Turn to back cover for more great deals!
Runner of the Year: JACK PADDISON page 19
2014 Cadillac SRX Crossover Serving The Arboretum, Ballantyne, Blakeney and SouthPark communities
Locally Owned & Operated www.thecharlotteweekly.com
Volume 14, Number 51 • Dec. 19 to 25 , 2014
Allen Tate’s annual public education fundraiser hits $1.52 million mark South Charlotte company’s 2014 events bring in $145,000 for local public schools by Josh Whitener josh@thecharlotteweekly.com
The program served as an opportunity for Charlotte Christian students to give back and create a “giving” community within the school, Giller added. “We think it’s important for (the project) to be all ages because we want our youngest students, who are 5 and 6 years old, to have a chance to interact with our oldest students, who are 17 and 18 (years old) because they’re role models for them,” Giller said. “We want to build that community that we’re all here for Christian education together.” Lynn Carlson, a Charlotte Christian parent and volunteer with Together We
Allen Tate Company has spent the last 17 years raising funds to support public schools throughout North and South Carolina. The south Charlotte-based company’s agents and employees recently hit the $1.52 million mark of funds raised for public education throughout the Carolinas through its annual FUNday events, raking in $145,000 from this year’s FUNdays alone. The annual event takes the form of a field day, tailgate picnic, community workday and evening reception, according to a news release from Allen Tate. Agents “pay to play” when they participate in FUNday events, thus generating the funds used to support education. “I am always impressed, but never surprised, by the commitment and generosity of our agents,” Pat Riley, president and chief operating officer of Allen Tate, said in an email. “This past series of FUNday events also demonstrated to me how extremely innovative and resourceful they are. FUNday has become not just a day of play, but a year-round mindset of giving.” This year’s FUNday events, which took place earlier this fall, were held as four separate regional events including an evening reception in Greenville, South Carolina; a red-carpet
(see Charlotte Christian on page 14)
(see Allen Tate on page 4)
Charlotte Christian students packed backpacks with books, food and personal notes to be delivered to CMS students in need. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo
Charlotte Christian helps those in need Charlotte Christian students pack backpacks for Title I schools by Courtney Schultz courtney@thecharlotteweekly.com
Charlotte Christian School students found their giving spirits last week through a backpack program with Together We Feed and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Students donated books and small toys and wrote personal letters to fill drawstring backpacks along with food donated by Second Harvest. The students packed a total of 1,265 backpacks,
which will be distributed to five CMS Title I schools in the greater Charlotte area, during a packing event on Friday, Dec. 12. “We recognize that all of our students and we as a community are all very blessed, so we want our students to recognize their blessings and part of the responsibility that comes with that is to give back to those who may not be as fortunate,” Charlotte Christian Head of School Barry Giller said. “This program specifically allows our students to recognize there are families and kids in Charlotte that are in need of basic resources and that’s food included.”
� andle�ig�� ��ri���a� EV�
INDEX: Scores, 5; News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Education, 10; Rev. Tony, 17; Calendar, 18; Sports, 19; Classifieds, 23
� �om�, l�t u� ado�� �i�, ���i�� th� ���d! �h�ee beautiful wo��hip �e�vice� featu�ing Choi�, Orche�t�a, Ca�ol� & Candle�
Wednesday, December 24 � 4:00 6:00 8:00 PM Childcare offered to age 4 at 4 & 6 PM ASL translation provided at 6 PM TIP: Arrive early for parking & nursery check-in
Sunday Worship, 9:45 AM 5801 Pineville – Matthews Road Charlotte, NC 28226
www.calvarychurch.com