NOVEMBER 24, 2008 – Last week, approximately 50 students congregated the Stokes Student Center Lounge at Pfeiffer University to fill, seal and package more than 7,200 meals for those in need. Sponsored by the Freshman Year Experience at Pfeiffer, students and faculty participated in "Stop Hunger Now," an international relief organization dedicated to helping end the world’s hunger.

The organization has strategically focused its efforts toward areas of the world that have been affected by natural disasters. The program enables partnerships through local community groups, universities and organizations to become active in support of these efforts.
 

November 21, 2008/Huntersville, NC – T1 Visions is a unique restaurant services company that, through its own restaurant—T1 Tapas | eat.drink.connect.™, located in Birkdale Village—offers a venue for social uses of cutting-edge technology and provides hardware and software services to other restaurants.

The president of T1 Visions is Michael Feldman. In 1991 Feldman started Digital Optics Corporation (DOC), which was the first company to use integrated circuit technology to develop optics for computers and imaging. DOCʼs customers spanned the globe and included such leading manufacturers as Sony, Samsung, and Nikon. The company grew from a staff of 2 to more than 150 employees when it was sold 15 years later for $60 million. After selling the Charlotte-based company, Feldman and a former partner from DOC, Jim Morris, went in search of a new venture that would allow them to use their years of experience developing new technology and tracking the latest innovations.

Charlotte, N.C., Nov. 18- - Sales and spirits are both looking very merry at the Southern Christmas Show, which opened last Thursday and runs through Sunday, November 23rd at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart (now named The Park).  According to the vendors we spoke with, show guests seem to be ignoring the bad tidings and arrive at the show ready to shop, and enjoy this 41st annual tradition.

Jolene Howard, who’s husband Max, creates one of a kind metal sculptures that range in price from $5 for an exquisite metal pussy willow, to $700 for a handsome wall hanging, admits she came to the show a little nervous. “It didn’t take long to decide things would be better than OK,” said Howard, “we’ve had to restock every day, sales have been outstanding.”

Kathy Rallis, partner in Leah & Co, a local boutique, has a shop in the show’s Old Town area.  She sells unique jewelry, bags, and gift items.  Rallis says she didn’t know what to expect, because sales had been soft at their retail store.  She, too, is thrilled with the response and with her sales at the show.
 

CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation will host the first-ever Charlotte MileStones Walk on Saturday, November 15 at Freedom Park, to benefit lifesaving childhood cancer research conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group, the world’s premier pediatric cancer research collaborative.  The Children’s Oncology Group treats more than 90 percent of children with cancer in North America.

The MileStones Walk for Childhood Cancer is a fundraising event that unites people in the fight to reach the day when every child with cancer can be guaranteed a cure.   Directly or indirectly, nearly everyone knows a child or family who has been touched by childhood cancer, the #1 cause of death from disease in children.  Every school day, another 46 children, about two classrooms of students, are diagnosed with cancer in the United States.  MileStones walks emphasize fellowship and sense of community.
 

Charlotte, N.C., Nov. 10, 2008 … Crescent Communities identified the hottest new home trends expected for 2009 after compiling information from buyers and prospects in all its Charlotte-area luxury communities.

“These are the most requested items from our discriminating buyers,” said Craig Martin, sales manager for Crescent Communities. “These trends are reflected in the custom and Ready to Customize (RTC) homes being built in our communities.”
 

The most any of us can wish for is to leave this world a better place for our having been in it. Soon the world will know how 12-year-old Hope Stout left this world a better place when she died of cancer in 2003. Her inspirational story is the subject of a feature-length film to be shot in the Charlotte region during December and January.
 
The cameras will start rolling at Bank of America Stadium during the Panther’s home game Dec. 8. Hundreds of local crew members will be hired, including some who will film Charlotte streetscapes for the movie’s holiday segments. Filming will be on hiatus over the holidays, then the more dramatic segments will be shot in mid-January when production resumes. Pre-production, which has begun, editing and finishing all will be done in Charlotte. Joanne Hock, co-founder of Charlotte-based Emulsion Arts, has written the original script. The cast, including some well-known stars, will be announced in a few weeks.

Huntersville, NC – Only two weekends remain in the Carolina Renaissance Festival’s 15th anniversary season.  Don’t miss an opportunity to find unique holiday gifts at the Carolina Renaissance Festival. In honor of the upcoming holiday season the Artisan Marketplace presents A Pirate’s Christmas on November 8th and 9th. Early holiday shoppers are rewarded if they purchase $150.00 in festival crafts on November 8th or 9th with two FREE tickets (a $30.00 value) to return on closing weekend, November 15th or 16th.

The Festival encourages you to chomp a turkey leg before Turkey-day and show your chivalry by bringing two canned goods to the Festival box office closing weekend November 15th & 16th and receive FREE child admission.  Canned goods benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.