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‘The Snow Queen’ coming to Matthews Playhouse
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Volume 8, Number 8 • Feb. 19 to 25, 2015
Spreading compassion like ‘fire’ Firehouse Subs gives back to Matthews public safety organizations by Courtney Schultz courtney@matthewsminthillweekly.com
Businesses, schools and other organizations closed their doors earlier this week, as a glaze of ice engulfed the Matthews and Mint Hill areas. The sleet and freezing rain arrived late Monday afternoon and continued through early Tuesday morning, covering trees, yards, roads and cars in a thin layer of ice. Photo taken in downtown Matthews, courtesy of David Johnson
MATTHEWS – Several area organizations received a boost in providing safety last week, thanks to a national restaurant chain. The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation celebrated its donation of more than $31,400 worth of life-saving tools to Matthews-area organizations on Feb. 10, a Tuesday, at the Matthews Firehouse Subs restaurant in the Windsor Square shopping center. The restaurant chain created the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to provide resources to first responders and public safety organizations through a grantgiving program. The foundation provided the Matthews Police Department and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools with needed equipment after fundraising efforts in the Matthews restaurant. “Our mission is to help first responders and public safety organizations save lives and keep their communities safe,” said Jackie Gubbins, the foundation’s programs
manager. Each restaurant recycles leftover, fivegallon pickle buckets and sells them to consumers to raise funds for the foundation. Restaurants also collect change donations at registers and host a Round Up Program, which allows guests to “round up” their bill to the nearest dollar, to generate additional funds. CMS received a fire extinguisher training system that allowed the school system to teach employees how to properly use a fire extinguisher. The Matthews Police Department received about 70 individual trauma kits to expand the department’s first-aid capabilities. “We take a lot of pride in the donation. It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Larry Chandler, Matthews Firehouse Subs owner and franchisee. “(Days like Feb.10) are huge days for us (and) one of the best days we have. We get to do these several times a year ... knowing that the equipment and things we donate could save lives. We don’t even know the effect it has after everybody leaves here.” Chandler has participated in about 20 donations through his stores in Matthews and Lumberton. “I think just knowing we’re doing (see Firehouse Subs on page 11)
County eyeing Mint Hill property for future park Town supports county’s plan to build a regional park off Fairview Road by Josh Whitener editor@matthewsminthillweekly.com
MINT HILL – Residents of Mint Hill could eventually have a regional county park in their own
backyard. Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation hopes to purchase a parcel of land off Fairview Road, across from the Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation, to be used for a future regional park. The Mint Hill Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution during its Thursday, Feb. 12, meeting in support of the county’s plans to purchase the parcel.
Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation began acquiring land in 2008 to build parks, nature preserves and other amenities throughout the county, according to James Garges, the county’s director of park and recreation. The privately owned parcel in Mint Hill was identified “some time ago” as a potential site, Garges said, but negotiations with landowners have progressed (see Mint Hill on page 5)
INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Education, 12; Rev. Tony, 16; Summer Camps, 18; Calendar, 22; Sports, 24; Classifieds, 27
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