Union Lifestyle May-July 2015

WAXHAW:A great place to live

Local artists take skills to new heights

Mac ‘n’ cheesefor adults

Old-school DJsstart new station

May - July 2015www.UnionLifestyle.com

LifestyleUNION

www.UnionLifestyle.com

www.CarolinasHealthCare.org/Waxhaw

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EditorNancy E. Stephen

PhotographerNancy E. Stephen

Union LifestyleA publication of

Cameo Communications, LLCPO Box 1064

Monroe, NC 28111-1064(704) 753- 9288


Union Lifestyle l May - July 2015 3

LifestyleUNION

On the coverResidents crowd Main Street inMonroe during one of the town’sMusic on Main concerts. Theyearly series begins again this yearin May.

Photo by Nancy E. Stephen

20Local performingartists take skills tonew heights.

10Mac ‘n’ Cheesenot just for kids

26Sabor Latin Street Grill –

yum

5Away From Public View

Contribution leadsto a new

volunteer career

6‘Spinning’ tunes

Old-school DJs start new radio station

8Jewelry Design

Hobby turns into passion

12WAXHAW

12 - Great place tovisit and live

14 - At a glance15 - History16 - Businesses

thriving19 - Staying healthy

22Our Quiz

How much do youknow about Union

County’s history

26Event Calendar

Lots to do in Union

www.edwardjones.com


I t’s a difficult concept for me –sophisticated macaroni and cheese.I know it’s all the rage and that restaurantsdedicated to that comfort food have sprungup. And yes, I know that you can put a widevariety of ingredients in the – dare I call it adelicacy? You can rarely pick up a magazine thesedays without reading new ways to prepare the old-fashioned dish. I’m just not an aficionado, which goes back to my early yearswhen it was a diet staple. While in college, I lived in an apartmentand cooked my meals. Then, like now, I liked to cook.But I didn’t have much money. I remember receiving a food andentertainment allowance from my parents each month. The less Ispent for food, the more I had for entertainment. If I remember correctly, those blue boxes of – no, not Kraft – butno-name macaroni and cheese sold at six boxes for $1. Is thateven possible? I ate a lot of mac ‘n’ cheese back then; my faultymemory suggests that’s all I ate.The money I saved by eating the blue box special went for pizza

4 Union Lifestyle l May - July 2015

Mac ‘n’ cheese – it’s difficult to forget the blue box version

– a Saturday night ritual – and other treats.Since then, I’ve discovered a wide world of cheese beyondrubbery loaf American cheese product and gold powder from thebox. Did the powder really have any connection to cheese?Amazingly, today’s “designer” cheeses are not just good butabsolutely delicious! And there are so many varieties.I just can’t get past my macaroni and cheese aversion. Why isthat? Let’s see, I was in college for four years, then worked for next tonothing at my first newspaper job. I must have eaten my weight inthe gold powder product during that time. It didn’t help, I’mcertain, that I used margarine instead of butter and added no spices.I’m determined to join the crowd of fans, so I will prepare therecipes that local chefs Matthew Sganga and SandraMannaravalappil created for this edition of Union Lifestyle. They’re tasty, certainly; I sampled both. Plus the ingredientssuggest a flavor vastly different from plain mac ‘n’ cheese.I’m just not certain my brain can get past the color.

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Colette Bromfield, recent recipient of the Governor’sMedallion Award for volunteerism, created the Union CountyCommunity Shelter’s Home Again program. Through herefforts, more than 50 individuals have moved into self-supported housing with the furniture and supplies they needto start a new life. She is wife to husband Rafe and mother toson Jordan.

Childhood ambition: I always wanted to help people. Nursingwas the path until I had to take care of myself, my husbandand an infant son. I bandaged the dolls who always hadbooboos on their arms and knee.

Guilty pleasure: Reality TV – that’s my guilty pleasure. I lovethe Real Housewives of every city, seeing how other peoplelive. They’re drama queens. Money can’t buy class, that’s forsure.

Guilty splurge: Shoes and handbags. I’ve always lovedshoes, everything from six inch heels to flip flops. I don’t carewhere they come from - Louboutin or TJ Maxx. I have upwardsof 100 pairs – that’s terrible! I also love clothes and travel.

Challenge: Balancing life with my almost full-time work at theShelter, my husband and teenage son. Some weeks I don’thave anything to do at the Shelter; other weeks, it’s every dayall day. My son gets his community service hours helping me.

Greatest accomplishment: My son Jordan, for sure. He has aheart and feels empathy for other children, especially oneswho aren’t the most popular. He will not put up with bullying infront of him. He cares about the underdog and makes aneffort to be friends with everyone. He hates drama andrefuses to participate in it.

Lemons to lemonade story: The deaths of my mother, fatherand stepmother taught me a lesson. After taking care of myfather and stepmother, I had no one to take care of anymore.I was in a dark place. Three months later, a new purpose wasrevealed to me – my work with the Shelter. We can eithermake ourselves miserable dwelling on the past or strong bymoving forward; it takes the same amount of effort.

Hero: My mother, Daisy, who was killed in a car accident whenI was 9. I remember her doing kind things for people. Shetook an entire paycheck one week and bought four little girlsnew shoes and a Happy Meal at McDonalds. They were soexcited. She took cake decorating classes, then madespeciality cakes for poor kids’ birthdays. That was somethingshe could do to make them feel special. Her kindness reallymade an impact on my life.

Most overused expression: “Really?”

Mantra: Work for a cause, not for applause. Take time to dowhat makes you happy.

Away from public view

Contribution leads to a new volunteer career

We have faces for radio,” proclaims Marvin Crook ofhimself and partner John Griffin. That’s just a smidge of the self-deprecating humor the duo quipnonstop during the Morning Marv and JJ Show on Monroecommunity radio station WDZD. WDZD is called community radio, a recent FCC project. TheFCC opened these frequencies for a short period last year andreceived 2,000applications.WDZDwas one of the firstin North Carolina togo on the air,initiallybroadcasting onJuly 3.The low-power FM station has just a 10-mile signal, but becauseanyone with Internet access can listen, they’ve heard fromlisteners as far away as Japan. The station has had upwards of8,000 hits in a given day.

The FCC opened the limited low frequencies so that small townscould have a local radio station. Instead of big city stations with100,000 watts, “we’re sitting here with 100 or so,” Marvinexplains.Their physical studio is tucked in the back of the old Belkbuilding on Main Street in Monroe and is very different from theradio both remember from years – no, decades – ago. “We used tohave turntables and had to cue records,” Marvin recalls. “Thereare no turntables here.”John chimes in with recollections of the needle breaking andsliding across the record.“When we started,” John says, “it took a five room building, nowit can be in a shoebox, so to speak. The transmitter can be carried6 Union Lifestyle l May - July 2015

around by hand.” The studio is a small room with a computer, acouple of microphones and small control board.“Sometimes we just want to play radio and we come in and do ashow,” John quips. “There’s no pattern to it at all.”But really there is a plan for the 24-hour station. EachWednesday morning at 9:30 a.m., Dan Shive airs Monroe Today,a community program interviewing locals about events,organizations and happenings.

John and Marvin follow from 10 a.m. until noon, playing beachand oldies and talking on air between themselves and with call-in listeners, some of them regulars.

“We’re not rehearsed, we just open themic,” John says. “We can be casual,hometown. We wing it a lot.”You never know what they’re going totalk about. It might be the weather, whosaw whom where and what’s happeningaround the area. “We have some regularswho call in with general chit chat” and alot of laughter, Marvin says.On the weekend, Carolina Beach airsfrom 10 am. to 1 p.m. with new beachreleases “spun” by DJ Eric Bowman, andCharlie Brown on the Beach airs bothSaturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.James Reddish, a longtime Monroebroadcaster, broadcasts a show eachFriday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7p.m., and he’s taken the casual approacheven further by transmitting from hishome studio to the downtown studiowhich forwards the signal on to the toweron Morgan Mill Road.

“I’ve been out of radio for 20 years,” Marvin said. “We saw eachother at Radio Shack and John asked if I wanted to get back inthe radio. I called him that night and bingo! Here we are.”Very different from typical stations, community stations cannotair commercials or political advertising. They can receivelistener donations and underwriting from merchants – but therethe content is limited to “who, what, where, hours, website andslogan. No prices, no ‘best’ whatever in town,” Marvin explains.Business and individual support is considered a tax deductionsince the station is a non-profit organization.Fortunately their expenses are relatively low; they don’t pay anyFCC fee and their overhead is a small amount of equipment,rent, tower space and music rights.

Marvin Crook, left, and radio partner John Griffinbroadcast from their studio in Downtown Monroe.

MY, HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED!Old-school DJs broadcast from high tech, low watt community station


Instead of records or even DVDs, theirplaylist of about 3,000 beach and Motowntunes from the ’50s to the ’70s is oncomputer. When there’s no DJ, the musicplays in rotation – 24 hours a day.Why did they start a new station? “Thelove for radio, which I’ve always had,”John says. “I wanted to get back in radio,”Marvin adds.

Because the station is non-profit, it cannever be sold, but the license can be passedon to another non-profit. That’s notsomething they foresee in the near future.For the men, the new station has been fun.“I needed something to do,” John says. “I enjoy every minute ofit; I have a ball.”

James Michael & Co.Stafford Place Executive Offices Mon-Fri 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.1201 Stafford St, Suite A-2 Sat 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.Monroe, NC 28110 704.296.5531

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Dan Shive, left, talks with John Griffin in the studio.

WDZD.FM can be found at 99.1 on your radio or atwww.WDZDFM.org on the Internet.

MY, HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED!Old-school DJs broadcast from high tech, low watt community station

When Daniel Wilcox sits down to create a pendant, hetakes inspiration from the stone. Rarely does he have apreconceived design. “I work around the stone; I work toaccent the stone. It all comes and I work on it.”His interest in wire wrapping started while attendingAppalachian State where he graduated with a degree inanthropology. “I haven’t used it yet . . . probably won’t.”Initially, Daniel was interested “in rocks, the metaphysics ofstones.” As a festivalgoer, he recognized “a culture withpeople into metaphysical things, stone artwork .”After seeing artists’ work on Facebook, he decided to “give itshot, see if I could do it.”In 2014, he and a friend decided to try wire wrappingas a career. “We were living in a VW van. We tookoff on Jan. 1 and tried to make art and sell it tosupport our living on the road. We made it toCalifornia where the van broke down and weran out of money.”Back home in Union County, Daniel startedworking in the family’s heavy equipmentbusiness by day. “I sit around after work, puton some music and wrap. “Lately I’ve been very motivated because mywork is getting better, and I’m getting morerecognition. That’s always inspiring - whenpeople appreciate it.”Daniel prefers making pendants since “guys andgirls will wear them and they’re the most fun tomake.” But they’re not created with a male or femalein mind. Each pendant has yards upon yards of wire – silver, copper,gold-filled – wrapped tightly around a semi-precious stone. He

uses no torches to“weld” the wire endsin place; instead hewraps and hides theends. Does it ever gettedious? Yes, it does,he says. Sometimeshe starts a piece, thenputs it aside for daysbefore continuing theprocess.Sometimes people

bring him theirown stones for a unique piece. Most times, however,

Daniel purchases the stones.“As I’ve gotten more into it, my eye for qualitystones has gotten better.”Occasionally he’ll create a pendant withflexibility, allowing it to be hung by either end orby either side. He also has created a double-sided, double-ended pendant which gives thewear four different looks.His most complex piece required 22 hours ofwork. Most, however, take much less time andsell for $50 to $300, depending on the complexityof the piece.

“I’m experimenting all the time.There are a lot offorums where people discuss wrapping. Wire

wrapping is a big trend in Asheville and Boone,” hesays.

Look for Daniel’s work on Facebook (Daniel Wilcox Designs)and on Etsy (DannyBoyWraps).

Wire wrapp e r ‘ w o rks ar ound the s t one ’

Jewelry design – a hobby turned passion

Idon’t think of myself as an artist – not at all.”So proclaims Cindy Malone, who makes hundreds of uniquejewelry pieces each year for big shows, such as the SouthernChristmas Show and Richmond’s Bizarre Bazaar.“I’m just throwing stuff together. If you like it, that’s cool,” shesays, her casual tone a contradiction to her desire to makeeverything perfect.Cindy’s foray into a passion of jewelry making ”came naturally.“I’ve always liked to do crafts; I always liked jewelry.”

Last year, she exhibitedat five shows, includingthe Junior League andSouthern Christmasshows in Charlotte andMatthews Alive. Makingenough jewelry for agood booth display andto last the full show istaxing, she says, addingthat “I’ve been makinglike crazy; my next showis in two weeks. I workbest under pressure.” Her style varies betweenbeads, pearls and sea

glass, which she calls her favorite. “But I love doing pearls forspring – they’re popular now.”Because every stone, pearl or piece of sea glassis different, so is every end product. “Itdepends on the pearls or beads that I find.Every one definitely is different because thepearls and tones are all different.“That’s the thing that I like. I like someone tohave a piece of jewelry that’s unique, that youdon’t see fourteen hundred of.” A customerrecently asked for eight sets of triple strandpearls for a wedding, and while they will besimilar, they can’t be identical. Where does she get her inspiration? “It’swhatever this brain comes up. A color inspiresme or something that someone is wearing.Stringing is the easy part; picking out the beads or pearls takesmore time. She purchases most of her beads, which range fromblue lapis to turquoise, black onyx, yellow citrine, amethyst,smoky quartz, rainbow fluorite and garnet, from Jaipur, India,

Jewelry design – a hobby turned passion

because the prices are good. “I want a deal on beads and pearls,”she says. Her “good deal” turnsinto a good deal for her customers,too. A mid-range set of necklaceand earrings runs about $35.Her favorite sea glass jewelrytakes the most time.“I pick up sea glass whenever I’mwalking on the beach,” a habit shepicked up when living inWilmington. “I’d walk the beach, findglass – you’d think I was finding money orjewelry because I’d be like ‘ahhh.’ ”She requests blue wine and brown liquor bottles from restaurants,which she breaks into pieces, and has used stained glass from afriend.Moving from raw glass to a necklace is time-consuming. “I takeit home and toss it into the tumbler (with a sand-like grit) for amonth or so.”“I farm the glass. I throw it on the table to show and go ‘Oh, Iwant this and this’ or ‘This is good for earrings.’ I pair it up.”After making hundreds of pieces, Cindy’s work isn’t done. Shepackages everything individually and hauls it to one of her bigshows, where she spends long days every day setting up herbooth, selling and eventually tearing it all down.

But the effort and stress areworth it.“At the big shows where I’vebeen for years, people willcome running to me, saying,‘We came to you first; wewant to see what you have.’That touches your heart.“They’re my friends, not justmy customers. I’ve madelifelong friends withcustomers and vendors at theshows. Those “friends” often want

the jewelry she’s wearing. “They say, ‘I want that,’ and I give it tothem.“It’s not my livelihood, but it’s my passion.”

‘ I t ’ s no t my l i v e l iho od , bu t i t ’ s my pas s i on . ’

garlic and cook 1 minute. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter 1 1/2 quart soufflé dish or 4 x 6 inch casserole. Blend cottage cheese or farmers’ cheese with reserved cookingliquid, mustard, Tabasco and cream in processor until smooth. Stir into pasta. Add pork belly or bacon, and garlic-shallot mix.Season with salt and pepper. Mix in Cheddar and Americancheeses. Transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bakefor 20 minutes or until top begins to brown. Serve hot.Farmers’ CheeseIn medium sauce pot, add 4 cups of milk and ¼ c buttermilk OR1/4 cup white wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer – do not boil. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Let the cheese curds drain.Discard whey, the leftover liquid, or save for other use. Usecheese curds as you would for cottage or ricotta cheese.

109 S Main St. in Monroewww.StoneTableMonroe.com


Text by Nancy E. Stephen

Mi acaroni and cheese or mac and cheese? Whatever you call it, the comfort foodhas climbed to the level of haute cuisine. No longer composed of gold-colored semi-cheeseproduct stirred into elbow pasta, the hearty dish has been slimmed down, dressed up,health-icized and paired with more meats than you might imagine.Nowadays, you can find restaurants dedicated to the specialty. Mac Bar in New York, forexample, offers mac ‘n’ cheese a la carbonara, margarita, stroganoff, reuben, cheeseburger,mac’shroom, primavera, Mayan chipotle, lobster, plus mac quack, made with duck confit. Union County chefs have created new versions of the traditional dish, with enough ease foryou to make at home and enough savor to put a macaroni smile on every diner’s face.

Chef Matthew Sganga, owner of Stone Table in DowntownMonroe, is known for serving down home southern food with ahigh end flare. His version of mac and cheese features pungentsmoky pork belly or bacon with a housemade farmers’ cheese.1 1/2 cup dried elbow macaroni 1 cup cottage cheese or farmers’ cheese (recipe follows)1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)Salt & pepper to taste1 cup heavy cream4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded4 oz. American cheese, diced1 tablespoon. grated Parmesan cheese4 oz diced cooked pork belly or bacon1 tablespoon olive oil or butter2 medium shallots1 teaspoon minced garlicCook pasta in large saucepan of boiling salted water 8-10minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup ofcooking liquid. Meanwhile, slice shallots thinly and sauté in oil or butter on lowheat until brown and caramelized, approximately 5 minutes. Add

mac ‘n’ cheeseIt’s not just for kids with these additions!

Stone TablePork Belly and Carmelized Onion Mac ‘n’ Cheese

www.StoneTableMonroe.com


1 stick butter1 cup flour1 clove grated garlic1 teaspoon grated onion2 cups milk1 cup pimento cheese (homemade or purchased)16 oz. cheddar cheese (separated)1 pound crispy fried bacon1 pound cooked pastaHeat butter in a pan, add flour and combine, then add milk,stirring to make a thick white sauce (approximately five minutes.)Add pimento and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, garlic and onion,stirring until the sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.Combine sauce with cooked pasta and chopped crispy bacon.Place in a greased baking dish, sprinkle with reserved cheddarand bake until crispy on top, about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Sandra tested various mac ‘n’ cheese recipes on diners recently,and this was the winner. Other variations included smoked crabdip and bacon with mozzarella cheese and a combination ofspinach with feta and mozzarella cheese in a white sauce.“Just start with a cream sauce,” she says. “You can add anythingyou want.”

mac ‘n’ cheeseIt’s not just for kids with these additions!

South Charlotte ChefPimento Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Chef Sandra Mannaravalappil offers meal delivery service with weekly menus from theMediterranean, Central and South America, Asia and beyond. All freshly prepared meals comewith seasonal sides of vegetable, starch, bread and homemade dessert.

www.SouthCharlotteChef.com; (704) 497-3800

See more mac ‘n’ cheese recipes online at www.UnionLifestyle.com

Filling fridges and tummiesacross the Metrolina

The South Charlotte Chef

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Sandra Scully-Mannaravalappil (Just call me Sandra)

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Daily meals for busy people.American, Italian, French, Indian –we cook it all.Healthy meals cooked and delivered to your fridge.Complete with fresh salad, bread andhomemade dessert.Free of excess sodium, fats and sugars.Weekly, monthly – whenever you need it!

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Waxhaw is a great place to raise a family, according toresidents who cite its quietness, quaintness and friendliness.They’re not alone in extolling the town’s virtues.The attractive town nestled in the shadow ofbustling South Charlotte recently wasnamed the best place to raise a youngfamily in North Carolina byNerdWallet, which also cited thetown’s solid schools, friendlyneighbors and affordability.NerdWallet said, “Waxhaw may beonly 23 miles south of Charlotte, butthis community . . . wears its small-townbadge proudly. Families are attracted byongoing events around the town’s MainStreet . . . .”Eric Gaddy, who grew up in Waxhaw, left

and then moved back, agrees. He returned “for reasons likethis,” he says, gesturing at the town’s Easter egg hunt festivitiesthat drew hundreds of families.

“It’s a good, safe family environment; there are lots offamily-oriented things to do – nice restaurants and

parks.” Eric endures an hour-long commute to

Charlotte just so he can live in Waxhaw.John and Cassie Testa moved fromFlorida in 2006 and haven’t regrettedtheir decision for even a moment. “It’s anicer place to raise kids than SouthFlorida,” John explains.

“We wanted to get out of Florida, and weliked the Waxhaw area.

The property values were good,” Cassie says. “We were looking for a place to move to,picked the Charlotte area and began lookingaround. Waxhaw is very family friendly and

. . . a great place to visit and live

Cassie and John Testa and their children


Joy Butler lived in Waxhaw intermittently as a child of JAARSparents but permanently since 1984 and appreciates the small

town atmosphere. She relates calling the tax office to see if shecould pay her bill online because she is handicapped. The tax official said, “If you’d like, I’ll come to your house,pick up your check and bring your receipt,” Joy relates.“This is where Waxhaw has been all these years and this isthe Waxhaw that I love. I love the small town.

“When my life fell apart 16 years ago and everyone knew mybusiness, they still loved me and supported me through it.” To business owner Jane Hunt, “Waxhaw is hometown America. Imoved here in 1988 to raise my kids here and it’s still the mostwonderful place in America to raise your kids. I had to move to

Charlotte and just found Waxhaw.“I was single at the time and it was

‘where would I want to stay to raisethe kids?’ And this is where I

landed.”Not only is Waxhaw charming,it’s also safe. According to FBIcrime statistics, as reported byMovoto Real Estate, Waxhawis the seventh safest town in the

state.“In bigger cities, sometimes youmight feel weird walking around,”

comments Shane Fraser. “Here, it’sdifferent.”

Statistics from 2013 show the town with just 176 crimes – 161property crimes (the sixth fewest per person) and 15 violentcrimes (the twelfth fewest.)Incidentally, Waxhaw has become as a mecca for retired NewYork City police officers, according to Karen Weinstein, whomoved here with her retired police officer husband. “We learned about Waxhaw from other officers who had movedhere. It’s very nice here. You got a lot more for your money here,that’s for sure. You can’t afford to retire in New York.”


quiet – not like a big city.”John and Nancy Darseymoved just a shortdistance fromCharlotte seven yearsago even thoughJohn still commutesto Pineville for work. “It’s just a quiet, nicesmall place to live,”Nancy says. “I just love thearea. If you don’t believe it’s asmall town,” she says with achuckle, “come to the Fourth ofJuly parade.”“We discovered that the house wewere living in (in Charlotte) was not a good house to retirein,” John adds. “We looked for a year and kept comingback. Ultimately, we built a house out here.”The couple, who took their granddaughter Olivia tothe town’s Easter celebration, say the people,businesses and lifestyle are great. “Really, it’sbecause of the people who live here,” John said.“There’s a lot going on in this town,” Nancy adds.“The people who do First Fridays (a town event) havedone a bang-up job.”When her sons, now 16 and 19, were small, Gay Dillerfound the smallness of Waxhaw very appealing. “There wasn’t a lot going on, but it was so close to Charlotte;that made it appealing. We had the benefits of a small townwith kids playing in the yard and being able to walk around townto restaurants,” she remembers. “In my neighborhood, lots of kidsplayed together. It was totally safe for the kids to ride bikes onsidewalks and run from yard to yard – the ultimate all-Americanfamily life. “Our friends then wanted to live where the action was in Charlotte,and we missed that at first,” Gay says. “By the time we could leaveour boys with a babysitter, Deerstyne’s restaurant (now closed)had opened. Our Charlotte friends came out to eat here.Deerstyne’s proved that Waxhaw could become a destination for agreat restaurant, even in the pre liquor by the drink days.”

John and Nancy Darsey andgranddaughter Olivia

Joy Butler and granddaughterCatherine Matheney

Town residents turned out by the hundreds to participate in Waxhaw’s Easter celebration.


Population (2013 estimate) 11,295Population (2010 estimate) 9,859Population under 18 years (2010) 34.6%Persons 65 and older (2010) 7%Females (2010) 51.6%

High school grad or more, age 25+ (2009-2013) 95.5%Bachelor's degree or higher, age 25+ (2009-2013)55.0%

Homeownership rate (2009-2013) 88.2%Housing units in multi-unit structures (2009-2013)1.1%Median value, owner-occupied housing $231,800Households (2009-2013) 3,386Persons per household, (2009-2013) 3.02

Median household income (2009-2013) $77,467Persons below poverty level (2009-2013)) 5.1%

. . . at a glance

POPULATION

EDUCATION

HOUSING

INCOME

www.mcmahontrucks.com

www.TheVibrantCoach.com


. . . how it startedOriginally called the Wysacky after an Indian tribe

that once inhabited the area, Waxhaw was settled byEuropean-Americans in the mid-eighteenth century. Charteredin 1889, Waxhaw is the third oldest town in Union County.Most settlers were of German and Scots-Irish origin and weresubsistence farmers. Andrew Jackson, the seventh president ofthe United States, is said to have been born nearby in 1767,although South Carolina also claims his birthplace.The Howie Gold Mine opened in 1848, eight years before theCalifornia gold rush. At one time, it employed approximately100 workers and mined gold worth an estimated $250,000 in1854. In the late 19th Century, the community began to developcotton mill factories for manufacturing textiles, whichremained an important industry through the mid 20th Century. The arrival of the railroad in 1888 helped the town prosper byproviding access to the markets of Atlanta. Tracks were laid

through the center of town continue to divide the old townshopping district. As the textile industry shifted to other areas and eventually outof the country, Waxhaw began a re-creation, evolving into anantique mecca and later a fine dining center. With a current population of 11,000-plus, Waxhaw strives tomaintain its small town charm while encouraging qualitygrowth. The Small Town Main Street committee continues anintegrated approach to developing and marketing the historiccenter of town.The Waxhaw Historic District at the heart of town is on theNational Register of Historic Places and boasts proud oldbuildings and unique attractions. The most iconic attraction is the pedestrian bridge that crossesover the railroad tracks. Once used for automobiles to cross overwhile trains ran through town below it, it became pedestrianonly in 1940. Today, the bridge is used daily by adults andchildren waiting for a train to pass underneath their feet.

For a map of thedowntown historic walking tour, visit www.Waxhaw.comand search historicwalking tour.

www.TurnToday.net


You might think Waxhaw’s quietness andhistoric downtown indicate a slow, possiblydying business environment, but localentrepreneurs move to Waxhaw because of itstemperament.The town is home to a mixture of eclecticentrepreneurial and mainstream businesses. Bothsides of Main Street – a railroad runs betweenthem – are lined with historic buildings thatsomehow fit the businesses housed within.Osvalda Bergrath and Jenny Poortvliet, partnersat Funki Monki furniture boutique, chosedowntown Waxhaw after looking at other areatowns.“We specifically came to Waxhaw, because wewanted something (an atmosphere) to match thefurniture,” Osvalda says. “We looked at FortMill and Pineville,” before moving theirbusiness. “I just love the country feel here,”Osvalda says. Open since September, “businesshas been great. It’s doing well. We have repeat

customers andcustomerswho bring intheir piecesfor us to paint.Our twovendors alsodo very well,”she said.One of thetown’s newestbusinesses is Black Chicken Fine Wine & CraftBeer, which opened on Black Friday, the dayafter Thanksgiving. “Waxhaw is a thrivingdowntown area and there was nothing out herelike this,” says Melanie Presson, businesspartner with Jason Niec.“It’s going well; we’ve done well. The weekendshave been crazy busy, and we just opened forlunch on Fridays and Saturdays.” Jason Oshita,owner of the former bibis restaurant inDowntown Monroe, created the menu.“We love it here,” Melanie says. “It’s a great fit.

. . . growing businesses

Waxhaw’s energetic businesses have anassociation unlike most others. The WaxhawBusiness Association (WBA) meets each monthat a breakfast meeting with a room-fillingenthusiastic crowd.It’s unusual for a town of Waxhaw’s size –approximately 10,000 – to have its own businessassociation, especially one with extensiveinvolvement and energy.The far-reaching business participation comes from a commoninterest, say current chair Kim Karpovich of Carolinas HealthcareSystem and vice chair Shane Fraser, owner of SNAtoday, andbecause it’s run by volunteers. “Everyone’s involved,” Kim says. “Everyone has the sameinterest – to build a thriving business atmosphere.”“We do have a thriving downtown,” Shane affirms. “Other townshave dead spaces; we don’t. We have a hometown feel. It’s not alot of corporations; it’s people with small businesses trying tomake a living.”“There’s a great business energy here,” Kim says. “You can grow athriving business in Waxhaw.”“People want to do business here,” Shane adds. “Unique

Small and corporatebusiness work together

to build thrivingatmosphere

businesses work because Waxhaw is building to a destination.Visitors can go to a restaurant, then shop for antiques, visit theMan Cave and later enjoy a glass of wine just down the street.That’s what I love Waxhaw.”“You can park your car in one spot and walk everywhere in thedowntown business area,” says Kim. “Waxhaw feels like athriving town. There’s a traditional feel on (NC highway) 75; on(NC highway) 16, it’s new. It’s a neat town; it has such character.That’s what can make it a destination town.”“I’ve brought young friends from South Charlotte and given themthe whole tour,” adds Shane. “And they’re amazed.”“We have people coming from Winston-Salem, Raleigh . . . . Ididn’t expect that,” Kim adds.

Shane Fraser and Kim Karpovich of the WBA Osvalda Bergrath of Funki Monki

And I lovehow peoplesupport thedowntown;they’re allaboutsupportinglocalbusinesses.A lot ofpeople say

they’d rather support a local business than go toa corporate one. It’s nice to hear that.”For Jane Hunt, who owns Eight Legs Gallery &Divine Custom Frame with husband David, theslow pace of Waxhaw was enticing. “We like to know who the customers are; we likeworking with our friends. And we likeeverything to slow down in life.” The couple hasowned the business for 11 years.“We have a lot of interesting businesses,” sayslong-time resident Gay Diller, mentioning not


. . . growing businesses

Branch Banking and Trust CompanyMonica Teague

Assistant Vice PresidentMarket Leader Waxhaw Branch

520 N. Broome St.(704) 843-9513 Office t (704) 843-2166 Branch

[email protected]

only small craftsmen shops, but also businessessuch as Kapstone Medical, a firm that partnerswith inventors and manufacturers to develop andnew medical devices, and Chronotec, a high-techremote timekeeping software business. Gay and her husband, Brett, both work in smallbusinesses in Waxhaw and have been acutelyinterested and involved in the town’sdevelopment, Gay on the planning board andBrett on town council. “For a while, it was just a bunch of littlebusinesses that were struggling,” Gay recalls.Now at least one expert says the downtown areahas grown too commercial and doesn’t have thedemographic of downtown housing that wouldattract high-end retail. “We’re looking to offer opportunities forflexibility, such as condos over storefronts,” amodel that has worked well for centuries inEuropean small towns.

www.Waxhaw.com

Osvalda Bergrath of Funki Monki Jane Hunt of Eight Legs Gallery & Divine Custom Frame

The WBA is a mix of local business owners, some corporateand franchisees. At each meeting, members have socialtime, “a great time to catch up,” Shane explains. “It’sconnecting local business owners with other opportunitiesacross the Charlotte region.”WBA holds Business After Hours events and participates inmany town festivities. “A lot of businesses also sponsorevents for the schools and other non-profit organizations,”Kim adds proudly.The WBA’s dedication to all things business helped spawnthe Waxhaw Entrepreneurs (WE), an incubator for peoplestarting a business. WBA mentors lead workshops, andfledgling businesses use the WE space for meetings.Shane and Kim are proud not only of the Association butalso of the town’s individual businesses that have createdthe synergy to make Waxhaw a shopping, dining andentertainment destination.

www.WaxhawBusinessAssociation.com

www.WaxhawBusinessAssociation.com

www.waxhaw.com

www.snatoday.com

www.AEBallroom.com

Practices currently housedthere include:l Medical Group ofWaxhawl Charlotte Medical Clinicl Union OB/GYNl Union Surgical Associatesl Union Pulmonary andSleep Specialists

l Waxhaw PediatricsJust down Providence Road is Novant Health’s Family Physicians& Sports Medicine facility. Physicians there offer primary care,

newborn, pediatric and adolescent care as well as physicaltherapy, women’s health services, aesthetic procedures andbone density testing.Waxhaw also offers a diversity of other medical care,including dental and chiropractic care.Carolinas Chiropractic and Spinal Rehab focuses onfinding the true cause of your problem instead of merelytreating the symptoms. The practice helps infants to seniorslive an active and pain-free lifestyle. The practice offersdisc compression therapy, scoliosis treatment, foot orthoticcare and pain management, among others.

“While it's often perceived that the chiropractor is solely here totreat back and neck pain,” says Dr. Kyle B. Jones, “this is simply asmall piece of what we do.

“We not only treatsoft and hard tissueproblems such assciatica and jointpain, but also moresystemic issues,such asfibromyalgia,allergies, chronicear infections andheadaches.”

www.carolinashealthcare.org/waxhaw; (704) 667-6800www.nhwaxhawfamilyandsportsmedicine.org; (704) 384-8640

www.carolinaschiropractic.com; (704) 243-1010


It hasn’t been manyyears since Waxhawresidents had to travel toMonroe or Charlotte formost medical care. It’s a very different scenarionow; Providence Road isthe home to several medicalfacilities.Just a few years ago, Carolinas HealthCare System (CHS)officials believed that the Waxhaw area needed expanded medicalcare, and they werecorrect.The CHS-Waxhawfacility – a combinationof 24-hour emergencydepartment, medicalpractices and outpatientservices – opened inDecember 2011.Last year, according toKeri Anderson, directorof nursing-emergency services, says the emergency departmenthad 14,500 visits. “We’ve had a really good growth; we’ve had a5 percent increase every year in volume.CHS chose Waxhaw for its second healthcare pavilion “becausepeople were driving 15 to 20 miles for emergency services,”Keri said. While known for its emergency department, thefacility also “handles anything from minor injuries to patientswith chest pains or stroke symptoms and trauma patients. “This truly is an access point. If you need to be seen, we’rehere all the time, including nights and weekends.” The system offers full-service emergency medical services aswell as in-patient and out-patient imaging, such as CT scans, x-rays and ultrasounds, as well as a full-service lab and doctors’offices. “We wanted the ease for people being able to go toWaxhaw.“We look at what the needs are for the community,” Keri says,adding that orthopedics was added in 2013.

. . . staying healthy

Carolinas HealthCare Waxhaw

Waxhaw Family Physicians & Sports Medicine Center

101 Waxhaw Professional Park Drive l Suite D l Waxhaw, NC 28173 l CarolinasChiropractic.com

l Back & Neck Pain l Bulging Discsl Sports Injuries l Scoliosisl Headaches l Sciatica

Dr. Emily Gilbert Dr. Kyle B. Jones, Clinic Director

704.243.1010

Safe, Natural, Effective

www.carolinaschiropractic.com

www.AEBallroom.com

www.carolinaschiropractic.com

www.nhwaxhawfamilyandsportsmedicine.org;

www.CarolinasHealthCare.org/Waxhaw


H ighF lyersIt’s not a career for people who need to plan

everything,” says Monroe native Rachel Strickland,32. But she loves her life as a freelance aerialistand variety performer.“When I went to college, I was interested incontemporary, modern, African and belly dance. Then I saw a clip of Cirque du Soleil and was intrigued, but thought ‘probably not, you have to be Russian or started when you were 2.”The intrigue stayed with her as she “didthe backpack thing” for a few monthsin Europe after college. “I thought ‘What the hell,’ found a school and decided to give it a shot.”Her parents were not thrilled, as she recalls. “I think they were starting to get used to my choices being off the wall. In my trip to Europe, I’d proven somewhat that I could take care of myself, that I wouldn’t put myself in danger. Plus they knew there wasn’tanything they could say.“I wanted to be an aerialist, but didn’teven know what it was called. “I did intense conditioning for a year before I was strong enough to do much on the fabric. That was the hardest part. It took me a year to get to a good base strength before I could consistently work on skills.”While studying for two years, she supported herself by dancing with several companies, “which taught me about performing. I frequently entertained at a corporate event orparty and had to learn to not break character. It was a crash course.”Her first aerial performance was at the Pink Door Restaurant in Seattle. “They gave me my first gig and I kept it for four years.”

how to do it. These are things that we do to pay thebills.”

Her aerial work has ranged from 20 feet in the air to “hanging off a crane three stories high in Ireland. . . . I prefer 22 feet.”Rachel’s specialty, aerial hoop, requires her to touch the floor. “Twenty feet is substantial; 30 feet is quite

high.” The hoop or lyra is a 38-inch ringhung from a strap tethered to the ceiling.

“The appeal of lyra is that it can spin very fast; that’swhat made me fall in love with it.”Rachel, who expects to perform in Ireland in June and later in Australia, prefers an outdoor setting for

her art, although she has performed in Las Vegas. “Vegas is the mecca, but I really don’t like it.”

Just as her job is not the norm, neither areher hours. “In a recent week, I had three performances; other weeks there are none. When you’re not working, you need to be training.”“I’ve been doing this for seven years. When you start, you’re so in love and dazzled by

everything, but humbled. There’salways something so much betterand you see what people are capable of and how much further you can go. It keepsyou inspired. “It can’t be just a job. There’sa lot of sacrifice, a lot of things you choose not to do todo this. I’m definitely reaching a new point and wanting to work on my own terms. “I’m enjoying choreographing and directing a lot more. I still love to perform, but I like to be onthe creative side of things.

“I won’t say I’m ever going to be donewith this . . . I’ll be an aerialist for

the rest of my life.”

Now living in San Francisco, Rachelsays October through New Year’s arethe Black Friday for performers whowork most then. During theholiday season, she performs at corporate parties including Google,which held a party on the retired Navycarrier USS Hornet. “We walked aroundin character (she was a 1940s pinupsailor) and engaged the people.” Although aerial is her first love, she frequently performs other skills. “ I was stiltwalking recently on stilts that were hilariously low –baby stilts. (The client) wanteda woman to be uncomfortablytall at an event, too tall to be natural.Did she know how to stiltwalk? “I usually just say “yes,” then learn

H ighF lyers

Local performing artists take their skills to new heights

practice when a friend asked her to perform with arenaissance festival.

Ten years ago, she and musicianfriend Jen Mayer created TheJamila Lotus Dance Carnivale,which features feats ofbalance, strength, skill anddaring alongside dance andlive music by their housegroup, the Band of EternalSouls.Colette not only performsbut also creates thechoreography based ontraditional dance forms andmovement from the Middle

East, Africa and India. As a festival performer, Colette has

perfected a diverse set of skills –aerial silks, adult comedic puppetry, knife

dancing . . . . And she’s a standup comedienneon the side!

“Five or six years ago, I added aerial silks into the show.”Then it was knife dancing, “which I just learned.” Most of her performances are outdoors, with elaboratebackdrops and costumes that she and her companymembers create. Sometimes her aerial performances aredangling from “a 6 by 16 plank bolted in between trees. I tryto just alter what I do to make it fit in whatever space Ihave.”In North Carolina, “aerial helps sell the dance part” but thework is taxing on the body. At 29, Colette is phasing out heraerial performances and focusing on grounded stage show.Aerial work “is not the most gentle exercise there is. Youhave to do a lot of stretching before; there’s a lot of upperbody involvement which puts a lot of stress on your joints.”Because audiences are intrigued by aerial, “schools arepopping up all over. It used to be a circus trait that waspassed down.” “I love getting the opportunity to dance and perform. That’salways been my goal and dream.”

The nomadic life of a festival performeragrees with Monroe native Colette Dessingue.The 29-year-old travels around the nationperforming at renaissance festivals,pulling a fifth wheel trailer as herhome.“I’ve been doing it for 10 yearsnow so it seems normal.”If you haven’t been to arenaissance festival, yourideas of carnival or festivalperformers is probablyfaulty. Many performers,like Colette, not only havecollege degrees andadvanced training, but theyalso own a performancecompany that contracts with thefestivals. And they don’t move every few days toa new city. “Some of the festivals are two-month runs, so it’s a nice period of time to be

somewhere. But I dolike to travel.”Colette’s career“happened slowly. Iwas going to schoolwhen I started to dothe first renaissanceshow (in Charlotte.)And it just slowlydeveloped.”As a child, shestudied yoga in hermother’s studio,following that withballet and bellydance. While earninga bachelor’s degree indance performanceand choreography,Colette put herlearned skills into

1. Union County was established by anAct of the General Assembly of NorthCarolina ratified in December of whatyear?a. 1824 b. 1842 c. 1852d. 1864

2. Monroe had the first location of whichregional department store?a. Belkb. J.C. Penneyc. Rose’sd. Ivy’s

3. The Revolutionary War Battle of theWaxhaws was sometimes referred to as: a. Buford’s Massacre b. Battle of Walkup’s Millc. Davie’s Attackd. All of the above

4. The first passenger train arrived inMonroe in what year?a. 1874b. 1863c. 1901d. 1896

5. Wingate University was founded in1896 with what name? a. Wingate Schoolb. Cannon Schoolc. Cannon Colleged. All of the above

6. Which county never included theterritory now embraced by UnionCounty? a. New Hanoverb. Bladenc. Ansond. Stanly


7. Camp Sutton served which of thesefunctions during World War II?a. Grave registration companyb. Prisoner of war campc. Bakery unitd. All of the above

8. Union County embraces how manysquare miles of land? a. 424b. 568c. 643d. 829

9. Which of these statements is trueabout Robert F. Williams, an AfricanAmerican civil rights leader fromMonroe?

a. His grandmother gave him a rifle as asymbol of the family’s resistance againstracial oppression.b. The NAACP suspended Williams foradvocating violence.c. Williams received political asylum inCuba after being accused of kidnapping.d. He advised the State Department onnormalizing relations with China.e. All of the above.

10. Which of these Indian tribes wereamong the first natives of UnionCounty?a. Waxhawb. Catawbac. Lumbeed. Cherokee

Answers on Page 27

OUR QUIZ: How well do you know Union County history?

www:xicenter.com


www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

If your Latin cuisine experience is limited to chainrestaurants, you’ll be surprised at Sabor Latin Street Grill inWesley Chapel.Sabor is a combination ofMexican, Caribbean andLatin-American styles thattempt your tastebuds.The menu is small, but itworks. Sabor management has an effective business plan – knowwhat you do best and limit your menu to those items. And whatthey do best is street food.The menu lists seven street foods, two nachos, one salad, one


Here’s the skinnyAmbiance: Sabor is a small restaurant with a few booths andtables and has a visible assembly line so you can see yourmeal being created.Menu: Great Latin street food with 10 types of protein to useinterchangeably in most orders.Quality: Sabor is the Spanish word for “flavorful,” and thedishes that we sampled at the Latin Street Grill lived up to thatdescription.Service: Assembly was done by one person, so the orders

quesadilla, four burritos, two tacos and one dessert. You don’t needany more than that, especially when the flexibility is this all-encompassing. Elote Loco, Mexico’s traditional corn on the cob ($2.95), variesdramatically from southern style corn and was a wonderful tastetreat for our native Iowan. The warm corn on the cob was spreadwith mayo and then sprinkled with cotija cheese (similar toParmesan) and chili powder and served with lime wedges.Other street foods include Aarepa ($4.95), a Venezuelan groundcorn flatbread filledwith shreddedchicken,tomatoes onionand cheese, plusCarne AsadaFries ($6.95),which arecovered ingrilled steak,queso, pico degallo,guacamole,cotija cheese andsour cream. Coco Loco ChiliRanchero ($3.95) is acharro style chili withchorizo and NoDa Brewing company coco loco porter. Gordita($4.95) is a corn masa cake with your choice of protein, beans,lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheese. The El Dominicano burrito ($7.95) is overstuffed with a deliciouslyspicy mixture of shredded chicken, sautéed cabbage, tomato andonion mixed with rosada sauce. Our empanada – ($3.95)– anArgentinian puff pastry – was filled with spicy chorizo and deepfried to a beautiful golden brown. Sabor offers 10 proteins that can be ordered in almost any dish. Inaddition to typical ground beef and shredded chicken, they offergrilled chicken, Al Pastor pork, grilled steak, chorizo sausage,grilled tilapia and shrimp, plus tofu ranchero and grilled veggies.

Eating Out

in Union

came in a staggered timeframe.Value: Great value. Dine in or take out. Will we return? We loved it! Definitely a place to return tofor more “street food.”Sabor Wesley Chapel5945 Weddington Rd., Mathews, NC 28104(704) 774-1083SaborCharlotte.comMon - Sat: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Sun: 11a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sabor Latin Street Grill: Fresh, authentic and filling

Elote Loco, Mexican corn on the cob

Dominican nachos

www.SaborCharlotte.com

Diners can go mainstream American-style Latin with nachos, tacos,taco salad and quesadillas.Authentic tacos ($2.75) are corn tortillas with meat, cilantro, onionand lime, while the American version ($2.95) is what you wouldget in a chain restaurant – flour tortilla with meat, lettuce, tomatoand cheese. Order the authentic version! If you like taco salad ($6.95) but don’t prefer the shell, order abuild-your-own-bowl ($7.95) and choose your own toppings. Theonly real difference is the bowl is in, well, a bowl!

Kids have a choice of American taco quesadilla or chicken tenders,served with a side of chips and cheese, beans and rice or corn onthe cob.Order a side of chips for your table. It’s a generous portion of chipsthat are thin and crispy, yet sturdy enough to stand up to dipping inqueso or guacamole. The guac had thick chunks of avocado.And don’t miss the salsa bar, which features a variety of house-made sauces. Try them all! We particularly liked the mangohabanero salsa, whichhas a sweet andspicy taste. You might besurprised that Saborserves not only

American, Mexican and Colombian soft drinks, but also avariety of North Carolina beers and cocktails ranging frommargaritas to mojitos and a few unusual drinks. Even if you feel stuffed, order the one dessert – freshly cookedchurros with strawberry ice cream ($4.95). Definitely worth theextra calories.


Sabor Latin Street Grill: Fresh, authentic and filling

Elote Loco, Mexican corn on the cob

Traditional nachos

E. Kelly Anderson, MD, attended Yale University

medical school, completed her internship and

residency through Carolinas Medical Center and

is board certified in Family Medicine.

1301 Dove Street in Monroe(Just off US 74 near the hospital)

(704) 283-8888 � www.AndersonFamilyMed.com

Empanada stuffed with chorizo,or another protein of yourchoice.

Churros and ice cream

www.AndersonFamilyMed.com

Register in advance for these events

May 2: Mother-Daughter TeaCome in your princess dress and tiara, prizes for most creative tiara.11 a.m., bring an item for the Safe Alliance Domestic Violence Shelter.600 Hospital Drive, Monroe. RSVP to (704) 631-1092.

May 30: White Party to benefit Turning Point Domestic Violence Shelter6 p.m., dinner, dancing, silent auction$85, Rolling Hills Country Club, 2722 W. Roosevelt Blvd., MonroeRegister by (704) 288-1902 or www.TurnToday.net

June 6: Golf Tournament1 p.m., Emerald Lakes Golf ClubGolf tournament to benefit The Miracle League of Indian Trail$75; BBQ dinner, greens fee, prizes raffle giveawayRegister by May 31; call David Cohn at (704) 641-6944.

17: Spring Fest Art KaleidoscopeNoon. – 6 p.m.All things art plus music, free Kids Zone,entertainment, food concessions.Downtown Waxhaw

28: Music on Main, music by Fourth Creek Band(James Taylor tribute)Free; 6:30 p.m.Bring a chair. Main Street, Monroewww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

June5: First FridayBusinesses, restaurants open late, free carriagerides.Downtown Waxhawwww.Waxhaw.com for details.

6: Live at the Vines, music by The Village Greene$5, 7 p.m.Bring a chair301 Bay St., Monroe(704) 283-4208www.TreehouseVineyard.com

12: Car Cruise In – MustangsFree, 6 p.m.Main Street, Monroewww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

12: Jammin’ by the TracksFree, 7 p.m.Bring your lawn chairs.Downtown Waxhawwww.Waxhaw.com for details.

13: Live at the Vines, music by ThrowbackThursdays Party Band$4, 7 p.m.Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe(704) 283-4208www.TreehouseVineyard.com

19: Jammin’ by the TracksFree, bring your lawn chairs.Downtown Waxhawwww.Waxhaw.com for details.

20: Live at the Vines, music by RJ Adams$3, 7 p.m.Bring a chair301 Bay St., Monroe(704) 283-4208www.TreehouseVineyard.com

25: Music on Main, music by Image (R&B)Free; 6:30 p.m.Bring a chair.Main Street, Monroewww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org


27: Live at the Vines, music by Province of Thieves$4, 7 p.m.Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe(704) 283-4208TreehouseVineyards.net


May1: Beach, Blues & BBQ7 p.m.-10 p.m.The Embers (beach)Free concert; bring a chairDowntown Monroe

1: First FridayBusinesses, restaurants open late, free carriage rides.Downtown Waxhawwww.Waxhaw.com for details.

2: Beach, Blues & BBQ11 a.m.- 4 p.m.Noon -The Caribbean Cowboys (variety)Free; bring a chair

2: Waxhaw Area Artists Studio Tour40 area artistsFree; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Waxhaw.artscouncil on Facebook for a map of locations.

3: Waxhaw Area Artists Studio Tour40 area artistsFree; Noon – 5 p.m.Waxhaw.artscouncil on Facebook for a map of locations.

8: Car Cruise In – European CarsFree, 6 p.m.Main Street, Monroewww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

16: Spring Fest Art KaleidoscopeAll things art plus music, free Kids Zone, entertainment,food concessions.Downtown Waxhaw

17: Music on the Plaza“!Si, Si Symphony!”Union Symphony & Youth OrchestraFree; bring a chair, picnic or blanketwww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

3232things to do inSweet Union

July3: First FridayBusinesses, restaurants open late, free carriage rides.Downtown Waxhawwww.Waxhaw.com for details.

4: Fourth of July celebrationFree; parade at 10 a.m.Beach party 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.Fireworks at duskWaxhaw

4: Celebration in the Park4:30 p.m., rides and fun foods7 p.m., music by Darrell Harwood (country)9:30 p.m., fireworksBelk Tonawanda ParkSkyway Drive, Monroe


12: Car Cruise In – MotorcyclesFree, 6 p.m.Main Street, Monroewww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

17: Jammin’ by the TrackFree, bring your lawn chairs.Downtown Waxhawwww.Waxhaw.com for details.

23: Music on Main, music by Emily Minor (country)Free; 6:30 p.m.Bring a chair.Main Street, Monroewww.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

Quiz answers1. 18422. Belk3. All of the answers4. 18745. Wingate School6. Stanly7. All of the answers8. 6439. All of the answers10. Waxhaw and Catawba


www.UnionSymphony.org

www.MonroeAquaticsAndFitnessCenter.com

Documents

Union Lifestyle May-July 2015