UNION
Lifestyle
Advice to our younger selves
Life Lesson: Toddlers on vacation Greco Fresh Grille: Another dining asset
September/October 2014 www.UnionLifestyle.com
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Union Lifestyle PO Box 1064 Monroe, NC 28111-1064
UNION
Lifestyle Editor
Nancy E. Stephen
Contributing Writers Deb Coates Bledsoe Kate Meier
Photographers
Jim Black Deb Coates Bledsoe Rick Crider Nancy E. Stephen
Union Lifestyle
A publication of Cameo Communications, LLC PO Box 1064 Monroe, NC 28111-1064 (704) 753-9288 www.UnionLifestyle.com
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On the cover
Danielle Logano works with skating student Kristen Seeba, 12. Photo by Rick Crider
5
Contents September / October 2014 t Vol. 3 No. 6
16
Waxhaw’s
Choreographing
A true character.
championships.
7
19
Jim Black:
Italians create
the national
County foundation
club to celebrate
grows to $7.2 million
10
22
heritage.
in assets
Women’s book
Vacationing with
100th anniversary.
not for the weak.
12
24
club has
small children is
What we wish we
You’ll think you’re in
‘knew it all.’
traditional fare.
knew when we
14
American Ark showcases
exotic animals.
Greece with this
26
Entertainment
abounds in Union this season.
26
things to do in Sweet Union.
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 3
I
‘I run my house; my house doesn’t run me.’
‘m envious of people whose home has a place for everything and everything in its place. It must be a wondrous feeling to walk into any room in your house on any given day and see nary a pile anywhere. Or a warren of dust bunnies cowering in the corner.
I’m anything but one of “them.”
I have friends who live the neat way, and I’m incredulous about how they do it. Obviously, there are good habits to develop, such as moving past the first horizontal surface before you drop whatever it is you’re carrying in the house.
And the old standby, only touch the mail once. I don’t believe that means handle each piece of mail once a day until the weekend when you gather up every loose paper into a very tall pile and begin sorting into smaller piles, which you then stack back in a big pile. Which gets you nowhere. Trust me, I know.
It’s a neater pile, to be certain, and there can be a brief moment of satisfaction that you’ve accomplished something – until you realize you really haven’t. All you’ve done is shuffle papers unproductively.
I read recently that people often confuse being busy with being productive. Certainly, I’m guilty of that. I’ve been known to run
non-critical errands, such as a 30-minute drive for Popsicles, just to avoid dragging out the vacuum.
By the time I get home three hours later, well, of course it’s turned dusk and I couldn’t possibly see all the dust bunnies in that dim light. So what would be the point? A sister reminded me recently that our mother often said “I keep my house; my house doesn’t keep me.” Ah, so that’s where I learned it!
She believed that houses should be neat, dishes washed (not necessarily put away) and that everyone should have clean underwear. But she wasn’t obsessive about it. She also believed – and passed along – the indulgence, if you will, of lying on the couch with a good book.
Both parents plopped in their favorite recliner or on the couch on Sunday afternoons after the family had gone on a leisurely Sunday drive. Yes, we were those people, the ones who drove around the countryside looking at. . . whatever there was to look at.
I shouldn’t be envious of clean houses since I’m not about to spend that much time putting everything away today only to have to do the same thing tomorrow. But if I could rub a genie’s lamp and get a wish that my house would be in order – a new starting point, you understand – that would be wonderful. Anyone got a lamp?
Editor@UnionLifestyle.com
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4 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
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Jim Black,
aka Blackman,
may be Waxhaw’s
biggest character. Jim Black practices his “selfie” photo skills while waiting in an airport.
W
By Nancy E. Stephen
axhaw has its own Jack Benny or some might say Mr. Waxhaw. Jim Black, who calls himself Blackman, says he’s forever 39, but it’s more like 66. He’s a character, to put it mildly. He’s known on Facebook for his Land of the Waxhaws page, posting everything Waxhaw. Jim took a long circuitous route – geographically and metaphorically – to reach Waxhaw. Calling himself “from planet Earth,” he was born in Chicago, hospitalized at age 4 for a year, moved to Charlotte after multiple military tours in Vietnam. He was an athlete, soldier, radio station manager, professional model, photographer and TV reporter and probably a lot more along the way. To this day, he’s a consummate raconteur. What he hasn’t been is married or addicted to anything but reading.
In the beginning
“My first recollection was when I was 4. One morning, I woke up, and my left side was paralyzed. My mom came into the bedroom, and she was freaking. Doctors made house calls then. I remember the doctor in the doorway, talking to Mom and Mom crying.” Taken to the hospital under siren, Jim was diagnosed with polio and confined to Chicago Contagious Hospital for about a year. All the victims “were in glass rooms with big white curtains. When
they closed the curtains, someone had died.” For that year, there was no skin-to-skin touching; I could only see eyes of people standing in the doorway or talking on an intercom. There was little physical contact. “I remember flashbacks of things happening, physical therapy, and a nurse teaching me to read. I woke up one day with feeling in my left side. I was a miracle. “I couldn’t remember my two sisters; interactions with them started after I left the hospital.”
On the streets of Chicago
Back to normal life on the west side of Chicago with full use of all limbs, Jim saw street gangs everywhere and every day. He organized a group of athletes “so we could defend ourselves against other gangs. We had to defend ourselves every day, almost. Every now and then you’d see someone killed. “One day, when I was a teen-ager, I’d gone to a YMCA two to three miles from the house. We’d won a championship in basketball against the Devil’s Disciples. When we came out, there was not room in the cars, so a friend and I walked home. “We got halfway there, passing by an alley. I looked in the alley and saw what looked like a thousand guys, and they were waiting on us. The Devil’s Disciples were waiting for us.” Jim’s friend fled and was hit by a car. Jim, whose nickname then was Jett – “You get nicknamed by what people perceive you to be” – ran into the gang, which earned him a blow to the head with a 2x4.
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 5
“I touched my head and found blood. So I ran into a whites-only restaurant where the owner freaked. I had to give them a dime to call Mom. They also called the police. “Guys were all outside the window, looking for me, and the owner got his shotgun to stop them from coming in.
“I was thinking ‘I’m dying.’ Blood was flowing pretty good.
“The police came in a paddy wagon – they didn’t have black policemen then – chased the guys away, saw me and put me in the back. They kept slapping my face to keep me awake; I thought they were about to beat me up.
“Mom and my sister came in the ER, made eye contact with me and Mom fainted.” Jim was in and out of consciousness for three days, having “all sorts of dreams. I thought I was in heaven.”
regardless if they are ‘blind, crippled or crazy.’”
After trading for an Army slip, Jim shipped out to Vietnam. As his first tour as a door gunner in combat aviation neared the end, he learned that his brother also was slated for Vietnam. Jim took his brother’s place in Vietnam under the Sullivan Clause, which states that no two members of a family have to be in a combat zone at the same time. His brother was battling drug issues, which the family – Jim included – thought would worsen in the drug-infested war zone. He shrugs off his gallantry in an “it was the right thing to do” gesture. In all, he spent 26 months in Vietnam.
“I had some demons after Vietnam,” he says. “It was anti-war time; I never wanted people to find out about Vietnam.”
Now what?
Back in the States, it was time for a new life. He became a photographer, shooting for Jet, Essence and Ebony magazines and “I also shot model portfolios at the Playboy Club in Chicago. This is something new – a black photographer shooting white girls.”
Along the way, the photo shoot directors noticed Jim’s big and charming smile and moved him from behind the camera to in front of it.
He modeled for Armor Dial soap and antiperspirant, later acting in TV commercials for Sears, Colgate and a few others. All told, his modeling career lasted about 10 years.
Moving next to reporting, Jim was the first black TV reporter for WSOC in Charlotte and managed WGIV, the only black radio in town, he says. “White folks listened to it, but didn’t tell anyone.” He left radio after a few years, having changed a broadcast station into an Internet station, to take care of a brother for 19 months.
College and Vietnam
After high school graduation, Jim attended the University of Illinois on a dual track and baseball scholarship. But an injury soon cost him his scholarship and his 2S draft deferment, and he was soon drafted.
“I went to the drafting station – they were drafting that day into Marines and Army – and got a slip of paper saying Marines. It was Dec. 12, right before Christmas, cold and snowy.
“I was walking with a cane because of a broken ankle, and people were laughing thinking it was a joke. The recruiting guys said, ‘Anyone coming though the door is being drafted,
6 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
Then he arrived in Waxhaw. “I’d been living here for two years, and nobody knew me then because I still worked in Charlotte.”
He worked in event planning, first through the radio station and then with companies such as AT&T and Coca-Cola as an ethnic marketing consultant.
“I was the first non-Hispanic on the board of the Latin American Coalition and helped develop the N.C. Hispanic soccer league, which now has more than 140 teams. . . It was a defining time for the Hispanic community in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and North Carolina in business, politics and community activities.
He has a bucket list.
“I want to get married.” Why? “Because I’m a good date. I’ve been a good guy all my life. Just now, I want to get married;
previously it was not a big thing. After my fiancee died, I lost interest in just one woman.”
“Stay healthy, that’s all. Everything will fall into place for me. If I’m healthy, I’ll grow Land of the Waxhaws. I don’t care about stuff. I don’t have anything.” “Keep my sense of humor. I probably have the best sense of humor. I make myself laugh, and I’m never without friends. I’m never lonely, I don’t even know how to spell it.”
Jim Black moved from behind the camera as a fashion and advertisement still photographer to the front for several national companies, such as Dial (in pink shirt) and Lay’s. Later in his career, he remained in the front as a TV reporter, then moved behind the scenes again as a television producer in Charlotte. These days, he promotes Waxhaw, its activities and people through an Internet marketing site – Land of the Waxhaws on Facebook – and is learning to take “selfies.”
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 7
Italians create c family, foo
T
A simple Facebook post asking if anyone wanted to have an Italian Fest in Waxhaw spurred a lot of response and the formation of the Waxhaw Italian Club. Founder John Cannamela says the group enjoys a special camaraderie that comes from sharing a similar heritage. Deb Coates Bledsoe photo
By Deb Coates Bledsoe
here’s a new club in Waxhaw that celebrates three things – family, food and fun. “That could be our charter – family, food and fun,” says Waxhaw Italian Club organizer John Cannamela. It started August 2013 with an innocent Facebook post asking, “Who wants to have an Italian Fest in Waxhaw?” With more than 300 hits, apparently a lot of people did, and the Waxhaw Italian Club was born. “Everybody started asking where, what, when, saying I want to help,” John says. “I immediately got to people who offered to be staff. I seemed to be the catalyst everyone was waiting for. It started snowballing.” Even the Christopher Columbus Italian Club of Charlotte responded. “Now we’re friends with those guys. We call them our cousins.” The inspiration for the club came from finding something that belonged to his late mother, who was born in Calabria, Italy. “I found one of my mother’s old pans that she always used to make sauce,” he says. “It’s older than me, but I still feed the kids with it every Sunday.” Thoughts of his mother and the family’s rich heritage got Cannamela thinking. He remembers wondering why there was no celebration of the Italian culture in the area. “I was sitting around thinking, ‘They have a spring fest and a fall fest; why not have an Italian fest?’ I meet so many Italians in town. So I posted it out of the blue and the next thing I know, people are saying, ‘Let’s have a meeting.’ People started volunteering. And the fest turned into a club.” The Waxhaw Italian Club, which averages about 20 in attendance, now meets on the second Thursday of each month. Its dues are $10 a year. “Everybody is welcome,” he says. “You don’t have to be Italian…If you’re not Italian, we’ll teach you how to speak with your hands.” The group usually meets in restaurants around Union County, which John says is to support local business. One advantage of meeting in restaurants is flexibility of location and variety of food. Members come from varied backgrounds – some are working; others are retired. Some are local; others have recently moved to Union County. “It’s pretty diverse. Everyone is Italian, but some aren’t full Italian.” At the beginning of his meetings, he pulls out the map of Italy and everyone marks where they or their family originated. “So far, the majority are from Southern Italy.”
club to celebrate od and fun
“They keep coming back because everyone feels like they met another bunch of family friends. They talk about what they used to do in their neighborhoods growing up or what their mother used to make. Before you know it, all these Italian recipes are flying around.” Ironically, since many of the members were born and raised in the United States, few speak Italian. One exception is member Fred Brillante from Waxhaw.
“My father insisted that we learn Italian when we were young,” Fred says. “He was an unusual immigrant. He came over at 5 years old and thought it would be a good thing to learn.”
Fred enjoys the camaraderie that the club brings, that it celebrates the Italian culture and allows its members to be with other Italians.
“There’s a connection that you have that goes back to your childhood,” he says. “Everyone wants to be connected with their ethnic group.” The club has held occasional wine tastings or pastamakings, donated clothing and food for a Waxhaw school and participated in town activities. On the club’s Facebook page, Cannamela tries to include items that are not only entertaining, but also educational.
“I may have something about an Italian inventor or some news from Italy. Sometimes I’ll post a joke. I also like to include things that we all grew up with like making pasta with a crank machine or the recipe for Easter cookies that our moms made that had colored hardboiled eggs in the middle of a big cookie. It was fun because you got to eat the cookie and then take the egg out.”
John’s quick wit seems to keep perpetual grins on those around him. Married to an Irish woman, Cannamela says Italians and Irish “naturally get along.”
“St. Patrick was Italian,” he says, a big smile across his face. “He was sort of kidnapped to Ireland; but he was Roman. That’s why the Irish and Italians get along. My wife is Irish. They like Shamrocks. We like basil.
“Everybody immigrated over here. There were the same sort of barriers for both groups. They were the cops and we were the robbers, but that’s fine,” he joked.
Cannamela hopes the Waxhaw Italian Club will go to Italy as a group one day. But for now, he’ll continue to look for places or things that are Italian in nature. For club info, visit Facebook/Waxhaw Italian Club.
Deb Coates Bledsoe is a former newspaper editor and freelance writer and photographer.
Members of the Chautauqua Book Club posed during their 50th Anniversary in 1964. Front from left are Miss Ollie Alexander, Mrs. Mary Gettys, Mrs. Caroline Crosland, Mrs. E. C. Winchester and Mrs. Patty Love. Back, from left, are Mrs. Douglas Davis, Mrs. Virginia Smith, Mrs. Helen English, Mrs. Myrna Hilton, Mrs. Merle Kendrick, unknown, Mrs. Louise Griffin, Mrs. Sara Richardson, unknown, Mrs. Marguerite Smith, Mrs. Cleo Horne, Mrs. Fred Huntley and unknown. Others in the club at this time were Mrs. J. Howard Williams, Mrs. A.M. Secrest, Mrs. Lott Rogers, Mrs. Neal Clark, Mrs. A. J. Cox, Mrs. W. M. Davis, Mrs. C. Arthur Francis, Mrs. W. A. Ingram, Mrs. W. B, Love and Mrs. Roscoe Phifer.
100 Years Ago
Margaret Sanger's articles in "The Woman Radical" brought her a federal indictment for violating the Comstock Act (which banned birth control devices and information on birth control devices, sexually transmitted diseases, human sexuality and abortion.) The first scheduled airline flight, from St. Petersburg to Tampa was piloted by Tony Jannus.
Henry Ford introduced the assembly line for the Model T.
The first international figure-skating tournament was held in New Haven, CT.
W. H. Carrier patented the air conditioner.
World War I began when Austria-Hungary decided against mediation and declared war on Serbia.
10 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
M
By Nancy E. Stephen
y, how times have changed. But not everything. The Chautauqua Book Club has been going strong for 100 years, with just a short break during World War II when members volunteered with the Red Cross. The club was organized in September 1914 as the Wednesday Morning Study Club when two women – Mrs. Gaston Meares and Mrs. Roscoe Phifer – agreed that “they felt the need of self improvement.” They visited Mrs. E.C. Winchester to seek her advice and ideas, according to a 1972 article in The Enquirer-Journal, and “Mrs. Winchester was most enthusiastic.” Such was the beginning of the Chautauqua Book Club, which is celebrating 100 years this year. It doesn’t meet on Wednesday morning anymore. But it’s still an educational association of women, and it’s still by invitation only.
And it’s still a lot of fun, current members say.
Frances Hunley, one of the club’s most senior members at age 90, recalls joining the club in the ’60s. “It was a night supper club then,” she says. “I was in with a lot of women who were my mother’s age, and I was in awe of them.”
She was intimidated by the prospect of hosting a sophisticated dinner with linens and crystal for 20-some older women in her home. She was in luck.
“By the end of my first year, the ladies had decided not to do dinner. I was saved by the bell.”
After 45 years of membership Frances says, “I like knowing the ladies in the club, the fellowship and book reviews of books I haven’t read. It’s broadened my knowledge of literature. I don’t typically read fiction, but I do enjoy the book reviews.”
Celebrating 100 years
The club started celebrating a year ago because “we wanted to do something special,” Ann says. “We decided to make it a year long celebration.” As the final celebratory hurrah, club members will enjoy a
Book club celebrates 100 Years
When President Ann Oakley joined in 2004, more traditions of the club had changed, but not the formal invitation. Potential members are unaware that their name has been suggested for membership until they receive an invitation.
“When I received my note from the president, oh my goodness, I was honored,” Ann recalls.
“For people who love books, it’s delightful,” says Carolyn Braswell, who joined about 26 years ago.
Chautauqua members present programs connected with literature. It might be a book review or a local author, poet or magazine publisher who discusses their works. “It’s always been a review or program by one person,” Carolyn says. “I really like that. If you have a good reviewer, you get enough to know if you’re intrigued and want to read it.”
formal tea at Carolyn Braswell’s historic house in Wingate. They hope that former members can attend.
Community service
The club started an annual book drive three years ago to benefit children in lower school grades in Union County. Last year, members gave 140 age-appropriate books to students in East and Walter Bickett elementary schools. “We wanted younger students to get the benefit of having their own books in their hands,” Ann says.
Because each presenter chooses her topic, meetings are “subject to a great deal of variety. It really opens itself to a lovely ‘You don’t know what you’re going to get as you go through the doors.’ It’s a great surprise,” Carolyn says.
Frances recalls creating an interactive skit in 1979 for a program. “I did a history of the club called ‘This Is Your Life, Chautauqua.’” She presented “what was happening by decades,” including clothing, music, news and more. “It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun, though.”
James Michael & Co. Make every day sparkle!
Ann Oakley, left, and Carolyn Braswell select china to be used during the club’s celebratory tea.
Stafford Place Executive Offices Suite A-2, 1201 Stafford St. Monroe, NC 28110
Mon-Fri 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sat 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 704.296.5531
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Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 11
ADV
Life lessons we know now
beneficial when we were People create their own drama and problems through a lack of planning and a desire for instant gratification. It is not your job to fix their problems.
Learn to tell the difference between people supporting a great cause and those using the cause to support their own end goal. Listen to the advice of your grandparents, parents and other trusted adults who are genuinely concerned about you and your future.
Ask for help and be grateful for it. You can't do it all yourself and it's not embarrassing to admit that someone can do it better. Give people a chance: you can train someone to perform almost any task.
They possess great wisdom, believe it or not, and you should heed what they say about saving, investing and just living life in general. My best advice came from my parents, and I wish I had paid more attention. Frank McGuirt
12 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
Katharine Allen McFalls
Take care of your skin, it will be with you a long time.
Don't worry about wha crowd is doing, follow yo own passion to happiness.
That guy you think you can't without will repulse you in y
Travel before you have kids
Don't be afraid to be silly. L great for the soul.
Start a ROTH IRA toda
Terri Stegall B
VICE
ow that would have been
e young and ‘knew it all.’
at the our .
After graduating from college, I wish I had realized just how competitive the work talent was going to be.
I thought I had as good an education as the next person but I didn't fully understand how to apply myself. I'm happy with everything I've done in life but I might have advanced my career if I had applied myself a little differently.
t live your 40s.
s.
Laughter is
ay
Beeson
Mike Browning
I wish I'd known that investing in myself was not a selfish act, but a selfless act.
Investing in myself makes me a better person, which in turn makes me a better mother for my daughter, a better wife for my husband, a better daughter for my parents and a better employee for my company. I wish I had that awarenesss when I was given the opportunity to take a path requiring some long days and time away from home. I thought if I walked that path, I would be neglecting my family, when I would have been building a stronger foundation for my family to build upon. Malinda Whitener Butson
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 13
Why Not An American Ark Photos by
Rick Crider
Every seen a cavy? Wallaby? Baby ostrich?
While they’re not common to Union County, these exotic animals are here at Why Not An American Ark, a petting zoo of exotic and domestic animals ranging from bison to fennec fox. All told, the Ark has upwards of 239 non-domestic animals on the 125acre farm. “The animals are our children,” says Jeff Wylie, who owns the farm with wife Amy. “We take pride in our healthy, well-mannered and loved animals.”
Through Sept. 28, 90-minute walking tours are available Wednesdays through Saturday at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Sundays at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Other times are available by appointment. The Ark is an USDA licensed facility at 3224 Medlin Road, Monroe.
For info, twobytwopettingzooandponyparties.com or call (704) 226-5407.
Choreographing the nationals ‘ In the figure skating world,
it’s an opportunity of a lifetime.’
D
By Nancy E. Stephen
anielle Logano’s love of ice skating not only prompted performing and coaching careers, but also a national honor. She was tapped to choreograph the opening ceremony for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro next year. “This is a very funny story,” the bubbly blonde says. “I was nominated, but had no
clue that people were talking about me to do this. You never know who is watching. “It never came to my mind that I could ever get that opportunity.” As a coach, Danielle is accustomed to choreographing solos and even coaching power skating for hockey players. But the opening ceremony is totally different and on a much larger scale – upwards of 130 skaters from multiple skating centers in North Carolina. Danielle chose to feature the growth of a skater as the show’s theme. “It’s a buildup,
showing a mother putting on a child’s skates, a girl taking the ice for the first time, growing up, challenges, stress – how they made it to the top of their skating careers.” Each participant must fulfill requirement levels to skate in the opening, which will feature skaters as young as 10. The 15-minute opening will be pulled together quickly, with coaches in Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Hillsboro skating communities teaching their area students the choreography.
The National League of Junior Cotillions Union County Chapters Classes on respect, manners, etiquette and social dance are held once a month September through March.
Boys and girls grades 2-9 Locations in Marvin and Monroe Contact Director Terri Beeson 704-254-7754 www.nljc.com www.facebook.com/NLJCBeeson
16 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
Don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your business or group in the Union County Christmas Parade, the county’s biggest holiday event. Typical attendance is more than 20,000!
Parade Date Nov. 23 Registration due Nov. 10
Register online at www.theallianceforchildren.org
Danielle Logano turned professional ice skater at age 18, with her first audition at Carowinds. Eight years later, she’s been tapped to choreograph the opening ceremonies for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro. Contributed photo As performance day nears, the entire ensemble will take to the ice for a few group practices. And then it’s show time. As if this were not enough of a challenge, Danielle also plans to perform in the opening. She and a professional skater from Idaho will present a fire act. Not many people use fire in their performances, she says, and no other nationals opening ceremonies has involved fire. “’Why not,’ I thought.” Fire is nothing new to Danielle; she used fire in her professional skating show performances. How did Danielle get to this honor at the young age of 26? Skating for 20 years now, she “tested to the senior level, then decided I wanted to go into professional ice shows at age 18. My first show audition was at Carowinds, and I’ve been doing shows every since.” Currently, she runs the figure skating department and fitness center at Extreme Ice in Indian Trail, a center owned by her parents. Brother Joey, is a race car driver for the Penske team.
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 17
“My average coaching day is with solos, but I enjoy doing show aspect. We do a lot of fund-raising shows here, for leukemia awareness, breast cancer awareness and other organizations. The nationals show, however, is a different story. “The opening is bigger because it’s in the Greensboro Coliseum.” “Honestly, I was in shock,”she says with a laugh. “I was honored . . . excited because it’s probably the biggest thing I’ve been asked to be a part of in my whole skating career. At the same time, I’m nervous because it’s a lot to take on. But I have a good team working with me – it’s all about the people working with you.” Paul Wylie, a coach at Extreme Ice and former Olympic skater, will be involved as well as other guest skaters. Taking on the opening ceremony production involves more than choreographing steps. Danielle chose the regional coaches, picked and blended the Danielle Logano coaches Kristen Seeba, 12, of Concord, a student of many years. music, then designed the costumes, which will be Rick Crider photos constructed by Dell Arbor. Danielle is calm now, with the basic ideas already established. “Once October starts, that’s where it’s going to be a little professional ice show. I feel this on my resume will help. It’s a huge crazy. Now it’s just gathering ideas. I’ve been going to undertaking, but I’m learning.” Greensboro once a month to get a game plan.” This opportunity is one of a lifetime, Danielle adds. And it’s free. “I In October, she’ll keep herself busy driving up and down the don’t get paid for this; this is from my heart.” Listening to her highways, not for every sectional rehearsal, but for some, with bubble up about the opportunity, the challenges and the thrill, it’s Starbucks coffee in hand. obvious that she has her heart and soul fully involved. Danielle hopes her choreography will open more professional “In the figure skating world, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime. All my opportunities. “It’s been a dream of mine to produce a idols will be watching what I put on.”
9 youths selected as sweepers for championships
18 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
Nine members of the Carolinas Figure Skating Club in Indian Trail will act as sweepers during the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Ice sweepers are volunteers who clear the ice of mementos tossed onto the ice by spectators in recognition of competitor’s performance. Sweepers collect the items for the athletes in a time-honored figure skating tradition. These girls are among 42 sweepers selected from 120 skaters who auditioned. Madeline Grace Ashton, 9, Matthews Christian Hill Bennett, 11, Charlotte Kaylee Dobson, 7, Matthews Anais Gentles, 12, Waxhaw Luci Hinson, 12, Indian Trail Madelyn Jordan, 10, Charlotte Ellie Nedrich, 12, Charlotte Cour tney Phillippi, 9, Charlotte Emma Potts, 11, Waxhaw
County foundation grows
J
assets to $7.2 million in 25 years
By Nancy E. Stephen
small to have different compartments,” Andrews says. “But if someone wanted to designate their fund’s use, we were still glad to take their money. “We wanted to get a fund big enough that when there were local issues that came up without money to fund them, there would be a pool of funds. And the board would decide where the funds were Charles Norwood, who joined the Union County board as a allocated. charter member, uses the Foundation’s expertise to handle his “For the first few personal philanthropy. years, we were just building the fund into success. “Those two really pushed through a soft campaign, asking board it,” he comments. members to approach people they knew. “The intent was to “With John’s seed money, we had gotten make it easy for bits and pieces, but we didn’t have real people to become impact funds. We grew, but we didn’t philanthropists, even have much money. on a small scale. “Then we hit two home runs with the People feel a little Adams and Richardson funds.” more comfortable Local attorneys Bobby Griffin and Frank working with people Griffin were instrumental in the they know,” John designation of estate funds to the explains. Foundation, he says. “We had to sell “It was slow getting stock and we had to sell land, but we did going, but people it. They let us do so much more appreciated that a philanthropy in the county. local board would “That’s what I tried to do,” Charles says, determine how to “to get the CPAs and lawyers involved. use the local And we were right successful with it. resources.” “We just want to sow the seeds of Charles credits the information to let the Foundation Henry S. & Carolyn distribute the estate, especially in families Adams Endowment where there are no heirs. We can do it Fund and the Clyde honorably and successfully. L. and Martha S.
ust as Union County has seen burgeoning growth in the last 25 years, so has the Union County Community Foundation. Started with a seed grant of $50,000 from Allvac, the non-profit affiliate of the Foundation For The Carolinas, has grown to assets of $7.2 million at the end of 2013. In 1989, John Andrews, then executive of Allvac and member of the parent board, believed Union County needed a similar non-profit to address Union County unfunded needs. “All we can do is try,’” he recalls saying. “I called a group of businessmen together, and they thought it was a good idea to start a local affiliate.” Charles Norwood, a bank executive who later followed Andrews as chairman of the board, agrees. “John said ‘Let’s do one for Union County,’ and that’s how we got started,” he says. When Allvac made its contribution, all the new board members contributed John Andrews served on the Foundation For The to what was then just one Carolinas board for several years before fund. “We suggesting a Union County affiliate. were too Nancy E, Stephen photos
Richardson Memorial Fund for catapulting the fledgling Foundation
“I feel like we’ve made a lot of progress, made some meaningful contributions and enhanced the quality for life for people in the county.”
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 19
18 nonprofits benefitted from Foundation grants last year
The Foundation awarded $68,253 to these organizations. $3,000 to the American Red Cross - Union County Chapter for local disaster services. $5,000 to Arc of Union/Cabarrus, Inc. for the Independent Living Initiative Program. $3,000 to Classroom Central, Inc. to provide school supplies for children living in poverty. $4,000 to HealthQuest for the life-saving medications for the Uninsured Program. $2,500 to HOPE for the Christmas Bureau of Union County for the Foster Children Christmas Program. $2,200 to Hospice of Union County, Inc. to purchase medical equipment for nursing staff education. $2,061 to LIFESPAN Incorporated for Tech Talk - Enhancing Communication for Children with VDD Program. $2,000 to the Literacy Council of Union County for the adult literacy program. $8,492 to Mephibosheth Farms Angelic Riders, Inc. for the Sponsor A Rider Program. $1,500 to Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, Inc. for the Union County Families Fund. $2,500 to Special Olympics of Union County for Project Unify. $8,000 to Turning Point, Inc. for the Shelter Program. $2,000 to the Union Academy Foundation for teachers to attend the National Science Teacher Association professional development conference. $4,500 to the Union County Community Shelter for the Rapidly Re-Housing Homeless Families Program. $2,000 to Union County Crisis Assistance Ministry, Inc. for the Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Program. $4,500 to the Union County Education Foundation for a teacher and classroom mini-grant program. $2,000 to Union County Habitat For Humanity for the Urgent Home Repair Program. $9,000 to Wingate University for the Win at the Gate Summer Discovery Program.
20 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
Fast forward 25 years to 2014
Since 1989, the Union County Community Foundation has grown into a philanthropic organization managing 38 funds with total charitable assets of $7.2 million. Grant dollars are available through the Foundation’s endowment fund, as well as the Adams and Richardson funds. Nonprofit organizations can apply for grants each year. Since its inception, the Union County Community Foundation has made grants totaling more than $700,000 in support of 46 local nonprofit organizations.
Endowment Fund
This fund provides annual grantmaking dollars to support community needs as determined by the board. As a permanently endowed fund, the intent is to maintain and grow the principal balance and produce grantmaking dollars in perpetuity.
Adams Endowment Fund
Established in 1997 and fully funded with an estate gift in 2003, the Adams fund supports charitable purposes and causes in Union County, college scholarships for Union County young people and aids in the professional development of classroom teachers in Union County Public Schools. Additionally, specific organizations of interest to the original donor include Lenoir Rhyne College, Wingate University, Hospice of Union County, and Turning Point of Union County.
Richardson Memorial Fund
Also funded through an estate gift in 2002, this fund supports organizations that work to help mentally disadvantaged and physically handicapped, including visually impaired and hearing impaired, Union County residents.
Donor Advised Funds
The county’s other 35 funds are donor advised funds, where individuals create a fund that distributes contributions according to their wishes.
Charles, who has had a donor advised fund for many years, says the Foundation makes personal philanthropy easy. “I’ve had my fund for about 12 years or more, and it’s easy. Every year I give stock to my fund and I tell them how I want it distributed. I don’t have to write any of those checks or gather many receipts for my taxes. I give one amount; and that does it for me. “That saves me untold time at the end of the year, and I know that it’s being done in a professional way.”
The Kiwanis Club of Monroe has an endowed scholarship fund with the Foundation. “It’s worked great for us,” says Caleb Barnhardt, a retired accountant who started the fund with a match grant. “We started with seed money and added to it every year. It allows us to give a $2,000 scholarship each year to a graduating senior.” The fund has grown through dividends and interest due to the Foundation’s management, enabling the group to make scholarships without touching the principal. “Even with the ups and downs of the market, our fund has been very successful.”
Union County Board Chair Judy Kennedy and David Julian, vice presidentphilanthropic advancement for Foundation For The Carolinas, take a break from a board meeting.
Nonprofits put Foundation support to good use
Mephibosheth Farm, a therapeutic horseback riding
facility for people with physical, psychological and developmental disabilities, has received funds from the Foundation for three years. “The grants definitely benefit the quality of life for our riders,” says Morgan Curtis, assistant director. “We see huge benefits for riders with physical disabilities; they can sit up straighter, walk better, breath better.” Horseback riding has been shown to improve balance, coordination and strength. In addition to physical benefits, riders also experience increased self-confidence, social awareness and emotional well-being. A child in a wheelchair can be on equal ground with his friends, and a child with autism can share a quiet relationship with a loving well-trained horse who needs no words to communicate. Last year, the $8,492 grant provided scholarships for 18 riders who could not afford their therapy.
Union County Education Foundation also
has received much-needed grants from the local Foundation. Receiving amounts of $3,000 one year and $4,500 the next, the Foundation uses the funding for what it calls mini-grants. Teachers apply for grants from $100 to $500 to implement a special program in their classroom. Last year, the Education Foundation was able to give 40 grants, thanks in part to the Union County Foundation grant.
Amy Sperry, executive director of the education foundation, says the mini-grants “directly impact the quality of teaching. They enable teachers to do things that they normally can’t do. The Foundation grant provides creative opportunities for teachers to think outside of the box, to fulfill some dreams. Last year, a New Town Elementary teacher used a grant to study Greece, with students dressing in togas. At Kensington Elementary, the funds enabled an author’s book presentation to the students by Skype. A Unionville teacher used grant funds for a tile project that featured lighthouses. “These are projects the teachers couldn’t do with without the Foundation grants,” Amy adds.
HealthQuest of Union County has received
Foundation funds for several years. A licensed non-profit pharmacy, HealthQuest provides free prescriptions to residents of Union, Anson, Stanly, Lancaster and Chesterfield counties who cannot afford prescriptions for their chronic medical conditions. “We are truly appreciative of the funding that we receive annually from the Foundation. It does make such an impact on our services. We do rely on their funding,” says Heather Horne, executive director. “With the Foundation’s assistance, we have provided over $70 million worth of prescription medications to those who desperately need them in our community.”
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 21
Vacationing with small children not for the weak
Y
By Kate Meier
ou know you’re on vacation with young kids when . . . l You are in bed by 9 p.m. because you are just that exhausted. l Every trip to the pool or beach involves an unintentional underwater experience that strikes fear into your heart and shakes the child to his or her core. l Bedtime is somehow harder. l Sand. Everywhere. l Seriously. Sand gets in everything and every body area and every item of clothing. l You drink your wine at 2 p.m. because it’s the only time the kids are having down time and your eyes are still open. l The thought of cooking dinner is awful. But so is the thought of going to a restaurant you don’t know. So you order takeout almost every night and hope for the best. l Vacation? What vacation? l You get dirty looks for being THAT PARENT still using the spray sunscreen instead of the lotion because OF COURSE you left the lotion at home.
l It seems impossible, but you do even more laundry than you would at home. l A run on the beach by yourself is exactly 1 million times sweeter than it was before you had children. l You will go for said run barefoot because the old running shoes you brought gave you blisters but the searing pain is still worth the hour of alone time. l And you will volunteer to run with the baby in the jogger that afternoon because you know she will fall asleep and you will again get a little bit of quiet time. l You longingly look at a book/e-reader every night as you drift off to sleep, feeling sad that YET AGAIN you didn’t get a minute to start reading that thing your sisterin-law keeps telling you to dive into while on vacation. l You will spend more time packing the floats, towels, sunscreen, changes of clothes, swim diapers, snacks, wipes, drinks, water shoes, blanket, canopy, Coast Guard-approved flotation devices and water toys than you actually will at the beach. l You almost cry when the family members you are with offer to watch the kids for an hour so you and your spouse can go to breakfast alone.
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l i fe s n o s s le
l You start to cherish every second of vacation a little bit more, knowing that your kids will never look this way and be this young again. But you still kind of long for the calmer, carefree vacations of years past. Just a little bit.
Kate Meier is an award-winning-journalist turned work-at-home mommy who spends most of her time chasing her toddler and baby.
Coming in October!
l Dessert happens every night. Even when all the kids eat is a graham cracker and slice of cheese.
l And sometimes you sneak an extra dessert for yourself, but you eat it behind closed doors so the kids don’t see it and demand to have more, aka extend their sugar high.
l 5 a.m. is bright, warm and filled with the shrieks of children asking if the ocean is open yet.
l The kids get to watch TV a little more than usual because, well, it’s their vacation, too, and that’s what they want to do.
l Every day there are no fewer than 300 photo-worthy moments and you are so overwhelmed when trying to decide which to post to Facebook that you accidentally delete half of them but decide that it’s 2 p.m. and time to drink wine anyway, so no big deal.
l You realize that even though vacations are much less relaxing now than they were then, you are creating memories that will forever live someplace in your heart.
And though you spent more money on food and wine (It’s vacation! Get the expensive bottle!) than you did on the vacation house itself, you know that you can’t put a price on getting to spend time in a beautiful place with the most important people in your life.
James Michael & Co. Make every day sparkle! Stafford Place Executive Offices Suite A-2, 1201 Stafford St. Monroe, NC 28110
Mon-Fri 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sat 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 704.296.5531
www.JamesMichaelCo.com Follow us on Facebook
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 23
W
Greco Fresh Grille:
esley Chapel’s commercial offerings have spread like wildfire, so it’s may be easy to miss a new restaurant that sneaked in under your radar. But you don’t want to miss Greco Fresh Grille, which promises Greek food – fast, fresh and delicious! Everything the grill promises, it produces.
Eating Out in Union
Open less than two months in Wesley Chapel Village Commons, the grill is next door to Hickory Tavern and has a widely opposing menu. Think Mediterranean – all the way. You can make a meal for one, two or more from the appetizers and side items offered.
Hummus is available in a variety of flavors.
Hummus ($3.49-$4.95) served with toasted pita wedges can have a variety of seasonings, since the restaurant changes flavors weekly. We tried the roasted pepper and feta
Here’s the skinny
Ambiance: If you’re seeking a romantic, candle-lit dinner,
Greco isn’t your place. But it’s bright, cheerfully decorated in traditional Greek blue and white with a small vase of flowers on each table. Several tables are covered outside for alfresco dining. It’s a nice change to have cobalt blue plates.
Menu: Enough variety of Greek dishes to satisfy anyone.
Kid’s menu features chicken kebobs and fingers, gyros, burgers or pita pizza, all $5.95 or less. Catering is available.
Quality: Very fresh ingredients, very traditionally prepared. Service: The staff is attentive, even on a busy Friday night.
Value: Great value. Appetizers can be shared, and almost half of the entrees cost $5.95. Dine in or take out. Will we return? Oh, yes.
Greco Fresh Grille 6400 Weddington Road, Suite G. Wesley Chapel (Wesley Chapel Village Commons) (704) 839-0344 www.GrecoFreshGrille.com
Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
24 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
You’ll think yo
hummus as well as a more traditional garlic one. Both were refreshing and pleasantly pungent. Freshly made tzatzike ($4.95), a sour cream dip with garlic and shredded cucumber is also served with pita wedges. If you eating low carb, ask for fresh cucumbers instead of the pita – they’re happy to accommodate.
Dolmades, traditional grape leaves stuffed with rice and seasonings for $5.95, are so much like those in Greece, you’ll think you were there. Too often in the United States, the grape leaves are tough and bitter, but not here. Spinach pie triangles are crispy phyllo layers stuffed with spinach and feta, served with tzatziki. A portion of six is $7.95. If you’re wary of fried foods, be assured that Greco has a light hand with dough and oil. You’ll fully appreciate the filling.
The traditional Greek Salata (salad) and the Peasant Salata are very similar, but with one difference. The traditional version tops romaine lettuce while the Peasant Salata is truly Traditional Greek salad Greek-style without lettuce. Both feature tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, green pepper, Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Both are very fresh and lightly dressed in a signature Greek vinaigrette and dried oregano mix that does not overwhelm the veggies. Another salad, Lahano Salata, is thinly sliced cabbage with arugula, green onion and dill, tossed in a lemon juice and olive oil dressing. Full salads are $6.95; side salads are $3.49.
You can add protein to any salad, be it grilled chicken, gyro meat or falafel (chick peas), kebob or grilled shrimp.
Many of the entrees come with seasoned hand-cut fries, and you’ll want to taste the lemon-oregano or cumin-garlic versions.
Kefte gyro with
ou’re in Greece with this traditional fare
If you’ve had non-homemade baklava, you might shun it as sickening sweet, with so much honey on it that the phyllo dough is gummy, not buttery and flakey. Not here.
Mezze plate offers a variety of tastes.
ordered as a side.
Different, tasty but no overwhelming seasonings. We liked the lemon ones best, but you can also order plain salted fries. Large portions are $2.95 for large and $1.95 for small if
Remember the famous restaurant scene in “When Harry Met Sally” when Sally pretended to go into raptures over her meal – “I’ll have what she’s having” – well, we were almost there. Delectable.
Don’t leave without tasting the baklava. I
Plenty of sweet but not too sweet filling of walnut-cinnamon-honey syrup within a flaky crust. Absolutely scrumptious, although not low calorie. It’s decadent!
Lamb aficionados don’t often see the meat on local menus, but at Greco you can order a lamb burger ($7.95) as well as a beef burger. Entrees also include traditional gyros (delicious beef and lamb meat), as well as chicken or kefte gyros for ($5.95). Kefte is a traditional Greek seasoning on ground beef, which gives it a very Mediterranean flair .All can be ordered as platters, too, ($9.95) with the meat accompanied by a small salad, tzatziki and hand-cut fries.
Vegetarians have it made here; there are plenty of delicious and healthy entrees to choose among. Vegetarian pitas ($5.95) feature grilled eggplant, zucchini and roasted red peppers; falafel ($5.95) is a chickpea and spice patty wrapped in a pita. A mini Greek salad is available wrapped in a pita for (5.95), while the mezze platter ($8.98) is what the Chinese might call a pu pu platter – a presentation of spinach pies, dolmades, tzakziki, hummus and pita.
peasant salad, lemon fries
Greco features three sweets daily – baklava ($3.25), Greek yogurt with local honey and walnuts ($4.95) and a traditional Greek frappe ($2.95).
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 25
26 things to do in Sweet Union
* requires advance registration
September
1: Labor Day Concert
Union Symphony Youth Orchestra & Prelude Free, 4 p.m. Marvin Ridge High School www.UnionSymphony.org
3:
Holiday Craft Show More than 100 exhibitors. Free; 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monroe Aquatics & Fitness Center Off US 74, across from Lowe’s MonroeAquaticsAndFitnessCenter.com
5: First Friday
Free; 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Downtown Waxhaw www.Waxhaw.com
6: Symphony Speakeasy*
$100, 6 p.m. - Midnight Rolling Hills Country Club Music by Union Jazz and Added Touch Benefits Union Symphony Tickets at www.UnionSymphony.org
12:
Cruise In (featuring trucks) 6 p.m.; Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org
13: Turning Point Golf Tourney*
$150 individual; $600 team Rolling Hills Country Club www.TurnToday.net
25:
Music on Main Band of Oz (beach/variety) Free; 6:30 p.m.; bring a chair! Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org
26: Clint Black $35-$52; 8 p.m.
Sponsored by Batte Center Austin Auditorium at Wingate Univ. www.BatteCenter.org
27: Ebb & Flow
Union Symphony Orchestra $18, $28; 7:30 p.m. The Batte Center at Wingate Univ.
27: Piedmont Cultural Arts Festival Free; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Indian Trail Cultural Arts Center www.indiantrail.org
27,28:
The Cemetery Club The Storefront Theatre $12.50 plus tax; Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Waxhaw Presbyterian Church, 8100 Old Waxhaw Monroe Road, Waxhaw
October
3: First Friday
Free; 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Downtown Waxhaw www.Waxhaw.com
Call now for the season’s best seating!
Sunday, Dec. 8
Monday, Sept. 1
A Christmas Concert
Labor Day Concert
Union Symphony Orchestra & Central United Methodist Choir 5 p.m. at the church; Free
Youth Orchestra 4 p.m.; Free Marvin Ridge High School
Friday, March 29
Saturday, Sept. 27
Symphony & Psalms
Ebb & Flow
Union Symphony Orchestra 7:30 p.m.; $18, $28 The Batte Center
Sunday, Oct. 26
Spooky Spectacular
Union Symphony Youth Orchestra 4 p.m.; $6, $18 Marvin Ridge High School
Union Symphony is proud to have Richard Rosenberg as artistic director and Tom LaJoie as music director of the Youth Orchestra.
Friday, Nov. 7 & Saturday, Nov. 8 The Tender Land
Wingate University Opera with Union Symphony Orchestra 7:30 p.m. at The Batte Center; $15
Union Symphony Orchestra 4 p.m at The Batte Center $18, $28
Sunday, April 26 All In The Family
Youth Orchestra 4 p.m. at Marvin Ridge High; $6, $18 *Watch for our Pops Series in Spring*
Season subscriptions available at (704) 283-2525.
Sec. A - $78 t Sec. B - $68 t Seniors (B) - $58 t Students - $58 (North Carolina law requires that tax be added to all tickets.)
www.UnionSymphony.org
26 Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014
This project is supported by the Union County Community Arts Council and the Grassroots Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency.
4: Safe Alliance BBQ
$10, $15; 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Corn maze, hayrides, petting zoo and bonfire Benefits Tree House Children’s Advocacy Aw Shucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
4
: Live at the Vines Woodie and the String Pullers (’70s-’90s) $3; 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Bring blanket, chairs, picnic. Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe
10: Cruise In with Corvettes
Free; 6:30 p.m.; Bring a chair! Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org
10:
Monroe Artwalk Free; 5 p.m. - until 10 p.m. Many venues of art and music. www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org
10,17:
Murder Mystery Dinner Presented by Union County Playmakers Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe www.UnionCountyPlaymakers.org
10,11: Grill’n & Chill’n BBQ Cook-off*
Teams arrive on Friday and cook all night.
Saturday afternoon, a public tasting event. Ticket sales help local charities. www.Waxhaw.com
11: The Loose Lug Nuts (country/rock)
$4; 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic. Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe
11:
Boots & BowTies Country Fair* $50; 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Twin Oaks Farm, Wingate Benefits Union Community Shelter www.UnionShelter.org for tickets
11,12: Autumn Treasures Arts & Crafts
Free: Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, Noon – 5 p.m.; crafters, music Downtown Waxhaw; www.Waxhaw.com
12: 2014 Home Town Heroes Car Show*
Free; Noon - 5 p.m.; entry fee for exhibitors Waxhaw American Legion Auxiliary sponsor E North Main Street, Waxhaw www.Waxhaw.com
18:
The Del McCoury Band & Hot Rize $28 - $45; 7 p.m. Austin Auditorium
Sponsored by Batte Center www.BatteCenter.org
23:
Music on Main On The Border (Eagles Tribute) Free; 6:30 p.m.; bring a chair! Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org
24:
Bingo Night Free; 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net
26:
Spooky Spectacular Union Symphony Youth Orchestra $6, $18, 4 p.m.; Marvin Ridge High School www.UnionSymphony.org
Got an event the public would enjoy?
Submit your activity with all the details - who, what, when, where and cost per person - to Editor@UnionLifestyle.com for inclusion in print and/or online.
Union Lifestyle l September / October 2014 27