Images Davidson County, NC: 2010

2010 | IMAGESDAVIDSONCOUNTY.COM ®

What’s s e Online Take a tour of Childress Vineyards

DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

THE WATER’S FINE Blue Stone Dive Resort is for those who want to take the plunge

PEDAL WITH A PURPOSE Cycling event rolls into the county

Feast on This Everything from pizza to tilapia is on tap in Uptown Lexington

SPONSORED BY THE THOMASVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE LEXINGTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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DAVIDSON COUNT Y, NORTH CAROLINA

PICTURE PERFECT We’ve added even more of our prize-winning photography to the online gallery. To see these photos, click on Photo Gallery.

RELOCATION Considering a move to this community? We can help. Use our Relocation Tools to discover tips, including how to make your move green, advice about moving pets and help with booking movers.

VIDEOS In our Interactive section, watch quick videos by our editors and photographers featuring people, places and events.

MANAGING EDITOR SUSAN CHAPPELL COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER RENEE ELDER DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER PATRICK CRAWFORD SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER ERICA HINES GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND, MARCUS SNYDER WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN LEAD LEIGH GUARIN WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN ALISON HUNTER AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Images Davidson County is published annually

by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce, the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce and their member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FACTS & STATS Go online to learn even more about: • Schools • Health care

LOCAL FLAVOR

• Utilities

From the simple to the sublime, the delicious offerings here are guaranteed to satisfy every appetite.

• Parks • Taxes

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Images gives readers a taste of what makes Davidson County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 16 E. Center St. • Lexington, NC 27293 Phone: (336) 248-5929 • Fax: (336) 248-2161 www.lexingtonchamber.net Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 W. Main St. • Thomasville, NC 27361 Phone: (336) 475-6134 • Fax: (336) 475-4802 www.thomasvillechamber.net VISIT IMAGES DAVIDSON COUNTY ONLINE AT IMAGESDAVIDSONCOUNTY.COM ©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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“Find the good – and praise it.”

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– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

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Custom Publishing Council

Member Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce Member Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce

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2010 EDITION | VOLUME 8 ®

DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

CO NTE NT S

DAVIDSON BUSINESS

F E AT U R E S

26 We Can Work It Out DavidsonWorks stimulates business growth across the county.

8 FEAST ON THIS A variety of interesting restaurants will whet your appetite in Uptown Lexington.

31 Biz Briefs 32 Chamber Report 33 Economic Profile

12 HEAR GOES Residents can listen to the music at a wide assortment of local events.

16 ALWAYS AIMING HIGHER Davidson County Community College prepares for record enrollment.

D E PA R TM E NT S 4 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Davidson County’s culture

22 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Davidson County

22 THE WATER’S FINE Blue Stone Dive Resort is for those who want to take the plunge.

25 PEDAL WITH A PURPOSE Cycling event rolls into Davidson County.

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Arts & Culture Education Health & Wellness Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

ON THE COVER Childress Vineyards Photo by Ian Curcio

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PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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Multicultural Musings Looking for a fun and educational outing for your family?

Then, check out Lexington’s Multicultural Festival.

The 11th annual event, sponsored by the Lexington Parks & Recreation Department, is the first weekend in May at Finch Park.

A main stage and five villages represent the area’s African-American, Asian, Latino, American Indian and pioneering heritage. Each village showcases native dress, music, visual arts, exhibits and foods of that particular culture.

Mark your calendars for the next Multicultural Festival, which is May 1, 2010.

Getting Their Hands Wet The Thomasville community came out to put their paws in paint to help create a mural as a part of Everybody’s Day, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008. The event showcases more than 200 arts and craft vendors, and includes live entertainment, a golf tournament and a children’s area with games and carnival rides. The popular festival is always held on the last Saturday in September.

In the High-Tech Zone

Pull Up a Chair Creativity is readily apparent in Davidson County. Just check out the winning entry in the first-annual Chair City Furniture Build-Off in Thomasville. A curved grandfather clock made by Glen Miller of Thomasville took top honors in the inaugural event, which was part of the Spring Daze Festival held in May 2009.

The furniture competition, which is open to amateur and professional furniture builders, craftsmen and woodworkers, celebrates the city’s heritage and raises money for local charities.

High Tech Boulevard is just what its name implies. The Thomasville street, located near Interstate 85, is the site of several high-tech businesses, many of which support the racing industry. Advanced Motorsports Coatings, Xtreme Fabrication Ltd., CV Products, Engineered Systems Inc., Xceldyne Technologies LLC and Sterling Sales & Service Inc. are a few of the businesses located on this busy thoroughfare.

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Almanac

Fast Facts Q Thomasville’s Big Chair, a symbol of the area’s rich history of furniture making, rises 18 feet from its base.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER G. BRYANT

Q More and more people are building homes on the banks of High Rock Lake, which is also a popular spot for water recreation.

Salute to the Military Sa When Memorial Day rolls around each May, Americans pause to honor the men and W women who died while serving their country. wom In Thomasville, the Memorial Day Freedom Celebration also honors its citizen soldiers with a host of activities.

Known as one of the Southeast’s largest Memorial Day celebrations, the event includes K parade, military bands, paratroopers, Blackhawk helicopters and a keynote address a pa from a high-ranking military official.

Q Every October, some 150,000 barbecue enthusiasts gather for the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival.

Q The old Davidson County Courthouse now serves as the county’s historical museum.

Q Boone’s Cave Park features Devil’s Den, a cave where Daniel Boone reportedly hid from American Indian marauders.

A Household Name You may recognize Bob Timberlake as Y the American realist painter known for his evocative‚ detailed snapshots of rural life. Or evo you may know him by his wildly successful furniture line‚ The World of Bob Timberlake‚ furn which he began in 1990 in partnership with whic Lexington Home Brands.

Lexi Regardless of the connection‚ Timberlake R is a multitalented artist who has designed hundreds of pieces of furniture, log homes hun and an array of other licensed products.

Stop by his gallery at 1714 E. Center St. in S Lexington, or visit www.bobtimberlake.com.

Lexi

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Now Showing in Our Video Gallery

Sit back and enjoy a preview of Davidson County amenities.

Explore its landscapes, cultural offerings, food and fun.

See its downtowns, neighborhoods, parks and attractions.

Experience the history, hot spots and local happenings.

Davidson County is rated L for Livability

imagesdavidsoncounty.com

Almanac

Davidson County At A Glance 2 29

Winston-Salem Winston-Sal Win W ns s ale

Greensboro G ns o

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High h Point Po Welcome

Thomasville Lexington

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DAVIDS ON

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High Rock Lake

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Denton Uwharrie National Forest

Davidson County

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POPULATION (2008 ESTIMATE) Davidson County: 158,166 Lexington: 20,407 Thomasville: 26,917 LOCATION Davidson County is in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, an equal distance between Charlotte and Raleigh.

BEGINNINGS Davidson County was founded in 1822 and named for Revolutionary War hero Gen. William Lee Davidson.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 W. Main St. Thomasville, NC 27361 Phone: (336) 475-6134 Fax: (336) 475-4802 www.thomasvillechamber.net Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 16 E. Center St. Lexington, NC 27293 Phone: (336) 248-5929 Fax: (336) 248-2161 www.lexingtonchamber.net

What’s Online e Take a virtual tour of Davidson County, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

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Living the High Life With its awe-inspiring mountain views, pristine lakefront panoramas and abundance of wildlife sightings, High Rock Lake’s appeal is no mystery.

The 15,000-acre lake also boasts worldclass bass fishing that pleases anglers. Fishing is best from June through August, when it’s not unusual to catch up to 25 bass during a half-day’s effort on High Rock, the region’s largest and most popular fishing lake.

The High Rock Lake area, which has been a popular weekend/summer retreat for decades, is becoming one of the most soughtafter places to build both luxury cabins and larger homes.

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Feast on This

DINERS CAN SATISFY HUNGER PANGS IN UPTOWN LEXINGTON

STORY BY RENEE ELDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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ptown Lexington is a great place to stroll or shop the day away, but with all the enticing aromas in the air, more people are deciding to pull up a chair and stay awhile.

With several new restaurants now open in the district, Uptown has become a destination for diners from across the region.

Rhonda Lankford, owner of the Village Grill, says customers drive in from Greensboro, Salisbury and Winston-Salem to sample her handpatted burgers and grilled hot dogs on split-top buns.

“They say they just can’t get anything like them anywhere else,” Lankford says. “We also have a cheese steak that is very popular. And we do have pies. In the summer, I keep French silk pie on the menu. We add pecan in the winter.”

Nearby, Naples Italian Grille, owned by Emad and Marlena Moustafa, is serving a busy stream

Left: Village Grill’s Greek-style sampler plate Right: Black Chicken Coffee in Uptown Lexington

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of new customers.

“I think the quality of our food sets us apart,” Marlena Moustafa says.

Since the couple opened the restaurant in June 2009 on South Main, Naples Italian Grille has gained fans and won positive reviews on popular dining Web sites.

“Delicious everything,” writes a customer on merchantcircle.com.

“The food is good, the wait staff is friendly, and the atmosphere is nice,” another reviewer reports.

The restaurant’s scaloppini and Florentine dishes are especially notable for their Italian authenticity, Moustafa says.

“We have dishes nobody else has,” she adds. “Plus, we have a nice atmosphere. I would describe it as warm and comforting.”

The cozy dining room seats 65 and is often filled during dinner hours.

Prior to opening their business in Lexington, the Moustafas operated a

restaurant for seven years in the Linwood community.

“Uptown Lexington is a much livelier place,” Moustafa says. “We really like it here.”

Customers at Main Street Pizza & Deli love the pizza and rave about the delicious submarine sandwiches. Other popular spots include UpTown Grill and Black Chicken Coffee.

One local reviewer says of Main Street’s subs: “I love their famous roast beef sandwiches! I always get mine with extra slaw.”

Just down the street at Café 35, proprietor Linda Gosselin says her focus is on customer service.

“I’m in the hospitality business first and the restaurant business second,” she says. “Service is key. We are serious about letting customers know we really appreciate them choosing us today.”

Gosselin gained experience as the owner of a pancake restaurant in Greensboro for eight years. She

intended to retire in Davidson County, and bought a house at High Rock Lake in 2002. But when the restaurant that formerly occupied 103 S. Main St. went out of business, Gosselin dove back in.

Café 35 is a casual-dining lunch spot that offers salads, soups, sandwiches and burgers, often with specialty Yukon Gold fries on the side.

“We make our own ranch dressing that people love; it’s not out of a jar,” Gosselin says.

Café 35 serves dinner on Thursday and Friday, when the menu goes slightly upscale, and beer and wine are also offered.

“We were serving sandwiches, and the customers said they wanted higherend items, so we added 8-ounce sirloins, 12-ounce strip steaks, panseared tilapia and our pot roast, which people say is ‘as good as grandma’s.’

“We also have a Saturday brunch.

Besides serving normal lunch items, we do blueberry and banana pancakes.”

Main Street Pizza & Deli head chef Roselyn Myers; Top and bottom right: Café 35

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What’s Online e Take a tour of Uptown Lexington in our quick video at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

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HEAR

GOES

RESIDENTS CAN LISTEN TO THE MUSIC AT A VARIETY OF LOCAL EVENTS

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN

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homasville City Council member David Yemm founded a program in 2009 that is music to the ears of his fellow residents.

Yemm established the Third Thursday Music evening concert series that occurs once a month from May through September. The concerts are free and open to the public, and attendance has jumped from about 30 people in May 2009 to 400 during this season’s final concert in September.

“It was simply an effort to get the word out during the inaugural 2009 season, and the series got more and more popular as the months rolled on,” Yemm says. “Many towns offer

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a similar music program, so I decided to start one here in Thomasville where I live and work. Concerts were performed by local acts such as Shane Key, along with Greg and the BBQ Band, and I hope that they and others will return in 2010.”

The 2010 series will again take place from May through September, with all concerts staged at a downtown outdoor amphitheater that opened in 2009.

The amphitheater was funded by a Thomasville action group called P.A.C.E., an acronym for People Achieving Community Enhancement.

“I was on the Thomasville Historic Preservation Commission prior to the city council, and I have always wanted I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

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to see our downtown area succeed,” Yemm says. “Free music concerts are part of a thriving downtown atmosphere because they create energy. The Third Thursday Music evening concerts help to reinvigorate our downtown district.”

But Thursday night summer music concerts aren’t just heard in Thomasville. A program called Alive After Five is a once-a-month, Thursday evening concert series in Lexington that has been held annually since the late 1990s. The concerts occur from May through September in the parking lot behind Lanier Hardware.

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“As many as 600 people attend the Alive After Five concerts, and there is no charge for listening to quality musical entertainment on those five warm-weather evenings,” says Burr Sullivan, interim president of the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce. “The concerts vary in themes, including beach music, top 40, oldies rock ‘n’ roll and pop. It’s a family event.”

Meanwhile, other musical get-togethers staged in Davidson County each year include Sunset Sounds in downtown Thomasville in July, and Music on the Lawn during Uptown Lexington’s Summer Strolls. The nonprofit Arts United for Davidson County organizes both the Sunset Sounds and the Music on the Lawn musical celebrations.

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Take a tour of Childress Vineyards in our quick video at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

In addition, Childress Vineyards in Lexington features Music in the Vineyards from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from the first weekend in May through the last weekend in October. The winery also hosts the Wine Down Thursdays music series from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. from April through August.

“If it sounds good, it’s probably a live performance taking place somewhere in Davidson County,” Sullivan says. “There are plenty of talented musicians and performers who live in this part of North Carolina, and residents are lucky to have access to so many quality musical events – many of which are free.”

IAN CURCIO

IAN CURCIO

What’s Online e

Top: Mother Blues plays at Childress Vineyards. Bottom: Bahama Mamas perform at the Uptown Lexington Summer Stroll.

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Always Aiming

Higher

DAVIDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE PREPARES FOR RECORD ENROLLMENT

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STORY BY CAROL COWAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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n eager and supportive group of faculty, students and community members looked on as Davidson County Community College President Dr. Mary Rittling cut the ribbon on the school’s all-new Conference and Technology Center last summer.

The center opened at the beginning of the 2009-10 school year – and not a moment too soon to accommodate historic numbers at the college.

In fact, fall 2009 saw registration jump to 4,000 students, a 17 percent increase over the previous year, which was also a record-breaker.

The conference center, a new transportation technology center and additional expansions at the Davidson County Community College campus represent upgrades that will allow DCCC to better serve students and the community at large.

“All of this expansion is the result of a changing population and the needs of the community,” Rittling says. “Education has become a strong voice, and we have seen tremendous growth in the last year.”

An ideal venue for seminars, meetings and community gatherings, the 20,000-square-foot conference center features Davidson County Community College

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“Education has become a strong voice, and we have seen tremendous growth in the last year. �

Lynn Owens, marketing coordinator, walks by the mural at the new Conference and Technology Center.

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Students enjoy the many expansions taking place at Davidson County Community College.

a 96-seat auditorium, a catering kitchen and versatile open spaces. Upstairs, meeting rooms and classrooms outfitted with state-of-the-art technology can accommodate up to 240 people.

“Having the capability to bring in groups adds a different dimension to the college – especially in the area of lifelong learning – that didn’t exist before we built the conference center,” Rittling notes.

The $5.5 million project, funded largely by a countywide bond, also includes construction of a new road into the campus and other infrastructure improvements, including the relocation of all of the college’s information technology into the new facility.

In addition, the new $2 million Transportation Technology Center is in the final stages of construction and is scheduled to begin classes in January 2010. It is the first college building financed exclusively with grant funding.

The 12,600-square-foot facility will house DCCC’s automotive technology program, as well as enable the school to introduce its new diesel and heavy equipment mechanics program. Regional transportation-sector employers also will be able to use the facility for continuing education and training.

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Furthermore, the building positions DCCC to explore alternative vehicle technologies and prepare students for employment opportunities in that up-and-coming field, Rittling says.

She also points out an educational upside to the country’s economic downturn.

“With the economy sliding, education has become more highly valued,” she says. “We are expanding our offerings to make it possible for us to fulfill our mission, which is threefold: developing skills for the workplace; facilitating transfer to four-year institutions; and offering continuing education opportunities for lifelong learning, which is our community focus.”

Other improvements include the recent remodeling of DCCC’s student food service. The Storm Cellar, as the colorful, inviting restaurant is now known, is located on the first floor of the Brooks Student Center and serves a wide range of affordable menu selections.

An expansion of the college library is in the works, and the opening of a full-fledged campus bookstore is slated for completion in the summer of 2010. Road, driveway and parking lot upgrades are also under way.

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Portfolio

C’mon in, the Water’s Fine BLUE STONE DIVE RESORT ATTRACTS THOSE WHO LIKE TO TAKE THE PLUNGE

hings are going swimmingly these days at Blue Stone Dive Resort.

The 19-acre manmade lake just outside of Thomasville is actually in a former slate quarry that was once owned by Martin Marietta Materials, now known as Lockheed Martin. In fact, Martin Marietta would often flood the quarry and allow the Piedmont Dive and Rescue Association to use it for training exercises.

In 1994, Robert Outlaw, who owns Blue Dolphin diving resorts in Greensboro and Winston-Salem, purchased the lake and surrounding acreage. He named Blue Stone Dive Resort for the particular type of blue slate found in the quarry.

Today, Blue Stone is open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and divers can experience a full day of underwater fun for $20. In addition, Saturday night dives are available for groups. The facility has a four-person bunkhouse that rents for $80 a night and offers showers bathrooms, picnic tables and lounge chairs. Drinks and snacks are also available.

The dive resort opens each spring on Easter weekend through October.

Scuba classes and recreational divers from North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee visit Blue Stone regularly.

In addition to the numerous manmade underwater attractions on site, Blue Stone’s lake supports a healthy population of freshwater fish, including largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie, and Japanese koi, introduced for their colorful appearance.

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Bruce Buttner dives in at Blue Stone Dive Resort in Thomasville.

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Your Space, Your Pace D

avidson County wants to attract more businesses, residents and tourism dollars, and is using a branding initiative to help.

The county’s new slogan is “Your Space, Your Pace,” which speaks to Davidson County’s centralized location (space) near two main interstates and several airports in North Carolina.

The goal is for the branding to help attract companies that are interested in relocating.

Davidson County is also promoting its small-town, easy-paced feel.

“This initiative has all local cities, chambers, tourism departments, economic development groups and various nonprofits all working together for a common marketing,” says Newell Clark, chairman of the Davidson County Branding Committee.

“This county has long been talked about as a small manufacturing community, but we have so much more to offer.”

Clark says Davidson County – with its two main cities of Lexington and Thomasville – has long been the headquarters for furniture-making jobs in North Carolina. But that industry has suffered in recent years. In fact, from 2002 through 2007 the county lost more than 6,800 jobs, with 4,300 of those jobs being furniture related.

The county has rebounded with a variety of businesses that have moved into the region, resulting in 4,700 new jobs being created during the last few years.

One of the biggest economic victories was the landing of Arneg LLC, an Italian commercial refrigeration company that opened a factory in the Lexington Business Center in early 2009.

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“Davidson County has excellent economic potential. In fact, Site Selection magazine has chosen the Davidson County Economic Development Commission as one of the top 10 economic development groups in the country,” Clark says. “The magazine

also cited the Lexington-Thomasville micropolitan statistical area as the nation’s top small community for corporate projects. So ‘Your Space, Your Pace’ will hopefully continue to help get out the message about all that Davidson County has to offer.”

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Portfolio

Just Going Hog Wild T

he term “pig out” has a special meaning on the streets of Uptown Lexington.

An outdoor Pigs in the City campaign takes place each year from May through mid-October with lifesized porcelain pigs decorating the landscape on various streets through the uptown district. The program was initiated as a whimsical way for Lexington to promote its many barbecue restaurants.

“This is a public art project where the fiberglass pigs are shipped to us plain white, and a variety of area artists submit designs in an effort to become part of the program,” says Jo Ellen Edwards, executive director of Uptown Lexington Inc. “Companies and individuals can sponsor a pig while it appears on the street during the fivemonth run, and then they can purchase the interesting art object once midOctober arrives.”

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We are a brand new hotel ready to serve you with clean, comfortable rooms and courteous service. Nearby you will fi nd several restaurants for your dining needs. We boast easy access to I-85 and are very convenient to the High Point Furniture Market and Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

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Our special services include: • Country Hearth InnCredible breakfast

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• Free local phone calls

• Cribs available • AM/FM alarm clock

• High-speed Internet access

• In-room coffee maker

• Fitness center

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Edwards says a pig can be purchased for $1,000 plus whatever the artist charges, depending on how much work goes into the design and painting.

A large portion of the $1,000 goes to Uptown Lexington, a nonprofit organization that promotes the uptown portion of the city.

“During its history, the event has attracted visitors from at least 30 states and six foreign countries who enjoy looking at the artistic pigs,” Edwards says. “If any of the pigs are not sold, we host an auction in late October to sell the remaining sculptures. Then we start over again the following May.” During the five-year history of the project, a total of 120 pigs have been painted and were given names such as Sparky, Gracie, Zeb, Heavenly Hog, ChalkBOAR, Captain Porkgan, Bass Hog and Bacon Beacon.

“The artists seem to outdo themselves each year,” Edwards says.

“It’s an interesting project, and one that more and more people in North Carolina – and beyond – are finding out about.”

What’s Online e Check out the pretty pigs that decorate Uptown Lexington in our quick video at imagesdavidsoncounty.com.

1525 Cotton Grove Rd., Lexington (336) 357-2100

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Pedal With a Purpose P

lenty of “spokespersons” descend upon Davidson County each July for a three-day bicycling road race.

THE Piedmont Triad Omnium is a USA Cycling-sanctioned event that welcomes about 300 top bicyclists every summer. A competitive race takes place on a Friday night, one occurs on Saturday morning, one Saturday night and one Sunday afternoon.

“The omnium was originally planned as a two-day event, but Davidson County officials suggested stretching it to three days so that competitors would spend two nights in hotel rooms, thereby contributing tourism dollars,” says Jim Martin, president of THE Piedmont Triad Omnium Inc. “The first omnium in 2008 raised about $18,000, and the 2009 event raised $25,000. It continues to build in momentum.”

An omnium is three or more cycling races of different disciplines.

The Friday night portion features competitors racing laps in Uptown Lexington around a 3/4-mile closed oval course, and the Saturday morning activity involves individual time trials around a 12-mile loop that begins at Davidson County Community College.

The third phase of competition involves two-person street sprint races on Saturday night in Uptown Lexington, and Sunday features a long road race that begins at DCCC. “The omnium is promoted as a healthy and competitive event, but it is also a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society,” Martin says. “My wife was diagnosed with MS about 10 years ago, and I just wanted a different way to raise money for the National MS Society. I’ve participated in dozens of bike races in my time, and I must say that the Davidson County event is very well run. The roads in Davidson County are excellent for bike racing.”

– Stories by Kevin Litwin DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

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Business

We Can

Work It Out ORGANIZATION ASSISTS JOB SEEKERS AND BUSINESSES

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

W

hen furniture maker Whitewood Industries in Thomasville wanted to improve their productivity in 2009, they called DavidsonWorks.

DavidsonWorks is an organization that stimulates business growth by providing workforce development solutions, and it secured a $37,500 state grant for Whitewood that went toward customizing a program designed to meet the company’s employee training needs.

The result? Whitewood has been able to streamline its furniture manufacturing process without decreasing its workforce.

“The training program started with the management team and then ultimately everyone in the entire organization, and the result is that Whitewood has reduced their scrap

by 25 percent,” says Nancy Borrell, executive director of DavidsonWorks.

“The company also reports reducing its manufacturing process cycle time by 25 percent. The bottom line is that Whitewood officials are estimating an annual savings of $2 million after going through our lean customized training program.”

Borrell says Lexington Memorial Hospital also asked DavidsonWorks for a customized employee-training program, and the medical facility is experiencing a success story similar to Whitewood.

“We secured a business grant for Lexington Memorial, and they are also reporting an annual savings of $2 million after going through our lean customized training program,” she says. “In another instance, we

Nancy Borrell, executive director for DavidsonWorks

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JOIN US TO CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF LEGENDARY RACING HISTORY. School groups and bus tours welcome. Space for RV parking.

Admission for kids 6 and under is FREE! Check out the great merchandise in the RCR Team Store or at www.RCRstore.com.

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DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Business

oversaw an intense training program for Elizabeth Carbide of North Carolina (manufacturer of tools and dies) and they were able to earn an ISO 9001 quality management certification. That opens tremendous doors for them because now they are positioned to compete globally, which was something they couldn’t do in the past.”

Besides training programs, DavidsonWorks is involved in several other aspects of the business community.

For example, the group’s leaders meet every two weeks with three local high school superintendents and a college president to predict and map out hot career paths in Davidson County.

Borrell adds that the organization is also at the table with economic development officials whenever a new business is being wooed to the community.

“That scenario recently played out in Lexington when Italian refrigeration manufacturer Arneg LLC opened a multimillion-dollar facility,” she says.

“Since their top executives speak little English and have limited experience with the U.S. ways of doing business, DavidsonWorks helped recruit their Lexington management team and assisted with job description designs and employee compensation packages.

We were critical in helping to get Arneg LLC to Davidson County.”

DavidsonWorks also oversees a short-term apprenticeship initiative called the Train to Work Program, providing companies with new employee training and paying up to 50 percent of those trainees’ wages for up to six months. It also backs a Work Experience Program that pays 100 percent of wages at 70 Davidson County work sites that employ youth labor during the summer months.

“We are federally and state-funded, and many of the functions we deliver are seamless to the employer – we do it all,” Borrell says. “Our vision is simple: Stimulate business growth in Davidson County by providing a strong skilled workforce that exceeds business needs for today and tomorrow.”

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DavidsonWorks is housed in the Davidson County Human Resource Center.

Top: Sandy Weisner, standing, and Kim Swiney, seated, are part of the organization’s on-the-job training program.

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DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Business

Biz Briefs BUSINESSES – BOTH LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELP DEFINE DAVIDSON COUNTY’S ECONOMIC CLIMATE

Scorecard BUSINESS AT A GLANCE

$1,065,470 Retail sales ($1,000)

$7,066 CAROLINA MATTRESS GUILD Biz: mattress manufacturer Buzz: Thomasville’s Carolina Mattress Guild has been manufacturing mattresses since 1991.

The company is known as the first major mattress producer to adopt the industry’s comprehensive safety standards, and it was also one of the first to make flame-retardant mattresses. The company believes in Safe Dreams®, not just sweet dreams. www.carolinamattressguild.com

THOMASVILLE EMPORIUM ANTIQUE MALL Biz: antique dealer Buzz: Thomasville Antique Emporium, located on Commerce Street in historic downtown Thomasville, boasts more than 60 vendors selling furniture, vintage jewelry, pottery, glassware, rugs, lamps, china and other collectibles dating from the 1800s to the 1980s.

(336) 472-6500

Retail sales per capita

$106,893 Accommodations and food services sales ($1,000)

11,601 Total number of firms Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts

PALLETT RESOURCE OF NORTH CAROLINA INC. Biz: pallet manufacturer Buzz: Pallett Resource of North Carolina designs, manufactures, remanufactures, repairs, retrieves, disposes and recycles pallets.

Established in 1967, Pallet Resource is known as a leader in the wooden pallet and container industry. The firm employs more than 100 people on a 22-acre site in Lexington. www.prnc.com DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

LMI BUILDERS INC. Biz: general contractor Buzz: LMI Builders is a Triad-based general contractor with experience in office, retail, restaurant and industrial projects. Services include pre-construction planning, program management, turnkey masonry, general contracting, construction management and more. LMI is also a Rigid Building Systems authorized dealer. www.lmibuilders.com I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

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Business | Chamber Report

It’s All at Myebatch.com NEW LOCAL SEARCH ENGINE IS A WIN-WIN FOR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY

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f you happen to be searching for a good plumber in Lexington or Thomasville, try going online and typing in www.myebatch.com.

After a couple of clicks and within a few seconds, your computer screen will show a list of reputable plumbers who do business in Davidson County, as well as several others who are based in the Piedmont Triad region.

“There are 17 chambers in the 12-county Piedmont Triad area of central North Carolina that are participating in myeyebatch.com, which is the first local/regional search engine of its kind in the entire United States,” says Burr Sullivan, interim president of the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce. “The site is designed to help local businesses

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become more effective in the e-commerce marketplace.”

Sullivan says that up to now, most people who use the Internet would automatically go to Google to search for information.

“However, going immediately to myebatch.com will allow consumers to actually contact up to 10 area businesses in about 60 seconds with just a few clicks,” he says. “The catch phrase for this initiative is ‘quick, click, connect,’ and I believe it will be quite a successful endeavor.”

Local entrepreneur John Burton, who once owned a restaurant that caught fire and burned to the ground, came up with the idea of myebatch (pronounced my e-batch). When Burton decided to rebuild his restaurant and began calling plumbers, he became frustrated that several of them didn’t call him back until a week later – and some not at all.

“John didn’t know who was a good plumber and who wasn’t, and what regions they served, so he decided to create this regional search engine,” says Doug Croft, president of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce. “The 12 chambers thought it was a good idea and got on board.”

All Lexington and Thomasville chamber members are listed for free on myebatch.com as part of their annual chamber dues. In addition, the listings also include a brief profile of each business.

“Not only can consumers find area businesses and services, but this is an ideal electronic tool for our member businesses to generate leads,” Croft says. “For example, if a consumer wants a $10,000 loan from a bank in Thomasville, they can e-mail their request via the myebatch site. When that happens, the bank has an immediate lead that they can act upon, approving it or denying it. If a business gets about four to five good leads a year thanks to myebatch, that pretty much pays for their chamber membership.”

– Kevin Litwin DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Business | Economic Profile

DAVIDSON COUNTY BUSINESS CLIMATE Davidson County has long been a leader in furniture manufacturing and is home to two of the finest furniture manufacturers in the world – Thomasville Furniture Industries and Lexington Home Brands.

Companies here also manufacture textile products, chemical products, electronic connectors, batteries and plastics.

TAX STRUCTURE

2.00% County Sales Tax

5.75% State Sales Tax

7.75% Total Sales Tax

TRANSPORTATION Davidson County Airport 1673 Aviation Way Lexington, NC 27292 (336) 956-7774 Davidson County Transportation 925 N. Main St. Lexington, NC 27292 www.co.davidson.nc.us Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation 7800 Airport Center Drive, Suite 102 Greensboro, NC 27409 (336) 662-0002 www.partnc.org

ECONOMIC RESOURCES Central Park NC P.O. Box 159, Star, NC 27356 (910) 428-9001 www.centralparknc.org

Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce 6 W. Main St. Thomasville, NC 27361 (336) 475-6134 www.thomasvillechamber.net

Davidson County Economic Development Commission 1087 DCC Road Thomasville, NC 27360 (336) 243-1900 www.co.davidson.nc.us

imagesdavidsoncounty.com

DavidsonWorks 915 Greensboro St. Lexington, NC 27292 (336) 242-2065 www.davidsonworks.org

More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

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Denton Area Chamber of Commerce 27 E. Salisbury St. Denton, NC 27739 (336) 859-5922 www.dentonnorthcarolina.com Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce 16 E. Center St. Lexington, NC 27293 (336) 248-5929 www.lexingtonchamber.net

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Arts & Culture

Pianos and Paintbrushes DAVIDSON COUNTY AREA KIDS DISCOVER THE ARTS AT A SPECIAL SUMMER CAMP

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ow, imagine that. A summer school for kids, and there’s a long list of children waiting to get in.

The fifth-annual Arts Discovery Camp will convene June 21-25, 2010, at two separate sites in Davidson County.

One of the five-day camps will occur at Grace Episcopal Church in Lexington, and the other at Welcome Elementary School in Welcome.

“The two camps are for 30 students apiece who will be entering third, fourth and fifth grades,” says Christina Howell, executive director of Communities in Schools of Lexington/Davidson Counties, which coordinates the Arts Discovery Camp. “Youngsters

are chosen through an application process, and the first four years have been an overwhelming success.”

Howell says the camp was originally formed because there is a need for children to become more familiar with the arts.

“That is especially true for at-risk kids who live in communities and attend schools that don’t offer such arts-related programs,” she says. “This camp will continue to occur every June so that 60 children will have an enriching summer experience.”

Students attend a painting/visual arts class each day. In addition, they choose two other classes to attend from

Davidson County Public Library & Historical Museum Over 80 Years of Service as North Carolina’s Oldest County Public Library “The Very Best Place to Start for Learning and Discovery” Internet Access Toddler/Preschool Bedtime Storytimes Genealogy/ Local History Reference and Information DVDs Compact Discs Ongoing Used Book Sales Meeting/Conference Room Facilities

North Carolina Digital Library Audio Books Reader’s Advisory Color Copier/Scanner NC LIVE Young Adult Programs Word Processing Applications Young Patron’s Summer Reading Program Computer Games for Children Fax Service

Six Locations Lexington (242-2040) North Davidson (242-2050) Denton (859-2215) www.co.davidson.nc.us/library

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West Davidson (853-4800) Thomasville (474-2690) Historic Museum@Courthouse Square (242-2035) catalog: library.co.davidson.nc.us

disciplines such as dance, drama, guitar, piano and violin.

“The kids also get recreation time, as well as breakfast, a snack and lunch, and are treated to several presentations from talented artists, dancers, actors and musicians from Davidson County,” Howell says. “As far as classrooms, students get a lot of personalized instruction because there are usually only about five students in each individual class.”

At the end of the five days, students showcase what they have learned during a concert that can be attended by family members and friends.

“When you break down the costs, it’s about $200 per child to attend the camp – but they pay nothing,” Howell says.

“It is funded by community agencies, companies and individuals who care about the arts and Davidson County.”

In addition to the Arts Discovery Camp, the Communities in Schools of Lexington/Davidson Counties also organizes an annual Lunch Buddy program, which features volunteer adults mentoring at-risk K-12 students throughout an entire school year.

“Volunteers eat lunch once a week with their assigned student, just to be there as a friend to talk with,” Howell says. “A caring, supportive adult can mean a lot in a child’s life, even if it’s only one hour a week.”

Nearly 250 mentors are signed up for the Lunch Buddy program for the 2009-10 school year, mentoring students in 19 schools throughout the county.

“We ask mentors to stay with their students during the entire school year, if possible,” Howell says. “But ideally, we would love for the adult to mentor their same student every year all the way through high school graduation.

That would truly be rewarding for everyone involved.”

– Kevin Litwin DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

PHOTOS BY IAN CURCIO

Education

Keith Tobin, left, and Rick Kriesky, right, are the new school superintendents for Thomasville and Lexington, respectively.

Aiming for Personal Best ACROSS-THE-BOARD SUCCESS IS A COMMON GOAL FOR NEW SCHOOL LEADERS

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ick Kriesky hails from Tennessee, while Keith Tobin is a North Carolina native.

Yet, the two have much in common, including a passion for delivering top-quality education to all students.

“The environment here is similar to my school district in Tennessee, but the friendliness of the people is one of the things that stood out for me when I came to Lexington,” says Kriesky, who left his home state in July 2009 to become superintendent for Lexington City Schools, which has a student enrollment of about 3,000.

Kriesky rose through the ranks of his hometown school system, becoming a teacher, athletic director and ultimately superintendent for Henry County Schools in Paris, Tenn.

He is a strong proponent of “small learning communities” designed to engage students on a personal level.

“One of most exciting things we have is a new ninth-grade academy opening this year. It is essentially a school-within-aschool at Lexington High,” Kriesky says. “From my extensive experience with small learning communities, I know this will be a very positive thing for the community.”

Kriesky served as the principal of Henry County’s ninthgrade academy when it opened in 1996, and he says strong connections with teachers and classmates encourage students to continue their education through graduation. Graduation rates rose from below 70 percent to above 90 percent during Kriesky’s tenure as a school superintendent in Tennessee.

“The national data show us that the ninth-grade year is crucial for students – a lot of students disengage in the ninthgrade year,” he explains. “When that takes place, it can be difficult to get them to re-engage, and they are at higher risk for dropping out as sophomores or juniors.”

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Tobin, Thomasville’s superintendent, echoes Kriesky’s commitment to making graduation an attainable goal for all students. As with many communities across the country, Thomasville has seen a significant rise in the number of Hispanic students.

“Regardless of where they come from, these children can succeed, and we work hard to see that they do,” says Tobin, a Thomasville native.

Like Kriesky, Tobin has deep experience in his hometown’s public school system. He taught at the high school level; coached football, track and wrestling; and served as a middle school principal before joining the administrative ranks at the central office, where he oversees programs for the system’s 2,600 students.

Among his top goals is increasing academic achievement at all grade levels.

“I’m very proud of this year’s test scores; they showed significant growth across the board,” he says. “But my message also is that it is not all about test scores. We want children to be at grade level, but producing quality citizens is another way to build our future. We work hard to educate the whole child, including instilling respect, responsibility and rigor.

We want them to know that not everything is easy in life if it is worth doing.”

Despite the many challenges facing educators today, Tobin believes that schools can instill a legacy of success that students can build on throughout their lives.

“I think one of the most important things we can do is to have a clear vision for success and carry out that vision across the entire school system,” he says.

– Renee Elder I M AG E S DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y. C O M

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Sports & Recreation

Waterskiers Jump the Generation Gap CLEAR LAKE ATTRACTS A WIDE RANGE OF SKIERS WHO LOVE TO COMPETE ON THE WATER

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here’s no age limit for slicing across the water behind a boat traveling 50 miles an hour – it just takes skill, practice and more than a little moxie.

At 82, Earl Smith is the elder statesman of the Clear Lake Waterskiers, a Davidson County ski club with members as young as 12. The club was formed in 1978 by Smith and boat driver, Charlie Carrick, whose son, Eddie,

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is now the club’s president.

“I first started skiing in 1976, right after I graduated from high school,” Eddie Carrick says. “I had been active in high school basketball and track.

Then we lured the first state ski championship into this area, and I really got into skiing.”

The Clear Lake Waterskiers aren’t just in it for the fun, however. They train for regional and state competitions and

every three years play host to the state championship. In July 2009, about 90 skiers from across North Carolina competed at Clear Lake in categories such as slalom, trick and jump.

“Clear Lake is perfect for competitions,” Carrick says of the lake, which is an offshoot of High Rock Lake. “It’s not huge, only about 70 to 80 acres, and it’s a private lake. You can only get to it through private land, so it’s not crowded.”

Wide-open water is an important safety feature in high-performance skiing.

“Our ski club used to do shows in the main part of High Rock Lake, and that’s also a place where a lot of people practice. But it can get hairy, like just before a jump when you’re going 50 or 60 miles an hour and somebody cuts in front of you,” Carrick points out.

The Clear Lake Waterskiers club has kept membership numbers low due to the private nature of the lake.

This year there are only 10 members.

However, the local contingent has yielded a number of state champions through the years, including Smith, who still holds the record for slalom – or skiing on a single ski – in men’s divisions 8, 9 and 10.

Invented in the 1920s, water skiing became highly popular in North Carolina during the 1970s, and then interest fell off somewhat in the 1990s, Carrick says.

World and national success by several of North Carolina’s competitive skiers, such as 26-time, world-record-setting skier April Coble of Lillington, helped revive interest in the sport during the past decade.

“From June until about the time school starts back, you see a lot of activity on our lakes,” Carrick adds.

The younger generation is taking the sport in new directions, where some of the older athletes have yet to venture.

“There’s a lot of interest in kneeboarding and wakeboarding these days,” the ski club president explains.

“And the wakeboarding boats have towers so you can get the rope up high and take advantage of bigger wakes.

It’s what a lot of the kids are into.”

– Renee Elder DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Health & Wellness

Getting Better All the Time THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CENTER IS DEDICATED TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

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f you are looking for a good hospital that provides stellar patient treatment, try sitting down at your computer first.

“We realize that Davidson County residents are becoming more computer savvy every day, including when they are searching the area for top health-care facilities,” says Jane Wilder, community relations director at Thomasville Medical Center. “And what they will find out when searching the Internet is a number of impressive statistics and credentials about us that detail just how advanced our hospital really is.”

For example, Thomasville Medical Center is now accredited with the prestigious Joint Commission, which evaluates hospitals for patient safety and clinical quality improvement processes.

TMC has also received accreditation as a national chest pain hospital from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

In addition, Thomasville Medical has earned national sleep center certification from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, along with national stroke care certification from the American Stroke Association.

“Our high survey scores can’t be tweaked – those are the numbers we earn and deserve,” Wilder says. “We are not a large hospital but are proof that bigger is not always better. Thomasville Medical is here for our community, and our quality of care is phenomenal.”

Even though she says it might sound cliché, the quality of patient care is indeed the No. 1 priority at TMC, according to Martha Musselman, director of clinical improvement at Thomasville Medical Center.

“Especially since 2005, we have been focused on a push to provide quality patient care in areas where we felt that we needed improvement,” Musselman explains. “We started with heart attack care and improved surgical procedures, and now strive to follow the guidelines that are the standards in that sector of quality care. Then we improved another area of our health care, then another and so forth. As a

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result, today we are one of the top patient care facilities in this region of the country.”

Musselman adds that TMC has also achieved high scores on a Web site called www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov, which rates hospitals in a number of different categories.

“For example, if a woman was planning to have a hysterectomy and wanted to know what hospital provided the best quality care, she can access www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov

and pull up information on area hospitals to decide which ones are rated best for hysterectomy procedures,” she says

“By the way, Thomasville Medical is among the best.”

Musselman adds that Thomasville Medical Center always asks for patient feedback – including criticism – to help the hospital continue its quest to provide top care.

“It’s a simple plan: Patient feedback helps us learn from the things we do well, plus we target specific areas where we can improve,” she says. “I am proud to say that in 2008, Thomasville Medical Center ranked in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for overall quality of inpatient care.”

– Kevin Litwin

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visit our

advertisers Cornerstone Healthcare www.cornerstonehealth.com Country Hearth Inn www.countryhearth.com Data Publishing www.datapublishing.com Davidson County Public Library www.co.davidson.nc.us/library

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McGhee & Brandyberry Comprehensive Dentistry www.mcgheedentistry.com Parrott Insurance & Benefits www.parrottinsurance.com Richard Childress Racing www.rcrracing.com Thomasville Medical Center www.thomasvillemedicalcenter.org

High Point Regional Health System www.highpointregional.com

Thomasville Veterinary Hospital PA www.thomasvillevet.net

Lanier’s True Value Hardware Inc. www.lanierhardware.com

Time Warner Cable Greensboro www.timewarnercable.com

Lexington Memorial www.lexingtonmemorial.com

Turlington & Company LLP www.turlingtonandcompany.com

Lexington Utilities www.lexingtonnc.net

Wal-Mart www.wal-mart.com

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Health & Wellness

A Gift That Keeps on Giving WAKE FOREST BAPTIST PLEDGES MILLIONS TO LEXINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

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hen it comes to gifts, this is a big one.

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem has pledged up to $5 million in matching donations through 2013 as a gift to the Lexington Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Money donated to the foundation can be spent in a variety of ways to benefit Lexington Memorial, including equipment, renovations, education and community wellness programs.

“The only limitation is that the money raised by the foundation is always for the benefit of the hospital,” says Ellen Welborn, president of the Lexington Memorial Hospital Foundation. “We will take suggestions from our hospital departments and then decide where the money is best spent.”

The generous contribution comes on the heels of Lexington Memorial and Wake Forest Baptist forming a partnership in October 2008. That partnership allows the 94-bed Lexington Memorial to have access to Wake Forest Baptist’s expansive network of medical resources, and allows Wake Forest Baptist to have a larger marketing presence in Davidson County.

Geographically, the two medical centers are about 20 miles apart.

Both hospitals have actually worked together in the past to provide some services – including cancer treatment and dialysis – to Davidson County patients.

And even though their partnership is now official, Wake Forest administrators say that they want LMH to remain the same community hospital that it has always been in serving the needs of Davidson County.

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“The goal is simply to strengthen Lexington Memorial through expanded services, updated facilities and more physicians so fewer patients will have to travel to out-of-town hospitals,” says Steve Robertson, chairman of Wake Forest Baptist. “Then when patients must be transferred to Wake Forest Baptist, they will have easy access. Lexington Memorial is an excellent strategic fit for us as we develop a regional health-care delivery network.”

LMH officials say that small community hospitals across the country are joining larger health-care systems, and Wake Forest Baptist is considered one of the top medical centers in North Carolina and beyond.

“We are excited to be connected to a world-renown academic medical center that is in the forefront of education, research and clinical services,” says Charles (Chuck) W. Taylor, chairman of Lexington Memorial Hospital. “Given the pressures facing community hospitals, our board believes that this is the best time to join with a large organization that shares our values for a bright future for health care in Lexington and Davidson County.”

The two hospitals have already announced that they will jointly operate the Cancer Center of Davidson County, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.

Meanwhile, Lexington Memorial will continue to remain a nonprofit organization, with 800 employees and 120 physicians on its medical staff.

– Kevin Litwin

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Community Profile

DAVIDSON COUNTY SNAPSHOT Davidson County is home to two vibrant communities – Lexington and Thomasville. The county is known as the Barbecue Capital of the World, with several restaurants that specialize in Lexington-style 'cue. Site Selection magazine ranked the county eighth among U.S. "micropolitan statistical areas."

CLIMATE Davidson County is in the heart of North Carolina's Piedmont region and offers four distinct seasons, with moderate summers and winters.

28.2 F January Low Temperature

47.2 F January High Temperature

68.1 F

in a neighboring district to enrolling them in the county's community college before their high school graduation.

HEALTH CARE Davidson County is home to two hospitals that serve the community. Thomasville Medical Center is a 149-bed community hospital with the latest in diagnostic and treatment services. Lexington Memorial also consistently provides cutting-edge technology and medical services that are convenient and close to home.

LOCAL UTILITIES Cable Lexington Lexcom, (336) 249-9901 Time Warner Cable (336) 249-3908 Thomasville Time Warner Cable (336) 249-3908 Electricity Lexington City of Lexington (336) 243-2489 Energy United (336) 249-3131 Thomasville Duke Energy (800) 777-9898

July Low Temperature

89.6 F July High Temperature

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EDUCATION

imagesdavidsoncounty.com

Davidson County's three school districts work together, offering a variety of innovative ways to educate children, from allowing them to take courses

More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

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Certified Public Accountants 509 E. Center St. Post Office Box 1697 Lexington, NC 27293-1697 phone: (336) 249-6856 fax: (336) 248-8697

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DAV I D S O N C O U N T Y

Ad Index 3 8 CO R N E R S TO N E H E A LT H C A R E 24 CO U N T RY H E A RT H I N N 2 5 DATA P U B LI S H I N G 3 4 DAV I DS O N CO U N T Y P U B LI C LI B R A RY C 3 H I G H P O I N T R EG I O N A L H E A LT H SYS T E M 3 3 L A N I E R ’ S T R U E VA LU E H A R DWA R E I N C .

2 8 PA R ROT T I N S U R A N C E & B E N E FITS 28 RICHARD C H I L D R E S S R AC I N G C2 THOMASVILLE MEDICAL CENTER 2 3 T H O M A S V I L L E V E T E R I N A RY H OS P ITA L PA 2 8 TI M E WA R N ER C A B L E G R E E N S B O RO

2 0 L E X I N GTO N M E M O R I A L 32 L E XI N GTO N U TI LITI E S 3 0 M CG H E E & B R A N DY B E R RY CO M P R E H E N S I V E D E N T I S TRY

4 0 T U R LI N GTO N & CO M PA N Y L L P C 4 WA L- M A RT

160 Lowes Blvd.

Lexington, NC Exit 91, Store is off Cotton Grove Rd. Store Manager: Erica Davidson