Around the belt | Charlotte Observer

Charlotte

The World Affairs Council of Charlotte will present Werner Fornos, the 2003 Laureate of the United Nations Population Award and founder of "Global Population Education."

Fornos will speak during a networking event Dec. 1 at the Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College St.

The event will be 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cost is $30 for World Affairs Council of Charlotte members and $40 for nonmembers. Lunch is included.

Fornos will speak about how the increasing global population crisis is a precursor for many of our international challenges - such as the global food crisis. Fornos has been in the forefront of the struggle to balance the world's population with the world's resources for more than 30 years.

RSVP online at worldaffairscharlotte.org or call 704-687-7762.

You can now apply to take part in the 2012 Field to Fork Pizza Garden Program.

The Field to Fork Program is a six-month partnership (from January to June) with Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools elementary classes that addresses childhood obesity through hands-on learning of gardening, nutrition, and healthy eating.

Partners of the project include: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, Mecklenburg County Fruit & Vegetable Coalition, Charlotte Green, and Fuel Pizza Café. This year, 14 schools will be selected to participate. Applications can be submitted through 5 p.m. Dec. 7.

For information, contact Katie Cooper, the 2012 program coordinator at F2FCLT2012@gmail.com.

Wingate

The Friends of the Ethel K. Smith Library at Wingate University will host Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol read by readers from Waxhaw's Storefront Theatre. The reading will be 7 p.m. Dec. 16 in the library on campus.

Melvin Faris, Judy Simpson Cook and David Michael will present this Dickens tale of Scrooge discovering the true meaning of Christmas. Reservations are required. General admission is $10 per person. Contact Christy Inge at c.inge@wingate.edu or 704-233-8091.

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver will perform traditional bluegrass at the Batte Center's McGee Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2.

Tickets are $25 and on sale via the Batte Center box office, www.battecenter.org, and the CarolinaTix phone room and website.

Mint Hill

The Mint Hill Historical Society presents The Village Christmas Shoppe in the historic Surface Hill Assay Office at the Carl J. McEwen Historic Village, 7601 Matthews Mint Hill Road.

The shoppe will be open 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Dec. 2-3, and noon-9 p.m. Dec. 7-10.

Features include Christmas items, collectibles and handmade gifts. Proceeds benefit the Historical Society. For information, visit www.minthillhistory.com call 704-573-0726.