Conrad and Mary Schlup (Sloop) reunion

CHINA GROVE — The Conrad and Mary Schlup (Sloop) Family biennial reunion will be held at Lutheran Chapel Church 135 Eudy Road on Saturday, July 23.

The footstone for Conrad Schlup’s (Sloop’s) grave, approved at the 2014 reunion, is now in place. Those who attend the reunion this year are encouraged to visit the Savitz Church Cemetery at Lutheran Chapel Church, to see this granite stone which commemorates Conrad’s service in the American Revolution with The German Fusiliers of Charleston, SC, July 12, 1775- March 3, 1777.

George Savitz’s 252- year-old German Lutheran Bible will also be on display again this year.

NOTE: The Eudy Road railroad crossing at Lutheran Chapel Church has been closed. Access to Lutheran Chapel from South Main Street in China Grove is no longer possible. Use four-lane Highway 29/Bostian St./ Chapel St./ Eudy Road as your alternate route.

Reunion schedule: All family members are encouraged to bring a potluck. Registration is at 10 a.m., bring lunch and beverage and come join in the celebration.

Worship service: 11 a.m.

Lunch: Noon

Business meeting: 1 p.m.

Reunion president: Kevin D. Sloop, 818-512-8557.

 

90th Jacob Henry Hall Sloop reunion

Family and friends are invited to attend the 1 p.m. lunch and are asked to bring a well-filled picnic basket and beverage. The Lottie GoodmanFamily will be hosting the event. For more information, contact Amie Goodman at 704-591-2999 or amiegoodman@hotmail.com

 

Meet artist Brincefield at Carolina Artists

The Carolina Artists meeting at Rufty Holmes 1120 S. MLK Jr. Ave. on Thursday. July 21 at 7 p.m. will feature Salisbury Post illistrator Mark Brincefield. Also known as Mook, Brincefield has been with the Post for 27 years. His editoral cartoons can be seen on weekends. He is also a member of The Carolina Artists. His watercolors won first place and Best in Show at the annual Art Expo. This year’s expo is coming up Aug. 18-19.

Guests and new members are welcome. For more information call 704-216-7714.

 

Free performance of ‘Le Corsaire: A Pirates Tale’ by Piedmont Dance Theatre

KANNAPOLIS — Bring the whole family to enjoy Piedmont Dance Theatre’s presentation of “Le Corsaire: A Pirates Tale” on Saturday, July 23 at 7 p.m. at the Village Park Amphitheater.

PDT will be bringing to life a much-loved story in a fresh and unique way, putting its usual comedic touches on this production. This swashbuckler, appropriate for all ages, features a band of pirates, a pompous Pasha, and a magical garden. “Le Corsaire: A Pirates Tale” is a full-length story production comprised of ballet, character, jazz, and contemporary dance styles. This year, 41 students ranging in age from 8-18 join five professional dancers onstage.

No tickets are required. Bring blankets or lawn chairs and a picnic if desired. The performance is co-sponsored by the Kannapolis Parks and Recreation Department as part of their 2016 Summer Entertainment Series. For more information, please visit www.piedmontdancetheatre.com

 The Kneeling Gardeners

The Kneeling Gardeners met June 27 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Kannapolis for its monthly meeting. President Royce Thomason presided. Chaplain Janelle Murray had our devotions entitled “The Spoken Word.”

The guest speaker for the evening was Joey Tellegrin with Pike Nursery in South Charlotte. Joey is the nursery manager focusing on education of native plants and habitats. His program was on butterflies.   The United States is in a panic because we have lost the habitat for butterflies and other pollinators that provide so much for our environment. We are fortunate her in North Carolina and our county, that we still have green spaces.

Butterfly and moth develop through a process call metamorphosis. This is a Greek word that means transformation or change in shape. A butterfly has a complete metamorphosis. The young are called a larva and ae very different from the adults. It also eats different types of food. There are four stages in the metamorphosis of butterflies and moths: eggs. larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs are laid on plants by the adult female. These plants then become the food for the hatching larva or caterpillars.

The job of the caterpillar is to eat and eat. As the caterpillar grows it splits its skin and sheds it about 4 or 5 times. Food eaten at this time is stored and used later as an adult. They may grow as much as 100 times their size during this stage. When the caterpillar is full grown and stops eating, it becomes a pupa. The pupa may suspend under a branch hidden in leaves or buried in the ground. This stage can last from a few weeks to a month or longer. The caterpillar’s job was to eat and the adult’s job is to mate and lay eggs. Most adult butterflies live only one or two weeks. To attract the swallowtail (black and white) butterflies, plant parsley, dill and fennel that they love. Do not mind that some of your plant disappears and appears to be eaten, you will have a beautiful butterfly in your garden. Joey told us that sometimes we could buy a plant that already had a pupa on it and would take home a beautiful butterfly for later. Caterpillars eat what will deter their predators. A monarch caterpillar will only eat milkweed of any variety. It has a beautiful orange flower in your garden and will help promote the butterfly population. They like this because the milky sap from the plant is toxic and the birds will not eat monarch caterpillars. Fennell, parsley, dill and milk weed provide no energy for an adult. Penta plants are excellent sources of energy, as is the flowers of the milk week and lantana. Plant black and blue salvia for the butterflies and the hummingbirds will enjoy it too and return the following year. Soft mounding flowers allow the butterflies to rest and a butterfly bush is great for shelter were they can hide and rest and the numerous blooms provide plenty of food.  Acarnania or cone flowers are a perennial and is loved by the bees, hummers, finches and butterflies. Consider plants for your garden that promote the natural habitat of our pollinators. Feed butterflies rotten fruit such as peaches and bananas. Set them outside in a dish in the early morning and move then when evening comes.

Joey showed us how to make a butterfly dish for fresh water. Use only a ceramic dish, it has to be shallow, and fill it with pebbles and then cover the pebbles slightly with water. The butterflies can sit on the rocks and drink. A natural sponge can also be used in the center of the dish with the sponge being the last thing to dry out. A terracotta pot is not suitable because it is porous. Joey is a wonderful speaker with a vast knowledge to share with us as we continue our gardens and promote and reproduction of butterflies.

Refreshments were provided by Gail Punch, Faye Owens, Carlotta Powell, Mildred Turner and Chris Wielandt.Anyone interested in gardening is invited to attend. There will be no July meeting and August will be a planning meeting, but come September 26 when Betsy Smith of Kannapolis is having a program on decorating.

 

Alzheimer’s Association 2016 Dementia Education Conference

Charlotte — The Alzheimer’s Association 2016 Dementia Education Conference will be held Aug. 31 from 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m., bringing together 300+ caregivers, healthcare professionals, consumers, and anyone interested in learning more about dementia care. The day includes session options featuring local and national specialists as well as sponsors and vendors. Held at 3400 Beatties Ford Road. Registration is required at http://act.alz.org/site/Calendar?id=123413&view=Detail