south charlotte weekly

Serving The Arboretum, Ballantyne, Blakeney and SouthPark communities

INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Crime Blotter, 7; Scores, 8; Education, 12; A&E, 16; Calendar, 18; Sports, 20; Classifieds, 23

Volume 14, Number 52 • Dec. 26, 2014 to Jan. 1, 2015 Locally Owned & Operatedwww.thecharlotteweekly.com

page 20

Tennis Player of the Year:

Charlotte Country Day serves homeless communitySouth Charlotte school’s Interact Club serves lunch to Charlotte’s homeless

by Courtney [email protected]

Rusty Bucket restaurant to open in SouthParkOhio-based restaurant opens first North Carolina location in south Charlotte

by Hannah [email protected]

Rusty Bucket & Tavern, a casual, Ohio-based neighborhood grill, will be opening a new location at SouthPark’s Sharon Square in summer 2015.

The new restaurant will be located at Sha-ron Square, a mixed-use community develop-ment at Sharon and Farview roads by Pappas Properties and Allen Tate Co. The restaurant will occupy a 4,800-square-foot space and include a courtyard, outdoor dining area and fire pit.

Rusty Bucket founder Gary Callicoat opened the first location in 2002 in the Columbus, Ohio suburb of Dublin. The restaurant fea-tured a menu of pub classics and over 80 beer

High school students from Charlotte Country Day gave over 100 homeless men, women and children of the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte and The Salva-tion Army of Great Charlotte’s Center

of Hope a warm meal for the holiday season during their 24th annual holi-day luncheon on Friday, Dec. 19.

Students from the south Charlotte school’s Interact Club served lunches and homemade desserts, washed dishes and entertained children at the annual event during Charlotte County Day’s winter break.

“Today’s about giving back to our community. This time of year, it’s not

about what you receive, but it’s about what you give back,” Forrest Hamil, Charlotte Country Day senior and president of the school’s Interact Club, said. “This is one of the ways that stu-dents and faculty can give back to our surrounding community.”

Patricia Prieto Treviño, one of the Interact Club’s advisors and a Span-ish teacher at Charlotte Country Day, sees the luncheon as an opportunity

for the south Charlotte school’s stu-dents to show their character, values, morals and leadership skills, as well as foster a future path of giving back.

Prieto, who is in her second year as one of the club’s advisors, said she’s seen upperclassmen mentor under-classmen during the organization and execution of the luncheon.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for all

Charlotte Country Day high school students helped serve lunch, cleaned dishes and handed out homemade desserts during the school’s holiday luncheon for the homeless. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo

Sophomore Riley Goodling plays with a baby while her mother eats during Charlotte Country Day’s holiday luncheon for the homeless. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo

(see Charlotte Country Day on page 12)

(see Rusty Bucket on page 4)

HAILEY SIMONThe South Charlotte Weekly staff

reflects on their favorite Christmas and Hannukah memories

StartS on page 10

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News

GoBeyond SEO’s name is about more than branding or even a business philosophy – the Ballantyne company’s core values are rooted in giving back to the community, accord-ing to Trish Saemann, the company’s director of business development.

GoBeyond SEO recently put its mission to the test in an effort to make the impending winter a little more bearable for individuals in need in the Charlotte area. The company organized the Queen City Coat Drive to collect new and gently-used coats for the homeless. The drive brought in more than seven times the company’s goal of 100 coats – a total of 706 coats, plus a collection of gloves, hats and warm clothing, Saemann said on Monday, Dec. 22.

GoBeyond SEO collected coats and blankets before Christmas on a whim last year, following a string of unsea-sonably cold days, Saemann said. The company collected and donated 56 coats and 25 blankets to homeless indi-viduals in Charlotte.

“Last year, there were several dates in December … where the temperature really dropped abnormally,” Saemann said. “I remember kind of freaking out a little bit, (saying), ‘I can’t believe it’s that cold. How are those people who are home-less going to stay warm?’”

Because last year’s impromptu coat and blanket drive was such a success, Saemann thought GoBeyond SEO – a smaller company, with six employees – could feasibly col-lect 100 coats this year. She began collecting for the drive in mid-October and jumpstarted the endeavor through

flyers sent to GoBeyond’s strategic partners, some clients and other individuals and businesses Saemann knew per-sonally and thought might want to help.

The company also took to social media, promoting the drive through an email campaign, GoBeyond SEO’s Face-book page and the business’s Twitter account, using the hashtag #QueenCityCoatDrive. Saemann said the response was both surprising and overwhelming, as hundreds of new and gently-used coats were donated to the Queen City Coat Drive over about two months.

“The business community in Charlotte, I feel, is very pro-gressive,” she said. “They really take care of their own and know how to (give back).”

South Charlotte businesses and institutions Blue Line Technologies, Inc.; Savvy + Co of Ballantyne; Manus Acad-emy; and Hawk Ridge Elementary School contributed to the Queen City Coat Drive, along with GoBeyond SEO and a handful of other businesses’ individual donors. The dona-tions will be given to A Child’s Place, an organization that works to meet the needs of more than 4,000 Charlotte-area homeless children, according to its website. A handful of the donations also will go to the Charlotte-area Crisis Assis-tance Ministries, where they will benefit clients in need.

Saemann said she’s grateful for the community’s contri-bution to the Queen City Coat Drive, as well as for her company’s dedication to giving back.

“We’re really excited, but we’re humbled, too,” she said. “This shows that … even small organizations can do a big thing. One of the key factors is we didn’t name our com-pany ‘GoBeyond’ by accident – it’s our intention to take a step to improve the community at large.”

GoBeyond SEO employees give back to the community through other means, such as working with local Habitat

for Humanity organizations, throughout the year. Saemann said the company plans to begin using its social media platform over the next few months to highlight “unsung heroes,” such as firefighters, teachers and other individu-als who have made a difference in their communities, and she encourages other companies to find ways to give back, as well.

“I encourage any business or organization with even a small modicum of influence to make an effort to help (oth-ers),” Saemann said.

Find more information about GoBeyond SEO at www.gobeyondseo.com.

Company ‘goes beyond’ with coat driveBallantyne business collects more than 700 coats for homeless individuals

by Josh [email protected]

GoBeyond SEO collected over 700 coats for homeless individuals. Photo courtesy of Trish Saemann


News

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selections. Since opening in 2002, Rusty Bucket has spread to four states (Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Indiana) and 17 loca-tions. The SouthPark location will be the first in North Carolina.

“The food is described as great, casual fare,” said Burt Philips, owner of Attuned Marketing Partners, the restaurant’s marketing firm. “Their concept is casual, fun and food done very well. It’s a little different from what’s offered in the area now.”

Rusty Bucket & Tavern’s menu fea-tures a selection of soups, salads, sand-wiches, entrees and pizzas, all made from scratch with fresh ingredients such as Mahi-mahi tacos, double bacon cheese-burgers and ahi tuna wraps.

The restaurant will be the third in Sharon Square, joining Dogwood South-ern Table & Bar, a Dressler restaurant that opened in November, and Corkbuzz Wine Studio. Sharon Square, which is located adjacent to Philip’s Place, is also home to Charlotte’s first Whole Foods Market.

“The three restaurants offer a lit-tle something different,” Philips said. “They’re going to do well and compli-ment each other and compliment the SouthPark area.”

“Sharon Square is an ideal location for us, and we’re thrilled with the fact that

Rusty Bucket will have a large outdoor patio and presence at the center of this SouthPark area community,” said Calli-coat.

Callicoat and his team had been look-ing for a location in the Charlotte area for some time, Philips said. Many of the restaurant’s clientele from the Midwest relocated to the Charlotte area, mak-ing it a good fit for the restaurant’s first North Carolina location.

The initial concept for Rusty Bucket’s first North Carolina location began last year. Brian Roth of Pappas Properties and the developer’s founder, Peter Pap-pas, visited the restaurant’s first location in Dublin earlier this year.

“They came back singing their praises about it,” Philips said. “Rusty Bucket was looking at a lot of different locations… but this ended up being a good fit.”

The neighborhood grill also prides itself on giving back to the local communities in which they do business by supporting local schools, nonprofits and organiza-tions focused on families, health, safety and education. Several Rusty Bucket locations hold annual coat drives, 5Ks and participate in Round it up America – a program that asks patrons to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, which then allows the extra change to be donated to various non-profit agencies.

The SouthPark location will be open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

Photos courtesy of Attuned Marketing

Rusty Bucket(continued from page 1)

Peter Pappas


News

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Hurry In!Brian Whelan, one of the engineers

at south Charlotte-based Remi, took his expertise to Guatemala last month along with three other Biomeds (BMETs, clin-ical engineers and imaging engineers). Whelan served the community of Coban, located in central Guatemala.

Whelan and his team traveled to the Regional Hospital of Coban with Bio-meds without Borders in conjunction with the Heinemen Foundation of Char-lotte, which is part of Carolinas Health-Care System. While in Guatemala, Whelan helped unpack, inspect and install over $1.2 million dollars worth of donated equipment from Heineman. The equipment helped improve the hos-pital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, specifically by installing incubators to keep newborns warm.

“In the hospital, any given day there are multiple births, and the real issue was that they didn’t have any incuba-tors,” Whelan said. “That’s one of the basic necessities in the United States. Upon arrival, we installed incubators, and it was probably the most humbling experience I’ve had.”

Whelan and his team spent six days in

Guatemala working in the hospital and training the staff on proper use of the new equipment. He said that having a hands-on experience in a Third World country was a life changing experience.

“I can donate money and give my time here but it doesn’t have the same effect,” he said. “It was such a humbling experi-ence. The health care that we have in the U.S. we take for granted. When a baby is born (in Guatemala), they have no medication, no incubators, and they’re at a huge disadvantage compared to our health care.

“It was humbling to be able to help. I plan on returning soon.”

Remi Healthcare engineer serves Guatemalan community


Brian Whelan, an engineer at Remi helped install incubators at the Regional Hospital of Coban. Photo courtesy of Remi


10100 Park Cedar Drive, Suite 154Charlotte, NC 28210

Phone: 704-849-2261 • Fax: 704-849-2504www.thecharlotteweekly.com

South Charlotte Weekly is published by the Carolina Weekly Newspaper Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is

strictly prohibited.

Advertising: [email protected]

Associate Publisher

Randi Trojan

Founder

Alain Lillie

PUBLISHER

South Charlotte Weekly

News Briefs

News

CMPD Animal Care & Control Orphaned Animals Available for Ad❤ption

8315 Byrum Drive / animals.cmpd.orgADOPTION FEES RANGE FROM $63 TO $103

CMPD Animal Care & Control also holds an adoption event the first Saturday of each month at the SouthPark Mall located at 4400 Sharon Road

Name: Gizmo ID: A1040505Breed Mix: Chow mix Age: 3 yearsWeight: 66 lbs Sex: Neutered MaleDate of Arrival: 8/4/14 (Surrendered)Vaccinations: Has all required vaccinations. Has been microchipped.

Name: GretaID: A1076704Breed Mix: Shorthair, Dilute CalicoAge: 6 yearsWeight: 8 lbsSex: Spayed FemaleDate of Arrival: 7/24/14 (Stray)Vaccinations: Has all required vaccinations. Has been microchipped.

Meet Gizmo, a truly one-of-a-kind pooch whose current issues are far outweighed by his ability to bring a smile or laugh to all he meets. Gizmo arrived at the shelter 20-25 pounds overweight, heartworm-positive and with untreated hypothyroidism. At 66 pounds, he is now 15 pounds lighter, has successfully completed heartworm treatment, and has stabilized thyroid

levels that will require (inexpensive) medicine for the remainder of his life. His hair is beginning to grow back in slowly. He is neutered and house-trained and has an enviable seize-the-moment outlook on life. With all his exuberance Gizmo does need work on his impulse control, especially regarding food, treats and toys which at times (though not always) he guards obsessively; he loves playing with older children, but is not the right dog for families with toddlers. He is great on his walks, rarely stopping to sniff, always interested in what’s around the next bend. Animal Care and Control adoption fees apply. Contact foster family directly at [email protected]. VIP: Only $10 to adopt!

“I’m a fantastic girl and wonderful companion! I’ve been waiting for my forever family to find me for a long time and have lots of love, purrs and

gentle companionship to offer. I like to be near my people and will often curl up or hang out nearby when you’re busy. I enjoy attention and affection, have done wonderfully in my foster home and am living with other cats. I really enjoy playing and chasing toys and often play with the 5 month old foster cat here! If you have questions or would like to meet me please contact my foster mom Diane at [email protected]” VIP: Only $10 to adopt!

GIZMO GRETA

“We’re going on Selwyn and it’s all about speciality shops over there, so I think it’s a better fit. That’s what I am. I’m going to where I’m more expected and everything there is smaller and groovy so I think the fit is right.”

The new location will be slightly smaller than the current store at the Arboretum, Julian said, but will still feature a unique and changing inventory.

Bruce Julian is currently located at 8128-300 Providence Road in the Arbo-retum. The new SouthPark store will be at 2913 Selwyn Ave. Bruce Julian’s grand opening at the SouthPark location is on Dec. 28 at 8 a.m.

Charlotte ConwayAdrian Garson

Manager Mike Kochy

ADVERTISING

DISTRIBUTION

EDITORIAL

Features Editor

Josh Whitener

Sports Editor

Hannah Chronis

News Writer

Courtney Schultz

News Writer

Ryan Pitkin

Layout Editor

Liz Lanier

Art Director

Maria Hernandez

A&E Editor

Dee Grano

Faith Columnist

Rev. Tony Marciano

Dear Editor,As the Elm Lane/Ballantyne

Commons Parkway Project slowly moves forward, necessary detours are made as parts of the roadways get repaved and reshaped. The current detour has part of Elm Lane near StoneCrest closed and traffic re-routed through the shopping center. Did anyone think to change the traffic signals on Rea Road (near StoneCrest) to recycle faster so cars inside the shopping center wouldn’t be backed up too long? No. Hopefully there won’t be any real emergencies like fire or EMS until this detour is finished.

Jon SchullerCharlotte, NC 28277

QuietStream Financial Supports Second Harvest Food Bank

QuietStream Financial, a national com-mercial real estate company headquar-tered in south Charlotte, raised nearly $5,000 and collected 552 pounds of food to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

Second Harvest Food Bank serves 14 counties in North Carolina and five coun-ties in South Carolina. Ninety percent of funding comes from corporate donations.

“Over the last 12 months, our organi-zation has grown considerably,” said Rob Finlay, CEO of QuietStream Financial, in a release. “As we continue to grow, so will our organization’s corporate responsibili-ties. It’s only natural for us to want to give back to those less fortunate in our com-munity and help make Charlotte a better place to live and work.”

QuietStream has grown from less than 30 employees at the start of 2014 to nearly 100 today. Their growth also allows them to support Levine Children’s Hospital by collecting monetary donations and games during the holiday season.

Bruce Julian Clothier relocates to SouthPark

Bruce Julian Clothier is relocating to SouthPark on Sunday, Dec. 28 after 14 years in the Arboretum shopping center.

The store offers men’s clothing, includ-ing suits and casual attire, as well as cus-tom-made suits, accessories, shoes and formal wear.

In preparation of the move, Bruce Julian is offering a liquidation sale through Dec. 28. Customers will be treated to a compli-mentary Bloody Mary mix while receiving 20 percent off full-priced items, 50 per-cent off shoes, four for $395 suits among other incentives.

“I was over in SouthPark 20 years before, so it’s kind of like going back home for me,” Bruce Julian, owner, said.

South Charlotte WeeklyLetters to the Editor



Crime Blotter

News

The following crimes were committed in the south Charlotte area between Dec. 17 and 22, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Home/Business Break-ins•10200 block of Old Ardrey Kell Drive: Construc-

tion home broken into twice. Suspects removed kitchen range and left it in yard. Dec. 19

Vehicle Break-Ins•5400 block of Werburgh Street: $5 in change stolen

and $116 in damage to Toyota Camry during break-in. Dec. 22

•2400 block of Huntingtowne Farms Lane: Nothing stolen during vehicle break-in. Dec. 22

Property Theft•Belk, Southpark Mall: $112 in jewelry and clothing

accessories stolen from business. Dec. 20•Macy’s, SouthPark Mall: $110 worth of clothing sto-

len from business. Dec. 21•Victoria’s Secret, Blakeney Shopping Center: $900

worth of clothing stolen from business. Dec. 21•Best Buy, Blakeney Shopping Center: $400 Xbox

stolen from business. Dec. 21•Target, Blakeney Shopping Center: $104 worth of

clothing stolen from business. Dec. 21•1800 block of Runnymede Lane: $100 inflatable

snowman stolen from yard. Dec. 22

•17400 block of Meadow Bottom Road: Jewelry box containing $54,195 worth of jewelry stolen from home. Dec. 22

•4000 block of Providence Road: $4,000 Honda Civic stolen. Dec. 22

Vandalism/Hit-and-Run•6100 block of Carmel Road: $500 damage to trees

and landscaping in hit-and-run. Dec. 21•10400 block of Columbia Crest Court: $1,100 dam-

age to Saab 915 in hit-and-run. Dec. 21•4400 block of Sharon Road: $800 damage to Mer-

cedes Benz in hit-and-run. Dec. 21

Drugs•Rite Aid, 3345 Pineville-Matthews Road: Suspect

obtained $100 worth of Percocet under false pretenses. Dec. 17

•8500 block of Waters Point Court: Possession of marijuana. Dec. 22

Miscellaneous•8100 block of Noland Woods Drive: Victim found

unusual structure behind home she believes was being used to watch her family. Dec. 19

•1700 block of Whispering Forest Drive: Simple assault. Dec. 20

•12300 block of Paperbark Circle: Aggravated assault. Dec. 20

•3600 block of Huckleberry Road: Public disorder; affray. Dec. 21

•6100 block of Kingstree Drive: Suspect assaulted a government official and threatened the official. Suspect also did $500 damage to ambulance door while being detained. Dec. 21

On Thursday, Dec. 18th, a judge sentenced a Charlotte attor-ney to 10 years in prison for her role in a complex mortgage-fraud scheme that ran out of south Charlotte and Waxhaw for years.

Michelle Mallard, 47, pled guilty to conspiracy to money laun-der and commit mortgage fraud, among other charges, during her 2013 trial.

Mallard was part of a cell of six defendants charged with tar-geting neighborhoods, including Providence Downs South, Piper Glen and other neighborhoods in south Charlotte and Union County.

The scheme began when a promoter would agree with a builder to purchase a property at the “true price.” The cell would then arrange for a buyer to purchase the property at an inflated price. In most circumstances, the buyer would agree to purchase the property in his or her own name and sign whatever documents were necessary, in exchange for a hidden kickback. The builder would sell the property at the inflated price, the lender would make a mortgage loan on the basis of that inflated price, and the difference between the inflated price and the true price would be extracted at closing and distributed among the conspiracy, according to the allegations contained in her 2012 indictment.

Mallard’s sentence is longer than the other five members of her cell, who have been sentenced to prison terms between 18 and 42 months. In all, 89 people have been convicted or pled guilty to charges related to the “Operation Wax House” investi-gation.

U.S. District Judge Frank Whitney of Charlotte accused Mal-lard of trying to obstruct justice and committing perjury by trying to rescind her guilty plea during her trial.

He ordered Mallard to be taken directly into custody following her sentencing on Thursday.

Charlotte attorney gets 10-year prison sentence in “Wax House” case

by Ryan [email protected]

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News

The Mecklenburg County Health Department inspected the following dining locations from Dec. 18 to 22.

Lowest Score:• Flamin’ Crawfish, 1600 E. Woodlawn

Road, suite 170, 28209 – 87.5 Violations included: No certified food

safety manager; employee beverages stored on main food prep surface and cutting board; hand sink in men’s restroom doesn’t adminis-ter hot enough water; cooked pork blood from meat department of a supermarket without any labeling or product identification; shell stock in containers bearing source identifi-cation tags that are affixed by the harvester or dealer; shell stock without tag attached; clams without tags identification; raw fish stored over ready-to-eat foods in bottom of prep unit; chemical sanitizing dish machine not sanitizing; bean sprouts and raw eggs held above proper temperature; many cooked pro-teins without date marks; and raw oysters on menu, but does not provide customer advisory for animal foods served raw or under-cooked.

All Scores:

28210• Wolfman Pizza, 8504 Park Road – 97

28226• Hungry Howie’s, 8334 Pineville-Mat-

thews Road – 95 • Los Paisas Restaurant, 8318 Pineville-

Matthews Road – 90.5 • McDonald’s, 7721 Pineville-Matthews

Road – 93.5

28270No restaurants inspected this week.

28277• Arooji’s Wine Room, 5349 Ballantyne

Commons Pkwy. – 98 • Firebirds, 7716 Rea Road – 96.5 • Flying Biscuit, 7930-B Rea Road – 97 • Lure Oyster Bar, 8420 Rea Road – 96 • Newk’s Express Café, 9815 Rea Road –

96

28209• Brazwells Premium Pub, 1627 Montford

Drive – 93 • Flamin’ Crawfish, 1600 E. Woodlawn

Road, suite 170 – 87.5 • Good Food, 1701 Montford Drive – 98 • Nolen Kitchen, 2829 Selwyn Ave. – 96

28211• Block & Grinder, 2935 Providence Road

– 95

About the grades…Restaurants are given grades of A for scoring at least 90, B for 80 to 89 and C for 70 to 79. The state revokes permits for restaurants that score below 70.


(Monthly section)2nd Issue of the Month

Whether it’s branding, listings, open houses, or mortgage rates and offers, our monthly Home Sales section is a perfect fit. In the second issue of every month, each newspaper publishes home sales for its coverage area. Space is very limited, so don’t miss out and call to reserve your space today for this monthly section dedicated to your industry … home sales.

(Monthly section)1st Issue of the Month

South Charlotte Weekly’s popular Culinary Corner is published the first issue of every month and written by Charles Jenkin, a South Charlotte resident and host of WBT’s This Show is Cookin’. Culinary Corner is one of the best-read sections in South Charlotte Weekly and generates a plethora of reader feedback each month.

(Content-focused Issues)As the largest newspaper group covering southern Mecklenburg and

Union counties, there’s no better medium to get your message in front of our 120,000 verified and affluent readers than by advertising in 4 of our most popular issues of the year.

Each of our 2015 Health & Wellness issues will be packed with hyper-local stories covering the latest trends in healthcare, powerful feature-stories of courageous battles and efforts of local organizations to raise awareness for the many great causes and needs in our community.

Issue dates: January 30 April 24 July 31 October 2 (Content-focused sections)

Eager to find just the right happy campers? The Weekly’s Summer Camp Guides are the perfect fit. These special sections offer a cost-effective advertising vehicle, coupled with helpful camp editorial content, to reach your target market during this peak camp registration period.

Issue date: February 6 and 20 March 6 and 20 April 3 and 17

Health & Wellness

Summer Camp Guide

Back to School

Culinary Corner

Home Sales(Content-focused issue)

It’s back to the books and basics with advertisements in our must-have back-to-school issues. Featuring the latest college guidance tips, school system updates and education trends, our two back-to-school issues are resources you won’t want to miss.

Issue date: August 14

(Bi-monthly section)2nd & 4th Issues of the Month

When it comes to reaching the performing arts crowd, this must-read section delivers the best reader demographics in the Charlotte market. From local performances to the national stage, we’ve got the arts community covered.

Arts & Entertainment

Performing Arts Preview 2015-2016(Special pullout section)

Our informative guide is your best yearlong resource for the hottest performances in the Charlotte area. With summaries of the year’s must-see theater, dance and music performances, our Performing Arts Preview is a must for every Queen City cultural arts enthusiast.

Issue date: September 25 South Charlotte, Union County and Matthews-Mint Hill 55,000 circulation

For advertising please call 704-849-2261 or e-mail [email protected].

EDITORIALCALENDAR2015


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Each Christ-mas Eve, my two sisters and I join our parents and celebrate the eve-ning at Grandma Dockery’s house. My dad is one of four boys and the only one with children, so we’ve been spoiled from

a young age – unapologetically raking in presents from our adoring aunts and uncles and soaking up compliments of how wonderful we are (though, as the years have passed, we’ve begun to realize that our relatives are undoubtedly biased after watching home videos that captured our once-proclaimed “cuteness” as just annoying tweens craving attention).

When I was 9 years old, my Uncle Kenny looked at my sisters and me and said, “You know, before you know it, you girls will be bringing boys home on Christmas Eve.”

I laughed. And laughed and laughed and laughed. What a ridiculous thought! I would never bring a boy to Grandma’s house. This was my family and my

Christmas Eve, and heaven forbid some-one else coming in and getting more attention than me! It was ludicrous.

But here we are, many years and many Christmases later and just like every year, things have changed.

On Nov. 8, I got married. My last name changed from Dockery to Chronis and for the first time in my life, I’ll be bring-ing a “boy” home for Christmas and deep into Dockery territory – a thought that would’ve made my 9-year-old-self cringe. But family means something a little dif-ferent this year. Familial boundaries I once so rigidly defined are now fluid and flexible. My sisters are now his sisters. My grandma is now his grandma, and I’m beginning to realize that sharing family is a beautiful thing.

My hope and prayer this year is that family can mean a little something dif-ferent to all of us this holiday season. Whether you’re celebrating with a new baby or without a loved one, embrace the change and embrace the family you make for yourself. Tradition is beautiful and cherished, but change can be, too – if we let it.

And though life undoubtedly looks a little different this year than it did last, or when you were a child, it really is won-derful.

Celebrating ChangeChristmas Eve is

going to be strange this year.

Ever since I can remember, we’ve gathered each year on the eve-ning of Dec. 24 at my grandfather’s house. Our Christ-mas Eve traditions begin with a finger-

food dinner, followed by an annual reading of the Nativity story as told in Luke 2.

Then we pass out presents and find out who drew whose name, while the kids eagerly tear into a plethora of toys, games and goodies. After several hours of laugh-ter and enjoying one another’s company, we bid farewell to PePaw (yes, that’s what we call him – you might chuckle, but to us it’s practically his God-given name) and make the short drive from Belmont to McAdenville to see the countless displays of dazzling Christmas lights.

It’s been my favorite Christmas tradition from the time I was a child, eagerly await-ing Santa’s arrival, to adulthood, waiting with anxious excitement to “help Santa” bring gifts to my own kids.

But that tradition as we’ve known it

won’t take place this year.My 84-year-old PePaw suffered a series

of health issues from August to mid-Oc-tober, and my family was forced to make the tough decision of placing him in an assisted living center. His house was emp-tied and placed on the market, and will no longer serve as the warm centerpiece behind so many holiday traditions, the big-gest being Christmas Eve.

My heart aches when I think about not spending Christmas Eve at my PePaw’s house; when I realize my 4-month-old son, Aiden, will never experience Christ-mas Eve at his Great-PePaw’s; when I face the reality of the new normal.

But in the midst of the sadness, I’ve found hope and joy. We still have my PePaw. We’ll still celebrate with each other, just at a different place. The rest of our traditions will remain the same.

Home isn’t a building. This might sound cliché, but home truly is where the heart is. The classic “I’ll Be Home for Christ-mas” was written about soldiers serving overseas during the holidays, and carries the powerful message of no matter where you are, your heart can still be home.

Let’s all take a moment this season to forget the trimmings, trappings and holi-day stress and cherish what truly matters: those we hold dear.

Merry Christmas.

Home is where the heart is

Josh Whitener

by Josh Whitener [email protected]


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News

Ryan Pitkin

One may assume that C h r i s t m a s means more for a child than for an adult, but it’s been my experi-ence that the holiday becomes more mean-ingful as you mature.

Sure, running down the steps on Christmas morning and seeing the presents laid out under the tree was a feeling that no child lucky enough to experience it will ever forget. But as I get closer to 30 years old, I can’t help but be thankful that I now look for-ward to Christmas for family reasons as opposed to materialistic ones.

For nearly 20 years, my family has taken turns hosting a Christmas Eve party with the two families of my clos-est childhood friends. As children, we boys would fill a large plate with as many Chick-fil-A nuggets as we could take from the spread and run off to whatever room hosted video games,

discussing what sort of presents we hoped to rip open come sunrise.

I’ve now hosted the party in my own home for three years running and, while the same three families have stayed close and attend each year, it’s noticeably a better experi-ence as all in attendance have grown into adults who appreciate each oth-er’s company.

I now look forward to all of the siblings around my age, who in the past decade have flown the coop and started lives of their own, joining with the parents, who each have had such an integral, individual impact on each younger person’s childhood in the room, and simply catching up on what the last year has brought for all of us, good or bad.

I now look forward to my sister coming down from her home in the mountains – only two hours away, but seemingly further at times – to spend the weekend in Charlotte, beginning with that night.

Sure, some gifts will be exchanged the following morning, but every-one’s mind will be far from that on Christmas Eve, and that’s the way it should be.

Christmas: It grows on youby Ryan Pitkin

[email protected]

This year marks the first year I won’t be waking up in my parents’ home on Christ-mas morning.

The past four years I’ve scurried home after gruel-ing exams to the welcoming arms of home-cooked

meals, tinsel around the tree and end-less cups of eggnog.

After graduating college this past May, I moved out on my own to an apartment with the responsibility of decorating my place, among others.

Some people might find my holiday decorations a bit befuddling because I am Jewish, but I have a tall Christmas tree glimmering in my apartment win-dow.

I grew up in a household of tolerance and acceptance. My father is Jewish and my mother is Christian, so we always celebrated holidays from both religions, which means the “most wonderful time of year” meant Hanukkah and Christ-mas in my household.

My elementary-school-aged self thought that celebrating both holidays just meant more presents, but as I matured I realized both Christmas and Hanukkah share similar meanings.

To me, both holidays commemorate miracles of God: the birth of Jesus is a Christmas miracle, and the oil in the menorah burned for eight days, when the oil was only expected to last for one day (another miracle).

The holiday time should be a reminder of all of the everyday miracles in each other’s lives. The small blessings we experience each day, such as getting the last one of your favorite muffins at Dunkin Donuts or finding $5 in an old pair of jeans.

That’s why I proudly decorate my apartment with a tree, lights, poinset-tias and other traditional Christmas decorations. Because they remind me to think of the little things that make up the great parts of my life. They are part of the tradition of acceptance that I grew up with and remind me of the love and compassion revolved around the holiday season.

Of course, I have my menorah on my table as well, but no decoration defines or takes away from the spirit of the holi-day season: the season of being thank-ful.

A tale of two religionsby Courtney Schultz

[email protected]

Courtney Schultz


Education

Call (704) 849-2261 or e-mail [email protected]

Circulation: 25,000Readership: 54,675



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with more members and partnerships to help create a greater and stronger community, she said.

Visit www.charlottecountryday.org to find more information about the school, located at 1440 Carmel Road in south Charlotte.

Charlotte Country Day(continued from page 1)

of our students to come together and work in one single effort,” she said.

The Spanish teacher said the club has taken on a transformation this year to become primarily student-run, which she felt showed in Friday’s events. Previously, the advisors coor-dinated the club’s projects, but, this year, the students orchestrated events and the faculty offered guidance and input.

“We share our experiences and we share some knowledge about what it is to be a positive leader to the com-munity,” Prieto said.

The club has about 90 members, making it the biggest club in the school. Forrest hopes the Dec. 19 event demonstrates the club’s mission to serve.

“The main purpose of our club is to give back to the community around us and interact with the people of our community,” Forrest said. “We get a lot out of (the luncheon event). Obviously, the service part is giving something to a good cause, but also, our empathy level grows. I’ve been doing this for the past four years and have had conversa-tions with (the people from the shel-ters). A lot of these people are college graduates and very capable people, but

because of a couple unfortunate cir-cumstances they are (homeless) today … we’ve learned that at any given time anyone can be homeless.”

The interactions with the homeless have developed the school’s empathy toward others and gives them a chance to interact with individuals they may not come in contact with otherwise, he added.

“I think it’s very important for our students, as well as our faculty, to always be in touch with people out there (in the community), especially with people that are in need,” Prieto said. “They are less fortunate than our own students. I think it’s a great thing for our kids to start connecting and start really understanding what’s going on outside school.”

The luncheon is not the only way the club reaches out to the commu-nity. Charlotte County Day hosts the Mecklenburg County Special Olym-pics at the school, and the Interact Club volunteers with the athletes before the county and state games to help them prepare.

The club also has formed a partner-ship with the area’s Rotary Club Inter-national. Next year, the Interact Club plans to partner with Rotary Clubs and other schools to plant trees in the community.

Preito’s goal is to build the club

(Top right) One of the Interact Club advis-ers, Patricia Prieto Treviño, right, helps a student hand out lunches to homeless men and women.

(Bottom right) Sophomore Grace Goch nur-tures a baby while her mother enjoys lunch from Charlotte Country Day’s holiday lun-cheon event through the school’s Interact Club. Courtney Schultz/SCW photos

(Above) Charlotte Country Day high school students hosted children while their parents enjoyed a lunch provided by the school. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo


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Education

Quail Hollow Middle School students showcased their knowledge at the WOW! event on Dec. 17, through apprenticeships with community professionals at Citizen School.

Citizen School is a national nonprofit that extends the school day for middle school students in low-income communities and gives them hands-on training in different fields with business professionals. Students engage in 10-week apprenticeships led by citizen-teacher professionals to help con-nect the classroom with real-world situa-tions and experiences.

“We are a combination of academic assistance and real world experience,” said Jake House, executive director of Citizen Schools – North Carolina.

Over 100 sixth graders at Quail Hollow, located at 2901 Smithfield Church Road in south Charlotte, participated this semester.

Professionals from businesses such as Microsoft, Belk and Bank of America helped students with problem solving and leadership skills through an array of differ-ent projects. The students demonstrated their knowledge to parents and community members on Dec. 17 when they presented their projects.

One group, with the help of Andrew Kerr, technical account manager at Micro-soft, learned how to build a computer. At the WOW! event, the group demonstrated how to build the computer and discussed its internal operations.

“It was fun learning different parts of the computers,” said Megan Nunez, a sixth-grader from the group. She added that the group also learned how to increase a computer’s speed while learning valuable

real-world lessons like public speaking and teamwork.

Kerr decided to volunteer at Quail Hollow through the encouragement of his cowork-ers, who also volunteer for the program. He became involved with computers in middle school and hopes to inspire students to find hidden passions for computers.

“If we can inspire just one student, then that makes it all worth it,” Kerr said. “Every-one has that moment where it clicks for them – that moment where they find their passion.”

LaToya Marcus, Citizen School campus director at Quail Hollow, hopes that Citi-zen School will help students invest in their future careers and explore different oppor-tunities.

“Studies show that if a girl is not shown STEM (science, technology, education and math) opportunities by sixth grade, she won’t choose them (as a career path),” Mar-cus said.

Citizen School seeks to minimize an opportunity gap between lower- and upper-income families, in which lower-income children might not have as many oppor-tunities, such as after-school activities, for exploration and personal growth. The pro-gram gives participants the building blocks to begin investing in and thinking about future careers, Marcus said.

“If we know that the school is the focal point of the community, we need to bring the resources to the school. All schools with children from no matter what neighbor-hood should all have the same opportuni-ties,” House said.

Program leaders hope Citizen School will give students a plan for the future and help them lay out practical and specific steps to get there, Marcus said.

“We want them to be leaders – today and tomorrow,” she said. “We’re giving them the skills and knowledge that they need.”

Visit www.citizenschools.org for more information about Citizen School.

Citizen School helps inspire middle school studentsQuail Hollow students showcase their knowledge at special event

by Courtney [email protected]

Courtney Schultz/SCW photo


Education

Call (704) 849-2261 or e-mail [email protected]




Health&Wellness2015

As the largest newspaper group covering southern Mecklenburg and Union counties, there’s no better medium to get your message in front of our 120,000 verified and affluent readers than by advertising in 4 of our most popular issues of the year.

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CONTENT FOCUSED ISSUES

While many students munched on pop-corn and watched holiday movies before winter break last week, the fifth-graders at Ballantyne Elementary School took time to give back to their community.

On Friday, Dec. 18, the fifth-grade students held a different kind of winter celebration with their project “Books and Blankets,” where they created 42 fleece tie blankets, two baby blankets and eight scarves and collected 211 books and $663.79 for The Salvation Army Center of Hope.

The Center of Hope sleeps an average of 300 homeless women and children each night and Ballantyne Elementary students wanted to give them some warmth.

Kathleen Kelly, a fifth-grade teacher at Ballantyne Elementary, has worked with Charlotte Family Housing for years and established the program to offer students a chance to contribute.

“After some discussion (with other teachers), we decided to make some-thing to give back to the community,” Kelly said.

The fifth-grade teacher team wanted to create a craft that wasn’t the typical glittery project that’s often thrown away,

said Mary Hudson, a fifth-grade teacher at Ballantyne Elementary.

“We’ve all had that holiday craft that ends up just being glue and glitter,” Hud-son said, adding the tie blankets were a resourceful, hands-on craft that the stu-dents could create themselves.

Parent volunteers cut the fabric for the students and the students knotted the fabric together to create the blankets during their winter parties. The money and book collection started during the Thanksgiving holiday and the fifth grade set a goal to raise $600. The fifth-grade teachers wanted each student to have the chance to participate, and some parents offered to match the money raised to ensure the students met their goal.

Students watched videos regarding homelessness in Charlotte, before mak-ing the craft on Dec. 18, and discussed their experiences witnessing homeless-ness.

Many students have seen homeless-ness while walking around downtown Charlotte, Hudson said. Some students discussed destitution in their native countries, such as India.

One out of five homeless children in North Carolina live within eight miles of downtown Charlotte, and 20 percent of North Carolina’s homeless live in Char-lotte, according to the Urban Ministry

Center. “It’s not fair for some kid to be home-

less,” said 10-year-old Anna Washaw, a fifth-grader at Ballantyne Elementary. “Every kid should have the same share of blankets.”

Kelly hoped the project would help students become more globally aware and give them a chance to see how oth-ers live. She feels the fifth grade is the last year the students will be “sheltered” before they move on to middle school, so she hopes the project also will help

inspire them to give back as future citi-zens.

“We just want them to know that what they’re used to is beautiful, supportive homes and that not all kids have that,” said Kelly. “I want to open their eyes to the world around them.”

Multiple students said they were glad to help others, and the school hopes to continue to expose students to areas of need.

“It makes me feel good that we’re doing something for the world,” Anna said.

Ballantyne Elementary gives books and warmth to Charlotte’s homeless by Courtney Schultz

[email protected]

Fifth-graders (from left) 10-year-old Josh Langdon, 9-year-old Srikar Muraki, 10-year-old Emma Capelli and 11-year-old Morgan Paige Simmons worked together to create a tie blan-ket for the Center of Hope. Courtney Schultz/SCW photo


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SPORTSCALENDAR2015

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Issue dates: August 21 Southern Mecklenburg 38,000 circulation August 28 Union County 17,000 circulation

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Football Previews 2015

Basketball Preview 2015

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Carolina Weekly Newspaper Group has open positions in the newsroom. The group publishes the South Charlotte Weekly, Union County Weekly, Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, and The Pineville Pilot from our south Charlotte newsroom.

These positions will be responsible for writing content for three weekly papers and one monthly paper in the Charlotte region. The right candidates should be prepared to write eight to 10 arti-cles a week, take photos, copyedit and participate in weekly bud-get meetings to give input on story ideas from our editors. These positions will cover a variety of topics, ranging from government coverage to feature writing. The candidates should be versed in AP style; comfortable working mornings, evenings and week-ends; and have experience covering community news. Candidates should submit their resume, cover letter, references and three to five published articles.

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into something,” said John Horne, the ASC Cultural & Community Investment program director who is charge of the CSA program. “She creates beautiful art that connects emotionally with people and evokes a reaction.”

Tavares became a teaching artist last year at the Harvey B. Gantt Center, where she taught “batik,” a technique of manual wax-resist dyeing applied to cloth where she used homemade stamps to create beautiful patterns. She taught a workshop earlier this month on “eco jewelry,” where stu-dents made earrings from scraps of plastic and “faux” wood blinds. Tavares also works part-time in the paint department at Lowe’s Home Improvement, where she collects discarded materials for her projects.

“They call me the garbage lady,” Tavares joked. Her artwork is proof it’s never too late to turn what is

seemingly nothing, into something extraordinary. View Tavares’s murals at her Flickr page www.flickr.com/

photos/muralsbydulce. Register for a 2015 summer camp with Tavares at the Matthews Community Center, at www.matthewsfun.com. Summer camp registration starts Feb. 1.

by Dee [email protected]

Trash, treasure and treatDulce Tavares turns discarded items into art

“When it came time to pick a career, I thought, ‘No one can make money making art,’” said mixed-media artist and Matthews resident Dulce Tavares.

As a child growing up in Brazil, Tavares drew and molded clay, but set aside art to pursue science. She forged a career as a professor of microbiology and immunology, until she and her family moved to the United States 18 years ago. When her academic credentials failed to transfer to American aca-demia, Tavares reinvented herself – a knack she has turned into a full-time job in art.

After moving to Charlotte in 2001, Tavares worked in a day care center, where she befriended a boy whose mother asked Tavares to paint a mural for him. Tavares reproduced the cover of a greeting card she found in his room to rave reviews. Then, the referrals for more murals started coming in – requests for jungle animals, sports stars and fairy tale characters that adorn the lower school of Charlotte Latin.

Knowing what appeals to children and sparks their imagi-nation is second nature to Tavares. She started teaching classes at the Matthews Community Center seven years ago. Her first success was a puppetry summer camp, for which she made a proscenium from a big cardboard box, curtains and rope.

“The kids had a blast,” recalled Tavares, who calls her work as a teaching artist “really rewarding.”

“Dulce is able to translate her expertise as an artist into teaching points for the children,” said Colten Marble, cul-tural recreation manager for the town of Matthews, who organizes classes and camps for the Center. “She always comes to me with awesome ideas for keeping her classes

fresh and relevant.”Tavares launched a new camp called “Zen Adventures,” a

full-day experience with yoga, dance and activities in “upcy-cling,” where kids turned recycled materials into art. She offered as part of the camp homemade “raw food” snacks, like smoothies, ice cream and “sushi” made with crushed cauliflower instead of rice. Though the sweet stuff was more popular with the children, the camp broadened their horizons.

“Kids are authentic, spontaneous and unafraid of criticism or judgment,” Tavares said. “Expanding their knowledge improves their lives and creates awareness to parents.”

In addition to teaching kids at the Matthews Commu-nity Center, the SOAR Academy for home-schoolers and the Behailu Academy in NoDa, Tavares has been invited to return to Brazil to teach her puppetry program.

As she challenges her students, Tavares also challenges herself. She was one of nine artists selected from the region this fall to participate in the Arts & Science Council’s (ASC) Community Supported Art (CSA) project, for which Tavares had to create 50 unique pieces of art.

She opted to make three-dimensional sculptures she called “Alien Plants,” quirky combinations of recycled bot-tles, unused earplugs and toothpicks, used light bulbs and other found objects. She covered each piece in papier-mâ-ché and embellished them. She painted them with vibrant colors in her trademark folk-art style and created custom boxes for each.

This prolific experience was a growth opportunity for Tav-ares, a self-proclaimed perfectionist who admits to painting over something completely if it does not meet her expecta-tion. Her attention to detail is reflected in her work.

“The first person I try to please is myself,” said Tavares. “I have to look at it and say, ‘I love it.’”

“Dulce’s work shows that you can breathe a second life

SALES REP POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Carolina Weekly Newspaper Groupis looking for additional sales reps for our growing group of award-winning community newspapers.

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, able to meet deadlines and have excellent communica-tion skills. Advertising sales experience preferred; strong outside sales experience required. We offer salary plus commission, cell phone, paid vacation

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DON QUIXOTE

The Classics Concert Series is presented to the community by Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Tickets starting at just $19.

Charlotte Symphony4.854”x12.5” 1/2 pg Vertical for Carolina Weekly

12/18/14

Community School of the Arts and Charlotte Children’s Choir to merge

Community School of the Arts and the Charlotte Children’s Choir will merge as of Jan. 1, 2015.

Through the merger, Charlotte Children’s Choir will become part of the Community School of Arts, and its choral program will continue under its current name, according to a news release.

“The decision to merge stems from both organizations’ shared commitment to pro-viding the best in accessible arts educa-tion to meet the needs of the community. This merger will provide students of both programs with new educational and per-formance opportunities, as well as create synergies and growth opportunities for the combined organization,” the organizations said in a news release.

Community School of the Arts was founded in 1969, and the Charlotte Children’s Choir was established in 1986. Find more information about the organizations at www.csarts.org or www.charlottechildrenschoir.org.

The Possibility Project of Charlotte receives Cultural Innovation Grant

The Arts & Science Council recently announced The Possibility Project of Char-lotte as the newest recipient of an Arts & Science Council Cultural Innovation Grant, which supports emerging cultural organizations that “show promise program-matically and innovation in serving diverse audiences,” according to a news release.

The grant is a partnership between the Arts & Science Council and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The founda-tion supplies $15,000, which is matched by a coaching award and additional support from the Arts & Science Council to help guide a receiving program’s development.

The Possibility Project is a youth leader-ship program that uses performing arts to address culturally-relevant social issues, the release said. The program will use its grant to develop five original Partnership Out-reach Performances “that tackle topics that are important to the participating youth,” read the release.

The Arts & Science Council has sup-ported emerging cultural organizations through Cultural Innovation Grants for six years. Other organizations that received such grants this year include One Voice Chorus and A Sign of the Times of the Carolinas.

Find more information about the grant program and other Arts & Science Coun-cil endeavors at www.artsandscience.org. Learn more about The Possibility Project at www.possibilitycharlotte.org.

Silent Images releases end-of-year video

Local nonprofit Silent Images recently released its end-of-year video, a short pro-duction created to say “thank you” to its supporters.

“This year we turned the cameras on our-selves to offer you a lighter video and a little more insight into the heart of our team,” Silent Images founder David Johnson said in a news release. “…If you watch the video until the end, you will be rewarded with some fun and embarrassing outtakes...it was good for my team and me to be reminded how difficult it is to be on the other side of the camera.”

Silent Images served more than 130 charities in 2014, the release said. The non-profit works locally, nationally and globally, using still and video footage to tell stories of hope in the midst of oppression, poverty and hardship.

View the end-of-year video at vimeo.com/114029797. Find more information about Silent Images at www.silentimages.org.

Send arts and entertainment news items to [email protected].


News & NotesArts & Entertainment

The performing arts group The Possibility Project recently received a Cultural Innovation Grant from the Arts & Science Council. Photo courtesy of The Arts and Science Council


Calendar

ongoing through 12.28.14

Gingerbread lane Visits

Area residents can visit the annual Gingerbread Lane for free to view gingerbread creations until Dec. 28. Visitors can see the winners of this year’s competition, which includes two independent categories

for professional and amateur entries. Contact 704-248-4055 with any questions.

The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge, 10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte

ongoing through 12.28.14Wednesday through Sunday

1 to 5 p.mHoliday afternoon Tea

Enjoy Holiday Afternoon Tea in the lobby of the renowned Ballantyne Resort throughout December. Afternoon tea includes a variety of seasonal loose-leaf tea blends along with savory tea sandwiches,

traditional confectionaries and delicious holiday treats.Tea is served Wednesday – Sunday through Dec. 28 with the

exception of Christmas Day. A harpist will perform during afternoon tea. Reservations are required and the cost is $32 for adults, $16 for junior patrons and champagne tea is available for $40 per person.

Call 704-248-4100 for more information or to make reservations.

1000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy., Charlotte


‘The story of the little Gentleman’

The Charlotte Children’s Theater is presenting the United States’ premier of “The Story of the Little Gentleman,” a tale about the

true meaning of friendship. This yuletide treat runs through Dec. 28 and is designed for children 3 years old and older.

The play is based on the book by award-winning author Barbro Lindgren. It tells the story of the little gentleman who nobody

seems to have time for, making him sad. But he soon discovers a wonderful new friend who changes his life forever. This beautiful,

funny and moving tale features live musicians and a uniquely intimate style all its own.

Visit www.ctcharlotte.org for show times or to order tickets.

Children’s Theater of Charlotte, 300 E. Seventh St., Charlotte

12.30.14Tuesday6 p.m.

Nook Class

Whether you are a seasoned Nook enthusiast or just curious, join Nook experts for an in-store class designed to teach, entertain and

inspire.

Barnes & Noble - Arboretum, 3327 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte


Cellphones for soldiers drive

Mark Antioch and Ameriprise Financial Corporation are collecting gently-used cellphones for their fourth annual Cellphones for Soldiers

drive to help our troops call home.In honor of our past and present veterans and the upcoming

holiday season, Ameriprise Financial is collecting gently-used or new cellphones through Dec. 31.

Ameriprise Financial, 8832 Blakeney Professional Drive, suite 302, Charlotte

1.01.15Thursday

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.Family Night at Chick-fil-a

stoneCrest

Get the family together and have dinner at Chick-fil-A at StoneCrest. Chick-fil-A StoneCrest will feature crafts for kids, a balloon artist and

photo opportunities with the Chick-fil-A cow.7910 Rea Rd., Charlotte

Dec.28

SPORTS WRITER WANTEDCarolina Weekly Newspaper Group is looking for a dedicated, enthusiastic community journalist to cover high school sports in Mecklenburg and Union counties.

The right candidate should:

high school sports

Mint Hill or Union County.

REQUIREMENTS

Candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, list of references and a portfolio showing their recent work to Alain Lillie at [email protected].

Vacation Stop?Yes, we o�er that, too.


1.03.15Saturday11 a.m.

Children’s Event – storytime

Join Barnes & Nobles staff at 11 a.m. in the Children’s Department every Saturday morning

for storytime and an activity.

Barnes & Noble - Morrison Place, 4020 Sharon Road, Charlotte

1.8.15Thursday

4 to 8 p.mFamily dinner Night at

Earth Fare

Earth Fare provides families with affordable, healthy alternatives to their conventional staples. Every Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., kids eat free

at Earth Fare with the purchase of an adult meal, valued at $5 or more. Children must be present in

order to receive a free meal.

Earth Fare - Ballantyne, 12235 Community House Road, Charlotte

Earth Fare – SouthPark, 721 Governor Morrison Street, Charlotte

1.12.15Monday7 p.m.

Maintaining Healthy plants in your Garden

Learn the basics needed to make sure your garden survives and thrives. Plants often fail

in our region’s landscape because simple steps were not taken. Greg Paige, curator, Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories and Arboretum, will discuss a sustainable approach that will get gardeners off on the right foot and stay on course. Attendees will also find out about favorite performers that

adapt with a little bit of tough love. This Charlotte Garden Club program is free and open to the public. Refreshments at 7

p.m., program starts at 7:30 p.m. Visit www.charlottegardenclub.org for more information.

Mint Museum, 2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte

1.13.15Tuesday7 p.m.

author Event: deborah Johnson – The secret of

Magic

Prize-winning author Deborah Johnson tells an enthralling, inspiring and important story of the postwar American South in The Secret of Magic. Like millions of returning World War II veterans, Lt. Joe Howard Wilson wanted just one thing: to get back to his hometown as quickly as possible. But as a black man, he was a second-class citizen in the country he

nearly died defending. At a rest stop, he calls his father to let him know he will be home in a few hours’ time. He gets back on the bus, looking forward to their reunion. But when a white police officer demands that he and the

other passengers in the black section of the bus give up their seats for a few German POWs,

Joe Howard refuses. Two weeks later, his dead body is found.

Park Road Books, 4139 Park Road, Charlotte

1.17.15Saturday

1:30 p.m.Greater Charlotte Health

& Fitness Expo Race

Presented by Charlotte Running Club in association with the Greater Charlotte Health & Fitness Expo presented by Novant Health, this road race travels along the historic streets of Charlotte’s Chantilly neighborhood. The four-mile race will make two complete two-mile loops, making it spectator

friendly. The race will also feature a unique two-person relay where each team member will run the two-mile loop once. There will also be a kid’s Fun Run. The race begins at 1:30 p.m. at The

Park (formerly the Merchandise Mart). Call 704-995-2878 for more information or to register.

Chantilly Shopping Center, Briar Creek Road, Charlotte

1.27.15Tuesday

4:15 p.m.american Girl Book Club

An American Girl Book Club for children ages 8 to 11 years old. Participants will discuss and share opinions on this month’s selected American Girls,

Julie and Ivy, and celebrate the Chinese New Year. Registration is required for this program and begins Jan. 20. You can register in person or by

calling 704-416-6600.

South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Road, Charlotte

CalendarFINAL WEEKS

| discoveryplace.org

Package price varies by seating location and advertised prices are plus applicable fees.

800.4NBA.TIX

3 TICKETS,3 PIZZAS, 3 SODASFROM $60Customize Your Night!Choose the number of tickets you need and get a pizza and soda with each ticket!

DEC 27 7 PMvs Magic

Send us your events!

Want to see your event covered in our community calendar? Let us know about it!

Send an email to [email protected] with all pertinent information. Be sure

to include the date, time, cost to attend and a description of the event. Please send events at least two weeks in advance for the best chance of being included in the calendar. Items are not guaranteed publication, as

we consider factors such as relevance to the community and how close the event is to our

coverage area.


Sports

SOUTH CHARLOTTE WEEkLY’S

Girls tennis super teamaVERy HuNTERCharlotte Country Day

HailEy siMoNardrey Kell

FlEMiNG laNdauCharlotte Latin

KaTiE sodENMyers park

MaddiE WEBERMyers park

RaCHEl MaRTHiNsEN

Charlotte Catholic

The Bucs’ No. 1 played a key role in Country Day’s run to a title. Hunter, who is still just a junior, is a two-time all-state pick, and this year led the Bucs to a 14-3 record and their sec-ond consecutive N.C. Indepen-dent Schools Athletic Associa-tion title.

The only freshman to make the first team, Landau had a smashing debut this season. She starred for the Hawks all year, playing their No. 1 line while compiling a 17-3 record in singles. Landau lost only one set to a private-school player, falling in a three-set tiebreaker.

The Myers Park No. 1 player, Weber had a standout year leading the Mustangs to the state finals and a 16-1 sea-son. The all-state, all-region and all-conference sophomore went 18-7 on the year, includ-ing claiming the Southwestern 4A title.

Simon was the main force behind the Knights, as she won the So. Meck 8 title and was a Western Regional finalist while playing Line 1 all year. Simon qualified for the state tournament, where she won her first-round match and is in line for a huge career as she’s just a sophomore.

Another key cog in the Mus-tangs near-perfect season, Soden played No. 2 for the Mustangs. She was an all-conference, all-region and all-state selection after going 14-2 in singles and 17-6 in doubles, teaming with her sister, Gaby.

Marthinsen led a talented group of Charlotte Catholic underclass-men to a So. Meck 8 regular-sea-son title and a 22-3 overall mark. The sophomore compiled a 14-7 singles’ record as the Cougars No. 1, and teamed with Megan Leon-ard to go 20-7 as the team’s No. 1 doubles tandem.

Sullivan Higson, providence

Caroline Kurami, providence Day

Megan Leonard, Charlotte Catholic

Catie nelson, Charlotte Catholic

McKinley riley, Charlotte Catholic

gaby Soden, Myers park

sECoNd

TEaM:

player of the Year:HailEy siMoN, aRdREy KEll

Coach of the Year:CalViN daVis, CHaRloTTE CouNTRy day

Ardrey Kell sophomore Hailey Simon looks like an average 15 year old. She’s a star at Line 1 on the Knights’ tennis team, she excels in the classroom, volunteers with the Charlotte Tennis Association and still makes time to be a leader in her school’s DECA Club.

No one would suspect that Simon was diagnosed with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss at the age of 4, causing her to lose nearly 50 percent of her hear-ing.

The condition left Simon unable to participate in team sports but she didn’t let it stop her from shining on the Ardrey Kell tennis court.

“The hearing loss prevented me from playing team sports because I couldn’t hear the other teammates,” Simon said. “I had to find a sport that could fit my life-style and I found tennis that way. Playing tennis is so relaxing for me. I love going out there and competing and especially the mental side of it. There’s so much mentality going into it.”

Simon was a natural at the sport and quickly found a spot in the Knights’ lineup. Last season, she played at the No. 2 spot and only dropped two matches all season.

This year, Simon took over Line 1 and went unde-feated in conference play before winning the So. Meck 8 individual singles’ title and becoming the Class 4A West regional runner-up.

After two back-to-back seasons leading the Knights and the So. Meck 8 confer-ence, Simon is the 2014 South Charlotte Weekly Tennis Player of the Year.

“She fit the bill perfectly,” said first-year coach Courtney Carlton. “She’s a mental player. She leads the team and taught a lot of the new girls and helped lead them. They all took the cue from her. I couldn’t ask for a better Line 1 and she knew what she had to do to win so it wasn’t a problem.”

Simon said her goals at the beginning of the season to win the individual singles’ conference tourna-ment and make it to the state tournament in individual

singles. Practicing with the Knights team, a private coach and traveling to compete in USTA tournaments, Simon finished the season checking off each item on her to-do list.

The three-star recruit is currently ranked the No. 11 tennis player in the state according to www.tennisre-cruiting.net but even with a lofty list of accomplishments under her belt, Simon said she still has a lot left to do.

“I definitely want to make it back to states next year in singles and make it farther than last year,” she said. “I want to make myself better and keep pushing myself to do more. I’m hoping for a state win before I graduate. It’s going to take a lot of training but I have great coaches and great support. I just need to stay focused.”

Though it’s the school’s off-season, Simon plans to continue competing in USTA tournaments

through the spring and summer with hopes of garnering interest from college coaches.

But for now, she’s focused on making the most of her two years left at Ardrey Kell and continuing the legacy she’s start-ing to establish – a legacy she would’ve never thought possible after her diag-nosis.

“I have to be confident,” Simon said. “I can never be completely satis-fied.”

siMoN sTRiKEs BaCKby Hannah Chronis

[email protected]

Hannah Chronis/SCW photo


Sports

2014 all-conference football selections announced

The following football players received all-conference honors for the 2014 season.

Ardrey Kell: Bonte Freeman, Josh German, Rhett Huddleston, Jared Hunt, Ryan Jones, Matt Messler, Twazanga Mugala, Will Sapyta, Taleni Suhren, Omari Wingard, Raymond Wright, Mason Veal

Charotte Catholic: Jaret Anderson, Marco Baeza, Nick Bruno, Jack Flassler, Xander Gagnon, Matt Kowaleski, Braedon Mead, Conner Miller, Ryan Miller, Alex Lapiana

Myers Park: Tahir Taylor, James Morris, Bo Owens, Donnie Harris, Tadarin McNeil, Noah Smith, Tommy Wayne, Clay Nor-ris

Providence: Jacob Bernstein, John Biasucci, Grant Dixon, Jor-dan Fehr, Dimitri Gonzalez, Jack King, Brian Mattar, Tyler Pisto-rio, Dru Seabrook, Caleb York

South Meck: Devin Andrews, John Brannon, Austin Chap-man, AJ Elam, Zach Gilbert, Moryah Johnson, Chance Kennedy, Austin Smith, Antonio Williams

South Meck’s Stephen Griffin was named the Defensive Player of the Year; Ardrey Kell’s Bryce Maginley was named the Offen-sive Player of the Year; and Charlotte Catholic coach Michael Brodowicz was named the 2014 Coach of the Year.

South Meck retires Joy Cheek’s jersey

South Meck High School retired Joy Cheek’s No. 30 jersey in a special celebration held Dec. 18 after the varsity girls 39-30 win over West Meck. Cheek led the Sabres to a 2006 state

championship under former Sabre coach Troy Gaston. Cheek, named an All-American, led the Sabres to a 95-19 record

during her four years at South Meck. She became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,770 points and 992 rebounds and averaged 15.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Cheek continued her career at Duke University before becoming the No. 35 overall draft pick in the WNBA (2010). Cheek is currently an assistant coach at Ohio State University.

“Joy is the first female player ever at South Meck to obtain such a magnitude of accomplishments,” said current Sabre coach Cris-tie Mitchell.

Cheek’s No. 30 jersey now hangs alongside Walter Davis and Bobby Jones in the rafters of the Sabres gymnasium.

Independence boys win BSN Sports Buccaneer Classic

Senior guard Justin Boyce scored a team-high 14 points in the Patriots’ 49-43 win over Charlotte Country Day (4-7) on Dec. 19 in the championship round of the BSN Sports Buccaneer Classic at the Bruton Smith Athletic Center. Boyce finished the game with four rebounds and a steal. Six-foot-seven forward Christian Taylor led the rebounding effort with 11.

Independence (3-8) has been strong defensively all season and showed their strength in the championship game by holding the Bucs to without a field goal until two minutes into the second half.

Michael White led the scoring effort for the Bucs with 14 points.

The Patriots got off to a slow start dropping their first seven games but have since won three of their last four and are 1-1 in Southwestern 4A conference play.

They host Mallard Creek on Dec. 27.

Girls Basketball Player of the Week: Michaela Daniels, Providence

Senior guard Michaela Daniels tossed in 12 points in the Panthers 36-26 win over Berry but what was more impressive was her 13 steals. Daniels leads the Panthers in scoring this season, averaging 12 points per game and 6.5 steals.

Boys Basketball Player of the Week: Raequan Scott, ButlerScott led the Bulldogs scoring effort in a three-point win over Myers Park

on Dec. 18 with 22 points. The senior guard also had four steals and is lead-ing the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging 19.3 points per game.

sports shorts

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1) MyERs paRK (10-1)2) aRdREy KEll (8-2)

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5) RoCKy RiVER (7-2)6) CoVENaNT day (9-4)

7) CHaRloTTE CHRisTiaN (6-4)

1) aRdREy KEll (9-1)2) pRoVidENCE day (8-3)

3) BuTlER (9-2)4) CHaRloTTE CHRisTiaN (8-2)5) CHaRloTTE CaTHoliC (7-2)

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ACROSS 1 And so forth:

Abbr. 4 Halfway decent 8 Home of Plato’s

Academy14 “Your point being

…?”15 Ancient South

American16 Complete mess17 Powdered lunch

product from Lipton

19 Moon of Neptune20 Digital device

used to access Hulu and Netflix

21 Bird bill22 Fishing device23 Just marvelous28 Birdcage swing,

e.g.30 Skip, as a sound31 Poet’s “before”32 Former Time

Warner partner34 Commercial

suffix with Tropic35 Mouth, slangily

36 Alcoholics Anonymous and others

40 Seamen

41 Contend (for)

42 When repeated, a popular puzzle

43 Acid

44 “The Hangover” setting

46 Hollywood director Sam

50 Confectionery brand with a logo designed by Salvador Dalí

53 “Chestnuts roasting ___ open fire”

54 Eight, to Dieter

55 Stand-up comedian with multiple Emmys

57 Drink that gets its name from the Tahitian word for “good”

60 Share a single bed … or a hidden feature of 17-, 23-, 36- and 50-Across

61 Town with Yiddish speakers

62 In ___ (actually)63 In the style of64 Pooped65 Blacken on a grill66 “Spy vs. Spy”

magazine

DOWN 1 Steep slope

around a rampart 2 “Rug” 3 Statue of Liberty

material 4 River to the

Seine 5 Units of nautical

speed 6 Contact lens

brand 7 Annoying bark 8 Under the cloak

of night 9 Angry rant10 Three-line verse11 N.H. winter

setting12 Sarge, e.g.13 Junior18 WHAT THIS IS IN21 Existence24 Stop getting any

higher25 One chased in

a car chase, for short

26 Parts of history27 John Boehner,

e.g., in two ways: Abbr.

29 Use a pogo stick33 1968 #1 hit for

Diana Ross & the Supremes

35 Good source of omega-3 fatty acids

36 Where a Brownie’s merit badges are attached

37 Language of Pakistan

38 “I know, ___?”39 “___ the land of

the free …”40 Nurse’s focus, in

brief44 Move out

45 Quiet sound of water on the side of a pail, say

47 Clothes line?

48 Eye part subject to degeneration

49 What gets rubber-stamped?

51 Hors d’oeuvres toppings

52 “Minnesota March” composer

56 Modern cab service alternative

57 Asian food additive

58 “Got it!”59 “___ your call”60 Kwanzaa time:

Abbr.

PUZZLE BY JAMES MULHERN

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS.AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information.Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

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J A V A Q U E S T S T U BA V E R U N D U E T A R OD O N T M A K E M E L A U G HE N D A K I N U T T E R

E V E N I D L EF U H G E D D A B O U D I TO N I O N L E I S C O GR I P S T W I X T P I T AA F T G R A B H O N E Y

Y O U R E K I D D I N G M EN I K E R A N G

S T R I P B A N D F Y IT H A T S R I D I C U L O U SO O Z E I N A N E U R A LP R E S A B Y S S G E N E

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018

For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550For Release Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1111Crossword

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LOST DOG! Lawyers Road & Mill Grove Road, Union County or Meck County. Rat Terrier. 4 years old. Male. 15 pounds. Mostly white with some black patches and some brown on face. Long skinny legs and short stubby tail. Sweet, but shy, timid and a bit nervous. Will NOT bite. His name is Buzz. He gets cold easily, quivers and shakes a lot. When lost, had collar with outside cable attached, but

may have fallen off. He has seizure. Call Cindy – 704-614-5600.

HELP: LOST DOG, \”Dotty\”, Australian Cattle mix, 7yrs, 35lbs. Lost 8/1/14, Rea Rd. Black/White, black patch right eye. pink/grey collar. Contact Kim 704-763-3661. Her loving family misses her very much!

Cats cradle boarding beautiful 5 star cats only kennel. Huge sun-filled suites, 3 levels, climbing tree. Pickup/delivery. 20% Senior discount. For rates and requirements call 704.771.6052 www.Cat boardingcharlotte.Com. 072514

PROVIDENCE PET SITTING is licensed, insured, and pet CPR/First Aid certified. We have been lovingly caring for pets for over 10 years. Contact us at 704-591-7274 for more info. 101014

To advertise, visit www.carolinaweeklynewspapers.comCarolina Weekly Classifieds Network

ACROSS 1 And so forth:

Abbr. 4 Halfway decent 8 Home of Plato’s

Academy14 “Your point being

…?”15 Ancient South

American16 Complete mess17 Powdered lunch

product from Lipton

19 Moon of Neptune20 Digital device

used to access Hulu and Netflix

21 Bird bill22 Fishing device23 Just marvelous28 Birdcage swing,

e.g.30 Skip, as a sound31 Poet’s “before”32 Former Time

Warner partner34 Commercial

suffix with Tropic35 Mouth, slangily

36 Alcoholics Anonymous and others

40 Seamen

41 Contend (for)

42 When repeated, a popular puzzle

43 Acid

44 “The Hangover” setting

46 Hollywood director Sam

50 Confectionery brand with a logo designed by Salvador Dalí

53 “Chestnuts roasting ___ open fire”

54 Eight, to Dieter

55 Stand-up comedian with multiple Emmys

57 Drink that gets its name from the Tahitian word for “good”

60 Share a single bed … or a hidden feature of 17-, 23-, 36- and 50-Across

61 Town with Yiddish speakers

62 In ___ (actually)63 In the style of64 Pooped65 Blacken on a grill66 “Spy vs. Spy”

magazine

DOWN 1 Steep slope

around a rampart 2 “Rug” 3 Statue of Liberty

material 4 River to the

Seine 5 Units of nautical

speed 6 Contact lens

brand 7 Annoying bark 8 Under the cloak

of night 9 Angry rant10 Three-line verse11 N.H. winter

setting12 Sarge, e.g.13 Junior18 WHAT THIS IS IN21 Existence24 Stop getting any

higher25 One chased in

a car chase, for short

26 Parts of history27 John Boehner,

e.g., in two ways: Abbr.

29 Use a pogo stick33 1968 #1 hit for

Diana Ross & the Supremes

35 Good source of omega-3 fatty acids

36 Where a Brownie’s merit badges are attached

37 Language of Pakistan

38 “I know, ___?”39 “___ the land of

the free …”40 Nurse’s focus, in

brief44 Move out

45 Quiet sound of water on the side of a pail, say

47 Clothes line?

48 Eye part subject to degeneration

49 What gets rubber-stamped?

51 Hors d’oeuvres toppings

52 “Minnesota March” composer

56 Modern cab service alternative

57 Asian food additive

58 “Got it!”59 “___ your call”60 Kwanzaa time:

Abbr.

PUZZLE BY JAMES MULHERN

Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS.AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information.Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.

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J A V A Q U E S T S T U BA V E R U N D U E T A R OD O N T M A K E M E L A U G HE N D A K I N U T T E R

E V E N I D L EF U H G E D D A B O U D I TO N I O N L E I S C O GR I P S T W I X T P I T AA F T G R A B H O N E Y

Y O U R E K I D D I N G M EN I K E R A N G

S T R I P B A N D F Y IT H A T S R I D I C U L O U SO O Z E I N A N E U R A LP R E S A B Y S S G E N E

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018

For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550For Release Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1111Crossword

Vehicles for sale financial

Miscellaneous

help wanted

serVices

pets

Merchandise


Back Surgery WARNING!Spinal Stenosis and Bulging, Herniated, and Degenerative Discs

Call 704-228-3882

Charlotte, NC -- In a 2002 issue of Neurological Focus, a peer-reviewed article was published by a Dr. Michael D. Martin, MD et al. in which the third sentence states: “�e disc itself is active tissue that contains signi�cant mechanisms for self-repair.” �at article was published by a neurosurgeon and written directly for neurosurgeons.

“The Disc Itself is Active Tissue...”

So what does that really mean to us? It tells us that the disc itself does have a God-given ability to heal and repair if provided the proper mechanisms for self-healing. �ere is a speci�c mechanism inherent in each of the spinal discs called the “pump mechanism of disc nutrition” (see Fig 1). When this mechanism is not working properly, the spinal discs will begin to die causing bulges, herniations, and eventually spinal stenosis.

�e spinal disc is one of the very few tissues in the body that does not have a direct blood supply for circulation. �e only way that the disc gets the circulation of water, oxygen and nutrients for self-repair is via this speci�c disc pump mechanism. What happens when you decrease circulation in any type of tissue, whether it be animal tissue, plant tissue or human tissue? Exactly, it begins to become weak and degenerate.

Figure 1: Proper anatomy of the discs and the pump mechanism of disc nutrition.

Symptoms Are NOTThe Problem

Now the symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling that most experience with bulging, herniated or degenerative discs are NOT the problem. �e de�nition of a symptom: “something that indicates the existence of something else.” It is just like the dashboard of your car telling you that something is wrong (brake lights out, engine needs to be checked, overheating, etc.) �ose lights that appear in your car dash are NOT the problem. You can remove the lights surgically or put a piece of

You wouldn’t ignore your car’s check engine light...so don’t ignore your health.

duct tape over the lights but the problem will NOT be �xed...the problem is still present.

Let’s take a look at a plant for example...if the leaves on a plant begin to turn brown, would you say that the brown leaves are the plant’s problem? Of course not, the leaves turning brown is just a condition that is telling you that there is something wrong with the plant. �e plant is unhealthy and needs water and nutrients. You could spray paint the leaves green but it just covers up the condition. �e underlying problem still exists and will continue to produce brown leaves until you �x the actual problem.

In your spine, when the pump mechanism of disc nutrition fails, the disc will begin to degenerate and become weak. �is weakness in the disc is what produces the bulging, herniated, and degenerative discs.

�e treatment that is provided at the Charlotte Spine and Pain Relief Center is revolutionary and is speci�cally designed to arti�cially re-create the pump mechanism in the discs which allows the spinal discs to heal and repair. �e best part of the treatment is that it uses no drugs, no injections, and no surgery. Plus it’s painless and many patients fall asleep while undergoing the treatment.

�e amount of treatment needed to allow the discs to heal and repair varies from person to person and can only be determined a�er a detailed neurological and orthopedic evaluation. We do NOT accept everyone for treatment and will let you know if we can accept your case for treatment.

Dr. Helmendach, DC at the Charlotte Spine and Pain Relief Center will do a spinal disc severity examination to determine the extent of your disc damage for only $70 (normally $150). �is examination will consist of a detailed neurological evaluation, extensive orthopedic testing, and a detailed analysis of the �ndings of your evaluation. He will sit down with you and go over your condition with you in complete detail. You will know exactly what is causing all your pain (or other symptoms).

Dr. Helmendach will be o�ering this thorough spinal disc severity examination from now until Friday, January 9th, 2015.

Call 704-228-3882 to make an appointment with Dr. Keith Helmendach, to determine if your spinal discs can be treated.

NOTE: Charlotte Spine and Pain Relief Center is located in Charlotte, NC at 7215-A Lebanon Road.

Accepting most major insurance for new patients including Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicare. Federal bene�ciary restrictions may apply.

IF YOU DECIDE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL TREATMENT, YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND WITHIN THREE DAYS AND RECEIVE A REFUND.

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