Lifestyle UNION
No excuses for these exercisers. County boasts 5 museums. Different ideas for Valentine’s Day. Technology center hiding in Monroe. February / March 2013 www.UnionLifestyle.com
We’re proud to introduce our newest associate. Honors
Mallory Willink Graduate of Charlotte School of Law
Governor for the 4th circuit of the ABA Law Student Division
Internships
The Golden Key award for service
7th Judicial Circuit in WV Legal Services of Southern Piedmont Melissa Wright Law
Editor in chief for the Charlotte Law Docket
Serving our clients with skill . . . Family law Criminal Matters Traffic Violations . . . and our county with pride! American Red Cross Union Symphony Orchestra Monroe Rotary Union County Community Shelter Weddington United Methodist Church Carolina Club of Sweet Union Upward Basketball Dana Lehnhardt, partner; Robin Goulet, associate; Donna Stepp, partner
Monroe Youth Soccer Alex Kahle Memorial Golf Tournament
110 E. Franklin Street, Monroe, NC 28112 www.MonroeLaw.net
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Lifestyle UNION
February/March2013 Vol.2,No.2
6 Man,Womanofthe Yearhonoredfor contributions.
Contents UnionLifestyle February/March2013
Editor NancyE.Stephen
ContributingWriters JimDenny LuanneWilliams
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Shoerepaira dyingart,but nothere.
Octogenarian skatesrings aroundothers.
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Monroefirma nationaltechnology center.
Quittingnotan optionfor lifelongexerciser.
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LifeLessons: Myson’slearning fromme.
Fitnessa three-generation habitforfamily.
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5county museumskeep historyalive.
Weatherdoesn’t matterto outdoorrunner.
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WingateUniversity. fillingnichein areaarts.
Makinghis namein Nashville.
Photographers GlendaBebber LoydPennington NancyE.Stephen
UnionLifestyle Apublicationof CameoCommunications,LLC POBox1064 Monroe,NC28111-1064 (704)753-9288 www.UnionLifestyle.com
Onthecover Mike Morse sands the edge of a shoe sole in Victory Shoe Shop.
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March20133
Editor’sletter Here we are, only one month into the new year, and I’m already behind. Behind at work, behind on laundry, housekeeping and bills. While all that stresses me, what really bothers me is that I’m behind on my commitment to exercise. Let me clarify, I am an exerciser; I’ve exercised all my life, beginning with ballet, followed by tennis, swimming and finally the gym. Just as this edition’s exercise story subjects say, exercise is important to me; it makes me feel better not only physically, but mentally, too.
lethargy, I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m not happy about it, and that it will change. Immediately. They say that good habits are much more difficult to develop than bad ones, and apparently, they’re correct. But I’m not trying to develop a good habit, just keep one. Obviously, I need to forget the excuses, and really, should dirty hair keep me from yoga?
Big words, little action.
You know “them.” They’re the folks who talk about exercise but never get around to it. There’s always a “good” reason – family, work, a cold, rain or hangnail.
Talking to our consummate exercisers for their stories rather embarrassed me. Most are older than I, and all are in better condition. I don’t like that either.
I like to think of myself as different from “them,” but in first weeks of the year, I’ve seen “them” in my mirror.
So I’m publicly announcing that I will exercise or else. Or else what? Be overweight, stiff, tired AND old? Not if I can help it!
Why I’ve allowed the gym closings over the holidays – and really, it was only a couple of days! – to spill over in 2013
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This year is a big number year. When I hit the almost big number last summer, I declared that when the big number rolled around (you didn’t think I was going to say which one, did you?), I would be in the best condition of my adult life.
But right now, I’m about to become one of “them.” Not them, the story subjects, but “them.”
I don’t like that.
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4UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
Forget the flowers, be creative this Valentine’s Day! The thought of Valentine’s Day has been known to bring on heart palpitations – two different ways. That speeded up heartbeat can be prompted by wonderful, romantic gestures of everlasting love by your mate and family. Or your racing heart can be prompted by anxious thoughts of: Flowers again? What does she want? Geez, these roses are expensive!
Skating party Postpone your celebration until Friday and enjoy skating at Extreme Ice Center. The main rink opens at 7 p.m. for open skating. Admission is $8 and skate rental is $4. After a few laps around the rink, head to Center Ice Tavern, the center’s full-service bar and eatery. 4705 Indian Trail-Fairview Road, Indian Trail. (704) 882-1830; www.XICenter.com
We’ve created a short list of atypical Valentine’s activities that couples, and in some cases families, can enjoy right here in Union County AND without breaking the bank.
Couple’s pedicure OK, maybe she’ll enjoy the pampering more than her guy. But think about it, guys. Does she complain about your feet touching her legs in bed? Maybe a pedicure will help. Pampered Nails in Indian Trail offers a private room with two massage chairs for pedicures. Complete with a TV, the room can be closed off for privacy and maybe even a little canoodling. Prices range from $70 to $100 depending on type of pedicure.
Couple’s massage Who wouldn’t like a relaxing massage for the two of you in a private room? Imagez Salon and Spa in Indian Trail can work out the knots everyday life has left in your back and leave you so relaxed, you’ll want to just tumble into bed. Prices begin at $120 depending on type and length of massage. Appointment required; (704) 289-2990. 1310-D Wesley Chapel Rd.
Appointments recommended. 6580 Old Monroe Road; (704) 225-7252.
Discounted dinner If frugality is a motivator, we’ve found two restaurants that offer special deals everyday. Red Bowl in Monroe offers half-price sushi every night after 8 p.m. And no, it’s not leftovers; the sushi is made fresh for you! View the menu online at www.RedBowlMonroe.com. Monroe Crossing at 2115-716 W. Roosevelt Blvd. in Monroe.
At Banyan Tree Massage Studio, two therapists work to bring the benefits of massage with the joy of a shared experience.
Bonfire Bar and Grill in Indian Trail offers 10 percent off your meal if you bring in your movie ticket stub from Sun Valley Theaters, just across the parking lot. The menu can be viewed online at www.BonfireBar-Grill.com.
Swedish, deep tissue and a combination are available; prices from $99 to $231. Appointment required; call (704) 2967574. www.BanyanTreeMassage.com.
6751 Old Monroe Road, Indian Trail; (704) 776-4655.
1902-C W. Roosevelt Blvd. in Monroe.
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March20135
Man, Woman of the Year Honoreeschosenforextensivecommunityinvolvement ByNancyE.Stephen
W
hen Martha Allen of Weddington and Johnny Pigg of Marshville heard they had been named the 2012 Union County Woman and Man of the Year, they were stunned and humbled.
“Oh my gosh,” exclaimed Martha, “I am so honored. I know the ladies who received this honor before me, and I so admire them. To be included with this group is just amazing. I don’t deserve this,” she said. “I really don’t.” “I wondered what we’re raising money for now,” Johnny recalled his reaction as he walked into a luncheon of men who told him. “I am really humbled by the
honor and quite surprised,” he says. “I didn’t know what to say . . . . So many others are deserving.” But the previous winners disagreed, citing the recipients’ ongoing work in the community. Last year, Martha spent countless hours with two organizations – American Red Cross and Union Symphony. She serves on both local boards and also as co-chair of the regional Red Cross Tiffany Circle (of women philanthropists) and on the national Tiffany Circle Council, where she is a co-chair of the national summit. For eight months last year, Martha volunteered as interim executive director of the Symphony, donating thousands of hours to help the non-profit grow its audience and funding. She now serves as vice chair of the board and heads the Union Symphony League, an auxiliary and fund-raising arm of the organization. “Martha is not only a financial
supporter, but a hands-on worker as well,” says Sheila Crunkleton, community executive of the Red Cross. “She will get her hands dirty working on the small things behind the scenes. She is the first to volunteer to help clean, organize an office or plan an event.” Asked to describe Martha in three words, Sheila says “leader, visionary and compassion. Martha has demonstrated her leadership . . . . She understands what it means to be a good board member and offers her time, talent and treasures.” Other non-profit executives agree. Kathy Bragg, executive director of the Union County Community Shelter, has worked with Martha at the Red Cross, Shelter and Symphony. “I have seen her generosity permeate into numerous public and civic arenas – all with one mission, to better Union County.” she says. “No volunteer opportunity is too trivial for Martha!” Kim Norwood, executive director of the Symphony, adds, “She has had a most transformative impact” on the Symphony. Through her efforts as interim director, “public awareness and support for our organization greatly increased.” Martha has three children: Katharine Allen McFalls, Rachel Allen and Stephen Allen Jr.
Martha Allen greets Ralph Barnes, a resident of Carillon Assisted Living, while delivering (Nancy Stephen photos) Red Cross holiday bags to veterans in Union County. 6UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
A native of Union County, Johnny has served the county quietly and efficiently for many decades. Throughout his long business career at
tried on more than one occasion to develop a museum, but the momentum never truly got going -– until Johnny took over. Fully developed and staffed by volunteers, the museum is a great achievement for any town, more so for one the size of Marshville. Johnny’s involvement in the museum was totally hands-on. He contacted workmen for construction, donors and others who contributed services such as laminating and printing. According to a fellow volunteer, Johnny had the organizational skills that led to the formation of the non-profit organization. Former Men of the Year also touted Johnny’s successes in the county.
Johnny Pigg is rightfully proud of the Marshville museum, where he took a leadership role.
Allvac, Johnny held leadership positions in many organizations, including Rotary, Jaycees, Civitans and Boy Scouts of America, where he was awarded the Silver Beaver award. Wherever Johnny lived, he was involved in the community. He received the governor’s award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in western North Carolina and Marshville Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year award. He has worked with Beaver Lane Fire and Rescue and Union County Farm Bureau and chaired the Union County Social Service board, Union County Chamber of Commerce board and the South Piedmont Community College Foundation. Also involved in his church, Johnny has worked on five building teams in the Caribbean and South America. Johnny is a big reason that Marshville now has a museum. The small town had
According to Charles Norwood, “He has been a big force in Marshville and has done a plethora of things in the county. Johnny has a head full of common sense and can reduce a problem to the simplest terms . . . .
“He is in the finest tradition of the Men of the Year.” “I always thought you should give something back, and that’s what I’ve tried to do,” Johnny says, explaining his lifelong civic involvement. “He has contributed so much to the county,” commented Tom Williams, who has worked with him professionally and civically. “He has a positive attitude on everything. He never says ‘we can’t do that’.” He says Johnny is happy to work behind the scenes and enjoys giving other people the limelight. “He’s a very good man.” “One of the most honest and genuine Southern gentlemen you’ll every meet,” is how John Ashcraft describes Johnny. “Just a super guy.” Pigg and his wife Margaret have a son Scott, and two granddaughters.
We have the BEST volunteers! Martha Smith Allen Red Cross volunteer and Union County Woman of the Year 90% of Red Cross workers are volunteers. Join us! 608 E. Franklin St., Monroe (704) 283-7402 www.redcross.org
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March20137
Shoe repair a dying art, but not in Monroe ByNancyE.Stephen
N
ot every county has a Mike Morse, which is why residents of surrounding counties and even states come to Downtown Monroe to visit Victory Shoe Shop. And if they don’t come in person, they mail their shoes for Mike to repair.
you can show somebody in two or three days and he can start doing it. You have to have an eye for it, a feel for it. “It’s very easy to mess up an expensive pair of shoes when you’re training someone, but it’s not something you can learn without hands-on. “It definitely is an art. Most people probably don’t think so, but that’s because they haven’t tried it.” Mike repairs about 50 pairs of shoes a day with soles and heels the vast bulk of his business, but he also performs reconstruction with the skill of a surgeon.
Shoe repair may be a dying art, but the demand is quite strong. In fact, Mike says a sluggish economy is good for his business; people are more interested in a $10 shoe repair than a $100 shoe purchase.
Shoe repair – and every other type of repair request that comes through the door – is a skill learned hands-on; you can’t read a book and take up the practice. “To me, it’s an art. I take a lot of pride in my work,” he says. “It’s not something
8UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
“I’m so used to doing soles and heels, I can do a great job on them almost blindfolded now, I’ve done so many,” he says matter-of-factly. Not surprising, since more than 10,000 repairs pass through his shop each year. While most of the work is cosmetic, some alterations have an orthotic component. He sees a continuous need for lifts, material placed in the sole of one shoe to equalize leg length when one leg is shorter. Sometimes the lift is a quarter to half an inch, not noticeable at all, while in severe cases, one sole is lifted upwards of four inches. “We have about 75 people we do that regularly for.” These days, with women’s heels often rising past four inches, Mike also sees a lot of demand to cut down the height, which is restricted to a half-inch reduction. He also cuts down the height of the leg shaft for shorter legs.
The Rockingham native learned the craft from his grandfather, a shoe repairman in Wadesboro. “I was fixing zippers in boots when I was 12,” Mike says. His grandfather bought factory defective shoes, which Mike repaired for resale in the shop. “That’s how I got started.”
attention, he says with a laugh.
“We extend the tops of boots; we can even widen the boots, adding elastic gussets or a zipper in the back to add space. That’s easier now because the style is to show the zipper.” And he can cut out excessive width, too. Zippers and gussets are a little more time consuming than soles and heels, Mike says, and also more tedious. He has to pay
If it’s leather, he can work it. The shop sees saddles with broken stirrups, buckles and straps, as well as gun carrying cases and suitcases needing new zippers. “You buy a Coach bag and the zipper goes bad or the strap breaks. I can repair it for less than $10, and you can’t pay the postage to ship the bag back for that.” The most unusual item he’s repaired? A
doll baby. “A lady had an antique doll where the head popped off. I fixed it because she was a good customer.
sole for stitching and stitching itself, just to name a few. One machine cost $18,000 when he bought it, which takes a lot of $7 heel taps to recoup.
In the midst of leather “People will bring goods and rubber soles, anything to a shoe Victory Shoe Shop sells shop. I don’t know honey for a local beekeeper, Electronic equipment has changed in shoe repair, but some signs of the past have understand why and Mike spends as much (Nancy Stephen photos) remained, such as shoe stretchers and a shoe shine sign. that is. For some time with people who stop customers; I enjoy dealing with people, reason, anything might come into a shoe in to buy honey as with those who need and I enjoy my work.” shop.” shoe repairs. He takes the time to explain how to refresh the jar of honey in a pan of Mike’s prices seem very low - $7 for heel Mike not only is an experienced warm water to “melt” the sugar crystals taps – but his expenses can fluctuate repairman, he’s also acclaimed. He’s won that might form from sitting. widely. “Every time that fuel prices go up, the Silver Cup Award, a national honor for shoe repair. “I’m proud of that.” While hands-on work is his business, customer service is given just as readily. In the midst of gussets, lifts, zippers and heel taps, Mike stops whatever he’s doing to shine shoes when requested. “It’s what we do,” he says nonchalantly, “it’s a service. We shine them while you wait.” As he works in the back room one afternoon while his wife Nancy, who typically handles the front counter, was out, the door chimed continuously as customers came in every few minutes either to leave repairs or pick them up. Despite not getting any real work completed, Mike greets each customer as if he is the most important part of the day and there’s not a pile of work waiting in the back. He displays an easy Southern charm, calling middle-aged women “young ladies” with a demeanor that is charming, not disrespectful in the least. He laughs and jokes with customers who may have spent only $7 for new heel taps, but this old-school service has helped make his business successful. “It’s a lucrative business. You’re not going to get rich, but you can make a good living . . . and I enjoy it. “That’s the thing about it. I’d rather make less money than a lot of people and enjoy what I do. I don’t have to have the highest paid job and hate it every day. I enjoy my
our costs go up” for rubber soles and taps. “We try to maintain our prices at least six months; I just absorb the cost.”
“That’s the way I do things,” he says. “I have pretty simple ways.”
And overhead costs also can be quite high. Shoe repair equipment is taskspecific, with different machines for sanding, trimming, cutting grooves in the
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Union Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center 1851 Wellness Blvd. in Monroe n 5829 Phyliss Lane, Suite B, in Mint Hill (704) 291-7333 n UnionOralSurgery.com n Facebook.com/UnionOralSurgery
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March20139
ByNancyE.Stephen
The Better Car People partners during one of their play days. From left are Tyler Uebele, Chris Martinez, Brian Musgrave and Matthew Belk.
B
ehind a somewhat darkened storefront in Downtown Monroe is an open room with little furniture, just a few people and their computers. No file cabinets, printers or copiers in sight. Not even stacks of papers. This is no ordinary office, you notice immediately, but then, this is no ordinary business either. This is Better Car People, a technology center for more than 1,100 automotive dealers around the nation. It’s the brainchild of Matthew Belk, who with his three partners – Brian Musgrave, Tyler Uebele and Chris Martinez – makes car dealers look good to prospective buyers. Their product is answers, basically. The business provides prompt and cogent computerized answers to consumers’ online queries at auto dealer websites. Better Car was a natural business for Matthew, who worked with Hendrick Automotive Group for 14 years, eventually running its e-business program for 84 stores. Tired of traveling more than 100 days a year, he started a consulting business, helping other dealers with their eprograms. As an example, General Motors was concerned that its dealers weren’t answering queries generated through the web. Not only not fast enough, but not at all, resulting in massive lost opportunity. GM offered its dealers a $10,000 incentive each quarter to answer information requests within a one-hour average over 24 hours. But millions of dollars were left on the table because the web leads weren’t being answered, especially during what Matthew calls “uncomfortable nighttime hours.” Dealers needed a system to answer queries 24 hours a day without hiring additional
10UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
‘We work hard, an
Behind-the-scenesbusinessatechn staff. They needed to respond quickly, instead of information requests languishing for hours until someone could sit down at the computer. By then, the potential buyer may have moved on. Enter Matthew, who knew how to make a system work. His concept was answering the first query promptly with germain information, using a combination of technology and people. “You need to answer a person’s email quickly and with a relevant response,” he says, not just an automated “thank you for your question; we’ll be back to you soon.”
Here’s how the system works. Suppose you’re looking online at a Buick, for example, and send an email to the local dealership with a question about a specific model. The dealer’s system automatically forwards the query to Better Car People, whose system generates an appropriate response. But it doesn’t stop there. “Real people review each response before it goes out,” Matthew explains, regardless of the time of day. Employees are reviewing answers from their home,
probably in their pajamas, at all hours of the night and day. With Better Car’s high tech response system, you learn not only the answer to your question but also about other features on the car that might interest you and about the dealership itself. “These are quality responses,” Matthew says, not just a generic response that could apply to almost any vehicle. Not only does the consumer receive the response, the dealer’s sales force also sees the message so it can follow up appropriately. The business is just three years old and the staff is small, but the impact has been amazing. The first line of computer code was written in October 2009, and Matthew immediately started selling the program. By December 2009, 10 dealers had signed up; by June 2010, 500 dealers were on board. In the beginning, staff was answering 10,000 leads a month; now it’s more than 100,000 with an average response of just 7 minutes, even at 2 a.m. Currently, Better Car services dealers of more than 30 makes of cars all across the country. Of approximately 18,000
franchise dealers in the United States, Better Car has more than 1,100 as clients. And the list keeps growing. GM dealers were among the first to sign up, seeking the bonus. “Those dealers found that our system worked,” Matthew says. Eventually, so many were earning the bonus that GM stopped the incentive.
When you first meet Matthew, you might call him quirky; that’s why Brian is CFO; he’s the levelheaded one. “I’m not a detail person,” Matthew readily admits. “I identify the opportunity and hire the right people.”
it was yoga classes. Now, employees can work from home one day a week and enjoy an on-site gym. The company’s Christmas party involved bowling, laser tag and a video game contest, and each employee received a Google tablet.
Tyler is in charge of development, although his business card reads “chief of unbrokenness,” and Chris is director of operations.
“We work hard and we play hard,” Matthew says.
The cost for dealers is minimal, just a small setup fee and $299 per month for the first 200 leads, plus $1 for each additional lead, Brian explains. “It’s very palatable to vendors. We tell them ‘We can make it easier for you’.”
The team works well together, Matthew says. “We have a cool business culture.” No coat and ties for the employees; the work outcome is what’s important.
The cost per dealer may be small, but overall, it’s a $3.5 million-plus business.
“We offered free peanut better and jelly sandwiches originally” as a benefit. Later
nd we play hard’
nologycenterfor1,100cardealers
“We get what we don’t deserve. God has been very good to us. We’ve been blessed beyond belief.” Better Car People and its sister company, Big Ring Interactive, a web design business, have become strong supporters of non-profits in Union County. “We have a giving back philosophy,” Matthew says. “We go back to the community and start helping it.” Currently, the businesses are corporate sponsors for Union Symphony, American Red Cross and the Union County Community Shelter and support other organizations, including Union Academy.
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201311
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life lessons ByJimDenny
I
am a project, a work in progress. The sculptor and artist? My beautiful and beloved wife, Patti. In the 20 years we’ve been married, I’ve learned many things – how to load a dishwasher properly, how to clean a house in the proper sequence of activities and rooms and how to make a pot of coffee on a weekend morning whether I want coffee or not – just to name a few. My first lesson from our early married life was “NEVER leave your towel on the bed after a shower.” I mean NEVER.
mean was the truth. And that was stupid. “Habit, I guess.” I was looking at Patti. I was thinking this was just a normal conversation between newlyweds getting used to each other’s living habits and customs, but in the moment after I uttered those words, I knew something was wrong. Patti’s entire being tensed. It was as if she was hearing a family of werewolves drag their sharpened claws along the length of a chalkboard, while they howled in some cacophonous squeal at the rising moon. It was obvious. She didn’t like my answer. I had no idea what was coming next, but I didn’t think it would be as polite as it was. “Can you not do that, please? A wet towel on the bed is just gross.”
It was the first weekday together, and I showered and headed to the office.
That’s what she said. But that is not at all what I heard. I got the message loud and clear. No more towels on the bed. Or else. I’m a fast learner.
When I came home, Patti asked me why I had left my wet towel on the bed. I said something stupid. I say stupid, but what I
At this point, I faced a new dilemma. If I wore the towel out of the bathroom, it was going to end up on the bed. A new habit in
12UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
Jim Denny and son Jackson enjoy many things together, including climbing a tree.
the works: I would dry off, hang the towel over the towel rack and walk out of the bathroom to get dressed. The problem? I was now walking about, um, without a towel. On some mornings, Patti would get up and open the blinds. I would finish my shower and walk into the bedroom – sans towel – with the blinds open. “Jim!” Patti would exclaim, “The blinds are open!” I’m a smart mouth. Patti knew that when she married me, and truth be told, I think it’s one of the reasons she likes me. So, when she told me with such concern that the blinds were open, I simply looked at her – sans towel, in a room with open blinds, in an apartment complex where all windows seemed to face ours – and said, “Hey, if these people don’t have anything better to look at, then have at it. If I were them and looked in to see this, I’d shut MY blinds.” I smiled. She smiled, shook her head and walked out.
‘As a father, I don’t think anything is more powerful than the moment at which you realize you have had an indelible impact on the life of your child.’ Looking back, I was supposed to learn a lesson that day. But the “no towels on the bed” lesson was just settling in, and my mind could not accept any more training. Unfortunately for Patti – and perhaps our neighbors – I have never changed my other habit. Patti hasn’t given up on me as a project, and I’m not the only project anymore. Every night, when our 12-year-old son Jackson heads up to take his shower, Patti will say, “Close your blinds before you take your shower.” Different approach, but the same goal. And with Jackson, the lesson has stuck. Sometimes he’ll come into our room when I’m getting out of the shower and say, “Dad! The blinds are open.” “Hey, Jackson,” I’ll say. “If there are people out there who really have nothing better to look at than me, then . . . .” For years, he’s given me the same reminder of the open blinds. And for years, I’ve uttered the same words. Last spring, we visited Seattle, staying in a hotel with a window that looked out over a side street where tourists would go to see the original Starbucks or the guys throwing fish or the fresh cut flowers in their abundance.
One day, I stepped into the room and Patti reminded me that the blinds were open. I was ready.
him is a part of me. Hopefully, all the best parts of me, however few they may be. I hope he gets them all in large doses.
I’ve said it for the last 20 years. Today was not going to be the day that I learned my lesson.
As a father, I don’t think anything is more powerful than the moment at which you realize you have had an indelible impact on the life of your child.
“Jim,” Patti said. “Those people out there can see into the room.” “I know, I know,” I said. “But you know what? It’s like I always say.” “What?” Jackson said. “What do I always say when you or your mom remind me that the blinds are open when I’m getting dressed?” “Ohhh,” Jackson said, with a thoughtful drawl. And without missing a beat, he added, “Always leave ’em laughing?” Genius. Brilliant. Smart mouth. Patti and I laughed. And laughed. Jackson beamed. He couldn’t have been prouder of himself. He had us laughing! Watching him as he drank in the satisfaction of uttering the perfect quip at just the right time, I couldn’t help but realize how much of myself has been poured into him. There I was in him. The love of the laugh. The thirst for the quick wit. The satisfaction in the smiles of others. Inside
Maybe it doesn’t seem like much. But I know that I have given Jackson a kernel of happiness and a desire to share that with others. And just knowing that is good enough for me. The rest of what will make him great, he will, most certainly, learn from Patti.
WaxhawresidentJimDennyhas wonawardsforwriting,website developmentandcommunications planning.Noneofthisimpresseshis 12-year-oldson,Jackson. Asafather,Jimhasfoundthatboys aremoreimpressedbyhowfaryou canthrowafootball,howfastyou canrunandhowloudyoucan burp. Despitedeficienciesinthoseareas, Jimhopestoleavealasting impressiononJacksonbybeingthe bestdadhecanbe.
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UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201313
County boasts 5 museums that bring history alive ByNancyE.Stephen
Y
ou might think that big cities have the edge when the subject is museums, but three towns in Union County are determined to not only preserve history, but also to make it come alive for residents and visitors alike.
Forest Hills High School Principal Kevin Plue, above, peers into a recreated historic house at the Marshville museum. Bill Walters, right, stands behind the teacher’s desk he built as part of a recreated old-time schoolroom. (Nancy Stephen Photos)
It’s one thing to keep old documents secure for safekeeping, but another to not only display those documents in public, but also to create physical exhibits to make that history three-dimensional. Five local museums do just that.
Marshville houses the newest museum, which opened last summer. A group of residents knew their small town of less than 3,000 citizens had a rich history that was being lost and knew the history drain would continue unless they started a town museum. It wasn’t quite that easy, according to Johnny Pigg, or even quick, but the process never slowed because the residents, whose names and numbers varied through the years, were dedicated. The Marshville Museum and Cultural Center opened at 102 N. Elm Street in a 1915 bank building, which itself earned a National Historical Registry designation. “We knew there would never be a shortage of items to display,” Johnny explained. And he is correct. The museum is currently filled with 18 exhibits that illustrate life beginning in the 1700s, when Waxhaw Indians lived along Beaver Dam Creek, through the 1870s when cotton was king, and into current life, even featuring hometown celebrity Randy Travis. And residents continue to bring in additional items. The museum idea was bandied about in 2006, but had 14UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
difficulty gaining enough momentum initially to move forward. “It just couldn’t get off the ground,” Johnny says. After several “fits and starts,” more folks got together “and started talking again – what we thought we could do on it.” From then, the volunteers pushed forward with gusto, time and their own money. Although the building is owned by the town and several businesses either donated or loaned items and supplies, most of the initial $10,000 startup funding came from the board of directors and volunteers. The volunteers are committed to accuracy and give extensive details such as the history of the wood used for a cabin exhibit – more than 115 years old and from the home of John Calvin, southwest of Marshville. Several of the volunteers, including Bill and Elizabeth Walters, took on entire exhibits, such as the Walters’ recreated classroom. Visitors also can see equipment from the medical practice of Dr. John P.U. McLeod and borrow recorded histories by some of Marshville’s citizens. ThemuseumisopenFridaysandSaturdaysfrom10a.m.until4 p.m.,Sundaysfrom1p.m.to4p.m.andonspecialoccasions. Admissionisfree.102N.ElmStreet,Marshville,NC28103
Museum of the Waxhaws The debate regarding whether President Andrew Jackson was born in North Carolina or South Carolina will probably continue until the end of time, but what’s not debated is that he was born in the Waxhaw region, which encompasses both states. The Museum of the Waxhaws is dedicated to a history of the region, the Waxhaw Indians and the memory of Jackson, our nation’s seventh president. Beginning with the area’s Native American roots, exhibits trace the history of the region to the turn of the 20th century, giving particular attention to Scots-Irish immigration and the rural life of these early settlers. Other displays interpret the American Revolution in the region, as well as agriculture and the Civil War. A turn of the century exhibit gives a unique look at Waxhaw as it existed around 1900. One prized exhibit is the Secrest Homestead complete with the 1840s family residence, heritage garden and several outbuildings. The home was donated and moved to the Museum in 1997. ThemuseumisopenFridayandSaturday,10a.m.–5p.m.,and Sunday,2p.m.-4p.m.Admissionisadults$5,seniors(60and over)$4,children(6-12)$2andfreeforchildren5andyounger. 8215WaxhawHwy.,Waxhaw,NC.(704)843-1832. www.MuseumOfTheWaxhaws.com.
JAARS Museum of the Alphabet and Mexico-Cardenas Museum The JAARS campus in Waxhaw houses two unusual museums. The Museum of the Alphabet was developed to explore the origins of writing. Exhibits trace the history of writing systems from the ancient world to today. The museum offers interactive programs, allowing visitors to take quizzes and print their name in Arabic, Assyrian, Hebrew and Punjabi. While there, you can see a copy of the Rosetta Stone and a 150-year-old Torah scroll. Languages explored include Greek, Roman, Armenian, Indic, Cyrillic, East Asian, African and modern alphabets. The Mexico-Cardenas Museum celebrates the ties between the people of Mexico and their former president, Lazaro Cardenas, and Wycliffe Bible Translators, who began working in the country in the 1930s.
Visitors can become absorbed in Mexico’s culture with folk art, photos, artifacts and clothing. Along the way, you’ll learn about Cardenas, who was close friends with the founder of JAARS, Cameron Townsend. JAARS is a support organization for Bible translators worldwide, helping partners get the support they need, whether that’s Internet, life jackets, or a flight to a remote village. MuseumsareopenMondaythroughSaturday,9a.m.–noonand 1p.m.-4p.m.Admissionisfree.6409DavisRoad,Waxhaw,NC 28173.(704)843-6066.www.Jaars.org/visit/museums
Jesse Helms Center The Jesse Helms Center houses the papers and memorabilia of Sen. Jesse Helms, a native of Monroe who served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years. The papers and other memorabilia were a gift to Wingate University. Helms attended then-Wingate College during the depression after the college president told him he could worry about payment later. Helms never forgot that kindness and later directed that his senatorial papers be given to the college that treated him so well. The Jesse Helms Center features a replica of the senator’s office on Capitol Hill and is a resource for historians and others interested in the senator and his work. It is known for its public lecture series, outreach to young people through the Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge, seminars for teachers and other core topics that are uniquely American. ThecenterisopenMondaythroughFriday,9a.m.–5p.m. 3910U.S.74,Wingate,NC28174.(704)233-1776. JesseHelmsCenter.org
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ByLuanneWilliams
A
passerby at Wingate University might see a crowd gathering and wonder what's “playing” in the Batte Center. But for Laura Kratt, director of cultural events, the question is reversed — what role is the Batte Center playing in the life of the university and beyond? A Charlotte native who remembers her grandfather raising cows in Union County, Laura has a passion for enriching the cultural life of students, faculty and staff and expanding that outreach to provide a “vibrant and lively home of the arts” to the broader community as well. “In a year’s time, more than 100,000 people are coming through the doors of these facilities to engage in over 500 activities and events,” she says. Even with paid attendance up 300 percent, Laura says the Batte Center has a ways to go in filling a more regional niche that complements what's already going on in and around Charlotte. “Union County has so much to offer, but sometimes that's hard to realize because we’re so spread out. Sometimes we can miss what’s right under our noses,” she adds. “One of my jobs has been to increase visibility.” A redesign of the
Batte Center website, teaming with National Public Radio and other media and becoming a partner of Ulysses, Charlotte's month-long Spring Festival of the Arts, are a few ways the University is repositioning itself in the area’s cultural life. Beyond the $8.5 million George A. Batte Jr. Fine Arts Center, which features the 554-seat Hannah Covington McGee Theatre, Wingate’s venues include Austin Auditorium with 999 seats, the 174-seat Plyler-Griffin Recital Hall, Batte’s Rotunda Lobby and the C. Douglas Helms Art Gallery. “Our niche is to take these wonderful cultural facilities and also to look at the University resources and knowledge base, couple that with collaborative partners in Union County and put all this together into an experience that everyone can enjoy,” Laura says. “When I’m doing booking, I’m looking at what’s been done well and trying to complement that, not trying to be duplicative of it.”
A crowd of students watches a Tibetan monk work on a sand mandala. (Glenda Bebber photo)
16UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
With that in mind, she says Wingate will leave “Wicked” to Blumenthal and instead offer integrative experiences like last fall’s “Exploring the
Winga Laura fill a c that Ch
Himalayas.” The event brought together Tibetan Buddhist monks who constructed an elaborate sand mandala in the Batte Center Rotunda, a Mount Everest-focused photographer from Marshville and a number of Himalayanrelated lectures involving more than a half dozen academic departments. “Arts can provide a wonderful connective tissue between diverse things,” she explains. Ideas for such events can start with an e-mail she reads about a student trip, a suggestion from a faculty member about a performer or even a random comment in a meeting. “My job is to use the arts to help connect those dots. With the Himalaya effort, eight departments all had a commonality, so it’s my job to try to put some structure around that and to bring in artists,” she says. “The performance then is more than just a performance, it’s a gateway.” While students and faculty are a captive audience of sorts, bringing in the community takes additional effort.
ate University’s Kratt strives to cultural niche complements harlotte arts
“It's a tricky thing because each community is unique. What might be a guaranteed sell-out in one isn't in another . . . . We've got to find arts experiences that connect with people and get them to get out of their house, in their car and driving to Wingate.”
who might prefer not to drive to uptown. Most of all, she wants to leave them hankering for more. “We want to introduce people to the Batte Center and Wingate University and have them leave here saying ‘Wow, look what else we can come and do’,” she says.
And the experience goes beyond what happens on stage. It starts with convenient parking, handicapped accessibility and good old hospitality.
“We're working very hard to bring in the best and the brightest, but the way a program grows and is sustained is through participation,” she says.
Stone Table became the Batte Center’s restaurant partner this season, providing free pre-show hors d’oeuvres to patrons. Adding entertainment in the Rotunda before the main show and having the art gallery open for browsing are additional bonuses.
“The best way to ensure cultural life is to be engaged as an audience member and as a contributor.” TolearnmoreortojointheBatte Center'se-maillist,loginto http://BatteCenter.org.
Laura wants to draw in folks who are already taking advantage of Charlotte’s offerings as well as those
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UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201317
NO EXCUSES! Whycan’twesticktoexercise? TextandphotosbyNancyE.Stephen BetterfitnessisoneofthetoptworesolutionsAmericansmakeevery year.(Theotheristoloseweight.)Andit’salsooneofthefirstoneswe break. Apparently,80percentofuswhopledgetoexercisemoreandeatlessin thenewyearwillhavegivenupbyValentine’sDay. Whyisthat?Mostofusagreethatexerciseisgoodforus,butyetwe don’texerciseenough. AccordingtoRevocycle.com,30percentofAmericansdon’texerciseat all,andonlyabout50percentexercisemorethantwotimesperweek. TheCentersforDiseaseControlsaythatbothmenandwomenages18 to44aremostlikelytomeetthestandardsforaerobicandmusclestrengtheningphysicalactivity.Buteventhosenumbersarelow.Mentap inat31.8percentandwomenatjust19.6percent. Whycan’twegetoffthecouchandintoagym?Whydosomepeople exercisereligiouslyandotherswouldratherbeafflictedwith Montezuma’sRevengethanworkout? Wetalkedtocountyresidentswhohaveexercisedregularlymostoftheir livestofindoutwhatmotivatesthem,whattheyknoworexperiencethat therestofusdon’t.Herearetheirstories.
Octogenarianiceskates dailydespiteastroke
B
ill Sewing isn’t about to let his age – 82 – or a stroke stop him from his exercise. He can skate circles around most adults and, in fact, does just that. He takes to the rink at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail upwards of five days a week. When by himself, he simply skates laps around the rink, but that’s just the beginning.
Above, Bill Sewing and his daughter Louise Ferrell pose during a break in skating.
His daughter, Louise Ferrell, frequently takes a break in her workday to skate with him, and he enjoys private lessons with Ice Skating Coach Tappie Dellinger three days a week.
Right and below, Bill has enjoyed skating in many shows and competitions, often taking on theatrical roles.
Bill suffered a massive stroke at the age of 58, after moving to North Carolina. “I was very active at the time,” he recalls, and the family was blindsided by his stroke. Louise thought she was going to lose her father. “We didn’t think he’d live,” she says.
“I skated way back,” he says. “I was able to just go around, but I enjoyed it.” At that time, the family lived in Delaware, where indoor skating rinks are the norm and Louise became the skater in the family.
“The stroke was so bad that I couldn’t speak for four years,” Bill remembers. Now, he speaks clearly and rapidly. Physically, he bounced back quickly. “I started skating because I wanted to do something. I couldn’t talk to anybody, but I could skate,” he says with his quick grin. After a few years of skating simple laps, Bill started taking lessons and participating in skating shows and competitions as far away as Seattle. He shines in his age group – which often is as broad as “over 50.” Just two years ago, Bill fell while skating and hit his head, but even that didn’t stop the octogenarian from returning to the ice. “The first thing he asked the doctor,” says his daughter, “was ‘when can I skate?’ Skating gives him a meaning in life.” The fall may not have stopped him, but Bill says it did slow him down and he now wears a helmet while skating alone. “I’d like to go faster, but I’m more afraid. I don’t want to fall down.” But with Tappie, all bets are off. “When I have Tappie here, I go dancing with her. She holds me, and I go backwards with her, too.” While skating gives him a form of expression, it also “keeps me in shape,” says Bill, whose physique would be the envy of many 20-year-old men. Actually, there’s very little that suggests “senior citizen” about Bill; his enthusiasm and energy belie his age. Apparently, age truly is only a number if you stay fit. UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201319
Quitting ‘not an
J
“I don’t feel like it sometimes,” he admits, “but I always do it. I know that my lack of interest will change when I get started, and it does every single time.”
ohn Howie started lifting weights in the garage as a 15 year old in 1968. Six years later, he placed fifth in the Mr. North Carolina contest. Another six years and he was Mr. North Carolina and owner of Enterprise Fitness Center in Monroe. By the mid ’80s, he was in the top 10 rankings for Mr. America and Mr. Universe, tall class, and was ranked in the top 10 deadlifts in the world.
‘
In 1987, everything changed in a split second.
If anyone ever had the reason to quit working out, he had that reason. But that would not be John Howie.
On the days he rides a stationary bike, electrodes are hooked to his legs, which make them turn the sprocket creating a pedaling motion. “My legs are working, but it’s a false impulse. It’s a computer brain, not my brain that’s making my legs work.” But the activity has the desired effect, improving his blood circulation, muscle tone and bone density.
In the 44 years that I’ve been working out, I’ve only known about five people who’ve been doing it that long, who’ve never quit. Every day, I wonder why people stop; it’s such a good thing. I can’t imagine not doing it; I can’t.
“When I got hurt, I was starting another center in Matthews. I had signed the lease a week before my accident and designed, staffed and executed the opening from a hospital bed in Miami,” where he stayed five months. One month back in Union County, and he was hard at work exercising and lifting weights. Exercise “was a lot different” from what he did just a month earlier, he admits. “I had to find ways to do things differently, find a lot of adaptations. It was quite different,” he says with a chuckle that tells more than his words. But quitting was “not an option.” “I love it. There’s nothing like doing something that makes you feel really good inside, that boosts your system – your endorphins, your quality of life, your sense of wellbeing. Nothing does it like exercise.” 20UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
‘
“I jumped into a lake and broke my neck,” he states matter-of-factly, an injury that permanently damaged the C6 and C7 vertebrae, causing loss of mobility below the chest.
John exercises religiously four or five days a week, where his workouts consume much more time than for those of us who don’t need assistance.
He rides 40 to 60 minutes twice a week and would like to do more. “I’d like to do it three days, but it takes 30 minutes to get ready and another 20 minutes to get undone.” Another day, he pushes his wheelchair around a track for 60 minutes straight, and once or twice a week, he lifts weights for his arms, chest, back and shoulders. “I work what works, and that’s all that works voluntarily.” Even lifting weights requires assistance, as John must use straps to secure his wrists to the bar since his hands can’t grip. On yet another day, a frame “cranks me up to standing for weight-bearing activity for bone density. Bones will decay if they don’t bear weight or muscles don’t pull on them,” he says. John considers his exercise program a part of life. And while being confined to a wheelchair does make exercise “a lot harder,” not exercising isn’t something that crosses his mind.
option’
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201321
Fitness a three-generation habit
W
hen Anne Austin, a 71-year-old grandmother from Unionville, started exercising almost 40 years ago, she didn’t realize she was starting a family trend. But she was, and now three generations of her family work out at the Monroe Aquatics and Fitness Center. Daughter, Renee Hottle, 52, and granddaughter Anna, 15, also have the exercise bug. All three are very slim, nary a pooching tummy in sight, and the mother and grandmother hardly look their age. Anne started exercising in her early ’30s. “I was getting into the health aspect of life,” she says, adding that she had gained a little weight and was not happy about it. It was a time of fad diets, which Anne refused to do. “I’m not going to do that,” she recalls thinking. “I’m going to change my lifestyle.” And she did. She’s a bit of an anomaly for her age, taking no prescription medicine. Anne started with weight machines, which was all her first gym offered. After retirement, she found herself going to the
22UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
Aquatics Center every day and thought, “why not work here.” She now works parttime in the fitness room and stays after work to exercise.
“I would force myself to not think of anything else. It helps your sanity, that’s for sure. It’s one guilt-free hour of bliss.”
“It just makes me feel better. I have the discipline to stay after work three times a week, and it works fine.”
Renee says she’s a better mom because of her fitness regimen. “You have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of anyone else.”
“I started with the machines because of the time factor,” she says, but “Renee was already doing classes, so I started doing classes with her.” She enjoys yoga to improve her flexibility and also has taken water aerobics classes.
Eventually, Renee moved into weightbearing exercise classes and loved them, too. “That, to this day, is my favorite, especially in a class.” She often follows class with a stint in the fitness center, working the opposite muscles from class.
“Exercise gives me energy and I sleep better. I hear people saying they can’t sleep, but I just die when I go to bed.”
Renee’s daughter, Anna, first went to the gym to stay in day care while her mom took classes. As she grew older, Anna joined her grandmother and mother in parent-child yoga.
Anne’s daughter, Renee, started exercising after her own daughter was born. Her doctor recommended exercise, which she calls the “hardest and easiest thing to do. If your energy level is low, exercise is hard. “And then you exercise, and it’s the greatest thing in the world. It’s the easiest way to lift your mood. Now I can’t wait until the next day. It makes me feel so much better.”
Anna has used many of the center’s facilities and services, including swimming lessons. Now, the teen’s focus is on dance, which she’s studied since age 3 or 4. Twice a week classes during the school year are most of her exercise, but during the summer hiatus, she’s at the gym with her family.
She started with yoga and loved it immediately. “The first class, I remember thinking, ‘This is the greatest thing in the world.’ For one hour, you can think only about yourself and not feel guilty about it.
Anna is fortunate to have her mom and grandmother as role models. They’ve taught her by illustration that fitness is important to your health, both physical and emotional.
Weather doesn’t matter, but running does
M
ike Waller runs outdoors in rain, oppressive heat and even snow. The weather doesn’t matter to him. What does matter is the outdoor running. The 58-year-old Weddington resident started running with his father while in high school and eventually ran the mile and half mile in track. But not all that well, he says. “I would place occasionally, but never win.” “After a while, I began enjoying being out and seeing the scenery. So when I got to college and needed to run, it wasn’t a problem.” He needed to run after being diagnosed with type one diabetes; exercise is a big component to controlling the condition. “I already knew I could run. You don’t need equipment, just running shoes. You don’t have to have a place, just where you are. So running became my preferred exercise.” After college, Mike developed the running schedule that has stayed with him during the ensuing decades. As a computer programmer in Charlotte, he began running everyday at lunch and always outdoors. “I ran for 40 to 45 minutes – six or seven miles – depending on how hot it was and how slow I was,” he says, laughing. “After a while, I wanted to get out of the office at lunch so running worked multiple purposes.” He even ran on weekends, keeping the strict regimen that has
helped keep his diabetes under control. Hitting the pavement became as much a part of life as sleeping. “After a while, it got to be ‘I really want to get out there.’ If I missed two days in a row, I didn’t feel right. Something wasn’t right.” Even now, after three days, he’s got to get back out. “I feel bad if I don’t do it; it’s what I’ve been doing for so long. It’s a good habit.” A knee injury during an obstacle course race in March didn’t stop Mike from running, at least not until October when he slowed to a walk for about a month. Then it was a modified walk-run pace. “We’ll see how that goes.” Not much keeps Mike from running, not even weather that closes gyms and businesses. If the footing is too icy or cars can’t get a good grip to stop, Mike doesn’t run. But other than that, he’s out there. Rain? “That’s no problem. In the summer, that’s a benefit; it’s cooler. Occasionally when my mood is bad and it’s pouring down, I might not run. But that’s seldom.” Heat? “I just slow down.” One summer day, he weighed before running and when he returned, revealing a temporary four-pound weight loss. “That takes a 95 degree and 98 percent day,” he says. Lightning? Mike laughs. “Yeah, I run in that, too.” He tells of casually encountering a physician who recognized Mike because he always ran the same streets. “You run in stuff I wouldn’t even drive in,” the doctor said. While Mike’s dedication to running was prompted by his diabetes, he’s found side benefits. “When I’m programming, my mind works when I’m out there pounding the pavement.” And creative solutions often follow.
UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201323
Making his nam
‘Rega I’m g alwa
ByNancyE.Stephen
P
lan A IS going to work for Taylor Pennington, an 18-year-old graduate of Parkwood High who is determined to break into the music industry. Plan A isn’t just a pipe dream, a teen’s look at professional musicians/celebrities and the thought “Wow, what a great life.” It’s a studied attempt to break into the industry, either in front of the mic or behind the scenes. Music hasn’t been a lifelong passion, just a six-year one. Taylor took piano lessons one year, which he quit after the recital and after hearing requisite parental verbiage: “You’ll always regret it if you quit.” Then he got into guitar. Eight months into lessons, guitar instructor Don Hargett said, “There’s nothing else I can teach you,” Taylor says. His father, Loyd, recalls Hargett adding, “The best thing he can do is play.” And Taylor did just that. “He would sit in his room, hour after hour playing,” his dad says. “Everywhere we went, the guitar went with us. We took a six-week trip out west, he took the guitar, constantly playing.” Taylor started writing songs about that time, music and lyrics simultaneously, and played in “a screamo band for a while, but I just couldn’t get into it. So I went into acoustic.” In high school, Taylor was a typical teen. “I had no idea what I wanted to do. I thought I’d just go get a business degree, a universal remote that you can get a pencil pusher job with and 24UnionLifestylelFebruary/March2013
hope that you climb the ladder until you retire.” His parents made a deposit at Western Carolina but that’s as far as it got. Loyd was standing with his son last year at a street concert when Taylor said, “That’s what I want to do, I want to perform like that, with people around, everyone having fun.” Loyd remembers replying, “Make it happen.” The next morning, Loyd opened an email from Taylor, who had gone home after the concert and recorded one of his songs, “The Runaway,” on video. “I was blown away; I didn’t know he sang. That was really cool.” “I think I was trying to prove to myself, more than anything else, that I could do it,” Taylor says. From then, his career goals changed rapidly.
me in Nashville
ardless of what going to do, it’s ays going to be in music.’
“One day, I found Dark Horse Recording studios on line. They have a school where they teach students to set up mics, edit, mix it, all the background stuff,” the teen says. Taylor immediately was sold on attending Dark Horse’s program. “I knew that I wanted to do music, but I also knew I wasn’t going to be some famous rock star.” His dad wasn’t sold on the idea quite as much. “I thought it was a far-fetched thing in his mind.” But he agreed that they could visit the studio, albeit with a different motive. “I truly went there to shoot holes in it, to figure out how I could justify why he couldn’t go,” Loyd says. “I still thought Western was the best thing for him to do. But I couldn’t find a single issue with the program.” He also saw his son’s determination.
(Loyd Pennington photo)
Soon, college was out the window and Taylor started at the Nashville studio for its 14-week program.
“It was very intense; eight hours a day, five days a week, with projects to finish at night.” At the end of studies, students are certified as an audio or sound engineer, but “in the music industry, it’s not about a piece of paper. You have to be able to show you can do it,” Taylor says. Hands-on experience is almost unlimited at the studio; students can use the facility and equipment whenever they are not booked. After hours, Taylor “stuck around a lot, sometimes until it closed at 10. Sometimes, I’d find a quiet place and write or go to the sound room to mix and edit.” Taylor recently headed back to Nashville to record an album of his own music under his stage name of Taylor Dean, with studio time still free to him as part of an internship. But he also
has to find a job to pay his bills while he interns for free. “I’m still writing, trying to keep up with my music as well as working with others.” Taylor wants to control his album all the way. “The goal is to not sign with a label. This way, the profits come to me. The idea is to produce an album without a label backing me. “I will track, edit and mix it myself,” with a little help from his talented friends backing him as session players. “They just want to help; there’s such a collaborative atmosphere in Nashville.” His mother, Donna, is “totally behind me, she’s my biggest fan,” Taylor says. “She asked ‘Does it make you happy? Then I’m all for it’.” Taylor has no career Plan B. “If you have a backup plan, you’re always thinking about it. But I’ve decided I’m going to make Plan A work. “I have a couple of years before I need to be concerned about things,” he says. “I might as well try now. I’m young; I’ve got time. I’m in control of my life, and that’s a great place to be – especially at 18 years old. Until it stops working, I’ll keep going at it.” His father doesn’t believe in backup plans either. “The minute you take your eyes off of the goal, you diminish your plan. You have to be laser focused on what you want to do. If you decide that it’s not the plan, then you look at something else . . . . If you take your eyes off the prize, you won’t make it. You kill your chances before you even get started.” Recognizing that in Nashville, he’s “one of almost millions trying to make it,” Taylor is encouraged by his few months there. He performed at Bluebird Café during an open mic night and was asked to come back for an invitation-only open mic show. Still, he’s not waiting for people to knock down his door. He’s going to perform everywhere he can. “In the next 365 days, I’d like to play 200 shows, hopefully become a regular at some places. You have to treat it like a job, even though it’s a hobby.” “I would hate my life if I had to do anything else (other than music). Regardless of what I’m going to do, it’s always going to be in music. I need to stay with musicians because I don’t fit in with anybody else, really.” View Taylor’s informal videos at www.TaylorDeanMusic.com. UnionLifestylelFebruary/March201325
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7:30 p.m. • $25 From gospel roots to pop Jan. sensation with Darrian Ford. Wingate University Batte Center (704) 233-8300, www.BatteCenter.org
things to do in Union County All Sats.
1
1st Friday Downtown Waxhaw
5 p.m. - 8 p.m. • Free Feb. Local eateries and several shops will be offering discounts. Theme TBA. www.Waxhaw.com
Mineral Springs Music Barn
7 p.m. $8 adults, under 12 free Showcasing the best bands in the area and providing family entertainment. Concessions offered. Just off Potter Road in Mineral Springs www.MineralSpringsMusicBarn.com
All Sats.
The Music of Sam Cooke
9
Up Close and Personal
Union Symphony Gala Romantic dining and dancing Feb. Feb. 9, 6 p.m. • $100 a person Coca-Cola Event Center • 304 W. Franklin St. By reservation, www.UnionSymphony.org or (704) 283-2525
Winter Wineland at Treehouse Vineyards
9
Free. Time TBA Program by renowned storyteller and historian, Kitty Wilson-Evans. Marshville Museum and Cultural Center 102 N. Elm Street, Marshville, NC 28103
Feb.
23
Cherish the Ladies 7:30 p.m. • $25
A leading group in traditional Irish music for a decade. Wingate University Batte Center (704) 233-8300, www.BatteCenter.org
Feb.
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Bridal Showcase
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. • Free Check out wedding vendors for Feb. invitations, florist, photography, DJ, hotels and bridal wear. Rolling Hills Country Club 2723 W. Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe Pre-register at (704) 289-4561
My Funny Valentine
Christian comedian David Dean Presented by New Life 91.9 Feb. 7 p.m. • $15 Family friendly comedy, free photo booth. First Baptist Church of Indian Trail 732 Indian Trail-Fairview Road Tickets: NewLife919.com/my-funny-valentine
Open until 10 p.m. Enjoy a glass of local muscadine wine around the firepit. Or enjoy the heated outdoor tent with your friends. 301 Bay Street, Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net
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Children and the Effects of the Civil War
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Free College Day at SPCC
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Take up to six 45-min. classes. Feb. Sculpture, robotics, iMovie howto, disc golf, medical coding, world cultures, etc. Register online:www.spccevents.com/freecollege SPCC, 4209 Old Charlotte Hwy, Monroe
Celebrate Valentine’s Day
UpClose & Personal at an elegant dinner, dance & auction. Saturday, February 9 n 6 p.m. Coca-Cola Event Center, 304 W Franklin St., Monroe Music by Union Symphony Strings and Union Jazz, followed by music for dancing. This project is supported by the Union County Community Arts Council and the Grassroots Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency.
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$100 a person. Reserve at 704.283.2525 or www.UnionSymphony.org. Black and white attire
Proc e
US
eds ben efit
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1st Friday Downtown Waxhaw
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5 p.m. - 8 p.m. March Free. Local eateries and several shops will be offering discounts. Theme TBA. www.Waxhaw.com
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Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Openers: A Deeper Shade of Blue & The Hinson Girls. 6 p.m. • $25 & $20 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year for two years, Russell Moore fronts a stellar bluegrass band. Presented with Music for a Cure Union County. Proceeds to benefit the Levine Cancer Center. Wingate University Batte Center (704) 233-8300, www.BatteCenter.org
March
2-3 March
An Evening of 10-Minute Plays The Storefront Theatre March 2, 7:30 p.m. • March 3,
2:30 p.m. $10 cash or check 10-minute plays tell tales of love and grief, wisdom and foolishness, revenge and passion. A variety of plays. A variety of actors. A variety of playwrights. (704) 243-7283, www.TheStorefrontTheatre.org Museum of the Waxhaws 8215 Waxhaw Highway, Waxhaw
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Founders Park on Conifer Cir.
Lake Park www.LakeParkNC.gov
Night for the Arts
featuring Party on the Moon Presented by the Union County March Community Arts Council 6:30 p.m. • $110 a person Dinner, dancing and show Party on the Moon has been voted American’s #1 corporate and private party band. They have performed with James Taylor, James Brown, The Temptations, Bob Seger, Three Dog Night, Journey and annually at Donald Trump’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. Union County Agricultural Center, cocktail attire Reservations required by Feb. 22 (704) 283-2784, uccac@aol.com www.PartyAtTheMoon.com
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March
Lake Park Annual Kite Festival
Union County Performance Ensemble Students from all 11 county high schools are performing in the musical version of Footloose, best known as a 1980s movie with Kevin Bacon about a town where dancing is prohibited. Larry Robinson is directing the show, while Debbie Watwood is musical director and Bianca Morgan is choreographer. All are teachers at Central Academy for Technology and Arts. Approximately 50 students will perform on stage, while an additional 30 to 40 students will be in the orchestra or part of the stage crew. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-16 and 21-23. Matinees are at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 and 24. Tickets are $10 for adults or $6 for students and can be purchased online at www.CarolinaTix.org or at the door. All performances will be held at Central Academy of Technology and Arts.
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Dancin' In the Clover
Union 4H Foundation and Youth Development Gala March 6 p.m.-midnight • $75 a person A dazzling evening with heavy hors d’oeuvres and dancing, plus an amateur dance contest featuring these Union County celebrities: l
Martha Allen, Union County Woman of the Year
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Corey Vosburgh Cohen, stay-at-home mom
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Daune Gardner, mayor of Waxhaw
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Britt Hadley, asst. pastor, Central United Methodist
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Rob Jackson, Union County Public Schools
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Todd Johnson, Union County Commissioner
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Phil Raines, Union County Farm Bureau insurance
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Nancy Stephen, Union Lifestyle publisher
Rolling Hills Country Club, black tie optional www.Union4HFoundation.com, (704) 283-3740
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Stallings Easter Egg Hunt
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Get ready to hop down the March bunny trail! The event is free for Stallings residents and $1 for non-residents. All participants will need a Stallings Egg Hunt Pass. Check the town’s website closer to the event for details. Stallings Elementary School Ball Fields 3501 Stallings Road www.StallingsNC.org, (704) 821.8557
Got an event the public would enjoy? Submit your activity with all the details – who, what, when, where and why – to Union Lifestyle for inclusion in the magazine and/or online. Send your information to Editor@UnionLifestyle.com.
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