Iredelllivingapril16web

IREDELL LIVING • APRIL 2016 1

ComplimentaryA

pril 2016

Living the Good Life

Before You Hire Inc.Full Service Employment Screening Agency

Certified • Comprehensive • Confidential

2 IREDELL LIVING • APRIL 2016


Don ForrestDirector of Business [email protected](828) 244-6538

April 2016

Iredell Living the Good Life


LIVNG

I from the publisher

Myron T. GoughPublisher, Iredell Living

Welcome to the April issue. Spring is a season of renewal. You can see the trees and bushes sprout into bloom, hear the birds chirping and singing, and enjoy the warm sunshine on your face as you work around the house to get that spring cleaning done. Take a moment to look, listen and feel all that this magnificent season has to offer!

If you are a gardener, this is the month to get outside and get your hands dirty preparing the soil for planting. While I don't have a green thumb myself, I appreciate the talents of those who do and always look forward to seeing the fruits of their labor.

This month is Keep America Beautiful Month. Let's do our part by not littering, and if you see trash along the side of the road, please pick it up. We can all chip in to make sure we keep our streets and neighborhoods as clean and beautiful as possible.

Until next month, thank you for reading the April issue of Iredell Living Magazine!

Follow us on Facebook–IredellLivingMagazinehttp://twitter.com/IredellLiving

W W W . I R E D E L L L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Mailing Address - P.O. Box 57 Harmony, NC 28634 (704) 546-5511E-mail - [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSKristie Darling • Kirk Ballard • David Bradley

Meredith Collins • Kathy Wheeler • Linda B. Wilson

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYElements Photography by Tabitha Goforth

COVER STORYBefore You Hire Inc.

Editorial stock photography, unless otherwise noted, is from ThinkStock.com

Iredell Living reserves the right to deny any advertisement or listing. Submissions are welcome, but unsolicited materials are not guaranteed to be returned. Iredell Living assumes no responsibility or liability for the information, services, products, claims, statements, accuracy, or intended or unintended results of any advertiser, editorial contributors, company, professional corporation, business or service provider herein this publication. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

Myron T. GoughPublisher/[email protected](704) 546-5511

Kathy WheelerDirector of Marketing & [email protected](828) 238-3224

Bob ChurchAdvertising [email protected](336) 686-7271

Linda B. WilsonAdvertising [email protected](704) 657-0237

Lyndsay KibiloskiAdvertising [email protected](704) 956-5722

Iredell

Follow us on Facebook–IredellLivingMagazinehttp://twitter.com/IredellLiving



LIVNG

I content

April 2016

25

20events | food | local business

8 •AprilEventsAndCelebrations

12 • BeforeYouHireInc. FullServiceEmployment ScreeningAgency Certified•Comprehensive• Confidential

18 •GraystoneiLasik ExceptionalVisionCorrection Technology

20 •StatesvilleCountryClub KeepingUpWithTheTimes

25 •What'sCooking?! TurkeySlidersAndBakedFries

28 • AWordFromThe StatesvilleChamber RediscoverStatesvilleAtThe BusinessExpo

30 • AWordFromThe Mooresville–SouthIredell Chamber JoinUsAtThe RaceCityFestival

18



New to Lake Norman?We'll help you get acquainted! Call the Welcome Committee at 704-660-1155 for a FREE welcome basket filled with valuable coupons, maps and community information.

In April, most of us would rather think about anything other than taxes! So here are some things to focus on that require much less brain power.

Earth Month–April is a good month to consider your carbon footprint and make changes to reduce your usage of power, water and your impact on the environment and earth’s resources. Adjustments like using cold water in-stead of hot water when doing laundry, folding clothes straight from the dryer to prevent ironing, putting on a sweater to knock off the chill instead of turning up the heat, using energy efficient light bulbs, and unplugging appliances when not in use can all reduce your carbon footprint. If you find unplugging appli-ances an inconvenience, consider using the remote controls from your Christ-mas lights year round! Small changes make big impacts on reducing energy consumption when practiced regularly.

Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM)–Jazz established its roots in North America in the early 20th century and still thrives today. The genius behind jazz is the

musicians’ artistic interpretation of the music itself. Though jazz musicians study and honor earlier forms of jazz, their improvisational skills can make it fresh and different each time you hear it. If you are looking to catch some jazz, John Alexander, Chris Garges and Ron Brendle have been performing every Thursday night for 13 years at Char-lotte’s Blue Restaurant & Bar located in Hearst Tower.

The 9th Annual Fish & All That Jazz will be held at Langtree Plantation in Mooresville on April 21 from 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. benefiting Mitchell Community College’s Endowment for Excellence! The event will feature jazz music performed by the Neal Davenport Group and a fresh seafood buffet cooked on site by Big Daddy’s Seafood and Oys-ter Bar. Tickets are $45 per person and include dinner, beer, wine and entertain-ment. For more information, visit www.mitchellcc.edu/fish.

National Volunteer Month–Volunteer-ing not only helps your community, it also helps you! You can learn new skills,

advance your current skills, and make new friends and connections. It can give you a sense of having more time and the satisfaction of knowing you contributed. There are hundreds of places and ways to volunteer. Find a cause that you are passionate about or an organization where you can truly make a difference and try it!

Iredell Events–2016 Downtown Statesville Spring Art Crawl is Friday, April 22 from 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. in downtown Statesville.

2016 Iredell Garden Fair is Satur-day, April 23 at the Iredell Agricultural Center located at 444 Bristol Drive in Statesville.

15th Annual An Evening For Dove House will be held April 30, 2016 from 5 p.m.–10 p.m. at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville. Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased at www.dovehousecac.org.

Get out in the sunshine and enjoy April!

April Events and CelebrationsBy Kathy Wheeler

©Chr

istop

h Kad

url




12 IREDELL LIVING • APRIL 201612 IREDELL LIVING • APRIL 2016

LIVNG

I cover story

Photos:On the cover–Founder and President of Before You Hire Inc. Jerlyn F. Dishmond

Pictured–Mother and daughter duo Jerlyn and Kortney


By Kristie Darling | Photos by Tabitha Goforth

Jerlyn Dishmond and her daughter, Kortney Myers, are proud to be celebrating 15 amazing years in business as Before You Hire Inc. They have every reason to celebrate in a big way. The business has grown not only in its beautiful, expanded lo-cation, but also in the multiple screening services they provide and the professional team that serves many loyal customers. “We’re not a business,” Jerlyn shared, “we are a family. My perspective, as owner, is that our staff is family to me. I might be the driver of the bus, but they are the wheels that keep us going.” Before You Hire is a well-oiled machine that provides multiple screening services for thousands of diverse clients–corporate, industrial, healthcare, nonprofit, families and individuals–it’s amazing to see this operation in action.

A ONE-STOP SHOP SCREENING PROVIDERAfter working in the staffing industry for over 14 years, Jerlyn developed a business plan that combined her talents, skills, and passions into a full menu of screening services. Her firm supports HR departments and owners in business, manufac-turing, and industries–large and small–healthcare providers, government agencies, churches, schools and nonprofits, even individuals and families. “We’ve accomplished what I set out to do: bring all business and personal screening services under one roof, at one location, with one invoice,” Jerlyn said. “We are a unique cornerstone agency that provides these all encompassing services.”

Customizing and managing services at BYH is huge. Kortney shared, “BYH is the Burger King of the screening industry–you can, ‘Have it your way.’”

Drug, criminal, and employment background checks for employers is a MUST, with each business type following specific, multiple regulations and standards to comply with their policies. Technology must keep up with the job even while a personal touch is necessary. “We take the worry away by eliminating risks around employment decisions,” Kortney explained. “Employee/employer regulations are complex and since 9/11, even more so. BYH exceeds expectations and we’re

Before You Hire Inc.Full Service Employment Screening Agency

Certified • Comprehensive • Confidential

Photo, above, left to right: Meet the BYH Family! Back row–Amber Brown, Holden Cloer, Krista Weatherman, and Julie Petrovich Front row– Kortney Myers and Jerlyn Dishmond


there every step of the way.” As Leslie Burleson, director of the Indigo Division of BAYADA Home Healthcare, said, “Before You Hire has helped our agency work more efficiently to stay in compliance with state and federal guidelines in the healthcare field. Their outstanding customer service is top notch!”

REGULATIONS, RULES, MORE REGULATIONS“I need a background check on my new hires” can actually be a request for much more than you think. Before You Hire’s many services will surprise you. Employers can request nationwide, out-of-state, and in-state criminal records and national sex of-fender records, social security address verifications (Do they live and have they lived where they claim?), education and employ-ment verification (Is he really an RN? Did she really work for the CIA?), and driving history records for all 50 states. Drug, nicotine, and alcohol testing through urine or hair analysis are often required, as well as industry specific DOT and non-DOT drug testing including instant tests, random testing, DOT com-pliance information and education programs, DNA and labora-tory services.

The Department of Transportation holds a high standard for drug testing. It requires anyone with a CDL to be tested under federal mandate. “All our staff are DOT certified to conduct drug and alcohol collections for pre-employment, random, post accident, or reasonable cause. If needed, we can provide direct observed drug testing and set up DOT physicals and health assessments to determine if a potential employee is healthy and strong enough to do the job,” Jerlyn explained. “BYH is one of the only companies in this area certified to do DOT testing. Some you think are certified, are not…always check.”

A cutting-edge new service is criminal monitoring, where up-dated information is emailed to clients providing 24/7 notifica-tion of criminal charges. It is especially useful for businesses who employ drivers, handle money, work with children, the disabled or elderly, and those who work in homes. “Before You Hire is an approved vendor in the NC Administrative Office of the Courts–the NCAOC,” Kortney explained. “It takes a lot of work and focus to get on that list.”

Since the NC Safe Sanctuary Act was passed, screenings are of-ten required when hiring people, even clergy or volunteers, who work with children. “At Oakdale Baptist Church, we are legally required to do background checks on anyone involved with children. We’ve always had the very best experience with Before You Hire,” Larry Johnson told me. “Also, through my work as a truck driver, I know personally how easy and comfortable it is to get screened. They just guide you through it.”

Employment and business use aren’t the only reasons for calling BYH. With complete confidentially, schools and parents request screenings. Parents can request testing for drugs, alcohol, and

Photos, top to bottom: • Julie Petrovich completing background screening pack-

ages for large corporate accounts.• Holden Cloer working diligently on reports to satisfy

the turnaround time of less than two hours.• Kortney Myers discussing DOT audit material and the

demands to be compliant with the Federal Government Guidelines.


nicotine for their children or for potential babysitters, elder caretakers, or house-keepers. Individuals can request their own drug screen results in preparation for job hunting. Personal drug testing kits can be purchased to use in the privacy of one’s home.

TOP NOTCH PROFESSIONALS“Our staff is amazing!” Jerlyn said as sheintroduced me around the office. “They are dedicated, loyal, professional, and totally fun. They are family.” What I heard from everyone was, “I love coming to work.” The business has grown from three staff at the start to six on the team now in a 2,600 sq. ft. space, that is the most beautiful, not-at-all-clinical office space I’ve seen…Did I say that Jerlyn is an experienced interior designer?

Researchers at BYH are Julie Petrovich, senior account specialist and Holder Cloer, client research specialist, who pull over 2,000 criminal reports a month. Krista Weatherman is BYH’s certified drug testing administrator. “We are on call 24/7 and can immediately arrive after an accident or injury to do drug and alcohol testing,” she explained. “We can arrange random drug tests at any location.” The team’s newest addition is Amber Brown, the friendly voice on the phone when you call.

Kortney is VP of operations. “BYH is my true number one passion…it is my second love, right behind my husband and kids.” Kortney manages overall customer service (where her infectious smile and outgoing personality shine),

keeps all accounts in order, and the local and regional customers satisfied and in compliance with all required regulations–and there are plenty of those! And in her spare time, she is sales and marketing diva for the company.

IN THE COMMUNITYJerlyn has a life-sized saying on her of-fice wall: She believed she could, so she did, and she continues to do and give everyday. “My mom is an independent, self-made woman who understands where she came from,” Kortney said. “Her family is everything to her, there’s not a greedy bone in her body, and she loves this community where she grew up. We both value giving back.” BYH has worked with many community organiza-tions, including 5th Street Ministries, My Sister’s House, Hospice’s Rainbow Kids, Shop-A-Cop, and with the Greater States-ville Chamber since day one. In 2005, Before You Hire Inc. was the Chamber’s Small Business Award winner.

There are many reasons to get in touch with Jerlyn and Kortney–you want the best for your business and employees: safety, security, confidentiality, success. You care about your family and the chil-dren in your life. You need more infor-mation. Discover more at BYH’s website and get your questions answered with a phone call. Before You Hire could be a lifesaver for you!

Before You Hire2117 Simonton Road, Suite 101

Statesville • 704.878.3600www.beforeyouhireinc.com

Photos, clockwise: • Amber Brown, administrative

assistant, scheduling an appoint-ment for a DOT physical.

• Krista Weatherman conducting a drug test and explaining the col-lection procedure to the donor.

• Jerlyn Dishmond lives by this quote her daughter, Kortney, gave to her on a plaque many years ago.

• Before You Hire is located right beside of Gordon Hospice House on Simonton Road.

• Holden Cloer explaining to a truck driver what is required dur-ing a DOT drug test. (Photo provided

by Before You Hire)




Say goodbye to your contact lenses, glasses, and reading glasses. Graystone Eye refractive surgeon, Dr. R.E. Ours-ler, III, performs surgical correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigma-tism, and/or presbyopia with very easy, advanced procedures.

The newest offering at Graystone Eye is the KAMRA corneal inlay. Between age 40 and 50, many patients have difficulty reading and seeing up close. In the past, the only solution to correct this was to use reading glasses, bifocal glasses or contacts, or different strengths of con-tacts in each eye (monovision).

KAMRA was approved by the FDA in April 2015, but it has been used in Eu-

rope, Canada, and Asia for several years. “It’s been around for quite a while,” Dr. Oursler said. “And, we have significant data to prove it is effective.”

Graystone Eye was the first practice in the eastern United States to perform this procedure when they started in early June.

The KAMRA inlay is a mini-ring with a pinhole opening in the center. It is smaller and thinner than a contact lens and sits in the cornea. The inlay is only placed in one eye allowing you to see up

By Meredith Collins

close, while maintaining your distance vision in both eyes. “The KAMRA pro-cedure gives good distance vision, depth perception, and night driving, which is different than monovision correction with contacts,” Dr. Oursler said. “Pa-tients can see well at the computer, long distance and up close, as well.”

A huge benefit for patients having the KAMRA procedure is that it is reversible. “The KAMRA inlay can be removed if there is a newer implant or technology that would work better later on,” Dr. Oursler said. The procedure only takes about 15 minutes. “It’s a simple proce-dure,” Dr. Oursler said. “We use a laser to create a small pocket in the cornea. The downtime is only about a day, and then it takes about a week for the vision to really improve. Within one to three months the patient adapts completely.”

While the KAMRA inlay is great for many patients, it may not be ideal for ev-eryone. Dr. Oursler works with each pa-tient to recommend appropriate surgery. Two of the other most common options are iLASIK and lens replacement.

The KAMRA inlay is not designed for patients who have early cataracts, be-cause a clear natural lens is necessary for success. A lens replacement procedure would be better in that situation. If a patient also needs distance correction, they can have iLASIK done at the same time as the KAMRA inlay. iLASIK, lens

Pictured left–Dr. Oursler and his Refractive team

Opposite page, top to bottom–Patient getting ready to undergo iLASIK

The KAMRA inlay, the solution to correcting presbyopia and restoring everyday near vision.

LIVNG

I

Exceptional Vision Correction Technology

©TabithaGoforth


replacement, and KAMRA inlay are the top three procedures Dr. Oursler performs. They are all done at the Graystone office in Hickory.

New technologies have greatly improved the accuracy of these procedures. The iDesign wavefront aberrometer is a newer device that gives a more precise measurement of the focusing properties of the eye, creating a detailed wavefront map of each eye. This map is then digitally linked to the VISX laser for a customized treatment during the iLASIK procedure. Graystone Eye is the first practice in North Carolina to offer this ground-breaking technology.

All this to create an outcome of better vision without glasses or contacts! “It’s fun to see the results,” Dr. Oursler said. “I get to help people by improving their vision. I love the smiling faces when they can see clearly and toss the glasses. It’s a dream job!”

2424 Century Place SE, Hickory828-304-6611

www.graystonelasik.com

©TabithaGoforth

ProvidedbyGreaystone


The first notion of a country club in Statesville came in 1925 when Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Cowles donated 85 acres on Salisbury Road. A nine-hole golf course was planned and Statesville citizens donated time and money to the cause. With those first greens made of sand, the Statesville Developing Club was born! All was well for a few years, but with the depression of the 1930s the club suffered financially. The fine citi-zens of Statesville, however, stepped in to save their golf club. The revitalized facility was named the Statesville Golf Company until 1944, when the name changed once more to the Statesville Country Club.

By 1957, the club had outgrown its original location and was moved to 768 acres of wooded, gently rolling hills off of East Broad Street, just five miles east of Statesville, where it is located today.The new club house and eighteen-hole

golf course with a residential sub-divi-sion surrounding it opened in 1964.

In its new location the club grew over the years. More homes were built sur-rounding the golf course, and a pool and tennis courts were added. Many renovations and improvements have been made and the surrounding area has expanded.

Recently, the interior was completely renovated, from beautiful new carpet-ing to an updated new kitchen. A state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center was added. These renovations were the result of new ownership of the club by visionary and local businessman Don Beaver, owner of the Charlotte Knights and the Hickory Crawdads Minor League Baseball teams, and Rock Barn Country Club and Spa. Since buying the Statesville Country Club, Mr. Bea-ver formed a unique member advantage program with Rock Barn Country Club

By Linda B. Wilson

and Spa so members have the conve-nience of two clubs and three champi-onship courses for a special price.

General Manager Brian Bauer gave me a tour of the renovated club–the new fitness facility, the light-filled ballroom and the impressive dining room with a cozy stone double-sided fireplace. A complete new kitchen, and a saltwater filtration system for the pool are two of the additional improvements. “The golf course's brand new irrigation system and a complete bunker restoration enhances the overall playability and condition of the entire course,” Bauer said. “The club offers several options for our members, and we are also available to non-members for training seminars, weddings, receptions and birthday par-ties. We can host groups up to 300 in the ballroom, and also to non-members for corporate tournaments, charitable fundraiser golf outings and other special events.”

Many things have changed since 1925 when citizens began the Statesville De-veloping Club on Salisbury Road with a nine-hole golf course and sand greens. Today's 18-hole golf course and newly renovated clubhouse and event facili-ties are surrounded by attractive homes. The beautiful, quiet setting is special. What hasn't changed in 90 years is that the citizens care about the Statesville Country Club the way they did about the Statesville Developing Club when it was an exciting, new enterprise.

For more information or to book an event at the club, call 704-873-7240, ext. 101 or [email protected].

Statesville Country ClubKeeping Up With The Times

Photo, left–Statesville Country Club staff, from left to right–Ben Greene, golf course superintendent; Jasmine Young, front of house manager; Brian Bauer, general manager/COO; Bria James, membership director and event coordinator; Luis Varela, chef; Blake Satterwhite, assistant golf professionalPhoto by Linda B. WilsonPhotos below provided by Statesville Coun-try Club.






For a healthier choice, many people substitute ground turkey in recipes that call for ground beef. This Turkey Slider recipe is a quick meal, and so tasty, you won't miss the beef!

Turkey SlidersMakes 8 sliders • Serves: 4

1 pound ground turkey 90% lean2 tablespoons steak sauce

like A-110 saltine crackers, crushed2 slices sweet onion

chopped2 tablespoons vegetable

oil, or cooking spray Salt and pepper to taste8 Sister Schubert Yeast Rolls Additional sweet onion slices for grilling.

Sauce¼ cup mayonnaise2 tablespoons ketchup1½ tablespoons brown mus-

tard¼ teaspoon white vinegar¹/8 teaspoon paprika

TrimmingsProvolone cheeseAvocado slicesGrilled sweet onions

DirectionsPreheat oven and bake yeast rolls as directed on package.

What's Cooking?!Turkey Sliders and Baked Fries

In a bowl mix ground turkey, steak sauce, saltines and chopped on-ion. Divide into eight patties. Add oil or cooking spray to a non-stick skillet and fry burgers over medi-um-high heat until done. Remove from pan and add additional onion slices. Cook onions until done, adding a little water toward the end to loosen turkey drippings from the pan to season grilled onions.

Mix all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Once rolls are done, let cool for a few minutes and cut in half to open rolls. Add sauce, turkey burger, cheese, grilled onions and avo-cado slices or other trimmings of your choice.

Baked Fries4 russet potatoes, rinsed,

scrubbed and dried Sea salt and pepper1 teaspoon garlic powder

(optional)3 tablespoons vegetable oil Cooking spray

DirectionsPreheat oven to 450°. Line two bak-ing sheets with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil. Cut pota-toes into shoe-string-sized fries with skin intact. Place oil and fries into a ziplock baggie and coat fries with oil. Place fries on baking sheet in a single layer and season with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder.Bake for 30 minutes, turning once, until done and crispy.

©Rez-Art | iStock | Thinkstock




A W O R D F R O M

Rediscover Statesville at the Business Expo

David BradleyPresident and CEOGreater Statesville

Chamber of Commerce

I am, and I assume you are too, a

creature of habit. I drive the same

route to the office every morning,

see mostly the same people walking the

street, and I drink the standard large cup

of coffee with cream and sugar. Through

those habits, I’ve created my own bubble

world in which I find comfort. Oddly

enough, another world is waiting for me

to REDISCOVER it.

For the last couple of decades, the

Chamber has hosted its Annual Busi-

ness Expo at the Statesville Civic Center.

We’ve had 75-85 vendors each year

showcase their products or services

in hopes of expanding their markets.

Frankly, as times have changed, we have

begun to take a look to see if the way we

coordinate the show still has relevance.

Have we just fallen into the same old

habits year after year? The deep dark

answer has been, sadly, yes!

We ask you to join us as we REDIS-

COVER STATESVILLE on April 12 at

the Statesville Civic Center. We want

to showcase many of our extraordinary

businesses, but we also want to shine

a new light on the breadth of things to

do in this great community. At least two

things will be dynamically different:

1. As we REDISCOVER STATESVILLE,

we will highlight many of those busi-

ness partners that have been with

us for a long time. We also plan to

highlight those businesses that are

new or re-discoverable. Statesville

Country Club has been a vital part of

this community for years; have you

seen it lately? It is absolutely worth-

while to REDISCOVER this valuable

community asset. Have you seen

what’s happening at Rescue Ranch?

It is a wonderful organization that

facilitates the rehabilitation of animals.

Did you know that Statesville is home

now to one of the largest billiard enter-

tainment centers on the east coast?

Chandley’s Chalk and Cue is attracting

regional and national tournaments to

our area. When is the last time you

took the opportunity to dine on the

outstanding cuisine from Risto’s Place?

REDISCOVER this culinary haven

onsite on April 12. Check out the

number of new businesses that have

opted to open in the area.

2. We also expect to expand our market-

ing and attract new visitors to REDIS-

COVER STATESVILLE. There is no

question, the show will be a full venue

where any business representatives

can meet new suppliers and custom-

ers. This year, we offer seminars and

programs that are devoted to attract-

ing a wider audience. One of the

most compelling seminars will feature

Susan Wind from Parents Know More

whose expertise is educating parents

and guardians about the impact of cy-

ber bullying. Other seminars that will

provide real and tangible benefits to

attendees are being finalized. Please go

to the Chamber’s website, www.states-

villechamber.org, to get the schedule.

It is important that we hold each other

accountable to look at our world with

fresh eyes. This Chamber is trying to fo-

cus on new ways to provide value to our

members and this community. Redis-

covering yourself and rediscovering your

community take courage to step outside

the comfort of our known world. The

payoff is, in most cases, the introduction

to fresh knowledge, ideas, and initiatives

that help us all grow. Please make every

effort to join us on April 12 to REDIS-

COVER STATESVILLE.




PhotobyCaptainGus

Kirk BallardPresident and CEO

Mooresville - South IredellChamber of Commerce

Join Us At TheRace City Festival

A WORD FROM

The 2016 festival, now called The

Race City Festival, will welcome

more than 20,000 people to

downtown Mooresville.

The Race City Festival is Mooresville’s

downtown celebration that coincides

with the kickoff of racing at the Char-

lotte Motor Speedway. This is annually

scheduled at the start of Race Week

that begins the celebration of all things

related to racing in our area, and brings

thousands to the Charlotte Motor Speed-

way and the All-Star Race.

The festival itself starts on Saturday, May

14th and runs from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

It is a rain or shine event. Main Street

and Broad Street will be closed to traffic

between Iredell and McClellan Avenues.

A colorful celebration of foods, crafts,

games, and entertainment will fill the

streets. With nearly 200 vendors, this

year’s festival will be complete with a

children's entertainment area, dance

troupes, live music, aerobic martial

arts performances, a variety of arts and

crafts, and even a spotlight on locally

grown produce and products. Entertain-

ment will be provided throughout the

day with a main stage offering a variety

of different performances. The main

stage will be positioned on Broad Street

in the food court and beer garden area

near the Mooresville Christian Mission.

Because this is a racing community,

NASCAR will also have a spotlight with

race cars and historic automobiles from

Memory Lane Motorsports Museum and

other participating vendors. Pick up a

racing collectable or a beautiful piece

of locally crafted artwork. There will be

family fun and food for everyone!

The festival, now over 30-years-old,

started in 1983. The local chamber,

led by banker Steve Robinson, sought

ways to include the merchants of Lake

Norman and South Iredell in an an-

nual sales and promotion event called

Lake Norman Days Festival. It included

two days of Main Street sales events to

draw customers, evening concerts and

entertainment, and a Saturday street

festival. Chamber leaders and merchants

planned a full day and evening of events

that included a boat show, fashion show,

musical entertainment, food, and crafts.

It brought Lake Norman businesses and

people into town for a festive shopping

and entertainment event. Cindy Jacobs,

former editor of Lake Norman Maga-

zine, remembers meeting with Belk’s

Manager Dan Wallace and Insurance

Manager Sara Haire Tice. “We thought

about ways to bring lake dwellers, boat

dealers, and recreational merchants into

Mooresville to celebrate the Mooresville-

South Iredell and Lake Norman com-

munity,” says Jacobs. The MSI Chamber

welcomed people and merchants to a

three-day event filled with fun and food.

“Local people and visitors came to town,

enjoyed themselves and came back as

part of their shopping experience.” To-

day, that is what we continue to do with

this annual event.

The Chamber remains a connection and

is getting stronger as more and more

businesses and people get involved in

the premier business organization in this

community.

The 2016 festival will welcome young

and old to downtown Mooresville. Ev-

eryone will be there! You should be too!




Documents

Iredelllivingapril16web