Thursday, December 3rd
Derita Area Business & Service Providers Meet
9am, Maria's Grill, West Sugar Creek Rd. Open to Everyone, business or not.
Find out about FREE Advertising, Cost-saving Cooperative Efforts, Local Networking
Opportunities. Together we are working to help local businesses grow despite the
tough economy. Got a business card? You'll want to pass some out and tell us
briefly about your business. Networking can lead to great referrals.
How long is this going take? We'll be done in under 60 minutes, that's the rule.
Even if you have to duck out early, it will be worth your time.
Last month several new businessmen introduced their companies and what they do
here. We exchanged business cards, heard from Alban Burney (Charlotte Small
Business Development Office) and discussed several marketing and promotion
ideas.
This meeting, we'll hear from Anthony Famularo (Catch NC) on how to recognize the
customer base most likely to use your business and how to target them so that
your advertising budget can be used most effectively. Plus more Networking to
help you enter 2010 with more folks on your side.
"Our Goal is to Promote Local Businesses and Service Professionals Serving Our Area."
--- DSRCO 704 806-3813 Leave Msg deritarep@aol.com
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Saturday, December 5th
Annual Cookie Walk
9am – Noon, University City United Methodist Church
Come purchase a box of homemade holiday treats!
All proceeds benefit a Youth Ministry mission project.
3835 West WT Harris Blvd. (corner of WT Harris Blvd. and W. Sugar Creek Road)
704-369-8000 www.ucumc.org
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Saturday & Sunday, December 5 & 6th
“The Spirit of Christmas”
Northside Baptist Church, 333 Jerimiah Drive
Come celebrate the "Spirit of Christmas" with the Adult Choir and Orchestra at
Northside as we journey in time to Bethlehem to view the birth of the Christ Child,
the greatest gift of all. Listen to songs of the season, both old and new, as sung
by the choir and praise team. See the wise men as they present their gifts to
the young child. Experience Christ’s death and glorious resurrection. Encounter
the Spirit of Christmas this year at Northside!
This Christmas event is free and open to the public. Groups welcome!
Performances: Saturday, December 5 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 6 at
10:30 am.
For more information, please contact Jennifer in the church music office at
704-596-4856, ext. 2291. Northside is located at I-85 and Sugar Creek Rd exit
============================================
Thursday, December 10th
A Spaghetti Dinner and Christmas Program
Fine Arts Center & Northside Baptist Church Main Auditorium
The Dinner, sponsored by the Junior Class at Northside Christian Academy,
costs $6 for adults, $4 for students, Children under 3 are free and includes:
SALAD
SPAGHETTI
CORN
DINNER ROLLS
BEVERAGE
DESSERT
Dinner is served at both 5:30 and 6:30pm in the Fine Arts Center. Tickets can be
purchased in the C-Wing Office, Mon - Friday from 8am - 4pm.
Following the Dinner, come and enjoy the School Christmas Programs in the Main
Auditorium at Northside Baptist Church. The Christmas programs are at 6:30pm
and 7:30pm.
All proceeds are to support the school's Junior/Senior Banquet to be held in April 2010.
Contact Mark Bovitz at 704 930-4772 or markbovitz@urbanrealtync.com if you have questions.
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Saturday, December 12th
Mom's Morning Out
Cole Memorial United Methodist Church
Know any parents who might need a couple of hours alone in December?
Cole Memorial UMC is offering FREE child care for PREREGISTERED CHILDREN,
Infants through grade 5 at our Mothers' Morning Out - Saturday December 12th,
10:00 am until 12:30 pm
Please call the church at 704-596-2356, extension 19 to register.
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Thursday, Dec. 17th
Monthly Derita-Statesville Rd. Community Org Meeting
7pm, Derita Presbyterian Church, W.Sugar Creek Rd.
The DSRCO Board, Neighborhood Leaders and interested residents will meet to
discuss issues, needs of the community, re-zoning requests, area crime and
programs to create a better Quality of Life for families in our area. We review
actions taken since our last meeting, and discuss plans for upcoming decisions.
This is an Open Meetng, everyone is invited.
This group not only serves as Omsbudsmen for our area, but maintains this twice
monthly newsletter as way to keep everyone informed of current and future plans.
=============================================
Saturday, December 19th
The Mystery and the Majesty: a Worship Musical for Christmas
6:30 PM, University City United Methodist Church
The Celebration Choir, Psalm 150 Orchestra, Spirit Singers, Soloists, Exaltation
Ringers, Drama Ministry, Dance Ministry, Technical Team, and Narrators will
present this is a free concert and a love offering will be received. Half of the
offering will be donated to agencies helping to provide shelter for the homeless
people of Charlotte.
Childcare for ages 0-5 years is available upon request. To make childcare
reservations please call 704-369-8027 before Wednesday, December 16.
University City United Methodist Church is located at the intersection of West
WT Harris Blvd. and West Sugar Creek Rd. 704-369-8000 www.ucumc.org
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Allen Hills - Carrie Hills Neighborhood Association will meet Tuesday,
December 1st, 7-8pm at Family Missionary Baptist Church, corner of Allen Rd South
& East. Please plan to attend.
Poplar Springs Neighborhood Association will meet at
Statesville Avenue Presbyterian Church the 3rd Saturday of each month at 12:15pm.
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What your Neighbors are saying
Loaves & Fishes Needs You
Local schools will be collecting canned goods during the first two weeks of December
and volunteer Mark Coats (704 921-1611) hopes to find several local folks with a
truck or van that would be willing to help transport the food from schools in our area
to the Loaves & Fishes Center at Statesville Ave, Presbyterian Church on Nevin Rd.
Please help, even a morning or an afternoon would be appreciated.
=============================================================
Derita Team headed to Nationals at DisneyWorld
"This is wonderful!!! Props to Derita Athletics Association! Can we take up a
special donation from area businesses to help them raise the $30,000 for their
travel expenses? I know times are hard, but what a nice achievement!"
--- Theresa McDonald, Allen Hills-Carrie Hills
==========================================================
Local Rainfall
It's rained 82 days so far in 2009 for 61.2 inches. We've had 10 inches in November
with 7.2" coming on the 10th and 11th. --- Mark Coats, Nevin Community
=============================================
Beef Up Your Holiday Crime Watch
Break-ins reported in Grenelefe Village,
Attempted Break-in at Carrie Hills,
and a Very Personal Message from the Poplar Springs Neighborhood
Bernie, please pass this on to whomever has e-mail. After 22 years,
my home was broken into between noon and 8:00 P.M. last Thursday,
November 26th.
My neighbor says she saw a black guy and a white guy ringing my door bell.
She was afraid they were soliciting and hurried into her house not paying attention
to where they went (probably back down my driveway to the back of the house)
where they broke the sliding glass door; came into the house, turned the hall light,
bedroom and bathroom lights on and proceeded to toss drawers onto the floor.
They turned my mattress to the side, tossed boxes on the bed, went through my
jewelry box looking for expensive jewelry and tossed items all over the first
bedroom.
In the second bedroom they went through the closets, pulled clothes from drawers.
This is when I must have driven up, because they (took a gun my father gave me
over 20 years ago which I had locked away just a week ago --- no use under
lock and key --- and put in the night stand for security), my laptop, digital
camera, a few pieces of gold jewelry and cd/dvd player.
The $%#&(*^ ran out the broken door leaving a security box on a chair in the
living room (too heavy to carry). Oh! the police did not detect any fingerprints
anywhere in the house. I'll probably discover missing items when I go to use
them and they aren't there.
This is the 2nd or 3rd break-in in the past couple weeks in Poplar Springs.
I don't know whether they came from across the creek or somewhere in the
neighborhood. They knew to enter from the back and too, they had to have
been watching my going and coming over time.
With the holiday season shopping, unemployment, drugs and outright evilness
in the world what do we have? We've got to care for each other; if we see
anything questionable call 911 immediately. I know, the response time isn't that
good. Unfortunately we can't take the law into our own hands unless we feel
we are threatened.
These creeps aren't concerned with who they hurt or violate. I have been violated
and will never feel comfortable in my own home. What's so sad is the fact that
IF & WHEN they are caught, they'll be released from jail before the ink dries on
the paperwork and right back to taking what we have WORKED to own.
If you have a Neighborhood Watch in your area, become a part of it.
If you don't, help your CMPD Area Response Team organize one.
It only takes One Person making One Phone Call to make a difference!
=============================================
NEC To Elect New Board Members
The December meeting for the NEC will be a private board meeting. However, in
January the NEC will elect new board members. If you would like to run for a position
on the board for the NEC, please submit your name and the office you would like
to run for, to Doug King dking@carolina.rr.com.
Happy Holidays!
Claire Green_Fallon
President, NorthEast Coalition
============================================
Community University Workshops
Workshops are free, interactive, and open to all Charlotte residents. Classes will
meet from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the University City Regional Library at 301 East
WT Harris Boulevard.
For more details about topics offered this month and days for each, call 704-336-2061
============================================
Got Yard Waste? Prep It!
With autumn in full swing, it's time to get out those rakes and round up the fallen
leaves that blanket your yard. Wondering when they'll be collected? The City of
Charlotte Solid Waste Services collects leaves and other yard waste for all City
residents on the same day as your garbage and recyclable collection.
To properly prepare yard waste for collection:
Place leaves in untied plastic bags or uncovered trash cans
Cut limbs, logs, and brush to no more than 5 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter
Separate piles and stack to less than 4 feet high and 75 pounds
Do not place yard waste in the garbage rollout cart
After items are prepared, place them curbside no later than 6:30 a.m. on your
scheduled collection day. --- submitted by Deborah Rowe
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HOT DOGS EVERY THURSDAY
Oak Grove United Methodist Church
6440 Old Statesville Road, 11am - 2pm
Fix'em the way you like'em, Eat In or Take Out
Not a Hot Dog fan?
Skip the dogs, choose the Homemade Soup & muffin
or Pinto Beans and cornbread (ketchup & onions available)
Warm friendly atmosphere. Wonderful conversation readily available
============================================
Mike Kleban's Christmas Appeal
Please allow me to introduce myself and what I am trying to accomplish
through this letter. My name is Mike Kleban and my associates are
Michelle Williams and Joni Lineberger. I am a member of Oak Grove
United Methodist Church and live in Harrisburg, NC. Previously, I
lived at 2701 Dellinger Circle for thirty-seven years and my three boys
attended Statesville Road Elementary and Ranson Middle School. My
wife currently works for Statesville Road Elementary.
We have an Outreach Ministry, focused on the Derita-Nevin-Beatties
Ford Road areas. Our mission is to provide gifts of mostly clothing and
some toys for underprivileged boys and girls at Christmas.
Our ministry is unique in that all the money collected goes directly to
the children and their families. There are no salaries or expenses incurred
by the organization. We all three volunteer our time. Wrapping paper,
cards, stamps, etc. if not donated; the expense generally comes out of our
own pockets.
Our contacts are Mr. Perry Owens (Statesville Road Elementary and
Ranson Middle School) and Mrs. McKinney and Ms. Morton at Winding
Springs Elementary. They identify families within their schools that are
in need of assistance or perhaps are suffering a crisis. Other families
come to us by word of mouth.
Our goal this year is to collect $10,000 and help at least 100 children.
It all started one cold 1990 December morning. While driving to work,
I spotted four boys and girls walking to Statesville Road Elementary
School with just shirts and sweaters on. I called the secretary at
Statesville Road and found out they were a needy family and lived about
two blocks from the school. I advised my fellow employees and we took
up a collection to buy each child clothes and one toy. The Paw Creek
American Legion donated food for the family. This ministry has grown
from one family with five children to last year’s total of 17 families that
included 53 boys and girls.
Christmas 2008 we received donations of $7,112. Michelle and Joni
bought and wrapped over 400 items. We gave cookies and candy to
each family for stocking gifts. We gave each child a $25 Food Lion gift
certificate from the donated money and Speedway Children’s Charity
donated NASCAR related racing items and Omega Tees and Printing of
Boone, NC donated tees and sweatshirts.
Tax-deductible checks can be made out to Oak Grove UMC (with
Mike Kleban Christmas Ministry) noted in memo line. Checks may be
mailed to Oak Grove UMC, 6440 Old Statesville Road, Charlotte, NC
28269 or directly to Mike Kleban, 317 Woodside Drive, Harrisburg, NC
28075.
No donation is too small! Please help us make a difference this Holiday
Season in the lives of 100 boys and girls. Thank you in advance and
may God Bless You! Mike, Michelle and Joni
============================================
The Derita Lions Club
meets the 2nd & 4th Monday of most months
Visitors & New Members Welcome
6:30 - 8 pm Maria’s Grill in Derita 2801 W. Sugar Creek Rd.
Annual Christmas Dinner --- Dec. 14th. Our Guest Speaker will be Mr. John Burdine,
an air traffic controller.
At the District Zone Meeting this month, our Club was recognized for an outstanding
article in our newsletter that will likely be passed on to other area clubs.
Our Fresh Fruit Boxes will soon be available for the holidays. Fresh Fruit for your home.
Even better as a Gift. --- And Each purchase helps fund our Lions Charity Work. See
a Lion or stop by Gary's Barber Shop here in Derita.
============================================
Kidshine Performing Arts Day Camp
Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church, 4700 Beatties Ford Road
For rising 3rd through 8th graders
June 14-18 from 9:00-3:00, with a performance on Friday night at 7:00
Cost and more details will be available soon.
Scholarships available
For information call 704 392 8816 or www.williamsmemorialpc.org
============================================
Say "Thanks" To Dad
This is a true story. It came back to me after reading the tar-on-the-roof joke in
your Friday Morning Funny Mail. --- Doug Hanks, Allen Hills
(We're re-printing the story as Today's Joke, just in case you don't receive
our FREE Friday Morning Funny Mail. To be added to that email list, just
ask . . . deritarep@aol.com )
Nine years ago, my father was helping me put a metal roof on my cabin. The way
the panels laid out, I ended up with a 12” overhang on each end (which my Dad
apparently did not know was there). He went up top to put the stovepipe through
the roof so I could fit it onto the Franklin stove inside. Suddenly, I heard a metallic
noise that went something like: “bwang-a-wang-wang..” If you’ve ever heard a
spring twanging back and forth, you know the sound.
I recognized the sound as that of the metal roofing springing back into place, and
scaled the ladder, two rungs at a time, knowing it could have only been caused by
Dad stepping off the edge. My deepest fears were realized, as I looked across the
roof and saw that Dad was missing. He had stepped on the edge, where there was
nothing but metal; no roof beneath, and had plunged 11 feet to the ground below.
He was 67 years old at the time.
I leapt from the ladder to the ground, and raced around the far side of the cabin,
expecting the worst, but Dad was sitting on the grass, waiting for me.
“Are you all right?” I asked, as I rounded the corner and paused, thankful he was
not only alive, but apparently okay.
“Don’t just stand there looking at me!” he shouted in reply. “Help me get up off
my ass!”
I had to laugh at that point; both grateful that he was okay, and the fact that Dad
is never one to mince words. He wasn’t as concerned that he just fallen off the roof,
as he was that I got to him before he could get back up! He did hairline fracture
his right heel in the fall, but that was it.
I felt three things at the same time that day: fear, relief and pride. I felt fear when I
knew he had fallen off the roof. I felt relief when I knew he was okay, and I felt
pride when I knew that his biggest worry at his age, was simply that he had fallen
on his ass.
I know that I will be that tough when I am 67. Dad is now 76, and about to re-roof
his house on his own, without a second thought. I hope that I am still as able as he
- when I am that age - but I pray that Dad and I will still be working on yet something
else together, in another nine years, when he is 85. I will consider it a miracle if he
will give the Thanksgiving blessing, when he is 94.
I am blessed to have shared the past 30 years of my life with my dad. When I came
to live with him at age 12, I really didn’t know him, but since then, he has become
my best friend. I have had the opportunity to get to know my father in a way that
most people can only wish they had. He’s been the best man at my wedding,
he’s helped me build my cabin, and he’s been there when my world seemed to be
falling apart. We’ve been bachelors for the greater part of three decades, and that
is time which to me, is more valuable than gold.
Today, my dad is a great-grandfather, but to me, he will always be a great father.
This is an ode to every dad out there. We’re only given one father in this life,
and the time we get know him is short. Remember your own dad this Christmas
season; let him know how much he means to you. All it takes is four simple words,
and they are words that I tell my father every chance I get: “I love you, Dad.”
--- Doug Hanks, Allen Hills
=========================================
As I Recall . . . memories of a growing up in Derita
ONE BROKE-NOSE BERKSHIRE --- a hog story
My younger brother Jerry, who I affectionately called Buckwheat, recently
reminded me of an incident that took place with him & some of his running-mates
one Sunday afternoon in Derita.
It was a cool day in the fall of 1956 and Buckwheat and 4 or 5 of his buddies
were just hanging-out in downtown Derita. Not enough guys had showed up
to start a football game in the school yard. Someone said: "Let's go up to
Mr. George Moores' farm & ride horses." Everyone agreed with that, so they
all got on their bikess, rode through Hemphill Heights and on up Cheshire Rd.
to Mr. Moores' place.
Mr. George had a big farm, all kinds of farm animals & plenty of things for
teen-age boys to see and do. After talking with Mr. Moore a while, some of the
boys started taking turns, riding horses. Some guys just looking at animals etc.
It came Buckwheats' turn to ride, but he said No, he was wearing his new pastel
yellow windbreaker and he didn't want it to smell like a horse. I'm just going
to look around a while. Mr. Moore hollered out: "Now don't get too close to
that old Broke-Nose Berkshire hog 'cause he can get mean. He's in that pen down
at the edge of the woods."
Now that really got Buckwheat curious, & he made a bee-line for that hog pen.
But after he got there, Buckwheat could not see any hogs. He could hear them
grunt, snort, and move around.
Now Mr. Moore had covered the entire pen with oak boards (2+10 rough cut)
to keep the cold air off of the hogs. Buckwheat was just dying to see that old
Broke-Nose Berkshire. He would peep through a crack wherever he could. He
had to walk through deep mud (and Stuff) to get to the other side where he saw
a pretty good opening in one spot. He would peep through but just couldn't see
that hog very well. He says to himself that if only I could get my head through that
space between those boards, I could see all those hogs. I've ruined my new shoes
anyway, I'm not quitting now.
Now that old broke-nose came right to the spot that Buck could see him best,
if only he could get his head through that crack. He tried, but it was just too small.
He backed-up & told himself that if he turned his head sideways, it would go.
He tried, IT WORKED!! But with his head inside, the front of his new yellow
windbreaker will be all over those dirty boards. He decides to put his hands in
the windbreaker pockets, that way he can hold the front off those boards.
So in goes his head. Boy! this hog is a monster! Old broke-nose came right under
his face & Buck was looking down at two holes in the hogs' nose. The temptation
was too great, and he just had to see if a drop of spit could center one of the holes.
Well it did & the reaction was a cold, wet & gooey hogs' nose under the chin &
up the face. With that both pockets were torn free & by the time he remembered
to turn his head to get it out, one ear was about torn off, then into the mud goes
Buckwheat, flat on his back. And by the way--This really happened!
-- Fred
===========================================
Jack's Quick & Easy Tips
For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish
washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze.
(Wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)
======================================
Holiday Dinner Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least
3 hours prior to burning.
======================================
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours.
Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down.. The wax will fall out.
======================================
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly
washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
--- Jack Brosch, Cell (704) 622-6995
===========================================
Your Questions and Some Answers
Q. Who do we contact to get stripes painted on the Harris Blvd bridge over
I-85? There is not one stripe except for a piece of one in the wrong location. It is
terrible in the dark and even worse when it is raining. There are stripes on the road
on either side but not on the bridge. --- Paula Veazie, Kelsey Glen
Actually, I think this is a State Road issue, but CDOT's Danny Pleasant will know who to
contact and will forward the request, I'm sure.
Danny did, in fact, know who to contact.
Louis Mitchell. 704 596-6900 lmitchell@dot.state.nc.us
He is the County Maintenance Engineer --- the man in charge of fixing pot holes,
broken pavement and uneven manhole covers on State roadways.
===================================================================
Q. Can you share some specifics about where the gold mines were located
in Derita? The ground has been sinking near the corner of my house and I
have been told there were mines in this area.
I asked your address and confirmed that there was indeed a gold mine just down
the street from your house. You live on Nevin Road next to Allen Hills and one of
Squire John P. Hunter's mine was located a few blocks down the street and on
the far side of Nevin Rd. Some of the better known pit mines were on the grounds
of Northside Baptist Church, and construction of I-85 was halted for a while when
mine shafts near the Sugar Creek exit had to be filled in after an earthmover slipped
into one. There were also some pit mines in Hunter Acres near Scottsborough
and Christenbury Hills.
But as I've said before, this was minor stuff. It was usually done in the dead of winter
when nothing was growing in the fields, and it was very limited because it usually
ruined that spot for future farming. . . The real money was being made at two very
active mine shafts which ran under downtown Charlotte.
Now back to your specific problem. Very likely your sinking ground is an old stumphole.
Fifty years ago, when your house was built, it was a common practice for developers
to dig a deep hole or to haul all of their tree stumps over to a big gulley and bury them.
There were no stump grinding machines back then and certainly no one was going to
spend days trying to burn them up. (Our house was built in 1952 by an independent
contractor and it literally took weeks to burn up the stumps and downed trees on our
site. Both practices (burning & burying) are now prohibited by ordinance.
It's a practice that happened in Allen Hills, and as more stumps accumulated than
holes to bury them. Many of the stumps were hauled to a large pasture that sits behind
the Allen Hills Swim Club. My buddies & I used to "Play Army" and have BB Gun Wars
over there. (Yeah, we were stupid kids and would have got a real tanning, if our parents
had found out.). The site was later cleared when Carrie Hills was built.
As I pointed out, your backyard neighbor on Alpine has a similar problem. It's a hole
that she's been filling with chunks of concrete and fill dirt for the past decade. As the
stumps and roots decay and lose there water content, the ground slowly settles. The
fact that her house is on a slope and closer to a spring-fed lake probably indicates
why her problem has been worse than yours. The ground moisture accelerated the
rate of decay.
====================================================================
Q. My 12 year old niece was attacked today at school while on the field. The
Principal said that another student, a boy, attacked her, pushing her to the
ground and biting her on her arms. It seems this 14 yr old boy student is
autistic and requires a guardian to be with him at all times while he is attending
this public school. This is not the first time this has occurred.
Why is a potentially dangerous child allowed to attend public school putting
our children into situations they should not have to endure?
In a nutshell, the handicapped kid is "protected" by the FEDERAL No Child Left
Behind Law passed during the Clinton Administration. He is guaranteed a main-
stream education and his rights are spelled out specifically detailing what the
school system can or cannot do to discipline him. The law is written "to protect
him."
Example: If your Niece were to bring a gun or a knife to school, she would get kicked
out for the rest of the year.
For the handicapped kid: If he were to bring a gun or knife to school. Federal Law says
he can only be suspended up to 2 days, with a maximum of 10 days suspension per year.
Once he reaches the 10 days, Federal Law prevents the school system from taking
further action.
Their hands are tied. In a court case, if you choose to sue, they will always have to side
with the handicapped child because that is prescribed by Federal Law. Only Congress
can change the situation as it currently exists.
===============================================================
Q. I read your article about Indians in the Derita area on your local history
blog site. ( http://deritahistoricalarchive.blogspot.com/ ) Some of the artifacts
in the photo look way too big to have been actual arrowheads.
You're probably correct, but I didn't want to argue with the three local ladies who actually
collected them years ago while walking behind their Daddy's tractor in a fresh-plowed field
in what is now Grenelefe Village. Most of the items pictured were probably spear points
and could easily have hundreds or thousands of years old.
You see, most Indian hunting arrows were simply cane shafts, sharpened and hardened
by fire. This and the powerful Indian bow made them suitable even for major wild game.
(An article about the Indian hunting bow says that Explorer Hernando DeSoto's men
could not pull most Indian bows back to full strength and that an untipped arrow such as
this fired from an Indian bow could easily pierce their Spanish armor).
The same article by Tom Taylor goes on to explain that the American Indian hunting
technique was not usually one or two men going out in the forest with their bow and
arrow. "They commonly go out in great numbers and often a great many days journey
from home, beginning at the coming of winter." They would form a wide circle around
the area to be hunted and then slowly close in on it, using bow & arrow, spears and
clubs to bring down the game that they cornered. Such a hunt could provide enough
food to see a small village through the winter.
Less we think badly of them, Taylor also writes: "The Indians efficient pursuit of game
did not prevent them from paying reverence to the animals they killed. Hunting and
fishing played integral roles in the religion of the Eastern Woodland tribes. Indians saw
themselves not as lords having dominion over other creatures, but as one tribe among
many." --- Wildlife in North Carolina, February 1981.
=====================================================================
Q. We recently bought a house here and just started receiving your emails
What can you tell us about about Derita?
The Derita-Statesville Road Community is located several miles north of Charlotte NC's
center city, is bordered by I-77 to the west, I-85 to the south, the University area to the east
and WT Harris Blvd to the north, with its business district centered along West Sugar Creek Rd.
Even before the Community became established with stores, a school and churches in
1860, Derita was a made up of large family farms carved from the forests and fields where
the Sugaree Indians had made flint arrowheads and hunted for wild game.
Those early settlers did it all. They raised livestock, sold milk, eggs and cheese. They grew
corn, grains, fresh vegetables, cotton and tobacco. Some mined for gold, others for silver.
Operators of two local mineral springs supplied bottled water by the wagonload to thirsty
Charlotte businesses. On Sundays after Church, folks regularly came from miles around
to picnic at Derita Springs and to listen to violin and banjo players perform for an impromptu
hoedown. Three months each year (during the farming off-season) residents financed a
school for boys known as Derita Academy.
By the early-1950-60's the farms were giving way to rooftops as Charlotte's residential
growth exploded and today there are over 60,000 rooftops in the Derita area. Several giant
corporations like IBM and the (First Union) Wachovia Center looking for room to expand,
moved into the Derita area. CMS launched an education experiment here called Governor's
Village by clustering schools from Grades 1 - 12. Mecklenburg County purchased huge tracts
of woodlands in the Derita area to create 320-acre Nevin Park and the 192-acre RibbonWalk
Forest nature preserve. The headquarters for MEDIC, the Mecklenburg EMS Agency, are also
located within the community on Statesville Rd.
Derita is ethnically diverse and has a wide variety of housing values from apartments,
condos, and townhouses to starter homes, patio homes, second homes, and ranch-
style homes on large wooded lots. We are now a wonderful mix of older neighborhoods,
newer HOA's, and developing neighborhoods --- represented by a strong umbrella
Community Organization (DSRCO), now in its 35th year.
With a wealth of churches, community youth groups, a bustling YMCA, several
large parks, and good schools --- Derita is a great place to live and raise a family.
Information provided by the Derita-Statesville Rd. Community Organization --- based on
the writings of local historian Ona Welch Puckett, the Mecklenburg Historical Commission,
and published historical tracts from the DSRCO Newsletters. --- Wikipedia.com
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Today's Funny
What The Heck Happened?
No good deed goes unpunished. I had volunteered to tar the roof on my father's
shed. I was about halfway done when I slipped and fell flat on my face getting
black goop all over my shirt, my pants, even my hair. Hearing the thud, my Dad
looked up. "What happened?" he asked.
I got up and began to say, "All I did was..." when my feet shot out from under me
and I flipped into the tarry mess a second time.
"You know," Dad said dryly, "you could have just told me." --- Reader's Digest
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