Foothills Spotlight Sept/Oct 2010

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

{ No. 16 }

Sept/Oct 2010

Best

Foothills of the

As decided by you at www.FoothillsSpotlight.com [ you voted – we published ]

Plus:

A Strong Voice for the People

More Fair for Everyone

Smith’s Drug - Nostaligia With A Kick

it’s a brand new day at the

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.9 t c O

featuring...,

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Best

Foothills of the

[ 2010 ]

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contents Sept/Oct 2010

president Jeff Champion publisher Ebbie Champion editor Mark Alan Hudson creative director JD Ledford graphics Mike Bencivengo Wendy Cobb Nikki Cook Dee Counter-Griffis JD Ledford Peter Von Pfahl April Hoyle Shauf writers Bill Cameron Rev. Crystal Champion Judy Gaultney Bryon Gragg Mark Alan Hudson Kimberly P. Johnson Bob Mori Wade Nichols Katherine Panther-Potemkin Gilda Pruitt Paula Vess Skip Warrick Trey Warrick Lynn Zook sports director Sam Davis photographers Erin Cooke Robin King The Victorian Rose Studio photojournalist Rusty Patterson operations / sales Kim Davis sales staff Sam Davis Katherine Panther-Potemkin website design Matt Miller Foothills Spotlight is a publication of CHAMPION COMMUNICATIONS PO Box 1726 Shelby, NC 28151 704.466.3847 info@foothillsspotlight.com foothillsspotlight.com

23

53

39

{ features }

{ be sure to see }

23 a strong voice

8 welcome

Walter Dalton makes a difference for the people of North Carolina

30 more fair for everyone A look at what makes the Cleveland County Fair one of a kind

34 finding treasure in the woods

Frank Barrow, takes pieces of wood and uses his creativity to transform them into art

39 best of the foothills

The winners of your “Best of” voting for 2010

50 nostalgia with a kick

Nestled on a tree-lined thoroughfare running through the heart of town is a drugstore from yesteryear, Smith’s Drug

65 community involvment breeds success

Learn how a collaborative approach of business leaders gave students a real world experience

be

gin

so

np

g.

53

53 working on the chain gang

Best of the Foothills

What it is like working on the sidelines at a football game

10 viewpoint

Be unreasonable

57 flashback

12 life coaching

Tips for sparking a positive self-image

14 amazing mind

A look back at Tommy London and his many athletic exploits

58 mission accomplished

How the East Rutherford Cavaliers brought home the 2010 NCHSSA 2A State Baseball Championship

Hold on

16 kid speak

Best ways to help children blow off steam

60 fab 5

Learn about five exceptional athletes from the foothills

18 in the yard

The best of fall gardening

20 financial perspectives The best way to achieve financial peace of mind

70 inside the dome

A look inside the Courthouse Dome reveals an iconic bell

74 reflections Perspectives

30 MEMBERS OF: Cleveland Women’s Network

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

72 Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 7

{ welcome } Well, the dog days of August are behind us, the kids are in school and the end of summer is fast approaching. That means that a lot of great events in the Foothills are just around the corner. It means events like the Cleveland County Fair, our state’s largest county fair, will be here before you know it. And we’ve got it covered for you here.

Some say our fair is one of the “best” county fairs they’ve ever attended. I’ve been to quite a few in my years here and I have to say, it is special indeed. That “best” moniker turns out to be a major theme of this special issue of Foothills Spotlight.

In addition to our regular columns, you will find a detailed wrap-up of the voting results for our “best of” contest in the Foothills, ranging from dining and recreation options, arts and entertainment venues, personal and professional services, shopping and even things that are unique to the place we call home.

Our feature articles cover some interesting terrain, including a visit with our Lieutenant Governor, Walter Dalton and his wife Lucille. The Lt. Gov. invited us to sit down with them during one of their infrequent visits home and shared stories about his life in politics and the things he hopes to accomplish in his role. We came away feeling proud that he is from the Foothills area. We also got the clear picture that he has a lot he wants to accomplish before he comes home for good.

We’ve also got a couple of short stories on some Foothills treasures. In each case, the subject makes you think about the joy of simple pleasures.

You know we love our sports here in the Foothills. This month, we’re treating you to a few stories that might make you say, “Hey, I never knew that!” Plus, you’ll still be treated to some highlights of local athletes and a special item on some recent state champions.

While this is our “best of” issue, we figure we could do this for almost every issue because we live in a very special place. Sure, we love to visit other spots both near and far, but this is the place we get to call home.

And that’s always the best.

Pura vida,

...a lot of great events are just around the corner...

Mark Alan Hudson EDITOR

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 9 Sept/O ctober

foothillsviewpoint

WORDS JEFF CHAMPION

Be Unreasonable!

I hope you enjoy this issue of Foothills Spotlight which highlights a sampling of the “Best of” from our area. As we worked on the issue, we often remarked about the qualities that it takes to become the “best of” anything. It absolutely takes hard work. Sometimes a bit of good fortune is involved. But it also takes vision and a dedication to pursuing that vision.

And that, as well as Lynn Zook’s “Amazing Mind” column in this issue, reminded me of my own vision for the magazine. Just a couple of years ago, a colleague told me, “Jeff, you’re just too optimistic.” While that may sound silly, I think his point was that I wasn’t being realistic. At that time we were in the early stages of this continuing foul economy and we were discussing the possibility of my new project, Foothills Spotlight Magazine. To further defend my pessimistic friend, the early editions were less magazine and more just paper

stapled together, at least in his opinion. He didn’t see what I saw. He judged it at face value, and if I had allowed him to influence me, my dream would likely have ended there.

Fortunately for me, I did have some people who shared my vision and together we continued our journey. The most important person from the start in this endeavor has been my wife, who is also my business partner. As we progressed from issue to issue, our family of believers continued to grow. It seemed every week there was someone new wanting to get involved, and the amazing thing was how talented and passionate they were.

Everyone -- employees and readers alike-- seemed to share our vision.

Since our beginning we have striven to improve and to grow. With the support of friends, family and our team, we have achieved more than most thought we could or

would. This year alone, our magazine has grown from four issues to six. Our circulation has grown and the size of the magazine itself has grown. This issue, covering our “Best of” theme, marks another first for us as we are delivering it with an enamel cover.

All of this is to say that sometimes, YOUR vision is the only one that matters. I encourage you to ignore the naysayers that want to slap you back to reality and even those kind hearted and good intentioned souls who want to “protect” you. Be overly optimistic, continue to dream, and most importantly, try to find people who are willing to share that dream with you. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

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

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10 F o o t hills S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2 0 1 0

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 11 Sept/O ctober

lifecoaching

{be well, healthy & happy}

WORDS KATHERINE PANTHER-POTEMKIN

Best Tips for Sparking A Positive Self-Image SELF-IMAGE ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THINGS... abilities, lack of abilities,

...It’s important as a parent to help your children build positive self-esteem...

Katherine Panther-Potemkin, Account Executive with Champion Communications and a business consultant, trainer and coach.

12 F o o t hil l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2 0 1 0

successes, failures, social interaction, and physical appearance, to name, a few. For children and adolescents, physical appearance is a major factor in social acceptability and self-value. Psychological research shows that there is widespread prejudice against the unattractive and obese, so much so that even children as young as the age of 5 identify attractive people as those who are thin.

Children, bombarded with media messages equating being thin with being happy, become particularly vulnerable as they enter adolescence with its numerous bodily changes. They become preoccupied with their bodies, constantly evaluating the appearance of self and others. The smallest flaw becomes an obsession and a negative difference that can mean non-acceptance by self and others. The explosion of adolescent eating disorders among both girls and boys since the 1980s indicates that the “right” look certainly matters!

It’s important as a parent to help your children build positive self-esteem. But within a culture that praises attractiveness, how can you help them see themselves positively in all aspects? Here are some tips for sparking an all-encompassing positive self-image.

• Love your children unconditionally.

Unconditional love, especially during difficult times, delivers an “I’m OK” belief.

• Help your children interpret the media by sharing viewing and reading time and discussing what you each see and read.

• Hug them frequently. It helps provide them with a sense of security, protection and comfortableness with their own bodies.

• Compliment their positive characteristics and unique features. Often uniqueness causes feelings of differentness and unattractiveness.

Make compliments specific and communicate the specialness of each child.

• Help your children list positives about themselves and tape the list to their mirrors.

• Give them things other than physical looks as a source of pride. At the end of the day, have them recount something they did, said or thought that made them feel self-pride.

• Emphasize what their bodies do for them rather than how they look by encouraging

physical activities. If they are physically active, their bodies will be more fit, and success or pleasure in physical activities boosts pride and self-image.

• Develop regular avenues for family fun time.

Share some of your interests with your children and include them in community activities that expose them to a varied population. Doing so will help them find their niche.

• Spend time talking with your children, listening to their thoughts and ideas without judgment, criticism or advice (unless it’s requested) and sharing your thoughts and ideas.

• Provide opportunities for them to communicate feelings and teach them to respect rather than hide their feelings.

• Prepare children in advance for new situations, events and changes by discussing what they might expect as well as what and who will be involved.

• Encourage independence and help develop their sense of responsibility by assigning tasks. Make sure they have the abilities and tools necessary to successfully complete what you have asked them to do. Teach them with patience, and break large responsibilities into smaller sequenced tasks to increase their sense of control.

• Teach your children positive coping strategies to deal with stress. Consider techniques such as exercising, deep breathing and asking others for help.

• Try not to transfer your anxiety or uncertainty to your children. Learn and utilize stress management techniques yourself!

• Maintain your own positive self-image. If yours is low, don’t be ashamed. Admit it and take action to change it. Your children will learn from your actions.

It is true that your influence on your children is only one influence. Friends, media and culture influence them as well, sometimes with more force than you do. Rest assured though that if most of your interactions with your children communicate love, acceptance and pride, and if you are a positive role model for self-love and self-acceptance, you will contribute a strong foundation for their positive self-image.

www. foothillsspotlight. com

Continue the Winning Tradition

Shelby, Cleveland Co North Carolina unty,

t c e l E e R

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COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 13 July/A ugust

Paid for by Re-Elect Holbrook Campaign Committee

theamazingmind

{dream maker}

WORDS LYNN ZOOK

Hold On I HOPE THAT SOME OF YOU WHO

...She had waited so long in her life to do what she had always wanted to do...

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

14 F o o t hil l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2 0 1 0

follow my column have put fear, negativity and what other people think of you aside and have started trying to live your dreams.The reward will be incredible and you will have no regrets as you look back upon your life.

Living your dreams, while incredibly rewarding and fulfilling, is still not an easy task. It takes a lot of intestinal fortitude, patience, determination and personal courage. Nothing as great as realizing your dream ever comes easily.

You will run in to all kinds of obstacles and naysayers, especially among your family and friends, who won’t think what you are doing is worth the effort required. These dream killers are probably more concerned about themselves and what they may have to give up than about you actually achieving your dream. These people may be spouses or children, parents or in-laws. They may try to put pressure on you to end your dream.

“Don’t forsake your (our) present to have what you want in the future” is commonly heard from those closest to you. If your desire is strong enough, you will be willing to sacrifice everything, but they don’t want to have to sacrifice for you to achieve your dream. This is one of the things that makes reaching a dream so tough.

You may have invested your savings to achieve your desire for a better tomorrow. You may have borrowed money or run up your credit cards in the pursuit of achieving your dream. If so, you may have creditors now calling you saying you must pay and annoying you with constant calls that will make you want to give up on your dream, just to pay off your balance. When the road you want to travel becomes rough, you must make a choice on whether or not to persist without exception to achieve what you want in life.

It is truly a difficult road, and that is why most people never realize their dreams. These pit-falls can derail the toughest of humans in search of what they have always wanted.

Your dream may appear very close but sometimes it may seem as you take one step forward, things happen and you take two steps back. You must have the will to push on. Look at all of the people you know in our world who are truly living their dreams. What did they go through?

What obstacles did they overcome? Lance Armstrong overcame cancer. Doctors told him they could cure the cancer but he would never ride a bike again. He refused to listen to them. Donald Trump overcame bankruptcy – twice. Walt Disney overcame the theft of his first character and the loss of his best artist. They all pushed on.

Too many people quit because of obstacles they think they can not overcome. Focus on the dream and don’t let anything deter you from what you want in life. The difference between success and failure is often small and sometimes simply comes down to the ability to persist and hold on when things look their worst.

A verse from one of my favorite poems, “IF,” by Rudyard Kipling says it best: If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ’Hold on’! …

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it!

Have the will and hold on to achieve your dreams.

It is your amazing mind and you are in control!

www. foothillsspotlight. com

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Sept/O ctober Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 15

kidspeak

{happy journeys}

WORDS KIMBERLY P. JOHNSON

Best Ways to Help Children Blow Off Steam IN

Harmony Danita Carpenter – “blowing off a little steam”

...Communication is the biggest key to handling the load that emotions bring...

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.

View more of Kimberly’s work visit

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16 F o o t hil l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2 0 1 0

TODAY’S

SOCIETY,

THE

dynamics of the relationship between parent/ caregiver and child has changed. Many years ago the child was “seen and not heard.” However, today parents have a different connection with their children. Most parents want to hear what their children have to say while at the same time helping them understand that we sometimes live in a chaotic or even confusing world. Along with chaos comes frustration – and frustration, as we know, can sometimes breed anger. Help your children explore options on how to best release some of their anger and frustration in a positive way. Children need to blow off a little steam at times, too!

Children can be taught alternatives to living in chaos. For example, instead of kicking a toy when they cannot have their way, teach them to pick up the toy and tell the toy why they are mad.

Communication is the biggest key to handling the load that emotions can bring. We often see and read about people who handle anger in outrageous ways. From irrational behavior to crime, some people do not know what to do with their anger issues; this gives us even more of a reason to find ways to get anger out of the system. Children can blow off steam by getting active, playing a game, reading, listening to a story or even laughing. Yes, making children laugh can help them ease through their moments of anger. Parents should remember that sometimes video games, if they are of violent nature, can add to anger issues as opposed to relieving them, so choose activities carefully.

In reality, we don’t have all of the answers as to how to prevent our children from ever getting angry or needing to vent. Moreover, research tells us that it isn’t healthy to bottle up emotions. This suppression can create stress at a young age and also lead to early-onset health problems. For more information about the subject, refer to the following Web site: http://www.articlesbase.com/ mental-health-articles/blow-off-steam-to-protectyour-brain-and-your-heart-713465.html.

Parents can help their children deal with “overload” by focusing on the following techniques: • Make sure that your children follow a good

exercise and eating regime. When children are healthy, they can deal with situations and stress a lot better. Keeping exercise as an important part of the day can help prepare the emotional system for change and stressrelated situations.

• If possible, identify the source of anger and try to alleviate it. It is important to look at situations and try to figure out how they occurred. Have your children re-enact what created that particular moment.

• Give one or two options on how to handle the anger. For example, ask them questions such as, “Do you need to take a few minutes to sit down and relax?” or “Is there anything I can do to help you not feel mad?”

• Ask children to stop the negative behavior associated with their anger. Sometimes we take for granted that eliminating adverse behavior, generated by anger, can be rectified by just asking children to stop.

• Provide immediate feedback. Don’t wait until the next day to ask why your child was angry the day before. It is best to address issues as they occur and try to offer ideas that will help the child deal with feelings immediately.

Children often live what they learn. Anger strategies can be addressed by example. We are all human and children may sometimes see us lose our temper and do things that we shouldn’t.

Words sometimes fly out of our mouths before we can catch them. We have to learn how to work on our own reactions to situations before the frustration becomes uncontrollable anger. We definitely want our children to know that it is OK to get angry sometimes – it’s what we do after that really counts! Children may get angry at not having their way, at peers or even at parents or other adults.

While helping our children deal with releasing their anger, we should serve as a support mechanism and sounding board. For the future of our children, the best plans lie in our abilities to communicate effectively and create systems that will allow stress and overload to be replaced with harmony.

Happy Journeys. . . .

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 17 Sept/O ctober

intheyard

{happy gardening}

WORDS SKIP & TREY WARRICK

The Best of Fall Gardening AFTER YET ANOTHER HOT AND dry summer, the fall gardening season is in full swing.

As the daytime highs begin to fall, deciduous trees and shrubs begin to turn brilliant reds, yellows and oranges before dropping their leaves for the dormant season. This time of year is excellent for planting in your garden, re-seeding your lawn and enjoying the beautiful fall colors.

...This time of year is excellent for planting in your garden...

The father/son team of Skip and Trey Warrick are the second and third generations of Warricks operating Shelby Nursery and Scottree.

For more information, call 704-471-1000 or email them at Scottree@msn.com

18 F o o t hil l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2 0 1 0

IN THE GARDEN Fall is the ideal time to install new plants or opt for a total renovation. Plants installed in the fall are able to grow a better root system because of the warmer soil temperatures and the lack of stress from heat and dry weather. These plants will be established for the spring and require less maintenance next summer when the weather turns dry.

Do not fertilize newly installed or established plants in the fall because it will encourage new growth, which could be damaged by freezing temperatures later. Reapplying mulch is another consideration during the fall season. Remember to keep mulch away from the base of trees and shrubs and avoid over application.

Pruning during late summer or early fall can also result in a flush of new growth that can be damaged by cold weather. It is best not to prune deciduous plants until they are dormant. The only pruning that should be considered is removal of dead wood that may present a hazard.

There are many great annuals available for fall plantings. Pansies are the most popular among local gardeners. Sometimes people do not get the most out of their pansies because they wait to plant them until the first cold weather kills their summer annuals. If you wait, the pansies will not have enough time to establish themselves before the temperatures turn cold, resulting in smaller, less vigorous plants.

Ornamental kale and cabbage make great fall annuals as well. Garden mums are technically perennials but most of the time they are treated as annuals. Mums work great in containers or in flowerbeds. After mums have flowered, they can be planted in the garden where they may come back

year after year with just a little care. The important thing to remember is to cut them back during the summer months or they will become leggy shrubs.

LAWN CARE Mid-August through mid-October is the ideal time to consider plugging and re-seeding your lawn. This is a multi-step process that has many benefits. The first step is to aerate the lawn with an aerator or plugger. This process removes small “plugs” or “cores” from the ground that are approximately the diameter of your finger.

Plugging is beneficial because it reduces compaction in the lawn and provides a place for grass seed and water to enter the soil. This method is different than the old method of “spiking” a yard by using a sharp or blunt object which actually causes soil compaction. Before aerating your yard, be sure to mark any irrigation components, dog fences, etc., so you do not damage them. It is also helpful if the ground is moist.

The next step is applying grass seed. As we noted in a column earlier this year, the seed of choice locally is a selection of hybrid fescues with some shade seed (such as blue grass) mixed in.

Hybrid fescues tend to have a finer texture and are more disease resistant than other common fescues such as Kentucky-31. The recommended rate of application is typically four-to-six pounds per 1,000 square feet.

The final step is applying fertilizer and lime. A soil test can determine the exact needs of the lawn, but if a soil test is not available, then it is very common in the fall to use a 16-8-8 fertilizer. Lime is important to correct the pH of the soil. A pH between 6 and 6.5 is desired for proper nutrient availability. Applying lime is not necessary every year.

The fall is a beautiful time of year to enjoy the outdoors. The weather is cool and all the trees are showing their vibrant fall colors. Just remember it is also an excellent time to restore your lawn and install new landscape trees and shrubs.

Fall is for planting!

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 19

financialperspectives

{beyond traditional}

WORDS BRYON GRAGG

The Best Way to Achieve Financial Independence FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE MEANS

...there are hurdles that need to be overcome...

Bryon Gragg, CPA/PFS, is a partner with Gragg&Gragg, LLP, a firm that goes beyond the traditional to assist you in getting your financial house in order and keeping it that way.

20 F o o t hil l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2 0 1 0

different things to different people. We normally define financial independence as the point when we can make a choice about going to work or not. To achieve financial independence, you must accumulate financial assets, such as stocks, bonds, cash and real estate which can produce a dependable income stream to meet or exceed your lifestyle needs. In accumulating these assets, there are hurdles that need to be overcome, including income taxes, inflation and estate taxes. You must not only build a diversified portfolio of financial assets but also consider risk management as a part of your safety net.

There are two rules for becoming wealthy. Rule number one is to live well below your means while saving money. Rule number two is to always remember rule number one. Building wealth takes discipline, sacrifice, hard work, and most of all – saving money. According to Thomas Stanley, Ph.D., and Thomas Danko, Ph.D., authors of The Millionaire Next Door, “It is seldom luck or inheritance or advanced degrees or even intelligence that enables people to amass fortunes. Wealth is more often the result of perseverance, planning, and, most of all, discipline.”

Some people go through life waiting for the big score, whether it is hitting the lottery, marrying up, waiting to be discovered or writing a bestseller.

Others plan and work diligently to achieve financial independence. Another group does nothing, hoping for the best. Do you care to guess which group is more successful?

Hope and faith are nice, but they are not a financial strategy. To achieve financial independence, you must have a plan because it generally doesn’t happen accidentally. In addition to the plan, you must have focus and the diligence to stick with the plan.

Everyone’s goals, values and situations are different, and thus every plan will reflect those differences… but there are several cornerstones that will apply to everyone.

One basic cornerstone of a financial plan is development of a safety net. Generally, this is anywhere from 9 to 12 months of living expenses

held in cash reserves. This gives you the security to be able to meet your living expenses for that period of time should you lose your job or are unable to work. If you are retired and living off investments, a cash reserve gives you a cushion should there be a downturn in the markets. With this cushion, you won’t have to sell while your investments are down just to meet your living expenses.

The next part of a financial plan is having the appropriate asset allocation. This is one of the most important decisions you make as an investor. You may think security selection and market timing are the primary components driving a portfolio’s performance, but these are only important when combined with a strategic asset allocation policy.

Having an allocation that is too conservative can result in you running out of money before you run out of life. Too aggressive and you may wipe out long before you get to retirement. The key is having an allocation that is proper and realistic for your needs and risk tolerance.

Debt management is also a vital part of the financial plan. It is important to have a plan to reduce or eliminate your debt. If you currently have debt, the first step is to stop digging and develop a schedule that works for you to eliminate it. A careful review of all your debt will help you to decide where the dollars should be appropriated first. While not all debt is bad, it must be used wisely and managed carefully.

Beyond building a diversified portfolio of financial assets, you should also consider risk management in building wealth. A well-designed life, health, disability and other insurance plan is an integral part of building a safety net to ensure financial plan success should unforeseen calamities occur. A review of your insurance policies should answer three questions: First, should you have it at all; second, if you should have it, how much should you have; and lastly, what is the right type of insurance for you.

By developing a cash safety net, determining proper asset allocation and appropriately managing your debt and risks, you will have good foundation to put your financial house in order. Add focus and discipline, and you are you well on your way to achieving financial independence.

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A Strong Voice: Walter Dalton makes a difference for the people of North Carolina WORDS JUDY GAULTNEY

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 23

“I can get passionate about anything that is positive and good for the people of North Carolina...”

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Energy as a commodity can be bought and sold. As it fuels the heart and mind of a caring human being, its value is extraordinary, priceless, worth more than gold. When Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton tells you that serving the people of North Carolina is not only his full-time job but also his hobby, you believe him. He has a public record to prove it. And Lucille, his wife of 39 years, attests to it, noting that even when he’s at the dinner table she can tell he’s working on a project or writing a speech in his head.

“It’s not all fun and games, but I do enjoy what I do,” Walter says during an interview in his Rutherfordton home. “Service is really my hobby. I stay at it pretty much 24-7.”

“He’s always thinking, always,” Lucille says.

Walter’s internal combustion is not the whirling dervish kind; he does not steamroll to achieve his goals. Rather, he’s a man of research and planning, always with the welfare of the people of North Carolina as his bottom line. During his six terms as a state senator, Walter championed educational, economic, health care and environmental issues and gained a reputation as a competent, proactive public servant.

“I can get passionate about anything that’s positive and good for the people of North Carolina,” he says. That includes, of course, the Innovative Education Act (2003), which he authored, and Learn and Earn, the early college high school program, which has been heralded by Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government as one of the top 50 innovative educational programs in the nation.

Discussing Learn and Earn puts lights in Walter’s eyes and impressive statistics trip easily off his tongue. “The dropout rate in those schools is almost zero.

Over 50 percent of those students are first-generation college. A couple or three months ago The New York Times said North Carolina’s early college program is a model for the nation. We have one-third of the early colleges in America today. There are 10,500 students in early college. So the JOBS (Joining Our Businesses and Schools) Commission (which he chairs) is really taking us to the next level, trying to make sure students are ready for 21st century jobs with the skills needed. We’re trying to get businesses more involved with early colleges to actually help teach and mentor, let the teachers work in the businesses during vacation then go back so they’ll have real-world experience.”

As a senator, Walter pushed for tax incentives for areas hit hard by the exit of manufacturing jobs. Within a few weeks of becoming lieutenant governor in 2009, he began traveling the state on small business issues. “Our office is the one that proposed the small business assistance fund to help small businesses during this tough time. We focused on existing small businesses because you have a lot of viable small businesses that are struggling right now but can survive if they get a little bit of help. It’s a loan program that helps them get through the gap time.”

Not to be overlooked is the work it took to secure Chimney Rock as a state park. The private property went up for sale in 2006, and “if we had not been able to get that as a state park, there’s no telling how it might have developed,” Walter says. “I was co-chair of the budget at the time. There was $15 million appropriated in the Senate budget. When it was removed in the House, I had to fight to make sure it got back into the final budget. The governor’s office was very involved, too.” Walter was one of three men instrumental in acquisition of the 996-acre park who earned an award from the National Association of State Park Directors.

Also while he was co-chair of the appropriations committee, Walter championed a $180 million investment by the N.C. General Assembly in the development of the N.C. Cancer Hospital, the state’s only public cancer hospital. The

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315,000-square-foot facility in Chapel Hill opened in September 2009 with the latest advances in mammography, ultrasound and imaging modalities.

The lieutenant governor’s primary responsibility is to preside over the State Senate, and the position has no official power beyond voting to break a tie in the Senate. However, the lieutenant governor is a member of the Council of State, the State Board of Education, the Capitol Planning Commission and the Board of Community Colleges, with other duties assigned by the governor. “I think the general public would be surprised at how active a lieutenant governor can be and how much input they can have on public issues,” Walter says. “To a great degree, it’s what you make it. As lieutenant governor, you really don’t have the power of the governor, but you do have a strong voice. You can create your own agenda and make a difference for the people of North Carolina. I chair something the governor put me in charge of called the Logistics Commission, which will study how we move people and goods in a 21st century economy. I sit on the State Board of Community Colleges and the State Board of Education. I’m on the N.C. Economic Development Board. I like those positions because education and the economy go hand-in-hand. There needs to be more cross-pollination between those issues – education and economic development. That’s what the JOBS Commission is about, and sitting on those two commissions, I think I bring a somewhat unique perspective to them.”

Walter’s perspective comes from a lifetime of hard work and determined focus. Born in 1949 to Charles and Amanda Dalton, he grew up in

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

Rutherfordton. His father died of a heart attack at the early age of 51 when Walter was 8 years old. “The community really raised me because the men in the church and the Rotary Club who had known him took an interest in me,” Walter says.

Lucille, also a Rutherford County native, grew up on a farm with five siblings and parents William Archie and Beatrice Hodge. Walter and Lucille met at R-S Central High School and dated through college while Walter attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Lucille attended Appalachian State University.

Walter emerged with a business degree and Lucille earned her teaching credentials. They married in 1971 and lived in Shelby until Walter re-entered UNC Law School, completing his law degree in 1975.

After two years in the federal court system, Walter went into private practice. He worked in local political campaigns and was approached several times about running for office himself. He finally jumped into the political arena in 1996 for a successful run that began his 12 years in the Senate. “I always remembered that my dad served in the North Carolina

Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 25

Senate. I knew it was something he was proud of.”

Walter is quick to point out that he is not the only family member who has a record of public service. Lucille taught middle school until their children, Brian and Elizabeth, were born. Later she agreed to finish a term for a Rutherford County School Board member who vacated the position when he moved away. She ended up serving nine years. “She was the first lady ever elected school board chair,” Walter says. “I’m very proud of what she did. In 1998 she was North Carolina’s School Board Member of the Year.”

The Daltons laugh when they recount that they both were on the school board ballot in 1998, with Walter stating, “You talk about a test of marriage; we got through it very narrowly.” They both won seats on the board.

Brian, now 34, lives in Rutherfordton; Elizabeth, 30, lives in Raleigh. Both are married but there are no grandchildren for Walter and Lucille yet. Lucille travels with Walter most of the time, and it’s evident that if she didn’t, she wouldn’t see much of him! His travels take him all over the state and he

26 F o o t h i l l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2010

sometimes delivers four speeches a day. Walter says he writes 90 percent or more of those speeches.

Extensive travel does create some difficulties. “We got into bad habits with McDonald’s soft-serve ice cream,” Walter says. Lucille adds with a laugh, “We knew the location of every McDonald’s in the state.”

They began their reformation after Walter’s doctor told him he needed to lose weight. Walter’s goal-oriented brain took charge and he dropped 32 pounds between January and July of this year. Now instead of ice cream, the Daltons snack on bread-and-butter pickles and carrots and chew sugarless gum.

You may have noticed that the author of this piece has not mentioned Walter’s political party. During our entire interview, neither did he.

That alone gives you some unique insights into this dedicated and humble servant of our state.

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FairEveryone WORDS BOB MORI

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Fall. Fair. Fun.

A neat alliteration for a time-tested Foothills event made even more interesting and promising with the recent announcement of a new guiding hand for the Cleveland County Fair.

Calvin Hastings, a familiar name to county residents from his many years in local radio, is the recently announced new manager of the Fair and as such will imprint his vision on future activities at the fairgrounds, including the annual county fair, which is one of the largest and longest-running in North Carolina.

Things have not been sitting idle while the search process for the Fair’s new leader was taking place.

The 16-person board of directors, including County Commissioner Mary Accor, has been committed to bringing you another great (not just fair!) experience again this year. Board Chair Andy Elmore promises a host of new features and events that should swell the historically crowded turnout for the Fair’s run of Sept. 30 through Oct. 9.

In addition to Mary and Andy, the Fair’s hardworking board includes Marvin Hutchinson, Wanda Webber, John (Doc) Tallent and Lloyd Williams, Jr. (vice chair) as its newest members. Other members include Jim Boggs, Adelaide Craver, Henry Dameron, Rodney Dedmon, Barbara Greene, George Hamrick, Amy Hull, Ervin Lineberger, Scott Neisler (secretary-treasurer) and Sally Royster.

“We celebrate the importance of the agricultural county fair in American society,” Andy explains.

“Revisiting our traditions and history is new knowledge for our youngsters and nostalgia for our seniors. We’re more than two generations removed from growing and living on our own food!”

What’s new at the Fair for 2010? For starters, a

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new digital sign, prominent behind the grandstand on Marion Street, has been up and running since April, updating the newest Fair information for passersby.

A “Milking Parlor” with cows in two stanchions will be added this year to demonstrate how modern dairy farm milking is done professionally. Just so the amateurs don’t feel left out, a sister station will feature a “hands-on” cow milking experience, administered by Burns High School Future Farmers of America students charging a token fee. This event will be unique to the Cleveland County Fair.

The Petting Zoo, back for 2010, will feature camel rides along with the pony rides. Five or six camels will be available for those who want to take a “different” type of ride. A new Farm Adventure Barn display will feature ducks, geese, sheep, goats and ponies. Andy is working feverishly to bring back a sow with her litter of piglets. Added identification tags will mark the species at each gate. Exciting bucking bull rides will also be featured this year on the grandstand over the Fair’s first weekend with 40 separate rides including a “short go” for the best professional riders. Also new this year will be internationally known Elvis impersonator, Ryan Pelton, in concert in the Weathers Arena.

Some events returning from past fairs include the “Ball of Steel” motorcycle stunt show in the grandstand area and the Beauty Pageant representing all four county high schools. This last event culminates in the popular crowning of “Miss Cleveland County.”

Maintenance Manager Wanda Webber, who’s served almost 30 years with the Fair, oversees the day-to-day operations. Wanda, whom Andy claims is the “glue” that holds everything together, reports that the heat has decimated most of the grass at the site, but all that’s needed to the physical plant

before opening day is some fresh paint here and there. “I believe I’m the only female in the whole state that has this title and responsibility for a county fair,” she proudly states.

Rounding out the team of on-site operations employees is office manager Paula Tallent who’s been with the Fair for almost three years. She’s the go-to person for day-to-day information about the Fair and its facilities and services.

While many in the area know him by name, Bessemer City native Calvin Hastings, who has been an on-air radio personality, station owner and general manager of WOHS radio, and currently acts as sales manager for the family-run What’s Up Shopper tabloid is looking forward to beginning his new role as Fair manager. What excites him about new Fair possibilities? “I want to open up the fairgrounds to more special-event, non-profit groups hosting business meetings, wedding receptions, reunions and other events,” Hastings notes.

“Another thing I’d like to see is the development of a covered stage on the already fabulous grandstand to attract more entertainment. I’m open to and invite suggestions from the community to help grow the Fair.”

No stranger to things agricultural, Cherryville/ Moss Lake resident Calvin grew up on a dairy farm putting up hay and harvesting wheat for silage plus milking up to 50 cows each day. “Going to the fair each year was so exciting for me as a kid,” he explains, “and I want to keep that enthusiasm alive as manager.”

With a new manager at the helm and new attractions galore, the Cleveland County Fair – the largest agricultural fair in North Carolina – promises more fun not only this fall but also for many more to come.

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n a small workshop behind his house in Shelby, Frank Barrow takes straight sticks, limbs and pieces of wood, then uses his creative vision and finely honed carving talents to transform them into award-winning works of art.

Visiting Frank in his workshop, I quickly learned that if you want to talk about his art, you can’t do so without talking about his life. Frank Barrow isn’t just a skilled wood-carver. He is a husband, father, grandfather, Vietnam veteran and a retired member of the U.S. Air Force.

Many of the works he displays in his shop represent a part of his life. One walking cane shows likenesses of him and his wife, another celebrates the birth date of each of his grandchildren, while still another captures the details of his Air Force career, including the depiction of his rank.

Frank learned the art of woodcarving as a child, but it was only after he retired that he was really able to focus on it. “You need a lot of time on your hands to do this,” he says with a broad and friendly smile.

Although he can carve one of his realistic-looking flowers in about three minutes, other pieces can take up to 100 hours to complete. But Frank doesn’t mind the investment of his time. “Doing this will calm your nerves and give you peace of mind,” he says. “Sometimes I work all night.”

It’s quiet work. There are no saws or sanders or other large power tools in Frank’s workshop.

Almost all of his work is done with the hand tools he makes himself.

As a child Frank learned from his grandfather, who owned a blacksmith shop, how to make knives, weave baskets and chairs, and carve

W

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ds or

wood. Now, he is passing on the art of carving to his grandchildren.

Frank also grew up watching his mother create lovely flowers from crepe paper. That influence led him to create flowers out of wood. He displays some in his shop, sells some and gives others to neighbors or fellow church members. “I take the flowers to them to build up their hope and help them enjoy life,” he says.

Frank gathers his ideas from his life, but “sometimes your ideas are in the wood.” As he searches for potential wood in his yard or some farmland he owns outside Shelby, Frank considers the natural shape of the wood. He often tailors his design to complement what nature has already created.

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Over the years, Frank has been a featured presenter at the N. C. Museum of History and several of his works are in their permanent collection. “Frank has been a longtime presenter on African American culture as well as the art of woodcarving,” says Michelle Carr, curator of internal programs at the museum. He has also demonstrated his art at the N.C. Arts Council’s annual African American Cultural Celebration in Raleigh.

For a time, some his work was also on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Frank has been featured on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Now show; he is the subject of two videos and several magazine articles; and he has been honored by requests for special carvings, including a ceremonial mace for N.C. Central University Although he has slowed down a bit in the last few years, he still visits schools and other organizations throughout the county to give demonstrations and share his gift of carving with others. “I enjoy sharing my work with people,” he says. .

This talented woodcarver finds treasure in plain-looking sticks and limbs lying around his yard, but we find a treasure in him.

If you are interested: Frank’s work can sometimes be found for sale at the Cleveland County Arts Council. While he does not keep regular hours at his shop, you can call him at 704-492-4905 for an appointment.

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Nestled in the shadows of the

Southern Appalachian Mountains, WoodMill Vineyard is surrounded by the natural beauty, tranquility, and charm of the rolling foothills of Vale, North Carolina. Each spring, the hills are brought to life as an emerald green canopy of vines reach for the heavens and gather sunlight to flavor the sweet southern grape known as the Muscadine. Recognized for their extraordinary flavors, Muscadines are notorious for producing exceptional jellies, desserts, and the popular but often elusive southern indulgence known as Muscadine Wine.

Muscadines – The Heart Healthy Superstar It’s North Carolina’s state fruit, it tastes delicious and it’s an emerging nutritional superstar. What is the best kept secret in Heart Health? It’s North Carolina’s native Muscadine grape. Muscadines are among the richest source of antioxidants found in nature and are a leading food source for a potent heart healthy substance called Resveratrol.

Resveratrol, an antioxidant, is reported to lower cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease. Most everyone is aware that blueberries, blackberries and pomegranates are great sources of antioxidants. However, what is not commonly known is that Muscadine grapes have more antioxidants per gram than most any other fruit with three times more

antioxidants than blueberries, four times more than blackberries and six times more than pomegranates.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a healthy diet that includes five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Typical Americans consume only two or three servings a day. A single one-cup serving of Muscadine grapes would more than double the average person’s antioxidant intake.

Muscadine grapes are fat free, high in fiber and high in antioxidants, especially Resveratrol and ellagic acid, which has demonstrated anti-carcinogenic properties in the colon, lungs and liver of mice.

Let’s consider research on Resveratrol in wine.

Evidence continues to mount that drinking wine goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle and is a powerful means of preventing heart disease. In 2005, a Harvard team found that the consumption by overweight lab mice of the antioxidant Resveratrol, found in red wine, increased energy levels, lowered cholesterol and reduced overall blood sugar. In 2007, Harvard research found that by drinking one or two glasses of wine a day men with hypertension could lower their risk of heart attack by 30 percent. Scientific journals have recently been filled with studies suggesting that Resveratrol could be of help in treating Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other ailments.

Researchers have wondered for years how the French could eat a diet rich in cream, butter and cheese, a high-fat diet equivalent to the American diet, yet have a much lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer is the French custom of drinking red wine with meals. France’s heart attack rate is 60 percent lower than that of the United States. The

Copenhagen City Heart Study, published in the British Medical Journal, tracked for twelve years over 13,000 men and women age 30 – 70 who consumed red wine daily.

It was found that these men and women were 50% less likely to die from disease than nondrinkers or consumers of other alcoholic beverages. It’s important to note that health benefits were greatest with only two or three glasses of wine per day (one glass for women). Drinking more than a few glasses of wine a day can result in increased health risks. Mississippi State University recently released a Resveratrol concentration chart documenting that the Muscadine grape is the healthiest grape ever tested with forty times more Resveratrol than any other grape. Based on this study, drinking a single glass of Muscadine wine a day is equivalent in Resveratrol concentrations to drinking 40 glasses of European red wine.

Over the next few months we will discuss more health benefits of Muscadines and Muscadine wine and how the consumption of antioxidants in the form of fruit and wine can help prevent heart disease, strokes, certain types of cancers, macular degeneration of the eye and signs of aging. We will also discuss how antioxidants protect mental function, lower cholesterol and promote overall good health.

Larry Cagle, Jr. WoodMill Winery, Inc.

1350 WoodMill Winery Lane, Vale, NC 28168 ~ (704) 276-9911 ~ www.woodmillwinery.com

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WORDS MARK ALAN HUDSON

Best

Photo “Moss Lake Sunset”

by Ellen Hendrick

Foothills of the

As decided by you at www.FoothillsSpotlight.com [ you voted – we published ]

Best Foothills of the

If you are reading these words, you already know the end of the story: We live in a remarkable place.

Geographically, we are where the northern and southern meet. Our weather (overall) is mild, with four distinct seasons. Our pace of life is a bit more measured than that of bigger locales.

If we want to go somewhere, we have three airports within about an hour’s drive that can be a portal to anywhere in the world. If we choose to travel by road, we have access to five interstates and many large highways, not to mention scenic byways and parkways. It is remarkably easy for us to travel to far-off places.

And when we do, it is always a blessing to come back home.

No doubt, each of us has things on his or her “bucket list” we want to do and places we want to see that are far and wide from our home base. But what makes our lives here something we always want to come back to … or never leave? For the most part, I think it is the simple pleasures we have, the tried and the true that we can always count on, the things we might describe as simply the best.

And who better to know the best than those who live here?

For the past couple of months, Foothills Spotlight has asked you to share with us your ideas about what merits a “Best of” distinction in Cleveland and Rutherford Counties.

Through online voting, phone calls, e-mails and personal conversations, we tallied your votes. In some cases, what we thought should belong in one category, our voters thought should be in another. We could choose to be hard line or open to new thoughts. We chose to go with the flow and we’re glad we did.

Below are the winners of your “Best of” voting for this year. In some cases, the voting was very tight and a few more votes one way or another would have changed the outcome. That fact makes us excited about doing this again next year. Our feeling is that when your competition is good, it pushes you to excel as well.

Each winner of our voting will receive bragging rights for a year and a pretty darn nice certificate to boot. For you the reader, we are providing the category, the winner and basic information about each winner, such as location, phone number, Web site, etc. In some cases, we also have some honorable mentions that are listed. So, without further ado, here they are:

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Alston Bridges BBQ BBQ

PIZZA – (Tie) Pleasant City Wood Fired Grille

620 E. Grover St., Shelby, NC Kent & Linda Bridges, Owners 704.482.1998

233 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704.487.0016 www.pleasantcitywoodfiredgrille.com Chris & Nancy Canoutas, Owners

Alston Bridges BBQ

Others receiving votes Red Bridges (Bridges Barbecue Lodge) Big E’s Smoke on the Square City Table Barbecue (Forest City)

STEAK

Barley’s Tap Room & Pizzeria 115 W. Main St., Spindale, NC 828.288.8388|www.barleystaproom.com Linette Gosnell, Owner

The Water Oak

SALAD BAR

205 Fashion Circle, Rutherfordton, NC Bryan & Shara Kilby, Owners 828.287.2932 www.thewateroakrestaurant.com

Western Sizzlin’ 1712 E. Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 704.481.1626 Joey Barnes, Owner

The Water Oak Restaurant offers Southern cuisine with a Mediterranean flair. From their hand-cut steaks and chops, fresh seafood and savory sauces to their homemade breads and desserts, everyone will find something to tempt his or her taste buds.

Others receiving votes Ruby Tuesday

Others receiving votes Sagebrush Fatz (Dixon Boulevard) Kelly’s (Blacksburg SC) Courtside (Forest City)

LUNCH

Café on the Mall Tri-City Mall – Hwy 74, Forest City, NC 828.245.3615 Liz Rose, owner www.cafeatthemall.com Others receiving votes Shelby Café Smith’s Drugs (Forest City) The Snack Shop (Boiling Springs) The Hub Joe’s Place Pleasant City Steak & Hoagie Gregory’s (Rutherfordton) Graciano’s (Rutherfordton)

BREAKFAST Shelby Café

220 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704.487.8461 George Rizkallah and Brian Greene, Owners Others receiving votes Ken & Mary’s Pancake House Denny’s IHOP The Hub

COFFEE SHOP J. Oliver’s

211 Battleground Ave., Kings Mtn. NC www.myzspace.com/joliverscoffee John & Ashley Harris, owners Others receiving votes Broad River Indigo JAVA House & Café (Forest City)

www. foothillsspotlight. com

BURGERS

SEAFOOD

PICNICKING

322 E. Marion St., Shelby, NC 740.482.3936

1025 E. Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 704.482.7391

Others receiving votes BackYard Burgers Cotton’s Ruby Tuesday

431 Main St., Chimney Rock, NC 800.277.9611 www.chimneyrockpark.com

Others receiving votes Love’s Fish Box Fisherman’s Feast Mayflower Big Dave’s Family Seafood (Forest City) Kelly’s (Blacksburg)

Taste-T-Drive-In

CHINESE Chen’s

209 W. Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 704.484.9669 www.chensrestaurant.com Michael Cheng, Owner Others receiving votes China Buffet (New) China Town (Beside Wal-Mart)

ICE CREAM Dairy Queen

Shelby Fish Camp

WINERY

Owl’s Eye Vineyard & Winery 1414 Metcalf Rd., Shelby, NC 704.471.9196 Frank Hannah, owner www.owlseyevineyard.com Others receiving votes Buffalo Baker Creek WoodMill Rock House Vineyards

814 S. DeKalb St., Shelby, NC 704.482.6681 www.dqshelby.com Milton Rachels, owner

BOATING Lake Lure

www.townoflakelure.com Others receiving votes Moss Lake Lake Adger

PUBLIC PARK

Shelby City Park 704.484.6839 www.cityofshelby.com/parks Others receiving votes Kings Mountain National Military Park Chimney Rock State Park Broad River Greenway

SPORTS VENUES

McNair Field Home of Forest City Owls www.forestcitybaseball.com

Others receiving votes Sonic Shelby Ice Cream Main Street Coffee & Ice Cream (Rutherfordton)

McNair Field is home to the Forest City Owls baseball team, a member of the wood bat Coastal Plain League. A state-of-the-art baseball park, McNair Field opened in May 2008. The field is named for Robert McNair, owner of the NFL Houston Texans, who is a Forest City native.

MEXICAN Mi Pueblito

Shelby, KM, Forest City On Facebook - Mi Pueblito Mexican Restaurant Others receiving votes Chili’s (Forest City) Monterey Taco Bell

Chimney Rock State Park

Owl’s Eye Vineyard & Winery

Others receiving votes Keeter Stadium Gardner-Webb Football Stadium Cherokee Speedway

FINE DINING

GOLF COURSE

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

Fallston, NC 704.538.0044 www.thesweezyhouse.com Dallas & Denise Pierce, chefs/owners

Shelby, NC 704.482.4653 www.deerbrookgolfcourse.com

Shelby, NC www.clevelandcountyfair.com 704-487-0652 Calvin Hastings, Manager

Sweezy House

The Sweezy House offers a blend of Southern and regional American food. At lunch, they serve a daily ”blue plate special,” delicious sandwiches and salads. For dinner, they offer hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, pasta dishes and nightly specials.

Fresh baked bread and desserts, made from scratch, are always available.

Others receiving votes Kelly’s Seafood & Steakhouse Cleveland Country Club

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

Deer Brook Golf Club

Others receiving votes Pine Grove Cleghorn Cleveland Country Club River Bend

HIKING

Cleveland County Fair

Others receiving votes Mall Cinemas Alive After 5 (Shelby) Cleveland Mall Fireworks Forest City Owls Challenger 3 Hog Happenin’

Broad River Greenway www.broadrivergreenway.com Kim Duren, executive director Others receiving votes South Mountain Crowders Mountain Gateway Trails

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Calvin Hastings Fair Manager

Thanks to the Foothills Spotlight Magazine readers for making the Cleveland County Fair the top family entertainment in the foothills. As fair manager, I’ll strive to continue that tradition and we welcome any thoughts or ideas on how we can improve and bring the people of Cleveland County the entertainment that they want to see at the Cleveland County Fair. It’s a brand new day at the Cleveland County Fair!

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Experience freedom.

Th Fi ank na nc s fo ial r s Pl ele an c nin tin g &g o u CP r fi A rm Se 1 st rv in ice s

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Experience Gragg & Gragg, LLP 704.482.2001 GRAGGANDGRAGG.COM Bryon Gragg, CPA/PFS Jay Gragg, CPA/PFS

www. foothillsspotlight. com

HOME FURNISHINGS

RADIO STATIONS

UESD CAR DEALERSHIPS

2011 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704.482.8464 www.norrismerchandise.com

Gardner-Webb University www.wgwg.org

Forest City, NC 828.245.0128 www.watkinsauto.com

Norris Furniture

Others receiving votes Timms’ Furniture Badcock Home Furniture Grindstaff’s Interiors J&D Furniture

LIVE MUSIC VENUE Don Gibson Theatre

318 S. Washington St, Shelby, NC 704.487.8114 www.dgshelby.com David Jenkins, executive director Others receiving votes Leatherwood’s The Foundation Performing Arts Center – Isothermal

LIVE MUSIC EVENT Art of Sound

Shelby, NC www.artofsoundcc.com Others receiving votes Alive After Five Kings Mountain Beach Blast

FUNERAL HOMES

Cecil Burton Funeral Home 106 Cherryville Rd., Shelby, NC 704-480-8383 www.cecilmburtonfuneralhome.com Cecil Burton, owner Others receiving votes Stamey’s Clay-Barnett Cleveland Funeral Services Harris Funeral Home McKinney-Landreth

Art of Sound - Music Festival

WGWG – 88.3 FM

WGWG has been a broadcast service of GardnerWebb University since 1974. WGWG “Radio For The People” is a 50,000 watt non-commercial station that specializes in AAA and Americana music with special features of blues, bluegrass and Christian music, news, sports, and a variety of educational and inspirational programs. This fall, WGWG is the radio home of Crest High School Chargers football.

Others receiving votes WNCW WOHS WCAB WAGY

NEW CAR DEALERSHIPS Carter Chevrolet

Shelby, NC 704.482.4341 www.carterchev.com Mark Carter & Conway Carter, owners Founded by Paul Carter, Carter Chevrolet has been locally owned and operated by the family for more than 50 years. Paul’s sons, Mark and Conway, took over the reigns in 1994. Conway’s son, Paul Carter IV is the third generation of the family to join the dealership. The only full service GM dealer in Cleveland County, Carter Chevrolet offers sales, leasing, parts, an award winning service facility, as well as a fully staffed collision repair, body shop and paint center. The phrase “You’ll feel smarter, when you buy from Carter” is more than just a slogan. For the Carter’s and the 30 employees that work with them, it is the way they choose to do business.

Others receiving votes Rogers McCurry-Deck Keeter Forest City Honda

Charles Watkins Automotive Group

Others receiving votes S&R Auto Clark’s Cars J&E Auto Sales Blanton’s

TIRES

Monroe Tires 515 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704.482.8381 www.monroetire.com Chris Monroe, Owner Others receiving votes Oakie’s Tire Kingdom Dellinger’s Griffin Bros.

Broadway Tire Service (Forest City) Barry O’s Tire (Forest City)

POLITICAN Walter Dalton

NC Lt. Governor www.walterdalton.org Others receiving votes Mary Accor Jo Boggs Debbie Clary Eddie Holbrook Tim Moore

COMMUNITY LEADER Eddie Holbrook

www.eddieholbrook.com Others receiving votes Ted Alexander Jo Boggs Myra Brooks Michael Chrisawn Shannon Kennedy Rick Murphey Dr. Steve Thornburg

FOOTHILLS EYESORE

Former Farmer’s Market Building Others receiving votes Vacant textile mills Vacant big box stores

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 43

BANKING

Shelby Savings Bank 224 East Warren St., Shelby, NC 704.487.4387 www.hometrustbanking.com Others receiving votes First National Bank Alliance Bank & Trust

COMMUNITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

American Legion World Series Announcement www.clevelandcountybaseball.com

Gragg & Gragg, LLP BODY SHOP

HAIR SALON

Shelby, NC 704.751.0648 www.carterchev.com Mark Carter & Conway Carter, Owners

709 W. Warren St., Shelby, NC 704.482.0333 www.salonpalazzodayspa.com

Carter Chevrolet

Others receiving votes Bowen’s Richie’s

AUTO REPAIR

Davis Automotive Shelby, NC 704.484.2084 Others receiving votes Brown’s Automotive Gamble’s Amoco

ART GALLERIES

Buffalo Creek Gallery 104 E. Warren St., Shelby, NC 704.487.0256 www.buffalocreekgallery.com Others receiving votes KM Art Center Griffin Pottery Synergy Visual Arts Guild (Rutherfordton)

SPA/MASSAGE Bellus Tu Spa

116-118 Railroad Ave., Kings Mountain, NC 704.734.1133 www.bellustuspa.com Laurie Mancusso, Owner Others receiving votes Salon Pallazzo A New Beginning Massage

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Salon Pallazzo

Others receiving votes Salon 206 Uptown Girls Trendsetters Cuttin’ Up (Rutherfordton)

GROCERY STORE

Harris Teeter of Shelby 1145 E. Marion St., Shelby, NC 704.480.8335 Others receiving votes Ingles Food Lion Aldi Bi-Lo (Forest City)

FINANCIAL/CPA

Gragg & Gragg, LLP

Others receiving votes Duke Energy Training Center Clearwater Paper Don Gibson Theatre

REAL ESTATE ReMax Select

331 A S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704.487.7653 www.selectcleveland.com Others receiving votes Allen Tate Wilson Real Estate Coldwell Banker

PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS Victorian Rose

108 W. Warren St., Shelby, NC 704.482.9360 www.victorianroseweb.com Tracy Stilwell, Owner

VET

Cottonwood Veterinary Hospital 1643 Fallston Rd., Shelby, NC 704.487.5277 Joe Wright, DVM, Owner

9 E. Marion St., Shelby, NC 704.482.2001 www.graggandgragg.com Bryon and Jay Gragg, Owners

Others receiving votes Boulevard Animal Hospital Hope Animal Hospital

Others receiving votes Craig & Barry Bob Watson

Shelby Courtsquare

LAWYERS

Teddy, Meekins & Talbert, PLLC 1219 Fallston Rd., Shelby, NC 704.487.1234 www.teddyandmeekins.com Others receiving votes Cerwin Law Firm Schweppe Law Firm

APPEARANCE

Others receiving votes Gibson Theatre Mauney Library – Kings Mountain Gardner-Webb Campus Bailey Center - CCC Isothermal Community College

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www. foothillsspotlight. com

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Thank you to all of our customers for your patronage! We look forward to continuing to serve you.

Come in to check out our fall inventory!

309 S. Battleground Ave. Kings Mountain, NC 704-730-0013 • Chloes_boutique@hotmail.com Hours: Tues. - Fri. 10am - 6pm, Sat. 10am - 4pm

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Thanks for choosing us as the Best of the Foothills in New Car Sales.

704-482-4341 • 200 W. Dixon Blvd. Shelby, NC • carterchev.com www. fo o t h i l l s s p o t l i g h t .c o m

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Positively Paper Best

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Open Tuesday-Friday 10-6, Saturday 11-4 121 East Main Street, Forest City • 828-248-2455

www.positivelypaper.com

Visit www.foothillsspotlight.com for 15% off Coupon!

Best

Foothills

Visit www.foothillsspotlight.com for 15% off Coupon!

Scrapbooking • Card Making • Stamping Classes

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TED VO

FT

LL

w

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T BEinS ery HE FOOT

HI

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Most Fridays, in our tasting room, feature live music and appetizers with a catered dinner on the 3rd Friday of the month.

Please check the website or call ahead for details.

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Shelby, nc

704-471-9196

OWLSEYEVINEYARD.com www. foothillsspotlight. com

WEBSITE – MOST USEFUL

CLOTHES (men)

www.shelbystar.com

Belk

Others receiving votes www.tourclevelandcounty.com www.destinationclevelandcounty.org www.rutherfordtourism.com www.thedigitalcourier.com www.gcsasoccer.com

Others receiving votes Rue 21 Sears

CONSIGNMENT SHOPS Chloe’s

402 E. King St., Kings Mountain, NC 704.730.0013

ARTS/CRAFTS Positively Paper

CLOTHES (women)

Two Doors Down

WEBSITE – MOST ATTRACTIVE www.tourclevelandcounty.com Others receiving votes www.travellynxtours.com www.dqshelby.com www.hospicecares.cc www.timmsfurniture.com

12 E. Warren St., Shelby, NC 704.482.5449 Debbie Turner, Owner

(excluding Foothills Spotlight Magazine)

Shelby Shopper www.shelbyinfo.com

GIFT SHOPS

CLOTHES (kids)

6533 Fallston Rd., Lawndale, NC 704.538.3670 www.redbonewilly.com Glenda Miller, owner

Redbone Willy’s

Others receiving votes Wal-Mart K-Mart

SHOES

Others receiving votes What’s Up Shopper Rutherford Weekly The Mountain Breeze

Shope’s

602 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC 704.482.8653 Brack Ward, General Manager

NEWSPAPER

Others receiving votes Sandy’s Country Christmas

Others receiving votes Belk

Belk

FREE PUBLICATION

121 E. Main St., Forest City, NC 828.248.2455

Others receiving votes Victoria Stephens Suzy B’s Country Heart Frame Masters Arnold’s Gifts

Others receiving votes Shoe Show Belk

The Daily Courier Forest City, NC www.thedigitalcourier.com Others receiving votes Shelby Star Kings Mountain Herald

Redbone Willy’s

Best Foothills of the

As we tallied the results of our reader survey, we realized that some of the votes will result in some good natured arguing. That’s fine. A “Best of” list should be like a photograph. It is a moment in time to savor into the future.

But the future also holds the promise of the unknown and the “Best of” what’s to come.

Champion Communications summer interns Erin Cooke, Rebecca Ruppe and Hannah McDowell assisted in the compilation of “winner” company information used in this article. www. fo o t h i l l s s p o t l i g h t .c o m

Sept/Oct 2010 Foot hi l l s

Get Fired Up For Fall!

• Daily Lunch & Dinner Combos Best • Soup & Sandwich Combos Foothills • Tuesday Buy 1, Get 1 Free Pizza 5-10pm $2.00 Draft • Wednesday Peel & Eat Shrimp and Oysters on the “Half Shell” of the

[ 2010 ]

Shrimp $6.99 1/2 pound $12.99 pound Oysters $6.99 1/2 dozen $12.99 dozen

• Thursday • Saturday

Come and Experience Our Sidewalk Cafe!

All American with Gourmet Burgers & $2.50 Draft 1/2 Price Wine Bottles

233 South Lafayette Street • Shelby To Go Orders: 704-487-0016 Mon. - Thurs. 11am - 10pm Fri. - Sat. 11am - 11pm • Sun. 11am - 9pm

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Deanna M. Moseley, DVM, PA

We Strive To Make Your Pets Feel “At Home”.

Chloe’s Boutique

Upscale Consignments, New Accessories & More

Shop at Chloe’s for Sizzling Hot Summer Sales!

Best

1042 Sam Lattimore Rd.

Foothills

309Shelby, S. Battleground NC 28152 Ave. Kings Mountain, NC 704-730-0013 chloes_boutique@hotmail.com

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.

Check us out at www.HopeAnimalHosp.com

Hours: Tues.- Fri. 10am - 6pm Sat. 10m - 4pm Mention this ad and receive $5 off any service!

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Cleveland County Family YMCA County Cleveland

Family YMCA

Kindergarten Through 8th Grade

s!

Best Gr

ea Foothills tS

www.clevecoymca.org Visitby your local or drop www.clevecoymca.org YMCA branch for more or drop by your local information.

YMCA branch for more information.

of the

Gtarf ef Ne a! -t S w atafef Fri f!E Da Neen -nSvi ily wds arfoen DeD F!ri Em vaoi en nvein ltyio ds rto!

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v!o tio ns !

Kindergarten Through 8th Grade Financial Assistance is available!

Financial Assistance Visitis available!

Register now for YMCA After School Register now for YMCA

en

t!

After School

We Now Serve the Following Schools:

Bethware • Boiling Springs • East • Elizabeth • Graham Love • Jefferson • Marion • North • Springmore • Township We Now• James Serve the Following Schools: Three • Union • Washington • West • Kings Mt Intermediate • Kings Mt, Burns, Crest and Shelby Middle Schools and Bethware • Boiling Springs • East • Elizabeth Graham •Classical James Love • Jefferson • Marion • North • Springmore • Township Thomas •Jefferson Academy Three • Union • Washington • West • Kings Mt Intermediate • Kings Mt, Burns, Crest and Shelby Middle Schools and Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy www. fo o t h i l l s s p o t l i g h t .c o m

July/A ugust 13 Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 49

Smith’s Drugs of Forest City:

Nostalgia with a kick

Photo by Victorian Rose Studio

Photo by Mark Alan

Betty Lee has been Drug since she was coming to Smith’s 14 years old.

Studio

Photo by Victorian Rose Studio

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ctorian Rose

Photo by Vi

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A

years. Son Cole is a talented soccer player and the family enjoys that passion together.

At 44, John has accomplished something many work their whole lives to achieve. He has a good business, loyal employees and appreciative customers. It seems so easy as you watch the daily life here but you know it

Editor’s Note: Smith’s Drugs is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The phone number is (828)-245-4591 and the Web site is www.smithsdrugsfc.com.

Hudson

Photo by Victorian Rose Studio

He jumped at the offer and has never regretted it. Hugh, his friend and mentor, still works with him as a fill-in.

That’s another theme you soon pick up during a visit: The staff love working here. Many of them have been around for several years … some more than 20.

Courtney Atkins is a second-generation employee who has been there three years. Her mother filled the same job when she started more than 20 years ago.

While the feel of Smith’s is small town friendly, don’t think the employees aren’t on their game. John is proud of the technology that his pharmacy and home care lines can offer his clients and patients. The pharmacy can compound its own drugs in many cases and has infusion capabilities. In late summer John is adding a Retired dentist Charles “Doc” Abernethy has been a Smith’s Drug robot that can count, label and package medications. customer for 60 years.

The medical products side of the business offers is the result of hard work. diabetic shoes, lift chairs and other essentials.

Betty Lee, another regular, has been coming to John prides himself on innovation but his passion is Smith’s since she was 14 years old. She claims she’s clearly helping people and being an asset to his town 80 but that’s debatable when you see her smile and and community. As people walk by, he excuses himself to shake a hand, give a hug or listen to someone hear the way she talks. What can’t be argued is that sharing a problem. His 50 employees have bought in she knows the place is a special one. “I thought it was to the mission as well as you see them reach out to an awfully good place to come when I was younger,” she says. “Now, I think it’s just great.” folks and connect with them as only neighbors can.

Somehow, that simple statement by a loyal customer Active in his community, John also takes pride in his family. He’s been married to his wife Stephanie for 17 says more than 1,000 words ever could.

Photo by Mark Ala n

mainstay of Forest City’s Main Street since 1939, Smith’s Drugs is a unique blend of high tech/high touch and the nostalgic feel of the small town drugstore from yesteryear.

Nestled on a tree-lined thoroughfare running through the heart of town, its storefront windows don’t readily give away the treasure that waits inside.

As soon as you enter the drugstore though, you’ll feel the difference. Staff greet you with a smile and ask if they can help … even if you’re not a local. The layout is pleasing and a classic soda fountain counter, tables and booths invite you to sit down, linger and have a cup of coffee or one of their famous pimiento cheese sandwiches.

Take the time to say hello to a couple of folks and you’ll soon be talking to some of the regulars … folks who have been coming in for years. Take retired dentist Charles “Doc” Abernethy, for instance, who’s been a customer for 60 years. “I come almost every day,” he says. “I meet some of my friends for breakfast and we solve all the world’s problems,” he adds with a mischievous smile.

Doc, some 87 years young, says he comes because the food is good and the people are wonderful. He adds he enjoys his retirement though he sometimes still dreams of being a dentist. “Thankfully, I wake up from those things,” he jests, a twinkle in his eye.

Owner John Higgins fosters this welcoming environment. He came to the pharmacy end of the business after graduating from Campbell University’s School of Pharmacy in 1991. In 2000, Hugh Moore, who was the owner then, offered the business to him.

National Championship Univ of SC

Chad Holbrook, Shelby native and son of County Commissioner Eddie Holbrook, is the proud associate head coach of the National Championship baseball team at the University of South Carolina. Via twitter, Chad recently shared the top 30 reasons why winning the championship was so special to him.

Chad’s final tweet and reason number 1...

1. The great state of South Carolina and its flagship university are National Champions. People are so proud. So thankful that we could make so many people proud. This was a lot more than just a victory on the baseball field. We realize that. So proud to be a coach in this program and at this University. I’m so thankful to so many people for allowing me to experience this. We are all proud to be Gamecocks.

Go Cocks! And I hope you enjoyed the list. I’ve been in athletics all my life and I’ve been a part of some great teams. But there will never be another 2010 USC Baseball Team. I’m proud I was a part of it.

Congratulations Chad from your family and the USC family at Fox Distributing.

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USC Baseball wins National Title: School’s first championship in major men’s sports 30. Seeing the look on Reece and Coopers face when I ran into the stands to get them. After what reece went thru - Priceless.

29. Hugging my beautiful wife who sacrifices so much in being a coaches wife. That’s a moment Ill never ever forget.

28. The look and tears streaming down grown mens faces as I went into the stands to get my family.That was when I realized the scope of it 27. Laying in that dogpile in Rosenblatt stadium trying to comprehend what just occurred.

26. Bayler Teal. And all of the moments that left my body numb. I’ll give you a few of those later. I think about you daily Bayler.

25. The feeling I had in the third base coaching box when Wingo was sacrificed up to third with one out. 90 ft away. I almost got sick!!

24. The memories and pictures [from a moment] like this. We are dads first but when things like this happen. Wow. 23. The embraces with Coach Tanner, Espo, and Calvi. There is no way a pricetag could ever be put on those moments.

22. The emotion that poured out of the Teal family. Seeing that family hold the trophy and hug our players. They made a diff!

21. The walk out of Rosenblatt stadium and to our bus and seeing all of our fans and parents waiting for us. Incredible feeling.

20. The bus ride to our hotel after the game and the looks on our players faces when things began to settle down. Euphoric exhaustion!

19.Taking the uniform off in the hotel room and realizing that there is no game tomorrow. I stared at my jersey laying on the floor.

18. Watching the news clips of Cola tv stations on the computer in hotel room. Watching all our fans celebrate back home was so neat!

17. Celebrating in Coach Calvi’s hotel room with all the coaches and wives and talking about all of the emotions that we’ve just experienced.

16. Trying to fall asleep at 4:45am. Too much adrenaline to even come close to falling asleep. I just sat there and watched Reece/Coop sleep.

15. Waking up and reading the Omaha Herald. Now that’s a newspaper read for the ages. Tough to duplicate that. Whit’s picture captured it all 14. The Cola Airport and seeing all the fans waiting for us. The escort to the Colonial L. Arena and the fans along the side of the road.

13. The tweets I received on the bus and the anticipation of what was waiting for us at the Colonial Life Arena!

12. Nothing can describe the feeling of standing in the tunnel of the arena and listening to the fans. It was so loud, then 2001!! goose bumps 11. The moment the curtain opened I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. College baseball teams are not supposed to get that kind of support!

10. I forgot for a minute. At South Carolina we do get that kind of support. The lap around the arena and celebrating with the fans. Incredible.

9. Hearing from so many former players and the great friends from UNC that called to congratulate us. I heard from everyone. Well almost.

8. The parade - The trip down main street, I was speechless. When we were on the steps of the state house. The view of our fans. Just incredible!

7. Our team taught this coach a lesson. A tough group of guys that never puts themselves in front of the team is a tough team to beat.

Our players were so selfless. They always thought they were going to win. They enjoyed each other and they cared about each other.

6. The characteristics of our team trumped talent on a daily basis. Yes we were talented but not always the most talented. We had more will than our opponents. We willed games away from our opponents. Truly the best team I’ve ever been a part of.

5. Bayler Teal - this will take a while. He passed away the minute Christian Walker had a hit vs Oklahoma. He was looking over us when we were one pitch from elimination that same game. I stood in the 3b box numb the last few innings knowing our biggest fan has passed. I could not tell the players. I thought about the Teal family and I thought about Reece. Pediatric cancer sucks! Nothing worse.

Then I became calm. I knew Bayler wouldn’t let us lose. I actually felt he had a part in what was going on. I still feel that way.

How bout this quote from Whit after the biggest hit in the history of our program. “I felt Baylers hand on my bat”. If that doesn’t make you numb I don’t know what will. Bayler is our hero and the toughest little sucker I’ve met. He was a part of our Natl Championship. Our MVP! 4. Thinking about the incredible journey our players took us on. Their sacrifices, their commitment, their attitude. From the first meeting in the fall to the last swing of Whit’s bat. What an unbelievable group of guys.

3. I always wondered what the 1980 Olympic Hockey team felt like when they won the Gold Medal. Yes, we didn’t beat the Russians and I’m not equating the two. But I bet our players felt a similar feeling to those guys. It was truly an incredible feeling.

2. Realizing I’m not a better coach or a better person just because we won the Natl Championship. A great accomplishmentabsolutely. Like we told our players. Don’t let this championship be the best thing you do for society. You can give more as a person, dad, and husband!

WORKING ON THE

Chain Gang WORDS JUDY GAULTNEY WORDS BILL CAMERON

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 23

Crest Chain Gang: from left to right are Mike Grant, Greg Cooper, A.J. Simmons and Curt Simmons

Football season is here again.

In the Foothills of North Carolina, that stirs up passions and devotion to alma maters usually not seen the rest of the year. Stoking these passions is the excellence of Foothills football as evidenced by the eight state championships won by Cleveland County teams since 1994. Some of the most passionate and devoted football fans are the “chain gangs” at each school.

These chain gangs are not the convicts who work on roadsides under the watchful eye of an armed guard or the subjects of Sam Cooke’s song, “Working on the Chain Gang.” Instead these chain gangs work the sidelines of football games. It’s the chain gangs or crews, not the season ticket holders, who have the “best seats in the house” (see sidebar). These guys and in some cases, gals, work the sidelines of each home game manning the “sticks” which measure first down yardage.

I spoke to several members of the chain gangs from Crest, Kings Mountain and Shelby High Schools and found several similarities in these groups and individuals. The Crest High gang includes two husband and wife groups, Curt and A.J. Simmons and Greg and Sharon Cooper, along with Mike Grant, Jonathan Cooper and Chris Ellis. The Kings Mountain crew consists of Ken Bridges, Mark Crawford, Ray Robinson, Chuck Peeler and Sam Hunt. From Shelby, the gang counts Doug Gold, Steve Gold, Richard Gillespie, Bill Brewer and Ford Lawrence as members. One likeness among all these folks is their joy in what they do. Ken Bridges said that he “loves it” and “thinks a lot of the kids who put in so much time.” You know they love the job as they all work on a volunteer basis, maybe getting a team shirt or hat each year and a free hot dog each game.

Another familiar theme among these crew members is their dedication and loyalty to their teams. They not only work each home game during the three-month season, but also usually follow their team when they go on the road. In addition, many of these guys and gals have been running the sidelines for years. The Simmonses

54 F o o t h i l l s S p o t l i g h t S e p t / Oc t 2010

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n t i h s e t a H e o S u t s s e e

If you have a passion for football, then you want to be as close to the action as possible. Well, if this is your goal, then you need to become a member of a “chain gang” or chain crew. These three guys have the best seats in the house, only without the seats.

Every level of football, from youth up to the NFL, has chain crews manning the “sticks” at every game. A chain crew or gang consists of from three to five assistants to the referee. They are responsible for measuring the 10 yards needed for a team to make a first down and keep possession of the ball.

The two “rod men” each hold the “sticks” which are at the ends of a 10-yard chain. One stick is positioned on the sideline even with the nose of the football when a team has a first down. The other rod man pulls the chain taut with his stick 10 yards down the sideline. The “box man” is the third member of the crew and holds the down marker which shows the down (first, second, third or fourth). A team has four downs to advance the ball the 10 yards needed for a first down or it turns the ball over to the other team. The down marker is placed even with the line of scrimmage before each offensive snap. Another crew member is responsible for the “clip” which is placed on the chain at the nearest five-yard mark to the first down stick.

The chain crew only gets noticed by fans when a player crashes into one of the sticks or crew members on a sideline play or when the referee motions them onto the field for a first down measurement. The latter is when the crew brings the sticks onto the field and determines if a team has made a first down. This is when the old adage, “it’s a game of inches,” is literally true.

To make the game above reproach, the chain crew operates on the visiting team’s sideline during a game. So if you want the best view in the whole stadium (just on the wrong side of the field), then join the local “chain gang.” Just remember, these guys do this for the love of the game as they are unpaid volunteers.

B

have worked the Crest sidelines since the early 1990s and recruited the Coopers in 1998. Doug Gold has manned the chains at Shelby’s games for more than 20 years and his son, Steve, along with Richard Gillespie, have worked since 1994. But the “dean” of the chain gang has to be Kings Mountain’s Ken Bridges, who has 35 years experience.

Another common characteristic in these gangs is their sense of teamwork. They have worked together for years and learned all the subtleties of the job. They usually keep the same person on the yardage sticks, the box and the clip (see sidebar). They usually have one or more extra members to allow bathroom and food breaks and to fill in for games when someone can’t attend. Doug Gold put it succinctly, “A crew has to use common sense.”

Each chain gang has its own favorite stories and tales, of course. Every group related the hazard of getting “run over” during a game. Greg Cooper tells of one of his first games when he watched the kickoff returner run past and then got crushed by the players chasing him. Ken Bridges told of getting hit so hard that he ended up “against the fence, lost my hat and glasses, got attended to by the trainers and even was a star the next week during the team’s film session as they watched me get hit.”

Each group also spoke of their close proximity to opposing coaches since they work on the visitors’ sideline. The chain gang members can tell you quickly who their favorite coaches are. They also know which coaches have control of their teams. Greg Cooper told of Coach Tommy Knotts from Independence, who, in a game against Crest, saw one of his players deliver a “cheap shot” hit. Cooper said that Knotts “sent that player off the field and had him sit the rest of the game on the team bus.” Perhaps the best tale I heard was from Doug Gold about a former chain gang member, Bill Ledford. In a game against Hickory, the Hickory coach saw Bill take his hat off and scratch his bald head. Gold said the coach came running at them, claiming, “I saw you signaling our plays to the Shelby sideline.”

So as you can see, “working on the chain gang” puts you right on the field and sometimes even in the action. And however else you see it, you can’t beat these “best seats in the house.”

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 55

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Congratulations &

David Dear,

Thank-You

Cleveland County Manager

Clay Champion

Mr. Dear was the recent recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award.

This award is presented to individuals for their extraordinary service and contributions to their communities.

This award is among the most prestigious awards presented by the Governor of North Carolina.

Clay recently won the 48th Annual Cleveland County Amateur Golf Championship. He shot 6 under par for the 3-day event held at Kings Mountain Country Club, Pine Grove and Riverbend Golf Courses.

56 F o o t h i l l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2010

Champion Communications and Foothills Spotlight Magazine would like to thank the three interns who made our life so much easier this summer.

L-R: Rebecca Rupp, Senior Western Kenturcky Univ.

Erin Cooke, Senior Gardner-Webb Univ.

Hannah McDowell, Senior Appalachian State Univ.

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K C A B FLASH TOMMY LONDON • Football standout running back for Shelby High School from 1969-72.

• Played in the 1972 N.C./S.C. Shrine Bowl.

• Selected and played in the 1973 N.C. East-West All Star game.

• Was voted All-conference player in both 1971 and 1972.

• Assisted SHS to an undefeated season in 1972, rushing for 1,442 yards, 4th best in SHS history.

• Selected as an All-State player in 1972.

• North Carolina State University (NCSU) defensive back 1973-77. Recruited as running back and converted to defensive back for his junior and senior seasons.

• Signed by the Cleveland Browns as a defensive back in 1978.

• Played 15 games at defensive back for the Browns in 1978 before an injury ended his career.

• Worked 12 years with All State Insurance before answering the call to the ministry in 1994.

• Received double master’s degrees in Religious Education and Divinity from Virginia University of Lynchburg in 1996.

• Has served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Cloverdale, Va. since that time.

• In 2008, Tommy was inducted into the Cleveland County Sports Hall of Fame.

• Tommy and wife Sharon currently live in Salem, Va. Their two adult children are Justin and Michelle. Justin played football at UCLA for four years and is pursuing a law degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Michelle currently works for ESPN as a Sports Center Editor.

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 57

Mission AccoMplished:

WORDS GILDA PRUITT

cavaliers Win state Tournament

The East Rutherford Cavaliers traveled to Raleigh this spring for the 2010 NCHSAA 2A State Championship Baseball Tournament with only one mission in mind — to win the tournament. And they did!

The Cavaliers, under the leadership of Coach Bobby Reynolds, swept the Red Devils of Graham in two games at Doak Field in Raleigh on Saturday, June 5, 2010. After winning the morning game, the Cavaliers faced the Red Devils in the second one under a blazing Carolina sun that brought temperatures to 95 degrees during the final innings.

East (30-2) pulled out an exciting 4-3 victory over Graham (20-13), which left Cavalier fans and players overjoyed in celebration at the pitcher’s mound after the final strike was called on the last Graham batter.

The win made Coach Reynolds a five-time state champion.

East earned an early 4-0 lead by scoring two runs in the third inning and two runs in the fourth inning.

The third inning runs were the result of some strategy, base running and solid hitting. A fielder’s choice left East catcher Trent Dorsey on first base with base runner AJ Lynch being forced at second. Third baseman Derek Deaton then hit a double, bringing home pinch runner Tyler Jacobs. A smashed double to the left centerfield gap by Drew Reynolds scored Derek for a 2-0 lead. Then, in the fourth, East followed up after AJ was hit by a pitch and advanced to first and then was brought home by Trent’s home run over the left field wall.

Things looked great for East as they faced Graham in their last at bat with the score still standing at 4-0.

Dakotah Thomas had pitched an almost no-hit performance for East for six innings. In the seventh, Dakotah walked the lead batter, then got a strikeout of the Graham pitcher. An error on a softly hit ball put runners on the corners. It was followed by a single bringing a runner home for the Red Devils’ first score of the game. The celebration was short-lived for Graham as Dakotah notched his 14th strikeout of the day as he fanned a Graham pinch hitter.

The Red Devils were not done, however, as their lead-off man stepped to the plate with two on and two out. His single to centerfield brought in another run. As the next batter came to the plate, Dakotah was again facing a two-on, two-out situation. The batter went to a full count before he took the fourth ball and ambled down to first, loading the bases as North Carolina Player of the Year, Matt Roberts, came to the plate.

Coach Bobby glanced at assistants Chuck Walker and Chad Flack, and confidently walked out of the dugout and pointed to first base as he gained the attention of the home plate umpire. The intentional walk scored Graham’s third run, cutting the Cavs’ lead to one, a 4-3 ballgame!

Shortstop Rigeberto Mendoza, a three-time strikeout victim, now stood at the plate with the bases loaded. He took a full count before being caught looking at a called third strike as Dakotah’s pitch hit dead center in the catcher’s mitt.

Cavs players and fans erupted in celebration at the pitcher’s mound as a hard-fought victory was won!

While the win is still being savored, planning for next year is already on the mind of Coach Bobby. While he is losing four seniors -- series MVP Drew Reynolds, Dakotah Thomas, Trent Dorsey and Tyler Dobbins -- he’s got a great nucleus to have a team in contention for 2011.

Janice McFarland, mother of rising junior pitcher, Mark McFarland, had this comment, “The number one thing (about their championship) is that this team had a really good coach. He was wonderful to the players and he had their respect. In return for this respect, they gave him 150 percent.”

With a State Championship in hand, and four more in the books, that point would be a tough one to argue.

58 F o o t h i l l s S p o t l i g h t Se p t / Oc t 2010

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 59

JULIAN RIDINGS - Baseball - Crest High School Julian, a senior centerfielder for the 2010 season, was named the Big South Conference Player of the Year and named to the All-State team. He finished his senior season batting .432 with eight home runs, 22 RBI’s and 28 runs scored and did not commit an error on defense. He will continue his baseball career at Western Carolina University.

CHAD HOLBROOK - Baseball University of South Carolina Chad, a former Shelby High product and associate head coach of the Gamecocks, reached the pinnacle of his career as the team won the NCAA Men’s College World Series 2010 national championship in Omaha, Neb., by winning the bestof-three series against UCLA with a thrilling 11-inning 2-1 final game. Chad, in his second season with USC as recruiting coordinator and hitting instructor, spent 15 years as an assistant coach at UNC.

JUNIOR TAR HEEL ALL-STARS - Baseball Shelby, NC

The Shelby City Park Junior Tar Heel All-Stars recently won the state championship in Rocky Mount, N.C. The squad, made up of 13- and 14-year-old players, beat Siler City 8-6 for the title. Coached by Charlie Ruff, Corey Ferree, Terry Dills and Brad Keller, the team went undefeated in both the district and state tournaments. Team members were: Grant Byers, Colby Creswell, Cody Fitch, Ben Gold, Nicholas Hastings, Tripp Hastings, Bradley Keller, Bradford Lail, Jackson Mims, Jay Seagle, Chandler Young and Thomas Weaver.

5

FAB

DREMIEL “BAM” BYERS - Greco-Roman Wrestling

Kings Mountain High School

Bam, formerly of Kings Mountain, recently earned a spot on the U.S. national wrestling team which will compete at the 2010 World Championships in Moscow this fall. A member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team, Bam recently won the 264.5pound weight division title at the 2010 U.S. World Team Trials at Council Bluffs, Iowa. A staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, he is an eight-time national champion and won the bronze medal for the United States at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

ANNA MARIE DEDMON - Soccer Thomas Jefferson High School

Anna, a freshman at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, was the only freshman chosen to the high school 1-A All State Ladies Soccer Team. She scored 36 goals and was selected All-Conference and All Conference Academic in the Western Highlands Conference. A starter at forward, Anna Marie helped the Gryphons to a 20-4 season in only their second year of competition. The team made it to round two of the state 1A tournament before losing to North Moore High 1-0.

To nominate an area athlete for the Fab 5, please email sdavis@ccagency.net.

All ages and all sports nominations are welcome.

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S p eci al A d ver tising Section

The Art of Caring: Plaster Family Dentistry knows its stuff

BY MARK ALAN HUDSON, FACHE

Will Plaster, DDS, looks over some patient surveys he has received.

There is a common theme among the comments shared from his patients. Words like caring, professional, thoughtful and friendly resonate. While these are words of feeling, there are also ones noting quality, expertise and technology.

Plaster Family Dentistry 1455 East Marion Street, Suite F, Shelby, NC 28150 HOUrs Monday - Thursday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, with a lunch break from noon until 1:30 PM and on Fridays from 8:30 AM until noon.

COntaCt 704-487-7391 and you can also find them on Facebook.

Both types of words are what “Dr. Will,” as he is often called, wants to see.

Dentistry is in his blood as he represents the third generation of Plaster in the practice started by his grandfather in 1939. His grandfather, Dr. Harold E. Plaster, and his father, Dr. Harold E. Plaster, Jr. were his mentors and in the case of his father, partner prior to his retirement in May of this year. Dr. Will continues the long tradition of Plaster Family Dentistry with the goal of continuing to practice the best oral health care possible for his patients.

In theory, that sounds easy. But the Plaster family has delivered their dental care in a slightly different fashion by providing the vast majority of their patient care themselves. This fosters a level of oral health knowledge that Dr. Will finds invaluable in his professional practice.

“The patient’s dental health is absolutely our primary concern,” he says. In referring to his patients, he adds that “I am not your dentist but your oral health physician.” This philosophy may not seem significant to some but for Dr. Will, it is a testament to the way he was taught by his family and the way he learned his profession.

After graduation from the UNC School of Dentistry in 1997, Dr. Will served his country as part of the U.S. Navy. His three years of dental practice during his service included a year-long residency in advanced dental procedures, an experience that allowed Dr. Will to

continue expanding and refining his clinical skills.

While rewarding, thoughts of home were never far away and he jumped at the opportunity to return and practice with his father at their East Marion Street location. This too, was a great opportunity for Dr. Will to manage an office practice while providing handson clinical care.

He’s also been blessed with a stable staff who enjoy the type of dentistry practiced here. Anitra Jones, his former dental assistant who returned to school to become a registered dental hygienist, rejoined the practice in June. “I’m really happy to be back home with my work family,” she says, adding that “I am in a new position but I am not a new face.”

Sabrina Glenn and Lisa Tolley round out his team.

Dr. Will’s way of delivering patient care is a straightforward one: “Our philosophy is to do things deliberately and carefully, while understanding the needs of the patients.” The result is a practice that can adjust to emergencies and walk-ins but does not rush patients through. “We value our patients’ time and work hard to keep on schedule as this allows me to spend more time quality time with each of them,” he explains.

Dr. Will and his team seem to have found a way to provide not only a comprehensive array of dental and oral health services but to do so in a way that their patients appreciate. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. PFD

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 63

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Community Involvement Breeds Success WORDS GILDA PRUITT

As surely as 1 + 1 = 2, there is a formula for success when students strive to learn. Local business men and women, educators and committed young people recently completed a real-world project undertaken through the Business Education Alliance (BEA) of the Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce.

It all started when two young men approached Kevin Frane, plant manager of Kitchen Ventilation Systems, LLC, in Kings Mountain this past spring.

They were interested in learning what skills were needed to become welders, including the education required and how that would later translate into hours of work and pay. As part of that initial visit, the students toured the facility and watched welding in progress.

Both students were planning to enroll in the welding program at Cleveland Community College in the fall, but after spending time on the shop floor with the welders, only one remained interested in welding as a career.

The fact that only one of the students maintained an interest in the welding program gave Kevin reason to pause. He thought about the way he had envisioned different careers when he was younger and reasoned that had he had more information, he might have reached a good conclusion earlier with less time and money spent in making his career choice.

Through his work on the BEA, Kevin had heard of a school project from Kim Davis of Champion Communications. Students had artfully refurbished old newspaper boxes for Champion Communications to load with Foothills Spotlight

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magazines: these were then placed around the community.

Kevin envisioned a project that would follow the same logic and involve as many local students as possible, but this project would go a step further than the original one to include the design and manufacture of the newspaper boxes, incorporating appropriate art work in the process.

Kitchen Ventilation Systems, Champion Communications, Cleveland County Schools and Cleveland Community College were partners in the BEA project, which was undertaken this spring.

Ten students from Burns High School and five students from Crest High School participated. The first phase of the project, supported by Kitchen Ventilation Systems, was the design and building of racks.

First, students prepared rough drafts of their proposed racks, and those drafts were refined using the Auto Cad system. Next, students researched blueprinting, bending, rolling, using a laser and welding. Then they finalized their blueprints and began construction.

The second phase of the project included graphic design and implementation of design on the racks; art teachers, graphic designers and Champion Communications supported the activities of this phase. After students drew rough drafts of their graphic design and designs were approved, they decorated the racks and then prepared them for exposure to the weather.

After all the work was done, participants joined in a celebration reception and a special presentation of their racks to the Business Education Alliance.

The Cleveland County Chamber Office placed the racks on exhibit until they were moved to strategic locations to serve their intended purpose.

“All l50 employees at Kitchen Ventilation Systems assisted,” Kevin says. “There was help from industrial engineers, manufacturing engineers, schedulers, welders, band saw operators and others. This was an integrated project with educators, manufacturing people, management, communication specialists and students, all working together with a common goal. This was a real-life goal in real time — to finish the project by the end of the school year in June 2010.

“It broadened the students’ horizons in that they not only learned how to design and manufacture, but they learned of obstacles such as scheduling equipment and capability of equipment.” Kevin also notes that the project sparked the creativity of young adults who were told, “The sky is the limit.”

These students now have in their arsenal of knowledge the various concepts that design, manufacturing and management have taught them.

Those learned concepts will stand them in good stead as they continue their educations or search for full-time employment.

A positive footnote to the project was that Kitchen Ventilation Systems was able to make summer job offers to several students who participated in this project, providing them even more real-world experience.

Kevin is excited to have been involved with this particular project and is looking forward to Kitchen Ventilation Systems participating in others in the future. It was a win-win situation for all involved!

Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 65

DID YOU KNOW?

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615 W. Warren St. Shelby, NC 28150 Call for information:

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• In the past year the use of Ecstasy has increased 67%; and teen marijuana use spiked 20%.

• Every day, 2,500 teenagers use a prescription drug to get high for the first time.

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

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Loco for Local

WORDS wade nicholS

T

here’s a craziness sweeping the land. But it’s nothing to make you grab a face mask or do extra hand washing. You see, this might best be called a mania, or an obsession with anything local. First it was history, then music and food hit the stage; now it encompasses crafts and clothing, and just about everything else you can imagine. Instead of the huge anonymous cities that appear off in the future of human kind, some of us want our place in this world to be attractive, comfortable and human scale.

In the beginning it was about understanding our roots and our genes, followed by our longing for the sounds and tastes of Baby Boomer childhood. When food from hundreds or thousands of miles away threatened sickness, the safety of local foods became more important than nostalgia.

But beginning about 2008, the mania switched tracks in tandem with the economy. It was still about local, but this time it was about the economy and it took on a righteous tone like never before.

There was even a new name for the person who practiced what was labeled as a blend of new era capitalism and self-reliance. Meet the Locovore, originally meaning one who eats only what is grown in his or her locale. This is the neighbor who seeks out the farmers markets early in the morning or finds that independent grocery store that carries local meats and fruit. The Locovore can go on about the superior taste of heirloom tomatoes, spicy Italian greens from local

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farms, and the differences in the honeys produced by Joe in Casar or Elizabeth in Lawndale.

Locovore version 2.0 is not just interested in where the beans were grown, but also encourages neighbors to use the local hardware store in town or switch to a locally owned garage. Watch this space for more details (and the math that will show how it works) in the months to come.

Locovores? In Shelby? Well, we might know them better as our neighbors Mary and Joe than as Locovores. But a good number of us fall into the category. We could even say that some preLocovores were the people who formed Uptown Shelby Association in 1980 (incorporating in 1982), those 30 years ago. Those founders wanted to keep Uptown Shelby’s heart healthy and alive. Today Shelby is joined by Kings Mountain, Forest City, Lincolnton and Rutherfordton in the national Main Street Program.

There was an effort to get local produce on local tables in the original Farmers Market in Uptown as well, and the new Foothills Farmers Market that brings farmers to Court Square and the Cleveland County Health Department. Early Locovores were in hog heaven when they started the Livermush Expo to explore the traditional food ways of the southern Piedmont.

This year you can get out and celebrate the local traditions of livermush, along with FallFest for the kids on Saturday, Oct. 23. There’s the pet parade,

costumes, fun tastes, new things to learn. That weekend also marks this year’s longer Art of Sound Festival in Uptown Shelby.

And for those newer version Locovores, the upcoming holiday shopping season offers a great chance to prove the value of a local dollar. Quality and impact are just two good reasons to shop in your hometown. Great music and entertainment at the Don Gibson Theatre make the case even stronger.

Take pride in being a Locovore as you enjoy what is around you. You are part of a big and growing national phenomenon.

Editor’s Note: Wade Nichols is executive director of Uptown Shelby Association, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. For more information on business programs and community events, see www.uptownshelby.org or find the association on Facebook for up-to-date schedules.

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Mary Beth Koelle stylist

Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 69

u PHOTOJOURNALIST RUSTY PATTERSON

e th e d i s In e m o D v

w

x

y

u Aerial view of uptown Shelby and Court Square c.1963. The historic Courthouse will soon be home to: The Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories of the Carolina Foothills v Control arms used to turn hands on the face of the clock. w Up close image of bell denotes manufacturer’s markings; B. Howard & Company, New York, Boston, Chicago, 1908. x View inside the dome of the former courthouse shows the bell and striker. y Detailed view inside the dome shows the clock’s mechanism and controls.

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SITES, SOUNDS & TASTES SEPTEMBER 2010 9/4 3rd Annual Redbone Willy’s Blue Grass & Peddler’s Festival 10am-10pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the event and children under 12 FREE. For more information: www.Redbonewilly.com 9/6 Williams Observatory Open House, Opens at sunset.

Astronomy presentations and special telescope viewings.

Held at Gardner-Webb University campus in Boiling Springs, NC. 704-406-3804, www.gardner-webb.edu/astro 9/9 - 10/14 Made for Each Other. Mon-Friday 9-5:30pm. and the first Sat. 10-2:00pm. Entry deadline: June 4, 2010.

Enter a juried art exhibition featuring ceramic cream & sugar sets. Free event. For more details call the Cleveland County Arts Council, 704-484-2787; 111 S. Washington Street, Shelby, NC; or info@ccartscouncil.org 9/10-12 The Gibson Theatre Film Weekend “Revolutionaries” $6/each, Weekend Pass $25, Weekend Pass for 2 only $35. “F is for Fake” was Orson Welles’ final film. “Cleo From 5 to 7,” “Knife in the Water,” “Gimme Shelter” is the Rolling Stones tour documentary, Nicolas Roeg’s Masterpiece “Walkabout,” Leno Horne, Fatz Waller and the Nicholaz Brothers in “Stormy Weather,” “Wings of Desire,” and “Picnic at Hanging Rock.” The Don Gibson Theatre, 308 S. Washington St., Shelby 704-487-8114, www.DGShelby.com 9/11 Patriot Day Observance. 12 noon. Kings Mountain City Hall Plaza, 704-734-0333. www.CityofKM.com 9/11 Kingstown NC Gospel Fest Block Party. 11:00amuntil. Please contact Mattie Briscoe of KCDC, phone 704-345-72143 or 704-482-4211 9/11 & 18 International Demolition Derby. Time starts at 7:30pm.-.until. Many events to enter for the 2 day events and lots of fun for all. For more information 704-434-2866 or Barhevents@yahoo.com, Sponsored by Boiling Springs 9/17-18 Dirty Dancing Festival at Lake Lure Lakeside Film Screening @ Firefly Cove. Friday, Sept. 17th, 7pm; Family Dance Festival Saturday, Sept. 18th, 9am-4pm; ‘Time of Your Life’ Gala @ Firefly Cove Saturday, Sept.

18th, 6-10:30pm; Tickets & More Info: www.DirtyDancingFestival.com 9/18 Twin Pinks Enduro 8:00am. Four laps, two peaks, one mission. Register at: www.sportoften.com/events.

Join others at the Kings Mountain Gateway Trail; 807 S. Battleground Avenue, Kings Mountain, NC; Contact; ellisn@ cityofkm.com. Or call 704-734-0333 9/18 Open Water Swim Challenge. Moss Lake 8:00am.

More than 300 swimmers from across the region will participate in the Western North Carolina Open Water Swim Challenge on Moss Lake. Four races: 5km(3.1 mile); 3km (1.8 mile); 2 km (1.2 mile); and a 500p (546 yards) sprint. If interested in swimming call 704-907-1983 or sharkscoachdave@yahoo.com or www.shartsaquaticclub.com/openwater.html

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9/18 “Y’art Sale”. 8-12:00 Free event. A great way to purchase some new art materials, supplies, pottery, framed prints or painting, art books, anything art related to benefit the Arts Council, 111 S. Washington Street, Shelby, NC; Phone 704-484-2787; or info@ccartscouncil.org 9/23 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 9/24 CCTA Fall Classic, USTA Adult tennis tournament.

Cleveland Country Club, 1360 East Marion Street, Shelby, 704-482-1711, www.clevelandcountytennis.com 9/30 - 10/9 Cleveland County Fair. Times vary per day.

1751 East Marion Street, Shelby, NC 28152, 704-487-0651 www.clevelandcountyfair.com

OCTOBER 2010 10/2 Del Castillo 8pm $32. “Tumbling brilliance on nylon stringed classical guitars features jaw dropping dual leads.

The eruptions of technique and taste conjure up images of Eddie Van Halen fronting early Santana with an assist from the Gypsy Kings.” – ROLLING STONE. The Don Gibson Theatre, 308 S. Washington St., Shelby 704-487-8114, www.DGShelby.com 10/2 March for Babies. 8:30am Walk begins 10:00am.

This march begins at Shelby City Park, 850 W. Sumter Street, Shelby, NC; To register go to: www.marchforbabies,org; or call 704-484-6821 10/3 “Blessing of the Animals”. 6:00pm on the Court Square, Shelby, NC Sponsored by Association for the Welfare of Animals. Offering honorary and memorial luminaries For information contact 704-487-6555 10/4 Williams Observatory Open House at sunset.

Astronomy presentations and special telescope viewings.

Gardner-Webb University campus in Boiling Springs, NC; www.gardner-webb.edu/astro; 704-406-3804 10/9 The Gateway Festival. 10-5:00pm. This Festival includes antiques, art, crafts, amusements, food, music, Revolutionary Reenactors, story telling, art show, and an antique car show. Entertainment for the whole family.

Battleground Avenue, Kings Mountain, NC; www.cityofkm. org; 704-734-0333 10/16 Leonard McSwain Band Live at Leatherwoods. 7 pm. $10. Live At Leatherwoods, 4837 Fallston Road, Downtown Fallston, 704-481-1332; liveatleatherwoods.com 10/16 Hospice of Cleveland County Yard Sale.

7-11:00am. Come by and shop on Saturday and enjoy live music by Rock Springs Bluegrass and barbecue ribs by Skip Warrick. To pre-order call 704-4487-4677. Hospice Cleveland County; 951 Wendover Heights Drive, Shelby, NC; 704-487-4677

10/21-23 8th Annual Art of Sound Music Festival.

Fri. 8-11 pm/Sat. 11 am-11 pm. A variety of musicians and groups will perform in several different venues with music and fun for everyone. Beer garden on Washington Street during event. Cleveland County Arts Council, 111 S. Washington St., Uptown Shelby; www.ccartscouncil.org; 704-484-2787 10/22 Chitty Family Memorial Futures NCL5 Tennis Tournament. Cleveland Country Club, 1360 East Marion Street, Shelby, 704-482-1711, www.clevelandcountytennis. com 10/22, 23, 29, 30 Haunted Hay Rides. Starts at dark and goes until. Fun activities for the whole family.

Call 704-434-2866 for more information. Bar H Ranch, Hwy 150. S. Boiling Springs, NC. Barhevents@yahoo.com 10/23 Livermush Expo. 10am-5pm. Taste Shelby’s famed Livermush and learn new recipes. Mack’s Livermush will be selling their famous livermush sandwiches. Area restaurants will have samples of their livermush dishes. First ever, LIVERMUSH POKER RUN! Bike registration opens at 10 am, first bike out at noon. Enjoy the husband calling contest sponsored by WADA radio. Media sponsor Cleveland Headline News. Uptown Shelby Historic Court Square, Washington Street. 704-482-7882; www.TourClevelandCounty.com 10/23 Shelby Fall Festival. 10am-12pm. Dress up and be a part of the children’s costume parade in Uptown Shelby on the Court Square. Shelby businesses will sponsor games, treats and crafts for children of all ages. Friendly dog and cat PET PARADE, face painting, pumpkin painting and photos with your pet or just you. CAROLINA RAPTOR CENTER will be there with birds of prey. (rain date Oct. 31) Uptown Shelby Historic Court Square, Washington Street. 704-484-3100, www.UptownShelby.org 10/23 Kingstown NC Annual Cancer Awareness Walk.

March starts at 9:00am. From the Park to Palmer Grove Baptist Church, 1606 Kingstown Road, Kingstown, NC and the ceremony begins at 10:00. Coordinator: Mattie Briscoe – 704-345-7213 for 704-482-4211 of KCDC 10/28 - 11/24 “Shavings & Thrums”. Mon.-Fri. 9-5:30 & First Sat. 10-2:00pm. A juried exhibition that seeks to showcase a wide range of outstanding works related to fiber and wood media. Entry deadline: July 30, 2010. Free event.

Cleveland County Arts Council, 111 S. Washington Street, Shelby, NC; call 704-484-2787 or info@ccartscouncil.org 10/28 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 10/29 Kings Mountain Great Pumpkin Halloween Parade 10am. Downtown Kings Mountain. 704-734-0333. www.CityofKM.com

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Advertisers Index

243 South ............................................................................................................................. 36 Absolute Collision .................................................................................................................. 73 Allen Tate ............................................................................................................................... 11 American Restoration ............................................................................................................ 36 Art of Sound .......................................................................................................................... 29 Barleys .................................................................................................................................. 45 Bayada .................................................................................................................................. 32 Bellus Tu Spa ........................................................................................................................ 49 Bootstrap .............................................................................................................................. 59 Bradley’s................................................................................................................................ 59 Carolina FCU ......................................................................................................................... 28 CaroMont .............................................................................................................................. 10 Carter Cheverlot .................................................................................................................... 45 Casper’s Closet ..................................................................................................................... 22 Champion Communications ............................................................................................... 6,22 Chole’s Boutique ................................................................................................................... 32 Chole’s 2 ............................................................................................................................... 45 CIS ........................................................................................................................................ 17 City of Shelby ........................................................................................................................ 42 Cleveland County Fair ......................................................................................................... 2,42 Cleveland County Health Care System .................................................................................... 4 Cleveland Lumber.................................................................................................................. 15 Computer Connections ......................................................................................................... 22 Cornerstone .......................................................................................................................... 66 Cottonwood .......................................................................................................................... 66 Country Club ........................................................................................................................... 9 CPTrx .................................................................................................................................... 19 Davis Mary Kay...................................................................................................................... 36 Dippity Dawg ......................................................................................................................... 66 Don Gibson Theater .............................................................................................................. 42 Drug Force ............................................................................................................................ 66 Eddie Holbrook...................................................................................................................... 13 Eddie Holbrook & Chad Holbrook .......................................................................................... 52 Flaunt .................................................................................................................................... 64 Fox Distributing...................................................................................................................... 56 Got You Covered ................................................................................................................... 59 Graciono’s ............................................................................................................................. 63 Gragg & Gragg, LLP ........................................................................................................... 3,42 Green River ............................................................................................................................. 9 H&H Pest .............................................................................................................................. 64 Hallelujah Acres ..................................................................................................................... 11 Hamrick’s Produce ................................................................................................................ 15 Hendrick’s ............................................................................................................................. 64 Holly’s Flowers ....................................................................................................................... 38 Hope Animal .......................................................................................................................... 49 Hospice ................................................................................................................................. 33 It’s All in the Bag .................................................................................................................... 17 Kitchen and Bath of Shelby ................................................................................................... 71 Laughlin Furniture .................................................................................................................. 15 Little Debbie .......................................................................................................................... 15 Lora Gold NC Farm Bureau ................................................................................................... 19 Monroe Tires ......................................................................................................................... 46 Norris Furniture ...................................................................................................................... 48 Owl’s Eye............................................................................................................................... 46 Phyllis’ Cakes .......................................................................................................................... 9 Pine Grove Golf Club ............................................................................................................. 21 Plaster Family Dentist ............................................................................................................ 62 Pleasant City Wood Fired Grill ................................................................................................ 48 Positively Paper ..................................................................................................................... 46 PSU....................................................................................................................................... 32 Remax ................................................................................................................................... 42 Salon 206 .............................................................................................................................. 69 Salon Palazo ......................................................................................................................... 45 Scissor Smith and Co. Salon ................................................................................................. 36 Southeast Plastic Surgery ...................................................................................................... 27 Settle ................................................................................................................................ 61,75 Shelby Eye Center .............................................................................................................. 8,61 Shelby Hardware ................................................................................................................... 59 Shelby Surgical ...................................................................................................................... 28 Shope Shoes......................................................................................................................... 45 Sluggerz ................................................................................................................................ 60 Sterling House ....................................................................................................................... 21 Summit Place ........................................................................................................................ 19 Suzy B’s ................................................................................................................................ 21 Teddy and Meekins................................................................................................................ 76 The Hearing Aid Center ......................................................................................................... 73 Town of Forest City ................................................................................................................ 63 Two Doors Down/Frame Masters........................................................................................... 38 Uptown Shelby Association ................................................................................................... 21 Victorian Rose Gallery ............................................................................................................ 69 Walker Carpet........................................................................................................................ 17 Walker Wood ........................................................................................................................... 5 WGWG .................................................................................................................................. 28 Woodmill WInery.................................................................................................................... 37 YMCA............................................................................................................................... 49,64 Young & Associates ............................................................................................................... 67

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The Hearing Aid

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Sept/O ct 2010 Foothills Spotlight 73

reflections

{from the well}

WORDS REV. CRYSTAL CHAMPION

Perspectives: It’s all in how we look at life While playing an animal guessing game with my 5-year-old nephew not long ago, I asked him, “Is the animal big?” His insightful reply was, “To a mouse, it would be big but to an elephant, it would be small.” And herein lies perspective.

Now working as a consultant in South Carolina’s largest residential child care agency, I find myself challenged daily by others’ perspectives. No doubt others would be challenged by mine as well. Not to fool myself; however, I find that my perspectives are often very close to that of the children with whom I am privileged to work. Perhaps having spent the majority of the last 35 years working with somewhat difficult children biases me in that direction.

Sitting in a recent Sunday worship service, I became tearful thinking of how much I missed my family living just several hours away. We had vacationed together the previous week and I missed them, especially the children. The little fellow sitting next to me reached out and took my hand and held it for some time. I immediately thought back to his arrival date as he looked at me and said, “Why can’t my parents be in the same prison? Now I can’t see them together.”

Not that my pain was not felt, but his pain put mine in a different perspective. My 10-year-old niece, Jenna, was visiting with me at the children’s home and some of the children were fascinated with her. In the crowd she looked just like the rest of

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them. Jenna was showing them pictures from my wallet of her parents. One of the young girls said, “Do you get to stay with them?”

Jenna could not respond to this because the question made no sense to her. There were two very different perspectives of parents from two different little girls. It took some explaining from me later that evening on what was meant by that question. I was not sure Jenna understood what it meant for that other little girl to have to deal with “Mama’s rights were about to be terminated” or that she had only seen her father once in her 13 years.

Jenna had a restless sleep that night and she cried out for her mama and daddy. The next morning, she gave all her candy to the children. More importantly, she shared with me that she wanted to play with each child that day, doing something special that only she or he wanted to do.

Learning to look at others’ perspectives is critical to maturity. And it takes practice. In the 1960s, I remember well Mama raising money to buy a swing set for an impoverished family in the community.

Her perspective was that they didn’t have anything to play on outside and that the children were in danger as they played in the street. She was met with criticism as some did not feel this was meeting a basic need. She ignored them and several weeks later Daddy assembled the swings.

Decisions are made based on our perspectives.

Do we not live out our lives interpreting our perspectives? Isn’t that why we have different political parties and religious denominations and attend private or public school? And doesn’t that come into play concerning our relationships as well?

In working with children, my expertise and success come from being able to look at life from their perspectives. But the real gift to me has been in the children being able to see and sometimes even understand my perspectives. And very often, I find that in understanding each other, we experience peace and hope. It is the very core of ministry, at least from my perspective.

Once, when my brother’s youngest son, Taylor (known to me as Tater Bug), was 5 years old, he was visiting me for the weekend. That Saturday afternoon I took a hard fall, slipping on some pudding he had spilled. I immediately knew that my ankle was broken. After I regained some sense of consciousness, I crawled to my bed and phoned for help. I can still remember the horrible pain.

Taylor came to me in tears and showed me his train engine. He cried softly, “Aunt Sissel, you fell on my train and you broke it.”

Perspective.

Peace to you as you listen to other people’s stories and their perspectives.

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