The Search for a Prom Dress

Photo by Themba Imagery

The night of April 26 will provide local moms with a reason to go shopping for a great little black dress and shoes to match . . . along with the opportunity to walk a "pink carpet" with their best girlfriends. Best of all, it's all for a great cause.

We're talking about The Queen City's Mom Prom, which will take place in Cornelius at the Havana Banquet & Ballroom. The event is the brainchild of a group of local moms who wanted to find a way to give back to the charitable organization Cookies for Kids' Cancer. As a result, they joined together to produce last year's inaugural event, which raised more than $20,000 for the cause.

Tickets to this much anticipated event are $50 in advance and $60 the day of the event. With your ticket, you will receive:

• free valet parking
• complimentary prom photos
• appetizers and desserts
• one free drink ticket
• one raffle ticket
• shopping at the "Mom Prom" boutique
• a swag bag from Thirty-One filled with goodies and special offers from event sponsors

"I attended the Mom Prom last year with a wonderful group of friends who have supported me 100 percent for the Cookies for Kids' Cancer cause," says Huntersville resident Julie Sparks. "It was a wonderful event, every detail taken care of, and a great night out for us moms. And I could not have been more impressed that a group of women got together to create such an event for such a great cause. I am the mother of a child who has battled cancer twice now, and continues this journey. And to see women put so much time and energy into something that supports our kids like this just amazes me."

To learn more about Cookies for Kids' Cancer, visit their website. You can also read more about this great event when the April/May issue of Little Ones hits the newsstands on April 1. Be sure to pick up your copy!

I actually found my dress yesterday and couldn't be more excited for the event. Have you found yours?

FlyWheel Winners!

A big "thank you" to all who entered our recent FlyWheel giveaway. See below to learn who our winners are: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Angie H., you are the winner of the FlyWheel classes, and Sue D. receives a chance to try out FlyBarre. Winners, please leave a comment below specifying which location you'd like to visit, Charlotte or Ballantyne, and we will leave your passes at the front desk. We've got more fun giveaways planned soon -- please check back on our blog so you don't miss anything!

Library Love

This morning, I'd like to talk a little about my absolute love for the library. Some of my most cherished childhood memories include exploring my school libraries, and as I got older, the intimate historic library located in the small town where I lived just outside of Asheville.

I have to admit these days I'm a little spoiled. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has 20 branch locations, so even if a book I want to read isn't at the branch closest to me, I can request it easily online and it will usually be ready for me within two weeks. They even have a selection of e-books available for download, and I'm slowly learning how to navigate through that system as well.

I've tried to teach my kids the value of using our library system as a resource. They get excited when they discover movies and books they've been looking for on the shelves. We have a great time making our monthly trips to the library and always come out loaded down with selections.

On March 21, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will be operating with special hours as part of a national "EveryoneOn" campaign to promote digital literacy. Charlotte was chosen as one of five launch cities for the initiative, along with Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Macon, Ga. On this day, in addition to the basic library services offered every day, all Charlotte Mecklenburg Library locations will offer programs and activities that support digital literacy, plus $5 fine waivers. These activities will include one-on-one technology help, exploring the Library's resources, instructional video clips and library card sign-up.

EveryoneOn is a national public awareness campaign by Connect2Compete, a national nonprofit supported by the Knight Foundation. Connect2Compete aims to raise awareness of free digital literary training and Internet access opportunities throughout the US.
We often frequent North County Regional, Davidson and Cornelius locations. What is your favorite branch library in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system?

Relaunch and Giveaway!

Hello dear readers!

We apologize that it's been so long since we last posted. It has been a hectic past year making the move from four issues a year to six, but it's all been worth it. (We hope you agree!) Currently, we are in the process of re-starting our blog, and I, Renee Roberson, will be contributing blog posts, as well as featuring interviews from local business owners, entrepreneurs and Charlotte area parents. We're also hoping to do more giveaways! As a sort of "relaunch" to our blog, we have an incredible giveaway for you, courtesy of our friends at Flywheel Charlotte. Want to "fly" for free? We have two prizes to give away, one pack of five-pass classes to FlyWheel and one pack of five-pass classes to FlyBarre. These passes can be used at either the Charlotte or Ballantyne locations.

What is Flywheel and FlyBarre, you ask?
Flywheel is a cycling experience that lasts 45-60 minutes and  includes climbs and descents, while working arms with weighted bars. It's an amazing escape that challenges your body and relaxes your mind. FlyBarre is a full-body workout, based on the idea of high repetitions and low weights. It utilizes a number of tools -- resistance bands, balls, small eights, and a ballet barre, as well as choreographed intervals that keep you energized and get your heart pumping. Both classes offer a stellar soundtrack, too.

We are using Rafflecopter to help us randomly select the two winners after seven days. There are three different things you must do to win:

1. Like "Little Ones" on Facebook
2. Like "FlyWheel Charlotte" on Facebook
3. Comment below this post on which class you want to try and why!

Let's Go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway