. Carey said they moved almost every two years.

After graduation, Carey went on to be a college coach for a few years.

He landed his first reporting job in the panhandle of Texas in a small town in Tornado Alley. He was the chief photographer and cops reporter.

“I took the job and about my second week on the job there was a guy who showed up in town who had killed three people in Denver. He walked into this pizza restaurant and was acting strange,” he said. Carey said the Rocky Mountain News picked up on the story.

“It got me noticed,” he said.

He also covered a gas leak in the downtown area and a grand jury indictment of a group of drug dealers.

Besides writing, he was also responsible for taking the feature photo of the day for the front page of the paper. He said he had to have the photo ready by 11:15 am every day.

“Literally I would take my picture to be developed and go to the police station and check the police blotter,” he said.

From there, Carey moved on to the Fort Worth area in Dallas to do work with a Christian Sports ministry taking photos and doing PR work.

After freelancing for two and half years in Dallas he moved to Memphis to take a job as a magazine editor.

From there he ended up at GWU and “decided that teaching was what I wanted to do.”

Once at the camp, they were faced with a sea of people all crammed in to a one square mile radius.

The doctor was immediately handed a baby. Carey said the infant was the size of a six week old but was actually six to eight months old. The child later died in the doctor’s arms despite his efforts.

“I can remember literally crying as I took those pictures.

I remember thinking I can’t stop, this is too important,” he recalled.

A year later, people came up and told him how deeply the images had impacted their lives.

OklahoAnother memorable time in his career was the Oklaho ma city bombing. Less than six months after leaving RwanRwan da, Carey found himself on a plane once again headed to the site of disaster. He said he was given the opportunity to go behind the lines with a chaplain doing recovery work.

He had to leave his camera behind, but was given a close up view.

“That was a very different view,” he said. “Even though I couldn’t document it, it was still an impact.”

His work has taken him behind the front lines and onto the scenes of things most only read about.

“I’ve seen history firsthand. That’s why I love it,” he said.

He has covered Olympic games, Super bowls and spent

“I was constantly adjusting, making new friends,” he said. “The camera allowed me to vicariously travel and see things a little differently.”

By his senior year, Carey said he knew he wanted to be a journalist. He attended University of Washington in Seattle and majored in journalism.

“I remember my very first news writing class,” he said.

In the classroom were rows of typewriters and a board with the facts of an automobile accident listed on it.

“This very gruff voice says ‘welcome to journalism,’” Carey recalls. His professor looked at his watch and told the class they had 20 minutes to write the story based on the facts on the board.

“I remember hunting and pecking my way through that story,” Carey said.

Since those days, journalism has evolved and changed, though perhaps not as much as one might think.

“The basics have not changed in Journalism, we are still telling stories,” he said. “We use different tools but the concept is the same.”

Now, there is video, audio and motion to enhance words.

“In some ways I think it’s much more exciting. It gives you much more of a multidimensional way of telling stories,” Carey said.

He started teaching in the fall of 1997 and hasn’t stopped since.

“This is our 13th year and this is the longest I’ve been anywhere and I love it. My wife and I have decided this is where we want to end up. Boiling Springs is totally different than everywhere else I’ve ever lived.”

Carey said he’s always lived in big cities and metropolitan areas.

“Now I feel like I’m in a traffic jam if there’s four cars at the stoplight,” he said.

Carey teaches photography, media law and multimedia classes.

“I really enjoy watching students grow in their skills and improve,” he said. “I enjoy watching my students who have graduated become successful at what they do. I tell my students now that journalism prepares you for so much even in the business world.”

Carey is married to Sharon and they have three children, Brittany, Hannah and A.J. His wife teaches at Crest high School.

“I think one of the biggest things is my wife and I absolutely love this area and have fallen in love with Cleveland County,” he said.

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 31

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from

MILK to

Wine WORDS REBECCA SITZES

The blustery wind whips across the farmland, and under the autumn sky, rows and rows of orderly grape vines grow on a gently terraced hillside.

Not too long ago, the 10 acres of vineyard was just another part of the Baker dairy farm, established in 1846 by Anne Baker Edwards’ grandfather on Fallston-Waco Road.

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 37

Anne & Charles Edwards

produce five varieties of wine:

~ Milk House White Chardonnay Riesling Mule Barn Red Granda

N

ow, it is a small but successful winery owned by Anne and her husband, Charles, and is drawing people in from across the state and beyond.

During prohibition times, a still was set up on the property and the Bakers concocted whiskey and brandy. The farm has since come full circle, now selling wine instead of whiskey.

Anne and Charles met, married and settled down in Gastonia where she was a teacher and he was in the dry-cleaning business. When Anne’s parents passed away the couple acquired the property.

Then Charles suffered a heart attack, and it set off a chain of events that led to the unexpected endeavor of beginning a vineyard.

After his heart attack, the doctor told Charles that a glass of red wine a day would be good for his health. Around that time the Edwards also visited their daughter in California. After visiting Napa Valley and seeing the vineyards there, they grew interested in the grape and wine industry.

“We fell in love with the business,” Charles said.

“If they can grow it in California, we can grow it here.”

The couple took winery courses at Surry Community College and read books on the subject.

In 2003, they planted their first grapes.

38 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

Since then they have expanded and renovated many of the old buildings on the property so they retain their original charm and history but have a functional purpose.

The original milk house, where cans of milk were stored and before transport to Carolina Dairy, is now the tasting room as well as where the wine is made and stored in tankers.

In what used to be the mule barn, Edwards is restoring an old wagon.

“We want to keep the farm the way it was but still be able to use it,” he said..

Charles said they want to keep their vineyards small enough to manage but producing enough to keep the business afloat. They currently produce about 1,000 cases of wine a year.

“We want a quality wine,“ he said.

And they appear to have achieved just that with their awards at the Cleveland County Fair wine competition this year.

Their Granda red table wine, Mule Barn Red, and Milk House White all earned blue ribbons and their Chardonnay won a red ribbon.

The Edwards sell the bottles of wine in Gastonia, Belmont and at Baker Buffalo Creek.

“We’re having a fun time with it,” he said.

And it is attracting attention. Charles said they have had visitors from Charlotte, Greensboro, Columbia, S.C., Gastonia, Winston Salem and as far away as Windsor, Canada, and New Jersey.

Charles said wineries are an important part of agritourism.

“Agritourism, it’s going to take off,” he said.

These agriculture ventures, like vineyards, not only produce things from the land, but attract tourists as well.

The Edwards hope their business will help attract visitors to the county and generate interest in wineries.

“We want to do as much organic farming as we can,” Charles said. “We want to stay natural.”

Although they never expected or planned to own a vineyard, the Edwards said they are having fun doing it.

While most retirees relax and slow down, this couple are busier than ever growing grapes.

“It’s a challenge,“ Charles said. “It’s a labor of love.”

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Web Sites Completed This Quarter Cleveland County Chamber www.clevelandchamber.org American Restoration www.amrest.com Business Education Alliance www.ccsbea.com Workforce Staffing www.workforcestaffing.net All-Star Clean Team www.allstarcleanteam.com Bradleys Inc www.bradleysinc.com Child Care Connections www.ccchildcareconnections.org Gragg & Gragg, LLP www.graggandgragg.com Hendricks Appliance www.shophendricks.net Kitchen & Bath Design of Shelby www.kitchenandbathdesignshelby.com Power 8 Workshop http://power8workshop.net

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CPAllianceTM Network Council Members Bryon Gragg, CPA/PFS, Partner of Gragg & Gragg LLP attended the 15th annual CPAllianceTM Roundtable, held November 7-9, 2009 at Celebration Hotel, Celebration Florida. Gragg & Gragg LLP is a member of the CPAllianceTM Network of over 50 CPA Wealth Advisory firms, managing $400 million in assets. Bryon Gragg was appointed to the Advisory Council due to his expertise in financial planning for high net worth individuals and owners of closely held businesses. Advisory Council members are part of the team reviewing the CPAllianceTM Network’s mission of helping clients identify their strategic financial goals, guiding them in the process of wealth accumulation and achieving financial independence. Topics discussed at the Roundtable included advanced personal financial planning for the CPA Wealth Advisor and an economic/market forecast.

At Gragg and Gragg, LLP, located at 9 East Marion Street, Shelby, clients get a company that goes beyond the traditional CPA firm to offer complete financial planning. Some clients choose Gragg and Gragg, LLP, to eliminate the frustration of using multiple firms to get all the services they need; others choose the firm for the personal attention and professional ethics of its accountants. Gragg and Gragg, LLP, offers financial planning that extends into helping clients manage their money, including taxes, insurance and fee-only investment advice. This extended service allows clients to maximize the potential of their money.

Bryon and his partner Jay Gragg are licensed, accountable and accessible. They consistently increase their knowledge to ensure they have the most up-to-date information and strategies available for their clients. This knowledge makes it possible for them to act independently for their clients' best interest. To find out more about Gragg and Gragg, LLP call or visit their website.

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WORDS BILL CAMERON

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hat comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “The Golden Girls?” If you’re my age, you remember laughing at the TV show by that name. Bea Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan played older ladies retired and living as neighbors in Miami. But we have our own local set of “golden girls” in Cleveland County.

These older ladies aren’t rocking on the porch, but instead are rocking around softball fields.

Yes, you read correctly, these girls are softball players on a team named the “Golden Girls.” This year, the name truly fits, as they went to Raleigh and won gold medals in the North Carolina Senior Games. From August 31 through September 2, 2009 at Raleigh’s Walnut Creek Softball Complex, these gals won 5 straight games to take the gold medal in the over- 60 age division.

But before we recount this year’s feat, let’s get a little history about this bunch. This team had its origins in 1998. That year, the NC Senior Games decided to add ladies softball competition for the next year. Sherrill Jenkins heard about this that fall and went to work recruiting. This newly-minted team started practicing in the spring to get ready.

They went to Raleigh that fall and Sherrill remembers that “they were the only team there.” But they had to play someone to earn a gold medal, so they played a pickup team of volunteers on a “plowedup” field at Athens Drive High School to “win” their first gold medal as an over-55 team. This pioneer team consisted of Joyce Beam, Maxine Cochran, Barbara Coxen, Doris Davis, Lib Hamrick, Hester Haynes, Sherrill Jenkins, Betty Ledbetter, Lonnie Proctor, Kay Squires, Carolyn Wall, Betty White(yes, just like from the TV show), Harriett Wilson, Brenda Worthy and Priscilla Wray. Soon other counties added teams and still our local girls won gold for the next two years. They continued to compete and moved up to play as an over-60 team a few years later as team members aged.

Which leads us back to this year’s medal winning season. This year’s team played in the Mt. Sinai Church Softball League this summer. This was a challenge for the Golden Girls as they battled local church teams with women playing who were, let’s just say, much younger than they were. But the competition proved a good training ground for

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the Senior Games. Team captain, Diane Singleton, kept telling everyone that “this league is practice, our goal is the state games.” After the league finished in early July, the Golden Girls continued to practice on Mondays and played practice games on Thursdays against the county’s newest senior team, the over-55 “Country Girls.” This year’s team was lead by two new coaches, head coach Chris Thomas and assistant Mike Kale. Chris got into coaching this team by talking with team member Becky Pruitt who also happens to be his aunt. He said that this team “would do what I asked them to do, right from the beginning,” even though he is 15 years younger than his youngest player. Chris added that the girls already had the competitive spirit and everyone knew from years past where each player fit as to position. The coaches were aided by their team captain who called herself, the team’s “organizer.” She made sure that state entry forms were filled out and stayed on the phone letting players know when and where practices were.

This year’s team was made up of 7 players from the original ’99 team: Priscilla Wray, Sherrill Jenkins, Carolyn Wall, Harriett Wilson, Hester Haynes, Betty White and Lib Hamrick plus coaches Chris Thomas and Mike Kale and captain Diane Singleton named already. Other team members were: Ann McSwain, Judy Latham, Myrtle Ridge, Blandine Tate, Margaret Edwards, Shirley Broughton, Becky Pruitt, Helen Thrift, and Hester Haynes. Without putting any ages to any names, just know that this year’s roster includes players from 62-80 years in age. In an age where we are used to seeing octogenarian coaches like Bobby Cox and Bobby Bowden standing on the sidelines, these girls are still on the field at that age.

The Golden Girls travelled to Raleigh to compete with three other over-60 teams this year. They went undefeated in three round-robin games before winning the semifinal and final games. Their five-game undefeated sweep was something they all said was the highlight of this year. They beat Pitt County in the final game by a score of 6-5 with the winning run scoring on Priscilla Wray’s hit. But as Coach Thomas said, “every game, a different player stepped up when we needed a big play.” Outfielder Carolyn Wall added that she was proud to “be a part of a fine group of women.”

Next year, look out for these ladies again on local softball fields. They won’t be throwing down pills but instead throwing the softball around. These Golden Girls aren’t ready to retire to Florida any time soon. And a word of caution to other Senior Games teams, they plan on moving up to the over65 age bracket soon. As someone once said, “Age is a matter of the mind, if you don’t mind then the age doesn’t matter.”

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 43

Settle It Once and For All! Should there be a playoff system to determine the College Football Champion?

Yes or No? To vote go to: www.settleitonceandforall.com See next issue for the results and a new question.

www.SettleInWithComfort.com

44 Foothills Spotlight Jan/Feb 2010 44 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

www. foothillsspotlight. com

Fox Distributing www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 45

WORDS BILL CAMERON

M

ustang Jack.” Sounds like a title for a western movie, doesn’t it? Instead, it’s an appropriate name for racing mogul Jack Roush. Like any good cowboy, he does wear a straw hat which led to his more common moniker, “The Cat in the Hat.” He also loves his Mustangs, but these have four tires instead of four legs. Riding into town, Jack visited Shelby’s Keeter Ford dealership this past October 14th. A huge crowd came to see both this NASCAR legend and a bevy of Mustangs on display.

The name Jack Roush is synonymous with Ford and NASCAR stars like Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards who drive for Fenway Roush Racing. Jack got his start in the auto industry as an engineer for Ford Motors in his first job after graduating from college in 1964. He bought his first Mustang that year as soon as they rolled off the assembly line. He strayed from Ford to Chrysler Motors in the early ‘70’s. But his heart was in fast cars and he soon drifted into racing.

With his engineering, physics and math background and his experience in the auto industry, Jack first made his mark on the drag-racing circuits in the late ‘70’s. After winning several drag championships, he next entered NASCAR racing. With Mark Martin driving for his team, he won his first NASCAR race in October 1988. Over the years, his teams have won titles in all three of the top NASCAR levels: the Truck series, the Busch Cup Series and two Nextel Cup(as they were known then) championships with Matt Kenseth in 2003 and Kurt Busch in 2004. Roush Racing has some 260 NASCAR wins overall.

But Jack Roush’s influence goes far

beyond his racing ventures. Headquarters for Roush Enterprises are in Livonia, Michigan. Included under the aegis of Roush’s care are Roush Racing, Roush Industries, Roush Manufacturing, and Roush Performance Products. All told, Jack’s businesses employ more than 1800 workers.

But it was this last company, Roush Performance, which brought Jack Roush to Shelby’s Keeter Ford. Jack’s love for the Mustang “pony car” has translated into a major collaboration between Roush and Ford. Roush Performance partnered with Ford to begin producing revved-up Mustang packages in 1995. This first package was a V-8 GT model built until 1998. Later, they produced a 2004-SE Mustang 440A to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Mustang model. Roush Performance now has 2 Mustang models: the 427R with 450 horsepower and the Stage 3 with a staggering 540 hp engine. These come with price tags in the $50,000 to $60,000 price range.

Jack’s visit to Shelby came on a rainy afternoon in which he had to fight rushhour traffic on his drive here from Charlotte. He stayed at Keeter Ford from 5 pm until 11 that night. He met with the press and Keeter employees. Then he signed autographs(even signing Roush Mustang dashboards) for several hours.

Keeter Ford Roush Mustang salesman, Lyle Sturgis, stated that “Jack even passed up his supper, which was Red Bridges’ barbecue, until he had finished talking to fans.” Jack was visiting Keeter Ford because this dealership is the number one Roush Mustang seller in the state and number six in the whole country. He even had fans in attendance from

46 F o ot h i l l s S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 010

Canada. Eric and Sophie Alary drove 17 hours from Montreal in their Roush Mustang to meet with Jack. Lyle Sturgis had sold the Alary’s their Mustang earlier this year at a meeting in Charlotte.

As you can see, “Mustang Jack” is an appropriate name for this “muscle car” enthusiast. Like any good cowboy, Jack Roush hasn’t seen his last rodeo. He is excited about the upcoming entrance of the Mustang model into the Nationwide Racing Series. If I was a betting man,

I’d say that this car will have the Roush imprint all over it. Don’t bet against Jack getting his NASCAR Sprint Cup cars back to their dominant place in that series next year either.

Top: Jack Roush; Above Left: Nextel car sponsored by Roush; Above Right: (Listed from left to right) H.S. & Sandra Keeter, Madison Darnell (held by Sandra), Missy & Scott Darnell, Jack Roush

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 47 Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 47

Shelby H Bring High School Gold ome the en Lion s 2A Boys Soccer C State hampion ship!

WORDS GILDA PRUITT

T

his is a FIRST! The Shelby High team won the state soccer championship in Cary, NC on Saturday, November 21, 2009. This is the first Cleveland County team to win a state title in the sport, besting Pittsboro Northwood 2-1.

This determined group of young men had played as freshmen in the western semifinals. As sophomores they made it a step further and last year they lost in the title game. But this year their skill, focus and fighting spirit brought home the trophy as state winners.

The first goal came in the fourth minute of the game at WakeMed Soccer Park. Kevin Petty, senior from Shelby, deflected a clearing attempt by a Northwood defender off his thigh and into the goal.

The game continued at 1-0 until the 74th minute when Northwood’s Sam Lucier scored.

This made a 1-1 game, which looked as if it might be headed for overtime.

48 F o ot h i l l s S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 010

About three minutes later, though, a sophomore midfielder, Jerry Zeller hit a one-timer with his left foot into the corner of the net from around 20 yards out.

This goal won the game for Shelby and young Zeller was named Most Valuable Player of the game.

During the first half of the match, Zeller had a shot from inside the box deflect off the right post. His game winning goal for the state championship more than made up for this first-half miss at scoring.

Shelby had played in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association finals last year, but came to this game with a season of 23-3-1, going 18-0-1 in the final 19 games. The Golden Lions team took five one-goal decisions in the playoffs, including a dramatic penalty kick triumph over Surry Central in the Western Regional final.

The Shelby High School student cheering section was very active in encouraging this team both during

and after the game was won. The Shelby High soccer fans at home were eager to wish the team well once they were back in Shelby.

This state championship win in a different sport adds another dimension to the sports accolades attributed to the school. Soccer is very popular for younger children in Cleveland County. No doubt playing soccer through these earlier years gives the high school student more knowledge and ability once they reach the high school level.

Congratulations, Golden Lions, on another great win for Shelby and Cleveland County!

Photos (clockwise from top): #3-Christian Mabry, #22-Brian Brentlinger; #22-Brian Brentlinger; #9-Matthew McCarter, yellow shirt-Rob Binion, (2nd from right) Edgar Lopez, (far right) Branson Reed.

Photos courtesy of David Grose.

www. foothillsspotlight. com

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole Ingredients: 3 cups diced cooked chicken (seasoned with Lawreys, parsley & pepper, then bake) 1 medium onion, diced; 1 medium green pepper, diced 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained; 1 cup mayonnaise 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions (Uncle Bens Original…in a pinch, the “fast cook” version can be used) 2 cups shredded Cheddar, sharp or mild – your preference Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave the diced onion & green pepper until they start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Combine first 7 ingredients together; salt & pepper to taste. In a 2 or 3-quart casserole dish place already prepared wild rice mix and smooth over bottom of dish. Top with chicken mixture. Bake casserole, covered with lid or foil, for 25 – 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Finally, top with the Cheddar cheese and brown. Let stand approximately 10 minutes before serving.

Duski R. Brann (our niece) provided us with this delicious recipe. She’s the daughter of the late Roger Ramsey and Edrie Robinson Ramsey. She lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with her husband Dave and their son, Jackson. She is currently a chef at Florida State University.

Ebbie www.foothillsspotlight.com www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 45 Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 49

5

FAB

Jason Guzewich - Kings Mountain – Swimming

Jason, a former Sharks Aquatic Club swimmer is off to a good start during his senior season at East Carolina University. The 6-5 sprinter has the top time in the 50 freestyle and 2nd best time in the 100 freestyle during the 2009-2010 season. Guzewich is a three-time Conference USA Championship finalist and earned All-Conference honors in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Bruce Hardin - Football Coach/Athletic Director A graduate of Chase High School, Hardin was recently selected for induction into the North Carolina High School Athletic Associations Hall of Fame. Hardin’s teams have earned two state football titles and three runner-up finishes in 27 years as a high school head coach. Bruce was a head coach in both the North Carolina Coaches Association East-West game and the Shrine Bowl. He has also won both coach of the year and athletic director of the year awards at various times. He will officially be inducted at the special Hall of Fame banquet next spring at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center at the University of North Carolina.

Brandon Littlejohn – Burns High – Football Littlejohn, a sophomore threw for 241 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 48-7 win over Chase High. Littlejohn finished the season passing for 2,494 yards and 32 scores in his first year as the starting QB. He was named South Mountain Athletic Conferences Offensive Player of the Year by league coaches.

Gracie Blackley – Shelby High – Cross Country Blackley was named the South Mountain Athletic Conference Runner of the Year in 2009. She was named All-Region and qualified for the state meet in Winston Salem. Earlier in 2009, Gracie was named the Southwestern 2A/3A Conference track and field athlete of the year.

Niklas Lange – Burns High – Soccer Niklas, an exchange student from Germany led the Bulldogs with a school record 34 goals. An all-conference selection, he was named the South Mountain Athletic Conference player of the year.

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Free Initial Consultation 310-3 E. Graham St. Shelby, NC 28150

704-484-1994 52 Foothills Spotlight Jan/Feb 2010 52 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

www. foothillsspotlight. com

For

mor e inf o ca 704 ll: .48 2.7 882 or c all to ll fre 1.86 e 6.3 05.

997 3

CALENDAR OF E

V

E

N

T

S

FAIRS • FESTIVALS • EVENTS

JANUARY 2010

FEBRUARY 2010

MARCH 2010

1/2 Alison Brown Quartet with Joe Craven 8 pm. $36.

Hailed as one of the world’s greatest banjo players, join us as we welcome this double Grammy Award winner and her remarkable associates. Winner of the International Bluegrass Associations Banjo Player of the Year Award and Double Grammy Winner! The Don Gibson Theatre, 308 S. Washington St., Shelby 704-487-8114, www.DGShelby.com

2/1 Williams Observatory Open House Opens at sunset.

Astronomy presentations and special telescope viewings.

Gardner-Webb University campus in Boiling Springs, NC. 704-406-3804, www.gardner-webb.edu/astro

3/1 Williams Observatory Open House Opens at sunset.

Astronomy presentations and special telescope viewings.

Gardner-Webb University campus in Boiling Springs, NC. 704-406-3804, www.gardner-webb.edu/astro

1/14 Carbon Leaf 8 pm. $24. After their opening on tour for both the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer…and leaving the American Music Awards clutching the Coca Cola New Music Award And The Best Unsigned Band In America Award we welcome this rock and roll band to The Don Gibson Theatre, 308 S. Washington St., Shelby 704-487-8114, www.DGShelby.com 1/15 Marianne Faithfull “The Easy Come, Easy Go Tour” 8 pm. $48. In the annals of popular culture there is no story that compares to hers. An almost unbelievable tale of early success, descent, rediscovery and resurrection, artistic accomplishment, standing ovations and enduring worldwide acclaim. The Don Gibson Theatre, 308 S. Washington St., Shelby 704-487-8114, www.DGShelby.com 1/16 December Radio in Concert TNT concert series featuring the best in contemporary Christian music. Shelby City Park, 850 W. Sumter St., Shelby, 704-484-6476, www.CityOfShelby.com/Parks 1/17 Martin King Day in Kingstown 5 pm. Everyone is welcome to this day of remembering why Kingstown is named after Martin King. 2014 Kingston Road, Kingstown.

704-487-0480.

1/23 “Open to the Public” Regional Meeting of Amateur Astronomers 2010 10 am – 5 pm. The event known to the locals as “BoBfest” will return to Gardner-Webb University in the Ritch Banquet Hall, Dover Campus Center. As always, this is a FREE event! This year’s event will again feature speakers, vendors, swap-tables, door prizes and an astrophotography/ sketching contest. Gardner-Webb University campus in Boiling Springs, NC. 864-839-9424, www.ccastro.org 1/23 The Big Chill Casino Night 6:30-11 pm. $40/person.

Join us for an evening of fun, food, dancing and games.

Blackjack, Roulette, Craps & Raffle with a Grand Prize Trip to Las Vegas! Cleveland County Arts Council, 111 S. Washington St., Uptown Shelby, 704-484-2787, www.ccartscouncil.org

2/4-3/11 14th Annual “Treasures of the Earth” Pottery Show and Sale Mon. Fri. 9 am - 6pm, Sat. Mar 7 and the first Saturday each month from 10 - 2. Opening reception February 7 (5:30pm-7:30pm) In its 14th year, this promises to be the best show yet with the works of over 25 local and regional artists. This is a must see show. Cleveland County Arts Council, 111 S. Washington St., Uptown Shelby, 704-484-2787, www.ccartscouncil.org 2/12-14, 19-21 The Music Man Sun 2:30 pm; Fri-Sat 7:30 pm. An American musical classic, following fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill and his visit to River City, Iowa.

GSCT partnets with Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy to bring you an unforgettable production. Performances at Cleveland Community College, 137 S. Post Road, Shelby, 704-480-8495, www.gsct.org 2/12 Valentines Day Lunch at the Carrousel 11:30-1:30 pm. $11/person. Reservations required. A catered lunch provided by Dressing On The Side includes, a delicious bowl of hearty homemade soup, your choice of a freshly made deli sandwich, a side of salad tossed with a homemade dressing, fresh seasonal fruit, a scrumptious dessert bar and warm cider or tea. Carrousel open for rides from 1 – 5 pm. Music

by Ray Ledford. Anne Dover Bailey Pavilion, Shelby City Park.

704 484-6476, www.cityofshelby.com/parks

Cleveland County attraction brochures are available at the Visitor Information Center located at the Cleveland Mall on East Dixon Boulevard, Shelby. For more information on these events contact Cleveland County Travel & Tourism at 704.482.7882 or call toll free 1.866.305.9973 or www.TourClevelandCounty.com.

2/25 9th Annual Bowling for Dollars 11 am-1 pm $15.00, Reservations Required. Join us for lunch as you enjoy a bowl of delicious homemade soup in a beautiful handmade pottery bowl donated by local potters. You keep the bowl when you pay for the soup. Bread, drink and soup are included.

Cleveland County Arts Council, 111 S. Washington St., Uptown Shelby, 704-484-2787, www.ccartscouncil.org 2/25 Cleveland County Astronomical Society at the Williams Observatory 7:30 pm. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Gardner-Webb University campus in Boiling Springs, NC. 864-839-9424, www.ccastro.org 2/27 Broad River Greenway Winter Clean Up 10 am-12 pm. Dress for the weather. Meet in the main parking lot. 126 Broad River Drive, Boiling Springs, NC. 704-4342357, www.Broadrivergreenway.com

1/30 Foothills Bridal Fair 12-4 pm. Cleveland Mall, 2001 E. Dixon Blvd. Shelby, 704-484-2001 www.shopclevelandmall.com

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 53

DON GIBSON Theatre

ON pening IGHT

2009

5 54 4 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

www. foothillsspotlight. com

S p eci al Ad verti si n g S ecti on

Focused On Personalized Care: Shelby Eye Center

1170 Wyke Road, Shelby, NC 28150 | 704-482-6767 1115 West Floyd Baker Blvd., Gaffney, SC 29340 | www.ShelbyEyeCenter.com

W

| 800-776-1054 864-487-2020

hen it’s time for you to focus on eye care,

“They are very well trained, and we’re constantly

of Medicine in Jacksonville, Fla., followed by training

consider Shelby Eye Center, 1170 Wyke

upgrading their skills,” Dr. Cline says. “They are very

in ophthalmology at the Medical College of Georgia in

Road, in Shelby. The center has served

knowledgeable. Our head technician has a degree as

Augusta.

area residents for more than 20 years and there are

a certified ophthalmic technician.”

Dr. Bailey is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy

A well-staffed full-service optical shop enables the

and Georgetown University School of Medicine. He

“Shelby Eye Center has always prided itself on giving

staff to handle eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions.

trained in ophthalmology at Bowman Gray School of

personalized care and on being there for our patients

Retired optometrist Dr. Blake McWhirter decided in

Medicine, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem,

when we’re needed,” says Dr. Nancy E. Cline, one of

2001 that he wanted to go back to work; the center

N.C. He served in the Air Force as a consultant to the

three ophthalmologists at the center. “We don’t make

hired him to help with fitting and dispensing glasses.

Surgeon General and Chief of Ophthalmology Services

people wait a long time to come see us, and if they

“Many of his prior patients like coming back and seeing

at Clark Air Base in the Philippines and Malcolm Grow

have an emergency, we generally get them in the next

him,” says Dr. Cline. “They ask for him.”

U.S.A.F. Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

multiple reasons for its longevity.

The center’s three doctors keep abreast of

Dr. Bogan is a graduate of the University of

developments in the eye care field. From laser vision

Michigan and Wayne State University School of

That service ethic is founded on the experience

correction to lens implants to the new contact lenses

Medicine. He completed his internship and residency

and skill of the center’s staff. Dr. Cline, Dr. Thomas D.

for astigmatism, they can guide their patients through

in ophthalmology at Albany Medical Center, then

Bailey and Dr. Stephen J. Bogan are all certified by

the latest eye care options available. In addition to

completed a two-year fellowship in corneal and

the American Board of Ophthalmology. These eye

the services already stated, the center also provides

external disease at Emory University School of

physicians and the rest of the center’s staff provide

cataract surgery, glaucoma evaluation and treatment,

Medicine in Atlanta, Ga. He followed that with three

comprehensive eye exams, glasses and contacts and

retinal evaluation and treatment, crossed eyes

years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force at Wright-

treatment of eye conditions and diseases in infants,

evaluation and treatment, eyelid surgery and laser

Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

children and adults of all ages.

vision correction, both LASIK and PRK. The center

day, if not the same day. I think it’s our service that really makes us stand out.”

There are times, says Dr. Cline, when the doctors

also responds to emergencies 24-7.

refer patients to a retinal specialist or a university center;

The doctors responsible for maintaining the quality

however, the majority of patients can be examined and

of care synonymous with the name Shelby Eye Center

treated right at the center or at Cleveland Ambulatory

have credentials and experience that give their patients

Services, where the center’s surgeons perform major

confidence and peace of mind.

surgeries.

Dr. Cline is a graduate of the University of Florida;

Dr. Cline, who has been employed at the center for

she received her medical degree from the University

11 years, says the center’s technicians are top-notch

of South Florida, College of Medicine, in Tampa. She

and some have been with the center 10 or more years.

completed her internship at the Mayo Graduate School

It is obvious from the experience, skill and personalized care at Shelby Eye Center that staff members are sincere when they say, “We care about your eye care.”

Learn

more

about

Shelby

Eye

Center

at

www.ShelbyEyeCenter.com or by calling 704-4826767. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Thursday and 8:30 AM to Noon Friday.

Providing Insurance & Financial Services Auto-Life-Health-Home and Business Robin Brackett 941 E. Marion St., Shelby, NC 28150 (704) 482-0531 Office (704) 538-3288 Residence robin.brackett.bwuw@ statefarm.com

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.速

56 Foothills Spotlight Jan/Feb 2010

56 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

www. foothillsspotlight. com

S p eci al A d vert i si ng S ect i on

Start the New Year With A Beautiful New Smile WORDS YOUNG & ASSOCIATES

Invisalign Invisible Braces Young and Associates offers Invisalign clear aligners for adults as well as children.

Did you know that nearly one out of four orthodontic patients these days is over the age of 21? And did you know that Invisalign braces can give you straighter teeth in as little as six months to one year? “I didn’t have braces as a child,” one patient told us, “and I was afraid that getting braces as an adult would make me look unprofessional. When my dentist told me about braces that were nearly invisible, I knew I’d found the perfect solution.”

Dr. Pauline Cahill says, “With Invisalign braces, you can have a confident and beautiful smile, without most people even realizing you’re wearing invisible braces.”

A welcome alternative to braces with metal wires, this treatment uses clear, custommolded aligners that are virtually invisible. You can remove the aligners when it’s time to eat, drink, brush or floss. Y&A

www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 57

First Courthouse, William Weathers gave the use of his two-story home near Zion Church in which to hold court terms until the first courthouse on the square was built.

House

The first courthouse on the square is visible to the right in this c. 1890 photo of the square.

The History of Cleveland County’s

Court

in pictures

Photos provided by: Rusty Patterson

Gathering of the Cleveland County educators c. 1880 posing in front of the courthouse. First courthouse was built in 1845 and torn down in 1907.

58 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

Postcard image of architect’s drawing for the second courthouse on the square.

View from the north side of the courthouse c. 1900. www. foothillsspotlight. com

Sp ecial A dver t isin g S ect ion

Great Expectations

704-481-1788 2221 S. Post Road Shelby, NC 28152

If you’re warm in the winter and cool in the summer, what more should you ask of your heating and air conditioning supplier? How about integrity, professionalism and a commitment to community?

Customers don’t have to ask for those benefits from Settle Heating & Air -- they come as part of the deal.

David Settle has been working in heating and air conditioning service since he got out of the U.S. Navy in 1986. He and his wife Cindy, both North Carolina natives, founded Settle Heating & Air in 1998 to offer service to Cleveland and surrounding counties and to part of South Carolina. In the decade-plus since then they have demonstrated they have a heart for the community in which they live.

In addition to pledging a high standard of service and employees dedicated to their customers, the Settles state in their company Mission Statement: “Our purpose is to operate Settle Heating & Air as a Christian faith-based company striving to improve our community.”

Through the years, David and Cindy, members of Putnam Baptist Church in Shelby, have contributed to causes as varied as YMCA soccer teams, paid internships for high school and college students, and the Junior Charity League Clothing Room, which provides clothes for local children in need from

kindergarten through high school.

Settle Heating & Air also sponsors Alive After Five, Shelby’s summer fun program for all ages held on downtown streets once a month for five months each year. When Shelby hosted the American Legion World Series in 2008, the Settles contributed 10,000 bottles of water to be sold at the stadium to help pay for the event. They expect to participate again if the city wins the bid for the 2011-2014 World Series.

The company also supports the Pregnancy Resource Center and the Crossroads Rescue Mission, plus Hands on Missions, a locally based organization that hosts revivals and Bible School programs, ministers to children all over the world and provides medical services to impoverished people.

“We do a lot of small sponsorships with a lot of ministries around the county,” David says.

As a member of the board of directors for the Home Builders Assocaition of Cleveland County, David has been active in the assocation’s Hog Happenin’, an annual barbecue championship at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds. “The last couple of years, we’re raised approximately $25,000 each time to give to the Children’s Homes of Cleveland County,” he says.

David and Cindy Settle recently announced a project that has them excited about its potential impact -- the

For more information on the Settle Community Scholorship or the products & services provided by Settle Heating & Air visit:

Settle Community Scholarship. This annual fund is to be distributed to students at all four of Cleveland County’s high schools. The first scholarships will be awarded in May 2010. The Settles have pledged a minimum of $500 per school; the total amount depends on their customers. From May 1 of one year to April 30 of the next year, the Settles will build the fund by setting aside 2 percent of the sale of every replacement heating and air conditioning unit sold in Cleveland County by Settle Heating and Air. The person purchasing the unit designates which high school will receive that money. Each school will recommend three students for scholarships, and the Settles will select final recipients. By mid-October 2009, all four funds had surpassed the $500 mark.

“I’m looking forward to it; I’m excited about it; I really believe in it,” David says. “It’s really a big thing on my heart since I’ve got a daughter in college and I see what a help it is (she has a teaching fellowship scholarship). If every small business would look at what they give the government in taxes and consider giving it to the schools for scholarships instead (the scholarship money is tax deductible), it would take care of a lot of students. It benefits our community and that’s what we’re supposed to be about.”

www.settleinwithcomfort.com

green GOING

WORDS GILDA PRUITT

60 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

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On a sunny autumn afternoon in Cleveland County a large crowd gathered to help celebrate the opening of an ultra modern dental facility—a vision that had become a reality. Kendalyn Lutz-Craver, DDS, PA formally opened Cornerstone Dental Associates. Her idea for her office was not to have something new for the sake of being new, but to have a higher purpose: to put patients first, to be able to expand if need be, to have a positive impact on patients, employees and the community and to minimize impact on the environment.

The result of that dream is a gem for our area.

It is the first certified LEED building in Cleveland County. LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building or community performs across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2, emissions reduction, improved indoor environment, quality and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. The certification gives the office a higher purpose.

A tour of the beautiful facility is both enjoyable and informative. The building is situated on the land such that each dental chair in a room is looking out a large window with a view of the outdoors. The windows are tinted green, designed to keep heat out.

Fred Blakeley, landscape architect, of Shelby states, “Dr. Lutz-Craver wants patients to look out onto a different form of landscape. We talked about options and she wanted a natural area, perhaps with wildlife benefits. We decided on what will be a piedmont meadow. The edges of the property

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will be clipped; the areas in front of the operatory will be meadow which will be developing over the years.”

Mr. Blakeley continues, “Currently we have a nurse crop of ground cover to keep things from washing away. What the meadow will become is known as “old field succession” and must have time and will develop dramatically differently over the years. There will be mowed paths through it and they are designed to be entered and used.”

Dr. Lutz-Craver says,” I would like to see this entire development to be green. It would be good to have curbside recycling. Currently we take our recycling to the centers. We have a bike rack out front and employees may ride their bikes to work.

There is a shower available for them should they wish to utilize it. There is also a washer and a dryer available for employee uniforms and for cloth napkins.”

Mark Patterson from the Patterson Design Group in Shelby was architect for the facility. He states that he had known Kendalyn through the Rotary

Club. She called him and said that she wanted to build a dental office—and she didn’t want it to be square and she did want it to be LEED certified.

Mark Patterson states, ”When you start out saving energy, etc., it is a great savings but as you would do more, it would cost more but there is a break-even point and I believe Kendalyn’s building will pay for the extra expense to make it green over the life of the building.”

“Kendalyn stepped out there and did a different building; she did extra things for patients and her co-workers. The joy in doing the building was that as the contract went along, contractors became excited, paid more attention and bought into the LEED concept,” said Mark Patterson, who is a LEED accredited professional.

“I appreciate the fact that Kendalyn was willing to step out and take this risk. I hope people will see that being a green building is not an esoteric thing, but something that people who use it will love and enjoy,” states Mark Patterson.

Anna Dis of CDA Architects in Columbia, SC was

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 61

brought on board to serve as interior designer. She helped with the LEED interiors part, selecting environmentally friendly products, low VOC, recyclable content.

“All furniture is green guard certified; we have recycle content in the backing of the carpet. The carpet is placed in tiles in order that if one is damaged, only that one will have to be removed. There is also no loss of carpet at the end of rolls with tiles.

The luxury vinyl planks in the break room and all examination rooms have very high recycle content.

These planks require no waxing, thus no chemicals will be utilized,” states Anna Dis. Mr. Justin Boheler, Project Manager of Beam Construction came on board for his second LEED project.

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Mr. Boheler states, “I see buildings coming along more in LEED certification, schools seem to be going that way. Some people are interested, not necessarily is getting certified, but they choose to utilize the same construction methods.”

Dr. Lutz-Craver encourages everyone to make a change—cloth shopping bags, cloth napkins, no more bottled water.

Just as this building is an expression of care for the patients, the approach to the practice of dentistry reflects that care as well. Dr. Lutz-Craver embraces a comprehensive approach to oral health. All new patients are given a comprehensive examination where both hygiene needs and treatment needs will be discussed.

Patients have the opportunity to be served with

state of the art dentistry in this facility. The office uses computer-aided design to make crowns and place them in the mouth on the same day. The x-rays are digital and are displayed on flat screen monitors positioned above the patient’s chair. The panoramic digital imaging machine is capable of taking typical intra-oral x-rays without entering the patient’s mouth.

Cornerstone Dental Associates is located at 101 Life Enrichment Blvd., off NC 18 North in Shelby. New patients are welcome to enjoy this beautiful, purposeful facility and the energetic and environmentally conscious staff who work there.

Telephone number is 704-482-5119.

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For Correspondence and Remittance continue using: P.O. Box 1827, Shelby, NC 28151 62 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

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Advertiser’s Index All Star Clean Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 American Legion World Series Bid . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 American Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Bayada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Berry Business Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Bill Shuford Heating and Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Bootstrap Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Bradleys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Brenda McClain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Bulldog Quik Snak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Carolina Energies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Champion Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 City of Shelby Parks and Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Cleveland Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Cleveland Headline News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Cleveland Lumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Cleveland Urologic Surgery, PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Cornerstone Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 CPTrx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Debt Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Drug Force Screening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 1st Class Janitorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 First National Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Fox Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Gondola Italian Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Got You Covered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Gragg and Gragg, LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,11 Hendrick's Appliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Higher Learning Childcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Holly's Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Hospice of Cleveland County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Kitchen and Bath Design of Shelby . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Little Debbie To The Rescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Max D. Jones and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Medifare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17,47 Norris Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Nuvox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Owl's Eye Vineyard and Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . .23,47 Papa's Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Phyllis' Cakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Pizza Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Personnel Services Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Puppy Luv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Richies Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Robin Brackett Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Salon 206 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 SE Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Settle Heating and Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59,67 Shelby Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16,55 Shelby Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Shelby Savings Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Shelby Surgical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Sterling House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Summit Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, P.L.L.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Timm's Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Victorian Rose Studio of Photography & Art Gallery .32,56 Walker Carpet Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Walker Woodworking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28-29 WGWG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 YMCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,33 Young & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 www.foothillsspotlight.com www. fo o t hills s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 65 Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 65

reflections

{from the well}

WORDS REV. CRYSTAL CHAMPION

Sweet Communion I knew it had to be one of us. I mean one of her four children just had to take up mama’s mission. I’ve written about this before; but just to be sure you’re with me, Mama was always—ALWAYS—visiting and caring for the infirm, the elderly, the poor, the least of those among us. Through Mama’s guidance, we witnessed and often were drafted into unwanted situations. I don’t know how often she would spit our faces, comb our hair, and take us off to visit shut-ins.

How many times did we sing “Jesus Loves Me” or quote John 3:16? I admit: I hated it. I had no other experience with older people as we never knew any of our grandparents. I remember one of our neighbors always hugging and kissing me with a bit of strange fluid dripping out of the corner of her mouth. Years later I learned that it was snuff. And there was my elderly blind uncle who always said, “Come a little closer so I can feel what you look like.”

Oh, my sweet Lord, it was scary to me, but not to my sister. She enjoyed it so much. Even though she did not have the gift of song that I did (sorry, Sis), she sang her heart out. She usually racked in the peppermints and any other fragments of old candy lying around. As I got older Mama didn’t make me go; however, that did not stop the guilt she could dish out.

And so the mantle of Mama’s mission fell on the oldest of us, our big sister. Just like Mama, she has a weekly list. That list grows as she adds to it the perfect strangers she meets while ministering to others. As a matter of fact, she meets no strangers welcoming all into her loving embrace. Although I am the ministry “trained” one, SHE is the one with the natural ability to make people feel better, their loads lightened by the care she gives. Sis takes her 5 year-old grandson with her now as years ago she took her three children. She brings so much laughter and joy to others.

Sis is a Lutheran. Her church leadership recently asked her to take the Eucharist to members unable to attend church. She told the committee that she didn’t feel comfortable with that responsibility. SHE TOLD ME that she liked to tell an off-color joke once in a while and she didn’t think the two went together very well. I have given much thought to her reservation.

66 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t J a n / F e b 2 0 1 0

The Christian message of communion is very clear.

Communion is about connection, remembrance, and a sweet reverence for what Christ was willing to do and actually DID for us.

By the time you read this my family will have experienced communion with each other at least twice: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve. As we gather together on those special days the majority of our time together will be spent remembering. We remember Mom and Daddy, stories we heard about our grandparents Sam and Bessie Hubbard. We recall the stories of our Champion grandparents and their heritage. We remember our Uncles and Aunts and our special baby, Braely. And we feel even more connected when our hearts in law share their stories and remembrances. We circle together, we hold hands, and someone offers prayer. We remember, we connect, and we don’t forget anyone, especially Christ.

As we are inheritors of status as God’s family, how could we forget? And yes when the little ones are not around my sister will begin laughing before she even starts the story and will have us laughing and remembering again and again and again.

So Jeanette, as you struggle to minister effectively, know that you do. You cause us all to stop, connect with who we are, and where we came from; to remember the most important things in life. If I remember correctly the first Bible verse we all learned was “God is Love.” And you, my dear sister, always give new meaning to those old words. You offer such sweet communion.

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Jan/Feb 2010 Foothills Spotlight 67

Teddy & Meekins Teddy, Meekins & Talbert,PLLC

Proudly serving those in need of legal services in Cleveland and surrounding counties.

Ralph Meekins

Jeannette Reeves

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Julian Wray

Main Office: 1219 Fallston Road, Shelby Satellite Office: 301 E. Warren Street, Suite A, Shelby www.teddyandmeekins.com