Marie Leonard-Hampton opens realty office

Marie Leonard-Hampton, realtor/broker, has opened her own real estate firm in Historic Downtown Salisbury.

Marie Leonard-Hampton, Real Estate Services, is located at 111-A W. Fisher St. Leonard-Hampton has more than 21 years of experience in residential and commercial real estate sales and a solid property management background.

“We consider ourselves to be a true ‘boutique’ real estate firm that specializes in unparalleled service focusing on the customer experience” she said.

Theresa Tiano is the office manager and has been a licensed real estate broker since 1996.

“Home buying can be a very emotional and complicated process,” Leonard-Hampton said. “While it is typically the largest single investment most of us make in our lives, it is the best way to secure your future, financially.”

Leonard-Hampton is a graduate of Western Carolina University, Mingle School of Real Estate, The REALTORS Institute and Leadership Rowan. She is also an Accredited Buyer’s representative and broker-in-charge of her firm.

She is a member of First United Methodist Church and has previously served on the board of trustees and as a delegate to the Western Carolina Conference of United Methodists. She is also a committee member of Young Life Rowan County.

She is a member of the National Association of REALTORS, the North Carolina Association of REALTORS, the Salisbury-Rowan Association of REALTORS, where she has served as president and secretary, and a member of the Professional Standards Committee.

Leonard-Hampton has been honored as Realtor of the Year by her peers. She is a member of the Charlotte Regional REALTORS Association Multiple Listing Services.

Involvement in the community is a priority and she volunteers and supports Habitat for Humanity, The LandTrust for Central North Carolina, the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, Historic Salisbury Foundation, Rowan Business Alliance, Rowan Helping Ministries and United Way of Rowan County.

She is married to Eddie Hampton who is a licensed general contractor and property manager. They have four adult children and five grandchildren.

Leonard-Hampton and Tiano can be reached at 704-239- 3096 or marie@leonardhamptonhomes.com, www.leonardhamptonhomes.com.

The Center for Prevention Services to hold masquerade ball

The Center for Prevention Services, a private nonprofit agency that provides programs and services to prevent substance abuse among adolescence and children, will be holding its first Stigma Unmasked Masquerade Ball in honor of national substance abuse prevention month.

The ball will be at the Big Chill at 911 E. Morehead St. in Charlotte on Oct. 29 from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

The Center for Prevention Services has been working for 45 years to prevent substance abuse in the Charlotte community. The ball is being used as a way to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and mental health stigmas. CPS hopes to shatter stereotypes and misconceptions about addiction and other behavioral issues.

There will be live entertainment and a silent auction during the event. Funds will go towards prevention programs for children and community organizations.

For more information, visit the CPS website: www.preventionservices.org.

Skinny Wheels Bike Shop announces winner of bike giveaway

Skinny Wheels Bike Shop, at 111 W. Innes St., gave a bicycle to Earl Gillon as part of this year’s National Bike Challenge.

The PeopleForBikes’ National Bike Challenge had a goal of bringing together 100,000 riders to pedal 75 million miles from May 1 to September 30. Riders join teams and compete to rack up the most miles during the competition.

There were more than 25 million miles ridden in the challenge and more than 45,000 riders.

This year, Skinny Wheels Bike Shop created its own new team for the competition and offered a brand new 2015 Cannondale Synapse Aluminum Rival Disc to the cyclist with the most miles logged.

Eric Phillips, owner of the shop, said he added the giveaway to add a little more of a competitive spirit for the shop’s team.

Forty-four riders ended up signing up to be on the shop’s team. The team logged almost 52,550 miles and ranked 58th nationally.

Gillon, from Mooresville, was first place in the Skinny Wheels team, the state champion and eighth in the nation. He logged 12,882 miles.

He said he did not change his riding routine much at first, but then he started an active recovery ride during the days he would usually take off.

Soon his rides got easier and longer.

Gillon said the challenge was fun; he was not really worried about competing.

Doug Jacobs, from Salisbury, was third place in the Skinny Wheels team, logging 3,844 miles on a hand cycle. He ranked in the top 500 for the state.

He said the challenge motivated him to keep riding when he might have found an excuse not to.

“It encourages people to get out there and do it,” he said.

Mark Minn was second place in the Skinny Wheels team.

The top riders in the Skinny Wheels team also received Skinny Wheels jerseys.