Belk Inc. Partners with United Way for 'GET COOL 4 SCHOOL' Uniform Donation Campaign

Charlotte-based Belk, Inc., the nation's largest privately owned
mainline department store company, has partnered with United Way of
Central Carolinas for its "GET COOL 4 SCHOOL" campaign. Belk will
donate more than 3,300 new school uniforms to students in need in
three counties – Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union. Events will be
held in all three counties.

"This was a natural fit for Belk," said Bill Roberts, northern
division chair of Belk. "As one of United Way's top 10 corporate
supporters, we're committed to United Way and the people they help in
our hometown. We also have a strong interest in education and the
academic success of students in our communities. When we heard about
the number of children who can't afford uniforms and need assistance,
we were quick to offer our full backing."

The partnership, which began last year in five schools in Mecklenburg
County, has become a multi-year initiative. This year's higher-
profile push is addressing the needs in several of United Way's five-
county footprint and has expanded the contribution from 2,000 uniforms
last year to more than 3,300 this year. The total retail value of the
donated uniforms is $175,000.

Uniform announcement events will be held in the following locations:

• Cabarrus County/Kannapolis City - Donation of 825 Uniforms
Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 9:00 a.m.

Cannon Memorial YMCA │ 101 YMCA Drive │ Kannapolis, N.C. 28081

Partner United Way Funded Agencies: Academic Learning Center and
Cannon Memorial YMCA

Kannapolis City Schools Receiving Uniforms: Fred L. Wilson Elementary,
Shady Brook Elementary, Jackson Park Elementary, and Woodrow Wilson
Elementary


• Mecklenburg County - Donation of 2,025 Uniforms
Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 11:00 a.m

Winterfield Elementary │3100 Winterfield Place│Charlotte, N.C. 28205

Partner United Way Funded Agencies: A Child's Place and Communities in
Schools

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Receiving Uniforms: Ashley Park Academy,
Bruns Academy, Walter G. Byers Academy, Druid Hills Academy, Hidden
Valley Elementary, Montclaire Elementary, Nathaniel Alexander
Elementary, Sedgefield Elementary, Thomasboro Academy, and Winterfield
Elementary

• Union County - Day of Caring and Donation of 529 Uniforms
Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7:30 a.m.

Wingate University | 220 North Camden Road | Wingate, N.C. 28174

Partner United Way Funded Agencies: YWCA and Boys and Girls Club

Union County Schools Receiving Uniforms: Rock Rest Elementary, Walter
Bickett Elementary, East Elementary, Benton Heights Elementary and
others

"We are very appreciative of Belk's contribution to help meet this
great need for these students in our communities," said Jane McIntyre,
executive director of United Way of Central Carolinas. "We're
grateful for Belk's continued partnership and support of United Way
throughout the years. The uniforms will be used by United Way funded
agencies such as A Child's Place, Communities in Schools, YMCA , YWCA,
the Academic Learning Center and Boys and Girls Clubs, to provide a
great start to the school year for students in need. "

About Belk, Inc.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk, Inc. (www.belk.com) is the nation's
largest privately owned mainline department store company with 303
Belk stores located in 16 Southern states. The company was founded in
1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, N.C., and is in the third
generation of Belk family leadership. Its belk.com Web site offers a
wide assortment of fashion apparel, shoes and accessories for the
entire family along with top name cosmetics, a wedding registry and a
large selection of quality merchandise for the home. To connect with
Belk via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blog, mobile phone text messages
or by email, go to: Belk Get Connected.

About United Way of Central Carolinas
United Way of Central Carolinas focuses on three vital areas: Children
& Youth; Housing & Stability; and Health & Mental Health. Through its
90 partner health and human services agencies, United Way creates long-
lasting community change by addressing the underlying causes of
problems, working in Anson, Cabarrus, Charlotte/Mecklenburg,
Mooresville/Lake Norman and Union. To get help, or learn how you can
help, call United Way's 211 hotline, or for more details, please visit www.uwcentralcarolinas.org
.

Cookout donations needed to help recovering addicted men celebrate Labor Day

Charlotte Rescue Mission is collecting food and other items to help
recovering addicted men celebrate Labor Day on September 6th. The
community can help by dropping off donations at the Charlotte Rescue
Mission, August 15th through August 31st.

"We're so proud that these men have spending 3 to 4 months at the
Charlotte Rescue Mission, addressing what drove them to the streets,"
says Rev. Tony Marciano, Executive Director of the Charlotte Rescue
Mission. "Before we return them as contributing members of society, we
want one of their memories to be a day of fellowship and enjoyment."

Some of the items being collected for the Labor Day cookout include
hamburgers, hotdogs, buns, corn on the cob and equipment for outdoor
games like volleyball. We're also collecting items like phone cards,
multivitamins and over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen.


About Charlotte Rescue Mission
The Charlotte Rescue mission provides a free 90-day Christian
residential program for men and women who are addicted to drugs and/or
alcohol and are predominately homeless.
Interview opportunities are available now by calling:
Rev. Tony Marciano cell: 704.806.4693
tonym@charlotterescuemission.org
Charlotte Rescue Mission main phone number: 704.333.HOPE

Celebrate Women's Equality Day at Levine Museum Aug. 20

The Mecklenburg County Women's Advisory Board invites the public to
attend its Women's Equality Day Celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on
Monday, Aug. 20, at the Levine Museum of the New South.

The theme for this year's free event is Advocate, Empower and
Celebrate: Uniting and Strengthening Women. The event includes tours
of the museum, a panel discussion by local, noted women, and heavy
hors d'oeuvres. This year's celebration is the second for the WAB,
which is a 15-member advisory board appointed by the Mecklenburg Board
of County Commissioners to advise it on current and emerging issues
for women in Mecklenburg County.

Erica Bryant, a news anchor at WSOC-TV in Charlotte, is the moderator
for the panel. A list of the panel discussion topics and the
presenters follows:
• Women and the Wage Gap: Lisa Yarrow, Director of the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Women's Summit at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte
• Leading in Education: Ann Clark, Deputy Superintendent,
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
• Women in Politics: Amy Chiou, a recent law school graduate,
who serves with Engage Charlotte, and has experience with political
campaigns
• Empowering Women to Action: Aisha Alexander, City
Neighborhood Resource Manager, fundraiser and grant writer
Aug. 26, 2012 will mark the 92nd anniversary of women in the United
States winning the right to vote. Each year a Presidential
Proclamation recognizes this date and the hard work and perseverance
of those who have helped secure women's suffrage.

Find more information and register online at http://womensequalityday2012.eventbrite.com
for the free WAB event. An online application for service on the WAB
can be found at http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/CommunitySupportServices/WomensCommission/AboutUs/AdvisoryBoards/Pages/WAB.aspx
.

HF Financial Becomes First Sponsor of Charlotte Zoological Park's Think Recycle Partnership

HF Financial, a General Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company (MassMutual), has teamed up with the Charlotte Zoological
Park's Think Recycle program, becoming the first company to partner
with the organization on this fund-raising endeavor.

"Giving back to the community is important to our mission so we are
excited about supporting the Charlotte Zoological Park, which will
provide an amazing wildlife educational resource in our area," said
Timothy C. Flanagan, Jr., CLU, ChFC, CFP® and General Agent of HF
Financial. "We urge other businesses to join us in the Think Recycle
program that is not only helping raise funds for this important and
meaningful cause, but helps protect our environment as well."

The Think Recycle program gathers unwanted cell phones, inkjets, toner
cartridges and digital cameras from the community and its parent
organization, Greentec, then processes and recycles the products to
divert electronic waste from entering local landfills. To learn how to
participate in the program, contact the Charlotte Zoological Park at info@charlottezoologicalpark.org
.

About Charlotte Zoological Park
Charlotte Zoological Park, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit
corporation, is raising funds to create a world-class, interactive
zoological park in Charlotte, N.C. For more information, visit http://www.charlottezoologicalpark.org
.

About HF Financial
HF Financial (formerly Hinrichs Flanagan Financial) specializes in a
broad spectrum of financial services that enables the firm to offer
comprehensive strategies to individuals, families and businesses for
risk management, asset allocation, estate planning, cash flow and
wealth accumulation. Securities products and services are offered
through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors
Services, LLC, Member SIPC. 6000 Fairview Road, Suite 400, Charlotte,
NC 28210. (704) 557-9600. The firm serves clients in North and South
Carolina.

Founded in 1851, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
(MassMutual) is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run
for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders. The
company has a long history of financial strength and strong
performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has
paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders every year
since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation,
MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of
clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long
term care insurance, retirement/401(K) plan services, and annuities.
In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial
professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-
term.

New Company Savveo Opens HQ in Charlotte To Transform Local Advertising Market

The founders of OverstockAds.com, a leading portal of discounted
advertising inventory, today announced the formation of Savveo, Inc. -
a new venture designed to transform the way local advertising is
bought and sold, headquartered in Charlotte. An evolution of the
OverstockAds.com experience, the Savveo website, when open to the
public later this year, will serve as an online marketplace to bring
long-overdue efficiencies to the $445 billion local advertising market.

"Local advertising is one of the most effective ways for businesses to
reach their prospective customers, but the way it's done today is
wildly inefficient and frustrating," said Shafi Mustafa, CEO of Savveo
and founder of OverstockAds.com (left in photo). "There are more than
34,000 local media outlets in the U.S., but would-be advertisers -
whether businesses or ad agencies - don't have anywhere to go for a
single, consolidated view of the advertising outlets available to
them, and they certainly don't have a single place to go to buy and
track advertising across those outlets. That's the problem Savveo
solves."

A derivation of the word "savvy," Savveo is rooted in the success of
OverstockAds.com, and will provide users with actionable intelligence
on a wide range of advertising inventory across channels, including
out- of-home, print, radio and television. Savveo represents the
culmination of research into a pressing industry need, as well as
feedback from OverstockAds.com's user base, and its more than 500
current regional and national media partners. In addition to
streamlining the ad buying process for users, Savveo's website will
also drive efficiencies for media companies - positively impacting
both their bottom line and their advertisers' buying experiences.

While unveiling plans for the new venture, Mustafa also announced
investors in a $2.0 million round of Series A funding, which will help
accelerate Savveo's development. Investors include Tim Biltz, chairman
of Savveo's board of directors and CEO of Lumos Networks; Sayoko
Teitelbaum, co-founder of Toura; Simon Clark, senior partner at Engine
UK; David Jones, CEO of Peak 10; and Baycrest Capital, along with a
select group of U.S.-based and international investors.

Complementing the roster of blue chip investors is a strong management
team led by Mustafa, who was also previously a partner at SMMC Studios
and a managing director at KEA Marketing & Advertising. Mustafa is
joined by co-founder Steve Villa (right in photo), who will serve as
president of Savveo, and was previously CEO of Muzak and CFO of Frisby
Technologies. Key engineering and operations personnel include start-
up veterans hailing from companies including EMC, RSA, Terracotta and
DataTools.

"The opportunity here is enormous," said Villa. "In 2011, the total
global expenditure on local advertising was almost $450 billion. In
the U.S. alone, it topped $137 billion. To date, no one has done the
hard work to aggregate, categorize and productize that ad inventory -
especially the offline ad inventory which accounts for 91 percent of
the spend. We believe the market will amply reward the first company
that does so, and we intend for Savveo to be that company."

Savveo is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., with a development office
in San Mateo, Calif. Additional details about the company will be
shared when it publicly unveils the Savveo online marketplace later
this year. To receive updates and additional information, please
register at www.savveo.com.

About Savveo
Savveo, Inc. is transforming the way local advertising is bought and
sold. Addressing the inefficiencies of the $445 billion local
advertising industry, Savveo will give businesses and agencies a
single, easy-to-use online marketplace through which they can identify
and compare advertising options across channels - including out-of-
home, print, radio, television, sponsorships and non-traditional - as
well as purchase and track campaigns. Headquartered in Charlotte,
N.C., with development offices in Silicon Valley, Savveo was founded
in 2012 by ad agency executives who had, themselves, wrestled with the
complexities of planning and executing local advertising initiatives.
For additional information about Savveo, please visit www.savveo.com
and follow us on Twitter @gosavveo.

STEM Outdoor Learning Fair Set For Sept. 28

More than 500 fifth graders from five River District schools will get
their hands and minds around STEM concepts on Sept. 28 at the 2nd
Annual STEM Outdoor Learning Fair.

The event, presented by the Catawba River District in partnership with
UNC Charlotte's STEM Education Center, will take place 9:30 a.m.-1:30
p.m. at Duke Energy's Energy Explorium on Lake Norman. Local experts
will lead interactive lessons on alternative energy, recycling,
groundwater protection and other science- and math-based topics.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Business
leaders say our students must have a strong STEM foundation to ensure
that America's future workforce can compete in the global economy.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Mount Holly Mayor Brian Hough will
greet the students at 10 a.m. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Supt.
Heath Morrison and board Chair Erica Ellis-Stewart will join Gaston
Schools Deputy Supt. Lory Morrow and board Chair William Marcus
Upchurch, Sr. to speak at students at the event wrap-up.

Learning Fair students will come from Catawba Heights and Ida Rankin
Elementary Schools in Gaston County and Mountain Island Elementary,
River Oaks Academy and Whitewater Academy in Mecklenburg County.


Outdoor Learning Fair Sponsors and Hosts

Businesses, colleges and individuals are helping bring about the STEM
Fair. Major sponsors include: Presbyterian Healthcare - Huntersville;
Huber Technology; and Piedmont Natural Gas. Center topics and hosts
include:
• Alternative Energy - Duke Energy
• Forestry - NC Cooperative Extension and NC State Educational Forest
• Forest Functions - Naturalist Craig Wyant
• Grease Free - Charlotte-Meck Utilities
• Groundwater - Mecklenburg LUESA
• Non-Point Pollution - UNC Charlotte
• Recycling - UNC Charlotte
• Water Cycle - Belmont Abbey College
• Water Systems - Huber Technology
• Wellness - Presbyterian Healthcare
• Wetlands - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools STEM Department
• Wildlife - Horizons Unlimited (2 stations)

Help sponsor the STEM Outdoor Learning Fair

Become a sponsor for as little as $250 and help spur interest in
science, technology, engineering and math at the most critical time in
a young student's education. Two-thirds of our students come from
economically disadvantaged families. Your sponsorship can help them
see STEM-based careers as a reachable possibility.

Sponsors also gain recognition through name and/or logo placement on
websites, releases, T-shirts etc.

Learn more:
• Contact Edna Chirico at echirico@catawbariverdistrict.org or (704)
562-8847.
• Download sponsorship materials: Visit CatawbaRiverDistrict.org/
stemfair2012
• View 2011 Learning Fair video: Visit YouTube.com/user/
CatawbaRiverDistrict

About The Catawba River District

The Catawba River District is a regional organization committed to
sustainable and vibrant communities, strong schools and economic
development for a 16,000-acre area along the Catawba River that
includes the historic downtowns of Mount Holly and Belmont and the
U.S. National Whitewater Center in Mecklenburg County.

The Catawba River District and its partners have developed several
programs to promote STEM learning within River District schools and
the broader community, including:

• Schoolyard gardens - The Catawba River District launched schoolyard
gardens at Whitewater Academy and Whitewater Middle School last
spring. Students and teachers tended the gardens until June. Since
then, teachers and other volunteers have come daily to keep the
gardens going until the students return in August.
• K20 Learning World - The Catawba River District and a team of
science education experts have designed a network of free, public STEM
learning centers at parks, greenways, and other locations around the
River District. These centers will help youngsters, parents and even
college-level researchers build their STEM knowledge.
• Farm To School program - This project will create a working farm on
private land and partner with nearby middle and high schools on
programs such as animal husbandry, hydroponics and agribusiness. The
project includes a food hub to process and market food from school
gardens and small farms across the region.

Communities In Schools Receives $100,000 Challenge Grant From Levine Foundation

The Leon Levine Foundation announced today it will support Communities
In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CIS) by offering a $100,000
matching gift challenge grant. Donations made to CIS by new donors –
or donations that represent an increased gift by a current donor –
will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100,000 if made between now
and December 31, 2012.

"We are thrilled and excited about this generous opportunity," said
Molly Shaw, CIS Executive Director. "This grant will have a huge
impact on our ability to broaden our donor base by attracting new
donors as well as larger donations. Further, it will allow us to meet
the community's growing needs and serve more students, as well as
continue programming to the children we currently serve in 44
Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools."

Communities In Schools' mission is to help disadvantaged students stay
in school and graduate from high school. CIS takes a holistic approach
to increasing graduation rates in Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools
by addressing the physical, emotional and academic needs of children
and their families through direct case-management and a comprehensive
range of services for students in grades Pre-K through 12. By
determining students' needs and surrounding them with a community of
support through relationships established with local businesses,
social services agencies, health care providers, faith communities,
and civic and other volunteer organizations, CIS helps thousands of
students each year to be successful in school and prepared for life
after high school. Of the 5,735 students enrolled in CIS during the
2010-11 school year, 99% stayed in school; 93% were promoted to the
next grade; and 624 CIS seniors graduated with a high school diploma.

"Strengthening PreK-12 public education and providing post-secondary
access for disadvantaged students is one of the key tenets of The
Levine Foundation's mission," said Tom Lawrence, Executive Director of
The Leon Levine Foundation. "We believe Communities In Schools'
mission to help kids stay in school and graduate, along with the
organization's demonstrated track record of success, aligns perfectly
with our mission. Most important, the entire Charlotte community will
benefit if CIS is able to reach more students and provide them with
the resources they need to become high school graduates and productive
citizens. We're optimistic that this 'challenge grant' will be met
with resounding success."

To learn more about Communities In Schools and to make a gift that
will be matched by The Leon Levine Foundation, visit www.cischarlotte.org
and click on the "Donate Now" tab. Or donations may be mailed to
Communities In Schools, Attn: Development Office, 601 E. 5th Street,
Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28202.

Charlotte Real Estate Closings Up 22 Percent Over July 2011

Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association reports that the number of
closings for July 2012 (2,653) increased 22.2 percent compared to July
2011, when closings totaled 2,171.

The average sales price in July 2012 ($220,385) was up 3.4 percent
compared to the same period last year ($213,205), and the median sales
price ($166,100) — the best measure of trends over a period of time —
showed prices up slightly, 1.6 percent, compared to July 2011 when the
median sales price was $163,500; marking six consecutive months of
year-over-year price gains.

The average list price in July 2012 ($237,904) decreased 1.4 percent
when compared to the average list price for the same period last year
($241,380), bringing the percent of original list price received
measure to 92.5 percent compared to 89.7 percent last July.

July 2012 pending contracts totaled 1,738, down 15.3 percent compared
to last July's pending contracts figure (2,053) for the CMLS region.

Association/CMLS president Jennifer Frontera said, "Pending contracts
have always been seen as a gauge of demand. Contract activity has been
elevated for nearly a year now. The fact that contracts are falling at
this time of year shows that the market is now performing in a similar
fashion to the way it did before the recession, with contracts and
closings peaking in mid-summer and falling as the selling season winds
down."

New residential listings in July 2012 totaled 3,930, an increase of
6.8 percent compared to the same period last year when new listings
totaled 3,681. Overall inventory for the CMLS region was down 16.9
percent compared to last July, leaving the CMLS region with an 8.8
months' supply of homes for sale as compared to 12.5 months' supply
during the same time last year.

Homes in July spent less time on market, with the average number of
days a property was on the market from the time it was listed until it
closed (list to close) totaling 144, the lowest this figure has been
since October 2008. July 2012 list to close represents a decrease of
13 days compared to the list to close count of 157 days last year.

Foreclosures and short sales, or distressed sales, made up 12 percent
of all new listings compared with 15.8 percent last year, while 13.8
percent of closed sales were distressed, down from 16.5 percent last
July. The number of active foreclosures on market was at its lowest
level for any month since January 2008 and the number of active short
sales on market was at its lowest level since April 2009.

For more residential-housing market statistics, visit the
association's website at www.CarolinaHome.com and click on "Community
Data." For an interview with 2012 association/CMLS President Jennifer
Frontera, please contact Kim Walker.

The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association is a trade association
that leads, educates and equips members to be productive. It provides
more than 6,000 Realtor® members with the resources and services
needed to conduct ethical, professional, successful and profitable
businesses. The association is dedicated to being the region's primary
resource for residential real estate information. The association
operates the Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS), which
has approximately 7,200 Subscribers and is the private cooperative
Realtors® use for access to tens of thousands of residential listings
in a 10-county service area, including the high-growth Charlotte area,
as well as listings outside this service area.

Look at Her Power, Dress for Success Set for September 20

Dress for Success Charlotte hosts the 7th Annual Look at Her Power on
September 20, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Park Expo &
Conference Center, (formerly the Merchandise Mart, 2500 E.
Independence Blvd.)

Look at Her Power guests enjoy an evening of fun, fashion and
delicious refreshments. They are also privy to a unique experience: a
Private Preview and Opening Night Celebration of the 30th Annual
Southern Women's Show, thanks to Southern Shows, Host Sponsor and long-
time supporter.

A powerful highlight of the evening will be "The Faces of Dress for
Success Charlotte" fashion show. The models are all Dress for Success
Charlotte clients. We will hear their success stories and watch them
take to the runway in beautiful outfits donated by Belk, Inc., the
fashion show sponsor for the second year.

Maureen O'Boyle from WBTV will return as the emcee. This year's
honorary chairs are Peggy & Danny Morrison, President of the Carolina
Panthers and Jane Thomas and Marguerite Rupar are the Event Co-Chairs.

The 2012 Paradigm Award, sponsored by L'Oreal Paris will be presented
to Debby Alphin, a long-time supporter of Dress for Success Charlotte.
Debby not only acts as a sponsor for Dress for Success Charlotte
Events – PowerWalk & Look at Her Power, she also is an active
Community Advisor. Debby has been supporting Dress for Success
Charlotte for the past eight years. In fact she was the volunteer who
sewed the panels for the first dressing room in the original boutique.


Dress for Success Charlotte promotes the economic independence of
disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of
support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work
and in life. Now in its seventh year, Look at Her Power has raised
more than $700,000 to support these programs.

Sponsors of Look at Her Power, as of August 8, are: Wells Fargo,
Southern Shows, Belk, Inc., L'Oreal Paris, US Airways, Debby & Steele
Alphin, Bank of America, CBS Radio, YELP, Bank of America, Bank of the
Ozarks, nFocus, The Park, Boingo Graphics, King & Spalding, Polymer
Group, Red Rover Communications, The Charlotte Observer, Red Rover
Communications, Gilbert E. Galle, Don & Susan Sherrill, Today's
Charlotte Woman, Certus Bank, McGuireWoods, , Brownlee Jewelers, Women
With Know How, Sarah Belk Gambrell, Danny & Peggy Morrison, Goodrich,
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Paul Simon for Women,
Scoopcharlotte.com, Dinwiddie/Hargadon Family, Doncaster Charlotte/
Marguerite Rupar, Concetta & Rod Higgins, Barbara Laughlin, Jacelyn
Prichard, Elliott Davis, PLLC, Flowers of Charlotte, , Susan
McDonough, Piedmont Natural Gas, Solutions FYS, Inc., and Jane & Chris
Thomas. Food and Beverages provided by Brown-Forman Beverages, and La-
tea-das.

About Dress for Success Charlotte:
Dress for Success Charlotte provides women with interview appropriate
attire, a support network and the tools for their economic self-
sufficiency to help break the cycle of poverty. Demand for Dress for
Success Charlotte's services continues to rise. In 2011, Dress for
Success Charlotte provided one or more service to 979 new clients.
Besides interview and employment appropriate attire, clients benefit
from career retention and career advancement programs and services at
the organization's Boutique and Career Transformation Center, which
offers a Professional Women's Group, one-on-one coaching, mentoring,
free internet access and job search tools and resources in its Career
Center and interactive group workshops. To learn more, go to: www.dressforsuccess.org/charlotte

Echo Foundation Award Gala Features Gen. Wesley Clark

In a bipartisan celebration of our nation's democratic principles, The
Echo Foundation kicks off the DNC with its 15th Annual Award Gala
Monday, September 3, honoring national and local luminaries who embody
the Echo mission.

General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, Europe
and member of the Clinton Global Initiative Energy & Climate Change
Advisory Board, will deliver the night's keynote address entitled
"Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times." Local civic leaders Mary
Lou and Jim Babb will receive the 2012 Echo Award Against
Indifference. The award honors Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents who
exemplify Echo's dedication to promoting human dignity, justice and
moral courage through positive, effective action for humankind. The
Babbs are being recognized for their service to Charlotte's
educational, cultural and philanthropic institutions.

"General Wesley Clark, through his distinguished service to the United
States and around the globe, embodies the Echo mantra, 'What Can One
Person Do,'" said Stephanie Ansaldo, president of The Echo Foundation.
"It is an honor to host this great American, and we look forward to
sharing his extraordinary example of courage, leadership and personal
responsibility with those gathered in Charlotte on the eve of the
Democratic National Convention."

An integral part of the foundation's 2012 Election Year Series titled,
"We the People. The Voices and Vision of Democracy," the program
starts at 6:00 p.m. in the Knight Theater, 430 South Tryon Street,
followed by a gala reception and exhibit opening of "One America, One
American" at The Charlotte Observer, 600 South Tryon Street. Tickets
($250 per person, or Echo Society memberships, packages and corporate
sponsorships ranging from $1,000 and up) are available by calling
704.347.3844.

About General Wesley Clark

General Wesley Clark is a businessman, educator, writer and
commentator. Now retired as a four star general, Clark served 38 years
in the United States Army. In his last assignment as Supreme Allied
Commander Europe, he led NATO forces to victory in Operation Allied
Force in the Kosovo War.

Today, he serves as chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates,
a strategic consulting firm, and chairs numerous groups and corporate
boards. He has authored three books and has received many military
decorations and honors. His awards include the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Bronze
Star, Purple Heart and honorary knighthoods from the British and Dutch
governments.

About The Echo Award Against Indifference

The Echo Award Against Indifference honors members of the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg community who work " … with an eye towards peace, a heart
filled with compassion and a voice against indifference, in order to
remind our community of its highest ideals." Past recipients include
philanthropists, corporate executives and community leaders: Hugh
McColl, Jr., Sandra and Leon Levine, former Charlotte Mayor Harvey
Gantt, Patricia Rodgers, Howard "Smoky" Bissell, the late Dr. Dean
Colvard, Stuart Dickson, the late Alan Dickson, Sally Dalton Robinson,
the late Sister Mary Thomas Burke, Bishop George Battle, Jr., the late
Joseph B. Martin, and Ferguson, Stein, Chambers, Gresham & Sumter,
P.A., the first integrated law firm in North Carolina.

About Mary Lou and Jim Babb

The Babbs are well known for their many contributions to educational,
cultural and charitable institutions in the Charlotte community. Jim
has spent the entirety of his career working in broadcast
communications with wide impact in state and national business
circles. He's the past president and CEO of Jefferson-Pilot
Communications and Outlet Communications and currently he's executive
vice president and chief operating officer of Bahakel Communications,
Ltd. He is a former member of the University of North Carolina Board
of Governors.

Mary Lou is the former chair of the board of trustees of the Mint
Museum and served as interim director of the museum. She co-founded
The Woman's Impact Fund in 2003, which helps women reach their
monetary giving potential while meeting community need. Both are
active on several advisory boards and have received countless honors
for their work in the community.

About "We The People. The Voices and Vision of Democracy."

A three-part series that builds on past Echo successes, "We the
People. The Voices and Vision of Democracy." includes the 15th Annual
Echo Award Gaka, a Photojournalism Project and the Footsteps Global
Initiative: Youth Engage!. This series brings together elected
officials and business leaders from across the country in celebration
of renowned humanitarians whose work responds to the question, "What
can one person do?" With events and programs designed to engage the
leaders of tomorrow, Echo leverages this historic opportunity
presented by the DNC and RNC to teach and celebrate the best that
America stands for: freedom, opportunity and self-determination.

About The Echo Foundation

The Echo Foundation was founded in 1997 to carry on the message Nobel
Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel brought to Charlotte that year – a call
to action for human dignity, justice and moral courage. Through
comprehensive education programs, Echo equips individuals with moral
and intellectual tools necessary to create positive change in their
local and global communities. The Echo mission, "… to promote justice
and inspire hope through education, creative acts of service, and the
development of leadership for a more humane world" is realized through
five core initiatives: Voices Against Indifference, Footsteps Global
Initiative, Books Beyond Borders, Forum for Hope, and Living Together
in the 21st Century. The Echo Foundation has hosted 24 humanitarians
and world leaders and served over 730,000 students in the US, Europe
and Africa. For more information, please visit www.echofoundation.org, www.echofoundationphoto.org
or www.inthefootstepsofeliewiesel.org.