Lithuanian travels, Eagle honors, car parties and more

Martin Harrison's camera captured these bright faces before a Lithuanian Dance Festival this summer. Find out the Davidson connection below.

What a nice weekend for outdoor activities.  Now the cooler, damp weather offers a chance to dust, vacuum or wash the summer grit off windows!  Bummer of a job!

Today Around Davidson finally catches up with the summer mission trip to Lithuania by Davidson United Methodist Church. We also congratulate Davidson’s newest Eagle Scout, Brian Cotter, and hear about the Cotter’s Annual Woody Party.  Finally there are a few Noteworthy Notes about Jeanne Stone’s family as well as a family gathering for Van Lear Logan.

DUMC TRAVELS TO LITHUANIA

We introduced Jeff Hassel and his wife, Julija, to you earlier in Around Davidson (“Pastor Hassel,” Mar 31, 2009).  Jeff is an associate pastor at Davidson United Methodist Church (DUMC) as well as a “man with a mission.”  He readily admits to being a Methodist “mission broker” encouraging church members to consider one of 11 in-house mission trips or one of 35 trips sponsored by the NC Western Conference of the United Methodist Church in coming months.

The DUMC Lithuanian Mission Group standing before the Hill of Crosses in Siauliai. (l-r) Peggy, Russell, Charlotte Harrison, Grace Barkley, Cat Rutledge, Jeff and Julija Hassel, Wayne Movery, Phil Visser, Mary Deal, Annie and Claire Rutledge; kneeling: Kyle Rutledge (l) and Martin Harrison

This summer Jeff and his wife, Julija, served a trip leaders for a group of 12 DUMC members who traveled to Lithuania with three goals in mind:  to build relationships with people of their partner church, to learn about Lithuania’s rich culture and traditions, and to enjoy their time in that country.  Joining the Hassels were Martin and Peggy Harrison with their twins, Charlotte and Russell; Kyle and Cat Rutledge with their girls, Annie and Claire; Grace Barkley; Wayne Mowery; Phil Visser and Mary Deal.

Leaving June 26, the group spent their first week in the small city of Siauliai, Lithuania, getting to know the church members of St. Luke’s UMC, DUMC’s partner church for almost 14 years.  Daily lunches at the church were a highlight for the group but a lasting memory will be their time spent over three days interacting with children at the orphanage there.  An inspiring moment was the placement of Wayne Mowery’s handmade cross on the Hill of Crosses outside the town.  The thousands of crosses there symbolize the perseverance of Lithuanians to keep crosses posted for over 40 years until freedom from the Soviet Union was achieved in 1990 – despite Soviet attempts to level the hill.

The second week found the group in the capital city of Vilnius where they explored the Old Town, witnessed the re-dedication of the Kings Palace and enjoyed the many cultural events celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the country.  They attended a dance festival (with 7,000 dancers from age four to adult), a national song festival, and parades in addition to an evening at the opera in 700-year-old Trakai Castle, a visit to the KGB museum and a worship service in Vilnius.  All enjoyed spending time with Julija Hassel’s parents, Birute and Adolfas Sorys in Vilnius and getting to know her twin brother, Albinas.  It was a wonderful trip for this multi-age group and as Cat Rutledge remarked:  “The trip gave my girls an entirely different perspective of the world.”  That do doubt holds true for most who learn so much from mission trips!

AN EAGLE COURT OF HONOR

Davidson's newest Eagle Scout is Brian Cotter shown here with his parents, Tom and Pat.

Congratulations to Brian Cotter, son of Pat and Tom Cotter of Davidson, who received Boy Scouting’s highest award in an Eagle Court of Honor held at SouthLake Presbyterian Church on Sunday, September 27.

Brian, a freshman at Wake Forest University, is a member of Boy Scout Troop 313.  He got his start in scouting as a 6th grader at SouthLake Christian Academy and earned 36 badges on his “road” to Eagle.  For his Eagle project, Brian worked with Steve Fraher of Davidson Parks and Recreation Department (also an Eagle Scout), installing color coded mileage markers for the mountain bike trails at Fisher Farm.  He designed the trail signs and installed them every 1/4 mile, completing the project this past December.  These markers have proved to be an excellent reference for competitive riders to know their distance covered.

Troop 313 Scoutmaster Ken Barna presented Brian with his Eagle badge in an afternoon ceremony attended by his parents, grandmother Johanna McCloskey and aunt Christa Skiebe as well as many friends and fellow scouts.  A reception followed the ceremony.  Brian is the 13th Eagle award presented in this decade-old troop.

Congratulations, Brian.  You are now a “marked man!”

TIME TO CELEBRATE THE WOODY

Could this be a Woody Chick-Magnet for the beach?

The Cotter family stays busy.  Two weeks after Brian’s Eagle award ceremony, Tom and Pat hosted their 11th Annual Woody Party at their home in Westmoreland Farm.  Antique Woodys were lined up at the front door with cool cars, muscle cars, old cars and sports cars finding parking spots in their designated areas around the cul-de-sac.

Admission this year was “a case of canned food” to be distributed to an area homeless shelter.  Nice idea for the many car enthusiasts who gathered to enjoy fellowship and BBQ on a picture perfect fall day.  Many brought cameras to record on their memory cards the sleek lines of a Ferrari or Aston Martin.  Ah, one can dream!  (Maybe a simple Woody with a surfboard atop would be easier on the wallet.)  Thanks to the Cotters for a wonderful party.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

A Nice Tradition

The Logan – Arbuckle families have an interesting tradition.  They gather each time one of their late family members would have celebrated a 100th birthday and hold a party in memory of that person.  This past September 18, Woodland Street resident Van Lear Logan hosted a party to celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of late mother, Del Arbuckle Logan.  Joining Van Lear on the happy occasion were  Howard and Margaret Arbuckle of Greensboro, their daughter, Ada Adele Arbuckle (a graduate student at Meredith College) and their son, Matthew, who is working in Jacksonville, FL.  Also attending was Corinne Arbuckle Allen, visiting from Chattanooga where she is the executive director of Benwood Foundation.  The group had a wonderful dinner and a good time reminiscing about Del and what would have been her 100th birthday!

News of an Award from Jeanne Stone

Jeanne Stone has lived at The Pines for almost ten years.  She moved here from the Northeast to be closer to her son, Jay Stone and his wife, Candy, who have a home on Lake Norman.  But Jeanne also finds time to travel frequently to visit her son, Jim, in Michigan as well as her son, Gary, who has homes in Connecticut and New York, and keep tabs on her four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Recently Jeanne spent a few weeks with Gary Stone and his wife, Sharon, at their Danbury, CT, property which was honored by the Candlewood Lake Authority in that town.  The Stones bought their lakeside home six years ago and have worked tirelessly on the sloping grounds to install barrier plantings and prevent runoff.  Sharon commented that their never ending battle with vines and weeds finally paid off with a beautiful environmentally-friendly terraced back yard.  Now the couple has a Lake Authority sign for the front and back yard – each stating that theirs in a “Lake Friendly Shoreline.”  Gary, Sharon and Mom Jeanne (who has been an eco-enthusiast her entire life) all have reason to be proud.

Send us your news

Have news for Brenda? Write to her at hbarger@bellsouth.net.

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