In the spirit of the holiday season — and what a spirit it was — the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte's Holiday Ensemble brought a program of delightful sacred and secular music.
     They even got club members involved in two songs. In "Deck the Halls," members were the "Fa, la, las," and gave a quite credible performance. But we really shined through, ringing the bells (car keys and knives on water glasses) during the chorus of "Jingle Bells."
     Under the direction of assistant director Donna Hill the ensemble started with the sacred and ended with more popular songs. "It's a Most Wonderful Time of the Year" was followed by "0 Come All Ye Faithful."
     In the full spirit of the season, the 23 singers plus Hill and accompanist Hillary Lathan next gave a beautiful version of "Light One Candle." It's a Hanukkah song written by Peter Yaro of Peter, Paul and Mary fame.
     "In the Bleak Midwinter" was especially moving, and the ensemble gave a new twist to the French carol, "Ding Dong Merrily on High."
     On the fun side, Rotarians were especially captivated by an adaptive version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
     Appropriately, Richard Early of the Charlotte Symphony introduced the group.
     "The Oratorio Singers," he said, "were established in 1952 by their founding director Earl Berg. Since that time, they have grown into the largest choral organization in the Carolinas and consist of five different ensembles." These are the 160-voice main chorus, the 40-voice Oratorio Chamber Singers, the men's a cappella group 'Round Midnight, the Summer Pops Chorus (which performs with the symphony at SouthPark in June), and the 70-voice Charlotte Youth Oratorio Singers, made up of gifted young musicians from throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg and beyond.
     Said Early, the Oratorio Chamber Singers and 'Round Midnight recently recorded their first compact disc entitled "Sacred Voices of America." "The disc includes one of the few extant recordings of Aaron Copland's masterful a cappella work, 'In the Beginning,' and the rousing 'In the First Light' with 'Round Midnight and Tenor Frank Portone, which you may have heard at one of the Charlotte Symphony's recent Magic of Christmas performances," Early said.
     The meeting was the last for year 2000, according to President Don. There will be no meeting next week on December 26, the day after Christmas. We will next meet on January 2 — for purists, the first meeting of the new millennium.
     Peggy Wesp introduced one of the largest groups of visitors and visiting Rotarians that we've had in many months. Howard Chadwick led in singing "Joy to the World," and Bill Wood gave the invocation.
     At a brief annual meeting, new officers, presented by Nominating Committee Chair past president Worth Williamson, were elected for the Rotary year beginning July 1, 2001. They are David Anderson, president; Hope Lanier, treasurer; Mary-Stuart Brooks, secretary.
     Also elected were a slate of directors for two-year terms, July 2001 to June 2003. They are Theresa Evans, Tom Robertson, Jeannie Falknor, Bill Furr, John Tabor and David Zimmerman.
     President Don and the club recognized the Four Points wait staff with applause and a Christmas gratuity, and he also announced that the Inner Wheel had raised $500 with its raffle at the previous meeting.
     Those at the head table included Bill Underwood, Larry Sagehorn, Phil Volponi, Bill Loftin, Jr., and Winn Maddrey, in addition to President Don, Wood and Early.
     The best of the holiday season and a happy new year!

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to all of our members who participated in the Inner Wheel Holiday Raffle on December 12. You donated $500 to the drive which supports local charities and the Inner Wheel Foundation which provides artificial hands for children.

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New Member

JAMES EDWARD KALE, III

Joined 1982
Rejoined 2000

Carolina Income Management Group, LLC
1400 Harding PI., Ste. 100 (28204)
704-335-4112
FAX 704-335-4116
email: ekale@carolinaincome.com

     Ed is a native of Lincolnton, N.C. He is a graduate of Darlington School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (BSBA). He was active in campus activities and a member of Beta Theta Pi social fraternity. After serving in the U.S. Navy (Lt.-USNR) during the Vietnam War, he returned to the University of North Carolina and received his Masters of Business Administration (MBA). He was selected for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honorary society.
     After graduation, Ed worked for Wachovia Bank as a commercial mortgage loan officer in Charlotte. He left the bank to join a construction and land development firm where he became a licensed realtor and general contractor. He left this firm to return to Lincolnton and establish his own construction company. He has developed land and built custom homes, small strip centers, medical office parks and apartments. He ran a component home manufacturing plant and developed a patio home subdivision in Surfside Beach, South Carolina.
     In 1985, Ed moved to Charleston, S.C., as a consultant to Middleton Inn Associates to complete the construction of Middleton Inn. He established a commercial real estate company and was involved in the development, management and ownership of over 200,000 square feet of office, retail and commercial warehouse space. In 1993, he joined a Huddle House franchisee as the chief financial officer and developed and managed nine Huddle House restaurants. He was responsible for site location, development, construction and financial management.
     In 1997, Ed returned to Charlotte to establish a new development company with John Singleton and Rex Welton, which became Carolina Income Management Group, LLC. As CEO, Ed will combine his construction knowledge and financial expertise to oversee the financial and development operations of its principal development, the 433-acre mixed-use Morrison Plantation.
     His past civic and community activities include: President of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce; Director of the Centralina SBIC; President of the Home Builders Association; Co-chairman of the Lincoln County Water for Progress; Rotary Club; Organizer and Director of the Lincoln Bank of North Carolina; the Commercial Income Properties Council (CIPC) of the Charleston Board of Realtors; Vice President and Treasurer of the Huddle House Franchisee Association; Organizer, past Elder and Deacon of James Island Christian Church; and a member of the Gideons International. Ed also serves on the Board of Directors for High Pastures, a Christian Retreat Center.
     Welcome to Charlotte Rotary, Ed.

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