Manpower to Horsepower strives to create an atmosphere of mentoring, friendship and rehabilitation through the sport of racing. The rehabilitation center serves not only as a full-service, hands-on rehabilitation facility, but also a center where veterans can work together and receive a different form of therapy to help them return to a productive member of society from post-combat stress and injury, while providing them real-world exposure to racing both at the shop and the track.
Manpower to Horsepower also provides a ride-along program that is handicap accessible. The program utilizes custom-made late model cars that allow a handicapped passenger the opportunity to ride around dirt tracks. Manpower to Horsepower founder Sue Robinson says the impetus for the ride-along program comes from seeing the handicapped restricted to the role of spectator at "driving experience" programs at the speedway.
"It broke my heart," Robinson says. "I have been very fortunate in my life and experiencing those that were handicapped and left behind really made me want to give back as I've been given. It's never been done before and no one ever thought we could do it but we proved them wrong and developed it."
For a $5 donation for adults, $3 for children 10 and younger, the spaghetti dinner includes spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, garlic bread and coffee, soda or water. The event also offers a silent auction and bake sale, as well as raffles for five Thanksgiving dinners for families of four and one Playstation PS3 game system.
Donations of cash or items for the silent auction are being accepted at the Manpower to Horsepower office. For more information, contact Stephanie Piorkowski at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 704-230-9529.
Christmas returns to downtown H'ville
A Huntersville Christmas, presented by Priority Honda, will return to downtown Huntersville Saturday, Dec. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Huntersville Parks and Recreation Department will transform downtown Huntersville into a winter wonderland complete with a snow slide for the family, sponsored by CMC Huntersville.
Other activities planned for younger kids are pony rides, clown bounce, a carousel, ferris wheel, train rides, rapid slide, swing ride and a hay ride. For older children and teens, there will be a rock climbing wall and bonfire at the caboose next to the Huntersville Farmer's Market shelter. Crafts will be organized by Discovery Place KIDS! at Huntersville Town Center, along with a coloring contest. At Huntersville Volunteer Fire Department Station No. 1, children can meet Santa, watch and participate with jugglers, write letters to Santa, and have their faces painted. Also at the fire station, Bill Turner, author of The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, will hold a book signing.
Mrs. Claus will read aloud popular holiday stories at the Huntersville Police Department. A magic show will be performed at 6 and 7 p.m. at Huntersville Town Hall and Radio Disney will also be on site with a live radio remote. Youth group members of Huntersville Presbyterian Church will perform a live nativity on the church lawn, with show times at 5:30, 6:15, and 7 p.m.
There will be a variety of acts performing on stage in between the fire station and the Town Center parking garage with performances by the Huntersville Elementary School Chorus, Blythe Elementary School Chorus, Torrence Creek Show Biz Kidz and Independence Hill Baptist Church. Between those shows, Terpsichore's Dance Centre will perform various dance routines. Wrapping up the evening on stage will be teen band Elia, performing at 7:10 p.m.
The Huntersville Farmers Market will be open, featuring local businesses and craft booths. Downtown restaurants such as Lupie's and Café 100 will be open for dinner. Also available will be hot dogs, nachos, pretzels and more offered by vendors throughout the event area.
A Huntersville Christmas has once again partnered with Angels and Sparrows Soup Kitchen in Huntersville. Attendees are encouraged to bring a small donation of canned broths, canned fruit, canned vegetables or gallon-size tea bags to donate to the soup kitchen. No outdated items can be accepted. Decorated donation boxes will be at several locations throughout the event site. The Huntersville Police Department will also accept donations of new, unwrapped toys as part of its annual toy drive for underprivileged children. Toys may be dropped of at the police department on Gilead Road.
Parking is available at Huntersville Elementary School, Huntersville Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church of Huntersville, Huntersville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the parking deck at the Town Center, accessed only off the Gilead Road entrance. Motorists through the downtown area should be aware of detours. Highway 115 will be blocked from Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road to Gilead Road, and on Huntersville-Concord Road from Highway 115 to Main Street beginning at 3 p.m.
Sponsors are Priority Honda, CMC Huntersville, Lake Norman Citizen, The Herald Weekly, Discovery Place KIDS, Radio Disney, Tom Johnson Camping Center, Guignard Properties, ElectriCities, Brian's Dog House Grill, Huntersville Eye Care Center, Ballas Chiropractic, Presbyterian Hospital, Blue Harbor Bank, The Learning Experience, Terpsichore's Dance Centre and Marc Allen Orthodontics.
Cornelius PARC holds holiday party
The Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation & Culture (PARC) Department will present its annual Holiday Celebration Saturday, Dec. 3, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Ave. The free party begins immediately following the North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade, and features music, family-friendly activities and a visit from Santa. Activities include holiday-themed crafts, community performances, a magic show and more. Free photo opportunities with Santa will also be available.
This event is supported by media sponsor the Lake Norman Citizen and contributing sponsor MI-Connection. For more information, call 704-892-6031, ext. 160, or visit www.corneliuspr.org.
Birkdale Crossing holiday craft fair
The Holiday Craft Fair at the Crossing Art Festival will be held Saturday, Nov. 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shoppes at Birkdale Crossing on Sam Furr Road in Huntersville. Twenty-five regional artists will exhibit and sell jewelry, pottery, paintings, candles and much more. Live music with Ang Medlin & The New Groove will be performed from 1 to 3 p.m. and there will be free kids craft activities.
The event follows the Fall Craft at the Crossing Festival held on Oct. 1, with many of the artists will be returning with new vendors added. This free event is sponsored by 32 Flavors Boutique and The Nook Coffee Bar & Eatery, with support from the management of the Shoppes at Birkdale Crossing. For more information, visit the shopping center's Facebook page www.facebook.com/craftatthecrossing or by calling 704-896-3232.
LNRMC seminars on knee replacement
Informational seminars about new technology for painful osteoarthritis of the knee, MAKOplasty, that is now offered at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, will be held twice each month beginning in December.
James P. McDonald, MD, orthopedic surgeon with Northshore Orthopedic & Sports Medicine in Mooresville and medical director of The Orthopedic & Spine Center of Lake Norman, and David C. Hillsgrove, MD, also an orthopedic surgeon with Northshore Orthopedic & Sports Medicine, will present the new technology in free public seminars the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. The seminars will be held at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center Community Rooms A and B beginning Dec. 13 and 20, and continuing each month through 2012. The hospital is at Exit 33 off I-77 in Mooresville.
Using robotic technology, MAKOplasty can provide quicker rehabilitation and more natural knee motion post-surgery compared to a total knee replacement. To learn more about these free seminars or to register attendance, contact Tara Casper-Vitale at 704-660-4164 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
'Fry Boys' planning for Thanksgiving
The "Carrington Ridge Fry Boys" are still gathering donations for their annual Thanksgiving Day turkey fry to provide holiday meals for those who may not otherwise have one.
Donations toward this year's effort already include 131 turkeys, 180 aluminum pans, 14 propane tanks, 42 gallons of peanut oil, 1,000 yards of aluminum foil, 32 rolls of paper towels, cardboard drops to place beneath the turkey fryers and more. Major turkey donors include Bottom Dollar Foods (59), Boy Scout Troop 777 (31) and Harris Teeter (30). Other major donors/sponsors include Louanna Oil; LongHorn Steakhouse; Chris Conlon of Agents Alliance; Jeff Muecke, Shawn Jorgensen, Andrew Tramontana and April Rhodes of Universal Technical Institute; and the Carrington Ridge Community.
The "Fry Boys," Kevin Moran and John Decoteau of Huntersville's Carrington Ridge neighborhood, continue to seek sponsors and donations of several items to make this year's turkey fry a success. More 10- to 12-pound turkeys are still needed to reach the goal of 150 and non-perishible food items to be delivered to area soup kitchens and food banks are also wanted.
Decoteau and Moran at the pool pavilion in Huntersville's Carrington Ridge neighborhood by 4 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, and the team of volunteers will get to work shortly thereafter. Volunteers are needed to help fry and assemble meals as well as to help Boy Scout Troop 777 deliver the food to the shelters. To offer help in the form of donations or volunteer help, send Decoteau an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 704-909-9278.
— Staff
