DeAngelo Williams goes pink

The annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure often draws Charlotte’s who’s who. This year, Carolina Panther DeAngelo Williams created a team in honor of his mother, Sandra Hill, a breast cancer survivor.

"My mom is... my mom... she’s been through a lot," Williams told WBTV. "She’s definitely a rock in my life. Well, actually a boulder in my life."

Williams’ goal was to raise $25,000. As of Friday, his team exceeded the goal my nearly $1,000. He named the team the Williams Warriors because he told WBTV his mom has "been through so much and has dealt with so much and to be delivered from this is something special. She’s a warrior. Hence the Williams Warriors."

The team had several hundred people registered and the first 500 team members to register received a free team jersey emblazoned with Williams Warrior. The race isn't Williams only contribution to the fight against breast cancer. He also has the DeAngelo Williams Foundation, which emphasizes preventative care and research.

Is consolidation the solution for charities?

Observer reporter Eric Frazier appeared on Mike Collins this morning to talk about consolidating non-profits. The question is does consolidation really save money? And are the communities served gipped when agencies merge?

From WFAE's: These days, there's a lot of talk about whether non-profits should consolidate all or at least a portion of their operations. As part of a media collaboration called Charlotte Mission Possible, we asked for public input on how to improve charitable non-profits. Consolidation emerged as a strong theme.

Both WFAE and the Charlotte Observer have taken a closer look at this issue with stories in the past week. In this segment, Morning Edition host Scott Graf talks to WFAE's Julie Rose and Eric Frazier of the Charlotte Observer about what they learned.

Read the transcript.

Oktoberfest raises $160,000 for charities

Charlotte Oktoberfest fans may know the beer festival is one of the best events in the city with its extensive sampling selection, good music and fun crowd. But, fans may not know that in its 10-year history the festival has raised $160,000 for local charities.

"Our goal has always been to support local charities," said Oktoberfest president Rick Benfield.

Benfield said the organizers have done such a good job of promoting the beer portion of the festival that many people don't realize it has a charitable component.

Last year's festival was at Memorial Stadium, but this year's festival will be at Metrolina Expo on Oct. 10. At least 5,000 people attended last year, and organizers are expecting the same turnout this month. Unlike previous years when it's been at the Expo, the festival will be completely outdoors, Benfield said. The festival features samplings of more than 300 craft brews from dozens of brewers. There will be live music as well.

This year's donations will go to Victory Junction, a year-round camping environment for children ages six to 16. Money will help children from Mecklenburg County attend the free camp, which is in Randleman. The camp has a sports center, fishing, arts and theater, a water park, water sports and more. www.victoryjunction.org.

Oktoberfest will also donate money to the National Kidney Foundation. Benfield said the National Kidney Foundation experienced a decrease in funding for local camps. The local chapter will also supply volunteers for the festival. www.kidney.org


Charlotte Oktoberfest Oct. 10, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Metrolina Expo, 7100 Statesville Road. Tickets are $35. As of this week, only 400 tickets remained. www.charlotteoktoberfest.com

Drink responsibly; the festival has roundtrip shuttle service from the expo to uptown.