Dr. Sharon Allison-Ottey, a native of Kannapolis and graduate of A.L. Brown High, has released a new line of greeting cards ó Cards by Dr. Sharon ó with inspirational messages about health and wellness.
The card line is an extension of her recent novels, which have been coined “fiction with a purpose.”
The greeting cards will feature cards for every occasion, each with “A Moment of Health and Wellness” on the back.
In honor of her roots, Allison-Ottey chose to have Southern Charm at 131 West Ave., Kannapolis, be the first retail store to sell the cards. Southern Charm is owned by one of her high school classmates, Ronald Reynolds.
Allison-Ottey tries to provide health information in a manner that positively impacts lives. She describes the cards as “the cards that keep on giving.”
Along with providing inspirational messages, 10 percent of the purchase price of each card will be donated to the Avon Foundation for Women to support its mission to improve the lives of women through its efforts to fight breast cancer and end domestic violence.
Cards also are available on the Cards by Dr. Sharon’s Web site at www.cardsbydrsharon.com.
Plans for a broader distribution of the cards are under way.
In the past three years, Dr. Sharon has published books that use storytelling to communicate critical health education and empowerment messages.
Allison-Otey is a lecturer, health strategist, medical researcher and health literacy advocate. She is the executive director of the COSHAR Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to health outreach and education.
Her own Web site is www.drsharon.com.
Workplace safety award for RCCC
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has earned a workplace safety award from the N.C. Department of Labor.
The award recognizes RCCC for reaching a million hours without a lost workday due to injury or illness.
From June 2007 through December 2008, RCCC logged more than 1.6 million employee hours without any full-time employee missing a day of work because of a work-related injury or illness.
RCCC employs approximately 345 full-time faculty and staff members at its Cabarrus and Rowan County campus locations.
Real Estate Investors meeting
The Concord subgroup of the Metrolina Real Estate Investors Association will meet Aug. 6 at Logan’s Roadhouse, 2341 Wonder Drive, Kannapolis.
Speaker Chad Hannon’s topic will be “Top 5 Insurance for Investors.”
Hannon has a combined 27 years of insurance experience with his marketing agent, Duane DiCola.
They will discuss the top five insurance needs for this industry.
Professional Housing Provider (PHP) credits can be earned.
The subgroup will meet from 6-7 p.m. for networking, dinner and announcements, and the program and questions will go from 7-8 p.m.
For more information, contact Cherrathee Hager, subgroup coordinator, at 704-490-2001, or at TwinOakProperties4U@yahoo.com.
Couples attend business conference
Thirty-four couples from North and South Carolina and Georgia attended the Cooperative Education Conference for Couples held June 26-28 at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club in South Carolina.
The couples gathered to learn how cooperative businesses are organized and maintained, how they differ from other types of corporations and what economic and service benefits they offer to member-owners.
Carolina Farm Credit sponsored three couples who attended the conference: Luke and Meredith Knox of Cleveland; Luke and Kathy Beam of Lawndale; and Jeff and Mary Cornwell of Lawndale.
The Knoxes were selected as Outstanding Couple for 2009. Luke Knox is a farmer on the Knox Hill Farm with dairy replacement heifer operations. Meredith Knox is a medical assistant.
They are co-op members with Southern States, Energy United and Carolina Farm Credit and are active with the Holstein Club in Rowan and the West Rowan FFA alumni.
The Knoxes are invited to attend the Cooperative Council’s annual meeting next year and serve as host couple for the 2010 Couples Conference.
Pink Mouse embroidery
CONCORD ó Pink Mouse Embroidery will have its grand opening and ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. Tuesday at 36 Union St. S.
The store offers custom embroidery and designing for individuals, schools, clubs, businesses and more. Digitizing and designing is done in the shop, with thousands of designs to choose from, or customers can bring their own.
For more information go to www.pinkmouseembroidery.com, or phone 704-721-0109.
Citizens South spotlight
Citizens South Bank is expanding its “Business Spotlight” program in Rowan County, allowing small business owners to generate sales leads and connect with new clientele through marketing displays in branch banks.
“As a community bank we understand the challenges this tough economy poses to our customers, especially small business owners,” said Patricia Kahle, senior vice president of retail banking with Citizens South.
“Our Business Spotlight program gives local business owners extra visibility in the community and increased contact with potential new customers at very little cost.”
The program, which is open to small business owners who bank with Citizens South, provides them with a display table in the bank’s lobby for one month at no charge.
Business owners design their own displays which must include an enter-to-win prize offering.
The program started at the bank’s Monroe branch in February and has expanded to 14 of the bank’s retail banking offices in Gastonia, Belmont, Dallas, Stanley, Salisbury, Weddington, Mooresville, Statesville, Stallings, Rockwell and in Rock Hill, S.C.
Business owners who are interested in participating should contact their local Citizens South branch manager.
East Coast Wings sales growth
WINSTON-SALEM ó Thomas “Tom” Scalese, vice president of operations for East Coast Wings & Grill, announced a 6.071 percent same-stores sales growth for the second quarter.
East Coast Wings now has experienced 22 consecutive quarters of same stores sale growth for the brand.
“It is an impeccable accomplishment in today’s economic environment to show 22 consecutive quarters of same store sales growth” Scalese said.
East Coast Wings & Grill, which has a restaurant at Innes Street Market in Salisbury, is a casual dining concept with 75 flavors and more than 675 heat and flavor combinations of Buffalo wings, shrimp and tenders.
It also sells burgers, sandwiches, salads, wraps and more.
Online course will help farm families
Carolina Farm Credit has received a grant to cover the tuition and make a new e-learning financial and business management course available to N.C. farm families.
The online training will be offered statewide.
The Farm Credit University (Ag Biz Planner) curriculum includes financial planning, budgeting and other money matters essential to a farm’s success.
The program is funded by a $94,500 grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. The N.C. General Assembly established the commission in 2000 to help tobacco farmers, farm workers and related businesses impacted by the transition out of tobacco farming.
The commission’s funding comes from money paid by cigarette manufacturers as a result of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement.
Carolina Farm Credit’s Ag Biz Planner targets young, beginning, small and minority farmers throughout the state.
Participants will be assigned a Farm Credit loan officer to serve as a mentor throughout the course. Highlights of the program include modules that cover business and personal financial planning, understanding income statements, cash flow, the smart use of credit on the farm.
Each participant will have completed a business plan for their operation at the conclusion of the class. Priority will be given to former tobacco farmers and others impacted by the tobacco buyout.
The grant provides for training 60 producers in a set of two classes over the next two years.
Carolina Farm Credit is accepting applications for the program which will begin in October. Applications, a course outline and program information are available at www.CarolinaFarmCredit.com.Applications will be accepted through Sept. 1.
Brad Brady reaches Sierra level
Brad Brady of Salisbury, a financial representative with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, has qualified for the organization’s Sierra level for 2008 achievements
To qualify for the Sierra level, Brady demonstrated outstanding sales and service to members.
Brady is with Thrivent Financial’s SouthEast Regional Financial Office, serving Lutherans and their family members in Salisbury and the surrounding communities by providing financial guidance and solutions to help them achieve their financial goals.
Approximately 570 of Thrivent Financial’s 2,600 financial representatives qualified for the Sierra level. Brady has been with Thrivent Financial and its predecessor organizations for three years and has been recognized for his performance three times.
Youth attend conference
Thirty-eight youth representing N.C. cooperatives attended the 2009 Cooperative Youth Leadership Conference held June 22-26 at the N.C. FFA Center in White Lake.
During the week participants heard speakers representing soybean, electric, telephone and farm credit co-ops. They also took a bus to Wilmington for the day to tour the USS North Carolina Battleship and Fort Fisher aquarium.
They ended the day at the White Lake Water Park with a cookout sponsored by Star Telephone.
Along with the usual camp activities, the youth received training in the operation of cooperatives as a form of doing business. They organized a T-shirt cooperative, sold shirts to fellow campers, and donated the proceeds to breast cancer research and the SPCA.
Counselors for the week were employees of Farm Credit associations. They were: Marsha Williams, Carolina Farm Credit, Wilkesboro; Katie McEwen and Charles Barrett, AgCarolina Financial, Raleigh; and Scott Lee, Carolina Farm Credit, Statesville.
Azul Zapata of Statesville was the Outstanding Camper. She will receive an expense-paid trip to the 2009 National Institute on Cooperative Education to be held July 25-29 on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Genesis honors years of service
Genesis ElderCare’s Salisbury Center recently held its quarterly service awards presentation.
Dianne McConneaughey, in recognition of 20 years of service, received a dozen roses, $1,000 in cash, an honor badge, a 20-year pin, certificate of achievement and her name on a 20-year-club plaque in the center’s lobby.
Genesis also gave service pins in nursing to Geraldine Eagle, Elizabeth Foley and Mary Salber, all with 15 years; Mamie Smith and Amy Christy, both with five years; and Stacie Roach, three years.
Other pins awarded were Linda Brooks, five years, recreation; Nathanial Adkins, five years, housekeeping; Denise Daugherty, one year, administration; Sherry Click, five years, dietary; and Karen Buchanan, three years, dietary.
Submit information about new businesses, honors and management promotions to bizbriefs@salisburypost.com. Include a daytime phone number.