Ginger Watkins of Davidson (left) and Cassie Hosier of Huntersville decorated cupcakes during a recent Valentine’s Day program at North Mecklenburg Senior Center in Huntersville.

Seniors were treated to a little sweetness at the North Mecklenburg Senior Center in Huntersville the other day during a Valentine’s Day cup cake Decorating Program. Sue Weber, of NC Littlecakes, provided all the materials including yellow cupcakes, frosting, sprinkles, and more for the seniors to make Valentine Cupcakes for their loved ones and themselves. It was hard not to lick our fingers!!

- Joanne Ahern

Mt. Zion United Methodist Church has a variety of activities ahead this weekend and next week, including a County Fair and Fall Festival on Saturday, and a Blessing of the Land ceremony Sunday for the planned Autumn Care long-term care facility off Zion Street. Next week, the church and Autumn Corp. Inc. will break ground for the new facility. Also next week, another session of the church’s Religion and Politics series.  Read the full story

Looking to make some more space in your garage or attic? Have items you don’t use, but can’t bear to throw away? Consider donating them to the North Mecklenburg Senior Center garage sale. The center will host its garage sale Saturday, Aug. 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the senior center, 16601 Old Statesville Road in Huntersville (in the Solid Rock Christian Church). All money raised will go to support the center’s programs and activities. Read the full story

The McIntosh Law Firm P.C. and Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home in Huntersville are offering a pair of free estate planning workshops titled “Are Your Ducks In a Row?” on April 24 and May 8, at the funeral home. Meanwhile, another of the area’s funeral homes, the newly opened James Funeral home in Huntersville, has an open house this Friday, April 20. Read the full story

Dozens of seniors enjoyed a sunny day at Jetton Park on Tuesday for the annual north Mecklenburg Senior Fun and Fitness Day. See story and photos on our YOUNG AT HEART» page.

(from left) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Centers Board Chair Bob Shaffer, Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain, Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte and North Mecklenburg Senior Center Director Joanne Ahern cut the ribbon at the grand opening celebration Thursday. (Christina Ritchie Rogers / CorneliusNews.net)

More than 100 people turned out for the grand opening celebration at the North Mecklenburg Senior Center Thursday. The center moved in November from its Cornelius location, in River Church on Catawba Avenue, to the Solid Rock Christian Church, on N.C. 115 in Huntersville.

“We believe that today really marks the beginning of expanded services we can offer to seniors in North Mecklenburg,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Centers Board Chair Bob Shaffer said. “The turnout today underscores the need for such a facility in the northern part of the county.” Full story on YOUNG AT HEART>>

Carolyn Cook, of LiveSmart Design in Charlotte, has the latest entry in our ongoing series of articles one issues facing seniors as they try to “age in place.” Today, she looks at “visitability,” an affordable, sustainable and inclusive design approach for integrating basic accessibility features into all newly built homes and housing.

“Inaccessible homes impede the daily lives of people who are mobility impaired due to illness, accident or age. Visiting an inaccessible home presents the danger of falling on the entry steps, the worry of not fitting into the bathroom and the embarrassment of being carried up stairs,” Ms. Cook writes.

Read the full article and see the photo examples, on our YOUNG AT HEART page.

Source: Cornelius Police Department

A copy of one of the false Medicare documents. (Cornelius PD photo)

The North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult services says that they have received several reports and inquiries in recent days about an “official-looking,” end-of-year mailing directed to seniors that appears to concern Medicare benefits. The postcard-size mailing is actually from a private firm that appears to be building lead lists for sellers of insurance products.

Filling out the mailing and returning it very likely will result in telemarketing calls, visits from sales agents or invitations to estate planning presentations where annuities and other insurance products will be pushed.