The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 30

wwwlakcncighborscom I SUNDAY DECEMBER 24 2006 15N CORNELIUS A tribute to friends of pets CURRENTLY PRE-K THROUGH 5 THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER They keep our beloved animals safe sheltered and healthy year-round ri vvfwmTrip jiri yyjr school to add 2 grades Grace Covenant Academy will offer 6th 7th starting next fall COURTESY OF DARLENE LECLAIR Students at Cornelius Elementary collected pet supplies in response to a schooiwide challenge to show examples of the December Character Education trait of caring The items will be donated to the Cornelius Animal Shelter to benefit animals awaiting adoption This is the second year that media specialist Darlene LeClair (far right) has organized the pet supply drive 5 wl it 2 i-t ffz give him Kayla has also adopted Mimi an old Boston Terrier with bulging eyes She took Mimi home for the night and her mother and dad fell in love with the dog and kept her A personal tribute About two weeks ago my ferret Lillian had to be rushed to the emergency vet We have two dogs and two ferrets and Lillian is the pet closest to my heart When I knew something was wrong with Lillian I panicked I raced her to her vet emergency flashers blinking and passing cars that were too slow Although our regular ferret vet was unavailable Dr Matt Thompson quickly took charge diagnosed Lillian and made her temporarily well Lie also consulted with Dr Lauren Powers the exotic animal specialist and regular vet Poplin said she sends her children to the academy for "the small classes and the extra attention and the fact that sueh a safe and loving Planning for the expansion started about a year ago said Paul Glenn administrative pastor wanted the education experience to continue after elementary Glenn said wanted to provide them with what wc perceived to be a safe environment for them to It will cost more than $200000 to add the two grade levels in the first year Glenn said Tire money to fund the expansion will come from school fundraisers tuition fees and Grace Covenant Church which governs the school Middle school tuition is $5500 the first year Tuition will increase to $6000 the following year Open enrollment begins in January Goodwin said the school plans to add an eighth-grade class in 2008 In about three years school leaders plan to design an additional facility on the church property that would feature a gymnasium and classroom space to accommodate the growth Glenn said Lena Warmack: 704-987-3670 ext 14 Thank you to everyone who makes Cornelius sueh a wonderful place to live But not only is it a special home for the humans our animals are lucky too There arc facilities for our animals to have fun to go when they need care and even exceptional people who make sure our animals are appreciated Thank you to some special people who love animals is Since the December character trait at Cornelius Elementary School was caring media specialist Darlene LeClair came up with the slogan is LeClair said her heart goes out to the animals in the Cornelius Animal Shelter so she decided to arrange a drive to donate needed supplies to the dogs and cats try to instill in the children a sense of taking the initiative for the responsibility of LeClair said am an animal person Since animals speak for or take care of themselves if humans take care for them who On Dec 1 she started announcing on the morning school news that the school was collecting things for supplies for the shelter something was she said parents even my neighbor donated something The kids arc really behind the fact that we need an adequate animal In the media center there were lots of bags cans and boxes of dog and cat food and treats Also donated were blankets towels toys and doggie jackets little girl brought in a box of tissue She said it was for the dogs in case they got a LeClair added In the next week LeClair plans to present these supplies to the shelter Smuggler returns On Dec 3 while his humans were bringing in their Christmas tree Smuggler the cat decided to venture outside Smuggler is 3 Zi and had never been outside of his home in Jetton Cove family the Devocs put fliers in every mailbox and posters all over Jetton Cove Emerald Cove Sawyers Landing and Jetton Village Christine Devoe mom said have lived in Jetton Cove for almost six years and thankfully have made many many friends Everyone was looking for Two weeks went by and the family had a hard time preparing By Lena Warmack Iwarmack'dicharlotteobservercom Grace Covenant Academy a private Christian school off Statesville Road in Cornelius will expand next fall by adding middle school classes Since 2001 the school has offered pre-kindergarten to fifth-grade classes With about 130 students most of whom have attended the academy since before kindergarten principal Kim Goodwin said the expansion will give the students an opportunity to continue their education at the school "We try to get to know the kids personally and try to help them strive for academic excellence and spiritual Goodwin said The academy will add a sixth- and seventh-grade class Both classes will have at least 15 students each and will be held at the existing academy building Grace Covenant Church a two-story 88000-square-foot building houses the academy wing Mooresville resident Wendy Poplin a mother of two said her children will attend the middle school Poplin has a 9-year-old son in fourth grade and a 5-ycar-old daughter in kindergarten who both attend the academy I rsmi If i -1 When she examined my ferret Powers determined Lillian needed surgery so Powers and Julie Coats a registered veterinary technician cared for my little ferret before during and after her operation Powers assured me that she would Lillian like she is my and she did Now my precious animal is home the only evidence ever been sick is the shaved fur and the scar on her tummy As Powers handed Lillian to me after the surgery and recovery she said I am very thankful to have my Lillian this Christmas and for many more holidays to come Lillian is the best Christmas present I could have ever asked for Lisa Daidone lives in Cornelius Have an item for her? Write: ldaidonecharlotteobservercom P' M1 Vi I -J 7046604000 1-77 at exit 33 Radiation oncology may be the furthest thing from your mind but know it's as close as Lake Norman Regional for the holidays On Dec 19 Devoe received a phone call from Kalyana White a neighbor on her cul-de-sac White asked if Smuggler was still missing since a black cat that had eaten some turkey on their deck was back for more Devoe went running to her house and came home five minutes later with her cat Smuggler an endless amount of water and ate and Devoe told me went to sleep under the Christmas tree Our Christmas Thanks to teen volunteer Beth Phillips and Terry Fillow the directors of North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue want to thank a special volunteer Kayla Wynn for her dedication Kayla who is 17 plans to start college in January Beth and Terry joke that Kayla should be a veterinarian but plans are headed in the direction of an animal trainer Kayla volunteers at the rescue every day At first the Web site wwwnorthmecklen-burganimalrescueorg was pretty basic Kayla changed all that adding links and pictures and more information about the dogs available for adoption Kayla also tries to save dogs whose lives are at risk She worked to save some newborn puppies whose mother had died Eventually Kayla had to make sure the puppies were drinking milk those that drink from a bottle had to be fed with a syringe Another case this past summer the rescue was supposed to pick up five puppies to help they came back with 23 They sure if any of the puppies would survive Kayla had to make sure these puppies had their intravenous medications Oz the dog was rescued and now belongs to Kayla Terry said take him home and bring him back and then Kayla kept him because she boat to address an increasing number of lake-related current boat is a rigid-hull inflatable boat and retrofitted for fire use carry only one patient and three rescuers boat also has a pump only pump 500 gallons minute proposed new boat features: 2000-gallon-per-minute climate-controlled to transport six patients backboards to transport 20 people backboards Fire pump with foam capabilities for flammable liquid fires Details: wwwcorneliusfdorg To make a tax-deductible donation to the the campaign send to: Cornelius-Lcmley Fire Rescue PO Box 311 Cornelius NC 28031 far 2 1 7 Right now probably thinking more about your to-do list than the benefits of radiation oncology But that will change if you or someone you love is diagnosed with cancer Know that treatments like brachytherapy and chemotherapy save lives at Lake Norman Regional And that our team of oncologists surgeons hematologists and oncology cerlified nurses specialize in cancer diagnosis treatment and care So while we hope you never have to face the trauma ol a cancer diagnosis know the advanced technology and expertise it takes to fight cancer is at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center i i I Cornelius Briefs I shawn cetrone Winter Basketball League Registration is open through Wednesday for the Cornelius Parks and Recreation first Winter Basketball League Register at Cornelius Town Mall 21445 Catawba Ave Participants must be 18 at the time of registration Cost: $450 per team with an additional fee of $10 for nonresident participants Registration is limited to the first eight teams and is on a first-come first-served basis Games begin Jan 3 All will be on Wednesday evenings at Bailey Middle School 11900 Bailey 704-896-2460 Road and-rescue calls The 23-foot purchased department It can on a backboard The that can of water per The A pump Enclosed cabin Ability on Ability not on Comprehensive Oncology Care Board-certified Physician Specialists Nuclear Imaging Brachytherapy Chemotherapy Radiation Therapy A Lake Norman 'Regional Medical Center Advancing Healthcare wwwcorneliusprorg Fire Rescue seeks money for a boat Cornelius-Lcmley Fire Rescue is raising money to buy a firc- Mooresville LNRMCcom.