Front Porch Living April 2011

Play Ball!

Chowan University Gives Back

‘Magic’ remains in Ahoskie Theater

4 Front Porch Living

Inside this edition

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Honky Tonking

Good music, good friends keeps ‘em coming back every Friday night to the Lasker Grand Ole Opry.

Giving Back

10

Chowan University students involve themselves in a number of volunteer projects in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

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Freshness grows here

Local nurse discovers ‘green thumb’ and growing list of satisfied customers.

Play ball!

Roanoke-Chowan area youth and adults enjoy America’s pastime and the great outdoors.

36 Aulander All-Star Sierra Jernigan takes a look at a pitch during the 2010 postseason. Jernigan is among hundreds of local youngsters to participate in local leagues.

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The Guitar Man

German native moves south and shares his love of music with local youngsters.

6 Front Porch Living

Honky tonking Good music, good friends keeps ‘em coming back every Friday night to the Lasker Grand Ole Opry

Story and photos

by Amanda VanDerBroek

F

or the most part, the single stoplight in Lasker stands lonely as it sways in the breeze, reflecting its green, yellow and red colors at the empty crossroads below.

In the small town located in southeastern Northampton County, it’s usually as quiet a church mouse. However , that all changes one evening out of the week inside the walls of the Lasker Grand Ole Opry down the Lasker Golf Course Road, not far from that lonesome stoplight.

To a passerby the opry looks like your typical gray, large storage barn sitting out back of the home of Calvin and Barbara Jean Daughtry. The only clue that the building might be something special is a faded sign out front bearing the words: LASKER GRAND OLE OPRY. Each Friday, people from all over North Carolina and Virginia pack the opry’s side lawn, which doubles as a parking lot, pay the $7 cover charge and cut loose on the wooden dance floor to the sounds of traditional country music.

“We just pick and grin and have a good time,” Barbara said.

See OPRY page 7

Tommy Knight lays down the licks at the Lasker Grand Ole Opry.

Front Porch Living 7

As this sign indicates, the Lasker Grand Ole Opry favors a family atmosphere.

OPRY FROM PAGE 6

It all began in 1975, when what now houses the opry was just an electrical shop/storage building. Barbara recalled a group of musicians seeking a place to practice their instruments and it was natural for the Daughtrys to open their doors.

The family tree boasts a long line of those with musical talents. Calvin himself is a musical legend and played with Jackie Strickland and the Bluebirds. His musical aspirations took him to various venues around the region, including the Moonlight Room outside of Norfolk, Va. “I played everything up there (on stage) except the piano and drums,” he said. “Before I lost my leg, my favorite to play was the steel guitar.”

Calvin said his sons are also talented in music. And then there is the Daugh-

trys’ “American Idol” finalist grandson, Chris, who has gone on to find success with his band bearing the family sur name. Chris was raised in Lasker until he was 14 years old.

“I guess you could say that he sang his first song (“Achy Breaky Heart”) out here,” Barbara said of her now fa-

as an electrical shop, an occupation he did on the side.

“I told them over there when I left I was going to be playing at my house,” he said.

After a trip to Nashville, Tenn. to perform and due to his love of country music, Calvin decided to name his dance hall after “the home of American music,” The Grand Ole Opry.

“We had twenty-something the first night we played and then the crowd kept getting bigger - Calvin Daughtry every Friday night,” he said.

Along with the crowd, the opry grew as well, needing more space. Bathrooms were added along with seating areas and a stage for the musicians. The Daughtrys make sure there’s no bad behavior with a few simple regulations, including

“We had twenty-something the first night we played and then the crowd kept getting bigger every Friday night.” mous grandson.

Calvin’s musical connections help the opry get its first crowd the night it opened. He said he had been playing at 301 Club outside of Emporia, Va. for 16 years when he started building the opry

See OPRY page 8

8 Front Porch Living OPRY FROM PAGE 7

no smoking and no alcohol.

Over the 26 years the Lasker Grand Ole Opry has existed, the dance hall has built a lar ge band of followers who come from near and far, including near

by Roanoke Rapids, Gaston, Ahoskie and Emporia, Va. Burchell Smith of Colerain recalled his first time at the opry several years ago.

“I came with a friend the first time,” he said. “He wanted me to meet a woman down here and when we left going on back I told him, ‘Red, you have just carried me to Uglyville’.”

Though it wasn’t love at first sight for Smith and the woman he was paired with, it was just the beginning of his love affair with the Lasker Grand Ole Opry.

Now, Smith travels one hour with his wife of two years, Clara, from his Bertie County home for the music, friends and

dancing.

“We’re very friendly with all of them,” he said of the opry crowd. “It’ s something like a social. We never have any problem, it’s...”

“It’s a friendly atmosphere,” said Clara, completing her husband’ s sentence.

With so many long time and loyal regulars, the crowd at the Lasker Grand Old Opry tends to be a little more mature than others in the typical social scene.

“We have some age on us but we enjoy it,” said Charles Burnette of Roanoke Rapids.

Though the opry’s band began as collection of practicing musicians, a band of regular locals now play at the facility each Friday, including Mary Griffith of Lake Gaston on bass, Gene Scott of Gaston on drums, Tommy Knight of Boykins, Va. on lead guitar, Roy Brown

Jr. of Faison’s Old Tavern on keyboard and John Suiter of Garysbur g on the steel guitar.

Brown has been playing and writing music since he was nine years old and has played with the opry band for more than a decade. For Brown, the opry has allowed him a creative outlet for his music.

“It’s unique to have something like this,” he said. “It’s a nice thing to look forward to every Friday.”

Music, dancing and friendship are a common theme at the Lasker Grand Ole Opry and it is that fellowship which the Daughtrys say keep so many coming back.

Barbara said her son asks if she ever gets tired working and running the opry.

“I say, ‘yeah, I get tired,’ but I think of all the people that are waiting for this door to open,” she said. “So the years keep going by and we keep doing it.”

The Opry’s dance floor is always crowed with couples on Friday night in Lasker.

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These members of Chowan University softball team pose for a photo at the Habitat for Humanity project in Ahoskie.

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Giving Back Chowan students volunteer to aid local projects

Story by Thadd White Photos courtesy of Chowan University

T

hey come for an education and a chance to grow as people.

Some of them also have the opportunity to play collegiate sports, become members of the Student Government Association or make lifelong friends.

But, as much as they receive from Chowan University, many of the students are determined to make sure they leave as much as they take.

“When I came to Chowan to play softball, I wanted to be more than just a student-athlete,” senior Tricia Gorman said. “I wanted to give back to the community I call my second home and be able to say that I helped make the community much better later in life.”

It is that type of belief in making Murfreesboro and Hertford County a true second home that makes Chowan University students stand out when it comes to volunteer service.

The college students have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity , Adopt-A-Highway, Relay for Life, Make-A-Wish, Missions trips, reading to students at Riverview Elementary School and serving as role models and leaders at the Girls and Women’s Day in Sports.

Brittany Gunner volunteers for clean-up duty at Riverview School.

All of these have been done to make the community they have adopted a better place.

“The fact that I am not from this area, but attend the school in this area is a big reason for my community service,” junior Victoria Lewis said. “This has become my new home for four years and I receive joy by helping others here.

“I especially enjoy helping my community because I know my small contribution will make a significant difference,” Lewis added.

Senior Antoinette McCullough said the community surrounding Chowan was much like the campus itself.

“What made me want to give back is the fact the community is a lot like the Chowan campus in that everybody knows everybody and they all act as family,” she insisted. “It wasn’t so much doing community services as much as it was helping the family.”

Some of the students said they give back because of how much they have been given.

“As a student-athlete, I get oppor tunities that others may not be blessed with,” junior Allie Kolezynski said. “I want to make sure that I

give something back to this community.”

One of the programs that is important to senior Bryan Harris is reading to students at Riverview.

“A group of us came up with the idea of how great it would be to read to the younger children of Murfreesboro,” Harris said. “People always see on television how NFL, MLB or NBA players do charity and read to kids. I feel that being a student-athlete in the NCAA, I don’ t have to give money or be famous to give back to young kids.

“The knowledge that I have learned from people that God has placed in my life, I would like to pass it on to others,” Harris added.

Lewis was also happy to have been involved in a program involving Riverview, but it was of a dif ferent nature.

Lewis was part of a group of college students who cleaned up the school’s nature trail.

“It took all day , but with the help of members of sports teams at Chowan, we finished in a day and gave the kids a place to have safe fun and adventure,” she said. “The hardest part was raking leaves. We also See GIVING BACK page 12

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Hertford County Habitat for Humanity was assisted on a project by members of the Chowan University softball team.

GIVING BACK FROM PAGE 11

picked up trash so the trail could be clear and able to walk through.”

Senior Thomas Bird has been involved with more than half a dozen community service projects since coming to Chowan, but said his favorite was a recent canned food drive.

Members of the Chowan Student-Athlete Advisory Committee spearheaded the drive to benefit the Rich Square Creecy Training and Community Center.

“The woman at the Training Center was extremely grateful,” Bird said. “It was nice to donate and give kids food for after school and also to see that a little bit of ef fort from all the student-athletes was able to make a big difference.”

Elizabeth Miller is a junior at Chowan who has participated in nu-

merous missions trips through the school, works with Habitat for Humanity and Relay for Life and is a volunteer at All God’s Children United Methodist Church in Aulander.

helped.”

Jasmine Joe is a freshman at Chowan who has already been involved in nearly a handful of community service activities.

They included cleaning up a school, helping with elderly at a local church and landscaping the new Baptist Children’s Home in Hertford County.

During the latter event, Joe said she had a moment that - Elizabeth Miller touched her.

“We laid sod for the front yard of the house and a very large back yard,” she said.

“When one of the ladies from the organization spoke to me, she told me of a boy who came to one of the homes and was happy about having a toothbrush because he had never had

“From my ser vice at Chowan, I have found that there are people with needs ever ywhere you go.”

She said that she has learned a lot through that service.

“From my service at Chowan, I have found that there are people with needs everywhere you go,” she said.

“I have been blessed to see the smiles on the faces of people I have

See GIVING BACK page 13

Front Porch Living 13 GIVING BACK FROM PAGE 12

one.”

While what they’ve given to the community they’ve adopted during their college years is undeniable, most of the students said they had gotten back even more.

“I’ve gotten back a home away from home because I’m very close with a lot of the people I’ve met over my four years here,” McCollough said.

“I feel that helping young kids is the most beneficial thing I can do,” Bird added. “I think kids should have equal opportunity to be successful in life and Riverview School’s nature trail was cleaned up by members of Chowan University’s volleyball team. being able to af fect them in a positive manteering in a community that has be- communities are better places bener is great and rewarding.” come a second home are varied. One cause of those students who want to The reasons and rewards for volun- thing is for certain Roanoke-Chowan give back to their college home.

Ralph Hewitt (center) directs Hope Miller and Brandon Jager as a practice is underway for the May performance of “Willy Wonka”.

‘Magic’ remains

Ahoskie’s Gallery Theatre is still a theatrical gem

U

Story and Photos by Cal Bryant

nlike his peers within the profession of acting and directing, Ralph Hewitt claims he is not supersti -

tious.

However, that doesn’t prevent him from strongly believing there is something magical, something mystic about the famed Gallery Theatre in downtown Ahoskie.

“I do believe that actors, actresses leave a little piece of themselves at each venue they perform,” said Hewitt, the Gallery’ s Executive Director. “I believe those of us that follow can feel that, can feed off that energy.”

If that is indeed the case, then the acting energy is boundless within the walls of the Gallery Theatre. Ten years before it was used as a cinema beginning in 1928, the then Richard Theatre was home to the likes of vaudeville-era acts that passed through Ahoskie via the Atlantic Seaboard Coastline Railroad.

“I consider this theater, or any theater for that matter, a very sacred place,” Hewitt stressed. “There’s a transformational energy that exists between the performer and the audience. You can see, you can feel that energy being exchanged when the actor/actress and their audience are both

engaged in the performance. It’s much the same case of an athletic team connecting with their fans.”

Over the course of his acting, directing and theatrical management career, Hewitt has helped nurture and encourage others to experience life on stage.

“I have a knack for seeing something inside of people, especially young people, that they cannot see in themselves,” he said. “I connect with people, some more quickly than others. With a younger actor/actress, you first build a layer of self confidence and then add on the layers of acting skills. Instructing adults is a bit See MAGIC page 15

Front Porch Living 15 MAGIC FROM PAGE 14

simpler, but you still have to get them over their shyness to perform. Once that’s removed, the sky is the limit.”

For three local performers, The Gallery gives them a chance to put their talents on display.

Jordan Martin, 13, a 7th grader at Ridgecroft School, used the theater’s annual Summer Youth Workshop as a springboard. He has been involved in 10 performances over the last seven years.

“It started with me wanting to do something over the summer so I joined the youth workshop,” Martin said. “I liked it and have done it ever since. I get to show people what I’ve got inside my soul, my heart … show my talent.”

Another local teen, 17-year -old Germaine Jordan, a student at Hertford County Early College High School, also used the summer workshop to launch his acting career.

“It’s always been my dream to become a professional actor ,” said Jordan who had a role in The Gallery’s recent per formance of “Once on This Island” and is now cast in one of the lead roles in the upcoming performance of “W illy Wonka.”

“The best part is being on stage and seeing the audience smile; I love to entertain others,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sherrie Jager of Ahoskie has made the transition as a backstage production assistant to the spotlight. She has an on-stage role in “Willy Wonka.”

“My kids got me involved in The Gallery,” she explained. “My youngest, Carson (age 9) got involved in the summer workshop and had a role in ‘Once on This Island.’ My oldest (Brandon, age 11) is in ‘Willy Wonka.’ They love it and now I love it; I guess you could say we’re becoming a theater family.

“The Gallery is a great way to explore your creativity,” Jager added. “Plus I have a chance to see the young people involved, including my own, grow and mature as actors.”

When the Gallery is not hosting theatrical performances, it does open its doors for use in other areas of entertain ment. That fact has allowed Hewitt to

From left, Tommy Hurdle, Bobby Hoggard, Ellen Whelan, Ralph Hewitt and Mike Spruill perform a skit during the annual Christmas production at Ahoskie’s Gallery Theatre.

witness, first-hand, the vast array of talent the local area has to offer.

“We are blessed with an enormous amount of talent here in our four counties,” Hewitt said, referencing Bertie, Gates, Hertford and Northampton. “I’d love to have some of those individuals on the Gallery Theatre’s stage on a regular basis.”

One way, Hewitt said, to tap into that talent base is through peer pressure.

“In many cases, we recruit new talent by way of our current cast members,” he noted. “There will be a certain part of a certain play that one of our regulars will know of a friend or acquaintance that would perfectly fit the role.”

Another avenue of recruitment is through the local high schools that of fer theater within its academic curriculum.

Hertford County and Gates County high schools have drama classes. Meanwhile, the freshmen English classes at Bertie’ s STEM High School just recently per formed from the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

“Theater is a perfect learning tool as it teaches different people from diverse backgrounds how to work together and accomplish a task,” Hewitt observed.

Such is the case of the Gallery’s current production, “Willy Wonka.”

“The underlying theme of ‘W illy Wonka’ is that the main character is looking for a successor to take over his choco-

late kingdom,” Hewitt said. “He passes out golden tickets to potential successors, but each ticket has a flaw. The lesson here is admitting your flaws.”

“Willy Wonka” is scheduled for stage performances on May 5, 6, 7 at 8 p.m. and May 8 at 4 p.m.

Volunteers at work Staging four performances per year on a shoestring budget takes the work of unselfish people. Hewitt knows that without the Gallery’s long list of volunteers the theater would be forced to close its doors.

He said the volunteer hours invested in staging a production are staggering. From the outset of element design and concept, to set building, to weeks of rehearsals to the actual performance itself, the total hours put in by volunteers could easily exceed 3,000 per production, especially in musical performances.

The Gallery’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and shortly thereafter the theater begins receiving its quarterly funding from the North Carolina Arts Council.

“We have to be very resourceful in how we spend our grant funding,” Hewitt said.

To help supplement the state’s funding, which Hewitt said has declined by $1,000 per year over the past three years, the Gallery is on the annual budget of both the Town of Ahoskie and Hertford County local government.

“They both recognize the importance of See MAGIC page 16

16 Front Porch Living Cast members of “Willy Wonka” practice for their upcoming production. Those members include, (large photo) Sherri Jager, Dashia Faison, Germaine Jordan, Erion Holly, Orrion Gatling, Karrisa Gatling and Brandon Jager.

Shown in the smaller photos from left are, Erion Holly and Ralph Hewitt; Jordan Martin and Hope Miller; and Orrion Gatling and Kayla Wolverton.

MAGIC FROM PAGE 15

“They both recognize the importance of the arts and we are very appreciative of the funding they give us each year ,” Hewitt noted.

While there are the normal bills to pay – utilities and building upkeep – the lion’ s share of the money is used to stage productions.

“We have to pay a publishing house for the rights for the words and music,” Hewitt said. “There are rental fees for the playbooks and we also have to pay a royalty fee for each performance of those words and music. It’ s very easy to go through a couple of thousand dollars for a performance.”

Since plays are developed months in advance, a contract must be in place with the publishing house and a security fee paid before the event can be advertised for casting calls.

“We’ll start planning very soon for what

we want to produce during the next fiscal year,” he said.

Once the cast is assembled for the next production, the rehearsal process begins.

Musicals are more time consuming to practice due to the number of elements to learn … some, Hewitt said, more complex than others.

“Once we’ve mastered the musical element, we’ll block off each scene … learning the entrances, exits, and all movements on stage,” Hewitt stated. “All of the movements, all of the dance routines are carefully choreographed.

“In a play, we start with a read-through of the material for each character,” Hewitt added. “Then comes the set design and when all the pieces are put together, we’ll block off each scene, just like a musical.”

That’s a lot of work for even a seasoned director such as Hewitt to handle. That’s why he’s thankful for some new blood

within his ranks.

“We’re very fortunate to have added Gwen Merriman to our crew as technical director,” he said. “She joined us last spring and her expertise in planning and designing has been very welcomed. Her husband, Boyd, besides being an actor is also our go-to guy in building props.

We’re also happy to welcome Hope Miller, a very talented dance instructor over in Gates County, to help us with that element. They all take a lot of pressure off my shoulders so I can concentrate on directing.”

While the names of the cast and crew may change, The Gallery's purpose to promote and advance cultural interest in living theatre, art, music, and crafts has remained unchanged. What has made it what it is today are just simple hometown folks who keep alive this theatrical jewel of the Roanoke-Chowan area.

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Venerable old theater still stands tall ‘The Richard’ transforms into ‘The Gallery’ where the arts are alive and well Story and Photo by Cal Bryant

S

eptember 13, 1928 … a headline in the Hertford County Herald proclaimed, “The New Richard Theater Opens Saturday With Four Shows, Two In The Afternoon, Two At Night.”

Eighty three years later , it’s taboo in journalism to have such a wordy headline, but with the exception of a four-year span, nothing over that same time frame has prevented the old Richard Theater from still providing entertainment to this very day.

The venerable old brick building in Ahoskie’s downtown business district now goes by the name of the Gallery Theatre. There, just like those that performed in the theater just after the turn of the 20th century, the Gallery continues to of fer quality entertainment with live stage productions.

Audiences at the Gallery have enjoyed a wide variety of theatrical

The Gallery Theater, located on Ahoskie’s Main Street, provides an avenue for the arts in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

productions over the years, ranging from comedy to musicals and everything in between. Additionally, the Gallery hosts an annual Summer Youth Workshop, now in its 45th year, for aspiring young actors and actresses.

That stage has delighted audiences

spanning two centuries.

Erected in 1906 as a focal point of Main Street commercial life, the building now known as The Gallery Theatre began as a storefront nickelodeon in a “railroad town.”

As Ahoskie grew, so did the building. The area known as the lobby was See THEATER page 19

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THEATER FROM PAGE 18

built in 1918 and was used as a town meeting place and for railroad circuit performers who supplied weekly live shows such as dog acts, juggling acts and comedians. There was a place upstairs for the performers to rest or shower before or after their acts.

Those in town for longer periods, the Garrett Hotel was located across the street.

Eric Garrett and his father , J. R. Garrett, planned and built the New Richard Theatre, complete with a $30,000 pipe or gan that included bellows large enough to require a double brick foundation for support.

The new portion of the theatre created the L-shaped extension to the building. A balcony was added along with six false boxes along the auditorium walls, which eventually held speakers when the "talkie" movies came along. The older portion of the building itself boasted a theatre house Phoenician in concept and lobbies with a Spanish motif. The stillused elegant ticket cage is

reminiscent of the heavy Edwardian designs used by Thomas Lambe.

In 1966, under the guidance of the Women's Division of the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce, a group of interested citizens began an extensive clean-up and repair campaign to The Richard Theatre and The Gallery Theatre was born.

The Chamber ’s Women’s Division negotiated and signed a lease for the building and sold $25 "stocks."

After extensive clean-up and structural improvements, volunteers began producing plays, sponsoring art exhibits (many times from local artists) and hosting other cultural events. Dedicated officers and board members kept activities moving through both good and bad times.

Stock sales, private and corporate donations, the support of the Town of Ahoskie and a variety of grants made it possible for the theatre to outright purchase the building on January 1, 1982. More financial help came in 1983 from the National En-

dowment for the Arts. Between 1987-88, the lobbies were renovated, air conditioning and heating systems installed, a permanent sign erected, the stage rewired and an electric lighting board purchased.

The significant improvements that have occurred over the years were made possible through a number of financial sources, including the annual "Friends of The Gallery" fund drive; grants received from the NC Arts Council; donations made by area residents; and grants received from Z. Smith Reynolds, Hanes, and Bryan Family Foundations (these monies paid for the annex at the back of the theater, which is built on a lot donated in 1992 by Ruth M. Bouldin and Jessie M. Curry in memory of their grandparents, Dr . and Mrs. Jesse H. Mitchell, and their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. Mitchell).

The Gallery remains one of the only true living theater spaces in northeastern North Carolina born from the vaudeville era.

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Michelle Richard opened her greenhouse three years ago with the help of the local Mennonite community.

Freshness grows here

Local nurse discovers ‘green thumb’ and growing list of customers

I

Story and Photos by Amanda VanDerBroek

t’s perhaps the best kept secret garden in Hertford County.

On Boone’s Bridge Road, a rural throughway that weaves its way through the countryside just outside of Como near the Hertford and Northampton County line, is where fresh salads grow.

There you will find a greenhouse called Hodgepodge Lodge filled with vegetables, fragrant herbs and even edible flowers.

It all began as a dream for Michelle Richard, one she now desires to share with others. She simply wanted to provide healthy, fresh and af fordable produce for

families.

There, in the middle of the greenhouse, surrounded by green, luscious lettuce, borage in bloom and chocolate mint plants taking root, it’ s hard to imagine Richard somewhat considers herself as a bit of a novice. She said the experience has been one filled with lessons.

“It’s been more error than trial,” she quipped. “I feel very blessed to have this and, of course, I would like to have it do more good for more people.”

Hodgepodge Lodge began three years ago, when Richard, a long-time registered

nurse who lives with her mom, Arlene, was looking for something she could work on at home during her days off.

“I always had a secret dream to have a greenhouse, but I didn’ t know anything about them,” she said. “I had friends from (Severn Mennonite) church who found a used greenhouse with all of the fixings for sale.”

Richard purchased the greenhouse and her church friends went to the location to pick it up. The support from her fellow Mennonites didn’t stop there as nearly 25 adults and their families came to help conSee FRESHNESS page 21

FRESHNESS FROM PAGE 20

struct the greenhouse and all its inner-workings, including raised garden beds, irriga tion, heating and ventilation systems and brought in nutrient-rich top soil.

In return, Richard helped feed the hungry workers during lunchtime.

“I wouldn’t have been able to afford it if they wouldn’t have provided all the labor,” Richard recalled. “Just about everybody that could come, came from our church; it was sort of like a barn-raising each time.”

After the construction of the greenhouse, Richard set about finding her stride in the world of produce, and expanding on what she grows along the way.

With Hodgepodge Lodge, Richard is able to grow produce for at least three seasons, chiefly fall, winter and spring. The summer proves to be harsh for vegetables in the greenhouse as Richard chooses not to utilize pesticides.

“The biggest problem with (my greenhouse) is keeping it cool in the summer. In North Carolina, because of the insects, you

Front Porch Living 21 almost do better (gardening) outside,” she said.

Richard said her vegetables are not considered organic, but rather are pesticide-free.

“The difference is that to be certified organic it takes seven years and I didn’t start with Durasoil (an or The greenhouse also features herbal vinegars offered for sale. ganic soil),” she said. “I’ve released vinegars. ladybugs and lace wings; I use hot pepper “As it gets too hot for the lettuce and spray and or ganic sprays for the vegetaspinach, I’m going to hopefully be having bles.”

This year, Richard is branching from her cut flowers and pretty baskets, and tasty regular vegetables (lettuce, spinach, toma- baskets as far as the herbs go,” she said.

While some have suggested Richard stick toes, cucumbers, peppers and carrots) into to raising flowers, she has always felt the decorative hanging baskets and herbs to need to do something a little more useful. sell. She has also begun to make herbal See FRESHNESS page 22

22 Front Porch Living FRESHNESS FROM PAGE 21

“As Christians we believe we should earn a livelihood that benefits society,” she said of being a Mennonite. “Rather than growing tobacco or something harmful we would rather grow beneficial things and provide beneficial services.”

Richard often sells the freshly picked produce in nearby Murfreesboro on Saturday mornings in the front of the Chowan Tire Shop. Families and average everyday citizens are her intended customers, giving Richard a chance to not only provide tasty food at an af fordable price, but promote healthy living.

“As a nurse I see the health benefits and as a consumer I see the price,” she said. “I’ll give you an example: a typical bag of baby spinach in the grocery store is $3.59. I always thought that was for a half-pound, it’s for five ounces, which means a pound of that spinach would cost around somewhere around $11.50. I sell it for $5.”

The greenhouse has proven to be a classroom of sorts for visiting children, who Richard said are always welcome. The colorful rainbow of plants has a way to illicit

curiosities from the young visitors about the dreaded vegetable.

Richard said as a child she found it hard to enjoy her veggies.

“As a little girl I remember vegetables just didn’t have much taste, everything was store bought,” she said. “It loses a lot of taste and value as it sits on a shelf.”

She recalled a friend’ s child who recently visited Hodgepodge Lodge while she was pulling up Rainbow Swiss Chard, inciting an interesting response from the young boy, “He started smacking his lips,” she said.

Richard said when children visit they often get interested through involvement and, of course, sampling the tasty of ferings of the greenhouse.

“What I’ve found is that children are more fascinated if they can pick the carrot or broccoli or helping plant it they’re more interested if they have a part in doing it,” she said. “I try to find something interest ing for children when they come by; something interesting that they can taste. When

Shown here is the construction of the greenhouse in 2008.

vegetables are fresh they’re sweet.”

It’s the very experience she hopes to share with more people, but in the meantime she enjoys Hodgepodge Lodge as her own pastime.

“It’s a wonderful hobby in the winter to be out there. It’ s cold outside, but very sunny in the greenhouse,” she said. “It’ s a very pleasant place to be.”

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View from the Front Porch

Lee Stokes (left) shucks a steamed oyster for Reggie Askew, one of the numerous ticket holders attending a March 4 fundraiser for the Gates Emergency Ministries (GEMS) Food Pantry at A&W Outback near Eure.

Wade Askew removes a bucket of oysters from the steamer.

Wade and his wife, Ann, hosted the GEMS fundraiser that generated over $2,500 in cash and a truckload of food for the GEMS Food Pantry.

Karen Utt was one of two lucky ticket holders to win a squirrel feeder, handmade by Joe Greene (right), as a door prize at the March 4 fundraiser to benefit the GEMS Food Pantry.

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View from the Front Porch

During their reenactment of the Trial of Tom Robinson from To Kill A Mockingbird, Bertie STEM student Angel Prince (right) plays Atticus as she questions Luke Davis (Tom Robinson).

Prosecutor Gilmer (Tyra Heckstall) awaits an answer from Bob Ewell (Deantre Nichols) as the students take their first shot at drama during high school.

Tyra Heckstall (Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor) questions Kayla Britt (Mayella Ewell) during Alicia Heffner’s class production.

Angel Prince (Atticus) is discussing the case with Sheriff Heck Tate (Kena Bell) as part of the production of the Trial of Tom Robinson.

Melissa McPherson (the bailiff) holds the Bible for Kena Bell (Sheriff Tate) to use as she takes the oath to tell the truth.

Play ball!

Whitney Castelloe attempts to avoid the tag of Caroline White as the two take part in a practice session for the upcoming softball season.

Story by Thadd White Photos by Thadd White and Bruce Ramsey

T

he sounds and the smells bring back the childhood of most adults.

It takes only a few days of warm weather as winter turns to spring before something inside of us in North Car olina’s northeast are getting the urge to get out on a ball field.

The whir of the bat, the sound of the ball snapping from a leather glove on a

Local youth and adults enjoy annual pastime good throw – it all brings back the younger days of playing baseball and softball throughout the region.

And those wanting to take to those fields can find them throughout the Roanoke-Chowan region as each and every county in the area has multiple opportunities for youngsters to engage in baseball and softball.

Bertie County boasts a trio of oppor-

tunities for youngsters to play the games of summer – Davis Park, the Aulander Youth League and the Bertie County Recreation Department all offer some forms of baseball and/or softball.

Hertford County has opportunities in Ahoskie where a variety of age groups take to the field to play America’s pastime. The same is true in Gates County and Northampton County where recreSee PLAY BALL page 30

30 Front Porch Living PLAY BALL FROM PAGE 29

ation departments add to the summer fun as well as offering a few private leagues.

Ahoskie has just completed a new recreation complex that boasts three of the nicest ballparks in the region while Northampton County’s fields are also new. Aulander has renovated the John Asa Drew Field of Dreams while other local venues have nice ballparks.

Northampton County Recreation Director James Roberts has been involved with his department’s baseball and softball leagues for a dozen years. He said the good feelings about seeing a child record their first hit or catch never changes.

“It makes me feel good,” he said. “It touches your heart when you see a child have an opportunity to play for the first time.

“Then you have the chance to see them grow up and see how they develop and learn the game and how much they improve,” he said. “It makes this job very rewarding.”

Those smiles make it rewarding for anyone involved in the spring and summer leagues of the region.

In Aulander, those smiles had been gone for several years before the Aulander Youth League (AYL) formed and restored what is now the John Asa Drew Field of Dreams.

“We wanted something for the kids in the Aulander and Millennium areas to do during the summer,” said AYL’s Billy Drew. “Those of us who were starting it all played for my father (the late John Asa Drew) in the Tri-County League so we decided to restore the field and name it after him.”

Drew said the field was originally done for general use, but eventually a league was formed. What started as a four -team Little League quickly developed into 10 teams for baseball and softball.

He said he found it hard to describe what it had been like to see the children play.

“Oh, I can’t put into words what it means to see those kids,” he said. “W e don’t get paid – we’re all volunteers. The reward we get is seeing the kid out there smiling and playing.

“Over the last several years a lot of them have started calling me ‘Uncle Billy’ and to see a five-year-old run to you and hug you, that’s special,” he added. “It’ s a community baseball league. We’re all about the kids.”

Mary Beth Hill has been involved in baseball and softball at Davis Park for almost her entire life. She began by playing at the park in Windsor before turning to coaching and then to administratively leading the summer recreation See PLAY BALL page 31

The action is fast and furious as teammates battle for the ball while participating in the Bertie County Recreation League.

A member of the Aulander All-Stars applies the tag to a sliding Ahoskie All- Star.

This action came during the 2010 post-season.

An infielder prepares to release the ball during action at Davis Park in Windsor.

Front Porch Living 31 PLAY BALL FROM PAGE 30

This youngster darts between bases during a Bertie Recreation League contest.

program.

“The ball park was the place as a child and teenager you looked forward to going to,” Hill said. “It’s part of me. I grew up there.”

She said after completing her eligibility by aging out, she wanted to stay involved so she began coaching.

“It wasn’t too long before I started having children of my own and I wanted my children to have that same feeling that I did,” she said.

Hill called her years working in the summer leagues “a joy” and said she was proud of the good play and wholesome family atmosphere at the park.

In her 25-plus years of coaching and serving at Davis Park, Hill has been involved in every league and coached all of them except boy’s Junior League Baseball.

During that time, she enjoyed all of them, but one stood out.

“Little League was the most fun for me,” she said. “They were old enough that it was easier to teach them. It was the most rewarding because you work with them in

the beginning of the year and teach them and by the end of the season you can see how much they’ve picked up and how much they’ve progressed.”

Baseball and softball began at the Gates County Community Center more than a dozen years ago. Recreation Director Lulu Eure said she thought it was a good time for the county to come together.

“We wanted to of fer countywide baseball and softball so all the kids could par ticipate,” she said.

Eure said that since she helped build the fields, it was especially nice to see them in use.

“Having built the fields, which I see the lights on and people playing on every field, it’s a good thing to see,” she said.

“It’s a place where the county’ s citizens can get together and the kids seem to have fun.”

Eure said it was always nice to see the younger kids involved.

“It’s cute to see them in their uniforms and see them all excited,” she said.

Jacob Harrell also grew up in the recreSee PLAY BALL page 32

32 Front Porch Living PLAY BALL FROM PAGE 31

ational leagues of the Roanoke-Chowan region.

“I began playing baseball at four or five years old – as soon as they let me,” he said.

“Times were different then and all I cared about was playing baseball. For me, they haven’t changed much because I still care most about being on a baseball field.”

The time he spent honing his skills through the Ahoskie Recreation Department leagues helped Harrell become a standout baseball player who earned the opportunity to play collegiate baseball.

Following that collegiate career, he knew where he was headed next.

“The day I stopped playing baseball, I knew what I was going to get into and that was coaching,” he said. “I was never a guy that was blessed with the talent to play after college, so I knew I was going to coach.”

Some of that coaching has been done on the same Ahoskie Recreation ballfields in which he grew up playing. He has helped Justin Freeman run the summer league program for the last several years.

“I couldn’t ask to work with a better guy than Justin,” Harrell said. “He loves the

kids and I’ve enjoyed it. I was that kid 10 years ago and I like helping them the way people helped me back then. Hopefully, it is something they’ll remember in years to come.”

Harrell said it was already rewarding to see some of his former players in the recreation leagues using their talent on the junior varsity and varsity levels at local high schools.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have good players and kids who want to play baseball,” he said. “I’ve been able to see some of them playing varsity and junior varsity. They didn’t learn everything they know from me, but to see them use something I taught them is a great feeling.”

And it is that great feeling – the one of passing along great traditions of good baseball and softball as well as spending quality family time at the ball park - that has kept the Roanoke-Chowan’s baseball and softball fields full of youngsters and their parents for many years.

Judging by the number that are already getting started in the coming months, that’s a legacy not likely to change for our region anytime soon.

Pitcher and catcher talk strategy during a game at Davis Park in Windsor.

The The Gu it ar Ma n

Front Porch Living 37

German native passes on love of music Story by Cal Bryant Photos by Sara Bolton

M

The guitar students of Bon Lozaga (left) were put through their first live performance during a “Jam” recital held in March at Chubbies in Ahoskie.

astering a musical instrument is one thing … performing live on stage is a totally different experience.

For a group of local youngsters, they have discovered a man capable of teaching both.

Bon Lozaga was born in a country torn in half by political dif ferences.

Fifty-six years later he’s teaching aspiring young musicians the true meaning of togetherness … putting aside their diversity for the common good of keeping the music alive.

“I’ve been into music ever since I was a kid,” said Lozaga, born in Germany in 1955. “I began to play professionally when I was 22; traveling all over the world and had some pretty big record deals. But nothing compares to what I’m doing today. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

While the mean licks he lays down on a guitar can still vibrate the walls of his stage, Lozaga has found another side of his vast musical talent, that of sharing it through teaching young people the art of playing a stringed instrument. In March, his local students performed live on stage for the first time during a recital, of sorts, at Chubbies Sports Bar and Grill on Jersey Street in Ahoskie.

“I don’t know who enjoys it the most, the students or the teacher ,” Lozaga said with a smile. “Most of the kids started out with nothing, no previous training, so getting them to go up on a stage to perform in front of a crowd was a bit of a shock. Now that they’ve done it, have heard the See GUITAR page 38

38 Front Porch Living GUITAR FROM PAGE 37

crowd’s reaction, they want to do it again. They’ve bought in to what I’m teaching … it’s not just about the lessons, it’s about the music, the per formance.

“I teach my kids real music, I teach them to read music and you don’ t find a lot of that style left,” he added.

“I teach a lot of theory and harmony.

They get a deeper understanding of the actual music and that allows them to branch out and try new things.

They teach me as well, they keep me informed of all the new bands they follow. Some of it is pretty good.”

and Belgium.”

At that time, Lozaga was basically an unknown musician in the United States. That changed when the group launched a major tour in the U.S. and Canada, perform ing over 50 gigs a year. They were split into a spring tour and winter tour while the summer months were designated for work in the studio cutting A star is born their newest album.

Born to a German mother and a FilThe group remained ipino father in Germany in 1955, intact from 1977Lozaga said he was a military brat.

1981.

“My dad was in the U.S. Army who “We broke up in the met and married my mother while he early 80’s and despite was stationed in Germany ,” he said. trying we could never “I lived in Germany for the first get it back together ,” seven years of my life.” he said. “We couldn’t Lozaga is old enough to remember get it back to the level the days of German divide. where we once were “Even when I was 22-23 and play- so everyone just Bon Lozaga joins with one of his students, Cody Harrell, as ing professionally, if we had a gig in drifted apart and went they jam on stage at Chubbies Grill in Ahoskie.

Berlin we had to go through ‘Check- and did their own point Charlie’,” he recalled. “Y ou’d thing.” his own band – “T iny Boxes.” The pull up and there’d be tanks there, For Lozaga, his “own thing” was guys with machine guns; the barbed the restaurant business in New Jer - group performs its “jam band” rockn-roll style in North Carolina (Char wire fence … the whole nine yards. sey. lotte, Asheville, Raleigh, We had a one day VISA to play and “My wife (Susan) and I started Greensboro) as well as in Richmond, get out.” three restaurants and all my family Va. and points further north.

After his father ’s overseas assign- worked there, including my father “We attract two to three thousand ment was completed, the family set- who was a cook in the Army. We were per show; we’ve got it rolling now ,” tled in New Jersey where his dad was doing quite well,” he recalled. stationed at Fort Dix, located south Every year, Lozaga took a vacation he said. of Trenton. His mother still resides to the western U.S. to visit friends.

Moving South there, living in the same house the During one of those numerous trips, While it’s a common practice for family purchased in the 1960’s. his airplane nearly crashed. SomeHis first break came with the Euro- thing inside his soul clicked; he knew Northerners to relocate south of the Mason-Dixon Line, most make a beepean band, Gong, a group signed by where he actually belonged and rethe famed Virgin Records, owned by turned to his first true love…picking line for the more populated areas … the legendary Richard Branson. up a guitar and creating magic with Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta or anywhere in Florida. Moving to Roxobel “We did a bunch of records with his skillful hands.

Richard before switching to Arista “I sold all my restaurants and have is an entirely dif ferent story, espeRecords,” Lozaga said. “W e were been broke ever since,” he said with a cially if there are no previous conplaying all over the world, the major- slight chuckle. “That’ s the life of a nections that attracts a Jersey family to the rural expanse of Bertie County. ity of those gigs were in Europe since musician.”

Lozaga explained that his daughter we were an English band based out of Nowadays, his music takes him to London. It was basically performing U.S. cities as well as of fering guitar has lived in Wilmington, NC for the past 14 years. Meanwhile, his son in England, Germany , France, Italy lessons to local youngsters. He has was still residing in New Jersey , but See GUITAR page 39

Front Porch Living 39 Passing it on For Lozaga, the love of music is best shared with others. For that reason, he loves to teach others the craft of picking a guitar.

While in New Jersey he offered lessons to 50 youngsters per week at a music store. It’ s different here, he said, where he teaches two days per week in a back room at Mug Shotz Café on Main Street in Ahoskie; uses his residence for a few other students and goes to the homes of the major ity of his pupils.

Lozaga added that his teaching philosophy was simple….“Anything that inspires you to want to play more or practice more, then do that. If it’ s going out and watching a band per form, then that’s fine.”

“My teachings here are more intiBon Lozaga and Trevor McKeel perform during a recent recital held at Chubbies. mate than what I was doing up in Jersey,” he said. “There, I was in a little GUITAR FROM PAGE 38 booth and the parents would drop has since relocated to Roxobel and is “I can honestly tell you we really their kids of f and leave; just kind’a a student at Chowan University and lucked out when choosing this place push them on you for an hour or so. working, as a cook, at Tavern 125 in to live,” he said. “There’s some great There were a lot of kids there that Murfreesboro. Another daughter has people here, so warm, so friendly . I didn’t want to take the lessons, rather moved to Colerain. His three grand- guess they thought the circus had their parents forced them to. Here, children (ages 4,7 and 10) are also come to town when we first moved in the kids want to learn and I have had now residents of North Carolina. … I had all these musicians here great interaction with their parents.

“We were looking to live somefrom all over the world speaking dif- They are appreciative of what I’m where in between and somewhere ferent languages, but they have acdoing, the level I’m taking their kids that was cheap,” he noted. “And the cepted us. I love it here.” musically. It’s so much more personal other thing is that other than my Lozaga formed a close bond with a here. That’s another reason I love it music, I’m a falconer (a person that Roxobel icon, Charlie Vaughan who down here, you get a chance to interhunts wild quarry in its natural habi- unfortunately lost his battle with can- act with people because they’re so tat by means of a trained raptor). I cer last year. friendly. When I lived up in Jersey , wanted a place that was flat and wide “Charlie and I got pretty tight,” he you wouldn’t know the family living open and you can’ t get any flatter or said. “Charlie was a great guy and I three houses down from you.” more wide open than Bertie County , did all I could to help him, as did so After touring the world as a musiand I say that in a good sense.” many others, during his courageous cian, it does stretch the imagination Searching the Internet, he and battle against cancer . I miss him somewhat to learn that Lozaga, as Susan discovered an old, 1900’ s era every day.” well as his family , appears content farmhouse in Roxobel. They purThe quiet, rural nature of the local with his current lifestyle. chased the dwelling six years ago, area has also served as a catalyst for “We’re not planning on moving; fixed it up and now call it as home.

Lozaga to feel more at ease as he like I said before, I love it here,” he “At first it was just me and my writes and creates his style of music. concluded. “We’ve got a garden; we wife, but now some of the band mem“There’s not a lot of stress here that raise chickens; we’ve got it all going bers will come and stay for a short you find in a bigger city ,” he said. on over in Roxobel. I’m an avid while as we base our tours from “It’s very laid back and easy going. hunter and you can’ t be an avid here,” Lozaga explained. “It’ s more Because you’re not fighting traf fic hunter in the northeast (U.S.). Down of a centralized location for the fam- every day or stressing over high here I fit right in.” ily and the band.” taxes, you become so much more at He plans to have another “jam” Since becoming a citizen of north- ease and that has helped me with my recital at Chubbies later this summer. eastern North Carolina, Lozaga said music, which includes the writing For more information on how join he had learned a lot about its people end of it.” the “Bon Movement” or for lessons, and the way of life here. call 252-344-2197.

40 Front Porch Living

P

Protecting your patio… and what’s on it!

atios are typically the go-to spot for warm weather outdoor meals. Whether hosting friends or simply enjoying a relaxing meal under the evening sky , homeowners tend to spend as much time as possible on the patio once the weather warms up.

Because it's such a high-traf fic area, the patio should be protected from wear and tear.

Wear and tear on the patio can result from Mother Nature or be a byproduct of all those spring and summer evenings spent relaxing outdoors. Fortunately, there are a handful of ways homeowners can keep their patios looking pristine through the summer party season.

• Stain the concrete. Staining concrete protects it from natural elements, which can cause the color of a patio to peel or flake.

Concrete stain penetrates deep and infuses the concrete with a permanent color that's less likely to fall victim to the elements. Stains are generally solid-color stains or acid stains.

Solid-color stains, as their name suggests, provide a more even and solid look, while acid stains provide a more marble-like appearance. While neither are likely to fade or peel quickly, over time an additional coat or stain might need to be applied to counter natural factors like sunlight.

•Cover the furniture. Patio furniture can vary significantly in price and quality. Homeowners who picked up a few plastic chairs at

the nearby grocery store might not feel furniture covers are worth the investment. For those with more expensive patio furniture, durable furniture covers that can withstand year-round weather are a sound investment.

Waterproof and heat-resistant fabric is ideal, as the furniture will be vulnerable to spring

rains, summer showers and high temperatures during the summer party season. Covers should also fit snugly around the furniture to provide optimal protection.

•Consider retractable awnings. Retractable awnings might cost a little money , but they can also pay homeowners back over the long haul. First and foremost, retractable awnings protect patio from sunlight and ultraviolet rays in hot weather. A retractable awning can also protect friends and family members should an unexpected summer shower appear or keep them safe from sunburns during summer afternoons when the UV index is high.When placed near a window, retractable awnings can lower ener gy bills. Such awnings can keep sunlight and ultraviolet rays from entering the home. This lowers the temperature indoors, which reduces reliance on air conditioning units to maintain a comfortable temperature. These awnings can also extend the life of furniture, which tends to fade when placed inside windows that get heavy sun exposure.

•Plant trees. An eco-friendly way to maintain and add to a patio's aesthetic appeal is to plant trees around the patio. Trees can protect the patio from sunlight and ultraviolet radiation while providing some shade for friends and family members who want to spend some quality time outdoors on hot afternoons. In addition, trees can create a serene setting to a patio, adding to its relaxing nature.

42 Front Porch Living

Front Porch Living 43

44 Front Porch Living

What’s in your fridge?

Proper nutrition is vital to battle middle-age spread Story by Cal Bryant

F

rom political power, to fashion and even to team loyalty in today’ s world of professional athletics, change is inevitable.

But what about change inside our bodies?

In the earlier stages of life, individuals, at least those without medical complications, were able to throw caution to the wind. It did not matter how little they slept or what types of food were consumed, those young bodies were strong enough to maintain a healthy metabolism.

However, as the body’ s clock sur passes age 40 and progresses beyond, hormonal and metabolic changes begin to occur.

As age increases, BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) heads in the opposite direction. BMR is the rate at which your body burns energy. Those with higher rates burn that ener gy more ef ficiently … they also feel better , think clearer and

Making wise choices when shopping leads to healthy eating habits.

are able to maintain a healthy weight.

It’s normal for BMR to decrease with age; however, the ef fects can be lessened through proper diet and exercise.

How does one navigate through a maze of information for those looking for mid-life advice on nutrition? Debbie Klingler – a Registered Dietician, Licensed Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator at Roanoke-Chowan Community Health Center in Ahoskie –

said the best course of action was to start that search locally.

“Take advantage of your local resources first by asking your doctor or by contacting your local community health center to inquire of a listing of certified or registered dieticians/nutritionists,” Klingler said. “If you prefer to go it alone, there is plenty of free advice available through websites.

Klingler said one of her online faSee FRIDGE page 45

Front Porch Living 45 FRIDGE FROM PAGE 44

vorites was www.calorieking.com.

“There are even apps you can download to your iPod or other handheld devices that can be used to track your daily intake of calories,” she said.

Unhappy meals For parents with a busy lifestyle, but trying to remain within a budget by eating at home, the name of the meal game has a NASCAR feeling … we want it now; we want it fast.

Typically, food preparation under those circumstances may indeed take the “checkered flag” but the victory lane party is spoiled upon receiving the bad news from the bathroom scales.

Instead of bowing to the traditional fast lane foods such as ‘bur gers, fries, pizza and mac-and-cheese, the family

cook can score a victory by of fering broiled or grilled entrees. Pasta dishes are also quick to prepare, as are steamed mixed vegetables. Not only are these offerings delicious, they are nutritious for the entire family. There’s no time like the present than to introduce young children to the benefits of healthy eating, especially with a growing concern

hard day at work,” Klingler noted.

To avoid that chore, Klingler said advance planning is the key.

“Plan out your weekly meals for the family, or for an individual living alone,” she said. “Go to the grocery store with that plan. Prepare dishes that will cover a few days and refrigerate or freeze them. Frozen cooked vegetables are quick to thaw and serve. I’m also not against pur chasing healthy frozen meals; just add a salad and you’ve got a quick, nutritious meal.”

Klingler added that baked pota- Debbie Klingler toes are quick and easy to prepare.

She also suggested preparing nutritious meals in a crock pot as a time saver.

“I would also promote healthy eating for all age groups by encouraging athome cooks to experiment with different

“I would also promote healthy eating for all age groups by encouraging at-home cooks to experiment with different preparation methods.” worldwide of childhood obesity and an alarming number of adults diagnosed with diabetes.

“Nobody wants to stand in a hot kitchen and cook after spending a long,

See FRIDGE page 46

46 Front Porch Living FRIDGE FROM PAGE 45

fullness from the calories associated with what a person drinks.

Consuming liquids in-between meals leads to overeating later.

Try this … instead of drinking an eight-ounce glass of orange juice, eat an entire orange and drink a 12-ounce bottle of water .

It will give you a feeling of being full and research has shown you will still feel that way until normal mealtimes arrive.

Green salads with light dressing are low in calories.

“We have a volume problem,” full,” she stated. “I would suggest for Klingler admits. “Why do we like to over eat … it’s simple, we love food and those ages 45 and over to increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables; we love to eat. We love to have full they’re high in fiber and low in calostomachs, but be reminded that as we ries.” age, insulin resistance becomes a big Low calorie beverages are also an imissue. We begin to lose muscle mass and portant part of a proper diet. what was once muscle converts to fat.

“Steer clear of the high calorie beverAs the fat levels increase, it leads to a ages and keep a close eye on your intake higher risk of diabetes. In turn, that of carbohydrates,” Klingler said. “Just leads to higher risks for other chronic doing away with two regular soft drinks diseases.”

Feeling full or two other types of sugary drinks, like Klingler said three words were key as As far as for the nutritional value of Kool-Aid, per day will lead to a weight men and women reach middle consuming liquids, studies reveal that loss of a pound per week.” with the progression of age, the body be- age….fiber, fiber, fiber.

“Fiber in your diet helps you feel gins to register a lessened feeling of That’s change we can all live with. preparation methods,” Klingler said.

“Instead of the old bacon grease method, use olive oil. A simple test with that is to shred cabbage, stir fry it in olive oil and then steam the cabbage for tender ness. Preparing familiar foods in a different way creates variety and new flavors.”

Armed with a new , healthy diet, the road to proper nutrition is also paved with exercise.

Klingler sympathized with those that could not work in an exercise routine due to time constraints at their job or at home, but she still stressed the need for a daily workout to supplement a diet.

“Keep a pair of tennis shoes and tshirt in your car. If you are at an event where you are waiting for a child or grandchild to complete an athletic practice or piano lesson, get out and walk,” Klingler suggested.

48 Front Porch Living

A Conversation With‌ Q: What has your senior year been like thus far?

A: My senior year has been exciting; filled with anticipation of college and also readiness to graduate.

Erica

Bradley

Q: Which part of it did you or do you look most forward to?

A: I had looked most forward to playing sports this year . Now I am looking forward to walking across the stage, with honors.

Q: What kind of community activities have you been involved with outside of school?

A: Outside of school I participate in helping coach youth girls basketball and softball teams at the local Community Center. Also I am heavily wrapped up in AAU softball.

Q: Have you chosen a college? If so, how did you go about making your decision?

A: Yes, I will be attending Methodist University in the fall.

Their softball program is what first attracted me to this school and once I made my first visit I knew this was where I wanted to be.

Q: What are you most looking forward to as you prepare for college?

A: What I look forward to most this coming fall is my freedom. I would say I have lived a pretty sheltered life and now I'm ready to meet Q: What is your favorite subject in new people and do things on my school? own.

A: My favorite core subject is math; my favorite elective is dance.

Q: What do you think Gates County High School has taught you that will help you the most as you prepare to leave for college?

A: This school has taught me how to deal with people in a close environment. With everyone knowing just about everyone, getting along is a necessity if you want to have a nice high school experience.

Q: What extracurricular activities have you been involved in during your high school career?

A: I have been heavily involved in sports. I have been a 3-sport athlete every year in high school. And I have been involved in Beta Club an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).

Q: What do you plan to major in while attending the college of your choice and what made you decide on that major?

A: I plan on majoring in Chemistry and taking that to a graduate school and pursuing a Pharmacy degree. I decided this because I always wanted to be in the medical field, but I never wanted to do anything hands-on.

Q: What adult mentor has played the biggest role in your life and why?

A: I would say my sister has been the greatest mentor . Even though she's only four years older than me, everything I have done is an attempt to reflect her accomplishments. She is the common big sister: a bully sometimes, but more a great role model and fantastic supporter.

Erica Bradley is a senior at Gates County High School who resides in Hobbsville. She is the daughter of Dr. Jerry and Adrienne Bradley and has one sister, Jalisa. She attends St. John AME Zion Church in Sunbury. She has been an active participant in athletics during her youth and began playing travel softball at 10 years of age. She has played basketball, soccer and softball at the Gates County Community Center and has played basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer and run cross-country at Central Middle School and Gates County High. She has received numerous trophies, awards and recognitions for her athletic ability.

View from the Front Porch

Front Porch Living 49

Sue Lassiter shows off her “flipping” style as she and other members of the Ahoskie Rotary Club served-up thousands of flapjacks during their annual Pancake and Sausage Day held March 3.

Ahoskie Rotarians Dan Joyner (foreground) and Richard Jernigan man the skillets as they fry up homemade sausage from Godwin’s Country Meats as part of the club’s annual fundraiser on March 3.

Ahoskie Rotary Club member Bill Earley (left) dishes out hot pancakes to a waiting customer as the serving line grows longer on March 3 inside the Ahoskie National Guard Armory.

50 Front Porch Living Incorporated: 1919 Population: 253 County: Northampton (1741) Major Highways: NC 35

Railroad, water bring life to ‘Cross Lox’ Story and photos by Amanda VanDerBroek

S

evern, a little town with a big heart.

For many who reside here, Severn’ s motto sums up exactly how they feel about their community. If you’re in doubt, just ask Town Manager Marshall Lassiter.

“Severn is the best town in Northampton County,” he said. “We have the best people here than any other place.”

Severn, with a population of 253, often wears its heart on its sleeve. Signs advertising upcoming Severn Volunteer Fire Department or Conway-Severn Rescue Squad events dot the sleepy streets; the Severn Community Building is still used for various events and four churches still thrive within the community.

Its streets often stand quiet, lined with quaint one and two-story older homes, and its skyline is marked by storage buildings and steam rising from local industries. However , there are still echoes of Severn’s once booming past, one created by a more than 100-yearold rail line in the heart of town.

Nine stores, theaters, barbershops, an automobile dealer and an inn were all once part of Severn’s past.

Town documents collected from citizens tell the story of the beginnings of what is now Severn. It all started with a post of fice, operated by Matt Edwards, located at a cross roads known as Cross Lox. The post of fice was called Meherrin, believed to have been named after a tribe of Meherrin Indians who lived on the banks of the river nearby (the Meherrin River). The post office served the people of the rural community and from these communities came most of the original families who had a hand in developing the town of Severn.

Before the town developed there was, the construction of the railroad near the soggy lowlands. In 1887, the Seaboard Railroad Company built a branch line which ran from Boykins, Va. into North Carolina for several miles.

“The most recognized origin for the name

Severn’s entryway sign sums up the warmth of this small town.

Severn came from the railroad,” said Lassiter.

“They had an engineer, not a train engineer , but a land surveyor and his name was Severn Ayres. His name stuck.”

Lassiter said Ayres lived for some time just north of what would become the town. He added about five years ago, the town received a visit from a woman from England whose family name was the same as the town’ s namesake.

“She felt that this Severn Ayres was definitely related to her family,” Lassiter said.

Soon after the railroad was completed, two young brothers named George and Bill Pruden from Seaboard built a saw mill near the tracks. At the time, there was only one small house in the village owned by Peter Martin and was located on the west side of the railroad. Martin was a farmer and worked land several miles away along the present Vaughan’s Creek Road.

A commissary was built by the Prudens

near the saw mill to supply workers with their food and supplies. As the mill grew, many of the young men from the surrounding communities began to move to the railroad tracks with their families.

Severn soon began to blossom as the Seaboard Railway built a station and its first two stores were built and eventually a dry goods store open. The post office out at Cross Lox was also brought into town when Edwards opened his store. He was the town’ s first postmaster.

African-Americans also played a role during Severn’s early settlement. With the construction of a new post of fice, Jim Martin became the town’s second postmaster. One resident recalled Martin in a narrative given to the town of Severn. “People remembered him as the ‘one-arm postmaster ’ because he had one of his arms amputated,” the citizen wrote.

The first blacksmith shop in town was See SEVERN page 51

Front Porch Living 51 SEVERN FROM PAGE 50

owned by a black man named Jim Boone.The shop was located near the Prudens’ commissary. He later worked for W.E. Glover who opened a blacksmith shop on the opposite side of the railroad.

Among the other early commerce in the town was an automobile dealer/shop, Piedmont Automobile, owned by Henry Paul Howell. The first car owner in town was Junie White who owned a Reo. In 1918, Buck Howell opened a movie house on the second floor of his store and his son, Henry Paul, operated the silent movie machine.

One year later, the town was incorporated with Charlie Simons as the first mayor.

Joseph W. Barkley, who has lived either near or in Severn for most of his life, recalled the town’s numerous stores.

“You could buy anything you wanted,” he said.

Barkley said the early stores were supported by the farmers who worked the land around the town.

“Back then you didn’t have all of the farming equipment like they do now, there were a lot of people living on farms,” he said. “That’s how these stores thrived.”

Essie Mae Benns, who has lived in Severn for more than 60 years, recalled the many stores in town as well.

“On Friday, Severn was full of people down there,” she said. “Y ou could buy material, clothing and groceries. The stores were nice.”

Barkley also recalled the town’s first bank (constructed in 1916). He said the bank was located in a store that also housed a barber shop and the post office.

As the town grew in both size and population, the need for schools and churches grew as well.

There was early education for both blacks and whites.

The first school for blacks was a one room wooden named Swamp Chapel School and Idell Harris was the first and only teacher at the time. In 1912, when a new church was built, the old church was used as a school.

The school soon received a funding boost, notably from Julius Rosenwald, a white philanthropist from Chicago, who made his fortune as president of Sears, Roebuck, and Co. He gave away much of his earnings to Jewish charities and for the education of AfricanAmericans. He contributed to the building of more than 5,000 rural schools for blacks, including Severn’s very own Rosenwald School, built across the railroad tracks from First Baptist Church.

When the state assumed financial responsibility for the school, the name was changed to Severn Graded School. In 1951, when Severn High School was consolidated with Conway High School, Severn Graded School became Meherrin Elementary and Severn High School became Severn Elementary. In 1967, Meherrin Elementary was closed and the students were assigned to Willis Hare Elementary.

The first school for white children was called the Log Cabin School, located near Cross Lox, and used in the late 1800s.

Barkley remembered attending the second school, located near the current United Methodist Church.

“It was a two-story, not very big because we didn’t have all that many people, framed, wooden building,” he said. “It had a bell and it rang every morning when you were supposed to be in class.”

Barkley said school’s classrooms were lo-

Essie Mae Benns has lived in Severn for 60 years.

cated on the first floor while an auditorium was on the second story.

“It was used for chapel, entertainment, graduation,” he said. “Each room in the school was heated by a potbelly stove. Somebody during the day had to go and keep getting buckets of coal to feed the fire until 11 a.m.”

Just as important as education in Severn was a spiritual growth. The town boasts four churches, all of which have deep ties within the community.

Severn Methodist Church was organized in 1815 under the name Providence Methodist Church. The first building was four miles northwest of Murfreesboro and served the Methodists of the area, including those of Murfreesboro, for 60 years. In 1875, the See SEVERN page 52

52 Front Porch Living SEVERN FROM PAGE 51

church was brought closer to Severn. In 1916, a white wooden framed church was constructed at its present day lot brick veneer was added in 1950.

First Baptist Church's history spans a period of 121 years in the community . Before the Civil War, blacks, who were within walking distance worshiped at Roberts Chapel Church in Pendleton. In 1866, they withdrew from Roberts Chapel and worshiped under a Bush Arbor in the swamp lands a short distance from the present First Baptist Church. Soon, Rev. Patterson of Raleigh officially organized a church known as Swamp Chapel Baptist Church. The first building was a small wooden structure and was located between the Bush Arbor and the present site. Later, a larger wooden building was built and the name was changed to First Baptist and in 1960s the building was brick veneered.

Severn Baptist Church had its beginning in February 1892 with the organization of a Sunday school. On July 19, 1896, a meeting was called to organize the church. A wooden structure was constructed near where the present day church stands. The white framed church was sold in 1924 for $800 to the Macedonia

African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.). In the late 1920s the brick Baptist Church that is used today building was built.

Macedonia A.M.E. Church began with a small group of worshipers in a wooden building in the Macedonia community near Pendleton in the early 1800s. In 1924, the congregation pulled up stakes and moved to Severn. The building they purchased from the Baptist Church was moved by mules to the present location on the corner of Church and South Streets, where it is still located.

Benns lives in the shadow of Macedonia A.M.E. and once was a member of the church as well as a Sunday school teacher.

“I did love to go to church here,” she said.

“Everybody was so nice.”

She recalled coming to Severn in 1941.

“My husband (Rex) was from Severn and I lived over near Boykins, Va.” she recalled.

“When he fell in love with me, we got married and moved here.”

Benns recalled moving to the tiny town and not being all that impressed with it.

“I thought it was the ugliest place,” she giggled. “But after I got here and lived here I came to like it.”

In the late 1940s, Severn experienced an industrial boom and many of its current industries like Hampton Farms, a lar ge peanut company, Meherrin Chemical and Resinall Corp. moved in providing jobs to those in the local areas.

Benns worked at Hampton Farms for 40 years grading peanuts. She said her job helped her get out and meet more people, allowing her to shed that first impression she had of Severn.

Both Benns and Barkley recalled drinking from the spring located near the Baptist Church and adjacent to the canal system that flows through town, keeping the town from being flooded.

“That was some good water ,” said Benns.

“Everybody drank water from that spring.”

“That’s where all the stores got their water,” said Barkley.

Not only does the water reportedly taste good, but there’s a legend attached to it. They say if you drink from the spring you’ll return to Severn. While there’s no definitive way to prove this, many of those who have drank from the spring are still living in their beloved Severn.

54 Front Porch Living

I

College – seize the opportunity to learn

n 2009 only 70 percent of high school graduates enrolled in college. This decision will affect you for the next couple of years of your life and also the career that you will pursue.

Choosing a college may be very hard and stressful for a teenager if they do not know what they want to do with their life. As a junior in high school you should start trying to figure out what you would like to do in life and where you want to go to college. If you do not know what you would like to do with your life you should research different careers and try to find one that you may be interested in. Your teachers and counselors at school along with parents and adults in your community can be very helpful when it comes to choosing a career. They can help show you the different lifestyles and responsibilities of being an adult and having a job.

When you become a senior in high school you need to start looking at dif ferent colleges and trying to decide which ones you would be interested in going to. You should also start applying to dif ferent colleges early in your senior year. Also, you should start applying for financial aid and scholarships.

The guidance counselors at school are there to help you with all of these things as well as your parents.

You should start your financial aid process as soon as you can because it is on a first come first serve basis. In 2009 more than 244 million dollars was awarded in scholarships, money offered by a long list of various organizations. Scholarships are an important part of college because of the way the economy is today. Times are tight for a lot

of families in the United States and college costs are getting higher each year.

Factors that can hold you back from your ideal college include the distance away from home. Most students are ready to move out and be on their on, but sometimes it is best to stay at home with your parents.They can give you motivation and help you stay on track. It will also be cheaper.

Commitment to the field that you plan on entering is also a major factor because you do not want to enter a college that does not have the field that you plan on major ing in.

Academic pressure is a problem more often than not because students do not realize how hard the courses actually may be. You should try to choose a college that has a SAT and ACT average similar to your own.

If you do not like being part of large classroom settings you should try to find a college that has small classroom sizes.

You should also consider whether or not you want to live in a rural area or in a city, depending on the location of the college or university.

When you decide what college you want to go to, you should let that college know. Then you should make sure that you have all the information the school needs. You should also start looking at the courses that you need to register for.

You also need to inform the other colleges you applied to that you have decided to enroll elsewhere.

Choosing the right college will be one of the biggest decisions of your life. It is a life changing experience and you need to take college seriously, not as a chance to party all the time. I would encourage all high school students to consider enrolling in a college. Seize this opportunity now to make something of your life..

(This column was submitted by Donna Mizelle, Bertie High School Senior.)