Clarke monthly May 2022

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid at Shepherdstown, WV Permit #3

FREE MAY 2022 ClarkeVA.com

“If you want personal service , you will never find another realtor better than John Constant.

He worked with us every step of selling our farm. He helped stage our home, was present at all showings, listed for top dollar and was always available. He is smart ,knowledgable and experienced. He is a good guy and a joy to work wiith.”

-Cindy McGranahan

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Learn more at nwprevention.org/revive-training

Clarke STAFF

David Lillard, Editor/Publisher Jennifer Welliver, Associate Publisher factoryBstudio, Art Direction Ralph Welliver, Proofreader

MAY CONTRIBUTORS Brother Juniper Cathy Kuehner Rebecca Maynard Doug Pifer Claire Stuart Brenda Waugh Katherine Webster Alverna White

COVER IMAGE Garden Club founder Mia Vincent.

Photo by Tiffany Vincent

ADVERTISING SALES

Jennifer Welliver, 540-398-1450

Advertising Information: 540-398-1450

AD DEADLINE 1ST OF EACH MONTH Clarke prints signed letters-to-the-editor of uniquely local interest. Letters containing personal attacks or polarizing language will not be published.

Letters may be edited. Send letters to the editor of 300 or fewer words to: editor@clarkeva.com.

CLARKE MONTHLY

PO BOX 2160 SHEPHERDSTOWN WV 25443

540-440-1373

www.CLARKEVA.com

Clarke

3

Community News State Arboretum Honors One of The Largest Trees In The Eastern U.S. Representatives from the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm named the

American Sycamore as the 2022 Tree of the Year. Since 2019, the Arboretum has designated one extraordinary species of tree as its Tree of the Year.

In honor of Arbor Day, Blandy arborists and representatives from the Department of Forestry planted an American Sycamore at the Arboretum April 29. The tree will be added to a tree and shrub collection that dates to the 1930s.

The Arboretum’s 2022 Tree of the Year was selected after deliberation by Curator T’ai Roulston and Blandy arborists. “A vital part of our mission is to practice and promote tree education, science, and conservation,” said Roulston.

According to Roulston, the sycamore was selected for its value as one of the largest trees in the eastern U.S. and for its exfoliating bark which creates a beautiful, mottled layer of light greens, grays, and browns.

The Sycamore is a massive tree, with heavy, spreading branches that can grow to a height of 70–100 feet with a canopy spread of 60–80 feet.

This is Blandy’s fourth pick for Tree of the Year.

Past trees include Pawpaw in 2021, Sassafras in 2020, and in 2019, Eastern Redbud The State Arboretum of Virginia is home to more than 5,000 woody trees and shrubs, including a unique 300-tree ginkgo grove and a 36-tree Cedar of Lebanon allée. The arboretum staff and volunteers help grow the collection by planting new and replacement trees. Directions and a calendar of events are online at http://www.blandy.virginia.edu.

THE ART OF

Clarke County Memorial Day Service Clarke County’s community Memorial Day Service will be held on Sunday May 29 at 2pm at Rose Hill Park in Berryville. For this Day of Remembrance, Rear Admiral Larry R. Marsh, U.S. Navy (Retired) will deliver the Memorial Day message. Following his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1963, he entered nuclear power and submarine training, then served in numerous leadership and command positions during his distinguished 35-year career in the Navy.

VFW Post 9760 Commander Mike Blumenthal and American Legion Post 41 Commander Will Watson will lead the service. The Clarke County High School Band, led by Mark Curry, will provide prelude and postlude selections and the National Anthem. Clarke County High School Chamber Choir, led by Kristi Snarsky, will perform two songs, and colors will be posted and retired by The James Wood Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. The Clarke County Honor Guard, led by Mike Linster, will provide a military salute.

On Saturday, May 28 at 9am, members of VFW Post 9760 and American Legion Post 41 will place American flags at veterans’ gravesites at Green Hill Cemetery and Monday, May 30 at Milton Valley Cemetery in Berryville.

In case of inclement weather, Memorial Day services will be held at the Barns of Rose Hill adjacent to the park. Clarke County Memorial VFW Post 9760 and American Legion Post 41 invite everyone to the VFW Post at 425 South Buckmarsh Street in Berryville for free refreshments following the ceremony.

For information, contact Tom Vorisek, Memorial Day Committee member, at (540)303-0774.

KEITH PATTERSON

ART SHOW AT BARNS OF ROSE HILL

90 PERCENT HALF-TRUE

“A Lie, Told Truthfully, is Art” —Keith Patterson ALSO CELEBRATING KEITH’S BOOK RELEASE WITH SIGNING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE RUN OF THE SHOW!!!

JUNE 1 - 30

Trees Through the Mist

MAY 20 22

Cosmic Harvest Gallery 571-235-5786

www.cosmicharvest.com

Clarke

MAY 2022

4

Muskellunge Fish Break Records Native perennials grown locally Specializing in plants for * pollinators * environmental applications Open Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12 or by appointment

Wendy Dorsey

Berryville, VA

•

540-539-5399

YellowHouseNatives@gmail.com

Summer Riding Camps Starting June 20 CLARKEVA.COM

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Whether you’re cleaning up or winding down, REC is right there with you. And … powering you through each moment for just over $5 a day.

As a not-for-profit cooperative, we deliver safe, affordable electricity to local homes and businesses 24/7. That’s why we work hard to keep our rates as low as possible, while keeping value high.

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By Doug Pifer My only encounter with a muskellunge happened long ago. Crossing a big beaver dam in Black Moshannon State Park in central Pennsylvania one early spring evening, I stopped short just as a long, dark shape shot away through a sunlit patch of water. The instant before it disappeared into the dark water beyond, I glimpsed its duck-billed head and sharply forked tail. It was the biggest fish I’d ever seen alive.

The largest member of the pike family, Esox masquiniongy got the name muskellunge from an Ojibway expression meaning “big fish.” True to its name, a musky grows bigger than any other fish in its habitat. It is aggressively predatory, and once it achieves adult size, its only enemies are humans and large birds of prey like bald eagles. Once restricted to the lakes and inland waterways of eastern Canada and the states surrounding the Great Lakes, muskies have been widely introduced elsewhere and now range in lakes and rivers throughout the northeastern states, and in certain waters as far south as Tennessee and South Carolina.

Muskies are a sport fisher’s favorite. One fishing guide’s motto is, “Muskies—all other fish are just bait.” Known as “the fish of ten-thousand casts,” they’re unpredictable

W.Va. assistant fisheries biologist Aaron Yeager, left, with Lucas King and his record muskie. The fish was revived in a special oxygenated tank and released

by King; photo courtesy West Virginia DNR. Below, Kyle Mulleni with his record Maryland catch.

and difficult to take on a lure.

Once hooked, they put up a terrific fight. While many “fish stories” about big muskies are greatly exaggerated, truly big individuals approach five feet and weigh close to fifty pounds. Historically, muskies eight feet long have been reported but aren’t verifiable.

Even so, reports of even bigger ones keep coming in.

Two fishermen from nearby states have caught recordsetting muskies this year. Kyle Mullenix, a 32-year-old lifelong angler from Hagerstown, said he’s spent decades trying to catch a muskie. Using a 7-foot spinning rod and live bait on March 2, 2022, his luck changed.

He caught a lunker muskie from the banks of the Upper Potomac River that weighed 33 pounds and was 49 inches long. The Maryland DNR confirmed it was a state record.

The previous Maryland state record was a 32.5-pound Muskie caught by another Washington County resident, Tessa Cosens.

Then on March 19, 2022, Lu-

cas King of Burnsville, West Virginia, caught a 51-pound muskie that was 55 inches long.

Using a Hell Hound plastic lure with a 100-pound test braided line and a 175-pound test wire leader, King was fishing on a DNR public fishing area on the bank of Little Kanawha River in the tailwater section of Burnsville Dam. King released his muskie after it was officially measured and weighed

by WVDNR assistant fisheries biologist Aaron Yeager. This beat the previous Mountain State record set by Chase Gibson’s 54-inch muskie weighing 40.5 pounds At the time of this writing, Virginia’s state record muskellunge is a 45-pound, 8-ounce muskie that fisherman Shannon Hill hauled out of the New River on June 1, 2007.

While it’s honorable and good sportsmanship to release such big fish after they’ve been caught, this isn’t always possible. And most fisheries biologists recommend removing those big muskies so that more fish of other species can survive.

I’m no diehard fisherman but I find it fascinating to think about the muskellunge I saw in Pennsylvania. By now it’s more than 20 years old and much bigger than anything ever caught before, lurking in some corner of that lake.

Clarke

MAY 20 22

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Guest essay: In praise of local foods

The Comfort and Legacy of Jane’s Lunch

Presents

American Melodies

featuring American Jazz Violinist Charlie Burnham playing hits from the Great American Songbook

Article and photos by Brother Juniper

Quick, who said “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow”?

You don’t walk into Jane’s Lunch as much as you put it on, like a favorite old coat — comfortable, familiar, and unpretentious. At almost 80 years running, it must be the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Berryville. The clippings on the wall harken back to an earlier time when men wore fedoras and women’s skirts extended to the ankle.

The name of this establishment doesn’t do it justice. I’ll explain. Some years back I had the opportunity to enjoy lunch at Jane’s with Stuart E. Brown Jr., a man so steeped in Virginia history that he could mix the humor and the facts well enough to keep you interested and get you educated. He was the sort to tell the truth when he didn’t have to. Jane’s is like him, delivering more than promised. Fact is, you could stop in at Jane’s Lunch for breakfast any time after 6am six days a week and come back for lunch each of those days but Saturday, when they close at 11:30.

On other days the breakfast menu keeps rolling until they close at 2pm. What’s wrong with a Western omelet, home fries, and toast in the middle of the day? Nada, unless you want to add a side, say bacon, scrapple, or grits. You’ll want some fresh brewed coffee with that, won’t you?

Jane’s indeed serves lunch, and does so proudly. For value you can’t beat Grandma’s Springer, an all-beef dog with the works, chips, and pickles on the side, just $3.75. Really. If all this seems as stuck in the past as newspaper clippings, consider the vegetarian sub, the Albacore tuna salad, or the club sandwich that’s absolutely princely.

May 22, 2022 at 3pm Grace Episcopal Church 110 North Church Street Berryville

The MSCO will also perform Coleridge-Taylor’s lyrical Nonet and Copland’s beloved Appalachian Spring.

$35 • Under 18 Free Tickets available at www.mainstreetchamberorchestra.org

CLARKEVA.COM Yes, I want in that club. You do to.

There’s more to Jane’s Lunch than the menu.

This is a place to bring friends, maybe discuss business, or at least pretend to. Once you’ve got your team around a table, consider a platter of chicken tenders, wing dings (they call them that) or rock fish.

Did I mention that this place has history? The progenitor of Jane’s Lunch wasn’t a Jane, but an Esther, Esther Howe. It was Esther who worked in the Southern Café, in the building where Sponseller’s Flower Shop stands. In 1945 Esther bought the restaurant and named it for her daughter, Jane, who became Jane Stoneburner, the second in the family to own the café. Jane worked there as a teenager, and continued for many years, the only place she ever worked. In 1954 the restaurant jumped across the street, to the east of where it is now. In 1975 it moved into a space next to what is now Mario’s Pizzeria.

Jane Stoneburner had a daughter, Mitzie, now Mitzie Myers, the current proprietor. For two years Mitzi worked with her grandmother and mother in the restaurant, bringing her son Chris along as well. Esther Howe died in 1979 and Jane Stoneburner had a stroke in 1994. It fell to Mitzie Myers to fold or keep the business going.

She made a few changes, such as letting the beer license lapse. She kept what she valued most, such as her grandmother’s coleslaw dressing, the homemade cucumber salad, and the meatloaf recipe.

If you stop in on Thursdays, you’ll see they play black-and-white shows on TV. You just might see Lauren Bacall, in To Have and Have Not, tell you how to whistle. Just don’t call it film noir.

That would be pretentious.

Clarke

MAY 2022

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Around Clarke County Promote your event in Clarke.

Send notices by the 1st of the preceding month to jennifer@clarkeva.com. Keep event descriptions to 125 words, following the format of these pages. One or two CMYK photos, saved as tiff or jpg at 200 dpi, are always welcome.

May

14

“The Material Culture of African-American Life in the Shenandoah Valley” Talk Grace Episcopal Church. 110 N. Church St. Berryville. For over two centuries, enslaved Africans and African Americans lived and labored in the lower Shenandoah Valley. Using both the built environment and material culture, this talk will explore physical spaces, household production, and physical objects to reveal lifeways and foodways among enslaved populations in the lower Shenandoah Valley during the 18th and 19th centuries. 2–4pm. Members $15, nonmembers $20, virtual link $7. www.clarkehistory.org.

14

Miller School Burwell Morgan Mill.

15 Tannery Lane. Millwood.

Join us and learn the process of grinding grain in an 18th century historic mill. This training will be open to the general public. Lunch will be provided.

10am–3pm. $20. 540-837-1799. www.clarkehistory.org.

14

Enders Fire Company Dice Run

John H. Enders Fire Company. 9 S. Buckmarsh St. Berryville. Registration begins at 9am, first group out at 10am, last bike out at 10:45am. Lunch prepared and sold by Enders firefighters. Raffles begin at 3pm. $25 per rider, $40 per couple. 540-955-1110.

14

Dinner and a Show Series: Low Water Bridge Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. With unforgettable original songs, Low

Water Bridge Band’s sound shakes the mountains, rumbles through the holler, and fills the river bottoms. $10, or $5 with receipt from Berryville restaurant on night of show. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

15

Meet the Beekeepers

Sky Meadows State Park. 11012 Edmonds Lane.

Delaplane. Meet with local apiarists of the Beekeepers of Northern Shenandoah and discover the art of apiculture. Free

with $10 parking fee. 12–3pm.

540-592-3556.

17

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce. Wine,

Geothermal Scott Heating and Cooling

Voted “Best BBQ in the Shenandoah Valley" since 2010!

Locally owned and operated for over a decade, Jordan Springs Market is open 7 days a week.

We smoke Beef Brisket, Pork, Chicken, Ribs and more and make delicious homemade sides and sweet treats every day.

741 Jordan Springs Rd Stephenson, VA catering@jordanspringsmarket.com

Stop in for takeout, dine in with us or have us cater your next special event from 10 guests to 1000! www.jordanspringsmarket.com

Quality Work — Reasonable Rates Ask us about our Annual Maintenance Contracts Spring: Tune, clean and check components of A/C system.

Fall: Tune, clean and check components of heating system. plus a 10% discount on parts and a Reduced labor rate

Sign Up Now! We design, repair and install all types of residential heating and cooling systems—including, but not limited to:

• Boilers and Furnaces — Gas and Oil • Solar Hot water • Standard Heat Pumps • Geothermal Heat Pumps • Heat Recovery Ventilators • In-Floor Radiant • Service and Maintenance Contracts

Scott Smith / Master HVAC

(540) 379-3179

geothermalscott43@gmail.com

(703) 898-9427

GeothermalScott.com

* Licensed and Insured • Berryville, VA *

CLARKEVA.COM

Clarke

MAY 20 22 soft drinks, light snacks. Limited seating, register by Monday. Every Tuesday through June 28. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

20

Volunteer Fire and Rescue Golf Tournament Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club. 456 Shadows Dr. Front Royal. Join us for the John H. Enders Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co. 1 Charity Golf Tournament, presented by Double Wood Farms of Berryville. 1pm.

540-631-9661.

20

Matthew Bell Memorial Blood Drive

John H. Enders Fire Company. 9 S. Buckmarsh St. Berryville.

12–7pm. www.redcrossblood.org.

24

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce. Wine, soft drinks, light snacks. Limited seating, register by Monday. Every Tuesday through June 28. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

26

Hubby Jenkins with The Down Hill Strugglers Concert Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Some of the best traditional American music, blues, gospel and hillbilly was recorded on commercial 78 RPM records during the 1920s and 30s. Hubby Jenkins and The Down Hill Strugglers keep that music alive with new interpretations. $20 in advance, $25 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

21

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Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. The Eric Byrd Trio has performed throughout the world and they hold the prestigious honor of a Kennedy Center Jazz Ambassadorship. Through that program they have performed to capacity crowds in Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Honduras and Trinidad. $20 in advance, $25 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Descend.

Unfurl. Uncover. Run through and out, and between the starting line. Ulluh presents a series of swirling, vibrant digital art that explodes concepts across canvas and probes at the underpinnings of thought.

On display in the upper gallery through July 2. 6–8pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Eric Byrd Trio Concert

24

Learn About Foster Care and Adoption

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Special guest speaker Adam Starks, PhD, author of “Broken Child, Mended Man” discusses his early life in the Virginia foster care system and his belief that everyone can uplift at-promise youth by tapping into community resources. Showing of the movie “Instant Family” will follow the talk, with light refreshments served. Free. 6–10pm.

540-955-3700.

Eli McGraw Exhibit Opening

31

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce.

Wine, soft drinks, light snacks.

Limited seating, register by Monday. Every Tuesday through June 28. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

June

3

–4 Blue Ridge Studio’s “Alice in Wonderland”

Johnson-Williams Middle School. 200 Swan Ave. Berryville. The Blue Ridge Studio

for the Performing Arts Junior Company presents an Alice in Wonderland dance recital with performances at 7pm Friday and 2pm Saturday. Advance tickets available at Sweet Peas, 5 E. Main St., Berryville: adults $12, students 17 and younger $6. After June 1, adults $15, students $10. 540-955-2919. www.blueridgestudio.org.

4

7 Poe’s Home Improvements New Building & Remodeling Est. 1976

No Job Too Small

Bobcat and Small Backhoe Work Land Clearing • Interior / exterior painting Tree & Brush Removal • 60’ Man-Lift Service

A.B. Poe, Jr. “Pig Eye”

–5 Blue Ridge Studio’s “Magical Mystery Tour” Johnson-Williams Middle School. 200 Swan Ave. Berryville. The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts Junior Company presents dance and musical performances of the Beatles, with performances at 7pm Saturday and 2pm Sunday. Advance tickets available at Sweet Peas, 5 E. Main St., Berryville: adults $12, students 17 and younger $6. After June 1, adults $15, students $10. 540-955-2919. www.blueridgestudio.org.

4

Clean the Bay Day

Sky Meadows State Park. 11012 Edmonds Lane.

Delaplane. Learn how fences and tree plantings improve water quality during easy two

540-955-3705

Veterinarians: Dr. Rachael Nuzzo, DVM, Owner

Dr. Jerry Henke, Dr. Holly Nightingale, DVM

DVM, CVA

Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Phone: 540-955-2171 Fax: 540-955-1716

3823 Lord Fairfax Hwy.Berryville

LIKE us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/battletownanimalclinic2021

Mediation • Collaborative Law • Litigation Brenda Waugh, Lawyer & Mediator waugh@brendawaugh.com

304-728-3660 (Charles Town) • 540-501-5501 (Leesburg)

—Schedule your free initial consultation online at brendawaugh.com

Clarke

MAY 2022

mile hike. Free with $10 parking fee per car. 10am–1pm.

540-592-3556.

5

The Dry Experiment: Prohibition Lecture

Burwell Morgan Mill. 15 Tannery Lane. Millwood. Learn about how ardent spirits became illegal in Clarke County, the state of Virginia, and across

the United States. Lecture by Trinity University’s Dr. Allen Pietrobon followed up by a speakeasy on the lawn next to the mill. Enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres, live jazz and take a photograph in a vintage car. 1920’s attire is optional but encouraged. Limited space available; book tickets ahead.

6–8pm. Clarke County Historical Association members $65,

REGISTERED ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE • • • •

A.I. sired, 18 month old bulls ready for heavy service.

Calving ease, balanced trait and bulls with top-tier growth genetics available.

EPDs available on all bulls.

A.I. sires include VAR Power Play, HA Cowboy Up, and Musgrave Crackerjack.

Priced $3,000 - $4,000 Schutte Land & Livestock

Registered Angus & SimAngus Cattle Dorset Sheep

(540)247-8583

P.O. Box 5 Boyce, VA 22620 www.clarkecountyproperties.com

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FESTIVAL

Saturday, May 28

•

12–6pm

Opening Ceremony @ 12:30 PM Sponsored By

nonmembers $75. 540-8371799. www.clarkehistory.org.

7

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce. Wine, soft drinks, light snacks. Limited seating, register by Monday. Every Tuesday through June 28. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

10

Carsie Blanton Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Buck Up, the new studio album from singer and songwriter Carsie Blanton, opens with a siren. Finger snaps alone accompany Blanton’s smoky vocals, before piano, upright bass, cello, trumpet, and drums join the proceedings. Thanks to Steve Pettler and Jane Lemley for sponsoring this show. At the request of the artist, everyone attending this concert must come prepared to show Covid vaccination card. $25 in advance, $30 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

11

Annual Yard Sale

LIVE MUSIC BY: THE BRYAN SHEPHERD BAND, BRENNAN EDWARDS & ROBERT TREY JETT, III, and DYLAN WOELFEL – ALSO FEATURING: CITY OF WINCHESTER PIPES & DRUMS, SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS, ARTS & CRAFT VENDORS & MORE… Participating Organizations

VERAMAR VINEYARD

905 QUARRY ROAD, BERRYVILLE, VA 22611

8

St. Bridget of Ireland Church. 1024 W. Main St. Berryville. Located in Hobert Hall, the annual sale will offer a wide variety of items as well as food.

Donations accepted June 6–9; call for drop-off times. 8am– 4pm. 540-327-0946.

11

Dinner and a Show Series: Chris Timbers

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. The son of a local Gospel singer, Timbers found his passion for music in church. At the age of 9, Timbers picked up the guitar and never looked back. $10, or $5 with receipt from Berryville restaurant on night of show. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Garden at Kastle Keep, by Keith Patterson.

14

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce. Wine, soft drinks, light snacks. Limited seating, register by Monday. Every Tuesday through June 28. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

16

John Doyle and Mick McCauley Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. John Doyle is considered one the greatest guitarists in Irish music today.

He is also a superb singer and songwriter who has collaborated and produced albums for countless musicians. Multiinstrumentalist Mick McCauley (button accordion, tin whistle, singer) has also been a longstanding member of Solas and has performed and recorded with countless other artists. $25 in advance, $30 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

17

Chris Jones and the Night Drivers Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Chris Jones & the Night Drivers make some of the most distinctively elegant yet driving bluegrass music heard anywhere today. Jordan Springs Barbecue for purchase. $20 in advance, $25 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

18

Joan and Joni Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Tribute to Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell performed by singer/songwriters Allison Shapira and Kipyn Martin. In a musical journey from the 60s to today, Allison and Kipyn demonstrate the effect Joan and Joni have had on their own musical development as modern musicians. $25 in advance, $30 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Clarke

MAY 20 22

19

Hemlock and Hickory Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Expanding the horizons of traditional, folk and old time music, Brendan Hearn and Dakota Karper create a duo of blended harmonies on fiddle, cello and vocals to excite and charm audiences everywhere. $20 in advance, $25 at door. 7–9pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

21

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce. Wine, soft drinks, light snacks. Limited seating, register by Monday. Every Tuesday through June 28. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

24

Music in the Park: Blue Ridge Run Bluegrass Rose Hill Park. E. Main St. Berryville. Contemporary, traditional and off-the-wall bluegrass music. Free. 6:30–8pm.

540-955-4001.

26

CCHA Annual Meeting

Carter Hall. 225 Carter Hall Lane. Millwood. Join the Clarke County Historical Association as they recap 2021 and discuss their plans for 2022 and beyond. Open to members only; visit website to become a member. 1:30–3:30pm. www.clarkehistory.org.

28

Bridge Night

Long Branch Historic House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Boyce.

Wine, soft drinks, light snacks.

Limited seating, register by Monday. $15. 540-837-1856. www.longbranch.org.

Ongoing Clarke County Farmers’ Market 317 W. Main St. (Berryville Primary – Clarke County School Board office). Customer entrance and parking is off West Main Street. Find a list of vendors at clarkecountyfarmersmarket.com/ meet-our-vendors/ 8am–12pm every Saturday through the end of October. manager@ clarkecountyfarmersmarket.com.

9

Yoga at the Sanctuary: Vinyasa with Amy Sanctuary Wellness Center. 208 N. Buckmarsh St. Berryville. Every Monday.

10:30–11:30am. $20. Specials and class passes available at amyhopegentry.com/yoga.

Yoga at the Sanctuary: Gentle Flow with Amy Sanctuary Wellness

Cen-

ter. 208 N. Buckmarsh St. Berryville.

5–6pm.

Every Thursday. $20. Specials and class passes available at amyhopegentry.com/yoga.

Tai Chi Sanctuary Wellness Center. 208 N. Buckmarsh St. Berryville. 12–1pm. $20. Every Tuesday. Christine Kestner is an FAI-Certified Tai Chi in-

structor, offering in-person group instruction in the Yang 24 form to a limited number of participants. This form is suitable for beginners and can be adapted to those with injuries and disabilities. Pre-registration is required. Please contact Christine for further information and to register. Christine@ 4ForcesWellness.com. www.SanctuaryBerryville.com.

Eli McGraw Art Exhibit Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. A series of swirling, vibrant digital art that explodes concepts across canvas and probes at the underpinnings of thought. On display in the upper gallery through July 2. Gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 12– 3pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

540-955-2004.

Keith Patterson Exhibit Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Keith Patterson’s artwork includes awardwinning cartoons, paintings, murals and numerous corporate logos. Keith works with acrylic on canvas blending a variety of techniques that he has developed over his career as an artist. He has closely studied the work of the masters and you may get a sense of Van Gogh, Monet, Pollack, and others while viewing his work. On display in the lower gallery June 2 through 28. Gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 12–3pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

540-955-2004.

Women’s Circle Every Monday.

6–8pm.

Join this safe space where we will explore our inner beings and outer experiences through movement, guided meditation and sharing circles. $10–$20 sliding scale. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.

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Clarke

10

May is National Foster Care and Adoption Month

By Katherine Webster

CLARKEVA.COM

There are more than 5,000 youth currently in Virginia’s foster care system, yet only about 600 of those children are in the process of adoption. May is National Foster Care Month, making this the perfect time to talk about the children and youth who need short-term or permanent homes where they feel safe and supported.

Children go into state-sponsored foster care when their families of origin can — for a variety of reasons — no longer provide stable living environments for them. Social service organizations work with the juvenile court system to develop plans for these children with the primary goal being safely returning them to their homes.

To that end, foster care plans are legal documents individualized to meet the specific needs of each family and their situations. Foster care plans are developed in partnership with parents, relatives and, when possible, the child or children, because keeping children in their homes, communities, and schools is critical for positive outcomes.

Foster families provide safe, healthy, and nurturing environments for children where they can heal and grow. Foster and adoptive parents can be married or single, with or without children already in their families. Both foster and adoptive parents need to understand how children grow and develop, and how abuse

and neglect affect that development.

Foster Families of Clarke, Frederick, and Winchester (CFW) is the local foster care agency. CFW provides initial training and ongoing support for the duration of the foster placement and throughout the adoption process.

At any given time, CFW provides support to 25 or 30 families that have children in foster care in their homes.

Most Clarke County children in foster care go through CFW for placement.

Currently, there are only four CFW foster families in Clarke County. Over the past year, 10 Clarke children entered foster care, and only two of them were able to remain in the county during their time in foster care. The other Clarke children went to live in Frederick, Winchester, or elsewhere in Virginia, thus causing additional disruption in their lives.

There are many ways to support children and their families through foster care, whether it is through respite care, placement, or simply supporting a foster family. Everyone can play a role to support the best outcome for vulnerable children in our community.

Learn more about foster care and adoption when Clarke County Social Services hosts a free event at 6pm Tuesday, May 24, at the Barns of Rose Hill in Berryville. Adam Starks, Ph.D., is the distinguished guest speaker.

Dr. Starks is the author of “Broken Child Mended Man,” a memoir about his experience growing up in foster care in Rappahannock County, and “Love Will Find Your Home,” about some of the trials children face before entering the foster care system. He is a motivational speaker on topics such as child welfare, foster care, trauma informed care, and youth homelessness.

Following Starks’ presentation on May 24, stay for the movie “Instant Family” presented in partnership with the Clarke County Library. Based on true events and starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne, “Instant Family” follows the journey of a husband and wife adopting children through the foster care system.

For more information about foster care and adoption, contact CFW Program Coordinator Zaria Cyrus at (540) 327-1841.

CFW has monthly online information sessions on the 3rd Wednesday of the month; visit www.cfwfostercare.com to register. CFW will also be present at the Clarke County Farmer’s Market in May to answer questions and raise local awareness.

Contact Clarke County Social Services Director Jennifer Parker at (540) 955-3700.

Katherine Webster works for Clarke County Social Services as its Children’s Services Act coordinator. Contact her at katherine. webster@dss.virginia.gov.

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11

Community Dispatch

A Juneteenth Celebration: Together We Rise

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CLARKEVA.COM As the inaugural Juneteeth Celebration in Clarke County at the Ruritan Fairgrounds approaches, plans are being finalized. What a great day of celebration it will be! Details can be found on our website: juneteenth2022.myevent.com.

The sponsoring committee is looking forward to this momentous occasion on June 18. A day of remembrance as we celebrate the end of slavery as General Granger rode into Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, and announced to the last 250,000 enslaved people that they were free, two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The Juneteenth Celebration will be a day of pride and happiness as we celebrate the emancipation and the endurance and achievements of our culture since that day.

When the three hosting organizations, Josephine School Community Museum (JSCM), Josephine Improvement Association (JIA) and the Clarke County Training School-Johnson Williams High School Reunion Association (CCTS-JWHS) decided to celebrate Juneteenth, it was not to be a fundraiser, but a celebration to bring the communi-

ties together and understand the significance of Juneteenth and reflect on it. Our theme for the Juneteenth Celebration is ‘Together We Rise’.

Along with the education and understanding of the significance of June 19, we will celebrate with entertainment for everyone. Among the events for the day will be Rise Band & Show with their Motown soul classics and oldies, a presentation by Buffalo Soldiers of the US flag and honoring a local Buffalo Soldier, a thousand flag slave memorial, MLA Mime from Washington, DC, re-enactors of several famous people, Comedian Grandma G from Owings Mills, Md, poetry and readings from some of our locals, a powerful MLK Impersonation and more music entertainment by choirs and singers and the Souled Out Band.

There will be activities for the children from face painting to balloon twisting, moon bounce and other games. In addition, there will be art and craft vendors and a variety of food vendors to include Lady Jay’s Catering, who will offer a “Traditional” Juneteenth Celebration meal. During slavery,

food/meals were very dull in color because most of the time they only had flour and potatoes. When Texans had their first celebration, they decided on color for their meal, mostly red. In honor of that tradition, Lady Jay’s Catering will offer a special meal (BBQ ribs, red beans and rice, collard greens, red velvet cake and a red drink and more).

There will be several pictorial displays and videos depicting the journey to freedom from then (1865) to now. DJ Mike Paige will be spinning the turntables throughout the day.

A special thank you to our sponsors who have made this possible: Bank of Clarke County, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, BVG Berryville, Collision Specialists of Fairfax, Enders & Shirley Funeral Home, Potomac Haven, and C2 Management.

The gates open at 11am on June 18 with the first event at noon. The admission is free to all and everyone is invited.

Please bring your lawn chairs and your umbrellas and come planning on having a good time celebrating Juneteenth in Clarke County.

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Clarke

MAY 2022

12

Kids’ Garden Club Brightens Up Main Street

By Rebecca Maynard Photos by Tiffany Vincent

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school hours, Mia took matters into her own hands and decided to start a gardening club of her own — just for kids.

“She went home and wrote up a plan,” said Mia’s mother,

Berryville realtor Tiffany Vincent. Word spread quickly, thanks in part to the many children in the Vincents’ neighborhood. The club meets on Wednesdays, with Mia as president. She picked out a name: Berryville Blooms and Buds.

The club made scarecrows for the Lucketts Fair, but sports and the holidays hit quickly, Tiffany said, so they looked ahead to this spring and their plans for some of the planters on Main Street in Berryville.

“Early in the season, we met with Michelle Marino, the president of Berryville Main Street, and she said, ‘This is great,’” Vincent said. “We walked around Main Street and counted the planters, and the kids decided they wanted to pick the rectangular ones to work on.”

That day, the club also cleaned up trash in the park, which the kids loved.

“I make it a point to make it

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MAY 20 22

fun for them,” Tiffany said.

In April, Crew Cut Lawn & Landscape helped the club prep the flower boxes and gave them tips on adding Styrofoam to help with drainage. “These kiddos are so dedicated to the beautification of the town of Berryville,” said a post by Crew Cut on the club’s Facebook page.

“We could not be more appreciative of Blooms and Buds Gardening Group and Crew Cut Lawn & Landscape for all of their time, energy and resources for helping to beautify Main Street,” said Marino.

Tiffany posted a fundraiser to the Clarke County Community Happenings Facebook page, and in less than a week, more than $1,000 was raised to help Berryville Blooms and Buds fund their projects.

“Everybody’s been super supportive, and it’s great to see it evolve. We’d love to do bigger projects and work with multiple companies,” Tiffany said.

She hopes to register the club as a nonprofit so businesses can write off donations.

“Interacting with my friends and hanging out and doing fun

gardening stuff,” was Mia’s answer when asked what was most fun about the club. As president, she has also been thinking of ways to raise money at the May plant sale at the fairgrounds.

“I was thinking maybe each member of the garden club could make a gardening picture or just a picture of the outdoors and nature, and we could ttach a packet of seeds to it, and it think it’d be pretty cool,” she said.

While that event will be over by the time this article is published, anyone interested in donating or joining the club can reach out through the Berryville Blooms and Buds Facebook page.

“All ages are welcome,” said Tiffany, who provides adult oversight and guidance, but also allows the club to be kidled. She described a recent meeting on a rainy day during which the members painted plaques and wrote out thank you cards for donors.

“Giving them this autonomy has led to such fun,” she said.

“They learn a little something here and there, but the biggest thing is that we want everybody to feel included.”

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Sponseller’s Flower Shop Brightens Berryville for 92 Years and Counting

By Rebecca Maynard

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Former Berryville mayor Rick Sponseller’s grandfather opened Sponseller’s Flower Shop in 1929.

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A few years ago, I wanted to purchase a floral arrangement in a teapot for my mother, so I decided to call Sponseller’s Flower Shop in Berryville.

Owner and former Berryville mayor Rick Sponseller not only told me that three teapot designs were available, he sent me photos by text message so that I could choose my favorite.

My mother still has the teapot on display.

A year later, I ordered another arrangement but neglected to take note of the shop’s earlier Saturday closing time. I sent a text message to the number Rick had used to send me the teapot photos, in the off chance that he was still in the building. He was at home but answered me immediately. “I will

be there in five minutes.” I was surprised and grateful.

That is the kind of service customers have always received at Sponseller’s Flower Shop, a fixture in downtown Berryville since 1929 when Sponseller’s grandfather opened the shop.

“My grandfather moved here from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to open the business, and we all know it was not the best year to open [because of the stock market crash and subsequent Depression], but it worked,” Sponseller said. “Small towns were much more isolated then, and people seemed to take care of one another.”

His mother Louise worked at the now closed Coiner’s Department Store in Berryville when she was in high school during

the Depression, and even then, the store would be full of shoppers until it closed at midnight on the weekends, says Sponseller. Before big box stores and malls came on the scene, everyone shopped in Berryville, which also held four grocery stores and a movie theater.

Now, people may drive to Winchester and beyond in search of flat screen televisions and gigantic movie theaters, but fixtures like Sponseller’s Flower Shop remain in place, faithfully providing the community high quality and a personal touch.

Sponseller’s father Grayson served in the Army in General Patton’s Corps as a front line radio operator. “As you might guess, that was a pretty stress-

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MAY 20 22

ful thing, and one of the consequences of it is that he came home with extremely high blood pressure,” Sponseller said. “They tried to get his blood pressure under control, but it was unsuccessful, and in 1955, he had a cerebral hemorrhage.” Grayson Sponseller slowly declined until his death in 1972.

“My mother [Louise Sponseller] had a 3-and-a-half yearold and a 9-year-old (his sister Carolyn Keeler) in 1955 when that happened, and she took the bull by the horns and made it work,” he said. He recalled growing up in the shop with his sister, playing in flower boxes.

Carolyn is now semi retired, “But if we need her, she’s here.”

Louise Sponseller was still bookkeeping for the business at age 97 in 2017, an active member of the community who drove and enjoyed bridge clubs.

She’d been at work as usual the day before an unexpected fall at her bridge club caused a broken hip requiring surgery from which she did not recover.

Today, Sponseller’s grandparents’ and parents’ memories live on, and the shop remains alive and well, on the corner at 2 W. Main Street in Berryville. Sponseller recalled that the shop had multiple lo-

cations in town before settling into its current home.

“The first location, which was before my time, was the house on the corner of Chalmers Court, and then in the house on southeast corner of Virginia Avenue and East Main Street,” he said, recalling that it was an apartment building in which his grandparents lived on the right, his family lived on the left, and the flower shop was in the middle, almost on ground level.

The current building was constructed in 1960, and at one point, the Sponsellers also owned a plant and garden center, which was located where the current flower shop is, and the flower shop was across the street diagonally.

Sponseller has lived in Berryville most of his life, except for attending William and Mary in Williamsburg, and working for awhile in Richmond. In 1980, he moved back to Berryville and joined the family business, going on to raise two sons with his late wife, Susan.

The beginning of the pandemic was difficult, when the shop closed for several weeks in spring 2020.

“We missed Easter and Mother’s Day, and we were wondering, if that was going to

be it, and then we opened back up and it was just nuts,” Sponseller said. “We were so busy, and eventually had to hire another designer. Finally, it was apparent that people couldn’t go visit each other, but they could send flowers.”

“Now that we’re kind of back to normal, business is good, and we do lots of weddings and work a lot with Rosemont Manor.”

Employee longevity is the norm at Sponseller’s; designers Stephanie Tomblin and Jessie Cather have been there 50 and 12 years, respectively. A previous designer, Audrey Crim, had been there 45 years. Clearly, there’s something special about working for a family-owned business that has endured for 92 years and counting.

At the heart of the business is the town of Berryville, and Sponseller wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’ve traveled to a lot of places, and I don’t want to live anywhere else,” he said.

15

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16

What’s a Widget?

By Claire Stuart

Clarke County High School has taken home the 2022 Widget Cup at the April 7 event! So: what’s a widget? It’s simply a useful object, tool, or structure.

The Widget Cup is a competition established by the Frederick County Economic Development Authority (EDA) for public high school students from Frederick, Winchester and Clarke Counties in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. It is a hands-on contest where students use science, math, technology, and career trade skills to design and build a widget for a local business client. The widget is something the client has expressed a need for and believes would help in the operation of their business.

Coaches for the CCHS Widget Cup Team are teachers Jim Draucker and Shanan Hambrick. Draucker, who teaches carpentry, small engines, and welding, explained that the coaches put together a team of eight students with skills in engineering, construction,

welding, electricity, audiovisual equipment, and oral presentation. Team members must be currently enrolled in a CTE course or have taken two classes. This year, the engineering students were required to know how to use computeraided drafting software.

Coaches find the students through classes and recommendations from other teachers. “I didn’t even know some of the kids, and some kids didn’t know each other,” Draucker said. He introduces them to each other and tries to get them together at least a time or two before the competition. This can be difficult when team members are in different grades or departments and may have diverse activities competing for their time. Then the coach steps out of the picture. Like in the real world, team members must figure out how to work together and showcase their skills.

“I don’t help them — they’re on their own,” said Draucker “They find it stressful, like the

real work world, but they also find it fun and challenging. It is an exercise in solving a reallife problem.”

“The EDA finds a business client with a need,” Draucker reported. “We take our team.

The team doesn’t know who the client is or what the widget the client needs is. There is only one winner. There is no second or third place.”

The client and the widget they need is announced the day of the competition. The students are told what the client needs, and the teams from all competing schools are provided with the same starting materials. They have one day to design the widget, build a working prototype, film the designing and building operation as it progresses, and finally shoot a “commercial” for the widget.

The teams have just one hour to draft a design. Industry professionals are on hand to judge the teams on teamwork, leadership, and technical skills. The

judges answer questions but do not tell the students what to do.

However, the judges must sign off on the final design.

The teams then go to the shop to build their widgets, and their audio-visual team members document the process and prepare the commercial.

Finally, the whole team explains why they chose the design, how it meets the client’s needs, then pitch the widget to the customer.

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After the competition, the prototypes are returned to the school shops for finishing touches, then delivered to the clients. The teams that didn’t win can still finish their widgets and those widgets can be given to the clients, who may decide to use all versions.

This year, CCHS’s winning widget was for a Winchester nonprofit adult day care facility. They were looking for interesting activities for their clients, many of whom enjoyed gardening. The facility wanted a garden cart — something light enough to be portable but large and strong enough to hold the weight of soil and grow the desired number of plants. It had to have adequate drainage and support grow lights. The Widget Team named their winning widget The Clarke Cart.

This is the second time that CCHS has won, out of the three competitions in which it entered. Their 2018 winning widget was a 10-foot-wide ironand-wood outdoor gate for the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley’s Glen Burnie Gardens in Winchester.

CCHS students participating in the event were Bailey Beard, Nick Boswell, Michael Combs, Colin Moran, Ava Schmohl, Bella Stem and Stephen Walker.

Clarke

MAY 20 22

17

Woman’s Club of Clarke County: Historic, Philanthropic, Fun, and Welcoming New Members

By Cathy Kuehner

M

O LL

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An announcement about the second meeting of the Woman’s Club of Clarke County in the Nov. 8, 1916, Clarke Courier said, “Every woman in the County is welcome.” That is still true 106 years later.

The Woman’s Club of Clarke County meets at 2pm on the second Thursday of each month, usually at Berryville Baptist Church on Academy Street. There are presently about 25 active members.

For more information about the Woman’s Club of Clarke County, contact co-president Marilyn Pierce at mrp@ piercetax.com or co-president Donna Gallagher at don2gall@ aol.com. Learn more about the General Federation of Women’s Clubs at www.gfwc.org.

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Both newspapers named the club’s first elected officers: Mrs. J.D. Richardson, president; Mrs. J.S. Smith, first vice president; Mrs. John Sowers, second vice president; Mrs. W.T. Lewis, recording secretary; Mrs. G.N. Hardesty, corresponding secretary; and Miss Daisy Warden, treasurer.

One hundred and six years later, the Woman’s Club of Clarke County still exists, meets monthly, and welcomes new members — although the antiquated convention of identifying women by their husbands’ names fell by the wayside long ago.

Current treasurer Letty Mallery joined the club when she moved to Berryville. “This is a great way to learn about

C

When the Woman’s Club of Clarke County officially organized on Oct. 27, 1916, it was front-page news in The Clarke Courier and Society-page news in The Evening Star, a newspaper in Washington, D.C. The Evening Star reported on Nov. 5, 1916, “Forty women from all parts of Clarke County met in the courthouse in Berryville last Friday to form a club to be known as the Woman’s Club of Clarke County. The different departments are civic, educational, philanthropic, art and literature.”

In its Nov. 1, 1916, edition, The Clarke Courier stated the club’s goals: “Intellectual improvement, social enjoyment, and united effort for the welfare of the community.”

and charitable work,” said co-president Marilyn Pierce, “and I learn a lot about our community.”

At recent Woman’s Club meetings, Berryville Mayor Jay Arnold talked about the town, its services, its growth, and its challenges. In April, Board of Supervisors chair David Weiss discussed the county’s comprehensive plan and its desire to maintain its agricultural and rural characteristics as well as enhance areas for economic development.

The 1919 “Official Register and Directory of Women’s Clubs in America” listed General Federation of Women’s Clubs across the country, from California to Massachusetts and from Minnesota to Louisiana.

It included two clubs in Berryville: Woman’s Club of Clarke County, which at the time had 88 members, and the Village

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Board of Supervisors chair David Weiss talks with members of the Woman’s Club of Clarke County during their April meeting. The Club’s friendly, casual meetings allow for engaging conversations with each other and the guest speakers. Photo provided by Clarke County.

the community, events, and services. The scholarship project is important, too.”

Club members are proud of the $1,000 scholarship they give each year to a Clarke County High School senior who plans to earn a college degree in nursing or other healthcare profession. The Woman’s Club presented its first college scholarship in 1936. Funds for the scholarship come primarily through club memberships, bakes sales, and raffles.

Co-vice president Bonnie Dodson shared the club’s motto, “It’s not what we give, but what we share.”

“We are making a positive difference in people’s lives,” added Alice Hummer.

Former club president Cathy Kirby said she joined because of community service and socialization.

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Have a Venmo Account? Read This Giving Up Your Right to Go to Court: What Consumers Should Know

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When we enroll in a subscription or buy something online, most of us scroll through the fine print and check the box “agree to terms and conditions” without reading them. However, when we check that box, we are entering into a legal contract. And that means that we have agreed to all the terms.

Most written consumer and employment contracts include a binding arbitration clause. This clause means that the parties give up their right to a jury trial to resolve a legal dispute, in favor of permitting a contracted third party to make the decision.

The process will not include the procedures we normally associate with court processes such as a right to testify or to offer proof through evidence. Typically, the clauses permit the business or employer to select the third party or arbitrator. Most clauses require binding arbitration, meaning that the decision cannot be appealed.

Consumers usually have a right to a jury trial

The Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to have federal cases adjudicated by a jury. In Virginia, most civil cases involving a dispute over $20 can be tried by a jury. Unfortunately, many of us give up that right without even understanding that we’ve done so. Consequently, when we dispute a charge, late fee, or interest payment, we must accept the arbitrator’s final decision after agreeing to “binding arbitration.”

Arbitration and mediation are not the same!

Both mediation and arbitration can be used instead of a court to resolve a legal dispute. However, they are not the same thing.

Mediation is often cited as creating a supe-

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rior alternative to litigation.

In mediation, the parties make the decision, and a mutually acceptable mediator provides a structure for the parties to create and evaluate options to help reach an agreement. The parties — the people with the knowledge and the consequences of the dispute — make the decision rather than a third party. If they do not reach an agreement, they may still go to court.

However, in binding arbitration, a third party, usually selected unilaterally, decides the outcome. With a binding arbitration clause, participation in arbitration is not voluntary as it is in mediation, but required. When a disputant is not satisfied with the arbitrator’s decision, they cannot appeal or challenge it.

Some consumers have challenged the provision of contracts that requires arbitration; however, it is difficult to win that challenge. Virginia law creates a presumption that the binding arbitration clause in the contract is valid. To maintain their right to go to court, the consumer would need to demonstrate a basis under contract law for the clause to be invalid.

Opting out

One exception to binding arbitration is when the consumer opts out. For example, recently Venmo, the app that enables consumers to conveniently transfer funds, changed the terms of their agreement. They added a binding arbitration clause. Venmo emailed most subscribers to inform

them of the addition, and provided the opportunity to “opt-out .”

Opting out means that the consumer maintains their right to go to court in the event of a dispute, including a class action.

Details on how to opt out are found online in the new users’ agreement at https://venmo.com/ legal/us-user-agreement.

Basically, to opt-out, the consumer must download and print the opt-out form located at https:// help.venmo.com/hc/en-us/ articles/360062640153.

The form must be mailed

by USPS to the address on the form. Current Venmo users must opt-out by June 22, 2022.

Choices

What can you do to preserve the right to participate fully in the decision in the event of a dispute? All consumers should understand what “binding arbitration” means. When signing any contract that includes language requiring binding arbitration, you should investigate the potential for opting out.

When the business contract does not include that option, you might consider whether the advantages of entering into the agreement outweigh potential losses if any dispute arises.

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Register by calling Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church at 540-955-1264 or emailing admin@dmumc.org.

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Clarke County Litter Committee is Revitalized and Action-Oriented

By Cathy Kuehner

A fast-moving, extremely funny rendition of one of the most beloved fables of all time!

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Clarke County’s litter control efforts began decades ago, not long after the birth of the modern environmental movement in the 1970s. Its current five-member Clarke County Litter Committee, established in November 2021, aims to keep the movement going.

In the early 1980s, an ad hoc litter committee formed and, working with the Parks and Recreation Department, focused on educational programs and establishing a recycling center. The group quietly worked on Adopt-a-Highway efforts, too. The Board of Supervisors formalized the Litter Committee in 1999 and officially appointed individuals to serve.

The Litter Committee continued with educational programs, Adopt-a-Highway, and renewed efforts to establish a recycling center. An earlier recycling center in Chet Hobert Park failed when too many people continually dumped household trash into the recycling containers.

Eventually, the Litter Committee ceased and, in the late 2000s, the county established a Conservation Committee that helped develop an energy management plan, which the Supervisors adopted in 2010. The Conservation Committee disbanded after the plan was adopted.

Last year, residents expressed interest in reestablishing the Clarke County Litter Committee. The Board of Supervisors appointed five members — Tom Bauham, Ashley Harrison, John Keim, Mary Martin, and Meg Roque — who

Jeff Feaga (from left), John Crockett, Robin Coutts, John Keim, Graham Glover and his father Robert Glover, and David Logan stand with trash and debris they collected. Photo provided by Clarke County.

held an organizational meeting in November 2021. The committee also includes Berryville District Supervisor Matthew Bass as Board liaison, and Clarke County Preservation Planner Jeff Feaga, who provides government oversight.

The Litter Committee aims to promote recycling and discourage littering as well as improve the environment through beautification and litter prevention.

The Clarke County Litter Committee held its first cleanup event on March 26 in Chet Hobert Park. On April 23, committee members and other volunteers participated in the Potomac Riverkeeper Network’s “Trash-Free Shenandoah” initiative, collecting trash and debris at two of Clarke County’s three public boat landings. In only a few hours that Saturday morning, the group filled many bags of beer and soda bottles, used diapers, fast-food containers, abandoned fishing line, and lures, and they collected tires, lawn furniture, and

construction materials.

“We had good weather and enough volunteers to thoroughly clean the litter from two of Clarke County’s three public boat landings,” said Feaga. “Of course, we hope people using the boat ramps this summer will pick up their own trash and help by picking up a piece of trash left by someone else.”

Clarke County Litter Committee meetings are at 5:30pm on the third Tuesday of each month in the second-floor meeting space of the BerryvilleClarke County Government Center located at 101 Chalmers Ct. in Berryville. All meetings are open to the public.

The Litter Committee plans to take part in the Potomac Riverkeeper Network’s “TrashFree Shenandoah” biannual clean-up efforts. For now, the committee is focused on public boat ramps, but with enough volunteers, the roads along the river could also be cleaned. For more information, contact Feaga at jfeaga@clarkecounty.gov.

ACEs: Adverse Childhood Experiences

ACEs trainers across Virginia are working to raise awareness through education and connect people to helpful resources in an effort to reduce ACEs and ultimately improve the health of our communities Learn more by going to: nwprevention.org/aces-training/

Get a jump on Summer!

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MAY 2022

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Celebrating the Appalachian Trail in Round Hill A.T. Legend Warren Doyle Headlines Local Trail Fest June 11 With nine Appalachian Trail thru hikes and nine section hikes under his belt, Warren Doyle has hiked the A.T. again and again — and again.

One obvious question comes to mind: Why? Why does anyone set out to hike 2,190 miles, even one time? Maybe would-be thru hikers want to see if they can go the distance. Probably, they’ve heard about the wonders of the trail. OK. Do it once. But why travel the same 2,190 miles 18 times? You know you can do it; you’ve seen all the sights.

Ask Warren Doyle why he has walked the A.T. again and again over decades, and he’ll tell you it’s as much about all the time he’s not hiking as it is about the times he has spent hiking.

Doyle believes the Trail can “show the way.” He believes hikers learn to better navigate the “real world” from their trail days in the woods. The Trail makes people “questioners, diggers, seekers of truth,” according to Doyle.

“I trust the Trail,” Doyle says.

“I trust what the mountains have taught me.”

Doyle, who is believed to have

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walked the A.T. more than any other person, will participate in a Q&A “Why Hike?” session at the Round Hill Appalachian Trail Festival on June 11 at B Chord Brewery in western Loudoun County. Doyle’s 3pm talk will run for an hour, with time for questions.

The festival will also feature two panel discussions: one highlighting favorite, local day hikes (11am) and one featuring A.T. section- and thru-hikers telling their tales from the Trail (1pm).

Appalachian Trail Conservancy President Sandi Marra will be one of the day-hike panelists, and Doyle and author/adventurer Jeff Ryan take part in the 1pm panel

Clarke discussion, among other longdistance hikers.

The festival, held June 11 from 11am–5pm at B Chord Brewing, features live music from three great “Americana” groups: Fiddlin’ Dave & Morgan (noon), The Fly Birds (2pm), and Frank Solivan & Jillian Lea (4pm).

More than ten hiking/ environmental groups will have displays (including Appalachian Trail

Conservancy, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, Appalachian Mountain Club, American Hiking Society, Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship and Blue Ridge Wildlife Center).

F o o d trucks, Red Fox Creamery, and Williams Gap Vineyards will offer food and drink.

The festival also features vendors

23 (artisans and hiking gear suppliers) and activities for all ages, including nature printing and trail cooking.

Round Hill AT, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, puts on this free, family-friendly celebration of the A.T. and the great outdoors.

Major sponsors include Warm Peet, Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Meadows Farms, H2Land Company and the Town of Round Hill. B Chord Brewing is located at 34266 Williams Gap Road. For more information, please see our FB feed @roundhillat and visit the Round Hill Appalachian Trail Festival website: www.roundhillat.org.

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