As part of Mayor Anthony Foxx’s Healthy Children; Healthy Family and Youth Engagement Convention Legacies, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership (The Housing Partnership), Humana Inc., KaBOOM! (a national non-profit organization that has built more than 2,100 playgrounds), Charlotte in 2012, and volunteers will join forces on Saturday, Aug. 4 to build a one-of-a-kind, multi-generational playground in Charlotte at the Village of Rosedale Apartments. The customized playground, funded primarily by Humana (a leading health and wellness company), along with a contribution from The Housing Partnership, was created with personal drawings and input from local community members – from children to seniors –

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The campaign trail gets a little wilder this summer when Discovery Place and the EpiCentre bring a nonpartisan contest to Uptown Charlotte, offering a chance at victory for anyone willing to get in the race. Beginning July 30, a total of 24 specially-marked donkey and elephant toy animals will be hidden throughout the EpiCentre and its resident businesses. Each ‘political animal’ will be redeemable for two tickets to Discovery Place, including entry to the National Geographic Crittercam: The World Through Animal Eyes exhibition, plus two tickets to Discovery Place’s Charlotte Observer IMAX ® Dome Theatre to see polar bears frolic

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The 11th Annual 24 Hours of Booty presented by Levine Cancer Institute starts on Friday, July 27 at 7:00p.m.; ends on Saturday, July 28 at 7:00 p.m., rain or shine. This is the Official 24-Hour Cycling Event of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the premier 24-hour road cycling charity event in the country. 1,200 participants plus 250 reboot riders are expected to ride in the 11th Annual 24 Hours of Booty – a team-oriented event open to participants of all ages and skill levels to raise funds for Levine Cancer Institute, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, The Keep Pounding Fund at

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Floods are the most common natural disaster in the nation and in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Heavy rain can overwhelm the drainage system even when that system is properly functioning and maintained. Intense rainfall can lead to flooded streets, yards and buildings, and can send streams over their banks. Flood safety reminders from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services: * Do not drive through floodwater. It takes only two feet of water to carry a car or SUV from the roadway. Turn around, don’t drown. * Do not walk or play in floodwater. Only six inches of moving water can sweep a person off their

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Country music star Trace Adkins is rolling up his sleeves next week to help revitalize Charlotte’s Urban Ministry Center (UMC). After a nationwide vote, the UMC was chosen to receive up to $50,000 worth of much needed renovations from Drops of Good: The Maxwell House Community Project. The UMC offers vital services such as a soup kitchen, dental care, showers and laundry, while also providing temporary shelter, substance abuse treatment and education to the community in hopes of ending homelessness. In partnership with Rebuilding Together of the Carolinas, Maxwell House will renovate the multi-purpose room to create more office space,

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There is a new way to pay your water and sewer bill. Recently, the City of Charlotte partnered with Western Union to offer customers the ability to pay charges on their City Services Bill at over 125 authorized Western Union locations in Mecklenburg County. For a convenience fee of $1.50, residents can drop by an authorized Western Union branch and make a payment. “This new service gives our customers an additional payment option and is part of our commitment to enhancing citizen service,” said City Revenue Manager Susan Walker. “The payments can be made at authorized Western Union branches in

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Jacob’s Ladder Job Center, Inc. (JLJC) is in a financial crisis and needs to raise $200,000 by August 15 to continue its mission of putting people back to work, to keep their core program at The Plaza operating and avoid layoffs. “Unfortunately, due to a series of unexpected circumstances, Jacob’s Ladder Job Center is suddenly facing the most critical time in our history so we are reaching out to the Charlotte community for support,” said Holly Cummings, who became Executive Director at the end of March. “Through the leadership transition last year from a long-term executive director to an interim

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Public meetings will be held next week to show draft floodplain maps affecting more than 7,000 individual properties on Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s west side from Cornelius to Pineville. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services is redrawing floodplain maps, sometimes called Flood Hazard Maps, for the entire county. (Image shown is stock photo, not local.) The remapping is being done in phases over several years. The newest set of floodplain maps is for Phase 2. It includes western sections of Charlotte, Cornelius, Huntersville and Pineville along with a small portion of Davidson. Postcards have been mailed to thousands of property owners whose land may be

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The Charlotte Rescue Mission is calling on the community to help the homeless and those in need, by donating food to fill our pantries at Rebound and the new Dove’s Nest. Local residents can help by dropping off donations at either location between now and August 12th. “The homeless are vulnerable and hungry throughout the year, not just during the holidays and winter months.” says Rev. Tony Marciano, Executive Director of the Charlotte Rescue Mission. “A life-altering change for someone in need can begin with just one meal.” The Charlotte Rescue Mission prepares over 400 meals a day. And even

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Due to the record breaking heat wave Charlotte is experiencing, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Centers have run out of fans to distribute to seniors across Mecklenburg County. The waiting list for fans grows daily. Please support our seniors by making a financial donation of $16 or by donating a new fan so that we can continue to support the need for the 2012 Heat Relief Program. We can only extend this year’s program with the generosity of friends like you. Your donation may save the life of a senior during this record summer heat 20″ box fans move air that cools

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