Can’t fight the feeling

By Cathy Elliott
Kannapolis Citizen
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is halfway finished, and I’m not feeling so good.
A friend once told me she is unable to enjoy the last day of a vacation because she worries about going back home.
This feeling is totally understandable and not all that uncommon. In fact, I’m guilty of exactly the same thing, but it hits me earlier in the week.
Around Day 4 of a week-long trip, I start preparing for the return journey, which I affectionately refer to as “the ordeal.” First, I make sure my important documents, stashed in the hotel safe and locked with a combination that I check and recheck a half dozen times each day, really are safe. Then I do it again, just to be on the safe side.
Midway through the week, with plenty of fun still left to be had, I inevitably open my mouth and chirp, “So, where do you want to go next year?” I realize this throws a wet blanket on even the sunniest of days, but I can’t help myself.
I review which items I have worn so far and regretfully pack them away. I know I will enjoy them some of them again next year, in a different locale or with another style of shoe, but for now I have to set it all behind and move on to the next day at the beach, the next night on the town.
Or the next race. This worry-wart syndrome is by no means exclusive to vacationing fashionistas. Among NASCAR fans, it is a veritable epidemic with no apparent cure.
We wait all season long for the Chase to begin. Endless discussion of points and paint schemes and potential performances of drivers with new teams begins long before the green flag drops on the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. The 10 races that comprise the championship battle manifest themselves as nothing more than a low-grade fever at this point, a slight tickle in the back of the throat. Still, we know we’re definitely coming down with something.
We don’t even try to make ourselves feel better; quite the contrary. Like taking off our shoes and walking barefoot in the rain while in the clutches of the common cold, we actively do anything we can to make it worse.
We watch the races, of course. We speculate about the driver standings from the very first week. If our favorite driver is in the top 12, we know exactly how many points out of first place he is, and how many points separate him from the guy just ahead of him. If he is out, we know how many spots he needs to finish ahead of the guy in 13th in order to claim that position for himself.
In other words, we don’t fight our illness. We figure it’s chronic anyway, so why not just go ahead and embrace it?
Things hold pretty steady through the spring events, but when summer arrives, the symptoms really begin to escalate. Accelerated pulses are commonplace, often accompanied by some slight queasiness at times. Night races can induce night sweats. There have even been some reports of restless leg syndrome, as fans are simply unable to watch an entire race without leaping off the sofa at least twice.
At this point, our condition begins to deteriorate rapidly. Race No. 26 looms. We can see it gleaming in the distance like the Emerald City of Oz. The Chase is near.
We wait so long and experience so much, from feverish highs to sometimes chilling lows, before it finally arrives. Then, everything changes. Instead of looking forward, we begin counting backward, from 10 all the way down to one. There is a nagging sense of dread that accompanies the start of each race in the Chase. Whether it turns out to be tame or Talladega, its conclusion just moves us inexorably closer to the end of the season. The final 10 numbers seem to move so much more quickly than the first 26.
All those months of attention, anxiety and anticipation have come down to this: Be careful what you wish for. For months, all we wanted was for the Chase to begin, and now that it has, we never want it to end.
Difficult though it may be, it is critical to our various long-term prognoses that we enjoy each race we have left to the fullest, and try not to worry about what in the world we’re going to do when they’re gone.
How can anything so contagious make a body feel so good? Maybe the only cure for this type of NASCAR fever is another dose of the disease itself.
The late comedian Jackie Mason once observed: “It’s no longer a question of staying healthy. It’s a question of finding a sickness you like.”
Call the doctor, stat. I think we have a terminal case on our hands.

Cabarrus Economic Development promotes two

The Cabarrus Economic Development Commission has promoted Ryan McDaniels and Anna Lu Wilson.
McDaniels has been named vice president of economic development and Wilson has been named vice president for business services.
As vice president of economic development, McDaniels will develop and manage the EDC’s national and international economic development effort. Portions of this program will include implementing a comprehensive marketing campaign, maintaining contact and working in connection with the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Charlotte Regional Partnership and working on project development activities and new business recruitment.
McDaniels has been with the EDC since 2001 and previously held the position of director of economic development. He is a graduate of UNC-Charlotte and the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. McDaniels also holds the Certified Economic Developer designation from the International Economic Development Council.
Wilson, who joined the EDC in July, will lead the existing industry program as vice president of business services. In this role, she will help foster an environment where existing business in Cabarrus County find the climate favorable for new investment. Wilson will also help identify solutions to challenges and issues faced by local businesses, promote technical services to business and industry for various assistance programs and will address various workforce development issues that are important to the local business community.
Prior to joining the Cabarrus EDC, Wilson spent nearly 13 years with the Charlotte Chamber as director of economic development, working with start-up and small companies relocating to Charlotte. Wilson holds a degree from Vincennes University and the University of Illinois.
“Both Anna Lu and Ryan have strong depth and experience in their respective areas in the field of economic development,” said John Cox, CEO of the Cabarrus Regional Partnership. “What makes them uniquely qualified for their new positions is their strong leadership skills and ability to anticipate new trends and creatively implement them here in Cabarrus County. I look forward to working with them as they continue to make our organization stronger.”

Cannon School invites parents to learn tips for beating stress

CONCORD — Educators and parents at Cannon School began a six-part conversation earlier this year about the foundation that acheiving balance provides families in learning and living.
Each of the school’s six Parent Education Program (PEP) events focuses on helping children grow and thrive as they meet the challenges of the future and work to achieve their true potential throughout a lifetime of learning.
On Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m., Cannon School will invite the public to join that conversation as it welcomes to campus Kirk Martin, an expert on beating stress whose insights have appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today and Parade Magazine and on TV and radio.
Martin will share with parents ways they and their children can find the power within to beat stress and anxiety. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP or tickets are necessary. While Martin will speak about issues of interest to families, this event is open only to parents.
“We hope that Kirk Martin’s strategies to help children succeed at school and at home will have a powerful impact on families, especially during these challenging times,” said Matt Rush, head of middle school.
Martin’s presentation is one part of his two-day visit to Cannon School. He will also give a workshop for teachers, observe classes and lead assemblies for all Cannon students. Learn more about Martin at www.celebratecalm.com.
Cannon School is an independent, nonsectarian, college preparatory institution serving more than 900 students in junior kindergarten through grade 12. It is the fourth-largest independent school in the greater Charlotte area and attracts students from Concord, Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Mooresville, Charlotte, Kannapolis and Salisbury.
Cannon School is on a 65-acre campus on Poplar Tent Road near the Cabarrus/Mecklenburg county line. The school is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS).

Support the troops and learn new craft at extension events

The Cabarrus Extension and Community Association invites the public to donate items of comfort and kindness to our troops overseas to be transported by the North Carolina ECA.
The following items are being collected and must be brought to N.C. Cooperative Extension-Cabarrus County Center, 715 Cabarrus Ave. W., Concord, by noon on Monday, Oct. 27. Items collected are: jelly beans, individual wrapped candy, hand wipes, newspaper comics, Gold Bond Powder, mini chocolate bars, toothpaste, letters from children, tooth picks (plastic brush kind), inspirational materials, granola bars, cereal, gag gifts, beans and franks, Tic-Tacs, mouthwash, snack cakes, hand lotion, Vienna sausages, individual drink mixes, beef jerky, cheese crackers, cookies (store bought or homemade), Cheese Nips, Life Savers, peanuts, Slim Jims and chewing gum.
Do not donate books, cameras, batteries, stamps or out-of-date magazines. For more information contact Pam Outen, extension agent at 704-920-3310.

Craft workshop for adults
The Cabarrus Extension and Community Association is sponsoring two 2-hour workshops titled “Make It and Take It” on Monday, Nov. 17, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. at N.C. Cooperative Extension-Cabarrus County Center, 715 Cabarrus Ave. W., Concord.
Participants will learn both calligraphy and Scherenschnitte (German paper cutting).
Please bring the following items: 2.5 black calligraphy pen, box of holiday cards, scissors with sharp points, needle and white thread, flattened cereal box and sharp-pointed pencil.
Pre-registration is required by calling 704-920-3310. Spaces are limited.

Rachel Morrison

MOORESVILLE — Rachel Brown Morrison, 81, Mooresville, died Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, at her daughter’s residence.
Born Aug. 16, 1927, she was a daughter of the late James Alexander and Goldie Litton Berry Brown. She was a member of Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church, where she served in the nursery ministry for more than 30 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Craig Morrison, and a grandson.
Survivors include daughters Glenda M. Slater, Mooresville, and Judy M. McDaniels, Statesville; brother David W. Brown, Perry, Fla.; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A service was held Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008, at Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church conducted by the Rev. Rob Fuquay. Burial, church cemetery.
Memorials: Leukemia Society of America, 5624 Executive Center Drive, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28212.
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home is serving the family.

Betty M. Richard

CONCORD — Betty Mae Schott Richard, 79, 2810 Lyla Ave., formerly of Oley, Pa., died Friday, Oct. 10, 2008, at the Bob and Carolyn Tucker Hospice House.
Born Feb. 15, 1929, in Berks County, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Henry and Gertrude Schott. She was educated in the Berks County Schools and was a member of Spangsville Lutheran Church. She worked at Wagner Electric of Boyertown, Pa. for 35 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Woodrow Harry Richard.
Survivors include son Larry Richard, Concord; daughter Joan Rothenburger, Boyertown, Pa.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A service will be held at Blankenbiller Funeral Home in Oley, Pa. Burial, Oley Union Cemetery, Oley Township, Pa.
Memorials: Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC, 28081.
Whitley’s Funeral Home is serving the family.

Ronald Shore

KANNAPOLIS — Ronald Lee Shore, 31, 6777 N. Turner Drive, died.
He was the son of Debbie and Rick Fisher. He graduated from A.L. Brown in 1995 and worked for Food Lion Distribution Center in Salisbury.
In addition to his parents, survivors include wife Jennifer Shore; daughters Kaylie, Jaicee, MacKenzie and Sidney, all of Rockwell; brother Ricker Fisher Jr., Kannapolis; maternal grandmother Lula Belle Carver, Mooresville; and paternal grandmother Dolores Fisher-Hill, Concord.
A service was held Friday, Oct 17, 2008, at Whitley’s Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Joel Ervin. Interment, West Lawn Memorial Park, China Grove.

Earl Shue

CONCORD — Earl Franklin Shue Sr., 63, 3756 Hwy. 73 East, died Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at CMC-NorthEast.
Born Feb. 18, 1945, he was the son of the late Earl Kelly and Doshie Beaver Shue. He worked in home rental and construction until his retirement. He was a member of Glorieta Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Patricia Ann Helms Shue; daughter Kim Altman, Concord; sons Tony Shue, New London, and Frankie Shue Jr., Rockwell; sisters Patty Smith, Dallas, Ervine Shue and Joyce Mullis, both of Mount Pleasant, Pam Ambury, Concord; brother Gary Shue, Concord; and four grandchildren.
A service was held Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008, at Hartsell Funeral Home Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Mark Little. Burial, Cabarrus Memorial Gardens.
Memorials: Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081.

Helen Sweetwood

CONCORD — Helen Cobert Sweetwood, 84, Wyndham Place, died Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, at Hospice & Palliative Care House.
Born Sept. 4, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pa., she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Marie Thomas Cobert. She spent her career as an interior designer.
She was preceded in death by husband Allen Sweetwood and son Mark A. Collier.
Survivors include daughter Marilyn Blackwelder, Concord; one granddaughter; and three grandsons.
A service was held Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, at Wilkinson Funeral Home, officiated by Deacon Dan Carl.
Memorials: Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081.

Elizabeth Trull

KANNAPOLIS — Elizabeth Haigler Trull, 88, died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008, at Five Oaks Manor in Concord.
Born Dec. 21, 1919, in Cabarrus County, she was a daughter of the late Rev. Roy J. Haigler and Eunice Helms Haigler. She had worked at Cannon Mills Plant 1 and was a floral designer and caterer. She was a charter member of Charity Baptist Church, Kannapolis.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Edward Trull; son Jerry Carl Trull; and infant daughter Libby Danita Trull.
Survivors include one grandson and two great-granddaughters.
A service was held Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, at Lady’s Funeral Home, conducted by Dr. R.J. Hammond and the Rev. Ron Bushey. Interment, Carolina Memorial Park.
Memorials: Charity Baptist Church, 2420 Brantley Road, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

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