Cookies for a Cause transformed the quaint, Southern tradition of the holiday cookie exchange into unabashed, diva-style cookie bash rowdiness. The more than 160 ladies in attendance arrived in designer attire to dine on fine cuisine, strut it on the dance floor and swap a few (thousand) cookies, as well as raise thousands of dollars for charity.

Meanwhile, more than 160 men participated in the inaugural Chips for a Cause Gentlemen's Poker night for some cigar smoking, poker playing and admiring Vegas-style jewelry models intent on encouraging the men to bid on silent auction gems for their diva wives and dates.

When their individual activities ended, the men and women were reunited for an after-hours party of dancing in the New York club-style decorated ballroom

The event raised $25,000 for the group's main beneficiary, the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, which provides lodging for families of children who are hospitalized for treatment.

In addition, The Redmonds' 5-year-old daughter, Gracie, collected 130 coats that evening for WSOC-TV's Steve's Coats for Kids program. Both Gracie and her 2-year-old brother, Cade, plan to deliver more than 200 coats to Channel 9 meteorologist Steve Udelson in January.

Celebrity appearances included racing executive Ray Evernham, WSOC-TV news anchor Natalie Pasquarella, Udelson, and former NFL running back Adrian Murrell.

Cookies For a Cause was founded in honor and memory of Kristi Crates, who passed away Oct. 29, 2007, at age 35 from Hodgkin's lymphoma. She was known as one of the most charitable divas of them all. Executive Planning Committee members for 2011 were Allison Labovitz, Stefanie Timmerman, Sandy Crowell, Lori Ciuca, Ridgely Chapman and Adriene Pattie.

Cookie surplus benefits others

Because the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte still has a stocked freezer of cookie dough on reserve as a result from last year's Cookies for a Cause drive, the organization has decided to expand this year's effort to help more children and families in need. New beneficiaries of the group's efforts will be the Barium Springs Children's Home near Statesville and Angels and Sparrows Soup Kitchen of Huntersville.

Founded in 1891, Barium Springs provided services to 2,969 children, families and individuals in 2011. Its three primary objectives are to "heal the hurt" for children who are troubled, abused or neglected; provide a safe home through residential homes and foster care; and encourage a healthy start through educational and prevention programs.

Founded in 2007, Angels and Sparrows Soup Kitchen's mission is to help fight hunger in north Mecklenburg. Services extend beyond a weekday meal at its spacious dining room. Angels and Sparrows reaches out to the community to deliver food to those in need, and holds special events, such as the recent Christmas party, to help address need in the community.

Last year, Cookies For A Cause provided the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte with 25,200 cookies. This year's goal is 40,000 cookies for Barium Springs and Angels and Sparrows. A donation of $15 buys one tub of Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough, which makes 36 ready-to-bake individual cookies. Donations to purchase cookies can be made online at www.cookies4acause.com.

Senior Center holds grand opening Jan. 12

Although they've called it home for a couple of months, area seniors will celebrate the grand opening of the new location of the North Mecklenburg Senior Center Thursday, Jan. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The center now shares space with Solid Rock Christian Church at 16601 Old Statesville Road in Huntersville. The free event will include games, activities, food, prizes, a ribbon cutting and speeches by area mayors and other dignitaries.

"The senior citizen population in the Lake Norman area continues to grow" says Joanne Ahern, center director. "Now that we've settled into our new home, we felt it was the right time to officially announce our presence in Huntersville to the community-at-large. Our new location should prove convenient to all older adults and their family and friends in Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville and beyond."

Food for the grand opening will be provided by Cafe 100, Lupie's Cafe and Kilwin's. In addition to the opening festivities, for the weeks of Jan. 9, 16 and 23, the center will offer all programs and classes for free to all new seniors who come during those weeks. Regular center participants will also be encouraged to try other classes for free as well.

The North Mecklenburg Senior Center is one of four centers operated by non-profit Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Centers Inc., whose mission is to serve as a focal point to deliver a broad spectrum of services and activities for older adults throughout the community.

The center is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 704-875-1270 or visit www.cmseniorcenters.org.

Christmas comes to Hope House

On the night before Christmas at Hope House of Huntersville, everyone was in bed by 11 p.m., some of them perhaps with visions of sugar plumbs dancing in their heads. With scant gifts beneath the tree at bedtime, by morning, the room was filled with gifts for the six resident children, ranging in ages from 8 months to 17 years. They received dozens of gifts, including items from their personal wish lists such as scooters, baby dolls, specialty gift cards and clothing.

Their mothers were also joyful recipients of their own gifts, including bath and body items, gas and gift cards, and much-needed items such as coats, shoes and new clothing.

The celebration was made possible by a large group of local residents, businesses and volunteers that helped make it a memorable Christmas for the residents, who are victims of domestic abuse working toward beginning their own independent lives. But the residents weren't the only recipients of the Christmas spirit. Hope House also received gifts in the form of new sets of pots and pans, blankets, all menu items for Christmas dinner, and plenty of gift cards to purchase food and needed household items throughout the year.

For more information about Hope House, it's mission, or how to help visit www.hopehousefoundation.org.

Red Cross plans January blood drives

The American Red Cross will hold three blood drives in the north Mecklenburg area in January. Drives will be held: Monday, Jan. 9, at Davidson United Methodist Church, 261 S. Main St. in Davidson from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 25, at Davidson College Student Union from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Huntersville Presbyterian Church, 201 S. Old Statesville Road in Huntersville from 3 to 7 p.m. To schedule an appointment at any of these drives, visit www.redcrossblood.org.