There are a number of ways to show support for the Arts. We are blessed in this area by the Cabarrus Arts Council. This morning the organization hosted the 2019 Breakfast for the Arts. It is encouraging to see so many people from our county participating. You can learn more about the organization at #supportcabarts19 

Last month, I had an opportunity to reconnect with a former colleague. John Lowe and I worked at Apple Computer, Inc. through a vibrant decade. After 25 years of successful executive selling, John decided to share his expertise in developing and delivering compelling business presentations with the world. He also developed and taught courses on public speaking, is an Adjunct Faculty member with Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems,and a Certified Vistage Speaker for Vistage International. He currently consults with businesses regarding their sales and marketing messaging, and coaching their teams and executives on developing and delivering differentiated value proposition messaging.

John published two books to help guide leaders in the private and public sectors.
Passion for Presenting and Remarkable Presentations reflect his belief that, "We all make presentations every day. Some are professional in nature, propelling our careers forward. Some are community-focused, helping to support cause and projects which we care about. Others are quite informal, more personal in nature, perhaps even one-on-one. What they all have in common is they represent an opportunity for us to represent ourselves and our ideas to someone."

John is truly a Renaissance Man. His writing includes a recently released book. Ramblings of a Common Man: Everyday Poetry is a collection of poetry reflecting on life. It was written by a traveler on the path of human existence, observing what came his way. It is offered with gratitude, respect, and honor, with the hope of providing a flicker in the imagination, a spark for the senses and a slight embrace to the heart.

John's body of work is aligned to our mission. He encourages everyone to discover their hidden treasure. He is also an accomplished artist, with displays in several Art Galleries; more about that in a future update.

I look forward to posting several of John's short stories in our monthly Trail Tales Column. He has created a new service designed to serve the Senior Savvy newspaper readership. For those trying to preserve family memories, visit John's site at http://senior-stories.com/ 

March is a month of reflection and new birth. Readers of this blog know that novels aren’t the only place where written treasures are hidden in the narrative. Some are revealed in the chapters of a novella, the paragraphs of a short story, or the flow of a poem. My walking buddies and I decided to make a range of written material available to other hikers who frequent the Buffalo Creek Preserve and Trail.
The article posted this month was written by new contributor and hiking buddy, Barbara Baker. In her short story, "Do I Jump, or Don't I" Barbara reveals the genesis of her journey into the world of writing.

About - Barbara Baker
Barbara Baker is a retired Kindergarten teacher, who has been writing poetry for over 50 years.  She was born on the US Naval Submarine Base in New London, CT, but grew up in south Central New York State.  After graduating high school Barb chose to explore life for a few years before entering college. Her journey is captured in her writing. She can be contacted at poemtree68@gmail.com.

February is the shortest month of the year. For some readers , in some cultures, this birth month is represented as the month of the goat. Readers of this blog know that novels aren’t the only place where written treasures are hidden in the narrative. Some are revealed in the chapters of a novella, the paragraphs of a short story, or the flow of a poem. My walking buddies and I decided to make a range of written material available to other hikers who frequent the Buffalo Creek Preserve and Trail.
The article posted this month was written by James Polk. He describes a very special goat in his story titled, "Me and Miss Prissy."

About - James Polk
James is a frequent contributor to Trail Tales. To learn more about James, click on his name in the sidebar column.

As we begin the new year, you may wonder how you will face new challenges. Our featured story this month provides one possible path. Written by Craig Scott, the story is titled, Comradery by Cedar Poles.

The story was written by Craig Scott. it captures Craig's first real encounter with a horse and how the experience foreshadowed his ministry.

About - Craig Scott
A graduate of Appalachian State University, and holding a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Craig is currently working on a Doctorate of Ministry. Craig Scott is pastor of Liberty Station Cowboy Church (4370 Zion Church Road, Concord) and is also interim pastor for Grace Missionary Baptist Church (East 11th Street Kannapolis). To learn more about the services contact Craig. You can reach Craig at pastorcraig1@windstream.net  or call at 980 622 7034.

Novels aren’t the only place where written treasures are hidden in the narrative. Some are revealed in the chapters of a novella or the paragraphs of a short story. My walking buddies and I decided to make a range of written material available to other hikers who frequent the Buffalo Creek Preserve and Trail.

The story this month was written by Tommy Doonan,
Titled “A Trip Home for the Holidays.”

About - Tommy Doonan. He retired in 2014 after twenty years with the Brown-Forman Corporation, the makers of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, and an additional twenty-five years in the hospitality industry.  With retirement he began writing poetry, essays, and short stories with a focus on every day people and events, as well as his memoirs.  He resides in Kannapolis with his wife of over forty years. Many of his writing can be found on his website: https://eruditustheyounger.wordpress.com/home-page/
You can reach him by email at tdoonan47@gmail.com

As we celebrate Veterans Day this month we feature a story written by Alberto Perez. Titled, "Unsung Courage", the story recalls a harrowing day at sea, when Alberto served his country in the United States Coast Guard.

About - Alberto Perez
Alberto is a frequent contributor to Trail Tales. Alberto Perez wrote his first book titled, ‘The Second Coming: The Arrival’ a year ago. The book illustrates an account of the Rapture. His second novel titled, ‘The Second Coming: The Gathering: Part One’, will be available for purchase through Amazon in November 2018. You can also learn about his work at www.albertoperez.co or join him on Twitter @albertoperezmba, or by mail at P.O.Box 1857, Concord, NC 28026.

The article posted this month was written by Vincent James Vezza. Titled, "Change Happens", the story describes a special meeting for very special children.

About - Vincent James Vezza
Vincent was an early contributor to Trail Tales and now manages the column. More about Vincent is available at his initial post in this blog.