Lifestyle UNION
Holiday home tours Life lessons Special agent mom Going off the grid Nov./Dec. 2012 www.UnionLifestyle.com
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Union Lifestyle PO Box 1064 Monroe, NC 28111-1064
Lifestyle UNION
December 2012 Vol. 2, No. 1
Editor Nancy E. Stephen
Contributing Writers Deb Coates Bledsoe Luanne Williams Martha Smith Allen
6 Nutcracker hits 20th anniversary with 2012 ballet.
Contents Union Lifestyle November/December 2012
9
18
Holiday stress – control it or it controls you.
Ex-federal agent snagged 25,900 pounds of drugs.
10
22
Holiday home tours slated for Monroe, Waxhaw.
Pipe organ intrigue prompts David Nelms’ career.
12
25
Thanksgiving is a top holiday for some residents.
Going off the grid: Mark Fowler won’t be in the dark again.
13
27
23 years later, Mike Lee still directs Christmas parade.
Ambiance and hearty food at Trattoria Antica.
14
29
Life lessons: Truly ’tis better to give than to receive.
24 entertaining and fun things to do in Union County.
Photographers Deb Coates Bledsoe Nancy E. Stephen
Union Lifestyle A publication of Cameo Communications, LLC PO Box 1064 Monroe, NC 28111-1064 (704) 753-9288 www.UnionLifestyle.com
www.facebook.com/ UnionLifestyle
On the cover Sarah Jirgal, a junior at Piedmont High School, dances the role of Clara in this year’s production of the Nutcracker.
24 Dec.
Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 3
Happy Birthday to us! It’s clichéd to say “my, how time flies!” But really, where did the last year go?
If we feature you, you’ll have to guess which adjective prompted the story!
As Union Lifestyle begins its second year, I took a few moments to reflect on the first year of publication.
When Oprah celebrated the 10th anniversary of O magazine, 10 readers who found a “golden ticket” in the issue earned the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to meet her.
What was I thinking? Actually, I know what I was thinking – everyone has a story. When I studied journalism years ago, this was presented as fact. At that time, I felt certain some people I knew would never warrant a magazine article, unless it was about stupid behavior.
I thought about doing that – briefly. I figured I’d have to throw in a new car. Here’s our deal: If you Like us on Facebook, you might win concert tickets. That’s just where we are.
Having weathered a few decades since then, I now agree with the professors – everyone has a story. In fact, some people have more than one story and typically at least one that can be told to the public! This edition’s story on Cathy Burns, who went from federal agent to real estate agent, is the result of a one-liner heard at a business luncheon. “You know, she is a former FBI agent.” Not exactly correct, but close enough for me to ask “exactly what did you do?” I find her story fascinating. The article on David Nelms, chair of the Union Symphony Orchestra board of directors, came similarly. When I asked his background, the story emerged. I’ve known Mike Lee, perennial parade coordinator, for many years – actually decades. He directed the parade when I first volunteered years ago as a Jaycee. The list can go on and on. Truly, there is a story in everyone. Stay tuned for another year as Union Lifestyle features more of the interesting, intriguing, odd, remarkable, unusual, curious and bizarre people in the county. 4 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
Like us on Facebook to earn a chance to win two tickets to Canadian Brass, A Holiday Concert, Dec. 7 www.facebook.com/UnionLifestyle
Editor@UnionLifestyle.com
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I
year,” Bonita explains, and her enthusiasm for the ballet never wanes.
f it’s Christmas time, it’s Nutcracker time, too. The famous ballet is a holiday favorite in virtually every county in America with a dance studio. Union County is no different. This year is a milestone for local Nutcracker production, as Bonita Simpson’s students showcase their talent in the traditional ballet for the 20th year. But how the production has changed over the years!
The Nutcracker A 20-year tradition in Union County By Nancy E. Stephen
Bonita had just 32 students when she opened her dance studio, not enough for even a skinny version of the ballet. “But I just decided ‘I’m going to do the Nutcracker’,” she says. Open auditions brought about 60 participants, and rehearsals began in earnest.
The production separated from Bonita’s School of Ballet into a separate non-profit organization in 1997 – Union County Youth Ballet. “We didn’t break even with the Nutcracker for nine years,” Bonita says, but she never thought of giving up. “It’s a big holiday tradition that people look forward to. It’s giving to the community, to the children who want to perform.” Currently, the ballet costs about $50,000 each year to produce. Bonita continues to create new parts to accommodate more dancers, finding a role for everyone who auditions. Even the tiniest of dancers audition for their role.
“We had to paint backdrops and make costumes by hand,” she remembers. “We had to put in a rigging system (in the auditorium) to raise and lower the backdrops.” The prized role of Clara went to Casey Collins Privette, who was “just precious” in the role. The first year’s two performances have grown to six, and the production roll has grown to about 175 dancers, plus adults to provide color in a party scene. “It keeps getting bigger and bigger every
A scene from last year’s Nutcracker production.
Bonita Simpson shows the little mice the placement of their hands and correct posture for a scene with this year’s Clara, Sarah Jirgal, a junior at Piedmont High. “She’s a very talented young lady,” Bonita says of Sarah. (Nancy Stephen Photo) “Oh, the excitement of these little kids,” she says. “As I hand out the papers and they see their parts, and they start jumping up and down, it’s so rewarding.” The Nutcracker is a huge production, no matter how you look at it. Rehearsals begin in September, with up to 30 groups rehearsing separately in Bonita’s studio in Monroe. “Everyone rehearses every week, but not at the same time. The hardest thing about the Nutcracker is making a rehearsal schedule that works for everyone.” While the prospect of adding 15 hours of rehearsals onto an already full teaching schedule would be daunting to most, Bonita wouldn’t think of canceling the Nutcracker.
(Contributed Photo)
“It’s one of my favorite ballets. I have to do the Nutcracker,” she says emphatically. “It wouldn’t be
Christmas without Nutcracker.” In mid-October, the groups start rehearsing together, but never all at the same time until dress rehearsals on the Batte Center’s stage. Many dancers have worked their way up the performance ladder from minor performance time to cherished roles. Bonita’s daughter, Tara, performed in the first production at age 4 as a little party girl and a cherub. It was “a little bit of dance and a little bit of stage presence,” Tara remembers. In 2000, Tara was Clara, which may be considered the most coveted role, and went on to perform as the sugar plum fairy in 2006, another prized role. In 20 years, she missed just one year of Nutcracker.
Meet Bonita Simpson, the heart of the ballet Bonita Simpson, a Monroe native, began studying ballet with Laura Smith at age 7 as a way to overcome shyness and quickly fell in love with the art. “From the first moment on, I knew it would always be a part of my life.” And it always has.
Students rehearse every weekend for several months prior to performance. This year, in addition to teaching and running rehearsals, Tara is a party adult, snowflake and Mother Ginger, who acts in a 15-foot high skirt. Some current dancers are children of the earliest dancers. Dara Hinson danced in the first few years, and her mother, Joan Hinson, sewed costumes. Now Jaiden Miravite, Dara’s daughter, is performing as an 8-year-old dream angel.
At age 15, she attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and “fell in love with ballet even more.” She studied with multiple teachers, including Gay Porter Speer, who became her mentor and prepared Bonita for the teacher’s exams with Cecchetti Council of America and Royal Academy of Dance. Not one to stop studying, Bonita recently studied American Ballet Theatre’s teacher’s curriculum and became certified in their teaching method.
Bonita Simpson in her younger days as a ballerina.
Some of her students currently perform in the Columbia City Ballet and Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, while two are aerial artists and several have dance studios.
Most of today’s performers have trained with Bonita for years, and their performances illustrate many years of lessons. “Their technique is so strong, we now look like a pre-professional company,” Bonita says proudly.
Performance Schedule Friday, December 14 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, December 15 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Batte Center at Wingate University Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens (65 and older), and $10 for students and children through 12th grade. Tickets can be ordered online at www.ucyb.org or purchased at Bonita's School of Ballet, 903-B N. Charlotte Ave., Monroe, NC 28110.
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Holiday stress – control it or it can control you For many, the whirlwind of activities that start with Halloween and end only after the new year often are accompanied by stress. A national poll suggests that more than 80 percent of us find the holiday season to be “somewhat” or “very” stressful. What’s with that? Holidays are supposed to be a time of family and love, not stress. Gay McGee Diller of Waxhaw changed one holiday tradition that was a source of stress and discovered the change made Christmas much calmer. She explains. “I was once a stickler for having a fresh tree. My husband never enjoyed bringing a live tree into our home and remembering to water it, getting the needles everywhere, plus enduring mishaps like a leaky stand and the tree toppling over during the night. “It all came to a head one year as we pulled up to the tree lot to get our Christmas tree, and I blew my stack in reaction to my husband's sour attitude in front of our children. I suddenly realized that the pursuit of the fresh tree scent was really a source of unnecessary holiday stress.” The purchase of an artificial tree and a candle that smells like fresh spruce and voila! The stress was gone. “Never say never when it comes to being set in your ways!” Gay suggests. “If something is causing discord in your home at Christmas, figure out another way to do it!”
Beat these common stressors day or two of overeating, and stock your kitchen with your favorite healthy foods to enjoy at other times.
The all-knowing “they” say that holiday stress is manageable and planable. Plan – that’s the important word.
Being alone
Trying to do too much Trying to buy the perfect gifts, host the perfect party and attend all festivities can quickly become overwhelming and not so much fun. Know your limits and stay within them.
Overeating, drinking, spending We’ve all been there in one fashion or another. If the issue is financial, set a budget and take time to specify how your funds will be spent, such as $100 for brother Bob’s family, $50 for holiday decorations, etc. For overdrinking, tell a friend you want to cut back and ask him to remind you when you party together. For overeating, allow yourself a specific
Most people don’t want to be alone for the holidays, but sometimes we have to work at an alternative. Be proactive; make plans now. Your plans can be as simple as scheduling shopping or dinner with a friend, asking to stop by a friend’s house or attending some of the many free or inexpensive holiday events.
Not being alone There comes a time when too many people for too long becomes a major headache. Finding “me time” is important. Take a walk, meet a friend for coffee, see a movie and savor the quiet time.
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Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 9
Holiday home
‘Borrow’ some ideas from
H
ave you wondered how the county’s gorgeous historic homes or sophisticated lake houses look decorated for the holidays? You have an opportunity to find out the weekend of Dec. 7 and 8 and to “borrow” a few ideas for your own holiday home decorating. The Waxhaw Woman’s Club and the Symphony League of Union Symphony Orchestra have separate holiday home tours that weekend, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of time to experience both. The Symphony tour is in Village Lake, a development around Lake Twitty in Monroe, while the Waxhaw tour has one cluster of homes within walking distance and the remaining sites requiring a car.
Road (one mile north of U.S. 74 on N.C. 200). On this tour you’ll visit beautifully decorated modern homes but take a moment to step outside and enjoy outstanding views of one of the county’s stunning lake shorelines. Residents opening their homes for the tour include Rick and Maureen Little, Frank and Marcie Garrett, Mike and Kris Holahan and Clark and Linda Rummage. Refreshments will be provided at the Garrett home, and Union Symphony musicians will provide holiday music at multiple locations. Advance tickets may be purchased either online at UnionSymphony.org or Monday through Friday at the Union Symphony office (211 N. Main Street, Suite C-1) or Lee Park Church (2505 Morgan Mill Road) for $20. Tickets also can be purchased on tour day.
The Waxhaw tour runs both Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. The Monroe tour is Saturday only and runs from 2 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Union Symphony League Lake Home Tour The Monroe lake home tour starts at Lee Park Church, 2505 Morgan Mill 10 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
Marcie Garrett decorates a tree in her foyer in preparation for the Lake Home Tour in Monroe. She started decorating her house, including the table top, in October. (Nancy Stephen Photos)
e decorating
m local holiday home tours
The Risser Gardens feature delightful metal sculptures. Funds raised will support concerts by the orchestra, youth orchestra and jazz ensemble. If you’re not quite ready to go home after visiting the lake homes, head back to Lee Park Church for its annual Bon Noel event, which starts at 5:30 pm. Bon Noel tickets must be purchased in advance for $7 by calling (704) 289-4674.
Waxhaw Woman's Club Holiday Tour of Homes The Waxhaw tour will feature six homes as well as three historic buildings, offering a potpourri of history, rusticity and uniquely created artwork. Here’s a taste of the Waxhaw buildings: the Eargle home, an 1880s home; Risser
(Contributed Photo)
Gardens, featuring delightful metal sculptures, and the Homestead at the Museum of the Waxhaws, providing a step back in time. Tickets can be purchased until Dec. 6 for $15 at three businesses on E. South Main Street in Waxhaw: Bella Dimora, The Bead Merchants and Eight Legs Gallery. Waiting until event days will cost you $5 more for each ticket, which will be on sale for $20 at the Waxhaw Woman's Club building. You can pick up a tour map and enjoy light refreshments at the club building. Funds raised from the tour are used by the Waxhaw Woman’s Club to provide college scholarships to a graduating girl from Parkwood and Cuthbertson high schools.
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Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 11
Holiday Traditions
Thanksgiving is a favorite for many
“I love Thanksgiving – it's all the friends and family fun without the pressure of presents and additional expectations. The focus is just on the gathering and the food, which is one of my favorite parts of any gathering.” - Andrea Price “One of my favorite traditions began some 20 years ago with our children and now our grands – going to cut down our own tree. After a huge Thanksgiving meal, we load up and drive to Papa John's Tree Farm. “We pile out and begin the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. This is always very interesting because, of course, there are many ideas of the perfect tree. After walking and arguing, we end up with the perfect tree. “The tree is cut down by family members with many pictures being taken.Then we pile back in the cars and stop at a convenience store on the way home for canned drinks and junk food, even though we have eaten our fill.” - Shellee Comer “My family has made Thanksgiving memorable by establishing our family traditions when the children were small, more 20 years ago. With family in New York and Florida, North Carolina was good middle ground. “It is the one time each year the whole family sets aside to be together. The cousins, now ages 14 to 30, begin talking weeks earlier about what movie we will all go see together on Thanksgiving Day and what games we will play in the evenings. “After Thursday dinner is prepped, a group of about 20 goes to the movies in the afternoon. When we get home, we finish preparations while enjoying appetizers. Dinner is in the dining The Fisichello’s game time in 2011 room with everyone at one table created with folding tables and chairs added. It's crowded and loud, and we love every minute of it! “Homemade pumpkin pie is always served for dessert followed by games and lots of laughter. It has become a family favorite that we all talk about and look forward to throughout the year.” - Martha and John Fisichello “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I make dishes at Thanksgiving that I don't make throughout the year. After we eat, the boys meet with other families and play football – they call it the turkey bowl. Then we all snuggle and watch movies. “Sometimes we go to a friend’s house and play Pictionary; sometimes the family plays corn hole in the back yard. Often, we girls take naps so we can go black Friday shopping – it’s really fun when I go with my daughters.” - Stephanie Belk 12 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
After 23 years, Mike Lee still directs Christmas parade By Deb Coates Bledsoe
Y
ou don’t have to be a kid to love a parade. Just ask Mike Lee, the on-site coordinator of the Union County Christmas Parade in Monroe for 23 years.
Mike Lee stands all alone at an intersection in Monroe, but come parade day, he is busy directing people, cars and floats from all directions. (Nancy Stephen Photo)
His standard position is at the corner of Parker Street and Sunset Drive, where he directs marching bands, decorated cars and trucks loaded with cheering students or beauty queens and oversized floats drawn by tractors.
“I’ve done it so many years that I’m scared to death that I’m going to forget something. It’s secondhand to me, and that’s when you can make a mistake. I’m more nervous now that I’ve done it for so long, that I’m going to forget something.”
In all, he coordinates more than 200 entries in the parade that delights 30,000 viewers in Downtown Monroe.
Each year, Mike meets his volunteers at 9 a.m. to start the arduous tasks of organizing the units. After they coordinate the floats, high school bands, Shriners, scout troops, tractors, elected officials, beauty queens and clowns, the parade rolls to a starts at 2 p.m. and concludes about two hours later.
The event is as popular today as 70 years ago. “We have to cut it off at 200 entries two weeks before the parade,” Mike said. “If we kept it open up until the parade, we would probably have 300 entries. There’s just not enough space to handle that many units, especially with the flatbed trucks.” Mike remembers the first parade in the mid 1950s, started by the Chamber of Commerce. His father, Tom, volunteered with the parade throughout the ’60s and into the early ’70s. “Dad mainly pulled the WMAP (radio station) float,” Mike said. “He was a volunteer and helped the day of the parade.” Just a few years later, Mike became involved. “It was being run by the Chamber’s Backbone Club,” Mike said. “When Mike Crooke asked me to help, I jumped at the opportunity.” And he never looked back. Shortly thereafter, Mike became responsible for running the parade through his role in the Chamber. In the late ’80s, he was asked to continue coordinating the parade. “John Ashcraft, Bucky Glover and Morrison Creech used to run it back in the ’80s and they pushed me and held my hand when I got started. After 1989 or 1990, the Backbone Club members said, ‘OK, Mike, you do it from now on’.” Even though Mike has been coordinating the parade for years, he still gets a little nervous.
Christmas may inspire visions of snow, but in Union County, the weather seldom cooperates. Parade organizers and volunteers usually work in short sleeve shirts. Of course, there are exceptions, like the time it snowed. “It started about 9 a.m.,” he said. “I bet it snowed three inches that day, but we still had the parade. We only had about half the entries because nobody wanted to come.” Mike said the snow “added a Norman Rockwell kind of feel to it.” His favorite part of the day? Watching the entire parade go by, then jumping on the Santa Claus float at the end and riding the route. “We have the best of both worlds. We get to see the parade and then we see everybody watching the parade. We get to sit with Santa Claus.”
Deb Coates Bledsoe, a former newspaper editor, is a freelance writer and photographer.
Union County Christmas Parade Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Downtown Monroe Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 13
{
}
life lessons
By Martha Smith Allen
A
t 4 years old, I was more interested in the black patent leather shoes and the rustle of my frilly petticoat and dress than in why I got to get dressed up on Sunday mornings to go to church. My father would press a nickel into my little hand and say, “This is your money for the offering.” I would give him a kiss and go happily inside and deposit my nickel into a little plastic church that had a slot in the top for coins. There we would talk about giving our money to support missionaries. This is my earliest memory of philanthropy. It may have been only a nickel, but it was important that I always put something in the offering. My earliest values on giving were instilled by my parents and the church. I remember hearing the phrases, “ To much is given, much is expected,” and that it is “more blessed to give than to receive.” It took time and maturity to fully understand these admonishments. But today, I know that the true joy of giving is that it is an expression of love.
‘When I opened my I realized that I coul
Making giving a habit has been a lifelong blessing and an expression of my love for people. If you’ve heard that you can’t “out give” God, my experience has shown me that he takes my little gifts and blesses them beyond what I can imagine. As parents, we are teaching and modeling by example. We cultivate in our children the virtues of gratitude, an appreciation for all life’s blessings and compassion for those less fortunate. It all starts in one’s formative years. My parents lived their words of advice about giving. My father was active in the community and served on the boards of local charities. He taught us that if we were going to live in a community, we should support it with our time, talents and treasures. My mother, with the full-time job of raising five young kids at home, modeled another type of charity. I remember the occasional knock at the back door. There would be standing a stranger, dirty and down on his luck, asking for something to eat. Mother was never too busy to make a large sandwich and pour a glass of milk.
14 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
Martha Allen volunteered to donate and distribute Christmas goodies to children of deployed National Guardsmen.
(Nancy Stephen Photos)
I remember the gratitude in his eyes. Mother would say, “We have enough to eat and can help this man.” That was a lesson in sharing and compassion for your fellow man.
y eyes and my heart to the needs of others, ld truly make a difference in my community.’ Live your truth How do you see a need and not just say, “Those poor people, someone should help them.” When I asked who could help, the answer was, “maybe it’s me!” Ask yourself, “What can I do?” When I opened my eyes and my heart to the needs of others, I realized that I could truly make a difference in my community.
Volunteering Volunteering gets you up close and personal with why you give. Even if you don’t have means to give financially to a cause, you can give your time. When you take your children with you to volunteer, you model the behavior you would like them to emulate. It reinforces your family values of compassion, bonds you together as a family and helps prevent feelings of entitlement. One of my favorite quotes is, “If there’s hope in the future, there’s power in the present.” Volunteerism and giving empower people to know that they too can make a difference in their community.
Make your gift count Maximize your gift by taking advantage of challenge grants or making strategic gifts that encourage others to give. Put your money where your mouth is. One of the biggest dilemmas I have had
was allowing my name to be associated with a gift. I didn’t want to appear boastful about making a gift, but I realized that some people only give after others have made an initial gift. Albert Schweitzer said, “Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” That to me is one of the highest forms of flattery – when someone else adds to what you’ve given.
Giving feels great I have asked many people for money on behalf of organizations. I do it for the good of my community. In the words of the famous comedian Bob Hope, “If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.” Giving always makes me feel good. I don’t ask people to give until it hurts, I ask them to give until it feels really great! I invite you to know the joy of giving. It can change you as much as it changes the organization to which you’ve made the gift. In giving to others, you may be giving yourself the best gift of all.
Martha Allen chats with Kim Norwood, right, executive director of the Union Symphony Orchestra.
Martha Allen serves on the board of directors of the Union Symphony Orchestra, performs as a cellist with the youth groups when needed and volunteered as interim director for eight months. She serves on the board of the Union County chapter of the American Red Cross and with the Tiffany Circle of Red Cross women philanthropists as regional co-chair, national summit co-chair and on the national council. She also works with the steering committee of the Union County Leadership Conference.
Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 15
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Ex-federal agent trades life in drug investigation for a family
‘Our truc
We we
Cathy Burns proudly displays her gun range qualifying target where she scored a perfect score. (Nancy Stephen Photo)
By Nancy E. Stephen
W
hen two border patrol agents were shot last month, one fatally, in a remote area of Arizona, Cathy Burns felt the pain almost viscerally. Cathy, a tall, striking blonde businesswoman, was a border patrol agent herself in the same area – in a former life. Now she’s a real estate agent in western Union County and a mother of two children. The recent incident occurred as the agents were on horseback, a typical scenario in that desolate area with few paved roads but many drug smugglers. “That was a sad reminder of how 18 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
dangerous it can be securing the border,” Cathy said. “But when I was in law enforcement, fear was definitely not something that I thought about. I relied on my training and had faith in my abilities and those of my colleagues.” She adds, “My heart rate would certainly increase during certain situations, such as flying at night in Blackhawk helicopters, executing search warrants or vehicle stops on suspected drug smugglers. “It was only after an incident that I may have thought, ‘Wow, that could have been bad.’ Then I was thankful that everyone was safe and moved on the next one.” Cathy’s foray into law enforcement came early in her life in Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. She learned about summer job opportunities for college students through her father’s role in the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and interned with the U.S. Customs Service. “Once I took the internship, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. It was pretty exciting as a 19- or 20-year-old working in that environment.”
cks stopped a mile apart.
ere staring at him; he was staring at us.’ After graduating from college, she spent five months at the federal law enforcement training center undergoing what she calls “very intense training. It was a lot of law, physical training, firearms and driving.” She also learned job-specific skills, such as non-lethal control techniques – “putting people on the ground, taking charge of them physically without killing them.” Then she reported to duty as the only female customs agent in New Mexico, just 30 miles north of Mexico, where her appearance was a culture shock from both perspectives. “I went be-bopping in with blonde hair and nice clothes” to an area where jeans and boots were the de rigueur. “That was a rude awakening for someone from the
sophisticated DC area – tumbleweeds and pickup trucks.” As a special agent for the border control agency, now part of the Department of Homeland Security, Cathy quickly became fully enmeshed in undercover investigations, although she says everyone in her 20,000-person county “knew who I was and what I drove. I couldn’t blend in there with this blonde hair. People knew where I was, where I lived, what I did.” Her job? 100 percent drug smuggling investigations, typically across unmanned – and unpaved – sections of the border. During her law enforcement tenure, Cathy garnered 181 arrests, seized more than $450,700 in cash and more than 25,900 pounds of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin.
As an agent in New Mexico, Cathy often investigated drug smuggling on horseback. Above, she shows some of the money confiscated on the job. (Contributed Photos)
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Many operations were at night, when human “mules,” the lowlevel transporter of drugs, would use animal mules to haul drugs across obscure passages. “I spent a lot of time looking for actual mule trains coming across the desolated border, trying to intercept them.” Sometimes she and her partner were in a truck; other times they were on horseback “in places so remote that was the only way to get in.” Still other times, Cathy was in Blackhawk helicopters, waiting to swoop in on a mule train from a distance after a radio call from the National Guard, which had “done a low crawl into a place where they could listen and observe for several days.
trucks to transport it all.” Although she worked with just her partner in areas with no cell phone towers and even the very powerful radios didn’t work, she typically didn’t think about danger. As a rule, Cathy carried a pistol as her regular duty weapon, and there were shotguns in the trunk of her car “every day.” “If we had high expectation of danger, we’d bring in the SWAT teams. We would wear tactical clothing, all black clothing, military pants tucked into boots – and we did have body armor,” she explained. While her role as an immigration and customs agent was exciting, it also was long, difficult and not suited for the parent she wanted to be.
“These were allnight operations Cathy Burns poses with drugs confiscated during an investigation. for us,” she added. “We worked almost seven days a week; we worked all the “We weren’t always successful, but we were a deterrent. We time. But it was an exciting career. couldn’t let the smugglers relax.” “I moved here because I wanted to have a family. That lifestyle Cathy served as case agent on what may have been the biggest was super fun, but it wasn’t very conducive to raising a marijuana seizure in the state of New Mexico, seizing more family.” than 10,000 pounds of the drug, worth $8 million in street dollars wholesale. The seizure was the result of informant information, which was typical. “We had a lot of informants; we worked with them over and over.” This scenario was simple. “The informant said it was there. We went, looked and, sure enough, it was there. We had to rent
After moving to North Carolina, Cathy worked with the DEA for two years, exclusively in drug investigations. She remembers that work also as exciting, “organized crime on the lower end, more street level crimes up to larger investigations. I was still doing the things that I loved. There’s
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only time I thought I might be in danger involved a Mexican cartel that was not very happy with us at this point. We were in an abandoned house close to the Mexican border. No one was at home. We were pretty convinced they had snipers off in Mexico watching – it was just a mile and a half or so from the border, as the crow flies. There were no real roads; we were driving cross country or on ranchers’ two-track roads. We had been out for about 48 hours because we knew there was a particular area where they were bringing marijuana . . . . It was one of the best times I had.
jumps an embankment and crashes the truck. He bails out and starts running up a mountain.
We were exhausted. We could see dust in the distance. We start heading toward the vehicle in our truck.
He thinks he’s headed to Mexico; he’s actually headed to the United States. We chased him for some distance and arrested him.
He does a U-turn, and we take off after him. We’re chasing this guy for a long time. He
The truck was piled high with bales of marijuana – 900 pounds of marijuana.
‘
nothing more fulfilling (as a law enforcement officer) than putting people in jail.” Later, she worked drug investigations at the Charlotte airport. “I just gave up the aircraft and horses . . . . When people would smuggle drugs in, they would not be very happy if they saw me. They were going to jail.” But as a mother, her life had to again change. “Those things that I loved – kicking in someone’s door in the early hours – wasn’t as appealing when I had kids at home. I needed to make a change so that I could spend more time with my children.”
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The result? A real estate license and eventually Cathy Burns Real Estate. “I was always interested in real estate,” she said, “and knew I had a personality that would make it difficult to sit at a desk, to work for someone else.”
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Does she still have a have a hankering for drug enforcement? She pauses, suggesting that role still is enticing. “When I think about what’s involved with raising my kids, no. . . . I was good at it, I enjoyed it, but it wouldn’t be good for my kids.
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“I miss the excitement,” she admits. “It was fun and very rewarding. I definitely had to switch my mindset from the number of people I put in jail to the number of houses that I close. It’s very different.”
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By Luanne Williams
I
t all began years ago in the balcony of Atlanta's Peachtree Christian Church when a teenage boy struggled to keep his mind on the words of the hymns. Instead it was the pipe organ, not just its range of sound — whisper soft to roaringly loud — but the unique clicks and mechanical backdrop that drew his attention. By the time the church minister of music allowed the 14-year-old to crawl through the organ's inner workings, David Nelms was enamored with the instrument that would become his life's work. The master pipe organ technician and principal owner of Pipe Organs of the Carolinas now spends time each week poring over one of the largest pipe organs in the world, keeping alive its glorious sound and keeping people aware of the instrument's tremendous range and versatility. “Part of my mission in life is to keep the
organ out there in awareness, so any time I have a chance to tell our story, I do,” David said from his office in Monroe. That story includes the massive grand organ at Calvary Church in Charlotte, the 13th largest pipe organ in the world. Designed in 1986 at a cost of $1.4 million, the magnificent 173,000-pound instrument took 350 people four years to complete, including 13 months of installation. Featuring 11,499 pipes ranging in size from smaller than a pencil to more than 40 feet long, the organ requires seven electric blowers two stories below and another two blowers four stories high. Its console includes five 61-key manuals, 302 stops and 200 other controls, making it the largest American-made drawknob console in the world.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. His firm was hired to remove the massive organ, then reinstall it after a room renovation in 1995. A piano student since the age of 6, David started studying privately with a church organist in his teens and headed to college intent on becoming a church musician. But he soon realized the idea of sitting on an organ bench day in and day out was not what appealed to him. When the owner of a Charlotte pipe organ service was looking for someone to follow in his footsteps, David knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Pipe organ Instrument’s mechanics draw
ranging from Calvary Church to
“I love showing the Calvary organ – the mechanics of it, the sheer size, behind the scenes.” He also is impressed by the organ at the
After the owner retired, David took over the business, renaming it Pipe Organ Service of the Carolinas and representing the M.P. Möller Pipe Organ Co.
An employee tunes the horizontal trumpets at Calvary Church as another repairs parts in the Cheraw facility. 22 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
(Contributed Photos)
Just a few years later, he was hard at work on the Calvary project. “We took care of the organ at their old church on Sardis Road and started talking to them as soon as they announced plans to build,” he said. Since the installation was completed in 1990, David has shown up at Calvary once a week to maintain and tune the immense instrument which attracts visitors from all over the world. “It is not difficult to maintain, but there is so much going on at once . . . with the millions of combinations of settings, we always find something,” he said.
n intrigue teen to a career
o Kennedy Center The organ’s 205 sets of pipes include some that are more than four stories high. “The weather at the floor is different from that at the ceiling, so we are constantly compensating for temperature and humidity changes as we adjust for the column of air that is in each pipe,” he said. “We take the tuner slide up or down depending on if it is sounding sharp or flat.” The tuning is done by ear, a skill David has honed over the years as he has grown the business from 50 or 60 service contracts to nearly 200 in the Carolinas and northern Georgia. His accounts include major and minor repairs as well as installations. He and three co-workers work out of the Monroe office, and he contracts other
technicians as needed. The business also has a 6,000 square-foot shop in Cheraw, SC, for building parts needed in repairs. While David loves maintaining and tuning both large organs like Calvary's and smaller ones like the one at First Baptist in Monroe, given his choice, he’d be in the shop designing and building new instruments.
But multi-year projects are not cost effective for an operation the size of his business, so his company instead represents several major organ companies that craft the instruments they install. The ailing economy and a trend toward contemporary church music have caused pipe organ sales to plummet.
Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 23
But David is hopeful that the pendulum will swing back to traditional hymns requiring the pipe organ and that churches with organs will realize their versatility and use them in blended services. Most pipe organ purists, though reluctant at first, began to embrace the use of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) a decade ago, he said, adding that he is developing a virtual organ. Meanwhile, he’d like to see many people enjoying the variety of the organ's sound, whether in a church, an auditorium or a refurbished movie house. “The general public is not necessarily aware of the church organ or the more popular music that the theater organ produces as well,” he said. “To gain the audience, we have to perform fun and entertaining music as well as sacred. Although the church is the place that the pipe organ is most often positioned, we’ve got to get it out and into auditoriums so the general public of today can be introduced to it.” David’s son Patrick, 21, helps him in the business, and when he brings friends to the job, it proves the benefit of exposure. “It is really a pleasure to show these kids – who have no idea in the world how a pipe organ works – the intricacies and watch them become interested,” he said. “Always, without exception, they are blown away.” What blows him away? A musical artist who knows how to take advantage of the pipe organ’s complete voice palette. “An organist who knows how to utilize every bit of what is available to him. That’s when music from the heart and mind flows through their fingers – it’s amazing to watch.” Luanne Williams is a former newspaper editor and a freelance writer.
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David Nelms’ company removed and re-installed the organ at Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (above) in Washington, DC. Below, Chad Lawrence and Patrick Nelms clean the Möller organ at First Baptist Church in Monroe during a recent renovation of the sanctuary. (Contributed Photos)
Going off the grid By Deb Coates Bledsoe
T
he winds howls and lightening frequently interrupts the sound of pounding rain on the roof. Suddenly, without warning, the power fails, leaving you sitting in the dark without heat, without lights and often without any hope of a fix anytime soon. This isn’t a scary movie, it’s the plight of many residents who live in isolated areas of the county and seldom sit at the top of the power companies’ high priority list. For county resident Mark Fowler, having no power is a thing of the past. He vividly remembers Hurricane Hugo that kept his home powerless for 12 days in 1989. “I sent my wife and kids away. I basically lived in a dump truck at my turkey farm. I said then that this boy would never be without power again. And I’ve been gradually upgrading to
Mark Fowler sits on his heavy-duty generator, which is hooked into his house and will automatically kick on after the power is out for about 10 seconds. (Deb Coates Bledsoe Photo) where now I don’t have to worry about it.” He began small, getting a 7,000 watt generator that he kept in the garage. It had to be rolled outside, fueled up and plugged in before it could be turned on. Then in the middle of the night, when it ran out of gas, he would have to brave the weather to fill it up. Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 25
surrounding areas for support during major power outages.
It came in handy when Union County was hit with 23 inches of snow several years ago, especially since that storm kept his home without power for more than a week.
“Where it used to take hours or maybe a couple of days to get your power back on, now it can takes weeks or maybe even longer before power can be restored, especially when you live in the county, like me.�
“Everyone in the neighborhood stayed over here,� Mark said. “We were at least able to have heat, TV and keep everything going.�
Mark is not unique in his efforts to be self-sufficient in powering his home. He knows of more and more people who are adding generators now. “It’s getting to be a common thing,� he said. “Even businesses are doing it.�
The aggravations of the smaller portable generator is a thing of the past for Mark as now he has a 15,000 watt generator attached to his home similar to a heat pump. “Now if the power goes out, you count to 10 and the power is back on,� he said. “And there’s no refueling. It’s all automatic.�
How big a generator a homeowner needs depends on the size of the house. Mark said you could buy a 12,000 watt generator for about $4,000, plus the cost of installation, which would require an electrician and the gas company. A larger generator, like a 20,000 watt, would cost about $6,500. Mark said generators go to 50,000 watts.
The generator runs off propane gas, which comes from a large backyard tank commonly used to heat his home, run his fireplace and water heater. After the 10 seconds of being without power, the generator “fires up� on its own and takes the home “off the grid,� which means it is no longer dependent on the power company.
Not only is Mark protected at his home; he’s making sure his family is taken care of as well. “I just installed one at my parents’ house and my son’s house,� he said. “Now my house, my parents’ house and my son’s house are prepared to be off the grid. Bring on some snow this winter; I'm ready.�
The move to a larger generator was out of necessity. Mark’s driveway is about a mile and a half long off of Macedonia Church Road, and his home sits at the end of the power line. His home is the victim of frequent power outages.
As for being off the grid permanently, Mark said the cost of propane makes the system ineffective now, but if that changes, he will definitely look into being totally self-sufficient by supplying his own power.
“I’m also on the south side of Union County, the lesserdeveloped part of the county. When my call goes into the power company, versus a call from a more populated area, who do you think is going to get attention first? When you’ve got 2,000 people without power versus 200, which way do you think the trucks are going to be sent to first?�
But for now, Mark sits in home completely unconcerned about power outages. “I’m actually looking forward to it,� he said. “I plan to watch TV in my Jacuzzi while the power is off.�
Deb Coates Bledsoe, a former newspaper editor, is a freelance writer and photographer.
Mark said to meet the demand in Union County, power companies now have to rely on electric companies in the
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Ambiance and hearty dishes make Trattoria Antica a hit
T
rattoria Antica – another Union County restaurant tucked away in a strip shopping center and doing no promotion.
Antipasto Toscano
Milano style lamb shank
Trattoria Antica in Waxhaw is a keeper, by our standards. Five adults enjoyed a Sunday evening dinner that thoroughly capped off the weekend. We had an early reservation (we recommend reservations) and stepped into the smallish restaurant that seems comfortably casual yet upscale at the same time. Rich wood furnishings contrast with the gold walls, resulting in a tavern-type appeal, although we would not hesitate to take well-behaved children.
We also ordered bruschetta for two ($4.95) which was delicious, not realizing we also would enjoy the complementary bowls of cannellini beans with onion and olive oil to eat with fresh bread. All appetizers were wonderful – we left nothing on the plates, but probably should have because the entrees are also generously sized.
Restaurant Review
It was our first experience at Trattoria Antica, so we were pleasantly surprised to learn that select bottled wines are discounted 50 percent on Sundays, which prompted us to try a more expensive wine that we didn’t know. In all, the restaurant offers 26 red and 11 white bottled wines, as well as wine by the glass. Five antipasti are served family style, either for two or four persons. We enjoyed Antipasto Toscano for four ($14.95), which included something for all tastes.
Spaghetti and meatballs
food, one filled with multiple meats, such as prosciutto, coppa and salami, while the other featured roasted peppers, grilled eggplant, stuffed mushrooms and fresh mozzarella drizzled with a balsamic reduction.
The appetizer entailed two platters of
Other antipasti include fried calamari with spicy marinara (2/$8.95; 4/$12.95), sautéed mussels with cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic and white wine ($8.95 or $12.95) and garlic bread with marinara ($3.95 or $5.95) A soup of the day also is available. The restaurant offers a strong variety of traditional favorites as well as some regional Italian dishes – each well explained by the waiter. Although none of the veal dishes was available that evening, we found it easy to select a variety of meals, ranging from lamb to spaghetti and meatballs, chicken farfalle to Fra Diavola. The name Trattoria Sunday Gravy ($18.95) might be unusual, but the dish itself is an assortment of earthy comfort foods.
Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 27
Rigatoni is accompanied by braised short rib ragu, hot Italian sausage, tomatoes and aged cheese. Our hearty eater enjoyed it tremendously. Housemade meatballs accompanying the traditional spaghetti ($13.95) are among the largest we’ve seen, and the portion of four sent our diner home with two for Monday’s lunch. Fra Diavola ($18.95) is perfect for a seafood and pasta lover. Shrimp, clams and mussels in a spicy plum tomato sauce adorn a hearty portion of imported linguini – another to go box needed. Both women were happy to have delicious leftovers. When one diner saw oven roasted lamb shank on the menu ($21.95), he was immediately sold and thoroughly satisfied. The lamb was tender and succulent, and the accompanying vegetables had been braised in the pan juices, thus very flavorful. A side dish of Roman (roasted) potatoes was the perfect complement. The one disappointment was a chicken and farfalle entree ($16.95), highly recommended by the waiter. An asiago cream sauce was delicately flavored and the farfalle was firm, not mushy. Tomatoes and spinach provided a nice spot of color amidst the pale pasta and cream sauce, but overall the dish was a bit bland. This was a reminder that a recommendation is just an opinion.
Trattoria Antica offers traditional Mediterranean salads and pizzas, traditional and hand-cut pastas, fish and seafood entrees as well as multiple chicken, beef and veal dishes. There truly is something for everyone on the menu. Our five desserts were traditional Italian favorites, and our diners disagreed about whether they were outstanding or just good, but not outstanding. Again, no one was complaining and nothing was left. We sampled tiramisu and chocolate mousse cake, each for $7, plus torta Charlotte, ricotta cheesecake and cannoli, each $6. All desserts were light and fluffy.
Ambiance: Trattoria Antica is a charming and inviting restaurant. The decor is understated, and the atmosphere is pleasant and conducive to a fine dining experience. (5 stars)
Menu: The menu has enough variety to satisfy those seeking a different twist and those who aren’t. (5 stars)
Quality: Four of our five entrees were deemed outstanding, as well as both appetizers. It is obvious that the dishes are prepared with fresh and homemade ingredients. (4.25 stars)
Service: The waiter was attentive but not intrusive; he explained the menu items well, offered suggestions and returned to fill wine and water glasses as needed. (4.5 stars) Value: Our experience was fully satisfying. Prices are appropriate for the quality and quantity of food, and smaller eaters will be taking food home. (4.75 stars)
Overall: 4.75 stars
Trattoria Antica 3909 Providence Road S., Waxhaw, NC 28173 (704) 243-0633 l www.ConteRestaurantGroup.com Monday to Friday: 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday: 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday: 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. 28 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
The Union County Youth Ballet presents
The Nutcracker December 14 & 15 at Wingate University Visit www.UCYB.org or call (704) 289-5733 for tickets.
24
things to do in Union County 16-18 Nov.
The Last 5 Years The Storefront Theatre Nov. 16,17 – 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 – 2:30 p.m. Tickets $10, reservations
recommended Museum of the Waxhaws, 8215 Waxhaw Hwy (704) 243-7283, mail@thestorefronttheatre.org
17
Anniversary Celebration
30
Handel’s Messiah
Part 1 and Bach’s Magnificat 7:30 p.m. Nov. Wingate University Singers Batte Center at Wingate University Free
30 Nov.
By the Town of Marshville 6 p.m. Marshville Community Center, Free
Dec.
2
Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade of Trees
A Christmas Concert
Union Symphony Orchestra, Central United Methodist Dec. Church Festival Choir and Community Holiday Chorus 5 p.m., Central United Methodist Church Free
By the Town of Stallings 6:30 p.m. in Stallings Municipal Park Free
30
1
Christmas Tree Lighting
Town Tree Lighting
2
Town of Weddington 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Nov. Weddington Town Hall 1924 Weddington Rd Free
Dec.
It’s a Wonderful Life Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting
3 p.m. – Parade 5:30 p.m. – Tree lighting, Crossing Paths Park Free. www.IndianTrail.org
11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Live music by RJ Adams Tasting room specials, food vendors and more 301 Bay Street, Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net
Nov.
17
Marshville Christmas Parade
Presented by Marshville Chamber of Commerce Downtown Marshville 2 p.m., Free
Nov.
18 Nov.
Union County Christmas Parade By Alliance for Children 2 p.m. in Downtown Monroe
Free
23 Nov.
Holiday Festival of Lights 75,000 lights, carriage rides, caroling,visits with Santa.
5:30 p.m. Downtown Waxhaw Info at (704) 843-2195 or www.Waxhaw.com Free
1 Dec.
1
GingerSnap 5K Race Downtown Waxhaw Info at (704) 843-2195 or www.Waxhaw.com
Dec.
Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting
Presented by the Town of Unionville 4 p.m. Parade, 5 p.m. Tree Lighting Free
Dec.
5
Tree Lighting and Music Entertainment City of Monroe 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Live
entertainment 7 p.m. Tree Lighting ceremony Until 8 p.m. Pictures with Santa, Rudolph & Frosty, food vendors, carriage and trolley rides, strolling carolers, Christmas petting zoo, Downtown Business Open House
Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012 29
7
Canadian Brass, A Holiday Concert
Sponsored by Union Lifestyle 7:30 p.m. Dec. The Batte Center at Wingate University Tickets $32 – $42 www.BatteCenter.org or (704) 233-8300
7
8
Lake House Tour of Homes
By Union Symphony League 2 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Dec. Tickets online at UnionSymphony.org or at Lake Park Church on Morgan Mill Road $20
Annual Casino Night
Presented by The Arc Dinner, dancing, auction and casino games Dec. A fund-raising event 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. at Rolling Hills Country Club $60 per ticket
8 Dec.
Waxhaw Christmas Parade 4 p.m. Followed by Snack with Santa Info at (704) 843-2195 or www.Waxhaw.com
Free
7-8
Holiday Tour of Homes
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Presented by the Waxhaw Woman’s Club Dec. Tickets are $20; four for $60. Tickets at Eight Legs Gallery, The Bead Merchants, Bella Dimora (704) 256-4404 or (704) 770-8239 tickets/info
8 Dec.
Tree Lighting and Holiday Social By the Village of Marvin Efird Park, Marvin Time to be announced
Free
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THE GA GATHERING GAT THERING Featuring Americana musicians Carol oliina C Ch hocol olaate Rhiannon Giddens ((C Dro rop ps), L aur urel elyyn Dossett, M el Miike C Coompton, Joe N Neewberry and JJaason S Syypher. $
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30 Union Lifestyle l November/December 2012
14-15
The Nutcracker
Presented by Union County Youth Ballet 14 – 7 p.m. Dec. 15 – 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 7 p.m. Tickets: $12 for adults, $10 students/seniors Batte Center at Wingate University (704) 289-5733 or www.ucyb.org
Sunday, December 2 A Christmas Concert
16
The Gathering, A Holiday Concert
4 p.m. Batte Center at Wingate University Dec. Tickets $25 www.BatteCenter.org or (704) 233-8300
16
Fall Concert
Union Symphony Youth Orchestra 4 p.m. at Marvin Ridge High School Dec. $12 www.UnionSymphony.org
13
Grand Finale
Union Symphony Orchestra with Union Symphony Youth Orchestra Jan. 4 p.m. The Batte Center at Wingate University Tickets $15 - $25 www.UnionSymphony.org
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.
Union Symphony Orchestra, Central United Methodist Festival Choir & Community Holiday Chorus James O’Dell, Music Director 5 p.m. t Free Central United Methodist Church 801 S. Hayne St, Monroe
Saturday, December 7 Union Symphony League’s Christmas Tour of Lake Homes 2 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. t $20 Info at UnionSymphony.org/League
Sunday, December16 Union Symphony Youth Orchestra Tom LaJoie, Music Director 4 p.m. t $12 Marvin Ridge High School 2831 Crane Rd., Waxhaw
Sunday, January 13 Bursting In Song Union Symphony & Youth Orchestras Richard Rosenberg, Artistic Director Dinner Music for a Bunch of Hungry Cannibals and Song of the Nightingale 4 p.m. t $15 - $25 The Batte Center, Wingate University
Concert tickets available at the door. (704) 283-2525
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www.UnionSymphony.org