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Volume 86 • Issue 15
April 12, 2020
Good news for great people! • Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Happy Blessed Easter! Thursday, April 9 - Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Grab and Go lunch program feeding thousands of kids By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Get ready to digest an incredible number. In just a little over two weeks (March 17-30) the Gaston County Schools Grab and Go free breakfast and lunch program gave out over 73,000 bagged meals to students stuck at home during this Coronavirus event- and the meals will be still be handed out until the students return (hopefully) on May 15. Currently, Grab and Go meals are available at 20 locations countywide (see list below). North Belmont Elementary is one of the busiest Grab
and Go pick up points. “We are giving out over 800 meals a day,” said North Belmont Elementary cafeteria manager Peggy Banner. In addition to her regular staff, Banner is getting help making and handing out the meals from cafeteria workers brought in from Belmont Middle, Pinewood Elementary, and Catawba Heights Elementary schools. Getting the meals ready is a logistical challenge that’s being met. The meal components of sandwiches, fruit, juice boxes, cereal, and milk comes from the main school nutritional headquarters in See GRAB & GO, Page 2
Combating stress and anxiety in family life By Kimberly Allen Work as usual? Probably not. This is a whole new time and we are all working toward a new normal. When asking others how to describe these times, I hear things like “stressful,” “difficult,” “frustrating” — all forms of stress. The only consistency is that transitions are hard, and transitioning to this new normal makes this a stressful time for all. There are three types of stress we can experience: Positive Stress: This is the day-to-day stress we need to get out of bed and write a
blog post or do whatever it is we do on a daily basis. Tolerable Stress: My guess is that this is where the majority of people are as they transition to the new normal. This is serious stress that is temporary and buffered by supportive relationships in our lives. Toxic Stress: When people have chronic stress that happens without supportive relationships, it is toxic. Prolonged toxic stress results in compromised immune systems and is generally bad for people’s health and well-being as it massively increases See STRESS, Page 6
Cafeteria workers at North Belmont Elementary prepare bananas for Grab and Go lunch bags. From left Helen Dillon, Robin Carver, Kathy Leviner. Photo by Alan Hodge
“Cohesive boutique” coming to Mt. Holly By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
The already vibrant Mt. Holly arts and crafts scene is getting a new addition that’s also an interesting business concept. Named Catalyst Mercantile and owned by Kendle Starcher, the basic idea will see local artists and other creative folks come together and have their wares on sale under one roof at 117 N. Main St. in downtown Mt. Holly. Starcher, who is a jewelry artist, explained how she hatched the idea for Catalyst Mercantile. See BOUTIQUE, Page 2
Kendle Starcher of Catalyst Mercantile.
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