May 2009 by Belva Greenage

MAY 2009 Complimentary

For The Love Of

Mom

We All Scream

For Sunscreen Protecting Your Baby Face

On Her Toes Aging (And Dancing!) With Grace

Holding Her Horses

Terri Stemper Corrals A Cause

May 09 Cover.indd 1

4/21/09 2:01 PM

TOC0509.indd 2

4/22/09 10:21 AM

Give Mom a Baby Face for Mother’s Day.

This Mother’s Day, give Mom the gift of looking like she’s had a week’s vacation at a five-star spa. Dr. Sean Freeman can make mom’s dreams a reality, with easy non-surgical procedures to freshen up her look in as little as an hour, or quick recovery surgery options. A double-board certified facial plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience and training, Dr. Freeman personally attends to each patient, ensuring the best care in every procedure, including Botox®, Restylane® and more. Best of all, you won’t have to do without Mom for a whole week. And now at a reduced price, there has never been a better time to get the fabulous look you want. Before

After

Actual Unretouched Photos of Dr. Freeman’s Patient

Look Your Best For Mother’s Day! Offering $100 Off Botox Browlift and Fillers

704.543.1110

offer expires 05/31/09

M. Sean Freeman, M.D. Double-Board Certified Fellowship Trained

TOC0509.indd 3

www.onlyfaces.com SURGICAL PROCEDURES: SignatureLift, Facelifts, Rhinoplasty, Lip Augmentations, Cheek/Chin Implants, Upper/Lower Eye Lids, Endoscopic Browlift NON-SURGICAL PROCEDURES: Radiesse, Restylane®, Botox®, Vitalize Chemical Peels, Laser Hair Removal, Skinmedica, Biomedic & PCA Products, Laser Skin Treatments, Facials

4/22/09 10:21 AM

TOC0509.indd 4

4/22/09 10:21 AM

TOC0509.indd 5

4/22/09 10:21 AM

Contents May 2009

72 78 Departments 12 From The Publisher Mother May I?

14 Girl Time

Tips, Trends, And Fancies

22 Queen City Jewels

Happenings You Don’t Want To Miss

Keen On Contemporary, A Family Downsizes To Useful Space

26 On The Move Women Making Strides; Business Success Stories

70 Health Matters

27 Work Notes

What You Need To Know To Stay Well

Putting Your Mortgage In Reverse

77 Meet Our Advertisers Take Flight To Bird Dentistry

56 Fashion Out Of The Bag Stowing Your Stuff In Style

80 The Meeting Place

59 Meet Our Advertisers

82 Tomorrow’s Charlotte Woman

Mack And Mack Charlotte Fits Your Style

TOC0509.indd 6

T o d a y ’ s

The Ins And Outs Of Clinical Trials

72 Health Flash

Making Retirement A Reality

28 Money Talks

60 Beauty We All Scream For Sunscreen 62 At Home

C h a r l o tt e

Professional And Social Meetings Charlotte’s Future Fabulous Females

W o m a n

4/23/09 2:16 PM

www.cmc-womensinstitute.org

Michelle Matthews, MD “IVF & MedCost Benefits” CMC Women’s Institute – Northeast

Tuesday, May 12

Noon

Brad Hurst, MD

“Fertility Mythbusters” Wednesday, June 17 Morehead Medical Plaza, 5th floor, Classroom 6

Noon

Rebecca Usadi, MD

“Responsible Fertility Treatments” Levine Jewish Community Center

Noon

Thursday, July 16

Space is limited, so please reserve a seat. RSVP to 704-355-1920.

Seminars are open to the public. Light refreshments provided. Patient appointments call 704-355-3149. Drs. Hurst, Matthews, Marshburn, and Usadi are Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologists.

Women's Institute

TOC0509.indd 7

4/23/09 9:47 AM

Charlotte Woman Today’s

Business/Lifestyle

Volume XIII, Number 1 May 2009 PUBLISHER

Belva Greenage ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Fern Howerin Editor

Michelle Young Hubacher Assistant Editor

Karsen Price ART DIRECTor

Anita O’Hara SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Carrie Boyd Sales Executive

Barbara Herd Business Manager

Nikki Wilson WEb Designer

Cliff McNamara Contributing Editor

Leigh Barrett

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jennifer Bradford-Epstein Janet Cooper Haas Fiona Harmon Melinda Johnston Jennifer Mitchell Karsen Price Lee Rhodes Nikki Wilson Joanna Zikos CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Augusto Photography James Brown Markus Perry Scott Stiles Susan Whitfield 5200 Park Road, Suite 111 Charlotte, NC 28209 704/521-6872 www.todayscharlottewoman.com

PROFILES 30 A Simple Wish

Activist Amy Cervantes Provides Birthday Blessings To Local Homeless Children

36 In Defense Of Those In Need Meet Marian Wright Edelman And The Children’s Defense Fund

48 No Horsing Around

Terri Stemper Works To Rescue The Forgotten Nurse Mare Foals

54 Easy As Apple Pie

A Tasty Look At Mom’s Treasured Recipe

Today’s Charlotte Woman is published by Today’s Woman Inc., and is distributed on a complimentary basis throughout the greater Charlotte area. Subscription rate is $20 per year for 11 issues plus the TCW Resource Guide. Copyright ©2009 Today’s Woman, Inc. All rights reserved. Copying or reproduction, in part or in whole, is strictly prohibited. Today’s Charlotte Woman and Today’s Woman Inc. do not necessarily endorse the views and perceptions of contributors or advertisers.

40 In Step And Aging Well

Ruth Slaughter (at 91!) Dances Her Way Gracefully To Good Health

OnTheCover

FEATURES

Terri Stemper, Dream Equine Therapy CEnter.

42 The Middle Place

Three Sisters Caring For Their Mom And Lovingly Showing Us How 8 TOC0509.indd 8

T o d a y ’ s

C h a r l o tt e

Photo By susan whitfield.

W o m a n

4/24/09 10:32 AM

Coogan

“We were amazed! Within six short weeks Coogan’s transformed our mundane back yard into a dramatic setting. We now have a terraced garden with retaining walls, lush cascading plants, and a fabulous sparkling pool—all built in little over a month.” — Chantal Powers

Creating Backyard Memories...

Design / Build services include: • Residential Master Planning • Swimming Pools and Cabanas • Comprehensive Project Construction

• Outdoor Entertainment Areas • Open Air Kitchens and Fireplaces • General Contracting • In business for over 27 years

Coogan’s Landscape Design

800 Main Street, Pineville NC 28134 Office: 704.889.1500 Fax: 704.889.1501

www.cooganslandscape.com S e p t e m b e r

TOC0509.indd 9 CooganCltWoman4-09.indd 1

2 0 0 8

9 4/22/09 10:26 AM 4/16/09 11:47:01 AM

todayscharlottewoman.com Contest Update

Behind The Scenes

TCW Readers Love Their Mothers

TCW Photographer Susan Whitfield Makes A Friend

And Are Poets To Boot!

Cats aren’t the only ones ruled by curiosity, apparently. Go on location for a photo shoot with TCW. Because I Said ...

Mother Knows Best Local Women Share The Best — And Worst — Advice Mom Ever Gave In April, Today’s Charlotte Woman unveiled its first-ever contest, encouraging readers to create six-word bios about their mothers — for a chance to win a night’s stay at Ballantyne Resort, including $100 worth of spa treatment. And response has been overwhelming! Apparently, not only do TCW readers love their mothers, but they are poets, to boot. Visit www.todayscharlottewoman.com for a sneak preview of some of our staff’s favorite six-word bios from readers. And stay tuned ... the winner will be announced online May 8!

10 TOC0509.indd 10

T o d a y ’ s

C h a r l o tt e

Most of the time, Mom knows best. And when she doesn’t, it can lead to quite a humorous story! Check out our exclusive online feature revealing the advice Charlotte-area women — such as Ramona Holloway, of The Matt & Ramona Show — received from their mothers ... including the good, the bad, and the downright comical.

Insider Fashion

Shop For A Cure Join the campaign “Orange You Happy To Erase MS,” by purchasing orange-themed products from national designers. Proceeds go to the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis. Visit the Web site for details.

Online Profile

Having It All Peggy Brookhouse, president of Luquire George Andrews, balances her career with the needs of her family — and sneaks in a little time for Facebook, as well. Read our exclusive profile at www.todayscharlottewoman.com.

W o m a n

4/23/09 2:14 PM

Attention: Smile-Conscious Charlotteans

Frustrated With Your Smile? Looking For Answers? Great News: NEW HOPE Is Just A Phone Call Away!

L L L L

Do you cover your teeth when you talk, laugh, or pose for a picture? Are you frustrated about crooked, spaced, worn, discolored teeth? Do you have old, ugly dental work, and you want lifelike results? Are you looking for a dental home that restores your trust...and your smile?

If you answered “YES” to any of the above questions, give my office a call. We can help! You no longer need to worry about having an unsightly smile. Instead, you can now have the Brilliant, Head-Turning, Show-Stopping Smile you’ve always dreamed of…and it’s easier, faster, and more comfortable than ever. You may even be accused of looking 10 years younger!

Finally, The Secret to Gorgeous, Lifelike Dentistry is Revealed! “Now I have the smile I’ve always wanted. My teeth look and feel great. My only regret is waiting so many years to get it done! Thank you Dr. Bowman, from the bottom of my heart.”— Bonnie Taylor; Charlotte, NC “Dr. Bowman, this was one of the few times in my life that I felt comfortable with a dentist. Your entire staff is See Our incredibly friendly and thorWebsite For ough, which puts me at ease. More “Rave Thank you!” Reviews!” — Angela House; Charlotte, NC

Is this how you smile?

Dear Friend, You indeed can have a radiant, healthy smile! My caring, professional team and I are committed to helping you look and feel your best. If you’re ready to discuss an “Undercover Smile Makeover,” then simply CALL the number below. I personally GUARANTEE that I’ll listen to you first, then provide my best recommendations for your new smile! All my best, Dr. Chris Bowman – General Dentist & Smile Rejuvenation Expert

Advanced Dentistry of Charlotte

Choose Your Own “May Savings”!

Come & See What Your Smile’s Been Missing!

$97 Teeth Whitening! (Normally $400...Save $303)

Dr. Christopher A. Bowman

$100 Savings Certificate! (Good toward any expenses)

www.SmileSatisfaction.com 1618 East Morehead St. – Charlotte, NC

704-337-8070

New patients only. Limited to first 17 who call. Offer expires on May 26, 2009

Call Now: 704-337-8070 Ask for “Charlotte Woman May Savings”

“Can You Say You LOVE Going To The Dentist? I Can!” “Dr. Bowman and his team are professional, caring, gentle, up on the latest technology and most of all, dedicated to their patients. I am never anxious or nervous about my appointments because I know I am in good hands. I’ve always been thrilled with the work that has been done for me. I highly recommend Dr. Bowman to anyone who is looking for an outstanding dentist!” -Mary Beth McAvoy; Charlotte, NC

7 Reasons You Should EXPECT Comfortable Dentistry:

1.The Latest Technology: See your own teeth like I see them! With our digital photography and digital x-rays, you’ll know exactly “what’s going on”. 2.Laser Cavity Detector: This FDA-approved technology instantly and painlessly finds new cavities with 99+% accuracy. X-rays rarely see these cavities, and even “traditional” exams (using the dental “pick”) miss them 76% of the time. Early diagnosis is the key to fast, easy, and affordable repair… before things get worse or painful. 3.Numb Like You’ve Never Been! Is regular numbing not enough for you? If so, then the new FDA approved anesthetic we use may very well be the extra boost of numbing you need. We’ll never proceed with any work unless we know you are completely numb…and comfortable. 4.Sedation Dentistry: Does intense fear of dentistry keep you from smiling and having healthy teeth? Using a safe, simple pill, you can deeply relax while you get your needed dentistry completed comfortably, and in fewer visits than you may think! 5.Exquisite Lifelike Esthetic Dentistry: New techniques whiten, strengthen, and reshape your teeth like never before. You can now replace failing, ugly mercury/silver fillings with the finest porcelain restorations. Design your dream smile with Ultimate Power Whitening (first in Charlotte!), Invisalign or Veneers. Ask to see our Before and After photos. The possibilities are endless! 6.SPA-Like Pampering: With back-massaging dental chairs, personal satellite video glasses, heated neck pillows with a hint of lavender, warm moist face towels…and more…to soothe your body and soul, you’ll forget you’re in a dental office! 7.Comfortable Financially Too: A wide range of payment options and plans available (up to 84 months with approved credit) make even the finest dentistry affordable. Ask us how you can even SAVE BIG on your investment in excellent dentistry!

TOC0509.indd 11

“I work with dentists from all over the USA and Canada. For “drop dead” gorgeous cosmetic results, Dr. Chris Bowman has the technical skills, passion, and commitment to excellence that make him the #1 dentist I would choose in the Greater Charlotte area!” - Elizabeth Davidson; Editor, The Independent Dentist newsletter “Dr. Bowman & his staff are the BEST! Their sensitivity to your needs and comfort level are unduplicated in any other dental office I’ve ever encountered. Thanks for the great service!” - Krista Grzandziel Charlotte, NC

Choose Your Own “Spring Savings”!

$97 Teeth Whitening! (Normally $400...Save $303) OR... $100 Savings Certificate! (Good toward any expenses) Limited to first 17 New Patients who call by May 26, 2009.

Call Now: 704-337-8070

4/23/09 2:22 PM

NASH J

PHOTO BY RFG PHOTOGRAPHY

FromThePublisher

Mother May I?

s a child, you probably played the game “Mother May I?” Remember? You proclaim yourself “Mother,” pass out orders, and each “child” must ask, “May I?” before she is allowed to fulfill your request — or not, at your whim. Anyone who fails to ask “May I?” before proceeding is out of the game. Remember the supreme power you felt? (Well, at least until your turn as Mother was up.) And do you remember then having to ask permission? Every month, TCW tells the stories of inspirational women. This month’s profiles are particularly compelling, with shining examples of how someone stepped out of her concerns and did not ask permission to step in to fulfill the needs and desires of someone else. There are also the stories of women who did not ask permission to pursue their own dreams, aspirations, and delights. Among this month’s profiles is that of Amy Cervantes, founder and director of an organization devoted to the wonderful idea of giving birthday parties to children in need — some of whom have never before had celebrations to honor their births. Amy took the notion of what she did for her own children and extended it into Birthday Blessings, a feelgood endeavor that has impacted hundreds of children on what many of them would consider the most special day of their lives. Marian Wright Edelman is a well-known lawyer and best-selling author who decided 35 years ago to advocate for children, the most vulnerable members of American

T o d a y ’ s

PubLetter0509.indd 12

C h a r l o tt e

society. She is founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, a national child advocacy organization that has its roots in the Civil Rights Movement. Now a grandmother, Edelman feels an even stronger sense of responsibility to continue her work to leave America’s children with a better world. Then there is Terri Stemper, who has embarked on a crusade that few people would dare attempt. She is on a mission to save horses often neglected in breeding circles — pawns in the drama that is nurse mare barns. Her determination to make a difference in the life of just one foal represents courage at its best. And because in May we also celebrate seniors, we are honored to introduce you to someone who is simply going to make you want to dance. At 91 years young, Ruth Slaughter is still stepping high, loving every minute, and has no intention of stopping. So, pause for a moment and think about what inspires you to action without asking permission first. A beautiful day, a red rose, a poem, a child, God’s grace? Now, take that inspiration and move it to another level, a level of action. And remember that you don’t need permission to be inspired by the shining examples in this month’s issue of TCW.

Yes you may,

O O s

Much love and joy to you as you celebrate Mother’s Day!

W o m a n

4/22/09 11:04 AM

NASH Julie SouthPark ad 73045:NASH Julie Southpark ad

8/19/08

3:49 PM

Page 1

Wow!

What a Great Smile! Smile created by Dr. Ross W. Nash Photo by Deborah Triplett

Ross W. Nash, DDS General Dentist Providing Cosmetic Dentistry

69725 Caldwell Commons Circle â&#x20AC;˘ Cornelius, NC 28031 nashinstitute.com Appointments: 704-895-7660

Of the nearly 8000 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry members worldwide, there are only 264 accredited member dentists. Of that elite group, only 43 have earned the exclusive level of Fellow. In Charlotte, only 1 dentist has achieved Accredited status, and in all of North and South Carolina, only 1 has earned the level of Fellow: Accredited Fellow Ross W. Nash, DDS.

PubLetter0509.indd 13

4/21/09 5:33 PM

GirlTime t i p s ,

t r e n d s ,

a n d

f a n c i e s

COMPILED BY MICHELLE YOUNG HUBACHER

Senior Activities

Meck Centers Provide Important Services

lder adults in the Charlotte community have access to an array of interesting educational and social programs and activities through the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Centers Inc. The Senior Centers is a nonprofit organization providing services and opportunities to folks 55 years and older, and their families. The publicly and privately funded organization has three established locations in and around Charlotte: the Tyvola Senior Center, the Shamrock Senior Center, and the North Mecklenburg Senior Center in Cornelius.

T o d a y ’ s

GirlTime0509.indd 14

C h a r l o tt e

Facilitators at each site strive to help seniors with their health and wellness, decrease their loneliness and isolation, and provide assistance with social, economic, and educational opportunities to enhance the quality of their lives. A fourth location, West Side Senior Services @ Bette Rae Thomas Center, also offers health and wellness programs. If you (or someone in your family) have ever wanted to take basic computer classes, study painting with watercolors, or learn to speak another language, the Senior Centers may be just what you’re looking for. They

organize bus excursions to the Outer Banks and to the N.C. mountains (and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino!), extended cruises, and day trips closer to home. There are dozens of classes and activities available, including a cancer survivor support group, a class on preparing emotionally and financially for the death of a spouse, knitting tutorials, quilting bees, and a variety of exercise/fitness and dance classes. To see a schedule of Senior Centers classes and groups, visit www.cmseniorcenters.org. For additional information, call 704/522-6222.

W o m a n

4/20/09 8:07 PM

Maybe Mom Was Right (aka, “You’re Going To Poke Your Eye Out!”)

“D

on’t forget to pee.” This tidbit of advice from sociologist BJ Gallagher is, she says, the perfect metaphor for how most people, especially women, look at self-care — putting their own needs on hold until everything else around them is secure. Sound familiar? In her book, Why Don’t I Do The Things I Know Are Good For Me?, Gallagher takes on the large role of mother for anyone who is struggling to take better care of herself. The book is a primer on understanding that self-care is not for the selfish, but instead is the most vital component of your personal, professional, spiritual, and financial success. The book is broken down into easy-todigest, logical chapters in which Gallagher presents 52 small steps that can clarify why people make unwise choices regarding selfcare, and how to reverse those decisions in order to have a more complete, stress-free

life. As you’re reading, you might even hear Mom whispering in your ear: “Get your hair out of your eyes, and turn that music down.” Just a few of Gallagher’s top-line tips to get you on the right track: • P ut your credit cards in a jar and freeze them. • G ive up the need to be liked by everyone. • W rite down everything you spend this week. Yes, every penny. • T ell yourself the truth about the men in your life. • L ook for the women who have what you want, and learn from them. dopt a flexible notion of self-care; • A allow it to change over time. • I t’s not what you are eating — it’s what’s eating you.

For information, visit www.womenneed2know.com. >

Everyone Should Have A Young Smile. Scott A.Young, DDS · Practicing Dentistry For 26 Yrs. · BSE - Biomedical Engineering Purdue University - 1978 · CMC - General Practice Residency · Creative Restorative Excellence & Advanced Dental Education. · Member: Charlotte and NC Dental Society, Academy of General Dentistry and American Dental Association

A White Smile

Is Always In Fashion! $100 OFF Regular or Deep Bleaching

After

Before

NEW Deep Bleaching 7810 Pineville-Matthews Road Suite #2 Charlotte, NC 28226

The most effective bleaching technique ever. Will bleach up to 16 shades lighter. • Newest Technology in bleaching teeth • Permanent with periodic maintenance • More effective than ZOOM • Easy with AMAZING RESULTS • Safely used on millions of patients • Little to NO sensitivity (offer ends 5/31/09)

Call for Free Consultation 704.541.5900 • www.youngsmile.com M A Y

GirlTime0509.indd 15

2 0 0 9

15 4/23/09 3:51 PM

GirlTime The Newest Technology To

Rejuvenate Your Face and Burn Fat

One Hour Treatment

Quick Results Safe and Painless 2-5” Lost Per Session Tones Lifts Sculpts Heals Revitalizes Detoxifies

$250 per Session We accept CareCredit®

The Perfector Facial diminishes deep wrinkles, scars, sun damage, acne and rosacea, and lifts sagging muscles. This advanced technology uses nano and pico currents to regenerate cells, enhance protein function, repair DNA, improve ATP/energy production, and provide infusion of electrons to stabilize free radicals.

Three Treatments

Research shows Ion Magnum uses wave forms to burn fat up to 5,000 calories a session. It helps decrease stretch marks, tone skin, reduce cellulite, enhance core strength, and rejuvenate your cells. www.arasysperfector.com

For appointment and free consultation please contact:

Hormo n e T h erapy & h ealt h y agi n g

Paveena Posang, MD Board-Certified Family Physician Member of American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine

704.232.3363 704.927.5808 3440 Toringdon Way, Suite 205, Charlotte, NC 28277 www.posangnature.net 16

T oday ’ s

GirlTime0509.indd 16

C h arlotte

Mom’s Sterling Strength A Gift To Honor Our Mothers

o honor Mom’s strength and show appreciation for her devotion to caring for us — whether we need a Band-Aid or a sympathetic ear — the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America has created a unique line of jewelry just for mothers. The exclusive sterling silver necklace, bracelet, and lapel pin are designed to recognize the heroic act of caregiving, and to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that is expected to triple in incidence to 16 million Americans by mid-century. According to a survey conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, women are at the forefront of the caregiving landscape (but, c’mon, we didn’t need them to tell us this). More caregivers are women (61 percent) than men (39 percent), and female caregiv-

ers are providing more hours and a higher level of care than their male counterparts. The AFA jewelry is a way to say, “Thanks” to mothers, sisters, aunts, and daughters for all they do. “These gifts touch upon the true significance of Mother’s Day, expressing gratitude and love while also giving back,” says Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and CEO. Each piece is modeled after AFA’s logo of arms embracing a heart, which reflects the organization’s mission of providing optimal care to individuals with dementia, and to their families. Prices are $30 for the necklace; $20 for the bracelet, which has a leather band; and $10 for the lapel pin, plus shipping. Proceeds from the jewelry support AFA’s programs and services nationwide. Visit www. alzfdn.org, or call 866/232-8484.

W oma n

4/21/09 6:15 PM

Light The Way

Big And Small Moments To Remember

These Can Hold A Candle To Mom If you’re looking for a way to give your mother flowers and a little shot of Zen this Mother’s Day, the makers of red flower products just might have the solution. The gift company’s petal-topped candles bring the season’s fresh-factor right into Mom’s day, offering her a chance to relax and look at something lovely. Beautifully enhanced with colorful and exotic flower petals, each variety boasts an equally lovely fragrance. Working from its commitment to wellness and celebration of life, the company sources flowers from all over the world to offer extracted fragrances in what the company calls “their truest form.” And who better than Mom to experience a spring awakening with fresh, springy scents? New red flower candle aromas include Chinese marigold, Italian blood orange, and Thai honeysuckle. The petal-topped candles are available for $34 at www.redflower.com, www.beauty.com, and select spas.

rom iconic images of Jackie and Caroline Kennedy playing in the waves, to a father preparing for his daughter’s wedding, occasions big and small between parents and their children are the inspiration for the books, LIFE with Mother and LIFE with Father, which share the sweet moments that invite you to rediscover the true meaning of family. Both volumes, compiled by the editors of LIFE Books, offer often-funny and always-resonant photographs and charming quotations meant to be moving tributes to moms and dads. Published by Time Inc. Home

Entertainment and priced at $17.95 each, LIFE with Mother hit bookstores April 7, 2009, and LIFE with Father will be available May 5, 2009. >

No Joining Fee! Services: Annual Exams Pap Smears Gynecological Surgery Breast Disease Incontinence

Caring about all stages of your life is our specialty at Midtown Obstetrics & Gynecology. Our compassionate physicians really listen as you tell us about the changes your body is making. That is why at Midtown, you'll never become just another medical chart and number. Call 704.344.1000, press 2 and you'll find out that your concerns are our concerns at Midtown.

Through May 31

Infertility Routine & High Risk Obstetrics Ultrasounds

Presbyterian Medical Tower • 1718 E. 4th St. Suite 707 • Charlotte, NC 28204 www.midtown-obgyn.com Accepting new patients. Affiliated with many insurance plans.

Stacey Wood, Jr., MD

Fitness • Swim Lessons • Tennis Sports • Arts • Personal Training Call 704-944-6741 today to receive one free week! Fit for everyone.

Beverly Belle, MD Gregory Parker, MD

Heather N. Robertson White, MD

Sandra and Leon Levine Jewish Community Center 5007 Providence Road / 704.366.5007 / charlottejcc.org

James Hardy, MD

m a y

GirlTime0509.indd 17

2 0 0 9

17 4/23/09 3:54 PM

GirlTime

The Good Life We’re All Smiles About It

ometimes, you’ve just gotta laugh. A new casual apparel line called Life was Good is using this simple message to bring a lighter side to today’s challenges. Consumers have the opportunity to wear their hearts on their sleeves — or at least on their shirts or hats. With the motto, “Life was Good … just laugh about it,” the company is hoping people will nudge their despair about today’s economy over to the lighter side, and maybe even smile about better days ahead. The company was founded by Cornelius entrepreneur Adam Slater, who, like many others, found himself frustrated with the troubled economy, and comparing how different the past year was to prior years. He found himself thinking, “Life was good.” Recognizing the humor and conversation that can stem from this statement, Slater came up with the idea for Life was Good, which he launched this spring. Life was Good apparel is available at www.shoplifewasgood.com. Shirts are 100-percent cotton, and are available in men’s and women’s sizes, in short and long sleeves, and in classic, fitted, and varsity styles. Prices begin at $12 for hats; shirts are $14 and up.

Great hair can be yours at any age

• Highly Experienced, Goldwell Trained, Artistic Team • Specializing In The Latest Trends, Cuts And Color Techniques • Gift Certificates Available

1515 South Tryon Street, Suite 200 • 704-373-0048 Just minutes from Uptown at the Blue Line Bland Street Stop.

T o d a y ’ s

GirlTime0509.indd 18

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 3:58 PM

Show Your Good Will While You Cull Your Closet

Drs. Peleaux & Bailey Caring Dentistry...With A Gentle Touch

We Care About The Person Behind The Smile Specializing In Cosmetic, Restorative & Implant Dentistry

Cotswold Plaza, 135 S. Sharon Amity Road, Suite 204 Charlotte, NC 28211

oodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont wants you to be generous this spring as you clean out your closets and garages. Now is a terrific time to donate gently used clothing and housewares at one of the area’s 36 conveniently located donation sites. If you’ve ever dropped clothing off at a Goodwill site, have you considered what happens to those clothes your children outgrew (or the jeans you outgrew) after you handed your bag or box to the attendant? Donated items are sold in Goodwill stores, and the money is used toward an array of programming that helps individuals going through transitional times — such as unemployment. When someone is having a hard time finding a job, whether because of lack of skills, experience or education, the good folks at Goodwill are there to help, by funding critical job training programs that benefit thousands of

people each year. “Donating clothing and household goods that you no longer need is a form of charity in which anyone can participate,” says Michael Elder, president and CEO of the local Goodwill chapter. “We want donors to put as much thought into where they donate their clothes and other household items as they do about where they donate money. Donating and shopping at Goodwill is making an investment in your local community.” Goodwill operates 19 retail stores and has 36 donation sites in the Southern Piedmont region of North and South Carolina. In 2008, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont delivered job training and employment services to more than 13,300 individuals, placed more than 2,700 people in employment, and diverted more than 45 million pounds of goods from area landfills. For information and locations, visit www.goodwillsp.org, or call 704/372-3434. TCW

704-365-2765 • www.peleauxbaileydds.com New Patients Welcome

Monday - Friday 10 AM - 9 PM Saturday 8 AM - 10 PM Sunday 8 AM - 3 PM

VOTED 2009 BEST OF THE BEST BRUNCH BY “CHARLOTTE MAGAZINE.”

m a y

GirlTime0509.indd 19

2 0 0 9

19 4/23/09 10:05 AM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

gotta have it! v

F a s h i o n , d é c o r ,

w h i m s y

y o u

j u s t

g o t t a

h a v e

L u s c i o u s O n T h e V i n e N o t J u s t A n o t h e r P r e t t y V a s e

Wear your diamonds delicately with this stunning set designed by Chad Allison. An 18k white gold “Vine” cuff contains round brilliant-cut

Contemporary and exotic, this hand-

diamonds weighing 4.43 carats. The 18k yellow

blown Baijan glass vase is created in

gold “Swirl” band has 0.74 carats of round

Azerbaijan, in Southwest Russia. No

brilliant-cut diamonds, and the 18k rose gold

two pieces of this gorgeous artwork

“Floral” band has 1.05 carats of round brilliant-

will ever be the same. Find your

cut diamonds. Diamonds Direct SouthPark •

treasure at Sedona Boutique •

4521 Sharon Road • Suite 101 • 704.532.9041

10822 Providence Road, Suite 800,

• www.DiamondsDirectSouthPark.com •

at the corner of Ballantyne Commons

See our ad on the inside front cover.

Parkway • www.sedonaboutique.com • 704.846.6565

B e s t F o o t F o r w a r d A simple, yet brilliant innovation in flip flops allows you to change the look of your sandals without changing your sandals! Designed by Lindsay Phillips, SwitchFlops are adorned by a unique button and interchangeable Velcro strips in a rainbow of colors and designs. As the young designer likes to say, “Change your look, not your sole.” Mole Hole • 7741 Colony Road • 704.543.9969

I t ’ s

A l l

O n

T h e

T a b l e

Set your spring table in style with Lilly Pulitzer’s distinctive line of paper and plastic dinnerware. Lilly’s signature pink and green pattern,“Taboo,” looks simply smashing. Buttercup • 343 Providence Road • 704.332.5329 • For stationery, call 704.333.0544

GottaHaveIt0509.indd 20

4/23/09 12:09 PM

Bird is the word... for Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Suzanne E. Bird DDS, MS, PA Board Certified Pediatric Dentist & Orthodontist UNC Dental Graduate

Bird

Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Lo c at e d in n e w C e d ar W alk D e ve lo pme n t in So u t h C h ar lo t t e

1 6 6 0 7 R i v e r s t o n e W a y , S u i t e 3 0 0 , C h a r l o t t e , NC 2 8 2 7 7

Tel: 704.544.5000 www.birddentistry.com

After The Referral...

Dr. Kiya Green Dixie Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology

he relationship between you and your dentist is a special one. Your dentist may be the first to observe a change in your health. When a periodontal change is noted, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist. Left untreated, periodontitis may lead to tooth loss, heart disease, stroke, respiratory issues, and complications with diabetes and pregnancy. Dr. Kiya Green Dixie, of the Periodontal & Implant Center of Matthews, is board certified and the only practicing female periodontist in the Charlotte area.

The Periodontal & Implant Center of Matthews offers patients: • A soft touch in a caring atmosphere. • The only laser FDA approved to treat periodontitis, which means therapy without cutting, sutures, or pain. • Treatment of non-disease periodontal issues, such as frenectomies, gum grafting, correcting gummy smiles, and implant therapy. • Periodontic care for pediatric and orthodontic patients. • Different levels of sedation, if necessary, including IV sedation, oral sedation, and laughing gas.

Periodontal & Implant Center of Matthews 1320 Matthews Township Pkwy., Suite 101, Matthews, NC 28105 (704) 847-5657 • www.matthewsperio.com

Killer Tan Beautiful and warm as it may seem, sun exposure is destroying your skin & could take your life. Call today for your full body exam.

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. • More than 1 million cases are diagnosed annually • 90% of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure • Occasional use of tanning beds almost triples the chance of developing skin cancer

Save 15% off all sunscreens.* We carry fashionable, comfortable sun protective clothing. ay is

M onal Nati ancer C Skin reness Awa nth Mo

Formerly The Goslen Center

Girish S. Munavalli, MD, MHS I J. Blake Goslen, MD 704.375.6766 I 800.626.6257 www.carolinaskin.com 1918 Randolph Road I Suite 550 I Charlotte, North Carolina 28207 Participating provider with most insurance plans

*expires 07/31/09

M A Y

GottaHaveIt0509.indd 21

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

2 0 0 9

21 4/23/09 4:01 PM

v C i t y

Q u e e n

Y o u

D o n ’ t

W a n t

T o

M i s s

PHOTOS BY LUNAZON PHOTOGRAPHY

H a p p e n i n g s

J e w e l s

Women Take Center Stage FemmeFest Returns To Uptown

ith a song at heart and a cause in mind, the second annual Charlotte FemmeFest is gearing up to bring another year of inspiration to women in The Queen City and beyond. Held in NoDa, FemmeFest will join national and local acts for an evening of music, art, poetry, and film, May 30, from 5:30 p.m. until 1 a.m. More than 30 bands and musicians, including The Near Misses, Volatile Baby (TCW’s September 2008 cover girls!), Jocelyn Ellis & the Alpha Theory, and The Lesser Pauls will flood the streets. The festival strives to reach, inspire, and strengthen Charlotte’s cultural community by showcasing the diverse work of emerging and established female voices. Proceeds ben22 QCJ0509.indd 22

T o d a y ’ s

C h a r l o tt e

By Nikki Wilson efit The ECO Center for Women. In 2008, FemmeFest was created jointly by Lea Kuhlmann, co-owner of The Evening Muse and band member of The Near Misses, and Therese Bartholomew, writer and filmmaker. Both women share a love for Lilith Fair, a national all-woman music festival popular in the late ’90s, and both wanted to keep the feeling of sisterhood strong. So, they created Charlotte’s own female-specific celebration. “The energy last year was incredible,” Bartholomew says. “There were so many people, and so much energy in the crowd. People looked happy and thrilled to be there. Everyone was having a good time.” This year, FemmeFest will feature seven

stages (up from three last year), and participation from every NoDa art gallery. But FemmeFest isn’t just about guitars and paintings. The 2009 festival will spotlight dozens of artists from other mediums, including filmmaker Melissa Mummert, spoken word artist Shirlette Ammons, and awardwinning poet Beth Cagle. The Neighborhood Theatre is hosting an emerging artists exhibit, as well. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the show.

WantToGo? For information, including a complete listing of venues, visit www.charlottefemmefest.org.

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:05 PM

North Carolina’s Craftiest Artisans Heart To Heart Luncheon Promotes Healthy Tickers

Historic Rosedale Plantation Has Art

istoric Rosedale Plantation is hosting its fourth annual Art of Craft, Sat., May 9, featuring a pottery, craft, and jewelry sale by some of North Carolina’s finest artists, including Hat Thompson, Donna Craven, Daniel Johnston, Bulldog Pottery, Leftwich Art Pottery, Jay Pfiel, and King Pottery. The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., offers family-friendly activities, such as free pony rides, a garden treasure hunt, and Colonial games for children. The Ladies Cooking Guild of the Catawba Valley will demonstrate food preparation of the period, and a musician will perform period songs on a Critten, the 18thcentury precursor of the modern guitar. A silent auction of pieces by artists and local collectors will be featured, as well.

Encourage women everywhere to take care of their hearts by attending the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Luncheon, on Wed., May 13. Presented by Presbyterian Hospital, and chaired by Paula Vincent, the Luncheon will expand awareness, promote education, and encourage Charlotte women to take charge of their heart health. Cardiovascular disease kills approximately 450,000 women each year, and 64 percent of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., at Hilton Charlotte Center City. The event includes breakout sessions, networking, a health expo, and a lunch featuring guest speaker and renowned Southern author Ronda Rich. >

WantToGo?

For information, visit www.goredforwomen.org, or call 704/208-5516.

For information, visit www.historicrosedale.org, or call 704/335-0325.

Polyclinic now?

want results

M E DI C A L C E N T E R ,

P E DIA T RI C S

It contours, shapes and slims the body by improving cellulite and reducing circumference in as few as 4 treatment sessions. VelaShape™ has been cleared by the FDA and provides dramatic results without downtime or significant discomfort. Schedule a consultation today!

ADU L T M E DI C IN E

Abdul K. Garuba, MD President

Board Certified in Internal Medicine Fellowship in Critical Care Medicine

• Accepting New Patients • All Major Insurance Plans, including Medicaid • Our staff speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Haitian Creole

Rolande C. Romain, MD Medical Director

Board Certified in Pediatrics

Beth Willis, M HS ,

ce Blvd.

Medical Skin Rejuvenation & Laser Center

Specializing in Nutritional Healthcare, Pediatrics, Internal and Critical Care Medicine from infancy to advanced aging.

Independen

Elysium

•

“Healthcare with excellence, continuity and compassion.”

Mat

RD, LDN

Nutritionist and Health Care Coordinator

thew

s To

SSeennn naa DDr r..

VelaShape is the only complete non-surgical alternative to liposuction! ™

IN C

wns

hip P

int Hill Rd.

Matthews-M

kwy

Butler Butler High High

704-844-9386 704-844-8971 P E D IATRI C S

Ad u l t M e d i c i n e

Monday - Thursday 8am – 5pm friday 8am – 6pm saturday 8am – 12pm

The Ca ta w ba Ho use, 20909 Ca ta w ba A v enue, Co r nel ius, NC 28031

3030 Senna Drive • Matthews • NC 28105

704.894.9800 • www.captureyouryouth.com

(Off Matthews-Township Pkwy.)

M A Y

QCJ0509.indd 23

2 0 0 9

23 4/23/09 4:08 PM

QueenCityJewels

You Oughta Be In Pictures The Light Factory Holds 20th Annual Fundraiser

Jazzed Up About Education Dore Academy Holds Awareness Event

ssist Charlotte-area students who suffer from learning abilities by attending Dore Academy’s Jazz It Up! event, Fri., May 15, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at McColl Fine Art, 208 East Blvd. In addition to live jazz, the event will include an auction, museum exhibits, and food and drink tickets, plus a complimentary wine tasting from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person; $75 per couple.

WantToGo?

Enjoy the luxury of a professional photo shoot with some of Charlotte’s best photographers as you support local artists by attending The Light Factory’s 20th annual Shoot Out fundraiser, Sat., May 9 and Sun., May 10, at CenterStage NoDa. The Light Factory Shoot Out 20 offers 30-minute photo sessions during the day. Professional hair and makeup experts will be on stand-by to help customers look their best, and fun activities for kids and mothers are slated throughout the day. The sitting fee is $135 for members, $150 for non-members. New to this year’s event is Shoot Out After Dark, a premium shoot at an upscale locale in uptown Charlotte, with one of four photographers: Deborah Triplett, Jeff Cravotta, Diane Hughes, and Jim McGuire. The After Dark event is for adults only, and takes place Sat., May 9, from 7 to 11 p.m. Price of the on-location shoot is $300 for members, $350 for non-members. All photos are taken digitally and uploaded to the Shutterfly Web site, where customers can order photographs and merchandise throughout the year. All proceeds benefit The Light Factory programming. The nonprofit museum is one of four in the United States that promotes the power of image through photography and film.

WantToGo?

For information, call 704/365-5490, or e-mail ksedon@doreacademy.org.

For information, call 704/333-9755, or visit www.lightfactory.org.

  

15% OFF with this ad thru 5.15.09

can’t combine with other offers or use on past purchases

Traditional & contemporary patterns. Microwave, dishwasher & oven safe. Perfect for everyday, beautiful enough to collect.

3-Piece Tea Set shown in Blue Tulip

1683 Katy Lane Fort Mill, SC | Exit 85 off I-77, Hwy 160 | Mon—Sat 10 am–5 pm | (866) 831 8066 | www.bluerosepottery.com

24 QCJ0509.indd 24

T o d a y ’ s

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:12 PM

Get Closure

and Step Out in Confidence Now Open at Arboretum Professional Park ®

Remove unsightly varicose veins with little or no pain.

• Radio Frequency Closure® • Endovenous Laser (EVLT®) • Sclerotherapy • Diagnostic Vascular Ultrasound

Preferred provider for most insurances.

Time For Fido’s Walk Pet Palooza At Independence Park

he Pet Palooza dog walk and pet festival is back! The Humane Society of Charlotte’s annual fundraiser will be held Sat., May 30 (rain date June 6), from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Independence Park. The walk begins at 9:15 a.m., and is followed by a vendor fair, silent auction, pet-themed activities and attractions, plus a Fido fashion show featuring dogs from the Humane Society of Charlotte.

This year, the Society expects to place more than 2,000 canines and felines in new homes — an average of more than 166 per month — which marks the highest adoption rates in the organization’s 31-year history. “We are grateful to partner with businesses and community residents who continue to show their dedication and passion for this great cause,” says David Miller, executive director of the Humane Society of Charlotte.

WantToGo?

Rame s h M. S h arma, M.D., F.A.C.S .

Board Certified: Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery

vascularsolutions@gmail.com www.veinscharlotte.com

7800 Providence Road ~ S uite 209 ~ Charlotte, NC 28226

Call Today For A Free Consultation ~ 704-544-7535 GYNECOLOGY • OBSTETRICS • WELL HEALTH

For information, visit www.humanesocietyofcharlotte.org/donate/pet_palooza_2009. php, or call 704/377-0534.

Red, White, And You Support The Patriot Festival This Memorial Day weekend, salute the men and women who serve our country: Attend the Patriot Festival, Sat., May 23, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Symphony Park at SouthPark. Experience a meaningful, fun-filled day, including live music, food, and activities for the whole family, plus the chance to see representatives from all branches of the military, as well as humvees, paratroopers, flyovers, the 82nd Airborne Chorus, and Honor Guard. Tickets are $5; children 5 and under are free. Money raised at the Patriot Festival goes to support Fisher House Foundation, America Legion Unit 270 Angels in Iraq and Angels of Mercy, Hope for the Warriors, USO of North Carolina, and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

WantToGo? For information, visit www.patriotgala.com, or call 704/533-3796.

Chinyere Anyaogu MD, MPH New Patients Welcome women’s healthcare • Preventative care • General obstetrics & gynecology • Minimally invasive gynecological surgery • 3-D/4D ultrasound with video • Infertility • Contraceptive management • HPV and cervical cancer screening • Complete

WWW.THEWOMENSCARECENTERPC.COM

704-948-9554 10235 HICKORYWOOD HILL AVE, HUNTERSVILLE I-77, Exit 23 in the Rosedale Medical Pavillion, Huntersville

704-375-0592 508 EASTWAY DRIVE, SUITE A, CHARLOTTE, NC

M A Y

QCJ0509.indd 25

2 0 0 9

25 4/23/09 4:14 PM

O n W o m e n

m a k i n g

Job Changes/Promotions Meriale “Mel” Verburg was promoted from marketing coordinator to sponsorship marketing supervisor of the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. Burke Communications Inc. has hired Amy Dusseault as vice president of account services. Laura Mitchell has joined WebsiteBiz, an interactive marketing agency, as campaign manager. Elizabeth Adams has joined HomeCare For The Carolinas, which provides nonmedical in-home nursing care. Eiesha Williamson was named executive director for the new Miss Charlotte Scholarship Pageant, the only pageant in Charlotte for the Miss North Carolina and Miss America organizations. Cultural Care Au Pair has hired Jeannine Centanni as local childcare coordinator. Sydney Chmiel was promoted to regional director for the southern locations of Global Contact Services, a provider of back-office processing solutions for organizations.

New Business/Changes Sindhu George, DPT, has opened George Rehabilitation and Wellness, which provides holistic physical therapy and wellness, at 7810 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Suite 300.

T o d a y ’ s

OnTheMove0509.indd 26

C h a r l o tt e

v T h e M o v e

s t r i d e s

•

b u s i n e s s

s u c c e s s

Marybeth H. Paz has launched Haywood Administrative Associates, LLC, a virtual assistant firm in Charlotte. ExecuScribe Inc. has opened a Southeast regional office in Charlotte. Kim Nelson Gomme and Betsy Mapes have opened Dilworth Coffee in Ballantyne Village. Linda Johnson has founded LMJ Strategic Coaching, an organizational management consulting firm specializing in organizational change, nonprofit consulting, customer relationship management, and leadership development coaching. Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A., has opened an office at 14135 Steel Creek Parkway, Suite 100, in the RiverGate shopping center. The new office will be the 15th regional location for CEENTA, one of the country’s largest multispecialty practices.

Awards And Installations Decker Campbell, president of Streamwerx, was awarded the Best Aerial Video Award from Professional Aerial Photographers Association International, for a joint collaboration between Streamwerx and Boyle Consulting. Campbell’s company filmed all of the aerials and provided post-production.

s t o r i e s

Indiblu Creative, with company director Kimber Flynn, has won two awards in the American Graphic Design and Advertising Competition. Ramona Holloway, co-host of WLNK’s afternoon drive program, The Matt & Ramona Show, along with the rest of the Matt & Ramona cast, is the recipient of a 2009 American Women in Radio & Television Gracie Allen Award®. This is the first Gracie Award for Holloway. Foundation For The Carolinas has announced new board members: Ron Carter, W. Barnes Hauptfuhrer, Cynthia Marshall, and Ruth Shaw. Dale R. Shaw, MD, FACR, has received the Silver Medal Award from the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Radiology, the highest honor awarded by the Society. Dr. Shaw practices breast imaging and general radiology with Charlotte Radiology, P.A. Builder Services Inc. and its clients were honored with 19 awards at the 2008 Major Achievements in Marketing Excellence event, an annual gala hosted by the Home Builders Association of Charlotte. The event recognizes outstanding new home sales and marketing accomplishments of builders and developers in the Charlotte region. BSI builder clients receiving awards included John Wieland Homes, and ZL Metz Homes. Send your news to:

Little Red Bird, a strategic brand development and advertising firm in Charlotte, has received two gold Addy Awards at Charlotte’s AAF advertising award show.

On The Move editor@todayscharlottewoman.com

Today’s Charlotte Woman 5200 Park Road, Suite 111, Charlotte, NC 28209

W o m a n

4/21/09 5:29 PM

WorkNotes

Your

Smile

is the Ultimate Accessory!

Preparing The Nest Employees Can Still Plan On Retirement By Fiona harmon

inancial experts are advising that we shouldn’t obsess over the daily ups and downs of our 401(k) plans at this point, lest it send us spiraling into despair. We’re in this for the long haul, they say. But, if you’re like many Americans, you’ve been looking forward to retirement and hope to get there even in this economy. It is estimated that, by 2015, baby boomers age 50 and older will represent 45 percent of the country’s population. You can be sure that each one of them is counting down the seconds until it’s finally time to say goodbye to that 9-to-5 job, kick back, and retire!  According to financial expert and retirement strategist Bill Losey, there are seven ways to make retirement a reality, even in an uncertain economy. Losey, who provides retirement planning perspective on CNBC, says you don’t need to be up to your elbows in Social Security benefits, pension plans, and savings. What it boils down to, he explains, is simple:

1. Controlling your emotions 2. Increasing your annual savings/retirement contributions 3. Reallocating your 401(k)/403(b) to higher-yielding investments 4. Retiring later 5. Lowering investment costs 6. Hiring a retirement coach 7. Reducing your retirement income needs Losey’s book, Retire In A Weekend! The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Making Work Optional, encourages workers to delve into each one of the “big seven” to explore retirement plans that are smooth and stress-free, and that avoid the biggest mistakes many retirees make. The book also investigates the five biggest retirement concerns and how to overcome them; the 10 most popular retirement questions (and their answers); and how to retire in a bad economy. It also covers the ins and outs of a phased retirement — what it is and how it works. For information, visit www. retireinaweekend.com, or www. myretirementsuccess.com. TCW

Signature Smile by Dr. Patrick Broome Photo by Carter Studios

Robert A. Lowe, DDS, FAGD Patrick J. Broome, DMD, MBA Cosmetic & General Dentistry

704.364.4711

6849 Fairview Road • Suite 200 Charlotte, NC 28210 Drs. Lowe and Broome are members in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

www.destinationsmile.com M A Y

WorkNotes0509.indd 27

2 0 0 9

27 4/23/09 4:23 PM

MoneyTalks

Brought To You By ...

Put It In

Reverse R e v er s e M o r t g a g e s B ec o me A n I m p o r t an t R e t iremen t F u nd O p t i o n As people continue to live longer, the reverse mortgage has become increasingly popular as a tool to help achieve their financial goals, making it an important option to consider in retirement planning. A reverse mortgage can help individuals who are age 62 and older maintain their standard of living, keep their independence, and cover routine or extraordinary expenses while allowing them to continue living in the comfort of their own homes. A reverse mortgage can help seniors supplement their retirement income by accessing a portion of the equity in their homes and turning it into funds that are generally tax-free. (Borrowers should consult their tax advisors for specifics on individual situations.) After paying off an existing mortgage, the homeowners can apply remaining funds toward medical care, home improvements, or numerous other expenses. Reverse mortgage holders are not required to make mortgage payments for as long as they live in the home. When the loan is due, following a termination event (the last remaining borrower sells the home, or the last remaining borrower passes away), the borrower, the heirs, or the estate will never owe more than the home’s appraised value. If the borrower or the estate wishes to retain the property, the full loan balance must be repaid.

Why Reverse It?

A key benefit of reverse mortgages is the freedom qualified borrowers have to use the funds however they choose. Many people opt for a reverse mortgage to eliminate their monthly mortgage payments, and to cover large or unexpected expenses such as medical care, in-home care, or major home repairs. In the case of Doris Simmons, a business owner

in Matthews, a reverse mortgage with Bank of America prevented her from defaulting on her home mortgage, which was becoming increasingly difficult to pay as her small restaurant experienced a drop in patrons over the past year. “Eliminating my house payment has helped ease things up for me,” Simmons says. “I was in a position where I was looking at having to sell my home in order to make it. I don’t have to worry about selling or moving now. Times are still hard, so being able to stay in my house makes it a little easier to deal with.” For seniors who are retired — or for those like Simmons, who is 69 and still works every day — using a reverse mortgage can supplement retirement income that may have taken a hit with recent losses in retirement investments. “Perhaps the biggest reverse mortgage benefit is the ability for seniors to age in place,” says Barbara Shear, Bank of America reverse mortgage loan officer. “They can enjoy financial security and maintain their independence.”

Who Can Benefit?

Potential candidates for a reverse mortgage are homeowners who are at least 62 years old and do not have enough savings and investment assets to fund living expenses, but wish to age in place, as opposed to selling their homes

or moving. A reverse mortgage may also be right for those seniors who are unable or unwilling to tap homeowner equity through a refinance mortgage or home equity. Unlike these products, there are no income or credit score qualifications for a reverse mortgage. Homeowners who are considering moving within a few years, want to leave their home to their heirs free and clear, or are looking for funds to invest are not typically appropriate candidates for a reverse mortgage. Before a homeowner can obtain a reverse mortgage, she is required to speak with an independent, third-party counselor who ensures that the borrower fully understands her options. Simmons received her counseling through United Way of Central Carolinas. Numerous measures, both on a national level and within Bank of America, are in place to ensure that seniors’ best interests are protected. The federal government has enacted a wide range of consumer protections for reverse mortgages. Additionally, the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association was created to develop and promote best practices in the reverse mortgage industry. For information on reverse mortgages with Bank of America, visit www.bankofamerica. com/reversemortgage. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC , is an equal housing lender. Also check out the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association at www.nrmla.org, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at www.hud.gov.

T o d a y ’ s

MoneyTalks 0509.indd 28

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/22/09 9:56 AM

ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE Purchase An AFFIRM FACIAL PACKAGE And we’ll do your NECK FOR FREE

Design your unforgettable moments with PANDORA’s charms, rings, necklaces, and earrings in sterling silver and 14K gold. Prices starting at $25

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Blakeney • 9830 Rea Road, Charlotte, NC 28277 Monday - Saturday 10 - 6 pm • Sunday 1- 5 pm

704-541-0030

Do You Have Heartburn More Than Three Times Per Week? You may have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD can be the cause of injury to the esophagus and esophageal cancer

See a Gastroenterologist for Evaluation and Treatment

Fractional Laser Skin Rejuvenation: Reduce fine lines and wrinkles Diminish scars (acne) Tighten & rejuvenate skin by stimulating collagen growth

LITTLE to NO DOWN TIME Physician Leaders In The Charlotte Region For More Than 30 Years Charlotte Gastroenterology is approved for office endoscopy by Aetna, Cigna, BCBS, MedCost, Multi Plan, United Healthcare & Wellpath. • Endoscopy in a private setting • In most cases, only an office copay applies

CALL 704.364.3332

Charlotte • SouthPark • Ballantyne • Matthews Huntersville • Mooresville

May not be combined with any other offer. Offers expire May 30, 2009.

Patient Appointment Line (704) 377-0246 • www.charlottegastro.com

Spa@AgelessRemediesSouthPark.com

AAAHC-Accredited Office Endoscopy

M A Y

MoneyTalks 0509.indd 29

2 0 0 9

29 4/23/09 4:24 PM

Amy Cervantes created Birthday Blessings to share the joy of simple celebration with the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homeless children.

T o d a y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

Amy Cervantes 0509 V2.indd 30

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/21/09 4:35 PM

A Special Gift Amy Cervantes Brings Birthday Blessings To Children By Janet Cooper Haas • PHOTOS BY SCOTT STILES

hen your child’s birthday approaches, you spring into action. The party invitations go out, presents are purchased, goody bags are stuffed. But did you ever

stop to think how homeless children spend their birthdays? Amy Cervantes, a

Charlotte mother and self-professed “queen of the birthday week,” did.

In the United States, one out of every 50 children has no place to call home. Some live in cars; others reside in tent cities or cardboard boxes. Still others find refuge with their parents in shelters. It is in seven area shelters that local homeless children meet Cervantes, who believes that every child is special and deserves a birthday party and presents. Cervantes and her husband, John, came up with the idea of throwing birthday parties for homeless children when their oldest son, Alex, was 3. “We wanted to do something he could be involved in, a project that he was able to relate to and understand,” she says. “It’s hard to find something like that to do with young children.”

Lessons In Giving

Throughout her life, Cervantes, a former preschool teacher, has always gravitated toward community service that benefits children. As a teenager, she volunteered in a children’s hospital, and for years she has been active with children’s programs at her church. When Alex was an infant, Cervantes started volunteering with LifeSpan, an organization that helps developmentally disabled adults and children. She even sent her son to LifeSpan’s Circle School, a preschool that integrates typically developing children with developmentally disabled children. “We thought it was a

wonderful, all-inclusive environment for Alex,” she says. Her involvement with LifeSpan continues to this day. One evening following Alex’s third birthday, Cervantes and her husband brainstormed to find a niche in the community — one that would reinforce their goal of raising children who give to others. They noticed how Charlotteans rally around those in need during the holidays. “But what about the rest of the year?” she asked. “We feel blessed in our own lives, and we feel called to share that with others,” she continues, “so we talked about what’s really important to us and our family.” Since birthdays are special for the Cervantes family, they devised a plan to bring joy to homeless children. What better way than to throw them a birthday party? And so, Birthday Blessings was born.

The Infancy Of Birthday Blessings

The first party the family hosted was a birthday luau at the Salvation Army Center of Hope, in August 2005. They decorated the shelter, served birthday cake, led the limbo, and played “hot coconut” with the 50 children who attended. And, they provided presents to all of the birthday kids. One of the children, a 5-year-old girl who had never had a birthday party before, received a T-shirt, some bracelets, and a stuffed animal. >

MAY

Amy Cervantes 0509 V2.indd 31

2 0 0 9

31 4/21/09 4:35 PM

Birthday supplies, donated by individuals, groups, and party suppliers, are organized in birthday blessings’ warehouse and put to good use.

“

“She clearly was overwhelmed,” Cervantes says. “I really couldn’t tell if she liked them. She turned to me and looked at me, and then said, ‘Do I get to keep them?’ That was it for me. I was absolutely hooked at that point. To be able to provide that moment to children is indescribable.”

”

I always like to be there and see the smiling faces and witness

T o d a y ’ s

Amy Cervantes 0509 V2.indd 32

what it is we work so hard for.

C h a r l o tt e

— Amy Cervantes

By their second party, when 60 people showed up, Cervantes and her husband realized they needed help, and began expanding their efforts. Soon, two caring women were volunteering alongside the family at the monthly parties. Friends and groups

from the couple’s church started pitching in. Cervantes, now the ultimate party planner, approached party entertainment companies such as Mad Science and Oogles n Googles to donate their services. Before long, the Cervanteses’ living and dining rooms had morphed into a makeshift warehouse filled with donated presents, wrapping paper, party favors, and supplies. The family spent evenings together, assembling goody bags and wrapping gifts in assembly-line fashion.

Going Nonprofit

Before she became a stay-at-home mom, Cervantes worked in marketing, communications, and fundraising for the Charlotte Repertory Theatre, The American Red Cross, and United Way. She was no stranger to rallying for a cause, and neither was her husband. In the fall of 2007, they “took the big plunge” and began the process of incorporating as a

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:26 PM

CharRadAdTCW.pdf

3/23/09

11:12:02 AM

nonprofit organization so they could replicate what they were doing in other shelters. In February 2008, Birthday Blessings expanded into Charlotte Emergency Housing. The couple engaged even more passionate volunteers — parents and children, friends and neighbors, church groups, and work buddies — who began hosting the shelter parties; and they enlisted corporate and group sponsorships through John Cervantes’ public speaking engagements. The fledgling endeavor found its wings in July 2008, when it became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. “When I opened the mail that day, that was the best day ever,” Amy Cervantes says. “We were official.” Almost four years after that first party at the Salvation Army Center of Hope, Birthday Blessings volunteers host monthly parties in each of the seven local shelters it serves. Children >

Follow The Cake Trail

B i r t h d a y B l e s s ing s ’ P a r tn e r O r gani z ation s

CMY

Birthday Blessings currently serves the following locations: • The Salvation Army Center of Hope: Women and children’s homeless shelter • Charlotte Emergency Housing: Transitional housing for homeless families • United Family Services: The Shelter for Battered Women • YWCA: Families Together transitional housing program • Blessings in the Storm: Ministry and housing for homeless women and children • Turning Point of Union County: Safe-haven shelter for women and children • Hall House: Temporary housing for homeless women and children

MAY

Amy Cervantes 0509 V2.indd 33

2 0 0 9

33 4/21/09 4:35 PM

living in the shelters are invited to celebrate, enjoy an entertaining party program, and put their worries on hold, even if just for a few hours. And, of course, the birthday children from that month receive presents. Goody bags are handed out to every child in attendance. Through its partnership with A Child’s Place, Birthday Blessings also brings 25 to 30 birthday parties to the classrooms of homeless children in over 20 Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools every month. Party supplies and gifts are delivered to school social workers, who then bring the party to the classroom so the birthday child can celebrate with her friends. Because Birthday Blessings is an anonymous program, the homeless child’s living situation can be kept private from classmates. In November 2008, Birthday Blessings began offering even more assistance to shelter inhabitants, providing “blessing baskets” to parents of babies and toddlers as they arrive at the shelters. Each laundry basket is filled with gifts and baby-care essentials.

A Family Affair

Birthday Blessings continues to grow in leaps and bounds. In September 2008, its operations moved from the Cervantes home into

By The Numbers

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS STATS Birthdays celebrated: 607 Parties thrown: 356 Homeless children blessed: 3,270 Gifts given: 2,125 Slices of birthday cake cut: 4,310 Snack bags provided for classroom parties: 6,048 Meals served: 1,425 Goody bags distributed: 3,270, for a total of 16,350 party favors Smiling faces: Too many to count!

T o d a y ’ s

Amy Cervantes 0509 V2.indd 34

C h a r l o tt e

“

B i r th d a y b l e ss i n gs h o sts pa r t i e s i n sh e l t e r s a n d sch o o l s .

”

We feel blessed in our own lives, and we feel called to share that with others, so we talked about what’s really important to us and our family.

— Amy Cervantes

a 350-square-foot office space, where presents and party supplies lined the walls and almost touched the ceilings. The organization quickly outgrew that space and staged another move in February 2009, this time into a 1,200-square-foot space in LifeSpan’s building on Clanton Road. The area is equipped with a playroom, so volunteers who wrap gifts and stuff goody and snack bags can bring their children along to play. As Birthday Blessings has expanded, so has the Cervantes family, which includes sons Alex (now 7), Eli (4), and Adam (2), each of whom contributes in his own way. These days, Cervantes juggles mommy duties and therapy appointments for Adam’s developmental challenges with the business of Birthday Blessings, which has become a full-time job in itself. She spends most mornings at her office with Adam, while the older boys are in school. On top of all the administrative and fund-

raising work she does, Cervantes, who serves as the organization’s volunteer executive director, still attends at least two shelter parties per month. “We don’t ever want to lose the touch and feel of what it is that we do,” she says. “I always like to be there and see the smiling faces and witness what it is we work so hard for.” Cervantes’ dream is for Birthday Blessings to one day go national, with chapters operating under the same model she and her husband created. And she sums up her dream this way: “Imagine all the smiling faces everywhere in the country!” TCW

ToLearnMore To learn about volunteer opportunities and scope out wish lists, visit www.birthdayblessings.org, or call 704/-846-bday. All donations are tax deductible.

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:27 PM

â&#x20AC;? M A Y

Amy Cervantes 0509 V2.indd 35

2 0 0 9

35 4/23/09 4:28 PM

photo courtesy of the children’s defense fund

Big Sea, Little Boat Dear God, be good to me; The sea is so wide, And my boat is so small. A Fisherman’s Prayer

Marian Wright Edelman has dedicated her career to improving the lives of the nation’s children.

T o d a y ’ s

Marian Edelman0509.indd 36

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/21/09 5:15 PM

In Defense

Of Children Marian Wright Edelman Invites The Community To Take The Lead By Joanna Zikos

arian Wright Edelman is not one to mince words or stay silent. Not when 13 million American children live in poverty; 9.4 million children lack health insurance; and millions of children of all races and income groups are growing up “without hope or a sense of moral purpose”1 in the richest nation on Earth.

In her latest book, The Sea is so Wide and My Boat is so Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation (Hyperion 2008), the president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., boldly sounds the alarm identifying the dangers facing the most vulnerable members of our society. At the same time, Edelman challenges every member of that society — educators, faith leaders, mothers, grandmothers, elected officials, concerned citizens, and young people, themselves — to end hypocrisy, assume responsibility, and take action “to end the epidemic physical and spiritual poverty afflicting millions of our children and youth.” 1 “In the United States, we have a child and youth problem because we have a profound adult problem,” Edelman says. “Children need positive and authentic role models, as well as voices challenging our cultural addiction to power, money, celebrity, violence, alcohol, drugs, and obsessive materialism and individualism.” Edelman spoke in Charlotte earlier this year, as a guest of the Legacy Foundation of the Junior League of Charlotte, at a program co-spon-

sored with the Wachovia Foundation and the Carolinas HealthCare Foundation. Last month she was the keynote speaker at the 2009 Magnet Schools of America 27th Annual Conference, hosted by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, at the Charlotte Convention Center.

Rooted In Positive Change

As a lawyer and best-selling author, Edelman has been an advocate for disadvantaged Americans her entire professional life. Under her leadership since 1973, the CDF has become the nation’s strongest voice for children and families. The CDF champions policies and programs that address poverty, abuse, and neglect, access to healthcare, education, and quality of life for children throughout America. A graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, Edelman began her career in the 1960s when, as the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, she directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson. In 1968, Edelman moved to Washington, where she became counsel for the Poor People’s >

MAY

Marian Edelman0509.indd 37

2 0 0 9

37 4/21/09 5:15 PM

photo courtesy of junior league of charlotte

writer marian wright edelman challenges us all to take part in positive change.

Campaign that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had begun organizing just prior to his death. She founded the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm and the parent body of the Children’s Defense Fund. Then, for two years she served as the Director of the Center for Law and Education at Harvard University before taking over the CDF in the early 1970s. She has received many honorary degrees and awards, including the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, the Heinz Award, and a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship. In 2000, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the nation’s highest civilian award), and the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award for her writings, which include eight books. Edelman and her husband, Peter Edelman (a professor at Georgetown Law School), have three sons — Joshua, Jonah, and Ezra — and

four grandchildren. She reveals that The Sea is so Wide and My Boat is so Small was inspired by her granddaughters, Ellika and Zoe, and her grandsons, Elijah and Levi, all of whom Edelman says have touched her “deepest heartstrings” and made her look at our nation and world “with heightened alertness for beauty and joy to share, and for dangers that may threaten these dearest gifts. “As a new grandmother, I experienced a renewed sense of responsibility to continue the work to leave our children a better world,” Edelman continues. “This year’s presidential election demonstrated how much progress we have made in the past 40 years since the death of Dr. King. However, we still have millions of children who have been left behind.”

Putting Children First

Edelman challenges parents “to break our silence about the pervasive breakdown of moral, family, community, and national values” and to put children first in our lives. All children, she says, need “hope, a stable family, a sense of connectedness to a community, and engagement in something beyond self.” The responsibility, she insists, falls to parents, to provide positive alternatives to the streets, and to guide their children in developing an “inner compass to help them resist negative cultural and street lures.” While encouraging teachers to live their profession as a calling, Edelman chastises our country’s school systems, noting that too many schools do not inspire children. “Schools that fail to educate and engage students and that implement zero-tolerance school discipline policies for nonviolent behaviors are major feeder systems of poor children, particularly children

of color, into the prison pipeline,” she says. In her book, and as she addresses audiences all over the country, the noted activist doesn’t hold back when it comes to our leaders, especially the faith community. “Congregations of faith dot almost as many inner city streets as liquor stores but, unlike liquor stores,

A Day In The Life WHAT THE AMERICAN CHILD FACES Each day in this country: • 2 mothers die from complications of pregnancy or childbirth. • 4 children are killed by abuse or neglect. • 5 children or teens commit suicide. • 8 children or teens are killed by firearms. • 32 children or teens die from accidents. • 78 babies die before their first birthdays. • 155 children are arrested for violent crimes. • 296 children are arrested for drug crimes. • 928 babies are born at low birth weight. • 1,154 babies are born to teen mothers. • 1,511 public school students are corporally punished. • 2,145 babies are born without health insurance. • 2,421 children are confirmed as abused or neglected. • 2,467 high school students drop out. • 2,483 babies are born into poverty. • 3,477 children are arrested. • 4,184 babies are born to unmarried mothers. • 18,221 public school students are suspended. Source: “A Letter to Teachers and Educators,” in The Sea is so Wide and My Boat is so Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation, by Marian Wright Edelman.

Located in Ballantyne - next to Starbucks 13855 Conlan Circle Phone: 704.540.7780

learn more at prstore100.com

T o d a y ’ s

Marian Edelman0509.indd 38

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:32 PM

their doors are often closed,” she says. “It’s so stunning to me that the faith community has lost its prophetic voice, and has forgotten the dictates of all of our great faiths. “Churches need to get away from this prosperity gospel and begin to reclaim what their faiths require,” adds Edelman, who is the daughter of a minister. “I think one of the great losses, and one of the reasons we’ve seen a breakdown of family, of community, and of moral values in our society, has been the silence of the faith community in failing to speak up for those who have the least.”

Moved To Action

Edelman wants all of us to ask ourselves, “What kind of America do we seek to be in the 21st century?” Among her suggestions is the encouragement for each of us to organize “and make leaders lead.” “A lot of people are waiting for Dr. King to return, or for a new charismatic leader to emerge to save us,” she says. “But he’s not coming back, and no single leader can save us. We’re it.” She believes President Barack Obama “will be as good a president as we — as citizens, as mothers and grandmothers, as parents — push him to be.” Edelman has learned from her experiences that “movements make leaders; leaders don’t make movements.” Edelman’s words and her recent call to action “energized” members of the Junior League of Charlotte, according to the organization’s president, Katherine H. Fuller. Through its Healthy Child Initiative, the 2,000-member Junior League of Charlotte is helping to address some of the physical, dental, and mental health needs of children and their families in the Charlotte community. “The statistics that Ms. Edelman quoted are harrowing, with poverty worsening every day,” Fuller says. “Each one of us has to step out of our own comfort zone. Each person can make a difference. And, at the same time, we have to reach out to work together with others in our community … a community that is fortunate to have some amazing organizations.” TCW 1 Excerpted from publisher’s note, front flap.

Introducing

N ow O p e n !

Dr. Geoffrey Stiller, md, facs

Fellowship Trained Cosmetic Surgeon

Ballantyne’s Only On-site Sterile Compounding Pharmacy Combining State-of-the-Art Pharmaceutical Compounding With Nutritional Excellence.

May Specials:

• Compounding: Bio-identical Hormone Replacement, Veterinary, Dental, Cosmetic and more! • Registered Dietician Consultations • High Quality Vitamin and Herbal Supplements

SmartLipo:

Buy One Get One Free

Breast Augmentation:

• Anti-aging Skin Creams

$1000 Off

Carolina Compounding & Nutritional Pharmacy

Botox & Fillers 20% Off

South Charlotte • 704-525-3522

Cedar Walk at Ardrey Kell and Marvin Roads 16709 Orchard Stone Run, Ste. 310, Charlotte, NC 704-540-4330

Keep the small promises you’ve made to yourself

Call today to schedule your courtesy consultation!

Inspired Dentistry of Charlotte Note: Royalties from The Sea is so Wide and My Boat is so Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation will be donated to the

John S. Selden, DDS, PA 2315 West Arbors Drive Suite 220 Charlotte, NC 28262 704-597-3493

www.InspiredDoc.com

Children’s Defense Fund. M A Y

Marian Edelman0509.indd 39

2 0 0 9

39 4/23/09 4:33 PM

Ruth Slaughter, at 91, says ballroom dancing keeps her young, healthy, and in shape. Here, she dances with Tony Prada, an instructor at Queen City Ballroom.

T o d a y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

Ruth Slaughter 0509.indd 40

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/21/09 4:40 PM

In Step Ruth Slaughter Thrives On A Dance A Day By Karsen Price • PHOTOS BY JAMES BROWN

uth Slaughter’s day just isn’t the same if there isn’t a bit of dancing in it. Every morning, the 91-year-old native Charlottean puts on her dancing shoes — 3-inch heels, no less! — and sets out for her daughter’s Charlotte dance studio, Queen City Ballroom, where she routinely tries out a new step or two and brushes up on those she’s been doing for years.

Ruth, who grew up in Hickory Grove, is as delicate as a daisy, and in better shape than many women half her age. She walks proudly, with the light step and erect carriage of a person who has danced all her life. “I love all phases of dancing,” she says. “And I love to be around happy people. The people in here seem to have smiles on their faces all the time.”

All In A Day’s Play

Each morning after doing her housework, Ruth picks out one of her favorite outfits, and goes to the Ballroom. There, she spends 50 minutes working with an instructor on a variety of dances, including standard ballroom, Argentine tango, and “all the Latins.” She occasionally even participates in the in-house dance competitions at the Ballroom. “My favorite dance is the tango,” she says. “I also love Argentine tango, which is performed real close together. You know every move your partner is going to make. My next favorite dance is the rumba; I love the rumba and the bolero … oh, I love it all!” For years, Ruth danced with her husband, Dan, back when dancing was less about competition, and more just a part of popular culture. Her daughter, national ballroom dancing champion Dana Glandon, decided to become a dance studio owner after watching her parents perform. She has owned Queen City Ballroom since 2002; she previously owned two other dance studios.

Heart Of A Dancer

“My husband and I started taking lessons over at Fred Astaire,” Ruth says. “I kept asking

Dana to go with us, but she thought it was for old people.” She laughs, adding, “There’s old, and then there’s old. I’m not old. “So I told her that her father and I were going to do the rumba that night on the program,” Ruth continues. “Dana said, ‘Well, I’ve got to see my daddy do the rumba.’ She didn’t even know he could dance, period! She was only there 15 minutes, and then she came up to me and said, ‘This is wonderful!’ ” Glandon was so enchanted with the experience that she decided to open up her own dance school — allowing her parents to take lessons to their hearts’ content. Ruth’s husband died in 1993, after they had been married 57 years. These days, she is a fan of ballroom dancing, which she began learning in 1989. “I love ballroom because you learn so many steps every time you come in for a lesson,” she says. “It’s always something new. You never learn it all!” Glandon says her mother has perfect blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and she attributes Ruth’s physical fitness to her dancing ways. “Don’t you think she looks younger than 91?” Glandon asks proudly. Although Ruth quit driving 20 years ago, due to her failing eyesight, she certainly has no plans to give up dancing — ever. She agrees that the hobby keeps her happy and healthy, saying, “I feel like it keeps me going, because I have a lot of energy. I have no pain, and I don’t take any kind of medications. And,” she adds with a laugh, “I think eating peanut butter every day holds me together!” TCW M A Y

Ruth Slaughter 0509.indd 41

2 0 0 9

41 4/21/09 4:42 PM

T HE

Middle B y

L e e

R h o d e s

PLACE

T h r e e

S i st e r s

C a r i n g

F o r

M o m

uthor Kelly Corrigan’s best-selling memoir, The Mid-

dle Place, is quickly becoming a literary phenomenon. The book tells of Corrigan’s relentlessly

upbeat battle with cancer as she simultaneously navigates “the middle place” — that territory that involves caring for aging parents and young children at once. The appeal of The Middle Place is not rooted solely in the author’s skill and sense of humor, but also in the fact that millions of Americans can relate to her story. Demographers call these folks “the sandwich generation,” and their lives are distinct for the tough choices they make and the overwhelming responsibilities they shoulder. Here’s a look at how one family, and more specifically, three sisters, are managing as they work together to navigate the middle place. Because this could be any family, we have chosen to use only first names in the story. >

T o d a y ’ s

The Sandwich Generation 0509.indd 42

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:38 PM

MAY

The Sandwich Generation 0509.indd 43

2 0 0 9

43 4/21/09 2:38 PM

Sisters Kathy and Donna treasure quality time with their mom, Dorothy.

T o d a y ’ s

The Sandwich Generation 0509.indd 44

C h a r l o tt e

An Unexpected Development Up until a couple of years ago, Dorothy was mostly self-sufficient. After her husband passed away suddenly, she relied on her daughters for transportation to the grocery store and for company on the occasional nights one of them would stay over. Otherwise, even despite earlystage macular degeneration and a bit of mild dementia, Dorothy was able to care for herself, and even walked regularly to a local track to get her exercise. But in May 2008, a knee replacement surgery changed everything, thrusting the

then-76-year-old into Alzheimer’s disease — a little-known side effect of general anesthesia for older patients. The experience likewise launched daughters Kathy, Donna, and Debbie into uncharted territory. “It was like day and night for my mother after the knee surgery,” Kathy explains. “The doctor said that in 30 percent of cases, someone who is older can be thrown into moderate Alzheimer’s.” Their book-smart, independent mother, who once attended Winthrop College (now University) on a full scholarship and was often

W o m a n

4/21/09 2:38 PM

photo by AUGUS TO PHOTO GRAPHY

Home Is Where Her Heart Is Dorothy endured a short stay in a rehabilitation facility following the knee surgery, and although the sisters call the facility “wonderful,” it quickly became apparent that their mother was not thriving in a living situation outside of her own home. For one long summer, Kathy and Donna, who live in Weddington and Lake Norman, respectively, took turns spending every night with their mom. Debbie, who lives in Philadelphia, flew in as often as she was able. All three admit that the situation quickly became untenable. “Everything changed on us overnight with the surgery,” Donna says. “We all have small children and we had no arrangements made for them, because it happened so suddenly. It was very stressful.” The sisters finally held a family powwow and formulated a plan that would allow their mother to stay in her home, a consideration that all three agreed was essential to Dorothy’s well-being. “This is the home that we’ve all grown up in, but more than that, this is my mother’s life,” Debbie says, with a catch in her voice. “This is one thing she hangs onto in her life, that she has her home. Even though her sight is limited, she knows every nook and cranny.” “She’s happy at home, and I don’t think she would be happy anywhere else,” Kathy adds. “Hopefully, we can keep her in her house as long as possible. Taking her out would be the beginning of the end.”

Depending On Loved Ones

teased by her daughters for her voracious love of vocabulary, can no longer see to read (she listens to books on tape), and worse, faces the same disease that claimed her own sister. “We don’t ever tell her she has Alzheimer’s,” Kathy continues. “We just say, ‘Mom, that surgery did a number on you.’ We don’t use the A word.” Debbie says her mother got a computer at the same time she did, adding, “She once had her own business and was very savvy, so it was heartbreaking to see her take a complete turn like she did. We’re in a situation now where she needs someone to be with her every night.”

Kathy, Debbie, and Donna hired a caretaker to help fill the gaps when family cannot spend time with their mother. The sisters divvy up the other tremendous responsibilities that go hand-in-hand with caring for an aging parent. “We try to go after everybody’s strengths,” Debbie explains. “One of my roles is to help with some of her doctor’s appointments. With the neurologist, it’s touchy. My mother knows something is not right with her memory. So I take ownership anytime she needs to see that particular doctor.” Debbie schedules the neurologist appointments around her frequent business trips to The Queen City, and accompanies her mother to the doctor. She makes sure all necessary questions are asked and answered, essentially owning the relationship with the neurologist. Debbie also oversees arranging for all house repairs, which she can handle from her home in Philadelphia. Donna runs point on many of the other doctor’s appointments, and takes care of the loading and dispensing of Dorothy’s medications. Kathy manages her mother’s finances, including insurance, bill payments, and other paperwork. Both Donna and Kathy, because >

It’s The Second-Best Decision We’ve Ever Made!

We knew the best gift we could give one another was the peace of mind that a move to Trinity Oaks would mean. Call today for a tour and lunch to learn more about this worry-free lifestyle. 704.633.1002 1.800.610.0783. www.trinityoaks.net

728 Klumac Road Salisbury, NC 28144

M A Y

The Sandwich Generation 0509.indd 45

2 0 0 9

45 4/23/09 4:39 PM

photo by AUGUS TO PHOTO GRAPHY

T o d a y ’ s

The Sandwich Generation 0509.indd 46

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/21/09 2:38 PM

Sandwiched In Local Support Group For Families Each quarter, Atria MerryWood hosts a support group for members of the sandwich generation, who are raising children while caring for aging parents. The group has been in place for several months, and includes about a dozen regular attendees. Led by executive director Connie Brown, group discussions range from finances to health to social topics. The support group is free and open to the public. For information, call Atria MerryWood at 704/523-4949, or visit www.atriaseniorliving.com.

they are local, assist with food shopping and other errands, and each usually spends a full day with their mother every week. “We do her errands; we go out to lunch,” Kathy says. “She’s at a stage where we still have a lot of fun. She may repeat the same thing 15 times per day, but we laugh and enjoy each other.”

A Family United The arrangement is not without its challenges. What may begin as a free day can quickly take a turn if Dorothy becomes ill or needs extra assistance with something. Husbands’

travel schedules can cause kinks in the carefully planned calendar. All three women have busy careers — Kathy owns Charlotte jewelry store Leah & Company; Donna is a pharmaceutical sales rep; and Debbie is a vice president of a marketing firm in Manhattan — and all three have husbands and children. “I have found that you think you’re busy, but you don’t know what busy is until you do all of this,” Kathy says good-naturedly. “But you do what you’ve got to do and don’t worry about it.” All of the sisters agree that the situation — a perpetual juggling act, at best — requires good communication to ensure the best possible results. “I let Kathy and Donna take more of the lead because they are in North Carolina,” Debbie says. “But we’re constantly on the phone together. We’ve even had conference calls where we talk about what she needs and how we can best work together as a group to help her.” It helps, too, that the women’s spouses and families are supportive, although the sisters admit that their children occasionally ask, “Do you have to go to Grandma’s again tonight?” But the blessings, for these women, far outweigh the challenges. “I’m trying to just enjoy my mom as she is each day,” Kathy says. “I try to focus on the good. We’re not in the bad times yet, so we have to enjoy what we have right now.” “My mother is still a very smart lady and a delight to be around,”

Debbie adds. “The situation has also brought me and my sisters closer together. We were always close, but we are much more sensitive to each other now.” “It shows you that you can depend on your family no matter what,” Donna says. “I know if something happens, I can depend on my sisters.” The sisters also offer advice to others caught in the middle place. Debbie is quick to point out that those in the sandwich generation are not alone. Donna perhaps puts it best. “Enjoy the time you have left with them,” she recommends. “I can see now that this is the best it’s going to be, when my mother still knows who we are. Also, you need to plan ahead because you never know what life will bring.” TCW

M A Y

The Sandwich Generation 0509.indd 47

2 0 0 9

47 4/23/09 4:42 PM

HOLDING HER

HORSES

Terri Stemper makes her mark, one foal at a time By Karsen Price — Photos By Susan Whitfield

erri Stemper stands quietly in the stall, watching two of her newest equine charges rustle around her. The weekold foals — orphans, both of them — suck on their lips

and tongues, looking for all the world like human infants in need of pacifiers. The tiny horses sip tenuously from buckets of milk, brown eyes pondering the person in their presence — this human being who has mysteriously appeared in their lives and is now filling the role of their missing mothers. Welcome to Dream Equine Therapy Center, located on Stemper’s five-acre farm in Rock Hill, S.C. It’s a place where the impossible becomes possible; where nightmares become dreams come true; and where one woman doggedly tries to right a decades-long human wrong. >

T o d a y ’ s

Dream Theapy Center 0509.indd 48

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/20/09 3:13 PM

Dream Theapy Center 0509.indd 49

4/20/09 3:13 PM

FORGOTTEN FOALS

Terri Stemper has turned her love of horses into an impassioned plea for the humane treatment of nurse mare foals.

T o d a y ’ s

Dream Theapy Center 0509.indd 50

C h a r l o tt e

At first glance, Stemper doesn’t appear to be the fireball type. She is tiny, blonde, and soft-spoken. Beneath her quiet demeanor, however, lies a steely resolve that includes saving 30 to 40 foals this spring. Even if it wipes out her energy level and her bank account. Stemper, a native of Wisconsin, has been involved with horses since she was 7. She moved to the Charlotte area in 2005, after working for several years in Lexington, Ky. As a registered nurse, she spends her days caring for people; at night, she takes care of horses. A lot of horses. Stemper’s mission is multifaceted. For one, she’d like to shed light on a heartbreaking reality known as “nurse mare barns” and found within the multimillion-dollar Thoroughbred racing industry. These barns, often located in Kentucky, provide — for a fee — mares that have recently given birth as horse “wet nurses” to Thoroughbred racing foals

insured for millions of dollars. Nurse mares are bred solely for their milk production; the nonpedigree foals created in the process are byproducts. “The million-dollar, high-class foals get the milk,” Stemper explains. “The nonpedigree foals are considered the lower class, and these are the ones that are left to starve.” In worst-case scenarios, the mare is separated from her foal immediately after birth and leased out to other barns — for a variety of reasons — over a period of weeks to six months. The original foals are left to struggle without the milk and care they need. Day-old foals are often carted away to be auctioned off, while others are sold to businesses that profit from the sale of “pony hide.” At auctions, Stemper has stumbled across foals that, at two days old, are already dying from neglect, although others are surprisingly vibrant and resilient. “An auction is no place for a day-old foal,” she says. >

W o m a n

4/20/09 3:13 PM

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Patti Wheeler, founder of Wheeler Television Inc. and a pioneer in the sports television industry, will share her inspiring entrepreneurial journey.

2009 RISING STAR FINALISTS COLLEEN BRANNAN BRANSTORM PR & Marketing, Inc. ELAINE GREENBERG Ageless Remedies SouthPark BARBARA JONES Allegra Print & Imaging

Looking For A

Getaway? Check out Tybee Island, Georgia

(Just 20 minutes from Savannah)

2009 WOMAN BUSINESS OWNER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS MARY BRUCE Kaleidoscope Business Options, Inc. ELAINE CREASSER Tile Collection, Inc. FABI PRESLAR SPARK Publications

Join us to honor the finalists and winners of the Rising Star, Woman Business Owner of the Year and Community Service Awards

MINT MUSEUM OF ART 2730 Randolph Rd. 6:00 - 9:30 PM

RSVP BY MAY 14th: www.nawbocharlotte.org or 704.367.3454

CELEBRATING OUR STARS SILVER SPONSOR Alex H. Bishop, MS, CRPC Financial Advisor

CORPORATE PARTNERS GRAND MARQUIS

DIAMOND

EMERALD

EDUCATION

Watch the beautiful sunrise from this comfortable, two-story townhome on Tybee Island, featuring: • Three bedrooms and three baths • A gorgeous oceanfront view • A fully furnished screened porch, plus a 3rd-floor balcony off the master bedroom • And a convenient location right around the corner from the newly renovated lighthouse And if that isn’t enough to entice you, Historic Savannah is just minutes away.

For Availability And More Information About 6 Van Horne

Contact 912-786-0537

sandysbytheshore@bellsouth.net

M A Y

Dream Theapy Center 0509.indd 51

2 0 0 9

51 4/22/09 11:17 AM

KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE How You Can Help Dream Equine Therapy Center accepts all types of donations, including the following: • Gift cards or certificates from feed stores, or department stores (for raffles) • All tack • Horse supplies such as supplements, de-wormers, hoof moisturizer, finish line electrolytes, fly spray, brushes, medicated shampoo, etc. • Horse medications/veterinary supplies • Hay and grain (pelleted, Purina), Alfalfa pellets, rice bran, etc. • Gas cards (for traveling to collect foals) • Helmets (all sizes) • Horse clothing, blankets, sheets, especially foal-sized • Buckets, water troughs • Office supplies and furniture • Any barn or fencing materials • Horse trailers, four-wheelers, or tractors for farm maintenance Monthly sponsorships for individual horses are also available. For donation details, visit www.dreamequinetherapycenter.org.

T o d a y ’ s

Dream Theapy Center 0509.indd 52

C h a r l o tt e

ONE-WOMAN TASK FORCE “I learned about nurse mare barns back in 2000, when I worked as a vet tech for a large equine hospital in Lexington,” Stemper explains. “I have seen people blindfold mares and take their babies from them as soon as they are born, and then lead in other foals for nursing.” An average nurse mare farm produces 50 to 100 unwanted foals per year, and Stemper says there are hundreds of these types of farms in existence. While not all nurse mare barns are guilty of inhumane treatment, the problem is widespread and, because the industry is largely unregulated, has slipped under the radar for years. In addition to building awareness, Stemper’s goal is to save as many foals as possible. “There are only a handful of rescue organizations that help these foals, because it is so expensive,” she says. She works closely with two of those organizations — Last Chance Corral, in Athens, Ohio, and Eagle Hill Farm, in Culpeper, Va. — to purchase foals. She transports them home, where she teaches them to drink milk from buckets and to eat grain. She then finds the foals safe foster and adoptive homes. A long-term goal for Stemper’s Dream Equine Therapy Center includes using rescued

The rescued foals in Terri Stemper’s care are afforded room to thrive as they await adoption.

horses on her farm to offer emotional support and wellness therapy to terminally and chronically ill people. She has found that her patients respond positively to hearing stories about her horses, and she believes that bringing patients to interact with them can be even more beneficial. “Again and again, patients would ask me to tell them about the horses,” she says. She soon came up with a dual concept for Dream Equine Therapy Center — a place that can heal horses and humans, together. AT HOME ON THE RANCH This spring, Stemper’s modest barn is virtually bursting with foals. The number is constantly changing, but at the time of this writing, she had 13 babies to care for. “Our goal this year was to take in 20 to 30 foals over the whole foaling season, and we took in 27 in three weeks,” she says. “We still have one month of foaling season left.” While she’s saved horses for years on a personal level, Stemper says this is her first concentrated rescue effort. During one successful week

W o m a n

4/20/09 3:13 PM

WORDS THAT INSPIRE TERRI STEMPER Reaching For The Stars An old man walked up a shore littered with thousands of starfish, beached and drying up after a storm. A young man was picking them up and flinging them back into the ocean. “Why do you bother?” the old man scoffed. “You are not saving enough to make a difference.” The young man picked up another starfish and sent it spinning back to the water. “Made a difference to that one,” he said. — A Parable, Author Unknown in March, she secured homes for 10 foals. Since then, she’s placed an additional five in foster and adoptive homes. Stemper’s out-of-pocket expenses include the costs of buying, transporting, and feeding the horses … and it isn’t cheap. In one busy week, her operating costs were roughly $4,000. As a result, Stemper, along with a dedicated following of supporters, from neighbors to local veterinarians to friends to strangers, is always raising money for the cause. This year, the Center has hosted a wine tasting, held a ride-athon at nearby Anne Close Springs Greenway, and is in the midst of a raffle for a weekend at a condo in Myrtle Beach, S.C. In April, Stemper received nonprofit status for the Center. Stemper is well aware that her crusade is one most people would never consider taking on. “I have a friend who likes to tell me, ‘I know a great brain surgeon,’ ” she says with a shake of her head. “Others say, ‘Terri, you can’t save them all.’ ” Stemper tries to content herself with saving as many as possible, doing

what she can to “make a difference” to each one. Among the horses Stemper has rescued, a few stand out. She found “Taz” at an auction when he was just two days old. The horse was so weak that she and a friend put him in the back of her car and carried him home like a puppy. Now 9 years old, Taz is an interesting cross of breeds. Stemper refers to him as a “PaintApp-Walker mix,” meaning he is part Paint horse, part Appaloosa, and part Tennessee Walker. He is also a calm, affectionate pet with one blue eye and one brown eye. Noting that he quickly learned basic skills, Stemper says he is a delight to ride and jump. With a free hand, Stemper reaches out to gently scratch one nurse mare foal’s fuzzy back. The foal, named “Phoebe,” stretches her brown neck appreciatively. Only six weeks old, Phoebe is already especially responsive. “There is nothing like the joy and bond of raising an orphan foal,” Stemper says. “They are the best horses I have ever owned and the easiest to train … because they are so willing to please.” TCW

Comprehensive Ear, Nose and Throat Care

Voice and Hearing Disorders

Head, Neck and Skin Cancer

Allergies and Sinus Disorders

A More Sensible Approach For Your Senses. Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates is one of the largest multi-specialty practices of its kind in the country. Our expert physicians and trained specialists can identify your problems and provide the treatment you need to just feel better. The region’s premiere provider for adult and pediatric patients for more than 80 years, you’ll enjoy the convenience and reassurance of the latest techniques and highest quality care. We’re here for you. Choose CEENTA.

ToLearnMore For information, visit www.dreamequinetherapycenter.org, or call 803/980-8422. To foster or adopt a foal, e-mail detc@comporium.net.

WE JUST MAKE SENSE.

GOODSENSES.COM 704.295.3000 800.654.3368

M A Y

Dream Theapy Center 0509.indd 53

2 0 0 9

53 4/23/09 4:46 PM

Th e A p p l e O f O u r E y e Mom An d Appl e Pie — We Lov e ‘Em Both By Michelle Young Hubacher

Eileen’s Apple Pie Filling All Hail T h e P i e National Pie Day is Jan. 23. Or today. And tomorrow … whatever. A First Fo r P i e The first pie recipe was published by the Romans and was for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie. Hey, Drop T h a t S l i c e ! The number of American men between ages 35 and 54 who have eaten the last slice of pie and denied it: 6 million. (Another 6 million lied when asked.) Those Res o u r c e f u l C o l o n i s t s Early Americans cooked their pies in long narrow pans, which they called coffyns (meaning coffins, a holdover from a 12th-century English reference). Yuck.

Ingredients 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg pinch of salt 8 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced 2 pre-made pie crusts 3 tablespoons butter, diced Egg wash, for brushing Sugar, for sprinkling

Directions • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. • In a large bowl, mix the sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in apple slices until well coated with mixture. Set aside. • Roll out pre-made dough. Use one crust to line a 9-inch pie pan. Chill the other crust. • Mound the apple and sugar mixture into the pie pan lined with dough. Dot with the cubed butter. • Using a pastry cutter, cut an even number of strips from the remaining rolled-out dough. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern across the top of the pie. • Brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Trim the overhanging dough and crimp edges with your thumb and forefinger. Cover edges with a 2-inch-wide strip of foil to prevent excessive browning. • Bake pie for 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and juice begins to bubble.

Trick Pie Boston cream pie is a cake, not a pie. It has chocolate and cream, though, so who cares? A Sweet B r e a k f a s t T r e a t Pie was not always America’s favorite dessert — in the 19th century, fruit pies were a common breakfast food eaten before the start of a long day. American F a v o r i t e The number of Americans who identify apple pie as their favorite: 36 million. Comfort F o o d Ninety percent of Americans agree that a slice of pie represents one of the simple pleasures in life. Surprise, S u r p r i s e The wealthy English were known for their “Surprise Pies,” from which live creatures would pop out when the pies were cut open. Mmm, yummy. Where’s O u r P i e ? In 1999, the state of Vermont adopted apple pie as the official state pie. North Carolina apparently doesn’t have a pie. (Our state vegetable is the sweet potato … that works!) TCW Source: The American Pie Council ©. I don’t think they’re looking for a new president, or even pie tasters, but you can check them

Source: The kitchen of Eileen Young, TCW editor Michelle Young Hubacher’s mom.

Applepie0509.indd 54

out at www.piecouncil.org.

4/20/09 3:31 PM

Grand Opening! JLC WearHouse Exciting new changes have come to the Junior League of Charlotte WearHouse! Come Visit Our New Location at

1117 Pecan Avenue Same fantastic deals, sales and savings! Shop for everything from home accessories to shoes, clothing and jewelry.

Save 20%* April 30 - May 2 New Hours Mon.-Sat. 10-6 Summer Hours (June-August) Mon.-Sat. 10-5 *Sale excludes all consignment items, housewares, furniture, accessories, jewelry, cookbooks and vendors

117 Pecan Avenue • Charlotte, NC • 704-377-1854 • www.jlcharlotte.org

M A Y

Applepie0509.indd 55

2 0 0 9

55 4/23/09 4:51 PM

Cl ockwise fr om top l eft: “Tile” R oller Tote Brighton, Brighton Stores “Softy City Bag” Vertical Satchel Marc by Marc Jacobs, www.Nordstrom.com Straw & Patent Trim Shoulder Bag Rafé New York, www.Nordstrom.com R ed And White L uggage Viktor & Rolf for Samsonite Black Label, Neiman Marcus “The Sak” Convertible Satchel Nordstrom, www.Nordstrom.com Braided L eather Shoulder bag Michael Kors, Belk Small R ed Carry-On Newcomer Luggage, www.newcomer.cn “Jill” Chain-Strap Satchel Tory Burch, www.Nordstrom.com

Fashion0509-A.indd 56

4/23/09 4:55 PM

L eather Handbag

Doncaster, www.doncastercharlotte.com

Grab Bag H a v e

S t u f f,

W ill

T r a v e l

By Fiona Harmon

ost of us carry the day on our shoulders — iPod, smartphone, and calendar, all tossed into a handbag. Throw in a handful of cash register receipts, a couple of mascaras, one

or more to-do lists, and a bag of circus peanut candies (oh, is that just me?), and suddenly your purse looks like the inside of the messiest junk drawer in your house. When it’s more than a day you need, you may even find yourself prepping for an out-of-town jaunt by neatly folding your resort wear into the luggage you got as a college graduation gift in 1985 — rips and tears courtesy of the nation’s less-thangentle baggage carousels. Whether you’re stuffing a few last-minute items into your purse while heading out the door to work, or negotiating your favorite pair of shoes into a carry-on before dashing to the airport, the bag you choose is all-important. If you’re looking for an excuse to start fresh, choose a bag so pretty it will make separating BlackBerry from circus peanut more pleasant, indeed. > M A Y

Fashion0509-A.indd 57

2 0 0 9

57 4/21/09 3:02 PM

Fashion

Two Great Lines... One Great Store!

Flowered Makeup Case cinda b Luggage, Buttercup

The original from Denmark. Every story has a bead.TM

Patent Leather Shoulder Bag Big Buddha, The Mole Hole European style that’s classic & trendy from designer Killian Rieder. For the designer in you.TM

Promenade on Providence • Beside Ann Taylor loft 5341 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. • Charlotte, NC 28277 • 704-845-5466

Vinyl Shoulder Tote Braciano, Leah and Company

HEAR THE WHOLE PICTURE.

The current economic challenges affecting the world are having a particular impact throughout Charlotte’s vital banking community. Tune in for the most in-depth financial stories and reporting in this ever-changing economy. Visit WFAE.org.

T o d a y ’ s

Fashion0509-A.indd 58

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:56 PM

MeetOurAdvertisers

Customized And Stylized Mack And Mack Makes The Clothes That Make A Wardrobe

Mecklenburg Bridal Gallery Since 1981

By Melinda Johnston

“

photo by

AUGUS

TO PHOTO

GRAPHY

like the cut of this jacket, but I prefer the sleeves of this other jacket. I really like the fabric of this dress, but it would fit me better if it were actually just a skirt. This kind of internal dialogue goes on in dressing rooms all the time. Whether you’re searching for the perfect jacket to complete an outfit, or shopping for multiple pieces to complete a wardrobe, you are generally at the mercy of what’s on the racks of your favorite stores. Mack and Mack Charlotte has the solution to your dressing-room questions — because it specializes in special orders and one-of-a-kind looks for perfect fit and classic styles. “We will assist you with fit and color selection to help you create a wardrobe of classic everyday elegance, professional wear, travel wear, or special-occasion separates,” says Pamela Melton, owner of Mack and Mack Charlotte. The Greensboro-based Mack and Mack line, created by Robin Mack Davis, is sold in only 65 boutiques across the country. Although you can buy some pieces off the rack, many customers special-order customized pieces for a distinctive look and that all-important perfect fit. If you fall in love with one Mack and Mack jacket, but prefer the sleeves on another, Melton will order you a custom-designed piece that combines the two styles to create a designer jacket … without the designer price tag. “Unlike those of most mass merchants, every Mack and Mack garment is

otte, ack Charl ck and M a M f o r ne . elton, ow wardrobe Pamela M om looks for your st cu s provide

made to order with special attention to detail, expert craftsmanship, and lasting quality,” Melton says. Mack and Mack Charlotte also offers exquisite wraps, jewelry, and handbags. “Our customers are amazed at how they can walk in and put together the perfect outfit,” Melton says. “So many of them are coming back and saying, ‘This is my new favorite store!’ ”TCW

ToLearnMore Mack and Mack Charlotte is located in Specialty Shops on the Park, 6401 Morrison Blvd. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon., Tue., and Sat.; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wed., Thu., and Fri. Visit www.mackandmackcharlotte.com, or call 704/365-3002.

”

8418-C Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210 Quail Corners Shopping Center www.mecklenburgbridal.com 704.556.7789

time to

dance! Unlimited group classes every night at 8pm

Only $49 per month or Call for your complimentary lesson

We will assist you with fit and color selection to help you create a

MOA Mack & Mack 0509.indd 59

wardrobe of classic everyday elegance.

— Pamela Melton

704.541.5440 • www.queencityballroom.com 10403 park road • charlotte • 28210

M A Y

2 0 0 9

59 4/21/09 3:09 PM

Beauty

We All Scream For S N o w I s T h e T i m e T o B aby Y o u r F ac e By FIONA HARMON

Protective Sun Veil For Hair Phyto Plage, www.phyto.com

Revitalift UV Daily Moisturizing Cream L’Oréal, Drugstores

Eight Hour Cream Sun Defense for Face Elizabeth Arden, Department Stores

SolarSmart Face Cream Clinique, Department Stores

Damage Control Water Resistant Sunscreen Arbonne, www.healthyskincareshop.com

ore than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Although sunscreen is a year-round must, the sunny spring days have us outside — and exposed — more than ever. From lotions, creams, and ointments to gels, sprays, and wax sticks, skin savers are everywhere now. Your favorite cosmetic company probably makes one. And you may have your go-to sunscreen stuffed in your handbag already. If you’re worried the sunshine’s healthy vitamin D is not getting a chance to break through that sunscreen shield, don’t fret. Specializing in healthy aging, Dr. Paveena Posang, of Posang Nature, says our skin gets its healthy dose of D from only 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a day. So consider the sunny days ahead. And do so with a protected face! TCW

T o d a y ’ s

Beauty0509.indd 60

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 4:59 PM

r Sunscreen

Bronze Goddess Sunscreen EstĂŠe Lauder, Department Stores

Solar Protection Formula TIZO3 Protection, Charlotte Plastic Surgery

M A Y

Beauty0509.indd 61

2 0 0 9

61 4/23/09 5:00 PM

AtHome

Striking features, such as a tiled stone wall, ebony-stained wood floors, and a homeowner-designed stair railing, bring an uncommon warmth to this fully renovated modern design.

T o d a y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

AtHome0509.indd 62

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/23/09 5:02 PM

F a m il y

D o w n s i z e s

T o

A c hi e v e

T h e

“ R i g ht ”

S p a c e

Simple Plan By Michelle Young Hubacher

PHOTOs BY SCOTT STILES

Dana and Vince Luciani downsized, renovated, and created a home with more intentional, functional space.

ost home improvement projects start with one spouse looking at the other and saying, “Hmm,

you know what we should do … ?” In the case of Vince and Dana Luciani, it was Dana who asked the question. And the timing was — as far as Vince was concerned — unexpected. Unexpected because the couple lived, with their three young children, in a 4,500-square-foot house they had already renovated. > MAY

AtHome0509.indd 63

2 0 0 9

63 4/20/09 4:24 PM

AtHome

The Lucianis’ kitchen is designed with Vince’s cooking expertise in mind. Commercial appliances, lots of counter space, and even a “pre-rinse” restaurant-style spray hose, make this part of the home the perfect example of the couple’s desire to create functional space.

T o d a y ’ s

AtHome0509.indd 64

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/20/09 4:24 PM

Dreams do come

True Visit Our Showroom And Let Us Show You How Ceramic Tile Natural Stone Custom Granite A wall of built-in cabinetry, faced in stunning zebrawood veneer, makes sense in a home that has minimal amounts of furniture.

The kitchen had been gutted and outfitted with state-of-the-art appliances fit for Vince’s gourmet/culinary adventures. The master bath had been totally redone. The home was completely furnished. They had constructed a pergola in the backyard. And Vince was spending his weekends biking and playing music. After seven years in their Quail Hollow home, at least one half of the Luciani couple thought they were “done.” But all that was about to change. “We had plenty of space, there is no doubt,” Dana says. “It was enough space, but it was not the right space.” Their home was traditional, with a formal dining room, a den, a living room, a sunroom, a playroom — lots of areas for a busy family. “We had four places to eat in the house,” she laughs. “Did we need that? No. And we had whole areas of the house that didn’t make sense for us. We were even considering adding on so that Vince had a work space for his home office!” Dana began mulling over the possibility that the family could actually go smaller, with a floor plan that worked for them. “I started to feel like, for us, it would be better to have a house where we use all the space all the time,” she says. “If we had less space, in a more open plan, we could all be together — cooking, reading, and doing homework.” Since traditional homes have more defined and very separate rooms, the Lucianis began to consider modern design. >

Fabrication Zodiac™

11200 Carolina Place Parkway Pineville, NC 28134 704.541.8453 www.tilecollection.com

Helen St. Angelo Realtor ®/Broker 704-839-1809 (mobile) 704-909-5036 (direct) helen@hmproperties.com

EXPERIENCE

EXPERTISE

ETHICS

MAY

AtHome0509.indd 65

2 0 0 9

65 4/20/09 4:25 PM

AtHome

An open floor plan incorporates two distinct seating areas pulled together beautifully by nature’s best accessory: sunlight.

T o d a y ’ s

AtHome0509.indd 66

C h a r l o tt e

Beautifully Engineered

Both Dana and Vince are engineers. She now works in the credit card division at Bank of America, and he owns an engineering consulting firm. Once he decided that his wife’s goal of more family togetherness and a simpler life was well worth pursuing, the two put their heads together on making it happen. “Dana has an incredible sense of space and what is possible,” Vince says. “Her engineering background kicks in and she starts planning.” They considered building a house to their specifications, but soon decided the most cost-effective way to achieve their dream home was to buy an existing home and renovate. Within minutes of walking into a south Charlotte home that was for sale, Dana knew it would work. The mid-century house, built in 1962, had a modern-for-its-day design, employing an open floor plan that would be key

to the Lucianis’ intended outcome. The couple immediately started drawing up plans for the major renovation. Dana would be project manager and dreamer; Vince would be contractor and implementation man. “Once we got into the detailed planning, it all just made so much sense,” Dana says. “We think like engineers; we like things to have a purpose. Every detail in the house was to serve a purpose.” “Working” space for the Lucianis means a serious kitchen — a kitchen that incorporates an American Range commercial gas stove, a Moffat commercial convection oven, and a CaptiveAire hood. There are two refrigerators: one small Summit that Vince uses to age meat without the confines of packaging; and one light-duty commercial glass-front Frigidaire that he calls “the civilian fridge.” There is also a Frigidaire chest freezer and a Summit ice machine within reach, right in-

W o m a n

4/20/09 4:25 PM

side the adjacent laundry room. A giant stainless steel sink with an integrated counter, designed by Vince and created by Select Stainless, in Matthews, stands sentry in the center of the kitchen. Extending 3 1/2 feet above the sink is a T&S Brass Works “pre-rinse” spray faucet from Fadel’s Restaurant Supply. “I like to cook,” Vince says modestly. Like the kitchen, the laundry room is all business. With three children, Dana decided it only made sense to design the laundry room to be as functional as possible. Outfitted with six lockers, a pantry, and plenty of shelving and storage space, all from Ikea — one of the Lucianis’ favorite sources for furnishing their “new” home — the laundry room is a model of functionality. A utility sink, also with a T&S Brass Works spray faucet, sits alongside the washer and dryer, and an island in the middle of the room serves as work space for sorting and folding laundry.

Function Meets Form

The family sold their Quail Hollow house and moved into an apartment while the work progressed on their new home. With Vince acting as contractor for the project, deliveries to both their temporary residence and the home under renovation were constant. So constant, in fact, that the UPS driver would actually call Vince to ask if he’d rather have the day’s shipment dropped at the new home or at the apartment. “At one point, we had 250 boxes from Ikea and EasyClosets.com!” Vince says. “We were getting deliveries several times a week.” Ikea’s style, with its straight edges and utilitarian vibe, appealed to the Lucianis and works well with their new modern de-

sign scheme, which represents a virtual 180-degree turn from the traditional home they had previously owned. They sold almost every stick of furniture they had and replaced it with selections from the sleek, contemporary Ikea line. “Again, so much of what we had was all about filling space in a house that was so traditional, and not necessarily useful,” Dana explains. “We were downsizing (the newly renovated home is 3,300 square feet), and in a modern home, we simply would not need the amount of furniture we had in the old house.” Only a few pieces of furniture made the cut, and a few others were sent to “stay” with family members, should the children decide they want them later on. A massive burled walnut Louis Phillipe armoire, with bookmatched inlaid doors, is one piece of traditional furniture that came 1 7/18/08 1:21:06 PM to the newly renovated home. RHR08035_CLTBR_CharlotteWoman_3809x4689.indd It anchors the front wall of the open living room/kitchen/dining room area. A seating area in front of the armoire features four white leather Barcelona-style chairs from By Design, a glass-top table, and two solid twisted-wood tables from Z-Galleries. Another seating area, in the same open room, includes a sectional sofa by Carter Furniture in Salisbury, as well as a brown leath$500 Off er and wood Perfect Chair Zero Cabinet Refacing Gravity recliner. “That was Vince’s w/$5000 purchase ‘Thank you!’ for being contractor on the job,” Dana laughs. A It’s easier than you ever imagined to get the Wow! kitchen you’ve always wanted. large round table — another of That’s the magic of Granite Transformations. It’s engineered, measured and built to fit right on top of your old countertop to bring the gorgeous new look of granite to your the few pieces brought from the old kitchen. No messy demolition. And it installs in as little as one day! Call today and previous house — sits in the corexperience the Wow! of Granite Transformations yourself. ner of this room, and a collection of guitars is artfully displayed Call today for a free across one wall. Like everything in-home consultation! else in the home, these are not 704.598.1558 just for looks — Vince plays all 6735 Reames Rd. • Suite 600 • Charlotte • www.charlotte@granitetransformations.com of them regularly. > M A Y

AtHome0509.indd 67

2 0 0 9

67 4/20/09 7:37 PM

AtHome

The bedrooms of all three Luciani children incorporate smart storage solutions. Dana Luciani took organization to another level in a laundry room outfitted with lockers, open shelving, a pantry, and a work island. The homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bathrooms all incorporate the same, or similarly styled, fixtures, tile, and cabinet treatments, creating a clean, contemporary look that fits the vibe of this modern redesign.

T o d a y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

AtHome0509.indd 68

C h a r l o tt e

W o m a n

4/20/09 4:26 PM

THAI ORCHID Fine Thai Dining

Saturday Dinner Only Closed on Sundays In a home where all of the space is used all of the time, the Lucianis were looking for well-purposed and functional ways to incorporate their personalities into the home. Here, even Vince’s guitars are artfully stored.

Fairview Rd

Thai Orchid

Lunch & Dinner Corporate Lunches Private Parties Luncheon Specials Seafood & Vegetarian

Providence Rd

PUBLICATION: Charlotte the City Magazine DATE: August 2006 ARTICLE: Eat, Drink

Sardis Rd

Strawberry Hill Shopping Center Near the intersection of Providence & Fairview

(704) 364-1134

www.thaiorchidcharlotte.com

Wall-To-Wall Sky

The dining area boasts a table that seats eight, or 12 when opened, and is complemented by floor-to-ceiling cabinetry as striking in its simplicity as in its functionality. Zebrawood, a striated wood veneer from west Africa, fronts the cabinets, which hold an array of dishes, serving pieces, and household items necessary for entertaining. “In modern design, there are fewer walls, so you just don’t need as much furniture to line those walls,” Dana explains. “Cabinets like this make so much sense.” The cabinetry in the dining room, as well as that in the kitchen, was crafted by Ray Kocher, of Kocher Cabinets Inc., in Rock Hill, S.C. Creating even less “wall space” in this modern floor plan is the abundance of fulllength windows in the home. “Natural light, lots of natural light, was an important part of this redesign,” Dana says. The front of the house originally had large windows, and the Lucianis had storefront windows — designed by Vince and produced by Kawneer — installed. The back wall of the main living area is lined with floor-to-

ceiling windows, as well. The home’s front door is also a storefront feature. Vince designed the almost-all-glass door, which measures an expansive 4 by 8 feet, and Kawneer (next time you’re in Wendy’s or Target, look for the Kawneer name on the doors!), created the door from Vince’s design. “Ervin Glass (the Salisburybased dealer/installer for Kawneer) wanted to hire Vince after working with him on this door, they were so impressed with his skill,” Dana says proudly. The children’s bedrooms are predominantly furnished with Ikea beds, desks, and storage units. All of the bathrooms feature the same marble and similarly styled fixtures, resulting in a simplicity and uniformity that is uncommon in traditional homes. “We’d lived in a home that looked like a bath showroom before,” Vince says. “I don’t really see the point of that. We want what works now.” If what works now is a unique blend of truly useful space and functional furnishings, complete with a warmth not normally associated with modern design, then the Lucianis do, indeed, have what works. TCW

We offer brunch from 11-3 on Saturday and Sunday. Whether you dine indoors or al fresco, it’s a true taste of Tuscany that’s as close as SouthPark.

704.571.4214 4720 Pi e d m o n t Ro w Dr. Pi e d m o n t To wn Ce n te r

MAY

AtHome0509.indd 69

2 0 0 9

69 4/20/09 4:26 PM

HealthMatters

v H e a l t h M a t t e r s

New Medicine A Closer Look At Clinical Trials

By Jennifer Mitchell he concept of the clinical trial has been around for quite some time. British physician James Lind conducted the first-ever clinical trial in

1747, resulting in the theory that citrus fruits cure scurvy. Such trials, which are based on

creating a parallel control group that is given an alternative treatment, have undergone dramatic safety and ethical transformations since the days of seafarers adding sour oranges and lemons to their diets. Today, clinical trials continue to play a vital role when it comes to determining whether countless medications, medical devices, and treatment options are safe and effective for patients.

T o d a y ’ s

HealthMatters0509.indd 70

C h a r l o tt e

If you’ve ever considered participating in a clinical trial and wondered if you are an appropriate candidate to volunteer, you are not alone. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, at least 50,000 people a day visit its Web site (www.clinicaltrials.gov), where they can find detailed information about clinical trials, both in the United States, and in more than 100 countries around the globe.

Collecting Data

Clinical trials are studies that allow researchers to collect important data in order to answer specific scientific questions. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies often sponsor the studies and present the findings to the federal government, hoping to gain approval for the use of their products by the general public.

There are several different types of clinical trials. Each examines better and more efficient ways to screen for, diagnose, or treat a disease. In the United States, trials are required by the federal government in order for the Food and Drug Administration to approve new drugs, medical devices, and treatment options for patients. Research findings can also help prevent potentially harmful products from ever hitting the market, and can lead to product recalls for products found to be dangerous after they’ve been distributed. Trials take place in a variety of locations, such as universities, hospitals, and physicians’ offices. By the time you hear about a clinical trial or see an advertisement soliciting patient volunteers, in most cases the medication, therapy, or device has already sustained a battery of initial tests in the

W o m a n

4/20/09 4:01 PM

laboratory or in animal studies. Promising results have allowed researchers to begin testing in patient volunteers. Even so, the potential for serious — even life-threatening — side effects may exist. However, precautions and safeguards are implemented to try to minimize risks to patients. “Most clinical trials are regulated by the FDA and are subsequently regulated by an IRB (Institutional Review Board), which is an independent ethics committee,” explains Dr. George Raad, medical director of Metrolina Medical Research in Charlotte. As a family medicine physician, Dr. Raad has been a principal investigator in hundreds of clinical trials, including some that have involved new medications to help treat hypertension, diabetes, and arthritis. He says an independent monitoring data board is also involved to statistically manage the results. “The safety of the patient is always No. 1.”

Who Can Participate?

So how do you know if you should volunteer to help test a medication or treatment option that is essentially experimental? Clinical trials have specific guidelines in place to determine who can and cannot participate. The guidelines may include gender, age, and medical history. Some trials are looking for healthy patients, while others need participants with specific illnesses or diseases. A patient consent form that describes the trial’s purpose, duration, and required procedures allows you to make an informed decision about volunteering for a study. According to Dr. Girish “Gilly” Munavalli, medical director of Dermatology, Laser and Vein Specialists of the Carolinas in Charlotte, one of the most important things a patient should do before volunteering is educate herself about the study, specifically finding out about the potential risks and potential benefits. “People who are not healthy or who are not eligible to participate are typically screened out before the trial starts,” says Dr. Munavalli, who has conducted trials on cosmetic and vein procedures for more than 10 years. He adds that consent forms are very comprehensive, outlining possible side effects and how medical problems will be handled should they arise. So, reading all literature and consent forms accompanying a

medical trial application is essential. Volunteers will be turned away if they are considered to be at-risk or not a good match for the trial due to health reasons. Dr. Raad also points out that people who appear unable to understand what they are volunteering for, or who do not seem to comprehend potential risks, will likely be told they cannot participate. If you are selected to volunteer, be aware that you can withdraw your consent to participate at any time during the study. Investigators can also remove you from the trial if they observe any health or safety issues.

Potential Benefits For Patients

“The benefit to the public is that these medications and treatment options [being tested] actually may work,” says Dr. Raad. “We would not be where we are today without clinical trials. They lead to better devices, better drugs, and fewer side effects.” Because patients have more appointments with physicians, nurses, and other members of the research team than they would have under normal circumstances, they typically become more in tune with their own health, and often become more informed patients. The cost factor for some people can be another plus. Clinical trials are generally offered free of charge to study participants. Some trials even pay you a small stipend to reimburse your time and travel expenses. You are not required to have medical insurance in order to participate. Sometimes, however, the decision to volunteer is a necessity. For patients who are critically ill, clinical trials are a way to gain access to potentially cutting-edge medical treatment that is not yet available to the general public. Dr. Munavalli explains that a patient who is not responding to conventional therapy may turn to clinical trial studies with the hope of finding a life-saving cure. “Sometimes,” he says, “clinical trials are a patient’s last hope.” TCW

bio-identical

hormone replacement

therapy

Ronald L. Brown, MD Fellow, American College Ob/Gyn Member, N. American Menopause Society

you’ve heard

Oprah talking about it! Find out what Bio-identical Hormone Therapy can do for YOU! Replace the female hormones that your endocrine system used to produce when you were younger for: . relief from hot flashes and night sweats . reduced risk of osteoporosis . increased energy and vitality . enhanced libido . relief of depression . cognitive clarity Au thor of Th e You th Eff ec t Barraged with the conflicting messages about the safety of hormone replacement therapy? In The Youth Effect, Dr. Brown cuts through the confusion and offers a clear, concise view of the heart of the matter.

Available at Park R oad Books, Borders ® and Amazon.com.

ToLearnMore If you would like information about clinical trials, including those being offered in your area, check out the following Web sites: www.centerwatch.com, www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/clinicaltrials.html, and www.ciscrp.org.

423C South Sharon Amity Road Charlotte, NC 28211 www.carolinahealthspan.com

For an appointment, call

704.333.4817

M a y

HealthMatters0509.indd 71

2 0 0 9

71 4/20/09 7:28 PM

HealthFlash W h a t

y o u

n e e d

t o

k n o w

t o

s t ay

f i t

a n d

W e l l

Compiled by jennifer Bradford-epstein

Strike A Pose To Relieve PMS

iserable during that pre-period week? New research shows that yoga can relieve both psychological and physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Yoga balances the endocrine system, which controls your body’s production of hormones, and it calms the nervous system, reducing stress and the aggravation of hot flashes. Yoga is a weight-bearing exercise, which strengthens your bones and helps prevent osteoporosis. It can massage the reproductive organs, alleviate pelvic congestion and headaches, enhance the immune system, reduce fatigue, and even out mood swings. “Yoga boosts circulation, which can relieve fluid buildup that causes bloating,” says Suzanne Trupin, M.D., clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Urbana. The paced deep breathing of yoga also increases oxygen flow to tissues, decreasing discomfort induced by cramps. While most yoga poses can be performed during your pe-

T o d a y ’ s

HealthFlash0509.indd 72

C h a r l o tt e

riod, you should concentrate on those that open the hips and invert the body, including Easy Pose (Sukhasana), Cat (Marjaryasana), Cobra (Bhujangasana), Bow (Dhanurasana), Corpse (Savasana), and Child’s Pose (Balasana). Don’t forget to take full, strong breaths as you pose. For a step-by-step guide to these simple, yet effective, poses, visit www.yogajournal.com and click on the POSES (Browse Index) tab.

HeavyWeight Champ DVD Opens Door To Yoga You don’t need to be a size 6 to enjoy the stress-relieving benefits of yoga. Yogis of all shapes and sizes can increase strength, gain flexibility, and improve balance with the HeavyWeight Yoga DVD ($24.95, www.heartfeltyoga.com). “On this DVD, overweight and obese people get an instructor they can identify with,” says creator Abby Lentz. “I wanted them to know that if someone like me can practice yoga, they can too.”

W o m a n

4/23/09 5:10 PM

Align Thyself Posturing For Better Sleep Are you counting more sheep than you should? Do you wake up aching all over? Poor body alignment during sleep could be the cause. So, before you nod off, do a quick posture check. According to the editors of Natural Prescriptions for Women, these joint-friendly sleeping habits can help protect creaky body parts from becoming stiff or sore, and help ease strain on your head, neck, and back: • If you sleep on your back, put a small pillow under your knees. • If you sleep on your side, avoid tucking your neck and chin into the fetal position. • If you sleep on your stomach, put a pillow under one side of your body so your head and neck aren’t strained.

Concerned About Your Hormonal Health? Stanley Apothecary Compounding Pharmacy Specializing in: •Female and Male Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement • Saliva Hormone Testing • Premium Anti-aging Skin Care Creams and Nutritional Supplements • Customized Medications To Meet Your Unique Needs

More information online: www.stanleyrx.com

3330 Monroe Road, Ste. A, Charlotte, NC (704) 370-6612 • Store Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5

Just Living?

Schooling Mom Babies Benefit From Your Education

n a study published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Mental Retardation, researchers report that women who were educated below the highschool level were 8.9 times more likely to have children with mild intellectual disabilities than were women who had more than 12 years of education. The study’s authors speculate that, in addition to direct genetic effects, and access to early and comprehensive prenatal care, ample prenatal maternal education

may positively impact cognitive development through the mother’s awareness and avoidance of certain risk behaviors. Conversely, researchers theorize that inadequate postnatal maternal education can negatively influence mental development of the child due to the mother’s poor nutrition choices, insufficient cognitive stimulation in the home environment, less knowledge of and access to early intervention services, and increases in childhood injuries. >

Live Better!

Bio-Identical Hormones Testosterone Replacement For Men and Women

Bio-Identical

Hormones Relief from: • Hot flashes

• Brain fog • Loss of Libido • Weight gain • Mood swings • Anxiety

Signature

Wellness

ptimal Health for O Center By Design

Exclusive. Unrushed. Personalized

704-752-9346

www.signaturewellness.org 15105 John J Delaney Drive Charlotte, NC 28277

Deborah Matthew MD

Charlotte’s Only Board Certified Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine Specialist

Lora Solomon MSN FNP Ramsey Mead MFS HHP RYT Margaret Robinson

Anti-Aging Medicine • Weight loss • Fitness • Nutrition • Stress Management

m a y

HealthFlash0509.indd 73

2 0 0 9

73 4/23/09 5:18 PM

HealthFlash

Aging Swell 70 Ways To A Healthier 70

e all know (hopefully) that taking on better lifestyle habits can lead us to longer, happier, and healthier lives. Avoiding fad diets, feasting on fiber, saving our skin … though we may need reminding from time to time, we are aware these things are good for us. But what about enjoying a hobby, forgiving others, and avoiding the debt trap? The authors of 70 Ways To Beat 70 are hoping to point out that health isn’t limited to a person’s body. There are lots (70 in fact!) of things we can do to age into our 70s with grace and peace of mind. David B. Biebel, a minister and award-winning author, along with James E. Dill, M.D., and Bobbie Dill, R.N., takes a holistic approach, with ideas for changes we can make in our diets, lifestyles, and mindsets — all with the desired outcome to live our long lives happier and healthier. Each chapter of the book cites one way, with an explanation of the science, research, or fundamental theory behind the advice.

Experienced Urology Care Technology and experience are key factors in both the diagnosis and treatment of urologic disorders. Lake Norman Urology offers an abundance of both. From the latest medical options for all urologic conditions to minimally invasive surgery, our urologists provide comprehensive treatment of: Adult & Adolescent Urologic Disorders:

• Kidney Stones • Urologic Cancers • Prostate • Bladder • Kidney • Testes

• Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) • Infertility • Impotence • Incontinence • Bladder Dysfunction

Serving the Huntersville and Lake Norman areas since 1999

Huntersville-Exit 25 off 1-77-16525 Holly Crest Lane, Suite 210 Mooresville Gateway-Exit 33 off I-77-137 Professional Park Drive, Suite D

704-660-3322

T o d a y ’ s

HealthFlash0509.indd 74

C h a r l o tt e

A Sampling Of 70 Ways To Beat 70: • Be kind to your GI tract. • Have at least one close friend. • Cry more, but also laugh more. • Attend a “healthy” church — one that practices genuine love, acceptance, and tolerance.

Flower Power A Rose Is More Than A Rose

Looking at a bouquet of fresh flowers may make you feel happier and more energetic, according to a Harvard University study. Researchers asked more than 50 women (half of whom were sent flowers) to keep mood diaries on how they felt over the course of a day. While the study participants — like many of us — tended to be anxious, worried, and negative in the morning, those who caught a glimpse of the flowers reported that their moods improved and that they felt more compassionate for the rest of the day, says Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “Seeing aspects of nature in our everyday lives that signal life and health may have a calming and

positive effect on the brain,” Etcoff explains. So take time to smell (and look at!) the roses. And don’t wait for someone to send you a pretty bouquet — decorate your desk with some buds to give yourself a mood boost. >

W o m a n

4/23/09 5:20 PM

Healthier, Younger-Looking Legs

HealthFlash

are closer closer than than you you think. think. are Varicose Vein Treatment Spider Vein Treatment Sclerotherapy Facial Spider Veins Insurance Accepted for Most Procedures Latest Radio Frequency and Laser Technology In-office Procedures Minimal Downtime

before

For a Limited Time

Buy One Get One

after

FREE on all

David Walrath, M.D., F.A.C.S. is one of only 88 physicians in the US Double Board Certified in Phlebology, the treatment of veins, and Surgery.

Treatment Packages

10215 Hickorywood Hill Ave., Suite B, Huntersville, NC 28078

704 947-7027 www.veincenteroflakenorman.com

Restrictions may apply,

Caring for your family’s complete dental needs

LASER HAIR REMOVAL SUN DAMAGE BODY CONTOURING SKIN RESURFACING BOTOX® DERMAL FILLERS

Dr. Gwyn Davis Before

After

Before

Dr. Kimberly Anderson

After

Call us today to see how we can completely transform your smile with LUMINEERS®

Come see what Sona can do for you.

866-GET-SONA sonamedspa.com

8420 University Executive Park, Suite 805 • 704-594-9250

Buy One Get One Free offer excludes Botox and Dermal Fillers.

TodaysCharlotteWoman_2-March09.indd 1

HealthFlash0509.indd 75

m a y

2 3/16/09 0 0 9 12:43:33 75 PM

4/23/09 5:24 PM

HealthFlash

Tune In And Listen Up Your Health Will Benefit

istening to your favorite music will do your body good. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have shown, for the first time, that the emotions aroused by joyful music have a healthy effect on blood vessel function. The researchers found that listening to such music actually invokes feelings of joy, which dilates blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow. Listening to music that people found stressful, however, has the opposite effect, causing blood vessels to constrict. Check out these additional ways music can do wonders for your well-being:

Fend Off Colds

Singing has been shown to boost levels of salivary immunoglobulin A, a protein that defends against respiratory infections. Researchers in Germany speculate that opening your mouth in a pattern that replicates singing aloud may stimulate production of IgA. So sing like no one is listening!

Soothe Stress

People who participated in a weekly, hour-long drum circle had lower stress levels, a study in the International Journal of Nursing Edu-

Want More Hair?

cation Scholarship reports. Drumming is stress-busting, relaxing exercise (akin to brisk walking). Get out your bongos (or grab some tin cans), and keep the beat.

Snooze Soundly

Listening to relaxing music for 45 minutes before bedtime will help you drift off to sleep faster, according to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. A tempo of between 40 and 72 beats per minute is the most sedating, but any tune you find soothing may help. TCW

www.southparkacupuncture.org

Fuller, Thicker Hair could be a few short hours away. •Hair Extensions •Hair Replacement •Hair Restoration •Laser Hair Therapy

For a

We are pleased to have SouthPark Acupuncture and Wenhui Li in Morrocroft Medical Plaza.

$100 OFF COUPON

on our services, visit LEGACY Hair Center

www.legacyhaircenter.com or call: 704-522-3866

Legacy Hair Center 540-C Brandywine Road Charlotte, NC 28209 Formerly Carolina Hair Clinic

T o d a y ’ s

HealthFlash0509.indd 76

C h a r l o tt e

Wenhui Li is welcoming new patients. Schedule your appointment today.

W o m a n

Appointment Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday Wenhui Li, L. Ac 4525 Cameron Valley Pkwy. Suite 1600 Charlotte, NC 28211 704-512-6293

SouthPark Acupuncture ad new pics.indd 1

4/8/09 10:02 AM

4/23/09 5:27 PM

MeetOurAdvertisers

Take Flight …

Remember how good home tastes?

To Bird Dentistry And Orthodontics By Melinda Johnston

The gourmet chef’s dream!

photo by

TO PHOTO AUGUS

GRAPHY

Dr. Bird boasts a unique combination of education and experience that allows her to offer care far beyond that of most children’s dentists. She’s one of just a handful of pediatric dentists in the country who are certified in orthodontics, as well. Not only does Dr. Bird care for young teeth and gums; she’s able to monitor each patient’s bite and can intervene with orthodontic treatment if appropriate. For patients l ta n e d in braces, dental cleanings th the res for bo ne Bird ca of her patients. n and orthodontic checkza u S r. D eds dontic ne and ortho ups can take place at the same appointment. “Parents can have all of their re you looking for a dental children’s dental needs taken practice where your chil- care of at one time, in one locadren can feel at home, tion, by one dentist,” Dr. Bird says. and you can feel con- To make it even easier for busy fident in the care they receive? families to accommodate appointments, starting this fall, Bird DenCheck out what Dr. Suzanne Bird affectionately calls the “Bird tistry will provide its orthodontic House” — Bird Pediatric Dentist- patients school pickup and dropoff transportation. ry and Orthodontics. As a solo practitioner, Dr. Bird Whether they’ll be enjoying the clubhouse-inspired waiting has the added advantage of seeing each patient at each visit, so room for younger patients, or the she can get to know them well, teen waiting room equipped with a flat-screen TV, children actually and they can develop trust and look forward to going to the den- confidence in her. From regular dental checkups, tist! And parents of Bird Dentistry’s patients feel good knowing starting at age 1, to orthodontic that all aspects of their youngsters’ appliances for tweens and teens, smiles are being taken care of Dr. Bird and her staff work hard with the latest technology in a fun, to ensure a lifetime of smiles for their patients. TCW kid-friendly atmosphere.

ToLearnMore Bird Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics is located in the Cedar Walk development at the corner of Ardrey Kell and Marvin roads, at 16607 Riverstone Way, Suite 300. For information, visit www.birddentistry.com, or call 704/544-5000.

Incredible selections

Unbelievable prices & no more missing ingredients! 3112 Milton Road Charlotte, NC 28215 704-716-1009

5610 Independence Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28212 704-716-1280

818 E. Arrowood Rd. Charlotte, NC 28217 704-716-1170

2557 West Franklin Ave. Gastonia, NC 28052 704-861-2966

4300 North Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28213 704-596-3495

1314 West Front St. Statesville, NC 28687 704-872-7541

M A Y

Bird Dentistry 0509.indd 77

2 0 0 9

77 4/21/09 4:30 PM

G e t

v C a r d e d

Reach Over 120,000 Women Who Want To Do Business With You

Ac upuncture

Acupuncture Tuina Massage Li Jie McGimsey, L.Ac. (Licensed Acupuncturist)

Doctor of Oriental Medicine of Beijing China

Charlotte • Davidson Specialist in Women’s Disorders

704.737.4412

“You Deserve to be Beautiful” Permanent Facial Make-up by

Judy

A Qu ality Virtu

704-846-8876 Judy Fairchild

Brows, Eyeliner, Lips & More!

www.permanentfacialmakeupbyjudy.com

Lace Front Specia

Full Unit and Application

O n ly $399

Acupuncture & Herbal Experts From China With 27 Years Clinical Experience Dr. Jeffery (JiFei) Wang (OMD; L.Ac. & CH) Dr. Mary (Qing) Ren (OMD; L.Ac. & CH)

704-968-0351

• Pain Management • Infertility • Menopause • Fibromyalgia • Stress/Depression • Insomnia • Sciatica/Arthritis

• High Cholesterol • Stroke • Headache/Migraine • Acne/IBS • Over-Weight • Sports Injury • Whiplash from Auto Accident

Offer expires May 31, 2009 Urstylist.com Fabulous hair, undetectable hair extensions, lace fronts, lashes and much more. By appointment only

704-752-4192

• • • • • • • •

al Assist ant you CAN afford!

Business Correspondence Client Follow Up Cold Calling, Phone Sales Customer Service E-mail Management Event Planning Research Travel Arrangements

PAY ONLY FOR T HE TIME YOU N EED ! *Rates are Low*

CALL 704.554.6370 f o r In f o

The WELCOME Committee

7810 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. • Suite 300 Charlotte, NC 28277 • www.ballantyneacupuncture.com

Healing Hands Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic, LLC South Park’s Premiere Chinese Medicine Clinic! Adrienne Wei, L.Ac. & Andrea Perullo, L.Ac.

704.571.8783

6207 Park South Dr. • Suite 101 Charlotte, NC 28210

www.TheHealingHandsClinic.com

Beauty May Specials

Semi-Permanent Lashes — $199 Individual Lashes — $35 Do It Yourself Lash Clinic — $99

European Skincare • Medical Aesthetics Make Up Application

SALLY RAKER By appointment

The Rejuvenation Center

If you are a business or professional wanting to target new households, contact The Welcome Committee. We get there first and in person to deliver your advertising message. You’ll receive a prospect list, so tracking results is a snap. For sponsorship information, please call 704-660-1155.

www.TheWelcomeCommittee.net

C a r e S e r v i ce s

6725-A Fairview Rd • Charlotte, NC 28210

704-367-1661

Caring is our ONLY Business

(Includes training and products.)

Body Magic Is Here!

Loose up to 3 sizes in 10 minutes! As seen on CNN. For information about Body Magic visit: www.ardysslife.com/en/bodybychampagnetaste

bus i n ess S e r v ic e s

The Perfect Assistant

consultant & personal assistant to the Stars …that includes You! Providing Personal Assistant & Concierge Services

Manette Andrise Morrow Manette@Live.com (704) 685-0377

GetCarded509.indd 78

Serving the Charlotte community for over 25 years

Personal Care For Those You Love Infants to Elderly • Pets and plants too. When You Need It 24 hours a day • 7 days a week Where You Need It Home • Traveling • Hospital The Way You Want It “Caring for others with compassion, understanding, honesty, and dependability is the purpose of Charlotte Care Services.”

Gift Certificates Available (704) 335-0501 www.charlottecare-grandmothers.com

4/23/09 5:28 PM

Shift Your Energy Change Your Life

counseling

restaurant

19 Years At The Arboretum

Jackie Burleson

MONTHLY VITAMIN SALES

Maharani brings to you the authentic essence of Indian cuisine, blending the finest aromatic spices to create dishes that are traditional in flavor, all to be enjoyed in an atmosphere that is warm, inviting and elegantly adorned.

H o m e d e s i g n & Im p r o v e m e n t

Mon-Fri 11:30 pm - 2:30 pm

CPC, MBA, EFT-ADV

8206 Providence Rd. #1800 Charlotte, NC 28277

• Life & Career Change Coach • Know Your Life PurposeTM Coach • Emotional Freedom Techniques • Free Consultation Available

(704) 542-1444 www.natmkt.com

Vitamins/Supplements Sports Fitness • Natural Foods

EnergyConnect Coaching, LLC 704.529.5287 • WWW.ECCOACHING.COM

Jill C. Eilenberger LCSW, LMFT Psychotherapist and Author

EEN IT UP R G YARDSCAPES

“Outdoor living space design and maintenance professionals” Jim Corcoran president 20+ years experience

(704)789-YARD (9273) E:mail: jim@greenitupyards.com Web: www.greenitupyards.com

Lunch Buffet & Lunch Specials

Sat & Sun Noon - 3:00 pm Dinner Mon-Sun 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

901 S. Kings Dr., Suite 115, Charlotte NC 28204 • 704.370.2455

Wellness

“NO JOB TOO SMALL ONE CALL DOES IT ALL”

Treatment For Emotional Eaters

Dara Barber

704-522-0291 www.jilleilenberger.com

Cabinet Design Specialist Remodel & New Construction

1515 Mockingbird Lane Charlotte, NC 28209

704 522 9200 Ext. 27

8325-D Arrowridge Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina 28273

Unleashing Your Money’s Hidden Potential

financial services

We Make the Decision Easy™

Curatio Spa & Rehabilitation Let Us Ease Your Pain

William Bronson LMBT #5764 Massage Therapist/Owner

7810 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy Suite 313 Charlotte, NC 28277 704-542-3399 • 704-602-3044 www.curatiorehabilitation.com

Debbie Peterson

Personal Cash Flow Specialist Special Offer — Six Hours Of Consulting At No Fee

www.moneycounts.biz 704-2776995

Neck Pain? Back Pain? Problems with Muscles or Bones?

Deb@moneycounts.biz

fitness

RESTORATIVE AND PREVENTIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOU.

When You Don’t Make Excuses…

FIT HAPPENS!

Dr. Sindhu George, DPT Board Certified and Licensed in North Carolina

Want to lose weight, tone, firm, maybe get rid of that muffin top? I can make it happen. Best of all I travel to your home, office, park, or accepting gyms.

ROOM MAKEOVERS SALE homES S HOWCASED We use what you have. No new investment.

www.re-arrangements.com

For more information go2 www.mo-fit.com or 704.231.2278 Ashano Johnson, NSCA-CPT, of Fitness Mobile Fitness Ashano Johnson, BA, BA, NSCA-CPT, FounderFounder of Mobile

In business over 20 years

Phone 704-366-1112

Email rearrangements1@aol.com

Emphasizing a Compassionate, Personal and Holistic approach to physical therapy for: • Headaches • Plantar Fasciitis • Neck Pain • Herniated Discs/ • TMJ Pain Joint Dysfunction • Back Pain • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome • Fibromyalgia and more

Your first consultation is absolutely free. Call (704) 319-2232 today for an appointment.

George Rehabilitation and Wellness, LLC 7810 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28277

www.georgerehabandwellness.com

mofit.indd 1

3/25/09 10:19:51 PM

Vist us on the web at www.todayscharlottewoman.com

GetCarded509.indd 79

Your Business Card Should Be Here Call 704/521-6872 to reserve your space today!

4/24/09 9:49 AM

T h e A C A L E N D A R

Mondays Every Monday

Lake Norman Toastmasters, Suite 206 above Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, 19900 W. Catawba, Cornelius, ext. 28, 6:30-8 p.m. Call Loria Cass, 704/560-8881; www.lakenormantoastmasters.com. Six-O Toastmasters, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 3200 Park Rd., 7 p.m.; 704/451-8502; www.monday6o.org. Women’s Cancer Group, Presbyterian Buddy Kemp Caring House, 242 Colonial Ave., 6:30-8 p.m.; 704/3845223. Visit www.presbyterian.org/buddykemp for other support group info.

First & Third Monday Of Each Month

Independence Toastmasters Club, Dowd YMCA, 7th floor, 400 E. Morehead St., 7:07 a.m., charlottetoast.freetoasthost.org.

Second Monday Of Each Month

Executive Women International, 5:30 p.m. reception; 6 p.m. dinner, members only. Call Sara Evans, 704/731-4397. International Association Of Administrative Professionals, Charlotte Chapter, Hilton Executive Park off Tyvola & I-77, 6 p.m. Call Leigh Ann Nafus, 704/243-4786. Junior Woman’s Club Of Charlotte, The Mint Museum, 2730 Randolph Rd. 7 p.m., www.charlottejuniors.com. Mint Hill Women’s Club, call Dixie Helms, 704/545-3806; vicepresident@minthillwc.com; www.minthillwc.com.

O F

v M e e t i n g P R O F E S S I O N A L

P l a c e

A N D

S O C I A L

Holistic Health Network, Presbyterian Hospital, Hawthorne Lane (Bobcat Room), 6:45 p.m. Meets Sept.June. Open to all. Call Belle Radenbaugh, 704/542-7040; www.ncholisticnetwork.com. Lake Norman Women’s Connection, Atlanta Bread Company, Huntersville, 10 a.m. Call Janet, 704/281-8496, or Lindy, 704/892-9060. National Association Of Women Business OwnersCharlotte, locations and format vary. $30-$60. 704/3673454; www.nawbocharlotte.org. Women In Electronics, Holiday Inn University Executive Park, 6 p.m. dinner; 7 p.m. meeting, $15; www. womeninelectronics.org.

Second Tuesday Every Other Month

Women’s Initiative Network, Charlotte Chapter. Call Pat Baldridge, 704/541-0277; www.womensinet.com.

Second Tuesday Of Each Month

American Association Of Medical Assistants, Charlotte Chapter, Pritchett Hall, Kings College, 6 p.m. Visitors welcome. RSVP to pjh2ncaama@aol.com; www.aama-ntl.org Carolina Breast Friends, Myers Park United Methodist Church, Room 109, 7 p.m.; www.carolinabreastfriends.org. Charlotte Woman’s Club, 1001 E. Morehead St., $10, 704/333-1980.

Third Monday Of Each Month

Clemson Women’s Alumni Council, Charlotte Metro Area Chapter, locations vary, drinks 6:30 p.m., dinner/ activity 7 p.m. Call Anne Roberts, 704/236-0255; AnneVRoberts@alumni.clemson.edu; www.clemsonclub.net.

Last Monday Of Each Month

Crohn’s And Colitis Foundation Of America, St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church, 3016 Providence Rd., 7:30 p.m. Call Andy, 704/907-9374 or 704/717-3300.

Ovarian Cancer Support Group, Presbyterian Buddy Kemp Caring House, 242 Colonial Ave., 10-11:30 a.m., 704/384-5223.

International Association Of Administrative Pro fessionals, Metrolina Chapter, 3210 CPCC W. Campus Dr. Call Davandra Reed, 704/605-5817.

Tuesdays

Project Linus, Candlewyck Baptist Church, 7200 Providence Rd., 6:30-9 p.m.

International House Book Club, International House, 7 p.m., 704/333-8099. Latin American Women’s Association, The Mint Museum, 2730 Randolph Rd. 6:30 p.m., 704/552-1003.

Every Tuesday

BizNetwork.org, SouthPark, locations vary, 7:30 a.m. Call Kathryn Mosely, 704/676-5850, ext. 101. Charlotte Concert Band, Dana Auditorium, Queens University, 7:30 p.m., 704/553-8062; www.charlotteconcertband.org. Queen City Toastmasters Club, Cisco building, 1900 South Blvd., 6 p.m. dinner; 6:30 p.m. meeting, 704/366-3519.

First Tuesday Of Each Month

Artists’ Forum, Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Rd., 7:30-9 p.m. Charlotte Association Of Insurance Women, Myers Park Country Club, 2415 Roswell Ave., 5:30 p.m. dinner/speaker, $25. Call Dot Williams, 704/333-6694.

T o d a y ’ s

MeetingPlaceMayl09.indd 80

C h a r l o tt e

The Heart Link Network-Mooresville, dinner, 7 p.m.; www.28115.theheartlinknetwork.com for info. Watercolor Artists Of Charlotte, Sardis Swim Club, 7400 Thermal Rd., 10 a..m-1 p.m. $5. Call Sandy, 704/578-7077.

Second & Fourth Tuesday Of Each Month

VFW Ladies Auxiliary 2031, 7:30 p.m. Call Naomi Sigmon, 704/384-9662.

Third Tuesday Of Each Month

Delhom Service League, Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Rd., 10 a.m.; b.holland@mindspring.com. Dirt Divas Mountain Biking Club, Blonde Lounge (below Jason’s Deli), 1600 E. Woodlawn Rd., 7:30 p.m.; www.dirtdivas.net.

M E E T I N G S

Institute Of Management Accountants, Holiday Inn Woodlawn, CPE/dinner meetings, 1-5 p.m.; dinner, 6 p.m., 704/717-9165; www.ima-charlotte.org. Lake Norman Women’s Connection, NorthStone Country Club, 10 -11:30 a.m., $13. Call Lisa, 704/953-6693. Mecklenburg Evening Republican Women’s Club, Captain Steve’s Seafood, 8517 Monroe Rd., dinner, 6 p.m.; program, 7 p.m.; free. E-mail Iris, cltfolks@bellsouth.net; www.meckgop.com. National Association Of Women Business Owners North, Acropolis Café, 20659 Catawba Ave., 8-9:30 a.m., $6 members, $10 visitors. Call 704/987-3828, or e-mail sales@advancedbatteries.net. National Association Of Women Business Owners South, The PRStore Ballantyne, 13855 Conlan Circle, 8-9:30 a.m., $10 members, $15 visitors. Call 704/525-5539; e-mail info@bhs-cpa.com. National Association Of Women In Construction, Hilton Executive Park, 5624 Westpark Dr., 5:30 p.m. network; 6 p.m. dinner/meeting; $22. Contact dsifers@environamics-inc.com.

Fourth Tuesday Of Each Month

American Business Women’s Association, Hornet’s Nest Chapter, Olive Garden, 4336 Independence Blvd. 6 p.m. dinner (order from menu). Call Johnnie Simpson, 704/545-4198. Friends Of Beverly, Pewter Rose, South Blvd., 6 p.m. RSVP by e-mail to Beverly@friendsofbeverly.com. Pilot Club Of Charlotte, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. dinner/meeting. Call Jean Funderburk, 704/846-3526.

Wednesdays Every Wednesday Business Network International, SouthPark Producers Chapter, Zebra Restaurant, 4521 Sharon Rd. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Call Chris Bennett, 704/502-7947. Bosom Buddies, Presbyterian Buddy Kemp Caring House, 242 Colonial Ave., 10-11:30 a.m., 704/3845223. Visit www.presbyterian.org/buddykemp for other support group info. Toastmasters, Sunrise Speakers Chapter, Conference Rooms C & D, Presbyterian Hospital Matthews, 7 a.m. Call Wayne Caulder, 704/846-7846.

First Wednesday Of Each Month Doorways, International House, 10 a.m., 704/333-8099. North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club, NorthStone Country Club, 10:30 a.m. Call Dawn Bradford, 704/875-1402. Young Republicans Club, South End Brewery, 7 p.m., contact scottallocco@hotmail.com; www.meckyr.com.

W o m a n

4/22/09 1:18 PM

Second Wednesday Of Each Month

American Business Women’s Association, Charlotte Charter Chapter, Crown Plaza Hotel-Charlotte, 201 S. McDowell St., dinner, $23. Call Clarice, 609/351-0373; www.abwacharlottecharter.org. Charlotte Women’s Connection 1, Raintree Country Club, 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., lunch/entertainment, $14. Call Janice, 704/847-2669; charwomenconn1@aol.com. Daughters Of The American Revolution, Piedmont Patriots chapter. Call Mary Joy, 704/334-6035. Democratic Women Of Mecklenburg County, locations vary, 6:30 p.m. Call Dr. Ann Mabe Newman, R.N., 704/517-7008; http://democraticwomenofmecklenburgcounty.org/. eWomenNetwork, Byron’s South End, networking, 11 a.m.; lunch/program 11:30 a.m-1:30 p.m.; members, $35; guests, $45. Call Mel Miller, 704/650-5439.

Second & Fourth Wednesday Of Each Month

Legal Clinics, Mecklenburg Women’s Commission, free seminars; 704/336-3210, 704/336-3414.

Third Wednesday Of Each Month

Association Of Fundraising Professionals, locations vary, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 704/331-8518; www.afp-charlotte.org. eWomenNetwork, Lake Norman, Birkdale Golf Club, networking, lunch/program, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; members, $35; guests, $45. Call Lori Dvorak, 704/947-8476. Friends Of Beverly, Borders Bookstore, Morrocroft Shopping Center, 6 p.m. RSVP to Beverly@friendsofbeverly.com. Metropolitan Business & Professional Women, The Capital Grille, IJL Financial Center, 201 N. Tryon St.; 11:30 a.m.; members, $21; guests, $28; 866/851-9446; www.mbpw.org.

Fourth Wednesday Of Each Month

Assistance League Of Charlotte, Assistance League of Charlotte Center, 3600 S. Tryon St., 9:30 a.m. Call 704/525-5228; alcharlotte@bellsouth.net; www.charlotte.assistanceleague.org Charlotte/Mecklenburg Republican Women’s Club, Maggiano’s SouthPark, 11:30 a.m., members, $25; www.cmrwc. com for reservations, or call Dana Both, 704/621-9191. Guild Of Charlotte Artists, Sept.-May, Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Rd., 7 p.m., 704/337-2000; www.guildofcharlotteartists.org. Public Relations Society Of America Charlotte Chapter, Design Center for the Carolinas, Suite 110, Byron Hall, 101 W. Worthington Ave. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; members, $22; guests, $29; students, $15; www.prsacharlotte.org.

Thursdays Every Thursday Business Network International, Ballantyne , 7:30 a.m., call Tammy Copeland, 704/804-1761.

First Thursday Of Each Month eWomenNetwork, Cabarrus/University Area region, Speedway Club, networking, lunch/program, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; members, $35; guests, $45. Call Lori Dvorak, 704/947-8476.

Lake Norman Republican Women’s Club, Jeffrey’s, Mooresville, 7 p.m.; call Debbie Lambert, 704/660-3140. National Association Of African Americans In Human Resources, Charlotte Chamber, 6:30 p.m., no meeting Jan. or July; 704/307-2598; naaahr-charlotte.org. New Friends Of Carolina, Women’s Group, New Members Welcome Coffee, 10:30 a.m. Call 1-866/213-9183. United Daughters Of The Confederacy, Chapter 1840, General James H. Lane ; call Gail Sifford, 704/366-4737. United Daughters Of The Confederacy, Chapter 220, Stonewall Jackson; call Suellen Del`ahunty, 704/708-9866.

First & Third Thursday Of Each Month

Women In Insurance And Financial Services Carolinas, Carmel Country Club, 4735 Carmel Rd., luncheon. Call Margo, 803/322-8629, or e-mail mgoodman@parksouthgroup.com. Women In Architecture, call Nora Black, 704/536-4988.

Fourth Thursday Of Each Month

Credit Professionals International, Ole Smokehouse Restaurant, 1513 Montford Drive, 6:30 p.m., $15. Call Diane Radcliff, 704/841-9573. International Coach Federation, Charlotte chapter. Dowd YWCA, 400 E. Morehead St., 7th floor; 6:15-8 p.m. Call Janet Caffray, 704/372-0154; www.icfcharlotte.org.

Charlotte Networking Professionals, Ramada Inn Conference Center, 212 Woodlawn Rd., Pineville, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. $15. Call Drew Waterbury, 704/5236914; www.charlottenetworkingprofessionals.com

New Friends Of Carolina Women’s Group, monthly luncheon, 11:30 a.m., 1-866/213-9183.

SHARE: Supporting HSV/HPV awareness, resources , Sensovi Institute, 2125 Southend Dr., 6:30-8 p.m. Call 704/377-2022.

Every Friday

Second Thursday Of Each Month

Charlotte Newcomers Club, 10:30 a.m., 704/543-8330. Daughters Of The American Revolution, Mecklenburg Chapter, 10 a.m. Call Miriam Smith, 704/391-0504. Daughters Of The American Revolution, Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence Chapter, 10 a.m. Call Patricia Autry, 704/366-3487. Professional Association Of Healthcare Office Managers, lunch $10, guests free. Call Sandy Glaspell, 704/795-7010. University City Women’s Group, Oasis Shrine Temple, 10 a.m. Call Jean Kern, 704/594-6884. What Every Woman Should Know, financial discussion group. Smith Barney, 6101 Carnegie Blvd., 2nd floor. Noon. E-mail Nicole.E.Hudson@smithbarney.com.

Third Thursday Of Each Month

American Business Women’s Association, University Chapter, 11:30. RSVP Jane Norman, 704/552-8492; www.abwauniversitychapter.org. American Payroll Association, Charlotte Chapter, 12:30-2 p.m.; call Denise Bryant, 800/221-7573, ext. 6142; www.apacharlottenc.org. Cabarrus Newcomers & Friends Club, Max’s Ally in Concord, 10 a.m., optional lunch. Contact Carolyn Osborne, 704/792-9577. Carolinas’ Professional Saleswomen And Entrepreneurs, Marriott Executive Park, 5700 Westpark Drive, 11 a.m. networking, 11:30 a.m. meeting; members, $25 ; nonmembers, $30; walk-ins, $35. Call Ann Hodges, 704/7240326; www.CPSECharlotte.org. Charlotte Artists Society, Queens Gallery, 1212 The Plaza, 7 p.m., guests welcome. Call Chuck Calhoun, 704/847-2111; www.charlotteartistssociety.org. Charlotte Business And Professional Women, Hotel Charlotte, Sharon Amity Rd., 6 p.m. dinner/program, 704/517-2357 or 704/545-3717. Charlotte Newcomers Club, locations vary, lunch, speaker, 11 a.m., 704/543-8330. Sisters Network, for black women with breast cancer, Presbyterian Buddy Kemp Caring House, 242 Colonial Ave., 6:30 p.m., 704/384-5223.

Fridays Debtors Anonymous, St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 6800 Sardis Rd., 7:30-8:30 p.m. Call Harold, 704/362-0587.

Saturdays Every Saturday

Charlotte Art League, 1517 Camden Rd., walk-ins welcome, 8-10:30 a.m., $10. Call 704/376-2787; www. CharlotteArtLeague.org.

Second & Fourth Saturday Of Each Month

Saturday Morning Toastmasters, SouthPark Suites Hotel, 6300 Morrison Blvd., 8 a.m. Call Morris Lawing, 704/366-0846.

Third Saturday Of Each Month

American Association Of University Women, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Rd., 10 a.m., 704/596-3482. No summer meetings.

Fourth Saturday Of Each Month

Dining For Women, Charlotte Chapter. World Alliance for Families and Children, 4835 S. Tryon St. Contact Saba K. Washington, jesapro@hotmail.com. The Girl Friends Inc., locations vary, noon, members only. Call Victoria Carter, 704/258-3420. The National Association Of Negro Business And Professional Women’s Clubs Inc., Charlotte Club., Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, 517 Baldwin Ave., 3 p.m., members only. Call Dr. Carlether Burwell, 704/4557205, or visit www.nanbpwc.org.

Sundays First Sunday Of Each Month

A LOTT Of Sista Love, all women welcome. Locations vary, visit www.alottofsistalove.org or e-mail communication@alottofsistalove.

Third Sunday Of Each Month

Black Political Caucus, Memorial Presbyterian Church, 2600 Beatties Ford Rd., 7 p.m.; www.bpccharlotte.com.

BeInTouch To be considered for inclusion in The Meeting Place, or to update a listing, send details to editor@todayscharlottewoman.com.

MAY

MeetingPlaceMayl09.indd 81

2 0 0 9

81 4/22/09 1:18 PM

T o m o r r o w ’ s G irls

A nd

Kashmira Kale Girl Scouts’ Young Woman Of Distinction

v C h a r l o t t e W omen

leading

the

W o m a n

way

Golden Girl By Michelle Young Hubacher • Photo BY JAMES BROWN

world traveler at heart, 2007 Providence High School graduate Kashmira Kale, now a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, wants to circle the globe — and she plans to make a stop at every Hard Rock Cafe in the world to mark her progress. Not a bad way to measure progress, considering Hard Rock has establishments from Fiji to Buenos Aires. “I’ve only been to four so far (Washington, D.C.; New York City; London; Mumbai),” laughs the 19-year-old. But Kashmira has a terrific head start on satisfying her wanderlust. Born in India, where she lived until she was 9, Kashmira speaks four languages. She has traveled to several continents with her family, and she hopes to obtain an internship in Argentina as part of a program to complete her degree. Kashmira is studying both Spanish and health policy management at UNC’s prestigious Gillings School of Global Public Health. Ultimately, she hopes to merge her love of travel and language in a career in hospital or clinic administration and health policy formation — maybe here, maybe abroad. “Having been born outside of this country has formed in me a real appreciation of other cultures,” she says. “I have a curiosity about how other peo-

T o d a y ’ s

Kashmira Kale0509.indd 82

C h a r l o tt e

ple live, and I don’t really see limits for myself in terms of where I want to go.” Kashmira’s involvement with Girl Scouts of the United States of America — she was a member of the Hornets’ Nest Council’s Troop 2726 and, in fact, considers herself a Girl Scout still, though she has aged out of the program — allowed her to experience international travel (to London in 2004) and earned her that group’s highest honor, the Gold Award. Presented to a Girl Scout for work on a community project, the Gold Award is something Kashmira garnered through spearheading a project that touched on the subject she would later choose as her university major: public health. The project? Refurbishing and lightly renovating seven bathrooms at Camp Occoneechee, in Chimney Rock. In April, Kashmira received another honor from Girl Scouts, when she was awarded the Young Woman of Distinction at the organization’s Women of Distinction luncheon. As she continues her education and actively participates in UNC’s Indian dance team, Habitat for Humanity, and AIESEC (an international student leadership program), Kashmira works toward her goal to become a citizen of the world. “I’m too culturally curious,” she says, “to stay in one place for too long.” TCW

W o m a n

4/23/09 2:39 PM

Kashmira Kale0509.indd 83

4/23/09 11:19 AM

Hangover?” “

SMARTLIPO®

Abdominoplasty

LASER SKIN THERAPY

Utilizing the newest technology in liposuction to aggressively reduce fat, reshape, and tighten skin.

Keeping the incision very low in the bikini area while giving you a tight, flat tummy, and eliminating stretch marks.

Employing a variety of lasers to treat scars and stretch marks, and to remove hair and tighten skin.

Trust the name you know. Joseph P. Hunstad, MD, FACS. The Hunstad Center for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Medi-Spa

se habla español

Certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery Past President of North Carolina Society of Plastic Surgeons Section Head of Plastic Surgery at CMC University Hospital

Member of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, The Mark of Distinction In Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Member

Am e r ic an So c ie t y o f Pl ast ic Su r g e o n s

Fully Accredited Surgery Center Anesthesia by Board Certified Anesthesiologists

8605 Cliff Cameron Drive • Suite 100 • Charlotte, NC 28269 • 704.549.0500 • www.hunstadcenter.com Hunstad0509.indd 84

4/22/09 10:41 AM