Enlarge The James and Devona Friday family get a home makeover. (Photo: Charlotte Observer)

Posted: December 14th, 2011 Lee Howard

Stories from the last week that caught our eye:

Santa came to a Lincolnton family in the form a TV crew. James and Devona Friday have fostered more than 30 children over the years. They were out shopping for a Christmas tree recently when the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” folks spotted them. The next thing they knew, the Fridays were being told their home would be getting a complete remodeling job all for free. Ho, ho, ho.

And still more giving, just in time for the holidays. HomeAid Charlotte, the charitable arm of the Charlotte HomeBuilders Association, recently remodeled the kitchen at The Relatives crisis center in Dilworth. The kitchen had seen little improvement since the home was built in the 1920s. It now has new appliances, countertops and floors, fresh paint, two computer desks and a big dining table.

While this is a season meant to be filled with joy, many find it a particularly tough time of year. That’s especially true for people dealing with grief. The Respite: A Centre for Grief & Hope is a new healing center for people dealing with all types of grief. The center, at 4919 Monroe Road, offers individual counseling, support groups, workshops, yoga, massage, personal training, nutrition counseling and art therapy.

Two African-American women were sworn in to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools board, bringing diversity to the board for the first time since 2003. The arrival of Ericka Ellis-Stewart, who was elected chairwoman, and Mary McCray, vice chairwoman, also means the number of Democrats on the board has increased to five from four. While it’s too early to say what the implications might be, both women have been harsh critics of the school system and promise to shake things up.

And organizers of the Democratic National Convention announced plans to seek “ambassadors” from all 100 N.C. counties They will be asked to spread the word about the convention in their respective communities in an effort to ensure the convention is indeed a statewide event.

Tweet

Previous Page